Monumental

I've been particularly slow on this post because it's been a very challenging time for the U.S., and Los Angeles in particular...I don't have anything particularly insightful to add to the hellscape discourse, but I hope everyone is taking care (metaphorically, putting your own oxygen mask on before helping others). That being said, finally getting around to documenting the end of Leg 2 of our trip - which included Four Corners, Monument Valley, and Las Vegas. 

It was hard to say goodbye to Colorado, but my lungs were also REALLY looking forward to returning to lower altitude. After leaving Mesa Verde, our first stop was the Four Corners Monument - which you probably know is where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona all converge. We didn't stay long, but got a photo and walked around to peruse the Navajo vendors in the area surrounding the monument. I got another Navajo taco, and Alex tried a Tiger's Blood sno-cone for the first time (for the non-Southerners - Tiger's Blood is just a combination of watermelon, strawberry, and coconut flavors). It's not an essential stop, but worth it if you're already in the area. 

​I would, however, categorize our next stop (Monument Valley) as absolutely essential! Straddling both Utah and Arizona, these majestic and sacred monuments have been memorialized in countless films and TV shows, but I had never gotten to see them up close until now. We had an epic campsite view from Goulding's Campground, and the greater Goulding's compound has a variety of other lodging options/restaurants, as well. The scenic drive to see the monuments is a notoriously rough road, and I'm glad we splurged a bit to take the guided sunset tour. I will say that this is not a tour for anyone who gets carsick easily - the tour vehicles are very similar to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland...VERY bumpy! I was relieved to not have to worry about ruining Suzy Sube on the rough road, and would definitely recommend anyone visiting the area who wants to do the scenic drive to also take one one of the authorized tours by a Navajo guide, unless you have a Jeep. It is really difficult to describe how awe-inspiring this place is...particularly that these incredible monuments were all formed by the power of water. I'll say that going at sunrise is probably the most optimal light for photos, given where the monuments are situated - but sunset was also beautiful! If you are short on time or don't want to pay for a guided tour, you can still get some great shots from the scenic viewpoint at the Visitor's Center. Just a heads up - there is a nominal fee to enter the park, as it is Navajo tribal land. A small price to pay for this amazing must-see!!

In the morning, we had a hearty breakfast at Goulding's Lodge and briefly checked out the "John Wayne Cabin" (not his literal cabin, but a former potato pantry turned mini-museum to house memorabilia from the films that Wayne worked on in Monument Valley). Then we were off to tackle the long drive to our last stop of the trip, to Alex's favorite place - Las Vegas! I am admittedly less enthusiastic about it, especially in the summer heat...but despite being terrible gamblers, we still enjoy those neon lights, the delicious food, and the endless entertainment. 

Vegas regulars know that staying on the Strip on Fri/Sat night is way more expensive than Sun - Thur...but since this was a Sat-Tue visit, we opted to save a bit of money and spend our first night just off the Strip at the Mardi Gras Hotel, which was actually pretty freaking nice for the lower price point! After a swim and a nap at the hotel, we walked to the classic Italian joint (and Mob/Ratpack favorite), Piero's, which was probably my favorite meal of the trip! The service is incredible, and everything we ate was DIVINE (Pat's Meatballs, New York Strip, Osso buco, crispy potatoes, and creamed corn). The portions are huge (we definitely over-ordered), so come hungry! After dinner, we walked to Resorts World and spent way too much time looking for the elusive Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge, which we did eventually find. It was surprisingly slow for a Saturday night, and the bartender chatted us up about some of the other tiki places around town ("real", AKA off the Strip) that we should try. We had visited the Golden Tiki in Chinatown before (yes the names are too similar, lol), which is awesome, but were excited to add some new spots to our ever-growing list of places to try. Our walk back ended up being much further than we initially thought (word to the wise - always doublecheck the maze of walkways/paths on the map when navigating Vegas on foot)...but did stop for a breather to watch the mesmerizing screen that surrounds the Sphere. I still haven't been inside, but maybe one day will get to go!

​The next day, we had some time to kill between checking out of the Mardi Gras and checking into the Sahara, so we decided to check out one of the tiki recommendations from the night before, Red Dwarf. It was super dark in the bar, so I didn't get many good pics, but this is a great spot - decorated in top-shelf kitsch, they serve delicious Detroit-style pizza, tiki drinks (including a spiked Dole Whip), and beer, with live music, too. Alex insisted we also stop by the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas, Atomic Liquors. Opening in the '50's, Atomic got its name from patrons who used to watch nuclear bomb testing from the roof of the bar. They used to have an 'atomic cocktail' as well, but sadly it's no longer on the menu. The Punk Museum was the next stop, which we both loved! It's a bit pricey and more of a fantastic memorabilia collection for die-hard fans (which I am not), but it was well organized and really enjoyed expanding my (somewhat limited) punk knowledge. Our last stop before checking into the Sahara was Frankie's Tiki Room, which definitely had the best drinks of all the tiki places we tried!

We had tickets to see Rod Stewart at Caesar's Palace in the evening, but sadly he caught the flu and had to cancel some shows. Confident we could find something else to do in the Entertainment Capital of the World (one of them, anyway), we headed down the Strip to have dinner at Diner Ross. As the name suggests, it's an upscale 70's themed diner inside of the Linq, with a notable tribute to Diana Ross, of course. Our server asked if we were interested in half-price tickets to see the accompanying "Disco Show" next door, and we said yes, please! This ended up being a FANTASTIC substitute for Rod that I would highly recommend (even if you are only a casual disco fan). We were corralled into theater by a roller disco squad, and the entire show was so immersive that you really just felt like you were in a discotheque the whole time - AKA, lots of dancing! We walked around a bit more, caught a fountain show at the Bellagio, and got some AI-mixed cocktails from the Tipsy Robot (in Planet Hollywood) before calling it a night. 

Our last day was fairly low-key (I was very tired and hot!). I caught up with a college friend, Katie, who is on faculty at UNLV and I hadn't seen in quite a long time over a wonderful brunch at PublicUs. Alex and I hit the pool and napped in the afternoon, which was the perfect way to beat the unrelenting heat. Before dinner, we checked out the Observation Deck at the Strat (108 stories high) for happy hour and some killer 360 views of the Strip and greater Las Vegas - pretty stunning! Dinner was at the incredible Golden Steer Steakhouse (another favorite of the Rat Pack)! This was one of the most difficult reservations I've ever gotten...it took 2.5 months to get off the waitlist, but it was totally worth it! It was a wonderful way to commemorate the last night of another epic road trip. Our final morning, we said goodbye to the Sahara and stopped for breakfast at a place we couldn't resist trying, Mr. Mama's (which was great) before heading home to Los Angeles. 

Thank you for following along on our journey once again!