Three years ago (next week) we (that is to say, my wife and I) got married in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a ceremony that involved an Elvis, Presley. So for Labor Day weekend we flew back to the desert land for a nice relaxing visit, drinks in the pool, play a few slots, have some good food, and for me at least, do some drawing (while mrs scully had a facial/pedicure). We stayed on the top floor of one of the brand new 38-storey Signature Towers at MGM Grand (they weren't even there last time I went, last year), which had an amazing view over the Strip (and a dizzying vertigo-inducing balcony). I drew the picture above (with the beloved purple micron pen) shortly after arrival (and shortly before heading down to the pool to enjoy a strawberry daiquiri). After dinner at the rio, we saw harry potter on the IMAX at the palms. The night before the wedding, in 2004, I went to see spiderman 2 at the IMAX in the luxor with simon (mrs scully went with the girls to see the chippendales; i bet i had more fun!). Next day, we popped down to caesar's for lunch (and to pick up cheesecake for later, while watching a cheesy statue show), before mrs scully went for some relaxing pampering, while i sketched in the desert heat (and also from the air-conditioned safety of Bellagio). We dined on the terrace of Il Fornaio in NYNY, a really nice Italian restaurant, with the romantic sound of electronic slot machines and wheels of fortune jingling on the air-conditioned breeze. Excellent seafood, but the best part, of course, was the company. And mrs scully even won some money on those slots, so the next day we had another nice lunch at Mon Ami Gabi, on the (actually outside on the actual street) terrace of Paris. I love the Paris casino (I'm not talking about the little french grocery store, though they were convenient when i lived in Aix, and always had Pepsi Max), they go to such a great effort. the themed hotels like this, NYNY, and the Venetian, are to me the best ones in Vegas. Just being ultra-swanky, which is the current trend among the new resorts, is not theme enough for me. I'm glad there's no burnt oak-themed casino though; it would be shaped like the library, there would be the chav-only lounge, and every half an hour there would be a 'show' fight outside one of the special themed pubs. (On TV in northern CA, though, they do advertise the Black Oak casino, which gave me the original idea; I doubt Steve Wynn will go for it though). And so we left Vegas once more; at the airport, however, I decided to stick five bucks into a nickel slot machine, while waiting for the plane. Within seconds I'd won a hundred bucks! Cashed out straight away. We both left with more a lot money than we gambled with. That's the thing about Las Vegas. It's a crazy, mad, disjointed and unusual tourist town, but it's not that expensive, and whereas in other big cities, what you spend in London stays in London (and then some), in Vegas there is always a chance of winning some of your dosh back.
las vegas, encore une fois
6.9.07 06:50
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brian / Website (7.9.07 23:25) Nice tour of Vegas both in word and great sketches! |
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petescully / Website (8.9.07 20:57) cheers! we had a great time. Just very hot outside, too hot for too much sketching. |
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Jana Bouc / Website (9.9.07 00:27) Wow! You sure know how to treat a lady right. I'm so envious of all those spa treatments, relaxation and delicious food. Mrs. Scully is a lucky woman...but I bet she knows that. You actually make Las Vegas sound (and look) like somewhere I might want to go. I'd never considered it as option before as it sounded too overwhelming. Your drawings are terrific as always. I love that purple pen. Next trip to the art store I'm getting one! Thanks for the "corny" jokes! I love corny humor as it reminds me of my dad, the king of corny jokes. |
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petescully / Website (9.9.07 07:39) vegas is great fun, the casinos can be overwhelming however. This time was particularly nice though (the amazing room helped) because we'd both been there so many times before, and could therefore relax and hang out and enjoy it. AND! I found my mechanical eraser!! The one I'd lost. It was in my camcorder bag all this time. Talk about good luck. |
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Roshan (9.9.07 09:42) I think it's wicked how everyone's loving the purple pen! It's kinda funny for me too cos I've seen you drawing with it for about 10 years!! Then again, the stuff you're doing now is a little clasier than cartoons of Star Wars vs Pulp Fiction  )
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petescully / Website (9.9.07 17:35) oh, yeah!! that purple pen!!! That was the best. 30p from Vipins. I'd forgotten about that. And the light blue one as well. And no, dude, this stuff is definitely not classier than the pulp fiction/star wars crossovers from the inside of my english notebook, that's my best stuff! I wonder if i can dig any of it out, if it still exists? |
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martha / Website (9.9.07 20:47) Sounds like a great trip! And the sketches are wonderful. We like to go to Vegas every couple of years. It requires a certain reality-suspending mindset but I find it the ultimate surrealistic experience. Probably life on Mars would be something like that. And it's so visual there! I am impressed you could sketch. Last time I went I had sort of a "deer-in-the-headlights" reaction and couldn't draw a thing. ps Glad you found that eraser! |
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petescully / Website (10.9.07 00:16) cheers! it was a great trip, we had a really good time. I wasn't sure how i'd approach the sketching, it's a wierd place like that, but i just kept the sketchbook on me and took it easy. The Caesar's one was done in ridiculous heat - I did however only do the pencil and about three quarters of the pen there and then, before retreating to a cool air-conned bar to do the paint! Only problem then was the lighting was bad... |
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