After lounging in our room, eating our leisurely breakfast in bed, Heather and I made our way to the 2nd floor of the hotel. Home to The Hibiscus Spa.
I was in for a treat. A Hibiscus Island paradise, described on their website as:
Our signature treatment starts with a papaya pineapple body scrub to enliven your skin and your senses, followed by warm herbal coconut milk poured over your body. A relaxing massage leaves you with the healthy glow of a tropical island paradise.
OHMYGOSH! I had no idea what I had in store for me. A very cute, studly masseuse named Danny was assigned to me and he lathered me with the scrub, then swung a six nozzle shower over my body. Warm water drizzled down my sides. It was heavenly.
But my amazing treatment wasn't over. Afterwards, Danny led me to a massage room where he rubbed coconut lotion into my freshly scrubbed skin, followed by warm coconut oil. I was a blob of goo by the time Maria came to get me for my facial. I don't remember much of the facial as I weaved in and out of sleep but I came out glowing!
The day would have been complete but we had much more excitement in store.
Dinner at Chef Todd English's Olive Restaurant in the Bellagio was delicious. We started with a Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread (Sweet & Sour Fig Jam, Gorgonzola, Prosciutto di Parma). Crisp flatbread baked in a brick oven, the sweetness of the fig mixed with the slight bitterness of the Gorgonzola and accented by the salt in the prosciutto combined to create a wonderful taste combination. And this compliment from a girl who doesn't like her foods to touch! For our main courses, I chose the Butternut Squash Tortellini in a warm brown butter sauce and sage. Heather had the chestnut ravioli with spinach. The pastas were homemade and delicate, the sauces fresh and the butternut and chestnut fillings were perfection.
Since we were celebrating Heather's birthday, the staff brought a small truffle sampler for desert.
We were stuffed by this time but one can always find room for chocolate!
The highlight of the evening, however, was Cirque du Soleil's O, also located at the Bellagio. Cirque du Soleil is a cornucopia of trapeze acts, surrealist theater and magnificent feats of strength and dance that assault you visually. O captures these and adds the water (and fire) element of high dives, synchronized swimming, daredevil antics and, what is a circus without clowns. This was my favorite of all the Cirque du Solieil acts I have seen and should be on everybody's bucket list.
