Sin City

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness doesn't know where to shop." Perhaps this explains why you will see no shortage of happy people in Sin City. Those who are familiar with Las Vegas know that, despite its notoriety for adult entertainment and gambling, it is a city that is internationally renowned for its shopping and fine dining—a reason for which, to date, I have flown into McCarran International Airport (LAS) a total of 10 times, seven of which took place in 2008 alone.

When I'm asked what the appeal of Las Vegas is to me, my response is two-fold. The stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Strip is not only: (1) a shopper's paradise, but also (2) home to seven (eight, if you count Dragone's Le Rêve under the same umbrella) Cirque du Soleil venues. Factor into the equation the dry heat—in contrast to Toronto's cold and damp winters—and the Strip's proximity to the airport, and it becomes apparent as to why Las Vegas makes an ideal weekend getaway for the vitamin D-deficient.

My eyes light up like a little girl in a candy shop whenever I walk though the doors of The Forum Shops at Caesars or the myriad high-end boutiques at Bellagio and The Palazzo—and it's not so much the shopping as it is the atmosphere in which I find myself immersed that is both seductive and contagious. People here are happy, due in large part to the fact that it is a city of tourists—not just bachelors and bachelorettes, but also families, retirees, and couples—and when shops like Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie and the recently opened Max Brenner entice visitors with their sweets and chocolate (by the Bald Man), indulgence becomes a habit, harder each time to resist.

With more than half of its permanent shows situated in Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil has left an indelible presence on both sides of the Strip and is one of the driving forces behind the city's economic viability. I've been an ardent fan of this Québec-based company since I was an undergrad who spent her summers in Montréal, Trois-Rivières, and Québec City, and I make it a point to follow its touring shows in whichever city I happen to be. It's one of the reasons that has drawn me to Las Vegas in the past, and I can undoubtedly tell you that there will be several more visits to this city that is so aptly referred to as the entertainment capital of the world. Viva Las Vegas.