THE MARINI FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE CRAZINESS OF OUR LIFE WITH TWO BOYS!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Rich's 40th Birthday!

This weekend we celebrated Rich's 40th birthday...Vegas style! Not only was it Rich's birthday, it was the return of the Yee-Marini annual Vegas extravaganzas! It has been a couple of years since the last Yee-Marini annual trip...simply because neither family wanted to have any more kids. What?? What...Why??? Well, let me explain, the past four Yee-Marini trips either Cindy or myself had been pregnant (unknowing to us). So, instead of tempting fate...we took an extended vacation from each other and our annual trips to insure the Yee and Marini families were done expanding. We are so glad we looked into this thing called birth control...because we missed each other something crazy.

When we finally met up with the Yee's on Saturday...it was like star-crossed lovers. We were so happy to be there and to be together in Vegas again! Rich's birthday was the perfect answer to an excuse meet up again. In honor of Rich's birthday, the loving-thoughtful-wife that I am...I spent the first night in sin city with another man. Saturday night was part two of my Bon Jovi Mania and Cindy and I rocked, danced and sang our little hearts out. Before the show we went to this fabulous restaurant, Shibuya (as food and restaurants are always the main focus of our trips), in MGM and sampled some food that I NEVER sample. I swear it is Steve's focus to get me to eat things and try things that I would not look twice at...and he succeeded. I tried Yellow Tail Sashimi and I am still alive. I don't think I would ever order it...but YEAH ME!!!! Everything was delicious. Rich and I commented later that one of the best things about traveling with Steve and Cindy is that we eat places and try things that by ourselves, we would never dream of. They are a good culinary influence on us.

On Sunday we headed to the shops. There is this new shopping center in Vegas that is really cool. Our main reason for going was that they have a Tommy Bahamas Restaurant there and we thought we had to try it. Every time I walk into a Tommy Bahamas I think of Steve, so it was only fitting that the four of us dine there for lunch.

These pictures were taken right before lunch outside the restaurant.






Here is what we ordered...

The sampler pyramid.

Coconut Shrimp


Crab Cakes


And Ahi Tuna...and I tried it. YEAH ME AGAIN!!!!


Rich's Ruben Sandwich


My Crab Bisque soup


Cindy's Steak Salad


Steve's Huevos Rancheros


Us fooling around and being silly.

Lovely Cindy.


I know you are probably thinking...Why in the world did they take pictures of the food. Because it's what we do. We have been doing it for years and it would be silly to stop now. I don't eat raw stuff, so it was a pretty big deal (for me) to try the tuna. And guess what...it wasn't bad. And, again, I am STILL alive.

That night we ate at the Aria buffet. Steve and Cindy stayed at Aria...it is the newest grand casino/hotel in Vegas and so it was determined within the first minutes of the trip that we had a mandatory obligation to test out the buffet. Shocked?? In keeping with the food pictures, we decided that we would create our plates during dinner in the best presentation possible for a buffet.

Here are some of our attempts.





As you can see three of us took the challenge seriously...Rich was just hungry.


Us at dinner...



On a walk through the shops at Aria.



Here is the inside decoration at our hotel for the Chinese New Year...Year of the tiger. (No, not that Tiger...however it does seem like he has been in the news A LOT this year)



Here we are on the last day..sad to be leaving, but so glad we were able to have this weekend together.




I think Rich had a great birthday weekend. He was in his favorite place, with some of his favorite people, doing his favorite things....eating and gambling. Happy Birthday Lover!

1 comment:

  1. This is awesome Heather!! Glad to see someone on top of the blog. We had such a great time...let's not wait another 2 years to go again! I have a whole new appreciation for Jon and it's simply thanks to you! BTW, look at my food baby in the last picture :)

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