The scintillating city of excess - replete with bacchanal revelers looking for a weekend of carefree debauchery... which will, of course, stay in Vegas. I find this city and the entire industry built on hedonism to be fascinating... mostly it always underscores the importance of balance for me.
I don't know anyone who can or wants to sustain the endless drinking, eating, and partying for more than a few nights at a time. In economic terms, it suffers from diminishing marginal utility - not only is it increasingly physically exhausting, it also delivers less and less enjoyment per each additional night. In many ways, it's a reminder that we can all burn out doing any activity or piece of work and to ensure I have some variety in my life.
To be sure, I ate myself silly at establishments like Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak and Mon Ami Gabi, filled with all kinds of the noveau naughty ingredients (none of which, I happen to agree with): gluten and dairy. Not to mention all of the conventional terrible things for you: fat, salt, sugar, rare steaks, cholesterol-filled seafood... In any case, after that weekend, I immediately myself on a repentant diet with lots of fibrous fruits and vegetables.
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| Craftsteak prie fixe menu dessert tasting - chef's choice. Liberal application of Instagram magic. Clockwise from top: fresh fruit, chocolate indulgence with chocolate ice cream, coconut lime and raspberry sorbets, and cinnamon monkey bread with vanille ice cream. Paired with a Polish dessert wine. |
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| Mon Ami Gabi - where your cappuccino can come in a bowl larger than the cup of French Onion soup. |
But I wanted a different experience and adventure to photograph with the DSLR and thus, we went off-roading. My amazing sorority sister who happens to live in Vegas recently bought a new Jeep and graciously took us out on a trail that wrapped us around Las Vegas via Rainbow Gardens Rd.
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| Hi Jeep! |
Quite overcast, which made it a comfortable day trip, but did make the pictures less dramatic since it flattened the highlights and shadows and softened the contrast. Most of the pictures have had some additional editing during review to punch up the contrast a bit, but it's no replacement for the correct lighting to convey a mood.
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| Along the winding road |
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| When dirt meets asphalt |
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| The Strip from the trail's end |
Active Shooting Hours: 4
Review Hours: 2
Hours to Date: 111