My Vegas Valentine

Just back from Las Vegas! And, as we did not do any gambling or go to any shows, we used some of the brief time we had there to go out to the brand new City Center living/working complex on Las Vegas Blvd.

As you know, Las Vegas is not just for gambling any more. There are amazing shows, world-class restaurants, seemingly endless shopping complexes filled with bistros and designer shops, and even art galleries and animal exhibits. Often, when we visit, we zip over to Red Rock Canyon for some natural beauty and hiking, and there's always the Atomic Testing Museum coaxing us away from the charms of M&M World and the Vegas strip.

One of a pair of entrance guards

So when I found out that the long-planned City Center was mostly completed, I had to see what they'd done. I admit, when I had last been to Vegas and seen the work in progress from a distance, it looked to me like a monstrosity. I was overwhelmed with 'meh'. And when I decided to check it out yesterday from close up, I didn't expect much. But I was pleasantly surprised. The crisp geometry of metal and organic materials pretty much won me over. I have a fondness for architectural line and grid. A lot of people might find the City Center cold and monotonous, but its repetitive triangles and rectangles and the play of the sun on its planes and angles give me a sense of order, and even peace.


Among the lines and angles of the towers are the classic curves and textures of artists and craftspeople. I found it an inspiring place.

The two residential towers which lean into and cross one another.

The City Center tram.

From the walkway approaching Aria casino and hotel, you can see a waterwall across the square.

Later, as we walked next to the waterfall, we could see the water spilling over the wall in spaced intervals. The play of sunlight and shadow upon the water was mesmerizing to my simple brain.

A playing card sculpture in the Aria lobby.

I smiled at this Mondrian-inspired shop front.

This structure served as a level for 'al fresco' dining at Mastros Ocean restaurant.

A little closer to the Mastros 'outdoor' seating.

The casual Pods restaurant from Wolfgang Puck. He has a higher-scale restaurant adjacent. I liked the clean European look of this cafe, although my photograph isn't very good.

A staircase next to Pods. Those are strips of copper.

Another staircase, this one a geode mosaic design.

These are big tornado tubes. At least that's what I call them. The girls loved running around and through them, stomping on the recessed lights in the floor.

Another installation. This time: pillars of ice.

Outside Crytals shopping center. I love the texture of these walls.

A wall looms over us next to the Prada tower.

Prada lined the base of their walls with photographs of what is offered inside.

The blue tower houses the new Cirque du Soleil tribute to Elvis Presley.

The Paris hotel and casino, across the walkway from City Center.

Romans, walking through Caesar's Palace casino, with an occasional bellow of 'Make way!'


Next up: Chris gets thrown out of Mastros for tossing bread crumbs down to hungry shoppers.