Las Vegas - The Italian Experience...

Ok - so it's actually a French story, if you want to be very picky about it. But opera is Italian and no where could be better suited to the display of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Phantom' than in the opulent splendour of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

Phantom of the Opera is something I was introduced to quite young by one of those great once-in-a-life time teachers who had an entire class of 11 year olds desperate to get to school the next day and listen to more opera. True story.

It's something a friend of mine and I had wanted to see for years, and though she managed to get tickets to see the show in Houston (via our wonderful teacher...) as well as a show in New York - I moved away and was busy travelling around and never managed to see it for myself.

When I saw that it was showing in Las Vegas when I was due to show up for my 5th anniversary with my husband - and my favourite hotel - I knew that it was something I couldn't let pass me by.
It was such a good opportunity in fact that my friend flew up from Houston for the weekend so that we could finally see it together.

This was something we were both excited about - but my husband and her boyfriend (neither of them fans of opera and unfamiliar with the story) came along purely to accommodate us.

After years of missed opportunities and wanting to see the show, I had very high expectations, but nothing prepared me for how spectacular the Venetian's production would be.

The venue is very very grand, and as soon as you walk in and take your seat you realize how this room was custom built for this one show - with the illusion that you are in the Parisian opera house of the show - complete with large chandelier hanging above you waiting for its dramatic moment.

I don't want to spoil it too much because this is a show that benefits from surprise. Despite being very loyal to the original - with the original team reunited to do it and all of the original songs included - there is a spin on it that only Las Vegas could produce.

This is a show and a half - and to my surprise and delight both of the men we dragged along loved it as well - and have become complete converts to the story.

To say this is dramatic and stunning just does not cover it - so I will leave it at that and just say emphatically that if you ever get the chance to see this then you really have to do so. Even if you are not a fan of this type of thing normally - this is the one to see. And if you are a fan of Phantom of the Opera, then you will love it all the more.

The price is also very reasonable I thought at around $35 per person. It is - quite simply - worth a trip to Las Vegas just to see this show.

The Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is nothing if it is not emphatic in its attention to detail. Though virtually every hotel on the Las Vegas strip has a theme of some description - and the competition pushes each top the next, there is something overwhelming about this effect at the Venetian.

Quite possibly my favourite hotel in Las Vegas - the Venetian is in a class all on its own. Even after wandering through casinos of all shapes and sizes for a full, foot aching day - you walk through the doors of the Venetian and suddenly it's as if you weren't in Las Vegas at all.

And this is really saying something - if you have ever visited the strip then you can appreciate how impressive it is for one hotel to stand out as so different when so many of them having something superb to offer.

I find this especially true now when for me Las Vegas is losing its identity. Though the hotels are still very impressive, and the shows and dining extreme - the conglomerate buy out of the strip by the MGM Grand means that slowly but surely the strip is becoming one big Disney World attraction, with out the vital element of competition.

But once through the doors of the Venetian, I hardly wanted to return to the strip for the rest of my trip.

If you stand on the balcony outside the Venetian - even there you feel as if the rest of the strip is a show put on for you're benefit. As exciting as it may be, you still get to sit above it and watch from a much more pleasing distance.

The Grand Canal shoppes for me just epitomize this great experience at the Venetian. As you walk through the doors you are instantly taken by the European grandeur of the place. Decadence in every corner and infinitesimal attention to detail surrounds you. Where as some of the other themed hotels do feel a bit like you are on an upscale themed ride at an amusement park, at the Venetian you feel as if you've simply entered a world of Italian glamour.

You still feel as if you can partake in this little taste of other-worldliness here, something that is being lost in the other casinos, I think. You feel pampered and special - even if you are just walking through to see the place for yourself.

The canals open up and the gondolas make their way along them in crystal canals that run through the hotel - and the shops themselves are fantastic. It would be hard to find such magnificent (if expensive) shopping in the US outside of New York. It really is top notch, so don't bother coming here to shop unless you plan to spend a lot.

But browsing is good for any occasion, and you get a chance to visit shops here that would be hard to find in most places.

But best of all by far is the atmosphere here. Though almost always busy, there is a certain European flow to the 'streets' in the Venetian, and you can't help but feel swept up in the charm of stuccoed archways and glowing sunsets on the painted ceiling above.
You must have a meal at one of their 'street side' Italian Cafes, and try the Italian ice cream vendors as well.

You can easily lose hours just walking the streets of Venice here, and with the artificial sunlight above, you could find yourself still entranced till the very wee hours of the morning before you realize you are still in Las Vegas.

One of the first places my husband and I ever travelled together when we first met was Las Vegas - a place that understandably has very fond memories for us from our long ago days of travel.
So for our anniversary we decided a little return trip to revisit some of our favourite parts and get to do more of the things we didn't do the first time around was in order.

