RICHARD’S
WEIRD IMMERSIVE
VEGAS 40TH BDAY
August 16-18, 2024
Dear Friends:
I hope you’ll consider joining me in Las Vegas for my 40th birthday, in the spirit of a selfish escape for all involved. Let’s have an adventure together and leave our cares at home!
I’ve always been a fan of Vegas (in limited doses) for its truly weird and over-the-top atmosphere—it’s a place designed to lure you into some kind of elaborate fantasy around every corner.
I’ve picked a few activities that tickle MY fancy—join me for as many of them as you like. This weekend is designed to be enjoyed on an “a la carte” basis. You pay for what you want, and with that comes a little permission have your own adventure as desired…
Our group will be staying at the Bellagio, and my good friend (and travel agent) Tom is managing our group booking; full details are at the bottom of the itinerary. Please book your room through Tom to get all the perks of VIP status!
Take a look at the full itinerary, and when you’re ready, please RSVP below! All plans are subject to change…
FRIDAY
AUGUST 16, 2024
BET ON YOURSELF
Arrive and Acclimate
Consider making a real weekend of your Vegas trip by arriving Friday morning, in time to get your bearings, park your luggage at the hotel concierge, and open your pores before you debut your most glamorous self for the rest of the evening. The Bellagio’s world-class spa, pool and other amenities await you!
6pm Welcome Drinks
The Pinky Ring by Bruno Mars at the Bellagio Resort
The Pinky Ring by Bruno Mars—A one of a kind cocktail lounge, curated by an entertainer for your entertainment pleasure. Feel the magic in its seductive party vibe, featuring a curated collection of premium cocktails, and live entertainment by some of today’s most talented musicians and DJs. Inspired by iconic Vegas glamour with the magnetic energy of a modern luxury lounge—one sip and you know this is going to be the night of all nights.
Price Per Person: A la carte ($$)
9pm Dinner and a Show
Delilah at the Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas and acclaimed global hospitality partner h.wood Group present a modern-day supper club, Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas. Located in the exclusive Tower Suites enclave, Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas offers a true supper club atmosphere, inspired by the earliest showrooms of Las Vegas in the 1950s. The venue has multiple environments for guests to dine and socialize, with live music and special performances, DJs and Sunday Night Jazz.
Price Per Person: A la carte ($$$$) | Dinner Menu
Post-Dinner Revelry To Follow…
Maybe it’ll be a night to remember! Or maybe we’ll go to bed! We’re old now, after all.
SATURDAY
AUGUST 17, 2024
FIND YOUR SHIMMER
Unplanned Morning
After an evening of high rolling excess, who are we to ask anything of you before 11am? Rest, recover, and prepare for the most glamorous day of the weekend.
Poolside Daydreaming, Drinking and Dining
Pools at the Bellagio | Como Poolside Cafe
Spend a day sunning yourself in the spirit of glamorous Lake Como, at one of Vegas’s most elegant pool complexes. Order drinks and food a la carte or consider having a lunch (or dinner) at the Como Poolside Cafe. If I had to guess, we’ll be in the adults-only Cypress Pool, but you do you. There will not be a formal dinner gathering before the evening’s performances.
Pool access is free of charge. Cypress Pool Reserved Seating with Umbrella $175 Per person (4-person Daybed with umbrella is $450). Cabanas available to rent as well.
7pm An immersive dancing adventure
DiscoShow at The LINQ Hotel + Experience (next to the Flamingo Resort)
Get ready to party like it’s 1977. DiscoShow celebrates the music and a movement which ignited a decade. The inferno is still burning—and you are a VIP guest. Just ask for Mother. Once you make it past Mother’s velvet rope, you’ll be in the room with the everyday people who were there at the height of disco. You can be a bystander and watch their stories unfold. Or you can lose yourself in the music, and maybe even find yourself.
Come together. Let go. The world still needs disco. [Richard here: this marketing copy is truly wild.]
Cost Per Person: Tickets start at $109.
9:30pm An Audience with the Queens
RuPaul’s Drag Race Live at Flamingo Showroom (at the Flamingo Resort)
RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE! is an original production based on the Emmy Award-winning competition reality drag show. Join RuPaul's “showgirls" as they journey through a sickening season of Drag Race serving Las Vegas realness.
