The three of us began with an Ahi tuna appetizer, and I ordered a 9-oz. petit filet. Paul and James split a delicious rib eye special, and we topped it off with sides of "adult tater tots," lobster hash and baby vegetables. We split a bottle of nice Chilean cabernet, and for the first time together, the three of us who've been friends for years, felt like grownups.

Our service at STACK, too, was superb, good enough for me to specifically mention. Our server, Vince, struck a balance between helpful waiter and knowledgeable expert about Vegas (he even explained the strange situation surrounding the city's tap water). We talked extensively, and at the end, he handed us his card with his cell phone, offering to give us more suggestions while we were in town. A $350 dinner for three is by no means a casual meal, but including cocktails and wine, STACK's prices were well in line with Milwaukee's finest restaurants -- and every bit as good.

After a full, but not too full dinner, we checked out the Mirage's main club, JET. Even with VIP passes and a line-skipping (and $35 cover charge-skipping) maneuver with STACK's manager, Nick, we felt a little out of place. We could handle the $15 drinks, but we were less comfortable as likely the oldest people in the room (I'm 34). Ten years ago, I could've had a lot of fun a JET, and had I not been operating on three hours of sleep from the night before, it's possible I could've more properly risen to the occasion again.

Sunday made for more cruising, both to Peppermill and Downtown, as previously described. Unlike my recent vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands, we witnessed multiple Milwaukee connections, including running into an old acquaintance at the airport and talking to a bunch of people who had visited our city. One group of 20-something bartenders from Southern California talked of Wolski's, Miller Park, Conejito's and the Miller Brewery Tour.

One money-saving tip is to purchase a $5 all-day pass for the Deuce bus. The pass is good for 24 hours of travel up and down Las Vegas Boulevard from the south Strip all the way to downtown. It's a great way to casino hop on the cheap, and saves you plenty of walking between the mammoth casino properties. We found it worked pretty well during the day, but it's a bit slower after sunset when the Strip is crowded with traffic. Still, it beats cab fare.

As our batteries began to drain from enough activity to hold us until Paul's forthcoming baby goes to college, we embarked on an adventure Sunday night that turned into one of my favorite parts of the trip.

James had already left for Phoenix, so Paul and I made a stop at a bar with lots of personal significance. See, Paul was the editor-in-chief of our college newspaper when I was a sophomore. Back in 1995, when I was a junior, he took me to a now-closed Washington, D.C. landmark called Trader Vic's.

Over drinks that were allegedly too strong to remain on the menu, he convinced me to run for editor-in-chief (I ultimately lost, but that career move propelled my life in a different direction that eventually led to the creation of OnMilwaukee.com).

Before heading to Las Vegas, Paul did his homework and found that the new Planet Hollywood has its own Trader Vic's. Over a pair of Tiki Puka Pukas (apparently, it's back on the menu), we sat quietly and talked about old times. It was one of those "circle of life" moments that felt even more surreal in Las Vegas and after just a few hours of sleep in this crazy town.

Certainly, three days in Las Vegas is more than enough, and bad economy aside, it's still easy to lose money quickly while gambling; my rock-solid blackjack strategy was worthless. Indeed, we found ourselves ready to leave Monday morning.

However, the Vegas gods must've been preparing to punish me for enjoying their town so inexpensively. Forecasters called for three inches of snow (yes, snow!) that morning, so United Airlines preemptively canceled all of its flights for the morning. Apparently, they don't keep de-icers handy at the airport.

After four hours in line and on the phone, I was switched to AirTran. Of course, all these ticketing shenanigans set off red flags for the TSA, and I was forced to endure a "special screening" by security. Amazingly, I got home on time and in one piece, but a grueling airport experience became nearly intolerable as I left Las Vegas running on empty.

Can Vegas be done right on the cheap? Absolutely, and without sacrificing much to get budget pricing. This weekend, however, I found a better way to do it: Skimp on airfare and accommodations, but spend a little cash to cement a few memories for life.