And what we primarily didn't get to do while we were there before as penniless 20 year old backpackers were things that cost any money.

In the golden days of Las Vegas - you could visit the amazing strip and as long as you didn't gamble, you could have an incredible time with out spending very much money. Sadly those days are gone, but what is still available is the change to experience extraordinary things closer to home.

And we were especially reminded of this on our dinner at Canaletto.

The Venetian hotel itself was one of our favourite parts of Las Vegas on our first trip - but being one of the priciest places we didn't spend very much time there. So as it came time to choose where we would eat our Anniversary dinner in the plethora of options available along the strip - the Venetian came to mind first.

It wasn't easy choosing Canaletto - I can assure you. We were there on the holiday weekend of Thanksgiving, and the city was packed to the gills. And though we weren't walking miles along the strip this time hoping to get a 3/4 pound hot dog for under a dollar - we still didn't want to spend all of our trip money on one celebratory dinner.

Not to mention, in the Venetian alone there are many wonderful sounding, beautiful restaurants just begging to be sampled.

In the end there was a beautiful brass band playing festive music in the shopping centre of the Grand Canal - as well as performers and with the restaurant wasn't too crowded, so we happily made our way over.

There is seating available both outside and in - for anyone who's never visited The Venetian or one of the big Vegas hotels, you are inside the hotel in a stunning rendition of Venice's grand canal district complete with painted ceilings and sunset lighting. It's truly remarkable and currently my favourite thing about Las Vegas.
There are vendors on the 'cobblestone streets' selling Italian ice-cream, and you can sit in one of the great 'outdoor' tables of Canaletto and soak up the atmosphere.

We decided to take an indoor table due to the crowds, and inside the atmosphere changed again, to a very luxurious dining area that offered a bit of luxury and yet felt very private and comfortable. There are booths as well as tables - (I strongly suggest that you have a look at their website to whet your appetite) and the decor is extremely impressive.

The food was also very nice. In Northern Italian style cooked by a very good Italian chef - you really do get the feel of enjoying a meal in Italy, with out having to deal with the flight or customs.

The waiters were all Italian on our visit - an important touch I felt - and though not of the highest quality - they were good. The bread baked locally was excellent, and my pasta dish was very very tasty as well as being a hearty portion.

You should also sample a glass of their wine, as they have some great wines on offer and what is an Italian meal with out a tasty glass of red wine?

When you are finished and have had your coffee to round off the meal, I recommend you walk along the Venetian canals - listen to the gondoliers singing, and sample some tasty Italian ice-cream.

This is an attraction I have actually reviewed before on my first ever visit to Las Vegas, and though I almost never re-review something unless it has undergone some change or improvement to warrant doing so - in this case I couldn't justify writing an 'Italian Experience' in Las Vegas journal with out giving kudos to the fountain show.

It's also worth mentioning here that maybe an even better reason for my reviewing it once more here is that in all the changes that I have seen Las Vegas undergo since my first visit - and very few of them for the better in my opinion - this is one that still keeps it's awe and integrity and should be commended for doing so.

The fountain show at the Bellagio represented or me everything that was amazing about Las Vegas. Whenever I told the story about my crazy, penniless week spent in Sin City - I always finished the story with a reminiscent smile about the wonders of the fountains of Bellagio.

It's really hard to describe why there are so wonderful - when you get down to it it is just dancing water fountains to music.

But there is something grander about them than that - something beautiful and peaceful and thrilling all at the same time. I've seen adults moved more than I have ever seen watching them, and when I remembered Las Vegas - everything that was good about it could be summed up in the dusky desert evenings I stood watching the fountains.

It was something we ended up doing on quite a few occasions the first time, and after 6 years we found ourselves enjoying it over and over again this time round, too.

When we realized just how much Las Vegas and the atmosphere there had changed, I think we were both hesitant to watch the fountains again. It was such a profound and wonderful memory for us both that I think we were afraid it might be tarnished if it left us cold.

But we weren't the least disappointed - and if anything as we stood watching the first set of fountain shows in the lowering light of the evening, we realized gratefully that some bits of the Las Vegas magic were still alive.

If you have never seen the fountains at the Bellagio - then I can not recommend highly enough that you do so. Get there a little bit before each show if you can to get a good spot to watch - but it doesn't really matter anyway. There are plenty of places to stop and watch along the walk way on the strip - and even if you didn't plan to view it - if you are passing by and it's on, it's always worth the few minutes to stop and enjoy it.

And if you have seen it before and remember it fondly - well rest assured that it remains just as wonderful as it was, and is there to be seen again when next you visit.