Price Per Person: Tickets start at $75 “plus fees”
Who Knows What Will Happen After All That!
Disco will live forever, but we might not!
SUNDAY
AUGUST 18, 2024
escape reality
Brunch and Gossip
Sadelle’s Cafe at the Bellagio Resort
Sadelle's Café is your go-to destination for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Enjoy amazing views of Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens as you savor signature dishes like Eggs Benedict, Sticky Buns and Chopped Salads.
Price Per Person: A la carte ($)
2:00pm A Trip Around the World at the Sphere
The Sphere Experience at The Sphere
The Sphere Experience is a two-part program that begins when you enter the venue. The approximately 1 hour 45 minute experience begins in the Atrium, where, through one-of-a-kind immersive technology experiences created specifically for Sphere, guests will gain a better understanding of how technology amplifies our human potential. The Sphere Experience then continues in the main venue bowl for a multi-sensory cinematic experience—Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth.
Price Per Person: $89 + fees (I will investigate further; I bet discounts are available)
4:30pm Shopping at “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store”
Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart (at AREA15 off the strip)
Get lost in (and beyond) aisles of whimsical products as this irresistible story of a family-store-turned-supermarket unfurls into mega-impactful art. Every door or box of cereal at Omega Mart is a potential entryway into new worlds and artful revelations, while breathtaking installations from local and international artists offer enchanting spaces to wander. It's a must-see immersive art experience for all ages. Watch out for exceptional customers, difficult spills, and not-so-secret bars!
Price Per Person: $60
Dinner at Korean BBQ Speakeasy
Best Friend by Roy Choi (at the ParkMGM Resort)
Roy Choi’s Best Friend is an indelible mash-up of bodega, bar and restaurant, serving Chef Roy’s greatest hits and more from his famous LA food truck, Kogi to his restaurants and other ventures. All of this is remixed and remastered in a new way for Las Vegas. Pair that with a cocktail and our incredible resident DJs spinning their favorite vinyl here well into the night and you have the only place on the Strip to sink your teeth into all the flavors, music, and culture of Koreatown and beyond.
Price Per Person: A la Carte ($$)
Departures
People may peel away from the crowd as Sunday continues, and of course the first rule of hospitality is: you’re free to leave at any time. I’ll probably stay through Monday morning before flying back to San Francisco, but that may depend on how many of YOU stick around!
HOTEL AND LOGISTICS
HOTEL
Bellagio Resort & Casino | Rates start at $400/night (incl fees)
Contact Tom Ho (Tom.Ho@protravelinc.com) for group booking.
She may not be the newest gal on the strip, but she’s still at the center of it all! Much of the Bellagio (including most rooms) has been recently updated, and so you can still have all the modern touches while being a part of “Vegas history.” There are lots of room types that work well for sharing with your (in)significant others!
Please book your rooms through my travel agent Tom Ho to join our group booking and access Virtuoso amenities, including: Daily Breakfast (up to two $30 breakfast credits per bedroom, per day), Dining Credit ($100 food and beverage credit during stay; one per room), Wi-Fi Credit ($5/day), Room Upgrade upon availability, and early/late check-in/out upon request.
TRANSPORTATION
Plan on taking Uber/Lyft from the Las Vegas airport and around the Strip, although one perk of staying at the Bellagio is that many attractions are within walking distance, and there’s also a monorail connecting it with a few other neighboring resorts (Aria, Vdara, ParkMGM).
WHAT TO WEAR
It will be HOT during the day, but much cooler at night (that desert heat). Here are suggestions based on the itinerary:
Friday: Classy, elegant, dressed to impress. Both the cocktail and dining locations enforce a dress code (no athleisure, shorts, etc.).
Saturday: Bring your best desert poolside chic and something sparkly and sexy for Saturday night’s drag and disco adventure. Neither of the planned activities have a dress code per se, but if we try to get into any bars or clubs later, some are picky about dress code (no sneakers, shorts, etc.)
Sunday: Colorful, casual, comfortable. Wear good walking shoes, especially if you’re coming to Meow Wolf.
RSVP
Please RSVP with your specific plans at the link here by Monday, July 8. I will help arrange tickets and coordinate payments centrally. I hope you’ll join us!