We’ve added a couple of items to our December itinerary, as follows:

 

In the Eruptions category, the Mirage has announced that their new and improved volcano will be opening in December (in time for our trip, we’re hoping).  When it originally opened in 1989, the volcano was definitely a sight to see – the Mirage was Steve Wynn’s first foray onto the Strip, and he has never been accused of being low-key.  However, with even greater attention-grabbers such as TI’s pirate battle and the Bellagio fountains, the volcano started to seem a bit dated, even after new effects were added in 1996.

 

WET Design, the company that engineered the Bellagio fountains, was contracted to make the volcano much more spectacular.  It’s going to be similar in nature to the nearby dancing fountains… but with FIRE, bitches!  Suck it, Bellagio!  In a collaboration that seems time-warped straight out of the Seventies, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Indian composer Zakir Hussain are creating a volcano-exclusive soundtrack to accompany the pyrotechnics.  And I’m sure it’ll be groovy, man. 

 

And drawing on the unavoidable comparison to the Bellagio fountains, while between shows we’ll be visiting the lounge Caramel in Bellagio proper, which covers our Confections category.  While I’ve not been there, reviews paint it to be a classy little place, wherein one would hear the likes of Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett playing in the background.  The big draw is the dessert martinis, with flairs such as glasses lined with items generally considered ice cream toppings, and drinks garnished with cookies.  Being a whiskey man, I’m not typically one for sweet drinks, but I do like a bar with ambiance, and it seems that this one will do quite nicely.