Attention to detail. That’s what struck me the most on a three day visit to The Palazzo and The Venetian in Las Vegas. You might think you would run out of things to do by staying on premises the entire time, but the fact of the matter is we barely had enough time. Our first evening we were offered tickets to see the Blue Man Group. Beginning years ago with a drummer and two actors in New York looking to create a show that was not only captivating, but also one with a positive message, Blue Man was born. Member Lyle Blaker told me that the show is constantly evolving and likes to keep its finger of the pulse of society. The show itself is a sensory overload. It’s nearly impossible to describe the experience in words. Think a vaudeville act that incorporates breakfast cereal, marshmallows, paint and PVC pipe. I was dubious going in, but I now look forward to seeing them again. There is more than one Blue Man Group. Shows run not only in Las Vegas, but in New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and onboard Norwegian Cruise Line.
And did we ever dine! We took in a chef demo and Don Julio tequila tasting at Cañonita – Mexico City Soul Food with Executive Chef Reed Osterholt. We savored freshly made guacamole and finished up with divine mussels. We liked it so much we returned for dinner that night. We took a tour of the immense kitchen that provides food for both hotels. Executive Chef Olivier Dubreil was a gracious host as we walked through the seemingly endless 200,000 square foot kitchen buzzing with dozens of chefs.
A $750 cupcake? Indeed. Executive Pastry Chef Johann Springinsfeld walked us through the preparation of this Decadence D’or. What do you get for your $750? Louis XIII de Rémy Martin Cognac (around $1,000 a bottle), Tahitian vanilla and Palmira chocolate, filled with chocolate ganache and topped with edible gold. Tommy Leman from Riedle (rhymes with needle) demonstrated the incredible difference varietal specific stemware made as we tried wine in Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet in regular wine glasses and then in Riedel. To a person we left as true believers in the difference a glass can make. We did a “dine around” for our final evening, beginning with vibrant Asian, Brazilian and Peruvian inspired food and drink at Sushisamba. From there it was off to Lagasse’s Stadium, a sports lover’s paradise if ever there was one. More than 100 HD TVs line the walls and the menu features steaks, pizzas, ribs and seafood, all passionately prepared. We enjoyed a tender filet mignon with lobster tail. To cap the evening off we sauntered to Sweet Surrenderfor amazing cupcakes. We didn’t have one bit of room in our tummies to enjoy them that nigh, but we enjoyed them on our ride home. I hope you’ll enjoy a brief slideshow of the wonderful visit to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas – The Venetian and The Palazzo-Large from Tom Plant on Vimeo.