Las Vegas: Wine, Food, Shows & Exploration

Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

Our four day Vegas itinerary included new excursions for us, favorite restaurants, new favorite restaurants, 2 shows and still enough downtime in the hotel room and at the pool.

Stunning Acrobatic show at Mayfair Supper Club

 

We had a leisurely drive over from LA arriving mid afternoon at Bellagio and had time to chill and get ready for dinner. Our anniversary celebration was off to a good start. We went downstairs and walked through the seasonally updated Botanical Gardens & Conservancy to our Supper Club experience at the Mayfair Supper Club on the main floor. The show is ongoing all evening, so no matter your reservation time you will be immersed immediately, surrounded by acrobats and performers, (an electric motorcycle scooted by us on the way to our table!) The acrobats are of Cirque du Soleil quality level , and did their amazing thing center stage, with the fountains of Bellagio at our back.

Heirloom tomato salad

I ordered the prix fixe summer menu - my king salmon was very good, the heirloom tomato & bleu cheese salad was outstanding as was Mark’s roasted chicken. The chicken had the best crispy skin I’ve ever had, a perfect contrast with melt in your mouth meat. I COULD NOT finish my dirty martini.

  Day 2 Highlights

Mating hippopotami

After coffee and croissant downstairs and Mark’s workout at the temporary gym while remodling goes on of the entire spa/gym area, we headed to an 11am docent tour of the exhibit at The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. The two room galleries are home to traveling museum exhibits from all over the globe. We go here every visit and I think this was the most interesting.

 

Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt 

 This exhibit is from the collection of animal mummies from Egypt rediscovered 10 years ago in the archives of the Brooklyn Museum. We were the only two on the tour, which is too often the case in public non blockbuster exhibits and museums everywhere. As a former touring docent I always take advantage of tours as it enhances the experience tremendously. (We were trailed by others in the gallery surreptitiously listening in, so yeah, people love the info!) Docents are highly under utilized!

Sacred animal in Egyptian art

Learning the role of not only cats, but other animals that the Egyptians valued and mummified was fascinating. They’ve used a lot of X-rays and CT scans to look inside these mummies and have discovered that dogs, cats and ibises were inside as represented on the outside, but sometimes contained other animals, or nothing at all. Corrupt priests! The animals were used as messengers to the gods, often with complaints about poor treatment by family or employers.

Animal mummies - Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

Open until September 13th.

We then had an excellent two salad lunch at Sadelle’s Café adjacent to the Conservatory. This seasons theme in the conservatory is African, with lions, tigers and elephants, and a 250th Anniversary American flag of red white and blue flowers too.

Lunch at Sadelle's

More time in the conservatory and shopping in a super fun shop next to it.

 

froggy yoga

I gnome nothing

Botanical tiger in Bellagio conservatory

Downtime before dinner at our favorite old school steakhouse The Golden Steer, which is what you’d expect from a rat pack frequented red booth filled room. This is one of those joints anchored in a strip mall in a business district a short drive away. We actually sat in the smaller black leather boothed room where it’s said Sinatra, Sammy Davis, et al had a private entrance. Excellent table side Caesar.

John Wayne stands guard over the lovers

I found a good CdP, (Chateauneuf-du-Pape - I need lower tannin, lighter reds these days, and this Rhone Valley Grenache based wine fits the bill), by the glass, to go with the Filet Mignon and shrimp cocktail we shared. We drove back to the hotel and walked two hotels over to the Aria Hotel where I had read is an art walk. There is a lobby filled with fun pieces and a few other pieces scattered about, but nothing cohesive as I was expecting.

Aria Hotel Lobby

 There is also a large immersive art area adjacent to the hotel including the Art Museum with projection immersive style art. These are separate admission areas which we didn’t go into.

 Day 3 Highlight:

Red Rock Canyon !

I can’t believe we’ve not gone out to this marvel which is only a 30 minute drive from the strip before now.

Started at the gorgeous visitor center, with a phenomenal wall long picture window of the canyon; bought the kids some stuffed friends, then stayed in the car most of the time for the 13 mile Scenic Loop. We planned to be there earlier so we could do a bit of hiking but ….. 🤷‍♀️

 This place is full of trails — short to long , is highly accessible with a parking area at each trail. This is a really well

thought out and varied national conservation area. Will return in the fall when it cools and do some seriously scenic trekking! 

 Pool time and gelato back at the ranch.

 

wading pool, Bellagio Hotel

Chihuli glass masterpiece in Bellagio lobby

Again, we didn’t venture far that night. This day was our actual anniversary so the servers at Spago fountain side patio made it special. I was delighted to find a dedicated organic wine list on the electronic menu, which also made it easy to find not only organic but vegan wines and easily perused by categories like variety or region too. I opted for a glass of the Austrian Gruner Veltliner at the bar and sat next to this super nice guy that worked with Wolfgang for 10 years and will be opening a luxury restaurant I hope to visit next time in town.

Organic wine list at Spago, Bellagio Hotel promenade

(not) just your normal bread basket
Spago

endive salad, Spago

curried red snapper, Spago

The endive salad and the Coconut curry Snapper are worth writing home about.

Day 4 

 Planned to have an early lunch at my all time favorite sidewalk café before our 2pm show at The Sphere. Mon Ami Gabi is directly across the street from Bellagio, at the bottom of Paris Hotel so you have front row views of the fountains. Lots of misters and shade so it stays pleasant unless the sun is low and coming at cha. Prime real estate.

We ended up not having time after working out and packing up, so we saved it for after the show. Hot walk to The Sphere. We ducked into all the casinos on the walk over, but this mile long trip would’ve been better in a Zoox, the spacey looking driverless vehicles now on Vegas streets. We did get to walk through the canals and St Mark’s square at the Venetian which is evidently part of the same group as The Sphere which is located behind it.

The Sphere from the street

Wizard of Oz from our seat. The Sphere, Las Vegas

The Wizard of Oz was a great show in this venue with wind howling, leaves and apples flying by and the seat rattling thump of the house landing in Oz. Amazing projection and technology. They have quite the merch and floor show going on in the lobby after the show too. I feel it was overpriced though for what we paid.

Oz

Back to our farewell early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi. Mark wanted to walk back, and it seemed easier and shorter this time. MAG was the first sidewalk café to open in Vegas, and I told the server that I’ve been coming since they opened which she confirmed was 1999. Prices are reasonable and food has always been top notch. Mark’s smoked salmon plate was EXCELLENT. Really high quality and fresh thick cut salmon, (big portion too), and the accompanying embellishments were creative and beautiful. 

(THICK) Smoked salmon, Mon Ami Gabi 

Our French onion soup and French fries were on point. I had to order the baguette in a bag which comes out hot from the bakery. It used to come automatically as you sat down, but you know times have changed and it’s only 5 bucks after all.

French Onion Soup, Mon Ami Gabi

"Lake Bellagio"

Post Script: The Bellagio has always taken excellent care of us. There was a bit of a snafu on arrival but they more than made up for it.