Solo Vegas TR 08/04/11 – 08/07/11 - ITS A LITTLE LONG, BUT LOTS OF DETAILS...
Left hot muggy Atlanta on a packed Delta plane and headed west for 3 nights of low roller fun. I only brought a carry on, so getting out of McCarran was easy and no line for the Bell Trans shuttle was a bonus. I would recommend using one of the shuttle buses for the price alone. $8.50 to go downtown, $16 roundtrip - HOWEVER - it can take forever to get there, and if you stay downtown, you are usually the last ones dropped off. It took about 75 mins from the airport to Fremont. But if you have the time, it’s worth it.
Vegas summers are hot, I know because everybody loves to remind me when I mention my trip. But, to be honest, it’s nothing compared to Atlanta. I don’t want to make this a West vs. South thing, but I'll take a hot day in Vegas over a nasty humid afternoon in Atlanta any day. At least in Vegas, you don’t sweat all over everything.
Checked in to Golden Gate with no problems, got to my room, freshen up had my first shrimp cocktail and as ready to take this town down!!
GG review: it’s old and small. That said, it still has a lot of character. The new rooms are nice, and the renovations show they are at least trying to make an impression. The TV's only had 10 channels and the walls are very thin (more on that later). The shrimp is still one of the best treats in all of Vegas and the employees are all very friendly. I was surprised to see the piano gone and was told it was to help bring in the younger crowd (as were the dancing girls), but they have received numerous complaints, so the piano may be back. There are also rumors of an expansion of the hotel to add bigger rooms and even some suites. I would imagine a GG suite would be about the size of a dorm room, but with a full bathroom counter.
Spent Thursday evening getting reacquainted with the FSE and hotels. Before even leaving GG, I hit $300 on the $1 WOF slot. My love of everything Vegas was off the charts. Hung out at the Gold Spike for a bit, not very crowded (it was about 5 pm), but the dealers were attractive and fun. The GS pool looked great, but nobody using it. Finally after years of wanting to have a beer at Hogs and Heffers, I made it in. Exactly what I expected: A saloon/biker bar with bras on the ceiling and $5 beer. Check it off the list.
I was planning on having a pool day Saturday, so I wandered to the Binions rooftop pool. The view is great, but the pool was really small (think backyard pool, not 25 story hotel pool). I was warned that they would check key cards for entry, but the teen-ish looking girl working the towel desk barely looked up when I walked in.
Walked in and out of random FSE casinos on my way to Vanguard Lounge. I’m really impressed at how much they have done with downtown. Vanguard had a great vibe and hip feel. Had a few cocktails (thanks Groupon!) and chatted with the bartender, he said business was great with locals, but the tourists don’t come in. If you have time, go have a drink. They open at 5, and get crowded later, but if you like the “lounge” atmosphere with “house” style house music, it’s worth a few bucks.
Played for a bit at El Co, and I’ll admit, I love the perfume/pina colada aroma that hits you every time you walk in. It’s something unique to the El Co. I got hurt at the tables for a while, so I shuffled off, kicking the ground mumbling something about never going back there again (yeah right). I realized it was around midnight, and I haven’t had a bite to eat since the shrimp cocktail at 4 pm. So I walked back to the Gold Spike for a late night sandwich at the counter of the 24-hour grill (sorry, forgot the name). The food was good, service was great and the sweet lady behind the counter gave me some ice cream for free. (Should I count that in with my winnings?) I headed back to grab some rest and make my plan for Friday’s coupon run. I’m not one to count winnings at the end of the night, I just know, if I didn’t hit the ATM, I’m up.
Friday morning: took a cab to Terribles, that sunvabitch took the longest way possible, despite me asking him to not hit the highway due to traffic, he quipped something about it being smarter, and it was a smart move, for him. 20 min construction delays and $35 later, I was there. Things picked up as I just killed it at the BJ tables. It had to be one of the best runs ever. After about an hour or so, I hit the buffet and with my MRB coupon and with tip, breakfast cost me $4!! After recharging, I played for another hour or so then took my winnings and with a huge smile walked to Ellis Island.
