Another semi-annual Vegas trip has come and gone, this one was fun, but not as much fun as a winning trip; I think the casino industry calls it a “non-winner.” Usual seven nights, two at Palace Station, three at the Union Plaza (first time there in about four years, I think) and two at Four Queens. Linda’s (wife) sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Ken, were there with us, also our friend Linda B from Minnesota. Gambling could have been worse, like it was last August; this time we’re down a little over $1500 on $62,600 coin-in, for a 2.5% loss.
TUESDAY
Early but easy Southwest flight with a layover in New Orleans, had fish and grits for breakfast at Leah’s, one of my better airport meals. We landed in Vegas in high winds, blowing rain and some snow, maybe the worst cold weather we’ve ever seen in town; when we got to PS (via Uber), the power was out and would be out for 3 or 4 hours, we couldn’t check in or use the elevators, there was minimal lighting in the casino but the machines were all working (lots of reboot problems over the next 24hrs, though). There was actually a brief second outage after the power came back on; Linda had a $170 voucher in the redemption machine at that very second, so it took her about 30min to get her money. Finally got checked in to our room, which was fine as always. Gambling was fairly good, I had a good 3-play Illinois deuces session with lots of WRs, quints and SFs (including one natural SF, that always sucks on a deuces game, even more than those damned natural quads). Had a few other good sessions, then hit the Boathouse for dinner. I hadn’t been there for a few years, it was always good but kind of like a pan-Asian restaurant run by an American who got an A- in Asian cuisine in cooking school. This time was much better, had some very good sushi, some tasty beef chow fun, some cha gio, tempura and roast duck. Linda isn’t much of an Asian food fan but she was fairly happy with it. Played a little more, even found a vulturable banking slot, Wu Wang Zhe, hit it for a quick and low-skill $15 profit. Bedtime.
WEDNESDAY
Had an okay start, including a quad on my $25 FP (on quarter JoB), then a roller-coaster 3-play BP session that ended well with a dealt FH and a set of quad aces. Meanwhile, Linda, who usually plays the quarter BP progressive at the bar, decided to try dollars and promptly hit her own set of $400 quad aces, the best hit of the trip. I also saw some guy collect on a few tickets at the sports book, $30,400 or so; I’ve never seen that much money before, made his pockets bulge. The weather was too crappy to walk anywhere to eat (would have been happy to get back to Mi Ranchito, down Sahara about 1/3mi), so we ate at the Wing Stop, a very forgettable chain in the hotel. Dinner was at the Golden Steer, such a cool place and still very good. Had a nice Caesar salad, ribeye, creamed spinach and the twice-baked potato (when the Uber driver picked us up on the way over, the first thing he asked us is if we were going to have the twice-baked potato). Up and down after dinner, including my semi-annual MultiStrike session, which was exciting and reasonably long for a $100 buy-in, but ultimately a loser.
THURSDAY
Moving day. I had breakfast at the PS Oyster Bar around 6am, it never gets crowded until around 9am; had tasty but highly inauthentic bouillabaisse. Then, Uber to the Union Plaza. We’ve stayed there on and off over the years, last time was maybe 4 years ago, we were still getting mailers with free rooms until December 2022. I called a host who couldn’t comp our room up front, which is always a little anxiety-provoking, so we booked at 25% off rack rate. It’s always a fun property, always pretty beaten up but always trying a new promotion, a new restaurant, a new entertainment venue. I still like it there, also really like looking at the place with an archaeologist’s perspective, trying to envision when it was the biggest and most luxurious property in Vegas, back in 1971. You can still see vestiges here and there. Rooms are still utilitarian but threadbare. Anyway. Mostly played dollar JoB, also a little bit of Illinois Deuces, mostly got beaten up, took more markers than I care to remember (the bank does). Had some good pizza (always surprisingly good) at Pop-Up Pizza, played and lost some more. Dinner was solo for me, at Kabuto a high-end omakase place in Chinatown; Joyce and Ken arrived late in the morning and checked in to the GN and met Linda at the Plaza (they wound up at Pop-Up Pizza again). Anyway, Kabuto was fantastic, absolutely top quality. Less emphasis on luxury ingredients (like at Kame Omakase), somewhat more traditional preparations with a lot of unusual fish, wonderfully balanced selection. High point might have been the akamutsu (red sea perch). Back to the Plaza, back to reality, back to losing, back to bed.