You can see the fountains from any area around the Bellagio hotel, but the best places are the little round viewing areas cut into the pathways. The shows run every 1/2 hour from 3 pm - 8 pm on Monday - Friday, and they start at noon on holidays and weekends.
Best viewing is at dusk or after dark.

It's a very, very impressive display of music, dancing water, and lights and it's something that should not be missed on a trip to Las Vegas.
And best of all - it's still free.

Though it's true, this Italian restaurant is not of the same style or quality you will find at the big, luxurious Italian-styled casinos, it is nice to know that you can get a bit of the Italian food experience at the other end of the strip.

The Excalibur, once one of the many brilliantly designed casinos that was a bit more kid friendly than the others, now seems to be the 'family' casino. (Though I find it hard still to connect those two words in my head) Though there is still a lot to offer here, the prices are now outrageous for anything but the rooms, the entire place seems run down and badly staffed, and you are accosted at every corner with in your hotel by the new gangs of time-share salesmen. (Read my review on Excalibur in my 'Las Vegas Thanksgiving' journal for more information.)

For me, what was once a hotel I had a very soft spot for - the first I ever stayed at in Last Vegas - is now a hotel I will never stay at again.

However, the dining is something that still has its place, and even though a lot of the restaurants in the Excalibur are swamped with large, loud families with kids - the little Italian restaurant upstairs seems to have somehow avoided this.

While we were there, at least, this was a quiet - more adult restaurant where you could go to get a little bit of peace and quiet.

There are some very good points and some not so good points about Regale Ristorante. The good aspects were largely to do with the staff. They seemed almost like they had been forgotten in all the big changes, and they were very keen to please - unlike ANY other staff I came in contact with in the week I stayed at the Excalibur.
The restaurant was all but empty when we went - something that surprised us given the hectic atmosphere always outside, and we wondered if we had made a big mistake.

The problem with this restaurant is symblomatic of the rest of the Excalibur. It was a little bit shabby and dated - especially from what you would expect of a big Vegas hotel. It was like going to a little Italian run diner that thought it was still up class but hadn't redecorated in about 15 years.

It was a little bit stuffy, for me - and if it had been expensive or if I had gone in for a very intimate fine dining experience (as I think it kind of portrays itself to offer) then I would have been very disappointing.

However - for a quiet evening meal in a busy casino hotel that's a little bit nicer and more adult with out being pricey it was very satisfying.

The service was good. It wasn't spectacular, but it was very attentive and kind and pleasant despite how empty it was. The atmosphere wasn't bad - and we actually thoroughly enjoyed our little meal there.

But most importantly the food was good. Very good.
Again, you wouldn't be happy if you had expected fine dining finesse, but for an average priced meal it was very, very good. And the portions were enormous.
If you've been out walking and gambling all day and haven't yet stopped to eat and want a really hearty meal that isn't a buffet - this is the place to go. My husband ordered a calzone and it was massive. It was a struggle for him to finish it - and that rarely happens.

My own pasta again was ample in size, and very tasty.
It's a little bit pricey given what you may be able to get elsewhere, but much cheaper than some of the big flashy restaurants elsewhere.

You can't talk about Italian experiences in Las Vegas with out mentioning New York, New York.

Even though it may not be the first to come to mind when surrounded by the very heart of Italy just across the way in the forms of the Venetian and Bellagio - just as is true with it's namesake - New York New York has it's own little twist on the Italian experience of the new world.

Created in a similar vein to the other location themed hotels and casinos - New York New York dominates the skyline when entering the city with its Empire state building, Statue of Liberty and enormous roller coaster which runs along the tops of both of these.

In side you are, unfortunately again in an MGM Grand hotel - so the prices are higher, the atmosphere somewhat diminished and the tourist levels seem to overwhelm the ambiance.

Still - there is something extremely cool about the little 'Greenwich Village' experience on the mezzanine floor where you almost lose the sounds of slot machines as you wander down the little brown brick streets of old New York.

Though without the perfection of something like the Venetian, New York New York does manage to capture a great bit of atmosphere here and you really feel that they accomplished what they were aiming for. I instantly started to crave a hot dog - that was until I smelled the delights coming from the different restaurants that show the ethnic diversity of New York itself.

There are plenty of amazing restaurants to choose from - so many that they aren't even all listed on their website. They are pretty pricey, though - so if you just want a little taste if Italy in New York, then visit the village eateries where you will pay slightly less for some great hold-you-over-til-dinner food.

The pizza, in particular, is worth the trip over for.

Anyone who loves pizza has a special place in their hearts for pizza the way New Yorkers do pizza, and here you can get a little taste of that with out making the trip.
Although, of course when I say 'little' taste of it, I mean giant sprawling delicious slices of pizza.

Buy a whole pizza if you're starving, but you can also pick up just a few slices to eat in one of the 'patio' seats in the village.