Vegas.

I am happy to say Ms. Skeelo and I had a great time on our 5th anniversary in Vegas. I hadn't been there in over 18 months (a long stretch for me) and my how things change. And anyone who wants to head down for a boys weekend antime soon just let me know.

Here are random thoughts on the official Pursuit of Leisure happiest place on earth:

- The Stardust got blown up a few weeks ago and that is the most obvious change. But the strip is improving. The Aladdin, which was horrbily tacky even by Vegas standards, is now the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino and is phenomenal inside. Great colors and a very young feel to it, it will take some business away from The Hard Rock.

- One the other end of change don't even bother with the Hooters Hotel. It is just the old San Remo painted and tarted up. And there aren't many Hooters girls there, all the waitresses and dealers are 85 year old women. Not cool.

- I'm pissed off at myself for not once asking anyone just how truly fucked up NBA all star weekend was. Those were obvious great stories to hear and I completely forgot.

- I now have a favorite retail employee. She works at J. Crew in the mall just north of Treasure Island. When she found out we were from Canada she told us how much she loved Canadians because we were all so friendly "except for those French people from Quebec. They are all rude and ignorant." Damn right J. Crew girl. Retail girl at Tumi (a luggage maker) store said the exact same thing. On behalf of the rest of Canada I apologized and told them we really don't like them either. I also apologized for Celine Dion.

- I like Hotel and Casinos that make you walk through the casino to get anywhere. Vegas is all about gambling, eating, drinking too much and trying to have sex with everything that moves. It is not about shopping at Prada, Gucci, Hermes, or Tiffany's. The first thing you should see when entering a casino is the gambling pits. That's why I love the MGM Grand and will continue to stay there, and why I will never stay at The Venetian if it is my choice.

- Funniest moment may have been getting in a crowded elevator at the MGM at about 1am with a guy and the drunk fat girl he picked up. She asked him his name again then said she was going to rob a bank to pay for a PhD at UNLV.

- Ms. Skeelo is now hooked on video Blackjack. They have a store down there that sells game machines for home use. She took a good hard look.

- There is nothing funnier than strolling the casino at 4:30-5:30am. The hookers working the lounges, the drunks having a great time at the tables, girls doing the final steps of their walk of shame back to their room. You just can't put a price on entertainment like that.

- If you ever go to Vegas and are looking for a great meal I recommend the Charlie Palmer steakhouse at the Four Seasons. It serves the best steak I have ever had and the price is quite reasonable for 5 star dining.

- If you ever go to Vegas and are looking for a great show I recommend Cirque De Soleil's "O" at The Bellagio. It may been the most entertaining 90 minutes of my life. I will review it later this week.

- Every girl in Vegas dresses like a whore which made me realize that girls these days pretty much dress like whores everywhere. At what point did every girl in North America start dressing like a whore for a night on the town. It certainly didn't happen while I was at Carleton.

- Finally, the question everyone asks is "How did you do at the tables?" I won about $200 over the four day trip which I consider a huge success.