las vegas - our family's thanksgiving tradition

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  

As part of an immigrant family, I have childhood memories of us trying to "fit in" and enjoying the traditional Thanksgiving meal - turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie and the whole kit-n-caboodle.  However as time passed, we all came to the conclusion that we really didn't like turkey all that much.  So, we started doing surf n turf Thanksgivings.  Then in recent years, we got even lazier and developed a new tradition for Thanksgiving - namely, Las Vegas!

For our family it's pretty perfect.  My husband and my dad can literally be at the sports book area the entire day - one watching football and the other horse racing.  While they are immersed in their own entertainment, I can treat my mom to a couple of days of relaxation and pampering.  Sometimes that is a day at the spa; sometimes it's shopping; but most important of all, it's a day my mom doesn't have to cook and take care of all of my dad's whims.  I don't know how it is in other families, but my mom does everything for my dad so a break is very rare for her.

Around dinnertime, we will gather and eat our Thanksgiving meal - usually at a steakhouse or a seafood restaurant in the hotel because my dad doesn't want to walk too far.  My parents will retire into their room and my husband and I will go grab a drink or play some craps/blackjack/pai gow poker.

For Black Friday, I will wake up early and take my mom shopping for the day - usually at the North Premium Outlet in Vegas which is my favorite outlet mall.  We'll get back to meet my husband and dad for a casual dinner.  We've done the buffet before but I don't like the long lines and we simply don't eat that much anymore so it doesn't seem worthwhile anymore.  (I will say Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan and the Wynn do have amazing and tasty buffet spreads.)

On Saturday we'll enjoy some room service and then drive back to Los Angeles.

The last time we stayed at the Aria which was nice and had a comfortable sports book.  This year we stayed at the Wynn and I definitely like the rooms and the service at the Wynn more.  The selection of restaurants was also better - although I think the Venetian / Palazzo have better restaurants than the Wynn generally.

This year we had our Thanksgiving meal at Lakeside Grill and we fully enjoyed the seafood tower and the tasty rib eye steak.  Service was impeccable.  

But the real highlights this year were:

• The amazing room service - I've had room service in many many hotels and the Wynn just had the best inroom dining.  The food is tasty and arrives piping hot.  Instead of just setting down a tray with all your food covered - they actually set the table for you and uncover everything.  Impeccable.
• Black Friday shopping at the North Premium outlets - the best deals are really for clothes and handbags so if that's not your cup of tea, you should avoid the madness.  This year they opened at midnight and I heard it was crazy.  I showed up around 7am and it must have been the lull before the next crowd because there were no lines at all.
• Trying out a local bar /restaurant - Herbs & Rye - amazing cocktails!
• Winning $200 at craps.  yay!