Four years have passed since our last Vegas venture so I’m excited to “sniff” some new eats, “snore like a wildebeest” at a new hotel and be entertained at a new Cirque du Soleil show.

A monster-sized waft of vanilla air freshener releases from above and overtakes the senses as we enter Aria Hotel & Casino (A: 3730 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV  89158.  P: 866-359-7757.  W: arialasvegas.com).  This “vanilla sniff” is much appreciated given the heinous “tobacco road” (a.k.a. your typical Vegas casino).  We check in and gamble in the Aria casino prior to dinner.

Aria: Room View

Aria: Shower & Tub

Our first dinner is at Stripsteak of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (A: 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89119.  P: 877-632-7200.  W: mandalaybay.com).  The bacon roasted enoki mushrooms side has a vinegary sourness which is oddly pleasing with crisp and crunchy hard bacon.  The spicy zucchini with garlic and olive oil is a tad mushy but has good flavor.  The Maine lobster fritters are seriously tasty and consist of fried tube-shaped pieces which you place inside shiso leaf wraps, squeeze lime juice on and apply lemon crème fraiche.

We are served complimentary french fries with various dipping sauces (Cajun, truffle and Rosemary).  The twelve ounce skirt steak has excellent char and flavor while the dry-aged medium-rare eighteen ounce bone-in rib eye is juicy, has great char and excellent smoke factor.  This is an outstanding steakhouse whose quality rivals Mastro’s of Newport Beach.  Back at our hotel we tear into some gelato at Jean Philippe Patisserie (P: 702-590-7111).  It is quite good but not remarkable.

For brunch we preserve “hoof work” by utilizing the tram and walking the duration to Caesar’s Palace (A: 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 866-733-5827.  W: caesarspalace.com).

Pepper Bacon, Sausage & Eggs Over Skirt Steak

At the Bacchanal Buffet we consume delicious items such as: perfectly smoky black pepper edged bacon, miniature Monte Cristo sandwiches, amazingly moist and succulent beef brisket, lox (salmon) shaped like rose buds, cucumber juice in a jar, mini cast iron skillets carrying eggs prepared over easy with skirt steak strips resting on top, flan, gelato bar with interesting flavors (ex. Baklava, sticky toffee).

Monte Cristo Miniature Sandie

Gourmet French Toast

Juicy Delectable Brisket

At the Bellagio (A: 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 888-987-6667.  W: Bellagio.com) lobby holiday display I snap pictures before we trek back to our hotel.  In our room we watch the SJSU (my alma matter) Spartans football team take on the Bowling Green Falcons.  I finish the game in the City Bar, a small trendy bar downstairs while the Elf gambles until her heart is “nearly” content.  Sparty pulls off the 29-20 win with a final touchdown coming for the Falcons during “garbage time”.  It was the team’s first eleven win season since 1940.  The Spartans finished the season 11-2 and ranked #21 in the AP poll.

Bellagio: Polar Bear

Bellagio: Polar Bear on Floating Ice

We journey to dinner at Mario Batali’s B&B Ristorante (A: 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 702-266-9977.  W: venetian.com) which is located at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.  The grilled octopus with fagioli marinati and spicy limoncello vinaigrette appetizer is very lemony with nice char and smoke.

B&B: Grilled Octopus

The gnocchi with lamb ragu and mint is okay but the evenly ribbed texture alerts me to this being a packaged gnocchi versus one made fresh.  It’s been my experience that when you see one with a smooth texture it looks and tastes like it was made by someone’s hand and when you see the even ribbed texture it looks and tastes like it was made by a machine.

Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu & Mint

Bella has the gnocchi with escarole, prosciutto cotto and smoked ricotta which she said was “very Chinese” in the way it was prepared.  The grilled brussel sprouts with Lardo and lemon and Di Cecco broccoli with peperoncino and garlic sides were solid.

Both of us went “gah gah” over the Affogato with vanilla bean gelato.  This dessert is ready to consume once our waiter finishes pouring slightly warm espresso into the martini glass containing the gelato.  We immediately order a second due to our love for this simple yet tasty dessert.

My advice would be to select Batali’s LA or NYC restaurants over this one.  The food and the service were noticeably better in those other establishments.

After dinner we venture to Mirage (A: 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 800-963-9634.  W:cirquedusoleil.com) where we gamble prior to the Cirque du Soleil “Love” show celebrating The Beetle’s and their contribution to the music world.  The 60s’ and The Beetles are very well represented here through dance and a wide array of visual splendor.  As usual for Cirque du Soleil, the dance and performances are seemingly (amateur opinion) choreographed and executed flawlessly.  A skateboarding ramp is utilized by the four Beetle’s characters who wear shoes with concealed wheels.

B&B: Affogato Dessert

Throughout the show there is a “lonely guy” (Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Band) who keeps missing out on love throughout the performance.  There are long sheer panels of cloth with illusions of the former band members and they seem to come to life with old vocal recordings of their dialogue playing in the background.  This proved to be especially poignant for Bella as she was unfamiliar with nearly every Beetle’s song but found herself moved to the point of cloudy eyes by the shows finale tunes of “Hey Jude” and “With a Little Help From my Friends” from the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Band” album.  Truth be told, I’d forgotten how many truly great songs The Beetles had until I heard them all in one sitting.

