I celebrated my 43rd birthday this past weekend in Las Vegas. We only had 43 hrs on the ground so we wanted to hit the ground running. Vegas basically invented the word “party”, so after an almost 5 hour flight we landed at noon. We were ready to get the party started and guess what? We didn’t even have to leave the airport to get a bottle of something for the room. We stopped at the Liquor Library. What is the Liquor Library you say ? Liquor Library is the nation’s ONLY in baggage claim, non-duty free liquor store.http://liquorlibrarylv.com/

Everywhere else in this nation you must have a international ticket to buy liquor at duty free airport location.

Lucky us ! Liquor Library usually has daily tastings and this day Hennesey was being sampled. The gracious hostess treated us to a few mini cocktails. The party has started ! One of the managers gave us a tour of their expansive offerings.

Everything familiar and a lot of choices that are rather unique in nature. The Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary authorized bottle of Crystal Head Vodka that comes with a 2 cd set along with a actual mini crystal skull head. Try finding that at your corner liquor store !! Or how about a bottle Louis XIII cognac that will set you back more than a few Thousand dollars !!

Mind you they still have all your favorite tried and true libations. Vast wine and Champagne choices are also on the shelf or cold in their fridge to get your stay in sin city off to a festive start.

So the remember, right after luggage pick up , stroll over and add a few bottles to your bags prior to that cab ride to your hotel. Avoid the high prices on the strip and get stocked right at the airport.

So off we went to check in our suite at the stylish low key{by Las Vegas Standards} Delano Hotel. https://www.delanolasvegas.com/en.html

It is part and parcel of the Mandalay Bay complex but it operates totally separate from it’s more well known parent hotel. Quiet boutique luxury made our stay there quite nice. Roomy modern suite and 1 1/2 bathrooms were a great surprise. After check in we hit their pool for exclusive use of Delano guests only. That cut down on the kid chaos that takes over the main Mandalay pool complex. Relaxed and had a “few” drinks poolside. Very nice.

After a quick party nap we went to happy hour at RM Seafood. They have a seafood/sushi happy hour between 3-6. We enjoyed freshly shucked oysters and lobster rolls to go with specially prices glasses of wine.

Afterwards it was off to THE show.

THE show would be Cirque Du Soleil’s MJ ONE tribute to the king of pop. Needless to say it was mythical and magical, just like Jackson himself.

We ended our first day in Vegas at The Foundation Room Lounge/Restaurant located on the roof of the Mandalay bay. View of the entire strip and beyond was priceless.

Jet lag hit and our Delano suite was calling us so we called it a night.

Next morning we gloriously slept in. We decided to spend the early afternoon at Daylight Beach Club for their infamous weekend pool party. It was exactly as wild and fun as a pool party in Vegas could be!

Later on we did the High Roller Ferris Wheel at Linq Hotel. It is a huge new landmark on the strip. We had a pod with a full open bar for the entire 30 minute ride. The drinks and the stellar view were a very good combination. The ferris wheel units were airconditioned so we could just look at the 108 degree day instead of feeling it !!

We relaxed back at the Delano and decided to get take out at House Of Blues to enjoy back at the suite. 7am flight back home. 43 hours of fun, revelry and desert HEAT! Vegas never disappoints. The end.