My husband and I went on a quick get-a-way to Las Vegas.  My husband likes to gamble, and me, I just think the town is beautiful.  I love the city's exuberance, the way it looks, the way it feels, the place is energizing!  But as much as we both like Las Vegas, we sometimes feel a little allergic to crowds.  Their most quiet week of the year is the week before Christmas so off we went.  And really, it wasn't quiet at all, only perhaps by Las Vegas standards.

We had the BEST time, sometimes I had to pinch myself.  We saw two wonderful shows and had two wonderful dinners, one night at Delmonico's and the next at Bouchon.  Gahh, just perfect.
We stayed again at the beautiful Venetian (all the rooms are suites and they have great specials all time time, not kiddin', we stayed for $110 a night)  I found this cozy little spot above and settled in for a few hours of knitting while hubby gambled.
Knitting in public is an invitation for people to smile at you and come over and tell you how their grandma knit them caps, socks, sweaters.  I tell them knitting is in fashion with young people now and they can't believe it.  This scarf got everyone's attention, it's quite showy, just like Las Vegas.
Kidsilk Haze Stripe with colors by the color genius Kaffe Fassett, which is a perfect segue to...
 ...the beautiful Chihuly glass ceiling in the Bellagio.  Our last day we visited the Bellagio just to see their Christmas displays in their famous atrium garden.
 The Bellagio gets my Christmas Spirit award.  Their displays were unbelievably gorgeous
carpeted with thousands of ruffled poinsettias.
 Everything is on a massive scale.  I stayed in the atrium for and hour to ogle.

 The polar bears and gingerbread house were made of carnations.
I have come home to enjoy the week before Christmas in a quiet way... a fire to sit by with candles lit, a little knitting, a little baking.   Sigh.