” There’s No Place like Vegas”…

“There’s No Place Like Vegas”…

There’s No Place Like Vegas”…

I woke up to the feeling of cold air touching my nose.  I  found myself in my bed here in the San Francisco Bay area. Was it a dream?  I turned the light on and there was my Virgin America boarding pass on the night stand.   No, it was not a dream. I had just come back from Las Vegas.  Oh what a time it was!

I am a Sales Manager for an accounting firm in San Francisco.  My boss decided to take our entire office to Las Vegas, post tax season, as a team building morale activity. It was also a celebration of our company growth!  It was an opportunity to bond with most of the staff since I was out of the office the majority of time trying to acquire clients.

We all met at the San Francisco Airport and then flew out on Virgin America.  I love that airlines.  When we arrived at Las Vegas, a little over an hour later,  we had a stretch limo pick us up. It fit all twelve of us plus luggage.

We had great music playing on our ride to Ballys. Our boss  decided to make a stop on the way there- a liquor store.  Yes, we picked up enough booze for a tiny army.

We checked into Ballys which was still decked out in late 80’s and early 90’s decor but had a charm to it.  Our rooms were clean and decent.  They roomed me with Oleg.  It was appropriate.  Although Oleg is straight, he and I are probably the most outgoing guys in terms of going out and liking to party.   We made perfect room buddies.

Most of our group were young beautiful women in their 20’s.  Besides our boss, the other guys was one of our other accountants who was straight and our gay intern.  Our company is diverse with Russians, Chinese, Indonesians, Latinos, Chamorro, Armenians, American Indian and Anglo Saxon ethnic mixtures represented.

I only point out our sexuality because it plays a little into our vacation and because as a group it did not matter.  We all were supportive of each other.  My boss is gay.  Apparently some of my workmates did not know that.  Now they do. I outed him inadvertently after a couple of shots of tequila.  He didn’t mind. We have been good friends for over ten years.  I mean, come on, after spending time with him you know he is one big diva.

The drinking began after we settled in and really did not stop until we took off for home a few days later.

We went to a little place in Ballys where they served one dollar Margaritas and one dollar tacos.   Then we all went and got dressed up and went to our boss’s suite.   We did more drinking.  That became our meet up place before we hit each of our planned destinations in our itinerary.

That night we all went had dinner at the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel.  That was so nice.  I had the Filet Mignon.  However the feast at our table included crab, lobster, lamb, various steaks,  and of course vegetarian dishes besides the appetizers and all the sides. Then there was the wine and other drinks.

After that we all went back to our rooms.  Most of us separated to do our thing for the night.  I went to the gay club on the strip called Krave.  I had a such a great time.  The music and dancing was over the top.  I met some nice people.  I did not leave until 4 in the morning.

Sunday morning came…okay it was closer to noon, then I went with the gang to a brunch at Ballys.   This was going to be a theme of our trip – Food and Drinks….

After brunch we got ready, met at our boss’s suite and took the shuttle over to the Gold Goast Bowling Alley….Yep, we went bowling. It sounds mundane at first but we had a great time. We were playing for money as teams.  I actually bowled pretty decent, especially my second game.  However, drinking beer and bowling with this group was hilarious.  Our team did not get top prize.

After bowling some of us went to O’Shea’s and played beer pong. That was my first time playing that game.  I was teamed up with my boss.  We had all bonded by that time so playing a game where drinking every time you are in a losing position made this more fun.  We won a game and lost more, so you can imagine how much drinking I did and how drunk I became.  Let’s say my colleagues know me more than ever now.  During the game, they kept telling me not to get distracted ( referring to the Jersey Shore Muscled dudes with tattoos playing behind our tables).

After pong,  we went back to our rooms and then got ready for our meal at Excalibur Tournament of Kings.  We were taken in a big stretch limo hummer.  I felt like a rock star.  If you have ever been to this dinner show.  It is a theater type show with audience participation where you watch a King Arthur themed jousting match.  The audience is divided into groups cheering for different competitors. Our group cheered for the bad guy.  We had front row seats.

The show is kind of hokey and the food is mediocre.  You get to eat with your hands.  The Margaritas were good!

The eye candy was great when you look at the performers.  My straight male colleagues got some women to ogle.   The gay boys and girls had some men ( some shirtless) to enjoy.  One shirtless hottie passed in front of us and made eye contact with me and nodded.  My straight male colleagues and one of my female colleagues noticed and teased me about it.   I don’t really remember too much about the show but I remember that part!

By the time we got back to the hotel, we all just hung out and then we just stayed in for the night.

The next morning, I woke up and took a walk around several hotels and enjoyed the scenery.  It was beautiful. I caught up with the group for lunch at Bellagio.  We then headed out to do some Go Kart Racing at Pole Position.  Now that was fun and exhausting.   I did not place very high in the race but did improve but we raced around those tracks. One of our teammates even got pulled off the tracks for crashing into the barriers and flipping them off unto his car.

After that, we went back  to the hotel and got dressed.   We went and had dinner at the Alize at the top of the Palms. Again it was an excellent meal.  We toasted each other and remarked how great the trip was and how wonderful the year has been for all of us.  The view from the top was gorgeous of  Las Vegas.    I did flirt with the maitre d.  He was handsome, so shoot me!

That night I followed my straight colleagues to the hottest new club in Las Vegas called XS at Encore.   Wow!  It was so much fun!   Our boss came with us.  Talk about beautiful people all packed into one place.  I had to chuckle because I got hit on by this young lady with big “gifts”  I told her I was gay and asked her if she had brothers.  She did not find that humorous.  I already had a tequila shot and a bacardi and diet coke by then.  My colleagues laughed because the club is mostly straight but there were also gays in the mix. I thought that these two guys were gay. I mean they looked like they walked out of a San Francisco Castro Street Rainbow catalog.  I asked them if they were gay.  They said,  ” Oh no, Bro…not us!”  Then they tried to hit on a couple of girls in my company who promptly  ignored them.  I mean come on straight boys if you dress like us, girls don’t want to date you -they just want you to help them choose their make up.

Well we were a drunken mess. I was dancing with one of my female colleagues and I was dipping her. When she was about 3 inches from the floor, she slipped out of my hands. She said I dropped her.  I did not mean to but she was dropping on the floor on her own  about 8 times before that and later the security guard took her out and she was taken back to the hotel.  There is a whole story there  that requires a whole other post.

Then I found myself alone in a sea of people and pretty soon in a circle of of girls dancing. After freak dancing with some of them. I went looking for my colleagues. I could not find them so I walked out and grabbed a taxi.

I went to to Krave hoping to dance more there. It was closed.  I decided to go to Piranha , another gay club.  There was good music and a good crowd.  I remember speaking to some people and dancing.   I do remember catching the cab home.

The next day, I received the following on text.

” Miguel, It was great meeting you at Piranha last night.  You are a great kisser. Call me.  xo Mark”

Apparently, more happened. Why did I say my name was Miguel?

There is so much more I can write about this Vegas trip ( some of it I will keep private).  There are so many stories about my colleagues and I. We just had a great time and  we became closer.  I think I am going into the office today really knowing them better and appreciating the great people I work with!

Thanks, boss for the trip!

Now where are those Ruby Slippers.   I want to go back.