30th Birthday/Redemption @ Tao

[Chuck]

Just got back from a 3 nighter and am beat so this TR is going up in bits as I can muster the energy. This trip was for my wife's 30th bday and the first time we've been able to assemble our 4 best friends for a trip to Vegas. Additionally, it was our opportunity for redemption at Tao. More on that later...

Day Before Departure

So the day before we leave I'm sitting at my desk trying to wrap shit up. Suddenly, I stop..."fuck!" (My throat suddenly hurts) i'd been doing everything possible for the past month to stay healthy for this trip. This is a challenge since everyone that works for me lives with those germ factories some people call kids. Seemed like every day someone came in my office..."I'm sick...my kids sick...our babysitter is sick..." GET YOUR SICK ASS OUT OF MY OFFICE!" so here I am with a soar throat 18 hours before we leave...

[joachimorjoe]

I hate it when people refuse to take sick days, even worse when they try to claim hero status for coming in. No, take your sick ass home.

Looking forward to the report.

[Chuck]

Day 1 - Wed - Part

Woke up feeling a bit under the weather, but vowed to not say a word to my wife as I didn't want to put a damper on her birthday trip. Knew no matter what I'd just have to suck it up.

Our 2 friends that were flying out with us had never been to Vegas. We met at the airport and started off the trip with a few drinks before our flight. We kept things going while on the plane and the 3 hour flight seemed like less than 30 minutes. I was buzzed enough at this point that I really felt pretty good and thought I was in the clear.

Limo from Presidential picks us up and we partake in the champagne included with their airport transfer package. Driver stops by Walgreens to load up on booze and essentials, then off to the Mirage.

Phone battery is almost dead....to be cont'd

[Chuck]

Day 1 cont'd...

We arrive @ the Mirage thuroughly liquored. By now we've all been drinking for about 5 hours non stop. All my wife and I have eatan were a cinnamon role earlier that morning and some cheezits on the plane.

I approach the checkin counter and find a young female working, prepare the sandwich with a crisp $50 and make my approach. I say hello give her my name and serve up the sandwhich as I ask if there are any available upgrades. She see's the $50 and lays it on the counter in between us. She says they were @ 100% capacity the day before but will see if anything has opened up. No dice...she slides back the $50, appologizes, and suggests I check back in the morning. I tip her $10 anyway and thank her for checking. We head to our rooms.

We get to our rooms, and mine is seriously about 80 degrees. Shitfaced and starved I fumble around with the air conditioner for a bit, give up, and call the front desk. I ask for a manager and get us moved to another room down the hall. No big deal, let's just get changed so we can get this show on the road! Keys don't work to the new room...shit. Go to friends room, as we are now locked out of our old room as well. Call...get a new room...get moved, change, and leave...about 90 minutes has passed and we've been running around and NOT drinking.

We hop a cab to the Monte Carlo to hit up The Pub for some happy hour grease bombs and craft beers. As we sit I feel chills and body aches coming on. I'm convinced I have the flu and begin mental preperations for the shittiest vacation ever. We eat, drink, and gamble a bit, then head downtown. Hate downtown, but thought the virgins should check it out. Gambled, tried to drink away my pain, failed, back to the Mirage for CPK, gambling and called it a day around 2:30AM. Went to bed still feeling like the flu was about to kick my ass but determined to not ruin my wifes bday.

[Chuck]

Day 2 - Redemption

Awoke at some point and could feel sweat on my pillow...rolled over and was now positive I had a fever and was screwed. Slept a few more hours, sat up out of bed, and wouldn't you know it...I felt like absolute PERFECTION! It was the best feeling ever. Realized that the gap in drinking after our arrival must have prompted early onset hangover the night before. It's the big day I've been planning for months and I felt 100%...Game on!

[Chuck]

Day 2 Redemption...cont'd

We met up with our friends Thursday morning and hit the buffet @ the Mirage for breakfast, gambled a bit, then headed to the pool. Had a few drinks, took in some rays, and caught a glimpse of some leather boob a few chairs down...what's up with old ladies boobs floppin out @ the pool? Seems all too common. My wife headed to the salon to begin prepping for the big night. I chilled in the room and caught a wink or two before our big night out.

We had 7:30 dinner reservations at Mon Ami Gabi but wanted to sit on the patio so we arrived at 6:00 to check in with the host. At this point I notice one of the guys in our group is wearing Sketchers and panic since we are going to Tao later. This is a good time to explain the "Redemption" in the title of this TR.

Five years ago we were in Vegas with my cousin and my wifes friend. We ate dinner @ Tao and got stamped for the club. We were totally clueless about clubs and their dress codes, nuances at the rope, etc. My wife was over the moon excited about getting into Tao as it would have been our first nightclub ever. We're in line and someone taps my cousin on the shoulder and tells him there's no way he's getting in wearing sandals. He runs his ass back to Harrahs, puts on shoes, and runs back. All good...we get to the rope and the security guy starts to let us in, then stops my wifes friend. He says "she's on drugs, she's not getting in". She protests, but of course he's right. She liked to mix Vicatin with her booze. We all leave and haven't made another attempt at Tao until this trip...

