Wednesday, July 13, 2005

The Venetian

I’m so proud of myself today! So far I have consumed eight glasses of water - OK so it’s not a LOT but it’s a start! My goal is to drink 14 glasses, but I’ll accept eight. I’ve set Outlook to remind me on the hour to drink water. I’m sure it’ll get annoying after awhile but at least it’s something to help me get started!!

You all know I have official counter space at work (rather than a kiddie table) that I can call mine but did you know I have storage space as well? OH yeah I think I’m special. *snerk* Cubicle workers unite! Anyway, I’m storing my bottled water right here within reach so I have no excuse. Of course, the peanut butter filled pretzels are also within reach, but that in itself is a totally different subject.

Speaking of food – this place is TERRIBLE -- TERRIBLE I say!! On occasion we have guests or prospective clients visiting us. During these long days, we cater food. Delicious, good quality food. Let’s just say, Faythe, the food snob, would approve.

Anyway, today I went to the break room to microwave my Lean Pockets when I saw a huge, heavily frosted chocolate cake covered with chocolate shavings and a deep dish, homemade apple pie!

Yes, that’s right! FOOD OF THE DEVIL (cheese, the other Food of the Devil, was absent)! Chocolate cake and apple pie! One of the chocolate shavings kept calling to me – “Rayleeen, Rayleeeeeen, eat me!” Of course, I resisted. I feel great! My reward? A few thousand calories kept off my hips!

One of my co-workers just asked me why I was calling two innocent by-standers “Food of the Devil.” WHATEVER, THAT SKINNY BASTARD JUST DOESN’T UNDERSTAND! (Actually, he’s not so skinny so…what does he know??) But then he said, “Have you been eating chocolate and cheese this whole time?” I’m really not sure how to take that. I think I’ll go drown my sorrows in some more water.

Meanwhile, people have been asking for pictures and info from our trip. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of pictures to post. But I do have some of The Venetian. Of all the hotels we went into, The Venetian was definitely my favorite.

When you walk in, if approaching from the second floor, the first thing you see is this beautiful painted ceiling. Of course, I couldn’t get a photo of the whole thing and for some reason I didn’t think to take several pictures. I was trying to get good shots without using a flash too, ‘cause the flash wasn’t helping at all.

Anyway, check this out with your beady eyes if you can. There's one big giant painting in the middle surrounded by smaller ones. They even come down the side of the wall a bit. This angle is from the right hand side.

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Here's another one of the same ceiling, poorly cropped. Besides the fact that these are terrible shots, I really think no photo could do the ceilling justice anyway. You just have to see it for yourself!

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Once you move on towards the stores or what I refer to as the mall area of the hotel, this wonderous beauty that resembles Europe (the good part, not the stinky part with the pink toilet paper on the train tracks - yet another story) develops in front of you.

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Check out the fake sky! And the fake buildings! And of course, there's a canal going right through the middle of the mall (minus those nasty mosquitos that plagued me in Belgium and left behind huge sores as reminders - sheesh, another story) with a bunch of gondola's in it! As we were walking up upon it, a couple was getting married in a white, glitzy looking gondola. I mean, this is Vegas, right? If it's not glitzy, there's something wrong with it! Of course after that their escort insisted on singing with much bravado at the top of his lungs. Oh yes, they loved to sing. And sing they did! With much fervor, I might add.

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At some point we stumbled upon a courtyard. It reminded me of Barcelona. In the "olden days" people would gather in these courtyards (I'm sure there's an official name for these yards, but hey, this is MY blog) and hang out at night. This court yard was bordered by stores and restaurants. Very cool. I loved it!

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Sorry, that's all I have of The Venetian. I guess you'll have to check out their website or stop by when you're in Vegas. Take my word for it, it's totally worth it!

More Vegas pictures coming up!

5 comments:

Jen said...

Damn, where was I? I wish I was at work today....wait, maybe it was best that I was not..

Brianna said...

Was that really your first time to Vegas?? It's cool to go, once in a while. I haven't been in about 2 years. I'm like you, I HATE to gamble. Hate it! LOL

Faythe said...

Yup! That is why the Venetian is my favorite hotel in Vegas. The wonderful Italian restaurant is in that courtyard somewhere. You should have seen the lobby where you check in. They have great sculptures and even better ceiling art. Ryan and I and a group of our friends have stayed in their rooms a few times, and the rooms are gorgeous, too! I absolutely LOVE the Venetian.

Unknown said...

I would love to stay at the Venetian! A friend of mine gets specials from them in email - I'm going to see if she'll forward them to me as well.

Anonymous said...

are these pictures on the ceiling biblical? And are they of fallen angles coming to earth, ones that have sinned? And here in the biggest sin city around too. Interesting!
MOM