When last we left our five "R2LV" hoes heroes, they had travelled via bus to glamourous Sin City, checked in at a lovely hotel with a dash of historical significance, enjoyed some fine local cuisine, and taken in a bit of cultural arts.
But now, it was time to blow off some steam!
I don't know about you, but one of the best ways I've learned to blow off steam is to shoot something. (You may recall shooting a gun was one of my "33 in 2012" goals.) So I was pretty excited to check out the Las Vegas Gun Garage (warning -- the site makes noise) with fellow bloggers Xenia and Julie.
One of the great things is, since they are a bit off-strip and away from downtown, they send a shuttle to pick you up! We rode there in style and our driver was funny and full of Vegas trivia. The Garage is a state-of-the-art shooting range -- an 8,100 square foot facility that includes a 12-lane range as well as a gun retail area. The range is 20 yards long and offers a variety of targets for shooters of all skill levels. Each person selects a paper or 3-D, zombie-themed target. (ZOMBIES! PREPARE FOR THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!)
Also, they have implemented a variety of safety measures to ensure the best possible experience for everyone. All guests go through a safety briefing with an NRA-certified Range Safety Officer (RSO) and are then escorted to the range. The RSO stays within an arms’ reach of the guest as they fire their weapon. That made me really comfortable. The last time (and first time) I went to a gun range, I was with a friend who knew what she was doing, so that was great, but I was surprised the instructor was not more hands-on.
It's also worth mentioning that since I'm a California girl, one of the coolest parts about doing this in Vegas is, Nevada has a very different set of gun laws. I'm not going to get into the politics of it all -- I'm not educated enough and I won't proselytize the issue. So just for the sake of this blog, I must confess, I got to shoot a mother-effing Uzi and it was COOL.
It's hard to look like a badass with an Uzi when you're smiling this big, I guess. I was proud of myself -- you might notice that all my bullet-holes are pretty center-mass.
And before we depart, I must share this Insta-video with you. Because the other thing that was fun at this place? They play great music. It's not so loud that it's distracting, I promise, but it keeps you a little more jovial and relaxed. And the timing of this clip, wherein Julie takes her turn with the Uzi, is so fantastic set to "Girls" by the Beastie Boys... Well, take a look:
Our first night on the town in Las Vegas, we got to see Absinthe. Let's just get this out of the way right off the bat -- I LOVED IT. A LOT. I've been going to Vegas for over 20 years and I've seen a ton of shows. This is my favorite. Seriously. I would go again and again. I've been posting about Vegas for the last week and I saved this for last for a reason. It's the best!
In case you can't tell, I kind of loved it.
Set in a fabulously posh circus tent (with cocktails!) outside Caesar's Palace, Absinthe is a critically acclaimed acro-cabaret variety show. It is performed in the round with unobstructed sightlines (not a bad seat in the house!) and in intimate proximity of the world-class artists performing amazing feats of strength, balance, danger and unfathomable flexibility.
And this video is like.... nothing. I mean, it's great. But it was the first thing we saw. After that, I was far too enthralled to take anymore video because my eyes were GLUED to the show. I just snapped pictures when I could.
Look at that entranced audience! Just can't say enough. Go. See it. Thank me later. (Look, Xenia agrees -- see her review here.)
I've so, so enjoyed this experience. Time and time again, I can't believe the amazing opportunities this blog has brought me. And I a so grateful for you, readers, and for sponsors whose generosity extends beyond measure and outward to you. Don't forget! There's a whole week left to enter the mini-cation Vegas GIVEAWAY with opportunities to add entries for yourself each day so keep it up!
Disclosure: Our Vegas trip was made possible by many generous companies, sponsors and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. All opinions, feelings, drunken rants and lustful thoughts are my own, as always.
