Mardi Gras is meant to be a once-a-year party, a celebration of excess before the fasting of Lent. The Rio mixes this concept with that of the movie Groundhog Day – every day is the day to indulge to excess, in preparation for an Ash Wednesday that never comes. The VooDoo Lounge is where you’ll find trendy fashionistas and the men who buy them drinks. More Gucci than Gap, the VooDoo Lounge is the Rio’s stratospheric bar, covering the 50th and 51st floors. The highlight here is the unsurpassed view of the Strip, although the bartenders run a close second. They flip bottles as though they were jugglers’ clubs, and they clearly enjoy it. Unlike many other Vegas clubs, the VooDoo Lounge offers plenty of seating for groups who want to chat rather than dance to the spicy cajun reels and rock music featured nightly. The comfortable club chairs provide an intimate feel, and the flattering lighting means that you can lean in closely to hear what your fellow revelers are saying without worrying that they can see your five o’clock shadow or raccoon eyes.