So I see my friends Sketchers and panic...what do I do? Post a thread on JC Forums of course. I thought about calling Chris @ Tao but didn't want to call attention to the matter since the guy said they were the nicest shoes he brought. I just had to hope that since we had booked bottles they'd be leniant at the door.

We sit to eat at 8. Dinner is really good and was surprisingly cheap. $300 including tax/tip to feed 6 and a bottle of wine and a couple cocktails. We wrap up dinner and head off to meet our Limo which is waiting for us at the bus pickup area. My wife had no idea what was planned for her after dinner.

My wife and I @ Mon Ami Gabi - The patio is worth the wait!

I tell her we need to grab a ride to our next destination. We approach the doors and I say "we'll take the second one". There are two buses parked outside. She says "are you fucking kidding me?" I laugh and turn her around so she can see the black Escalade limo (from Presidential of course) waiting for us. Driver pops our champagne and we head off towards the vegas sign for a photo-op. We finish a couple bottles of champagne and I get a text from Chris that says "come early". We planned to pregame a while longer but had the driver head to Tao and texted Chris we'd be there by 10:30ish. Wife still doesn't know where we are going...

We turn in to the Venetian and she snaps her head around at me and says "Tao!?" The look on her face made the last two months of planning all worth it. As we approach the top of the escaladers everyone was in awe of the lines. The others in my group had never been to a nightclub. I approached the first dude in a suit I saw by the ropes and asked for Chris. He let us in to the table line. Only took about 15 minutes. Chris was stuck inside so a young lady walked us in.

We arrived at our table and the whirlwind of introductions began, security, server, runner...the host who walked us in got away and I didn't get her the tip. Got everyone else's names and handed out tips. I texted Chris since we were not at the location I expected and was disappointed at first. However, as soon as I took a second to look around I realized we were in a better location for action (Moat 3 Table) right by the Moat stairs. Chris came over and offered a move but told him I came to my senses and tipped him the amount I told him I would. He offered a round of Patron...YES PLEASE! The party was on! Chris brought another round of shots later and offered a table for Tao Beach and comped lunch the next day. He was a really nice dude and made sure we had a blast.



Our ladies sippin' some bubbly

It was THAT much fun!

Our table neighbors were there for a bachelor party so we merged and had a blast. Matt and Drew, our security, were awesome escorting the ladies to the bathroom and bringing in ladies for the bachelor party. One strayed into our group and was looking to party but quickly disapeared when she found out we were all married. We bounced around 2:30 or so and gave the bachelor boys the rest of our Goose. Killed the craps table later @ the Mirage and went to bed just before sunrise. What a night! Tao was everything I expected and more. I can't stop thinking about it. Why oh why didn't we start hitting the clubs sooner is BEYOND me. Almost feels like our prior trips were wasted! I'm starting my clubbing at 31...better late than never right?

Everyone was pretty tore up on Friday so we couldn't make it to Tao Beach which sucked. Friday was pretty low key and we gambled all night and turned in around 2 since we had an early flight. No more early flights for us by the way...noon or later from now on.
Can't wait for the next trip now that I've caught the fever...definitely checking out Hyde and probably one of the Wynncore clubs on the next trip.

[Universal]

Good report. Glad things went well at Tao after all you put into the planning phase.

[Chuck]

Good report. Glad things went well at Tao after all you put into the planning phase.

Thanks...

[Universal]

Good report. Glad things went well at Tao after all you put into the planning phase.

Thanks...was hoping to have a new avatar similar to yours to upload after this trip....maybe next time

Haha...hopefully I can top it and replace mine in June.

[Jhaulotte]

Nice tr Chuck.

[jsully84]

Nice trip report. I wouldn't sweat the "starting your clubbing at 31" comment, lots of 30+ folks hit up the clubs/pool parties in Vegas. Besides, you're in the age range that has the $$$ to ball out at the clubs

[Chuck]

Nice trip report. I wouldn't sweat the "starting your clubbing at 31" comment, lots of 30+ folks hit up the clubs/pool parties in Vegas. Besides, you're in the age range that has the $$$ to ball out at the clubs

Agreed...just wished I would have at least started going GA a long time ago!Feel like I missed a lot of good times on my previous trips. Plus it's like I bedded a super model on my first time! How the hell am I supposed to do it any other way now!

[dnix]

Nice TR

[kman90]

I always wondered why peeps book an early flight out from Vegas! I'm usually bent after a Sunday pool party and Sunday night party...ain't no way...my flights usually around 2 pm-ish...

[Chuck]

The morning flights are always way cheaper for the direct flights back to where we are from. We used to do like a 9am flight and just not sleep the last night. Gets harder to pull that off each time we go. Will just pay for the more expensive afternoon flight from now on though for sure.