“Just a Bite… of the Bay! RM Seafood”
“Just a Bite… of the Bay!”
Jack: “Can we tell them about how you and I fiddled about on the plane?”
Jill: “What??? No.”
Jack: “How about when you and I were in the pool and I…”
Jill: “Absolutely not!”
Jack: “Under the dinner table when you…”
Jill: “WHAT???”
Jack: “Sheeesh.”
Jill: “Tell them about some of the places we went to while at Mandalay, would you.”
Jack: “Ok. I guess so.”
Jill: “Don’t pout, or I’ll give you something to pout about, mister!”
Jill and I are both great fans of seafood. ALL seafood. After all, ‘fish have to swim, birds gotta eat’. But I digress. Having reviewed all the offerings at the Mandalay Bay prior to our trip, we had a decent idea of where we would go. That being said, we always enjoy scoping the area out upon arrival, post-pool-time of course.
In passing RM Seafood, we were struck with how warmly we were acknowledged by the hostess on duty at the time. Mind you, we were walking by, NOT in. As such, we decided, THIS would be our first night’s dinner. THIS also ended up being our third night’s dinner. So what follows is a culmination of the two.
THIS place is great!
First, as far as attire goes, Jill and I are ones that believe, better over-dressed than under-dressed. That being said, casual works fine here. The setting/decor is quite nice; a balance between comfortable and modern. They offer an ‘outdoor’ seating area which is simply in the corridor adjoining the casino. Trust us, it’s enjoyable.
In our experience, we were always greeted and served professionally, with great warmth. Our servers were graciously engaged in our experience and took a more polished ‘familial’ approach. They were attentive to our needs as well as the pace of our meal, never once leaving us feeling rushed.
They offer a respectable selection of wines, and cocktails, of which we partook in each. Especially enjoyable was a bottle of 2016 Champs Royale William Favr (a very tasty white). This went exceptionally well with our meal, particularly the oysters.
Onto the food…
Oysters! Jill and I LOVE oysters! It’s all I can do to stake my fair share when Jill and I dine (she’s mean, I tell ya!). Their selection is fresh and they offered quite a few. We decided to go with the sampler, which was fantastic. From there, we re-ordered our favorites. We would be remiss not to note, where as some establishments break the shells, RM did a fine job of shucking the bivalve mollusks. All were complete (which means, no crunch in our much). Trust us that is important!
Like a fine-tuned machine, after finishing our appetizers, our entrees arrived. For me, I had a variety of sushi and sashimi. That’s how I roll (get it??). For Jill, though, she experienced what amounts to, the Big O (for food, that is); scallops with mushroom truffle risotto. Her expression when eating her meal was similar to ‘that’ scene from, “When Harry Met Sally.” Oh. My! She simply raved about it. And in tasting it myself, I would have to agree. It was amazing!
We passed on dessert only because an evening of cocktails & craps awaited us (not to mention, we were stuffed!), but the offerings looked especially tasty!
The experience at RM Seafood was so good, we went there twice! After all, some things are definitely worth repeating!
Cirque du Soleil puts on MANY shows on the strip, all focusing on a specific topic. For instance, in residency at the Mandalay Bay is the show, ONE, which is based on the music of one Michael Jackson. Unfortunately, the show was off on the evening of our availability. It happens. But in the department of, ‘things happen for a reason,’ it lead us to another show which instantly caught our fancy; Zumanity!
This show is a celebration of sexuality… in all of its many definitions and expressions! That makes it PERFECT for us! A word of caution… in order to truly appreciate this show, we believe it important the audience be VERY open minded, comfortable in ‘their’ skin and in a state of relaxation. A few cocktails wouldn’t hurt, either.
The theatre is absolutely perfect for this performance, providing an ambiance of burlesque. Though it is of respectable size, it still feels quite intimate. Comfy sofas border the extended portion of the quasi-oval stage. This only amplifies the impact of the show as it allows you and your partner (sofas are for couples only) to truly ‘get into’ the show!
From the outset, the performers engage the audience in conversation as well as contact (some found themselves on stage) generating uncontrollable laughter and excitement!
Cirque du Soleil does an amazing job of melding the various topics of sexuality in creative dance and athleticism. The music is very much complimenting, the narrative a direct extension of the themes. In addition to the attractive physique of the many characters (ladies and gentlemen, they are professional athletes and gymnasts), each aspect of the show was expressed with a striking sensuality. Even the more cheeky topics (aka, horny) of the show were presented perfectly!
Zumanity was a perfect complement to our romantic getaway in Las Vegas. And yes, we WILL see it again on our next trip to Sin City! Who knows, maybe they’ll even have us perform!
Jill: “Yeah babay!”
“I Can See For Miles and Miles and Miles and….”
While walking through the casino toward our early morning tour of the surrounding area, Jill and I were approached by a young man offering us free passes to the Foundation Room. Believing this to be some trendy nightclub, our immediate reaction was, “Uh, if you haven’t noticed, we’re not really of the ‘clubbin’ age.” He assured us, “come after dinner and witness the best view on the strip!” So, in the back pocket the tickets went and on with the day we went.
Fast forward… we finished a wonderful dinner at RM Fine Seafood and were walking through the casino (happens a lot) when it struck us; let’s visit the Foundation Room.
After being carded (that within itself was entertaining, especially seeing as how the doorman was immediately smitten with Jill), we waited for the elevator to take us up. Doubt was raised when we were accompanied on the ride by a small group of millennials whose command of the English vocabulary consisted of, “like”, “so”, and “uh”. Regardless, we carried on.
Walking in, the music blared, again reinforcing those doubt in our minds. We made our way to the bar and ordered some VERY expensive drinks. Granted, EVERYTHING in Las Vegas is expensive but this raised the bar. With drinks in hand, we sought to escape the noise pollution and headed out toward the outdoor patio… along with what seemed like half the hotel’s guests. BUT this is where the ‘negativity’ ends!
Walking out, we were greeted with an awe-inspiring view! Being very near the top of the hotel, the breeze that met us was absolutely refreshing! Jill and I were taken aback with the visuals the strip provides; one ‘billion’ neon lights hitting your eyes all at once, highlighting the endless see of hotels & casinos! From street level, it is amazing. From this view, it was INSANE! It was virtually overwhelming. Was it packed? Yes, but everyone was friendly and willing to allow others to get to the rail in order to gain an unobstructed view. Further, everyone was in a delightful mood freely socializing with both friends and strangers (not to mention, the music was much lower in volume).
As we stood there, in a warm embrace, our bodies as entwined as permissible, we took it all in only allowing our kisses to interrupt.
Needless to say, we are confident all would enjoy this experience!