Since I was riding solo at the moment, I asked the bartender if I could use the MRB “3 rounds for 2 people” coupon for just me and he said, “you just relax and have as many as you want!” I couldn’t tell if he was hitting on me, or just friendly. Either way, the beverages just kept coming. Now, don’t get the idea that I’m a big lush (well, I am), but I’m a rum/coke drinker and those aren’t the strongest drinks in Vegas. I tested the theory of how many drinks would it take to hit me at 10 am on a Friday morning, and the answer is indeed, 6.
I played some BJ and slots for a few hours enjoying my drinks and in the end; they were not free as I paid heavily for them at the tables. The high I got from Terribles was quickly crushed at EI. By now it was close to lunch and I needed something to soak up the beverages and somewhere I could sulk. I hung out at the restaurant for the half off lunch MRB coupon. Not bad, not great, but it did the trick.
I left EI, walked to Tuscany and it was DEAD. Nobody there, however there were a ton of pit bosses and employees around the tables. I guess they were having a meeting or something? Anyway, I lost some more and could feel the pit boss lady just staring at me, so I left.
If you get a chance, stop in at the Stage Door Casino, it’s a tiny liquor store/bar/casino behind Bills and by Ballys. Great place with super cool bartenders and fun clientele. I played some bar top VP and chatted with the locals (mainly comparing Vegas heat vs. Atlanta heat and the upcoming Braves vs. Giants series). Nothing super special, but it just sticks out as how cool the people were there.
Walked to IP where I got sucked into the WOF slots. Holy hell. I was “that guy” that we all make fun of. The one that keeps feeding the bandit money saying, “the next pull will be the big one!” It was embarrassing. You are welcome IP, your fake Elvis and Alice Cooper dealers will be employed for another 2 weeks because of this idiot acting like a rookie on his first trip away from home. I split a cab back to GG where I grabbed a quick shower and met up with an old school friend, who is now a local.
I work in radio in Atlanta, so I like to play the “radio card” to get free stuff as often as possible. I used my tiny bit of power to score free tickets to, wait for it, Country Superstars Tribute Show at the GN!! As a country music fan, I was really interested to see what they had to offer and it was a great show. That night they had Brooks and Dunn, Willie Nelson, Garth and Reba performing. They were all fun, but the Willie impersonator was DEAD ON. The crowd was older and we wanted to sing and dance, so we moved to the back row so we could stand. After the show, you can meet the stars and they said it was good to see some folks dancing, as the crowd was sitting on their hands all night.
Show was over early, and my friend got an email saying her company got free tix to Carrot Top. So we jumped in a cab and hit the Luxor just in time to get a drink and get in for ANOTHER free show! Bonus!!
Carrot Top was really funny. He is quick witted and still uses his props. At times, I got lost because he was moving so fast, but he really looked to be having fun and the crowd loved it. As a side note, he even made some Obama jokes. Not to get political, but we have a lot of comedians come to our station to promote their shows and they are all so scared to make fun of the President. Its almost if they think they will get black listed if they say any type of joke about Obama. As someone who has heard them all, it was good to see a comedian have the balls to make jokes at the Presidents expense and not rely on the over used Bush jokes.
After the show, I was wrecked. I called it a night around 130 am. Well, at least I tried to, when I finally Closed my eyes, the couple next to me needed to get a little cardio before heading out that night. The walls at the GG are thin. And this couple had stamina. It couldn’t have been the TV, because we only had 10 channels and I did a double check.
Saturday was rough. My head was not in the game. 2 days of little sleep, smoky casinos, cheap drinks and downtown casino food caught up with me. So I spent most of the day relaxing in my room. You could open the window so listened to the sounds of downtown Vegas. Scratched pool day off the list.
My friend brought me my first In and Out Burger (don’t have them on the East Coast - however, we DO have Chick Fil A!!!). In and Out was perfect hangover food and at that, we were back at it.
We walked to The Western for some hair of the dog $1 shots and $1 beer. Good crowd, a little rough around the edges, but all very friendly and the drinks were good. Also spent some time at El Co again, and it was “free pie” day. Bonus!
