viva las vegas 2026: chapter 2, day 2 + sushi monster 16

LINK: viva las vegas 2026: chapter 2, day 2 + sushi monster 16

I barely got three hours of sleep before dragging my sleepy butt down to Veranda at 0800 with Jolene to meet Five Star for breakfast. We figured going early would be the smarter thing to do since most people would be sleeping in and eating later in the morning.

Five Star looked cracked out. I mean I didn’t look any better. But she’s normally the one with the most energy out of all of us, despite being older than us. I didn’t even do my hair, I just put it up with a claw clip, wore a tank top and sweater with lounge pants.

Since we had breakfast credit, we decided to see what the “elevated” Fourth of July holiday menu was all about for the brunch buffet. They had grilled mahi-mahi, pork rouladen, nigiri, sushi, crab claws, jumbo shrimp, and smoked salmon.

The sushi was mid. They packed too much rice into both the sushi and nigiri. I’m not really into plain crab and shrimp so I skipped that.

I locked into the foods that involved cheese or meat. The brisket was solid and the inside of the quiche was good. I got some breakfast potatoes and mac and cheese. It’s not giving breakfast but I have no regrets.

They had a mini donut station outside where we could pick our own icing flavor. It was fresh and made on the spot. I got cherry and vanilla. I love fresh little donuts but my body doesn’t.

The three of us sat there for about two hours yapping away and spacing out.

When we got back to the room, I texted the concierge about spa availability. They had a slot open in a couple of hours, which gave me enough time to take a quick nap.

I opted for the 80 minute deep tissue massage + cupping. I’ve had them both before but never together in one sesh. My entire body was wound up tight and the massage gun was doing nothing for me at home. My right foot was still giving me a hard time after almost a month.

They had me fill out a health questionnaire and liability forms, then whisked me into the locker room where they had slippers, towel, and a thick white robe waiting for me. Inside the locker room, there was a eucalyptus steam room, private sitting areas, showers, and bathrooms. Then I was taken to the co-ed zen lounge—they had reclining chairs, hot tea, and snacks.

I forgot to bring my phone along so there are no pictures but if you’re curious, this lady posted a short video of the spa.

For some reason, I thought the cupping would be more traditional but was gliding cupping. This was very different. Every time she dragged the cup over my calves, thighs, and biceps, I was holding my breath because it was painful. I could feel my tight muscle layers and fascia separating. She was also doing lymphatic drainage, which promotes removal of metabolic waste and excess fluids. She worked her magic on my right foot as well. She got all the knots in my muscles that have been compromising my blood flow and stopped the intermittent spasms. She also got rid of the bloating that I had all over my body and my clothes felt loose on me.

Afterward, back in the co-ed zen lounge, I drank a cup of tea and helped myself to half of a shortbread cookie. I also took two mini cartons of water for the road. I eventually found my way out of the labyrinth and back to the reception desk. I gave her a pretty decent tip because she earned every penny of it.