We just got back from our semi-annual Vegas trip, seven nights at Four Queens, Palace Station and South Point. This time we were joined by our son and daughter-in-law, Aaron and Arielle, Linda's (wife's) sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Ken, and our friend Linda B from Minnesota. It was a great trip overall; the bad news is that Linda (wife) wound up with a pretty nasty respiratory virus, was laid up for the last few days of the trip. The good news is that Aaron and Arielle had not their best trip, but the best trip I've ever heard of anyone having. Arielle hit the casino-wide progressive promotion at SP for about $2400 in FP and promptly hit a $1000 royal a couple of hours later. Aaron did even better, hit three royals ($1K each) at SP, also three sets of quad deuces and a 3x SF on STP bonus poker. They wound up over $5K ahead for the trip, unbelievable. We did okay, ended down about $491 on $51.8K coin-in, for a 0.9% loss (I was down about $83, Linda about $408 and unfortunately didn't have time to catch up at SP).
WEDNESDAY
Easy nonstop on Southwest from Tampa, Uber to 4Q. We mostly played JoB, did mediocre overall but had one dealt quad and another quad on the redraw after holding only one queen. Lots of dead man's hands and trip 6's today and for the entire trip (you start noticing after a while), I hope that doesn't mean anything. Quick lunch from White Castle and kept playing, up and down all afternoon but had one fun Illinois Deuces session at the bar (progressive was around $1250, guess who didn't hit it), had 3 wild royals and a bunch of quints and SFs. We got together at Aloha Specialties with Joyce and Ken and Linda B, always a treat. Had wonton min and a Spam musubi, then a Kaua'i Pie cone at Lappert's across the hallway. Back to 4Q, had another good deuces session with a dealt WR and a dealt SF back to back, then played enough JoB to get Linda's jeweled snake (Lunar New Year figurine), then early and much-needed bedtime.
THURSDAY
Cold and rainy all day today, that's unusual. I guess it's mostly an indoor vacation anyway. Roller coaster start today on JoB, rapidly bled from $100 to $10, then caught some FHs and a quad, finished with $200. Up and down all day, stayed about even; played a little short-pay UltX for nickels, did okay with that. Did the Spinsplosion promo at Binions (to try to expand my collection of matching shot glasses), actually won $20 FP instead. Lunch was at American Coney, had the usual hot dog with left ventricle sauce and some fries (also watched some poor bastards order some gyros, which are terrible there). Afternoon was good, Linda (wife) hit a SF, double outside draw. Lots more dead man's hands and 666s for me, a few quads, a couple more good Illinois Deuces prog sessions. Did a few coupons from LVA, FINALLY won a MP, at DTG (I don't think I've won a single one in about 5 years). Dinner was at Hugo's Cellar, about the only way to use up our 4Q comps (it was that or 40 orders of prime rib at Magnolias; I guess there's also Top of Binions). I really like Hugo's, food isn't great but the menu and the whole experience is so old-school. I had salmon with sauce nantua, very adequate. Did okay after dinner, played mostly JoB while the ladies played Hawaiian Fishing from Aruze, looked like a lot of fun. Got my Lunar New Year snake and a bunch of FP, then bedtime.
FRIDAY
Moving Day for Linda and me, to PS. Wound up taking a taxi, the Uber app failed. PS wanted to charge us an early check-in fee (on the comped room; bastards!), so I just left the luggage with the bell stand. Bad start, on 3-play BP and on NSUD (had two natural quads, one dealt; right hand, wrong game). Also watched some guy feeding what looked like his entire pay envelope into a keno machine, and boy, was he hot under the collar! Swearing and pounding his fist on the bar like Khrushchev. Quick lunch at Soho Sushi Burrito, across Sahara (not bad for a chain, had a Three Amigos burrito, with tuna, salmon and albacore). Not a lot of luck in the afternoon, played mostly NSUD and some 3-play Illinois Deuces, got a few more annoying natural quads but nothing great. Dinner was at the Charcoal Room, had a nice roasted beet and goat cheese salad and a fairly good filet mignon. Played some JoB after dinner, then a fun 3-play BP session with a set of quad deuces, then bedtime.
SATURDAY
Started the morning with a premium quad over coffee at the bar. Aaron and Arielle got in around 9am and we got on line for the Oyster Bar right away, wait was about 40min so we had time to catch up. Had the Alaskan chowder, always a real treat. Had a great JoB session after the chowder, two quads in about 10 hands, turned $100 into $400. Took my usual shot on Multistrike BP, never got anything great on the top two lines, ended down about $200. Good 3-play Illinois Deuces session, hit the quad deuces, yay! Next was a long and unsuccessful JoB session, then some fun screwing around with 3-way action poker for nickels. Dinner was China Mama at PS for the seven of us, it's one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in town and rated (on Yelp) as one of the best in the country. It was very good, kind of high-end, nice menu and great service. Not fantastic, far from the best in the country. Had Szechwan wontons in chili oil, taro duck, cumin lamb, crispy beef, a few other things. I'd probably eat here again, especially if we're staying at PS, but am more inclined to look for something in Chinatown, or maybe something at Resorts World or on the Strip. Anyway. Up and down after dinner, last dollar JoB session went well, turned $100 into $300 within a few minutes.