We stopped at “Insert Coins” off Fremont St. A little hip bar that features about 30 old school stand up video games and the new stuff on the big screens. It’s a cool concept. They still cost .25-cents and all the originals were there. Frogger, House of the Dead, Tetris, Simpsons, TMNT, etc etc. We had fun playing back in our childhood there.
Saturday night was Ron White at The Mirage. We have had him on the show a few times, so I got us free tickets. He was great, dirty as hell, and the crowd loved every second of it. If you have never seen him, it’s not “Blue Collar” its “Dirty Drunk.” Beware.
After the show, we walked around Mirage a bit, cabbed it back to GG, played at VC or LVC, whatever the hell they are calling it now, lost at Binions, and lost at GG. But I’m still on my budget, kinda.
Sunday morning: Ok, this part gets kinda sappy, so skip this paragraph if you want to. I got a call early Saturday morning that my Aunt had passed away that night. I offered to come home immediately, but my wife said there was nothing I could do at home, and to enjoy my trip. Mom called and said to make sure and play some slots for Gennie, as she loved the slot machines in Biloxi. So, Sunday morning, I was up pretty early (once again to the rhythm of the newlywed couple beside me) and was off to find the perfect machine to play for her. Gennie always got dressed up. Didn’t matter if it was for Church or Piccadilly, she always put on lots of makeup, all her pearls and lots of “old lady” perfume. I thought 4 Queens would be a fitting place. I wondered around all the loud, HD, flashy slots knowing that she would not like any of those. I finally settled down at what looked like a vintage pinball machine style slot. I put $20 in, pulled the arm (she refused to ever hit the “play max” buttons, had to pull the arm). And sure enough, I won $10 on the first pull. I cashed out, smiled and was on my way. She was truly a classy lady.
After hitting 4Q, Fremont, and LVC a little more, I had my free pancakes at DuPars. They were really good. I caught a ride back to the airport around noon and that’s where my solo trip to Vegas ended.
Before I left, I made a pre-trip itinerary of where to go and what to do.. The post trip comments are in ALL CAPS:
So, my plans this year:
- Pull an all nighter (my 1 a year.. getting older sucks) – NOPE.. SAD SIGN OF THE AGE..
- Check out The Western for the $1 drinks – MANY MORE CHOICES THAN LISTED
- Late night Roulette at El Co – NOPE, BUT DID PLAY THERE FOR A WHILE
- Vanguard Lounge (thanks Groupon!) – FUN LITTLE HIPSTER SPOT
- Sams Town and try to get to the Strip for free via the shuttles – NEVER MADE IT, STUPID HANGOVER
- Oogle the GG dancing girls – WELL, DUH.
- MRB coupon run to Terribles and Ellis Island – GREAT RUN AT TERRIBLES, SAD TIMES AT EI
- Country Superstars Tribute Show at GN – Friday – A LOT OF FUN, IF YOU LIKE COUNTRY
- Ron White at Mirage – Saturday – AWESOME, DIRTY, AWESOME SHOW
- Creep around the Plaza to see if I can get a sneak peek – WHOLE THING IS GATED OFF WITH 24 HOUR SECURITY… BUT IT LOOKS GREAT
- Try to enjoy LVC, even thou its going downhill – NOT AS BAD AS I REMEMBER, JUST NEEDS A BATH
- Check out Gold Spike Pool – COOL LOOKING POOL FOR LOCATION, NOBODY USING IT THOU..
- Check out Binions Pool (thanks Billryan) – GREAT VIEW, BUT NOT ENOUGH CHAIRS
- MMMMMM Shrimp Cocktail – 2 OF EM!!
- Pour one out for the Sahara – DROVE PAST IT, SAD.
- Figure out where to use 50% off coupon at Palms (most likely dinner) – NEVER GOT THERE..
- Stay away from Circus Circus (8 years running!!) – TRADITION CONTINUES!!
- Finally, this year, hit it big!! – UM.. YEAH, NOT SO MUCH..
So, there ya go. Sorry so long. Hope you enjoyed it.
