I believe it’s a conspiracy on the part of my wife. She has me craving a shopping mall and buying cooking utensils. My father, I’m sure, would say this would not be one of my proudest moments.
Where do you shop in Las Vegas?
I wake up to a warm sunny day and realize that my wife is being far too friendly. It’s obvious she wants something as she slides over and hands me a cup of coffee. I’m not big on coffee, but after a long evening at the crap tables and a late night pastrami on rye, I needed a pick me up.
My wife, however, was trying to pry me out of bed to go on a shopping expedition. Now, this at times can be beneficial as I can sit at a sports book, watch a few games, play some keno and have a few hot dogs as I down a couple of dollar beers. I do all of that as my lovely wife makes her way around the shops located either at The Forum Shops at Caesars, the Fashion Show Mall, or the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. I actually enjoy it as we meet for lunch as she switches venues.
On this day, however, her intentions had me driving to the stateline in Primm, Nevada. The Fashion Outlet mall at the California/Nevada border is mecca for the shopping faithful. It is here where I was converted into a shopper. No longer did I find it necessary to race in, get what I needed and leave. Instead I found myself browsing the shops. What happened to me?
It’s simple. Williams-Sonoma has an outlet store in this mall and they carry all the good stuff. To make matters worse, so do Banana Republic, the Gap, Kenneth Cole and Brooks Brothers.
Deals can be had at his location so it’s best to come here before your gaming experiences begin. For two reasons, one as I always tell people, if you’re going to Las Vegas, you might as well try to leave with something. If you happen to spend some of your money on fun unnecessary things you can rationalize the thought that you might have lost that money anyway.
Reason number two, when you’re sitting at a blackjack table and you find yourself up a hundred dollars it’s easier to convince yourself to walk away if you have a goal for your money. My goals in the past have been useless items such as a PDA, pen, stylus, and laser pointer. Did I need them? Of course not, but if I’m buying it with their money it feels good. Books, liquor, cigars, telescopes, leather jackets, sunglasses have all been on my list of goals in the past.
On this day after making my way through the Williams-Sonoma my goal is quite simple. Four Martini glasses and a stainless steel drink shaker that accommodates three to five servings. Can you see how shopping can be dangerous?
My wife knows how to deliver me to the stores that will capture my imagination and she capitalizes on my weakness. As this happens she spends all her time spending her allotted gambling stash.
So, I make my list of things to buy and look for my shopping maniac of a wife. When I find her she has the look of a veteran shopper, she carries bags on two arms and a new purse over her shoulder. I approach with my list of needs and declare that I can’t wait until tomorrow to make it back.
You can see how it happened. She simply engaged my imagination and I now need to win a few hands to go shopping.
Fashion Outlet Mall 45 minutes south of the strip on the California/Nevada border off I-15 32100 Las Vegas Blvd. South Primm, NV (702)874-1400 Mon-Sat 10am – 9pm Sun 10am – 8pm