Tuesday, April 29, 2008

(Las) Vegas

Vegas is great.
For 3 days and 2 nights, hedonism is religion. Well, to be perfectly honest, that 3rd day is hardly hedonistic, unless you consider headaches, sleep deprivation, nausea, exhaustion and hunger a good time, but hey, to each his own.
...but those first 2 days and nights, watch out!--you know, if you have money that is.
I stayed at the finest hotels, ate the finest meals at the finest restaurants, partied at the finest clubs, and gambled...well, at the $10 tables and 25cent slots. Nevertheless, I started to think how different Vegas was as a 25-yr-old, compared to the Vegas I experienced as a 19-yr-old.

Let's take a look:

19-yr-old Ryan drove to Vegas from Sacramento in a Hyundai with 3 other dudes in the car, broke down once, taking 12 hours to get there.
25-yr-old Ryan flew to Vegas for free, from San Francisco, comfortably in a little over an hour.

19-yr-old Ryan stayed off the strip at a budget hotel walking distance to a Jack-in-the -Box and an old Lyon's that had been converted into a mini casino.
25-yr-old Ryan stayed on the 14th floor of the MGM Grand for free, walking distance to the strip,New York-New York and Paris.

19-yr-old Ryan actually walked.
25-yr-old Ryan takes cabs and limos.

19-yr-old Ryan goes to the Stratosphere because his friend Justin's mom has a lounge gig that night.
25-yr-old Ryan parties at the exclusive, membership-only Foundation Room on the top floor of Mandalay Bay because a friend works for House of Blues Corporate and can "hook it up".

19-yr-old Ryan drinks 79 cent Steel Reserve tall-boys from the AM/PM out of his buddy Justin's mom's minivan.
25-yr-old Ryan drinks exotic liquor and top shelf vodka in clubs at luxurious casinos.

19-yr-old Ryan eats at the Jack-in-the-Box across the street and gambles at the Lyon's that was converted into a casino in his flip flops, t-shirt and cargo shorts.
25-yr-old Ryan eats at Daniel Boulud at the Wynn and gambles in the Venetian in his brand new suit and shined shoes.

Thats right bitches...new suit.

Funny how life as a 25-yr-old seems so much more cushy than life as a 19-yr-old, yet all that stuff I did as a 19-yr-old still seems so appealing. I always knew I was a 19-yr-old, trapped in a 25-yr-old body, this confirms it. I am, however, left with some questions...Is this a sliding scale (when I'm 30 will I find my days as a 25-yr-old appealing?) or will I perpetually be 19? When will my age catch up with me?...or will it?

2 comments:

Gambill 101 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gambill 101 said...

Hey biatch! I'm 27 and still not living your 25 year old life in Vegas. Next time take me :)
-Checka