dazzle me.

Last weekend, my girlfriends invited me to take a girls trip out to Vegas! After all the stress from work, I desperately desired a weekend out of town! Oh boy, I didn't know what I was in for...

Chelsea and I left after a full-day at work, around 6:30. Everything was going smooth, then we hit Baker... a SEMI-TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE!! We were in stopped traffic for just over two-hours. My clutch heated up so badly, that it's now a bit warped. I was so tired, but we pressed on! We finally arrived in Las Vegas around 3:30 in the morning! At least we got to get all dolled up and walk around a bit. Bright Lights, Big City...

A sigh of relief escaped while walking down the hallway on floor twenty of the Flamingo Hotel, when we heard the faint scream of Aubree, Tessa, and Natasha quieted by the loud music escaping from room fifty-eight. Immediately, we were excited to have a drink and find an adventure.

The next day, we ate some yummy room-service breakfast, and walked around the strip some more. Aubree fought Darth Vader and then we stopped into the Bellagio to check out Dale Chiluly's glass blown exhibit!

bei colori.

i loved this new umbrella exhibit. so beautiful!

We also walked through the beautiful observatory at the Bellagio. There were so many beautiful flowers and butterflies! The water exhibits were beautiful also - not just the fountains in the front, but the water streams in the observatory. I recommend an afternoon stroll through there if you ever get a chance. 

girlies. 

love.

However, I do not recommend trying to walk from the Bellagio to the Hard Rock HOTEL... because you'll just get lost and end up eating at the Hard Rock RESTAURANT, which is only three blocks away! We ate some delicious burgers, even though I was sad we didn't get to go tequila tasting at the Pink Taco. 

Afterwards, Chelsea and I split from the rest of the girls in search of a tea lounge at the Mandarin Oriental hotel - my cousin Shannon recommended that we check it out. The hotel was peaceful serenity only steps away from the business of the strip. We ran in from the beginning of a random rain shower, the lobby was all black marble tile, with two elevators perched on the right wall. We rode up to the "sky terrace," and immediately were thinking, "uh-oh, don't think we can afford this..." But, we sat down at a nice table by a window over-looking the strip. After being handed a menu where the cheapest pot of tea cost $16 dollars, and four cupcakes cost $24, we quickly excused ourselves and returned, embarrassed down the elevators. 

After a long and rejuvenating nap, we painted our faces, let our curls down, and strapped our high heels on... to TAO. I had never been to Tao, but the south-east Asian theme proved to be beautiful and spectacular. Good drinks, great music, good dancing - a drummer and a sky-acrobatic-person!! It was the coolest experience ever. We danced our hearts out under falling confetti, only feet away from Nikki Hilton (... not that I really care... *snicker*)

so purty!

sick drummer-dude.

sky-acrobatic lady.

After Tao, we met up with Aubree's friends who live in Las Vegas at the Artisan hotel. Hunter stayed there once before when he was there for the drag races, and he warned me as to its... well, peculiar-ness. All black walls with mirrors on the ceiling... TECHNO music blaring. It was actually pretty cool. I met some really nice people, and it was nice to hang out with locals instead of being squished in a club all night. (plus, the margarita was better and cheaper!)

We came home the next day - after sleeping in until one o'clock in the afternoon. Sitting in traffic for two more hours before the Nevada border, then driving through the hail in California, made it a relief to get home to my fambly. I missed Hunter, Holley, Ratchet, and Howard. We even had a mini gift exchange:

Hunter and the boys started my wall decal for me! It's not finished, but it was very sweet of them to start it for me - it's a lot of work!!

and all I got him was a stupid t-shirt and a shot glass, haha.

st.patrick's day clearance... i'm a bad fiance. lol

Being away from them, even just for a weekend, re-affirmed how much I love them and need them in my life. Even though it was good to have some fun with the girls!!

Thank you Natasha, Aubree, and Tessa for inviting us, and thank you Chelsea for being my co-piolet! Love you, girls!

photo credit: natasha dee (thanks!)