Im broke, still hungover and worn out.. but I cant wait to go back!!
Marko...
Left hot muggy Atlanta on a packed Delta plane and headed west for 3 nights of low roller fun. I only brought a carry on, so getting out of McCarran was easy and no line for the Bell Trans shuttle was a bonus. I would recommend using one of the shuttle buses for the price alone. $8.50 to go downtown, $16 roundtrip - HOWEVER - it can take forever to get there, and if you stay downtown, you are usually the last ones dropped off. It took about 75 mins from the airport to Fremont. But if you have the time, it’s worth it.
Vegas summers are hot, I know because everybody loves to remind me when I mention my trip. But, to be honest, it’s nothing compared to Atlanta. I don’t want to make this a West vs. South thing, but I'll take a hot day in Vegas over a nasty humid afternoon in Atlanta any day. At least in Vegas, you don’t sweat all over everything.
Checked in to Golden Gate with no problems, got to my room, freshen up had my first shrimp cocktail and as ready to take this town down!!
GG review: it’s old and small. That said, it still has a lot of character. The new rooms are nice, and the renovations show they are at least trying to make an impression. The TV's only had 10 channels and the walls are very thin (more on that later). The shrimp is still one of the best treats in all of Vegas and the employees are all very friendly. I was surprised to see the piano gone and was told it was to help bring in the younger crowd (as were the dancing girls), but they have received numerous complaints, so the piano may be back. There are also rumors of an expansion of the hotel to add bigger rooms and even some suites. I would imagine a GG suite would be about the size of a dorm room, but with a full bathroom counter.
Spent Thursday evening getting reacquainted with the FSE and hotels. Before even leaving GG, I hit $300 on the $1 WOF slot. My love of everything Vegas was off the charts. Hung out at the Gold Spike for a bit, not very crowded (it was about 5 pm), but the dealers were attractive and fun. The GS pool looked great, but nobody using it. Finally after years of wanting to have a beer at Hogs and Heffers, I made it in. Exactly what I expected: A saloon/biker bar with bras on the ceiling and $5 beer. Check it off the list.
I was planning on having a pool day Saturday, so I wandered to the Binions rooftop pool. The view is great, but the pool was really small (think backyard pool, not 25 story hotel pool). I was warned that they would check key cards for entry, but the teen-ish looking girl working the towel desk barely looked up when I walked in.
Walked in and out of random FSE casinos on my way to Vanguard Lounge. I’m really impressed at how much they have done with downtown. Vanguard had a great vibe and hip feel. Had a few cocktails (thanks Groupon!) and chatted with the bartender, he said business was great with locals, but the tourists don’t come in. If you have time, go have a drink. They open at 5, and get crowded later, but if you like the “lounge” atmosphere with “house” style house music, it’s worth a few bucks.
Played for a bit at El Co, and I’ll admit, I love the perfume/pina colada aroma that hits you every time you walk in. It’s something unique to the El Co. I got hurt at the tables for a while, so I shuffled off, kicking the ground mumbling something about never going back there again (yeah right). I realized it was around midnight, and I haven’t had a bite to eat since the shrimp cocktail at 4 pm. So I walked back to the Gold Spike for a late night sandwich at the counter of the 24-hour grill (sorry, forgot the name). The food was good, service was great and the sweet lady behind the counter gave me some ice cream for free. (Should I count that in with my winnings?) I headed back to grab some rest and make my plan for Friday’s coupon run. I’m not one to count winnings at the end of the night, I just know, if I didn’t hit the ATM, I’m up.
Friday morning: took a cab to Terribles, that sunvabitch took the longest way possible, despite me asking him to not hit the highway due to traffic, he quipped something about it being smarter, and it was a smart move, for him. 20 min construction delays and $35 later, I was there. Things picked up as I just killed it at the BJ tables. It had to be one of the best runs ever. After about an hour or so, I hit the buffet and with my MRB coupon and with tip, breakfast cost me $4!! After recharging, I played for another hour or so then took my winnings and with a huge smile walked to Ellis Island.
