WhimsyLand

No, not right next to Waldo. 

Whimsy is, in fact, in Fabulous Las Vegas with Junie.  Just before leaving for FLV, Whimsy killed a backdoor virus that ravaged two systems and wreaked havoc on another two, all the result of mounting a client's MP3 player that he was supposed to analyze for content.  More on that later. 

Junie and I are just about to leave for Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian.  We're at the end of our short stay in FLV, leaving tomorrow so that I can be a more dutiful reporter on life's events.  Meanwhile, I was down $400 yesterday and up $600 today, mostly the result of waiting for 22 to come up on the roulette table, though slots, blackjack, and a couple of raucous craps tables played a part. 

I've wondered in the past why CDY yearns so badly to revisit Las Vegas from time to time.  Now I know why.  Though I've visited dozens of times, it's been 5 or 6 years since the last jaunt and at that time LV was still trying to sell "it's really great for the whole family!".  Now, they're selling "what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas", which is more fitting for this wild place.  Las Vegas has always been fabulous, but the rest of the world got fabulous in the last decade, too.  NYC remained the center of civilization on the West Coast, DC acquired dozens of top-notch restaurants to cope with the oceans of money lobbyists were willing to spend, LA upgraded its whole cultural infrastructure.  Macau got big-time gambling, London kept raising the stakes in fine dining and attractions.  Las Vegas decided to become more fabulous, and succeeded.  Junie has a couple of travel guides that we've used to keep track of the mind-boggling array of exceptional dining, art museums, shows (musicals, comedy, and the ubiquitous variety of Cirque du Soleil offerings).

We're staying at the Platinum Hotel, which is an incredible establishment of suite-only rooms (fireplace, HD TV, separate living room, hot tub, et cetera) which is half the price of a mediocre room in a good Strip hotel.  Best meals were:  breakfast buffet at the Paris, lunch at Spago's and the Veranda in Four Seasons. 

Gotta go.  Pictures to follow.