Between the fact that I didn't take notes and have waited a few weeks there will be a bunch of gaps here but oh well!
This was my annual birthday trip to Vegas. Solo low limit poker and beer debauchery.
United flights on the way out. Easy, peasy, and we land early. Cab to the Linq. I stayed at the Imperial Palace a few times and was curious how it had changed. There is a VIP office and regular check in. VIP office has no notations on it and as this wasn't an offer / comped trip I trudged off to the regular line. Check-in is still a bitch here....slooooooooooooooooooow. When I approached the clerk she smiled and told me I could have checked in at the brand new VIP area. Sigh. Check-in before noon has a charge of $X (the beer has blotted out this memory). I was smelly, tired, and hungry so I agreed to pay it....yet it never showed up on my bill so score!
I was in a basic room. The view was of another Linq tower. The bed was nice, a/c efficient, free empty mini-fridge, and the shower has soap/shampoo dispensers mounted into the tile. I liked the room and would consider staying here again except for the elevators. The elevators are sparse and slow. Too many times you'd find a completely full elevator going down and you'd wait another 10 minutes for another full one. On top of this you have to scan your room key to press your floor going up. This is a mega pain in the ass with a full elevator, drunk people, or as we often find in Vegas- all of the above. Instead of saying "15 please" you have to elbow your way to the one scanner to wave your key in front of it. Back to the Flamingo in the future for me.
Gambling- 98% was playing 2-4 limit poker at the Flamingo. 8-18 hours a day. Not profitable, not super exciting, but relaxing for me and a place you can take a limited budget and stretch it for hours upon hours. Managed to hit quads three times for small bonuses and scoop one major pot with 3 "professionals" who were throwing cash all over the place. Some minor slot play here and there
Shows- I saw Believe and Zumanity for free through MyVegas. Believe is just not good. It feels more like a commercial than a Cirque show. Criss Angel spends more time talking about himself / his show than doing magic. For free I can say I saw it....I would be royally pissed if I paid list price for it. Zumanity- this was my 4th or 5th time seeing it. I love it. It's not for everyone and they've made some big cast changes but it still makes me laugh and smile. On a whim I also went to see Absinthe (2nd time). Damn this show is great. I laughed until I cried, oohed and ahhed, and only slightly lamented that the roller skating couple wasn't there. My only gripe is that those chairs are wayyyyyyyy too close together. I'm a stocky man and I felt like a bull in a china shop trying to get to my chair in the middle of the row.
Restaurants-
Hash House- In the past I could roll into this place at the Linq any time other than a Sat/Sun morning and have zero problem getting a seat (generally at the bar). Whoops. Every morning except when I made it there at 7am there was a huge line and even bar seating was chock full. So I only ate there once this trip but as usual large portions, reasonable prices, and good food. I had the french toast and the caramelized banana was incredibly tasty.
Guy Fieri's- Now serving breakfast this became my go to morning place the majority of the trip. I ended up here 3 or 4 mornings. Lines were minimal but I could skirt them and grab a seat at the bar. No bloody marys for me but they looked impressive and everyone else seemed to be having one. I remember having the breakfast burrito (HUGE), french toast, and the berry pancake pot pie. I'd skip the last one (ok but not what I was expecting) but the other two meals were quite good.
Margaritaville- My first visit here despite 20+ trips to Vegas and usually staying at the Flamingo. Sat at the bar so I could stare at the strip. I had some sort of promo Jurassic Park burger which was damn good. Expensive beers but I expected no different.
Burger Bar- For me still the best burger experience in Vegas. I licked the plate clean even managing to finish a side of onion rings to boot. Happy hour had $3 corona lights on draft.....so at least I drank healthy.
Pizza Joint- The Flamingo has a little pizza place near the old coffee shop with some seating overlooking the habitat area. It's no frills but quite decent for the money. Slices are NY style and large.
Paradise Garden Buffet- Ooops. Big mistake. I was pretty inebriated on my first evening and starving. I ended up here and paid no attention that fri/sat evenings are some kinda luau / island nights so jacked up prices. I want to say they had an open bar of liquor drinks but my goal was food / sobering up so I did not partake. I thought the offerings were sparse. The food was definitely island themed which was not my goal so i struggled to find food I wanted and it sure wasn't worth $36 or so. My drunken mistake.
Yard House- at the Linq promenade. Beer beer beer beer beer. they have a lot of options. I had three or four I couldnt find back home. Ended up getting the mac and cheese which was spectacular. Attentive service with 2 beer samplers available per diner. Good stuff.
Tilted Kilt- I ended up here twice. Once for lunch, once for late night post-absinthe munchies. Both times I sat at the bar. Decent service from scantily clad and highly tattooed women. Burgers were good. The music is way cranked up at night making conversation close to impossible.
Sprinkles- cupcake place at the Linq. Had some ice cream with a friend. Good stuff.
Rest of the trip just the usual- gawking, beating the heat, losing money, and enjoying my favorite place on earth. I always marvel at what i DIDN'T do when I get back but honestly hanging out in the poker room is so relaxing that I'm happy right there.
