Good Conversation, Part Two

Scene: V Nightclub at the MGM Detroit

Erica: "WOO HOOO I LOVE THIS SONG!"

Random Girl at Bar: "OOh, girl, me too!" ( Takes big gulp of drink) "One time I came here, and I was drunk AND high, and guess what I did! I got on top of the bar and took off my shirt!"

Erica: "Welp, as long as you had fun!"

MGM Grand Detroit

This past weekend, I went to a friend's birthday celebration at the MGM Grand in downtown Detroit.
We went to the nightclub/bar called V, gambled, and stayed the night at the hotel. Before I give my thoughts I want to say that I always have a good time in Detroit and I highly suggest going there if you are looking to do something new!

The BAD: HONESTLY, I really only have two complaints:
1. The casino was really smoky in some areas, after being there for 20 minutes my friend and I felt like we had just come from an ashtray. Not a big deal, just an annoyance. However, if you really can't stand smoke, there is a non-smoking room with a good selection of slot machines.
2. The drinks at the bar and the food we had for lunch was on the expensive side, so if you're looking for a cheap night out this is not the place to go (unless you win big, of course!)

The GOOD: The MGM is definitely my favorite casino in downtown Detroit. Everything just feels so elegant and clean (minus, of course, the few pockets of smoke mentioned above).
        The club/bar was fun, on Fridays Channel 955 has a DJ come and they broadcast live. They played a good selection of music, too...I felt like I was constantly yelling "I love this song!" They also had a good selection of liquor. I HIGHLY recommend you try Hard Luck Vodka-Red Fish mixed with Sprite and a splash of lemonade. It tastes just like a swedish fish candy! (More on Hard Luck soon)
         The actual hotel area had a luxurious essence to it. A 24 hour doorman guards the entrance to the "Living Room" aka the lobby, which is modeled after-you guessed it- a living room.  The rooms were gorgeous as well. High tech electronics decorated the rooms (flat screen 50" TVs, iHome with sound machine, two telephones with touch screens) and the beds were super comfy. But the part of the room our group thought was the best was actually the HUGE bathroom. There was a 8-10 person shower which was separated from the rest of the bathroom with a pretty frosted green glass, not just a regular shower curtain.
     
GOOD Tip: If you decide to go to V, call before and double check how much cover is. When I went this past weekend it was $5 for girls and $10 for guys, but I've been there before where it is more. (The bigger name the "special guest" is-the higher price. The first time I went to V Rob Kardashian was there and it was a $30 cover).

Good Conversation

Scene: 5th Ave in Royal Oak

Random Boy: So what's your deal, do you work or go to school....?
Erica: I have a job....
RB: So where do you work?
Erica: The corner....
RB: That's cool. How about you?
Jill: The opposite corner.
RB: Interesting...and you?
Kari: Oh, I work for Gucci.

I love my friends.

Good Food?

This past Friday some friends and I went to Chen Chow in Birmingham. I was very excited to try this place out, because I've heard it's trendy and I love trendy places, and I've been told the food was delicious.

The GOOD: We made reservations for 8 pm. Even though we got there a few minutes late (fashionably late? sure, why not) we were immediately seated at a table. I split the shrimp dumplings, crab sliders, and udon with someone. All three dishes were delish, i especially loved the dumplings. I also had a glass of the Moscato, I would go back just for another glass!

The BAD: I HATE when waiters don't pay attention or make conversation. Our waiter barely spoke to us other than taking our order. He delivered the sliders and one was missing the top part of the "bun" (which was a mini biscuit) and he didn't offer to replace it or comp it. A different waitress brought out the main dish and spilled the hot udon broth on my friend. She offered to give her some "soda water"but that was it.

ALL in ALL: Chen Chow was a fun place to go before a night out with the girls. A little on the expensive side, but if you split a few things with a friend it's not that bad. Good food with good friends!

GOOD tip: Some restaurants use a reservations system called "Open Table". I've noticed this mostly being used at places in Birmingham, but  when you're checking out a restaurant's website check to see if they participate. Not only does this make getting a reservation so easy, you can also earn points for making reservations through the system with the opportunity to earn free food or giftcards to participating restaurants. Sounds like a GOOD deal to me!