A Trip to Vegas, a Ferrari, and Years of Memories

When my now-husband and I had been dating for several months he suggested we take a weekend trip to Vegas – our first trip together.

I had only been there once years before, he had never been and it was only about a 5 hour drive from where we lived. It was a convenient location with lots of attractions.

We chose a date, made a reservation at the Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay and took off on a Friday afternoon to make our way to Sin City.

As we walked into the hotel lobby my steps slowed as I stared in awe at the tall ceilings, the marble floors, and the massive chandeliers.

I heard the bell like sounds of spinning slot machines, the clinking of coins splashing into metal trays, popular music coming from the sound system, chatter as one after another group of people walked by us, and sporadic shouts as someone in the distance must have won something big.

We made our way to the elevator, dropped our bags in our room and headed back to the lobby to find a place to have dinner.

Not only were there restaurants in our hotel but there was a walkway between Mandalay Bay and Luxor next door giving us a huge selection of menus from which to pick.

We walked back and forth, went up escalators, down, back again and around in circles for what seemed like miles just to check out all the options and stopping periodically to peek into the little shops with pricey artwork, handbags, shoes, and clothes.

We finally settled on a steak house and when we left the table our stomachs were filled to the brim with crusty bread, salad, whipped sweet potatoes, filet mignon, and key lime pie.

We made our way to the casino floor at our hotel and wandered the outskirts to get a feel for the layout. At one point my husband grabbed my hand and lurched to the side pulling me along with him.

A Triple Cherry slot machine had caught his attention. It was the only game he’d played before and he wanted to put in a few bucks. We sat side by side taking turns pushing the spin button. We chatted and spun as the money went up and down and then down and down until it was gone.

We tried our luck at a few other slots and then found a roulette table that had room for both of us.

We each exchanged a $10 for a small pile of quarter chips, learned how to place our bets and watched as the little white ball circled inside the wheel.

After an hour or so we headed to bed, full, tired, and relaxed from being far from the responsibilities of daily life.

The next day we drove out to the lake, came back and walked the Strip, checked out the sites in a number of the big name casinos, and shopped for some small gifts to bring back to family and friends.

It was hard to leave when it was time to go home. The posh surroundings, the incredible food, and the endless activities in Vegas can make almost every other city in the US pale in comparison.

While driving back home my husband mentioned that he’d once received a piece of advice from the mother of an ex-girlfriend that taking a trip together was a good relationship test.

We must have passed because we were married just a few years later in the very city where we’d had our first vacation together.

We invited family and friends, rented a limo, and held the ceremony in the Little Chapel of the West the day after Valentine’s Day because it was less packed on the 15th than on the 14th.

We didn’t know at the time that my husband’s father and his wife were married in that same chapel. It’s a coincidence we lucked into and that we treasure to this day.

Since that first trip we’ve been to Vegas countless times and despite making sure to see a concert or show during each trip we still feel we’ve only seen a tiny slice of all that’s available:

• Saw “O” – Cirque du Soleil
• Saw Ka – Cirque du Soleil
• Saw Blue Man Group
• Attended the Country Music Awards
• Saw Daughtry and Jon Bon Jovi in concert together
• Saw George Straight
• Toured the Shark Reef Aquarium
• Chatted with Dick Butkus while watching the Superbowl at a private event

We even rented a Ferrari for the day during one trip and while I was eager to drive it was nerve-wracking because it sits so low to the ground that every bump became a potential for damage. I quickly handed the wheel to my husband.

For almost ten years straight I would have to attend two annual events in Vegas for work. My husband would always come with me and we’d tack on a few extra days at our own expense.

For a few of those years my brother would have to attend a conference for his industry in Vegas at the same time as one of mine. He would bring his wife and the four of us would get several days together to tour the sites, play the slots, and devour food at a wide variety of restaurants.

I remember the four of us sitting side by side at a bank of King Cash slot machines in the Paris Hotel one night for hours as we chatted and laughed at each other’s misfortunes or congratulated each other on our big hits.

I’ve never had much luck with slots. I’ve long since given up playing to win. Instead, I play to unwind. My work at the time was intense and stressful. Being able to sit and chat with family while mindlessly pushing a button was heaven.

My husband, though, has absolutely insane luck. One night after I’d already gone to bed my husband walked into our hotel room, turned on the light and dumped a pile of bills on the bed around me – $40,000 he’d won playing roulette. I’d never seen that much cash in one place in my life.

Because of his play we were often given large suites for the weekend for free. I’ll never forget the two story room with a balcony overlooking the city, an outdoor hot tub, winding stairs up to the master bedroom, a kitchen, and a giant theater room that could comfortably sit 12 people.

As we’ve grown older our priorities have changed. I now work for myself from home, we have kids we’re managing who are just at the launch stage of their life as independent adults and a diabetic dog who needs our special attention.

We haven’t been to Vegas in years now but our history and the memories we have from those many trips are a main reason we love the online social apps we can play on our phones today.

My husband and I can sit next to each other on our patio playing the same slot, chatting about our day, laughing about something one of the kids did, talking about our plans for the weekend and reliving a tiny bit of the excitement from our past.

Soon the kids will all be out of the house and we’ll have more time for ourselves. When that day comes – and the pandemic has passed – we know we’ll be planning a celebratory trip to our favorite city.