FRIDAY
Good start today, turned my $100 coffee buy-in into $300, had a few other good morning sessions, also hit a few MPs up and down Fremont ST. Linda B also moved from Cosmo to the Plaza this morning so we caught up some. For lunch, I walked up to El Salvadoreño, a little Salvadoran place about 1/4mi north of downtown on Main ST. This place has been here forever and it’s always crowded and always good; had a pupusa and the plato típico (steak, rice and beans, fried plantain, cheese, tortillas), all really good. Back to the Plaza, lousy afternoon overall. The five of us went to Saginaw Deli over at Circa; it’s expensive and pretty good, not great, I had a reuben sandwich. Gambling was a little better after dinner, with one good winning Illinois Deuces session (but a good quarter session doesn’t really make up for a bad dollar session, and dollar deuces makes me nervous).
SATURDAY
Probably the worst gambling day of the trip, starting with the $100 cup of coffee at the bar. Couldn’t get a decent session all morning. Lunch was good, though, Linda B and I went to 8 East, the Asian small plates place over at Circa (brought McDonald’s back for Linda the Wife). Had some really great brisket fried rice, some tasty but highly inauthentic dan dan mein, some very tasty pork belly bao, short rib gyoza and Tokyo crepes (filled with tofu and mushrooms). Afternoon gambling was as bad as the morning’s. The five of us made a pilgrimage later in the afternoon, to Jerry’s Nugget; I haven’t been there in about ten years. It’s a really fun locals’ place about 2mi north of downtown, has maybe the best old-school coffee shop in town (famous for their prime rib and baked goods). Plenty of $5 DD BJ there (didn’t play, I’m far too out of practice), NSUD VP (played that, did okay and got a t-shirt). Dinner at the coffee shop was great, I had some onion rings (good and homemade), corn and poblano chowder (great), prime rib (very good), very large and memorable éclair for dessert (had to). Linda (wife) got the chicken-fried steak, I’d probably get that next time, it was really good. Back to another beating at the Plaza, then bedtime.
SUNDAY
Moving Day to the Four Queens; one of the hosts at the Plaza easily comped our room. Not a bad day overall, although 4Q is kind of a slow grind these days, their best game that gives full points is 9/6 JoB, but they’ve downgraded their $1 machines to 8/5, so you have to grind out your play at 50c on old, uncomfortable uprights. Nothing better at Binions, either (the clubs are joined now). The target was 1000 points ($8K coin-in) to get the Lunar New Year figurine (jeweled hare this year) plus $50 more FP, and it’s a bitch to get in $8K in a day now. We managed now, and have two hares. I did okay overall, down a bit but much, much better than on Saturday. Played my $200 FP on the dollar DB machines as I usually do, only cashed out $110 this year. Also played the Spinsplosion promo at Binions, won the usual t-shirt (the cornerstone of my retirement wardrobe). Dinner was the five of us at Binions BBQ, which was tasty for ersatz BBQ; had some good chicken, sides were good except for the cornbread which was like buttered cardboard.
MONDAY
Last day. It was up and down for me, Linda did better with one four-quad session in the evening. Still, kind of a slow grind to get that second jeweled hare. We wound up at the new food court at the Fremont, Linda, Joyce and Ken wanted Steak and Shake (which by their report was awful, too much grease and much of it old) and I settled for Huey Magoo’s chicken tenders (passable). More slogging all afternoon; dinner was at Redwood Grille for the five of us, service was very slow, food was okay but not nearly as good as in the past; Maui onion soup was far too salty, ribeye was good. Some more playing, Linda got her hare and $50 FP, then bedtime.
TUESDAY
Easy checkout and Uber to the airport, quick change in Dallas and home, easy enough.
A fun trip overall, although it’s always more fun when you have a winner (or a “non-loser”). Next trip this summer, we’ll probably try to get back to South Point. Sure wish Jerry’s Nugget had a hotel. Thanks for reading!
