The first weekend of this past November, I flew to Las Vegas to witness friend Theresa Pfarr tie the knot. I was excited to spend time in Vegas as I had previously only driven through it on my way to friend Nic’s wedding in Death Valley back in March. However, Vegas showed itself as a true vortex of human vice and excess; I couldn’t stop thinking about the sheer amount of energy needed to sustain such an unnatural environment in the middle of a desert. The strip alone was overwhelming for this Pacific Northwest hippie. I felt like I was walking around with my mouth open in disbelief every time I ventured out of my hotel room. Luckily, Emily Hall and her new husband Jun were there to explore Vegas with me. After a day walking around generally acting like the tourists we were, Emily, Jun and I went to the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef. It was actually a beautiful aquarium and, you know, if you’re a nature nerd in Vegas, it’s a pretty cool place to get away from the strip’s perpetual mall vibes.

Next Post: The Wedding