Vegas is like a box of chocolates…

December 30, 2009

Last week we spent a little time in Vegas (which is actually a beautiful place to visit during the holidays – it’s a spectacle!)

One of the places we looked at last week was Aria, the new hotel and casino at City Center. There were tons of tourists milling around since it just opened about a week earlier. I was struck, though, by the décor: dark, hip, contemporary. It’s very much indicative of what I’d call the “new, new Vegas”.

No longer are these new casinos going for the overly-themed buildings. Decadence here used to be the mimicry of Paris, Italy, New York, or some tropical destination. For a while, that was the “new Vegas”. I do think of this like the box of chocolates that you see stuffing the shelves near Valentine’s. Most of those boxes are trying to imitate something with their package: be it looking like silk or satin, embossing what appears to be a glossy bow, or adding foil or metallic accents to give it an expensive touch. The new, new Vegas is still glossy, but in a different way.

I guess the distinction is:
New, new Vegas is like artisanal chocolate: an expensive treat cradled in a luxe little package that makes you feel rich for ten minutes as you savor it.

New Vegas is like a typical Valentine’s box of chocolates – Overdone, trying to be something it’s not, but fun once in a while.

Old Vegas is like a bargain box of chocolates: kinda retro (you like it for the nostalgia), and a little cheaper (in look and impact on the wallet).

Ooooh, can’t wait to go back!