In the morning we visit MGM Grand’s “CSI: The Experience” (A: 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 877-660-0660.  W: mgmgrand.com).  You may choose to solve one, two or three murders.  We opted for one since we were neophytes to this experience.  I am quickly reminded why Bella (the daughter of a scientist) has a decided advantage over me (lover of mystery novels) in a game where analyzing data and drawing conclusions is the name of the game.

The first room features a tiny theater where we watch a brief intro taped by one of the CSI characters.  Then we enter the crime scene and everyone begins sketching their drawing of the crime scene and jotting down any evidence that may be important.  Next we visit the various labs and gather and review evidence.  At the conclusion you log-on to a computer and complete your final report.  It is analyzed in real time and you receive feedback from your supervisor.  Finally, you receive an official CSI diploma.

My unfortunate reality is that “science” is my 2^nd worst subject (math being the worst) so I’m a little surprised I had a good time and didn’t completely “screw the pooch” (so-to-speak).  As mentioned earlier my love of mysteries plagued me a little as it  is my natural instinct to question as to whether witnesses are lying or not.  I forgot that there was tangible evidence and oftentimes scientific evidence supporting the statements made by the various suspects.  Bella thoroughly enjoyed herself and I enjoyed watching her constantly calculating brain in action.  We will definitely be back one day for Bella to solve murders number two and three.

Around the corner we visit a food court for a slice of NYC style thin crust pie and some garlic knots at Bonanno’s New York Pizzeria (P: 702-567-5007).  Garlic knots are pieces of moderately soft baked bread which are twisted into a knot shape and have garlic, basil or other herbs, salt and grated parmesan or Romano cheese sprinkled on them.  The pizza crust is quite thin and crispy.  The tomato sauce is lightly applied and the cheese quality is pretty good.  Afterwards we head back to the room to relax for a bit.

We take the tram to the Bellagio Spa (A: 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV  89109.  P: 888-987-6667.  W: Bellagio.com) where we will have massages and facials.  I chose the “Athlete’s Revival” (or in my case, “Former Athlete’s Revival”) due to my various aches and pains as a result of sports injuries sustained from 2010-2011.  Bella and I part ways and head to our respective women’s and men’s spas.  Inside my area there are comfy couches, a TV, four sizable Jacuzzis, a shower area, a bathroom and wet and dry saunas.  There is free java, various canned juices, sodas, bottled water and fresh fruit.

I change into my robe and drink beverages on the couch while watching college football bowl games.  Eventually we are escorted to the co-ed waiting area where I run into Bella.  Our massage therapists greet us and take us to our respective rooms.  Of course the massage I received from therapist Ethan Oldenburg was phenomenal and the facial which I received from aesthetician Cynthia Priola was equally remarkable.

Afterwards, Bella and I meet up in the “Tranquility Room” where we observe a young Japanese couple sleeping on separate loungers.  The man is skinny but is inexplicably snoring like a “wildebeest in heat” (deviated septum?) which quickly proves to be — not very “tranquil”.  The room has water features, twenty foot tall ceilings and is very well decorated with a vibe of an Amazonian jungle.  In spite of the “wild boar” we decide to hang out for a while before relaxing in our respective spas.   Based on all the “hoofing” we did I believe the spa occupies the entire fifth floor.

For dinner we take a taxi to Fogo De Chao (A: 360 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV  89169.  P: 702-431-4500.  W: fogo.com).  The pasta bar is nice but the special apps they serve at your table are even better.  There are some seriously yummy crispy polenta wedges and Brazilian cheese balls.  I continuously remind myself to limit my consumption of these items and hold out for the all-u-can-eat “meat fest”.

Fogo de Chao: Polenta Wedges

The winning cuts are the rib-eye (juicy and the best cut of the night), the pork ribs (not charred or smoky enough, over-seasoned and too salty for my palate) and the sausage (very juicy and perfectly cooked).  The chicken and lamb were decent but a bit overcooked and not moist enough.  I really wish that skirt steak was on their menu.  Their flan is amazing and makes my list of my top five flans of all time.

Fogo de Chao: Rib Eye

Fogo de Chao: Amazing Flan!

The servers are the best we’ve had at this type of steakhouse.  When we turn down a particular meat each server repeatedly asks what cut of meat we’re waiting for and they promptly deliver it to our table.  Additionally, there are a TON of servers so your meal will not be a long one.  As a result, do not expect a relaxing and drawn out buffet type experience where YOU control the pace.  You know the restaurant’s end goal is to get you in and out quicker.  I suppose everyone does win since you eat the cuts of meat you prefer versus getting impatient and settling on cuts which aren’t your faves.  For my money, I don’t find the food to be any better than our favorite local churrascaria (Green Field Steakhouse of West Covina) and some cuts at Fogo weren’t as good.

In an attempt to burn calories we walk back to our hotel.  I suspect it isn’t an “Einstein moment” and it proves to be correct as it is a little too cold and windy on this frosty night and the two to three blocks are long and saddled with sketchy or weird characters.  Note to self, veto walking at night anywhere OFF the strip.

In the early morning hours we grab a taxi and are off to the airport.  Less than an hour later we’re back at John Wayne Airport.  Clearly we didn’t “trip the light fantastic” or reenact a sequence from “The Hangover” but all totaled it made for a nice Vegas reunion.