Celebrating Solo My Birthday and Many Blessings Amongst the Flowers -- 8/15 to 8/20

Okay, so this will likely fail as a live trip report but I will, for the first time, give it a try.

I am sitting on a Jet Blue flight from LGA to Boston on the tarmac at Logan airport (waiting for our gate to become available) getting teary eyed post a complimentary sparkling wine that I had to guzzle quickly before landing. Seriously though, I am a bit weepy because I am very blessed. Fortunately, seldom a day goes by when I don't acknowledge to myself my blessings when I wake up in the morning and everyone I care about -- including my 86 and 87 year old parents -- wake up as well. They have their health challenges, which aren't insignificant, but they are happy, relatively pain free, and know who I am. And my mother will be on a flight with me from JFK to Seattle a week from tomorrow as we get ready to embark on an Alaskan cruise. Yes, save for 3 days next week, I am taking the second half of August off. Life is good.

As has been the case for every trip in at least the last 2 to 3 years, my home base will be my beloved Encore. I had thought I might have a couple of friends join me, especially as I was providing comped rooms courtesy of my host!, but they were really bummed they could not partake due to obligations.

While initially disappointed they could not join me I quickly pivoted to feeling so free that I will be in Vegas solo for five days, during which I will turn 55. It may sound pathetic but I am especially excited about this solo trip, which is actually a short one for me; but for heading to Seattle a week from tomorrow, I would have made this a 9 to 10 day solo trip.

Plans are to fill the birthday celebration with great music, including Mary J Blige at the Hard Rock tomorrow, Diana Ross at Encore on Saturday and, possibly George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic at Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday. I really only want to hear one song -- One Nation Under a Groove -- and don't want to hang there for hours. So, it is TBD. But, he is a legend and this is his very last concert before retiring so I feel almost obligated to go, even though IMO Vegas is about doing only want you really want to do, not what you think you SHOULD do, so TBD.

I will have the Nalu Body Ritual in the morning and a facial on my birthday.

My host, whom I adore, has arranged for a behind the scenes tour of the floral operation at Wynncore on my birthday. I am absolutely over the moon about experiencing that and will be wearing floral linen shorts and a matching top for the occasion.

I don't dine out much in NYC but in Vegas I do. The planned dining experiences include Tableau, Jardin, Le Cave and Mon Ami Gabi for breakfast/brunch and Sinatra (pre Diana Ross) and Lakeside (for my birthday) for dinner. But I could wind up scrapping half of these meals and just doing my Wynn Cafe grilled cheese and tomato soup instead. (NFC, the grilled cheese and soup you made at home looked yummy!)

I am double booking Palace Station for a 250 shell gas gift card and will also pick up 200 in free play. I also will be double booking Gold Coast for a monthly offer of 250 in free play and 150 in food and beverage credit. I won't use all of the FB credit but I do plan to dine at Cornerstone, where I ate twice in early July. It is a very good steakhouse with great service and about half to a third the price of a strip steakhouses. I can order a lot and still will struggle to spend half of my food credit.

I plan to play VP a lot. I can play 10 to 12 hours a day, easily. Heavy play days will likely be Saturday and Sunday. Spa every day for a bit and pool as well though my big pool time will likely be the morning of my birthday.

TBD but I may check out the revamped version of Le Reve post my birthday dinner as it has been a few years since I have seen the show and some of the choreography has changed.

Of course I will visit the Bellagio conservatory but was also thinking about finally -- for the first time after going to Vegas for 30 years -- visiting the cactus garden at Ethel M. I am a member of the Neon Museum and get free tours so I may one night go and see Brilliant again, which I love. Just wish I could have a glass of champagne with me while experiencing it.

I also want to get in at least one session of Bingo at Palace and maybe even check out the Rat Pack is Back.

I may also just spa, gamble, eat and just keep my MJB and Diana Ross and floral tour dates. After all, it IS my birthday trip, I am solo, so I am going to do whatever or wherever my heart takes me though I do hope it includes many a UX DDB or UX TDB handpay.

Finally pulling into the gate after sitting on the tarmac for a half hour. Then heading to the gate for my flight to Vegas in a pod on Jet Blue's MINT!

 

This sounds like an amazing trip - I’ll be watching for updates! Enjoy and Happy BD early!

 

Thank you!

 

I hope you have a wonderful birthday, @Flowers.
A relaxing and easygoing trip with some entertainment and good food in-between sounds lovely.
Too bad I'll miss you. Going in with my sister for a few days on the 23rd.
Best wishes and good luck with the gambling too!

 

Have a great trip, @Flowers ! I hope the VP at Encore treats you as kindly as it did me last week.

If you find yourself in the Cosmo neighborhood on Saturday or Sunday, look me up. We can have a cocktail and you can listen to me complain about all the first world problems associated with not staying at Wynncore this trip!

 

I'm going to miss @thecarve too?

 

Thanks ardee and thecarve for the good wishes! I didn't realize you were in Vegas carve! Would love to meet you. Sunday is the day I plan to do brunch at MAG and then the conservatory so if you are around Sunday I will pop by Cosmo!

 

That sounds awesome. I hope you post lots of photos! Celebrate your final days of age 54! It’s the youngest you’ll ever be again. Good luck and hit the RF!

 

Not if you move your trip up a few days!

Sounds good. Other than eating my body weight in good food and pissing away my retirement account, I don't have a thing on the docket for Sunday!

 

Best wishes and good luck. You are a good daughter for taking your Mom on the Alaska cruise!!

 

Thank you DaiLun and for all of your great cruise tips!!

 

Nails freshly done!

 

Super quick drink during my 40 minute flight from NYC to Boston. I really wanted to fly MINT for my birthday trip and in a pod . The fare out of Boston was hundreds of dollars cheaper than flying out of JFK plus I got my pick of pods so I used points to pay for my flight to Boston and now will be soon be boarding for Vegas, getting in about an hour earlier than the flight from JFK, which I normally take but doesn't leave until near 10 pm.

It has been a hectic week so I literally just booked my GC and Palace Station offers in the airport.... Not like me to wait until the last minute!

 

You are going to love MINT. I tried it last year and got spoiled. I booked it again for my trip in October.

 

Hey girl, you have a wonderful trip, many winnings and one helluva birthday, Good Luck

 

Good luck and have plenty of fun!!

PICS PICS PICS PLEASE

 

Photo for you packing obsessed VMBers. I don't check luggage but I still over pack. For my birthday trip I want special things with me. I just splurged on a silk pillow and eye mask and packed those too.

 

Happy Birthday and good luck. I get in late the 19th. The first night I’m crashing and getting room service at the Bellagio. Other than the Blue Man Group Tuesday we don’t have a lot of plans.

 

MINT Pod on the right side of the plane, so good for landing in Vegas and the views. And before and after photos of the Jet Blue Mint drink.