Since I was riding solo at the moment, I asked the bartender if I could use the MRB “3 rounds for 2 people” coupon for just me and he said, “you just relax and have as many as you want!” I couldn’t tell if he was hitting on me, or just friendly. Either way, the beverages just kept coming. Now, don’t get the idea that I’m a big lush (well, I am), but I’m a rum/coke drinker and those aren’t the strongest drinks in Vegas. I tested the theory of how many drinks would it take to hit me at 10 am on a Friday morning, and the answer is indeed, 6.
I played some BJ and slots for a few hours enjoying my drinks and in the end; they were not free as I paid heavily for them at the tables. The high I got from Terribles was quickly crushed at EI. By now it was close to lunch and I needed something to soak up the beverages and somewhere I could sulk. I hung out at the restaurant for the half off lunch MRB coupon. Not bad, not great, but it did the trick.
I left EI, walked to Tuscany and it was DEAD. Nobody there, however there were a ton of pit bosses and employees around the tables. I guess they were having a meeting or something? Anyway, I lost some more and could feel the pit boss lady just staring at me, so I left.
If you get a chance, stop in at the Stage Door Casino, it’s a tiny liquor store/bar/casino behind Bills and by Ballys. Great place with super cool bartenders and fun clientele. I played some bar top VP and chatted with the locals (mainly comparing Vegas heat vs. Atlanta heat and the upcoming Braves vs. Giants series). Nothing super special, but it just sticks out as how cool the people were there.
Walked to IP where I got sucked into the WOF slots. Holy hell. I was “that guy” that we all make fun of. The one that keeps feeding the bandit money saying, “the next pull will be the big one!” It was embarrassing. You are welcome IP, your fake Elvis and Alice Cooper dealers will be employed for another 2 weeks because of this idiot acting like a rookie on his first trip away from home. I split a cab back to GG where I grabbed a quick shower and met up with an old school friend, who is now a local.
I work in radio in Atlanta, so I like to play the “radio card” to get free stuff as often as possible. I used my tiny bit of power to score free tickets to, wait for it, Country Superstars Tribute Show at the GN!! As a country music fan, I was really interested to see what they had to offer and it was a great show. That night they had Brooks and Dunn, Willie Nelson, Garth and Reba performing. They were all fun, but the Willie impersonator was DEAD ON. The crowd was older and we wanted to sing and dance, so we moved to the back row so we could stand. After the show, you can meet the stars and they said it was good to see some folks dancing, as the crowd was sitting on their hands all night.
Show was over early, and my friend got an email saying her company got free tix to Carrot Top. So we jumped in a cab and hit the Luxor just in time to get a drink and get in for ANOTHER free show! Bonus!!
Carrot Top was really funny. He is quick witted and still uses his props. At times, I got lost because he was moving so fast, but he really looked to be having fun and the crowd loved it. As a side note, he even made some Obama jokes. Not to get political, but we have a lot of comedians come to our station to promote their shows and they are all so scared to make fun of the President. Its almost if they think they will get black listed if they say any type of joke about Obama. As someone who has heard them all, it was good to see a comedian have the balls to make jokes at the Presidents expense and not rely on the over used Bush jokes.
After the show, I was wrecked. I called it a night around 130 am. Well, at least I tried to, when I finally Closed my eyes, the couple next to me needed to get a little cardio before heading out that night. The walls at the GG are thin. And this couple had stamina. It couldn’t have been the TV, because we only had 10 channels and I did a double check.
Saturday was rough. My head was not in the game. 2 days of little sleep, smoky casinos, cheap drinks and downtown casino food caught up with me. So I spent most of the day relaxing in my room. You could open the window so listened to the sounds of downtown Vegas. Scratched pool day off the list.
My friend brought me my first In and Out Burger (don’t have them on the East Coast - however, we DO have Chick Fil A!!!). In and Out was perfect hangover food and at that, we were back at it.
We walked to The Western for some hair of the dog $1 shots and $1 beer. Good crowd, a little rough around the edges, but all very friendly and the drinks were good. Also spent some time at El Co again, and it was “free pie” day. Bonus!
