the antidote to casino ick

This past week, I was in Vegas. I am not a casino guy; they are actually one of my least favorite things in the world.

From the hotel, the morning glow

But they are at least as interesting as they are exploitive, and in many ways, a window into a past where gambling and sex were not readily available on smartphones, and you could still smoke inside. Please excuse all the bad photos; they are stills from videos.

I've been to Vegas a handful of times, but it's been a few years.

Caesar's Palace was the casino I spent the most time in and is a mammoth sprawling complex continually designed to hijack attention, dazzle, distract, and play on your worst impulses.

It's a maze, you are the hamster, and you wander through an insane experience designed for maximum dollar extraction. It's not a place where you're supposed to feel calm or relaxed; it is designed to make you feel a little overwhelmed and keep on experience-binging. And it's not easy to find the exit.

Whether that's on one of the many floors of the casino, the restaurants, or the sportsbook area, clubs, or the "outdoor" Forum mall, complete with a kind of trevi fountain featuring horses and Neptune, there are just not many other places in the world that have that kind of scale and outrageousness, and on that basis alone, I can appreciate it.

I was here because some friends competed in Hyrox, a CrossFit-like fitness competition that started in Europe and is gaining traction throughout the US. I couldn't compete because of a knee issue, but tagged along anyway for fun. Hyrox took over the convention center at Mandalay Bay.

7,300+ athletes participated. I watched my friends train for months. Clearly, there is a great hunger to work hard, do difficult things, and physically gather in a space. As more of our lives move online, I think you're going to see a continual increase in demand for physical events, whether or not they are fitness-related.

We had a full final day after the competition, and it was unquestionably the best day of the trip. I got my $17 latte, and we headed out to Red Rock Canyon, one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Red Rock Canyon is about 40 minutes outside Vegas, and it's stunning - dramatic sandstone cliffs in layers of pink, brown, and bright rust against the Mojave desert. Our Uber driver wisely told us to schedule our return trip while we still had service, as that is nonexistent when you're there.

Look at that premium color palette right there

The bouldering is unlike anything else. The sandstone has this coarse texture that grips really well underfoot. The numerous pathways and options are scattered across this surreal desert terrain, and it's silent except for the wind and birds. It's incredibly immersive - a national park-level experience and the perfect antidote to that casino ick.

I will say, we also had pristine weather. 70 and sunny, so that didn't hurt. I kept finding myself saying, "Isn't this just the best?" There is something about that kind of experience that just feeds your soul. Like you are climbing through a painting.

Afterward, we capped the day off with Wizard of Oz at the Sphere. This was really cool, it's definitely a modern architectural marvel. I wasn't really sure about the Sphere when it was being built, as I thought it would be really annoying for the residents around it, but it's primarily surrounded by casinos and resorts, and Vegas is already so crazy looking that it kind of fits right in.

Remember, you are a hamster, so walking into a giant ball actually makes a lot of sense.

Apocalyptic view from the back of an Uber.

Wizard of Oz was enjoyable, the tornado and falling apples especially. I wish we could have seen a live act there as I suspect we would have experienced more of what the Sphere can really do.

Our only live option was the Eagles, who, although tremendous in 1978 and probably for several decades after, I'm just not sure about in 2026 for $400+ a pop. Really took it to the limit for me (RIP Randy).

things i saw this week that i liked

Lettuce prints - I saw this post of someone making prints using a chopped head of lettuce.

Very beautiful and interesting. Print-making and textiles have always spoken to me, just haven't had much of a chance to dabble. This could also be a fun, DIY way to create large, unique art.

​Deckwood moldings - I came across this brand from the UK. This stuff is so cool - not a new idea, but also not one that many are capitalizing on.

Just adding some detailed bands throughout your home in various ways could really take things up a notch. They offer a ton of different decorative moulding and small trims.

​Ryan Holiday on overpreparing - Not specifically design-related, but incredibly spot on and probably applicable to many of you. The general synopsis: show up at a meeting with a briefcase and present all the answers to whoever you're meeting with. Tell them exactly what to do. Instead of being interviewed and having a back-and-forth conversation, you overprepare and come in with a complete plan. When I think about some of the most successful meetings I've had in my life, that's exactly what I did on the front end. I did not wing it; I overprepared, had an amazing presentation, and they just bought it. I wish I had read this when I was 23.