This pretty much sums up the face I got when I told people I was headed to Vegas for a few days after Christmas just to get away for a while. Because, really, who does that? Vegas is where you make the kinds of memories that never see the light of Facebook. For real. What happens in Vegas typically stays there…in this sort of invisible force field around the city, fortified by a code of secrecy to protect stories of fake names, wedding ring tan lines, and memory loss (i.e. I can’t remember everything b/c I was so tired from the jet lag but we had a lovely time by the pool and barely even drank. Honestly, babe.)
But the purpose of this trip was quite different from what most expect in the City of Sin. This was my first time going to Vegas without an entourage of girlfriends and a bag full of stilettos. I had no bachelorette party to prepare for, or birthday girl to celebrate. I really went just to celebrate…myself. How often do we do that? Just take time out to indulge yourself in whatever makes you happy, for absolutely no reason. With my family in Ghana for the holidays, a week off at my agency, and Delta Gold Medallion status only a flight away, I figured why not!
Since my flight left the day after Christmas and my Mom had been in town for a few days, I didn’t have time to plan out the trip like I normally would. With some lounge clothes, dinner attire, a few books, and my journal in a small carry on bag, I headed to Vegas with no agenda except to set some goals for 2014, and make sure I got the most out of the $100 food credit that came with my booking!
When I arrived in my room at the Bellagio, I put my bags down, opened the curtains so I could see the city lights, poured a glass of red wine and sat in a chair by the window. I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself. I had no plan. No happy hour to rush to or party to get dressed for. Nobody was texting to see what time we were heading out. Nobody to ask what they wanted to do only to have them ask me what I wanted to do. It was silent. I had spare time. I was in Las Vegas. Alone.
And it was awkward.
So I left. Because this is Vegas right? Why am I sitting in my room? It’s only 8:00 PM – time to “turn up”, right? So I threw on some heels and jeans and went downstairs to see what I could get into.
Ginger Grant Cocktail
Crispy Shrimp Appetizer
After dinner and an amazing cocktail at Sensi restaurant, my first stop was the casino, because somewhere in my irrational mind I thought maybe I could maybe make my flight money back at the craps table. I saw a table with a few cute guys playing so I headed over and put down my $25 to get in on the fun. And besides, even if I didn’t win…3 cute guys, free liquor at the tables, who knows, maybe one of them, or better yet, all three of them could make my night a little more interesting in the City of Sin ’cause what happens in Vegas….
JUST KIDDING MOM! GOTCHA!
2 drinks, 30 mins, and $60 dollars later, I gave up on my dreams of getting the rent paid on the craps table and headed over to The Bank nightclub because it’s Vegas and according to my cab driver, half of LA was in town for New Year’s. Surely there was some fun to be had in there!
Wrong. Between the cigarette smoke in the club (gross) and a striking lack of “ethnic diversity”, my desire to party soon faded and I resigned to turning down in my room.
When I got home, I sat by the window, poured another glass of Cabernet, and turned the TV to the channel that plays the music that accompanies the fountain show in front of the hotel. While I’ve been to Vegas on multiple occasions, and had even stayed at the Bellagio before, I never noticed how beautiful the fountains really are. The streams of water swayed to the music and undulated with such precision that they actually looked like dancers lost in the rhythm of the tunes. I could almost see the dance moves the director likely was trying to emulate in the choreography of the water, and I was taken aback at the artistry of the design.
In that moment by the window it was clear to me why I had come to Vegas. It wasn’t to dance on couches or to get the rent paid on the casino floor. I was there to focus. To stop moving long enough to notice the beauty in the things around me, and shift my attention to things that are most important.
The next morning I woke up early and watched the sun rise over the mountains that border the city. I spent the morning in bed, reading old journal entries from the past year and reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned. I ordered room service and read the local paper. I set personal goals for the year, and put dates on my calendar to accomplish them. I prayed. I reflected. I focused.
Then I headed to the spa to clear my mind. I sat in the hot tubs, rotating between hot water, cold water, and the steam room, indulging myself in what felt like a baptism of sorts. Dramatic, I know, but water has always been where I go to seek clarity and peace. Be it an ocean in the Caribbean, Prospect Park lake in Brooklyn, or my own shower after a long day at work, water has always been my happy place, so my time in the spa was a much needed refresher.
Over the next 2 days I focused on happiness and living in the moment, and was filled with a sense of optimism for the coming year. I spent time in the spa each day, ate some of the best meals I’ve ever had, made my $60 back at the casino, and boarded my flight home with a new direction and purpose that I can only hope everyone seeks and finds on a regular basis.
Before I took this trip, I was slightly ashamed at the amount I had spent on a last minute cross-country flight, and such an indulgent hotel stay by myself. But in retrospect, you really can’t put a price on finding purpose or peace. For every late night you put in at work, or weekend you bring your laptop home, there should be a return on that investment that goes back into your happy jar. Whether your joy comes from gourmet dinners, trendy clothes, the latest gadgets, or passport stamps, never feel like your pleasure is somehow guilty. Invest in your own happiness and your spirit will be rich enough to give to others when they need it most.
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