We stopped at “Insert Coins” off Fremont St. A little hip bar that features about 30 old school stand up video games and the new stuff on the big screens. It’s a cool concept. They still cost .25-cents and all the originals were there. Frogger, House of the Dead, Tetris, Simpsons, TMNT, etc etc. We had fun playing back in our childhood there.
Saturday night was Ron White at The Mirage. We have had him on the show a few times, so I got us free tickets. He was great, dirty as hell, and the crowd loved every second of it. If you have never seen him, it’s not “Blue Collar” its “Dirty Drunk.” Beware.
After the show, we walked around Mirage a bit, cabbed it back to GG, played at VC or LVC, whatever the hell they are calling it now, lost at Binions, and lost at GG. But I’m still on my budget, kinda.
Sunday morning: Ok, this part gets kinda sappy, so skip this paragraph if you want to. I got a call early Saturday morning that my Aunt had passed away that night. I offered to come home immediately, but my wife said there was nothing I could do at home, and to enjoy my trip. Mom called and said to make sure and play some slots for Gennie, as she loved the slot machines in Biloxi. So, Sunday morning, I was up pretty early (once again to the rhythm of the newlywed couple beside me) and was off to find the perfect machine to play for her. Gennie always got dressed up. Didn’t matter if it was for Church or Piccadilly, she always put on lots of makeup, all her pearls and lots of “old lady” perfume. I thought 4 Queens would be a fitting place. I wondered around all the loud, HD, flashy slots knowing that she would not like any of those. I finally settled down at what looked like a vintage pinball machine style slot. I put $20 in, pulled the arm (she refused to ever hit the “play max” buttons, had to pull the arm). And sure enough, I won $10 on the first pull. I cashed out, smiled and was on my way. She was truly a classy lady.
After hitting 4Q, Fremont, and LVC a little more, I had my free pancakes at DuPars. They were really good. I caught a ride back to the airport around noon and that’s where my solo trip to Vegas ended.
Before I left, I made a pre-trip itinerary of where to go and what to do.. The post trip comments are in ALL CAPS:
So, my plans this year:
- Pull an all nighter (my 1 a year.. getting older sucks) – NOPE.. SAD SIGN OF THE AGE..
- Check out The Western for the $1 drinks – MANY MORE CHOICES THAN LISTED
- Late night Roulette at El Co – NOPE, BUT DID PLAY THERE FOR A WHILE
- Vanguard Lounge (thanks Groupon!) – FUN LITTLE HIPSTER SPOT
- Sams Town and try to get to the Strip for free via the shuttles – NEVER MADE IT, STUPID HANGOVER
- Oogle the GG dancing girls – WELL, DUH.
- MRB coupon run to Terribles and Ellis Island – GREAT RUN AT TERRIBLES, SAD TIMES AT EI
- Country Superstars Tribute Show at GN – Friday – A LOT OF FUN, IF YOU LIKE COUNTRY
- Ron White at Mirage – Saturday – AWESOME, DIRTY, AWESOME SHOW
- Creep around the Plaza to see if I can get a sneak peek – WHOLE THING IS GATED OFF WITH 24 HOUR SECURITY… BUT IT LOOKS GREAT
- Try to enjoy LVC, even thou its going downhill – NOT AS BAD AS I REMEMBER, JUST NEEDS A BATH
- Check out Gold Spike Pool – COOL LOOKING POOL FOR LOCATION, NOBODY USING IT THOU..
- Check out Binions Pool (thanks Billryan) – GREAT VIEW, BUT NOT ENOUGH CHAIRS
- MMMMMM Shrimp Cocktail – 2 OF EM!!
- Pour one out for the Sahara – DROVE PAST IT, SAD.
- Figure out where to use 50% off coupon at Palms (most likely dinner) – NEVER GOT THERE..
- Stay away from Circus Circus (8 years running!!) – TRADITION CONTINUES!!
- Finally, this year, hit it big!! – UM.. YEAH, NOT SO MUCH..
So, there ya go. Sorry so long. Hope you enjoyed it.
Im broke, still hungover and worn out.. but I cant wait to go back!!
Marko...
