Las Vegas is the destination for this fun annual event was a quick getaway for me (with the Hubby and son Sam) — little more than 48 hours there. For lots of folks (myself included), that is the right amount of time in this crazy town. Cool temps were definitely a plus as the last time I was there, it was at least 110 degrees .. but, you know, “dry heat.” Ugh.
This is an opportunity to mix it up with fellow baseball lovers, folks who work in the industry and likely some players. We didn’t go into this “cold,” but rather at the urging of friends who are regular attendees and would help us navigate the landscape. The home base is Mandalay Bay, but I opted for accommodations at the nearby Aria Resort. I must say, the rooms are very reasonable — Deluxe King for $160/night including taxes. Yes, there’s probably better deals, but I was happy with the rate and the hotel is close to where we needed to be.
I even signed up for “MLife” which is the loyalty program/booking site for anything related to MGM Grand properties. There are 14 alone in Vegas (not to mention elsewhere in the US and Internationally). Will I ever use it again? Who knows. But it certainly made it easier to have a site where I could look at all the restaurants and activities. Of the former (places to eat), one could go brain dead making that decision. Good lord, the choices are overwhelming. Not wanting to spend a ton (saving that for next month’s big trip to the Big Apple for the BIG BIRTHDAY), I opted for Rivea at the nearby Delano. “After Saint-Tropez and London, Rivea finally comes to the Las Vegas restaurant market, offering a renewed take on a French and Italian influenced cuisine from internationally celebrated Chef Alain Ducasse.”
The restaurant is on the top floor of the hotel with gorgeous views of the city. The menu is a bit small, but the food is delicious and the wine list is excellent. We were quite happy with the meal, after which we headed to see the action at Mandalay Bay. The good news with consuming lots of food in Vegas is getting anywhere requires a tremendous amount of walking, so there’s little guilt involved. Just walking the ground floor of most properties is a trek, not to mention getting to the parking garage for a cab or ride share vehicle. There wasn’t too much happening but Sam did see Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez and Dodger president Stan Kasten was dining nearby. Hmmm, what trades were being discussed? The rumor mill was on full throttle.
We strolled the event during the day but couldn’t talk our way into the massive exhibition hall. After learning the only other way was shelling out $150 per person to get credentials, we passed. Without a doubt, the high point of the trip was a wonderful dinner at Carbone, chosen by Sam. This classic Italian eatery out of Greenwich Village still does a table-side Caesar salad, which few places bother to do.
Our friend found out a large group would be taking one of the private rooms, and we happened to be seated right in their path. Wearing one of my Dodger t-shirts under a blazer turned out to be a good idea as my bona fides were established when I stopped first Joe Torre followed by Orel Hershiser for brief chats and photo ops. In fact, Orel commented: “I can’t believe this woman just flashed me!” He was talking about the t-shirt, of course. Getting his attention by calling him Bulldog — his well-known nickname — certainly helped. Both gentleman were very accommodating before moving on.
Alas, Vegas is just not for me. Too big, too flashy, too everything … and certainly the last location in the U.S. that allows smoking indoors! I do see the attraction for many travelers who seek more of everything, especially a good bang for their buck — not unlike going on a cruise ship with 3000+ people. To each his own, but I’ll stick with a bit of “less is more.”
