March Madness 2009: Encore

I'm down in Las Vegas for our annual March Madness trip. We came a couple days earlier than usual, which has been nice, as I've had extra time to enjoy the amenities prior to the aforementioned madness.

We are staying at the newly constructed Encore resort, part of the Wynn property. As nice as the Wynn is, the Encore is even fancier. We have a larger, nicer suite where the game watching will take place, plus a couple extra rooms on other floors just for sleeping.

Suite

The Terrace Pointe Cafe is our regular food joint. Joey is officially off his Adkins Diet, judging by that skillet of Bleu cheese truffle chips.

My favorite breakfast meal, perhaps the best breakfast dish on Earth, is the Maine Lobster Benedict. It's a piece of Heaven in your mouth.

Daytime shot of the suite's main room

After a visit to Trader Joes and Walmart, we stocked our kitchen with a plethora of party snacks and drinks.

Room service isn't too bad either. Perfectly cooked salmon

A very good house salad

Deconstructed lettuce wraps and a side of massive chicken fingers. Note the sweet remote for the TV, lights, and curtains.

Cat's Meow

Celebrating Holly's birthday the other night.

Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon

I didn't take any pictures at the Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon in January, but I managed to steal a few. I'll catch up to the present eventually.

Massive crowd at the beginning

Somewhere in the middle

Painful finish

True Love

From the moment I took her out of the box, it was love at first sight.

We've been living together for about a month now, and things are going great.

She's a looker this one.

Cancun

As I thoroughly documented in several posts, my last trip to Mexico was 'on the cheap', to say the least. I forwent showers, sleeping in a bed, and personal space. I only mention this as a means of explaining why I feel no guilt about enjoying a second visit to Mexico. This one on the other side of the spectrum.

A was in Cancun a couple weeks ago for a FAM trip. It's the furthest south I've traveled in Mexico, however, it's also the least I've seen of any destination I've ever visited. This was not authentic Mexico by any means. That doesn't make it a bad trip, just different.

They put us up at the Le Blanc resort. It's pretty nice.

I'm not usually a jacuzzi guy (I have sensitive skin), but when it's in your freaking room, for crying out loud, with bubble bath, mineral salts and everything, you really don't have any choice. I may or may not have watched TV from beneath the foam.

But don't think I was playing favorites. I gave the shower plenty of attention too. There's an additional shower head coming at you from the other side, in addition to the 5 shown here.

One of the highlights of the trip, for me, was having the chef of the new French restaurant prepare us a tasting menu, then walk us through each one. For a minute there, I honestly felt like I'd walked onto the set of Top Chef.

Other meals weren't half bad either.

This troupe of drummer/dancers was lead by two fire wielding Brazilian girls covered in lovely tattoos. You can put two and two together from here. I stayed for the whole show.

Much of my time was spent touring properties like this one. (Moon Palace)

The rest was spent riding ATV's...

...and Shotover Jet boats.

This trip made all the bug bites I got in Baja worth it.