Q: negative

A: simonster's version of hell on earth (part 3)... memorial day weekend, 2008. i was really expecting to love le reve. it's choreographed by the same cirque du soleil choreographer that did "o," which is my fave cirque show of all time. similar to "o," le reve is a water show, which has even more appeal for me. i can't help but marvel at the engineering necessary to raise and lower those underwater platforms. one minute a bunch of hot dancers are flitting around in leotards on a metal platform, and the next, the hot dancers are flying through the air and plunging into water where the platform just was! amazing. i keep thinking to myself, "wow, if anybody's timing is off, *SPLAT*!" i'd planned the evening, so i was really looking forward to showing my gal at the time and my friends a good time with a magical vegas trio of dinner, a show, and some dancing. to start the evening, i made reservations at daniel baloud's brasserie, which was fantastic. amazing service, refined, flavorful food, and even a quaint little light show on the waterfall outside. after a leisurely dinner, we strolled across the casino floor to le reve theater, where our VIP passes got us a special waitress and plush couples seating around a little table already laid with chocolate covered strawberries and champagne. each VIP seating area also included a flat-panel monitor which gave some really interesting behind-the-scenes and underwater live footage. service at the show was excellent as well, and our glasses refilled as if by magic. the show itself was actually not as good as "o," but still entertaining. and those flat-panel monitors might actually detract, since seeing all the behind-the-scenes and underwater footage actually took away some of the show's mystique. regardless, we were off to a great start, and we were really enjoying ourselves. but when we arrived at blush, the evening turned sour very quickly. included in the VIP tickets is SUPPOSED to be comped entry ($30 value) and no-wait access to the wynn's blush nightclub. that's what they told me when i booked the tickets to justify the added expense, that's what they confirmed at the ticket counter when i picked up the tickets that night, and that's what the back of the freakin' pass even says! no conditions, no exceptions, no question. instead, we had to wait 20+ minutes in front of blush only to find out from a snooty manager that our VIP passes were worthless over the memorial day weekend and that cover would be $50. trying to be rational, i offered him the extra $20 per person on top of the $30 credit our VIP passes should have comped us, which he flatly refused. my gal at the time, always the voice of reason, saw the futility of trying to reason with that idiot, so we went to find a hotel concierge with hopefully more sense than the club manager. unfortunately, the front desk night manager used that familiar excuse made so popular by unempowered customer service morons the world over: "there's nothing i can do." ridiculous. the following monday when i got home, i wrote a note outlining our disappointing experience to wynn's customer service email address. in it i pointed out that communication between blush and le reve management needed to be improved to prevent issues like this, and that any establishment that prides itself on offering world-class service should ALWAYS have an escalation path for resolving disputes with a manager present or on call who can make decisions on behalf of the establishment as a whole. it's been a week, and i still haven't gotten a response. based on this experience, i'm never going back to the wynn again.

Q: positive

A: Butcher and the Rye is still relatively new, but I can understand why it is quickly becoming a sensation. I dream of the Crispy Pig Wing. I honestly want to go and just order about 5 orders of it and eat until I cannot move. The Pig Candy is also delicious. I've enjoyed the burrata a few times, as well as the sprouts and mac and cheese. I also have to express my utter joy over the hanger steak. I would sell a kidney to have some of the brown butter sauce it is served with. B&R employees: Who wants a kidney? The service is always wonderful, even at the bar. They can be quite busy, but the hostesses always do their best to squeeze you in. The bar never disappoints, and the house beer is also a crowd pleaser. This restaurant has quickly soared to the top of my list, based just on the pig wing.

Q: negative

A: In Vegas for the weekend and hankering for a new spa experience, I went to yelp to pick our next spa day. Imperial Health Spa received raving reviews for it's cost, treatments, etc. I was sold. If you are used to a more Western spa experience, this will not be your scene. Not to say this was bad, but just not what I enjoy. It was clean, the staff was ok and there is a number of rooms to relax in. There is a little area to get some food. The locker rooms have a large spa area to hot tub or scrub ( bring some salt! ). I spent 15min laying in what can only be described as a giant kitty litter box filled with hot little clay balls. The boyfriend wasn't a kitty litter fan, but I enjoyed it until some kids came in. Basically, this spa can be enjoyable if this is what you are used to and price is the number one focus. A huge downside was the small children running around. I love children, but not when I have mine at the sitter so I can enjoy some quiet time. It also creeped me out to have the children there when it's hot tub time machine in the locker room. I am not a prude and have no problem letting it out, but you get all different kinds in Vegas...and this is just asking for creepsters. Don't bring your kids please. The prices that everyone raved about were not that inexpensive considering the location and environment.It's not that much more and such a better experience to check out a larger hotel on the strip's spa. For the 20-30$ you will save, it's just not comparable. I'm not a fan of the Eastern spas and this was too far east. -Big bush all around me. Between the Russian and Korean...my rosetta stone was spinning. Korean soaps on all the tvs. Yelpers, just want you to realize what this is. -If you enjoy a more Eastern experience, this will be great and you will feel right at home...if you are from the bible belt...turn the car around.

Q: positive

A:
They're redoing the showroom which was a bit of a shock when we got up there but other then that the Ikea I know and love is going strong. My one complaint is that more then 2 registers need to be open on a Saturday morning. I understand that the self check out is open, but these are also for people with less then 15 items. Some have more then that, for spending more with you we should not be forced to stand in one of the 2 lines for an incredible amount of time. Also how about those two registers not be right next to each other. It just makes the whole area seem even more congested.