This was my annual birthday trip to Vegas. Solo low limit poker and beer debauchery.
United flights on the way out. Easy, peasy, and we land early. Cab to the Linq. I stayed at the Imperial Palace a few times and was curious how it had changed. There is a VIP office and regular check in. VIP office has no notations on it and as this wasn't an offer / comped trip I trudged off to the regular line. Check-in is still a bitch here....slooooooooooooooooooow. When I approached the clerk she smiled and told me I could have checked in at the brand new VIP area. Sigh. Check-in before noon has a charge of $X (the beer has blotted out this memory). I was smelly, tired, and hungry so I agreed to pay it....yet it never showed up on my bill so score!
I was in a basic room. The view was of another Linq tower. The bed was nice, a/c efficient, free empty mini-fridge, and the shower has soap/shampoo dispensers mounted into the tile. I liked the room and would consider staying here again except for the elevators. The elevators are sparse and slow. Too many times you'd find a completely full elevator going down and you'd wait another 10 minutes for another full one. On top of this you have to scan your room key to press your floor going up. This is a mega pain in the ass with a full elevator, drunk people, or as we often find in Vegas- all of the above. Instead of saying "15 please" you have to elbow your way to the one scanner to wave your key in front of it. Back to the Flamingo in the future for me.
Gambling- 98% was playing 2-4 limit poker at the Flamingo. 8-18 hours a day. Not profitable, not super exciting, but relaxing for me and a place you can take a limited budget and stretch it for hours upon hours. Managed to hit quads three times for small bonuses and scoop one major pot with 3 "professionals" who were throwing cash all over the place. Some minor slot play here and there
Shows- I saw Believe and Zumanity for free through MyVegas. Believe is just not good. It feels more like a commercial than a Cirque show. Criss Angel spends more time talking about himself / his show than doing magic. For free I can say I saw it....I would be royally pissed if I paid list price for it. Zumanity- this was my 4th or 5th time seeing it. I love it. It's not for everyone and they've made some big cast changes but it still makes me laugh and smile. On a whim I also went to see Absinthe (2nd time). Damn this show is great. I laughed until I cried, oohed and ahhed, and only slightly lamented that the roller skating couple wasn't there. My only gripe is that those chairs are wayyyyyyyy too close together. I'm a stocky man and I felt like a bull in a china shop trying to get to my chair in the middle of the row.
Restaurants-
Hash House- In the past I could roll into this place at the Linq any time other than a Sat/Sun morning and have zero problem getting a seat (generally at the bar). Whoops. Every morning except when I made it there at 7am there was a huge line and even bar seating was chock full. So I only ate there once this trip but as usual large portions, reasonable prices, and good food. I had the french toast and the caramelized banana was incredibly tasty.
Guy Fieri's- Now serving breakfast this became my go to morning place the majority of the trip. I ended up here 3 or 4 mornings. Lines were minimal but I could skirt them and grab a seat at the bar. No bloody marys for me but they looked impressive and everyone else seemed to be having one. I remember having the breakfast burrito (HUGE), french toast, and the berry pancake pot pie. I'd skip the last one (ok but not what I was expecting) but the other two meals were quite good.
Margaritaville- My first visit here despite 20+ trips to Vegas and usually staying at the Flamingo. Sat at the bar so I could stare at the strip. I had some sort of promo Jurassic Park burger which was damn good. Expensive beers but I expected no different.
Burger Bar- For me still the best burger experience in Vegas. I licked the plate clean even managing to finish a side of onion rings to boot. Happy hour had $3 corona lights on draft.....so at least I drank healthy.
Pizza Joint- The Flamingo has a little pizza place near the old coffee shop with some seating overlooking the habitat area. It's no frills but quite decent for the money. Slices are NY style and large.
Paradise Garden Buffet- Ooops. Big mistake. I was pretty inebriated on my first evening and starving. I ended up here and paid no attention that fri/sat evenings are some kinda luau / island nights so jacked up prices. I want to say they had an open bar of liquor drinks but my goal was food / sobering up so I did not partake. I thought the offerings were sparse. The food was definitely island themed which was not my goal so i struggled to find food I wanted and it sure wasn't worth $36 or so. My drunken mistake.
Yard House- at the Linq promenade. Beer beer beer beer beer. they have a lot of options. I had three or four I couldnt find back home. Ended up getting the mac and cheese which was spectacular. Attentive service with 2 beer samplers available per diner. Good stuff.
Tilted Kilt- I ended up here twice. Once for lunch, once for late night post-absinthe munchies. Both times I sat at the bar. Decent service from scantily clad and highly tattooed women. Burgers were good. The music is way cranked up at night making conversation close to impossible.
Sprinkles- cupcake place at the Linq. Had some ice cream with a friend. Good stuff.
Rest of the trip just the usual- gawking, beating the heat, losing money, and enjoying my favorite place on earth. I always marvel at what i DIDN'T do when I get back but honestly hanging out in the poker room is so relaxing that I'm happy right there.