SUNDAY
Moving Day to SP. The line for the Oyster Bar was already about a half hour at 7:30am, I guess people are catching on to the breakfast option. While we were waiting to go the kids played some machine involving chickens and eggs, Aaron hit for $500, nice hit. Anyway, Uber to SP, got our room and started on some 3-play JoB, stayed about even. Went across the street to Pelicana Korean Fried Chicken, a chain out of South Korea. Great fried chicken; also had some sausages, which was a mistake, they were just cheap factory Polish sausage with some sautéed onions. The chicken was a real winner, though. After lunch, I wasn't a winner, had a lousy Illinois Deuces STP session (had a natural SF, always a disappointment) and a lousy JoB session. I did have one decent LDW session, broke even. Dinner was at Silverado Steakhouse, had their good French onion soup, a skirt steak with chimichurri and some pretty lousy creamed corn with a bunch of corncob residua in it. Linda was under the weather, so one last lousy JoB session and we made it an early night; Aaron got lucky again, hit the quad deuces on NSUD.
MONDAY
Exciting day. The bad news was that Linda was still sick and couldn't get any play in, rested in the room all day. I played a lot with the kids, and it was definitely their day. Around 8am, Arielle won the casino-wide must-hit progressive (Crazy Cupid promo) for about $2400 in FP; one of the suits approached her and she thought she was going to be 86ed or something, and he gave her the good news. About an hour later, she hit a $1000 royal on some of the FP. She and Aaron both did fairly well all day; I had a few good 3-play JoB sessions as well, including another dealt quad (always a treat on multi-line). Lunch was across the street at Pho Saigon 8, just okay, not great. Had mixed pho and cha gio. Did my usual NSUD Good Times Pay session after lunch, did really well, got a 7x quad, a 2x quint and a 5x SF, among other things. Then about an hour later, Aaron got a $1000 royal on the 3-play machine. Oddly enough, he hit a second royal about 2 hours later, I think on the same machine. Hell of a day for them, they had about $7K in cash at that point, quite the wad. I had a couple more winning sessions as well, not as good as the kids, though. Dinner was the omakase at Kabuto on Spring Mountain RD for the kids and me (Linda doesn't eat sushi, couldn't have made it anyway). Outstanding, traditional food, everything of the best quality and impeccably prepared. Appetizers were buri shabu shabu with sesame and beet sauce, tuna with yama-imo, crab legs with tofu sauce and squid eggs. Next was simmered sea bass with shimeji mushrooms, then sashimi (chu-toro, kushi oyster and hirame). Next was a grilled course, Pacific lobster with miso and uni sauce. Next was the nigirizushi: kinmedai, botan ebi, akami, isaki, ma-aji, kanpachi, Hokkaido scallop, ikura, uni, o-toro, akamutsu, tamago. We added a couple of a la carte pieces: kamashita and jabara-toro. Next was a temaki with chu-toro, o-toro and scallions, then misoshiru with clams. Desserts were a chocolate cheesecake, lychee gelato and matcha mochi with bean paste, accompanied by green tea. Wonderful, memorable meal. Back to SP, had another decent 3-play JoB session, then back to the room.
TUESDAY
Last day. Joyce and Ken headed home early this morning and Linda B arrived from Cosmo, she has one night at SP, her first stay here. The kids continued to do well, Aaron got another set of quad deuces on NSUD, I think their bathtub is full of money. I was up and down, had a bad Illinois Deuces STP session, a major roller coaster on dollar JoB and mostly held my own otherwise. Lunch was at the buffet, fairly solid. Up and down all afternoon for me; as expected, Aaron got his third $1000 royal, also a 3x SF on STP-BP. Had a long LDW session but no donut (i.e., no quad deuces). Got a quick decent corned beef sandwich at the deli for dinner; got a grilled ham and cheese for Linda which proved to be lousy, and Linda B had an even lousier chicken breast sandwich. Last session of the evening was a slightly profitable NSUD session. Of course, Aaron got another set of quad deuces on the NSUD machine.
WEDNESDAY
Last day. Linda was still sick so we laid low, took an Uber to the airport, easy Southwest flight home.
It was a great trip overall, aside from Linda catching that virus; it was wonderful to catch up with everyone and I was really happy to see Aaron and Arielle's ship come in, they're getting good at Vegas (and lucky). Next trip this summer, I probably won't start planning that for at least a few hours. Thanks for reading!
