PROLOGUE:
My November trip with Gail(see Road to Rio trip report) should have satisfied my Vegas itch, but this Minnesota winter has been a cruel master. Snowfalls in excess of 42 inches in December combined with the hectic Christmas season left me desperately longing for an escape. Madman Mike says "Vegas, Baby..let's go in January. We were sucessful in receiving the time off...great.... wait...Mikey's wife says "No way". I've got this whole week off in January...what I am going to do? Ice fishing up at Lake of the Woods? Somehow sitting in an ice shack by myself for several days jigging my fish pole and listening to the wind howl outside just didn't seem like a whole lot of fun...screw it...I'm going back to Vegas. Gold Coast would give me two free nights in a premium room and Harrah's would give me two free nights at the Flamingo..deal. Sun Country came through with a flight schedule that fitted my schedule, got a decent rate for a car rental from Enterprise...Game on!!
SUNDAY JAN 9th:
Got to the ticket counter at MSP early and scored a 1st class upgrade..sweet. We board the plane first, flight attendant asks if I would like a cocktail before we takeoff...request a Manhattan...F.A. asks me "Sir, what's in a Manhattan?" Whoa...okay let's keep this simple..bring me a beer and a Jack Daniels on the rocks. I was served a nice cheese plate followed with a salad and a main course consisting of sliced turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, with a warm chocolate cookie for dessert. Naturally all this was washed down with several glasses of Chardonnay. This 1st class deal could really spoil me. This was with smoothess flight to Vegas that I can remember..no turbulence and the landing was smooth as silk.
I was in and out with the Enterprise people and hit the strip with my Dodge Avenger in short order..light traffic on the strip; soon was pulling into the parking ramp at the Gold Coast. Clerk gave me a premium room on the 4th floor; not much of a view, but the room was very nice..very comfortable king sized bed, flat screen TV. Side note: The Gold Coast offers Ballroom dancing on Sunday afternoon/evenings, with dance lessons in the afternoon. I took weekly ballroom dance lessons for about six years ...great past-time and good exercise...also this is a fabulous way for a single middle-aged guy to meet interesting single women. I didn't get a chance to check this out on Sunday evening, but will keep it in mind for future trips.
After unpacking I headed to the bar and played some 9/6 JOB at the 50 cent level for a while and had a few Heinekens. Walked over to the roulette table and used my $5 free play along with 5 bucks of my own money to bet on black...winner. I then drove over to the Rio...yeah I know, it's only accross the street..so sue me. My favorite cash time slot machine was not in it's usual place. I walked over to the Carnival Tower side of the casino with intentions of spending some quality time at the Wine Cellar..found my cash time machine close to the entrance and got side tracked to the tune of $60 worth..zip, nada, nothing...not even a free spin...this sucks. Mary Ann and Jose were not working...some guy named Joe behind the bar. Talked to a nice couple from L.A. who seemed to be Wine Cellar 'regulars'...they say Jose is now working at the Cosmopolitan. I tried one of their Pinot Noir flights...the New Zealand wine was so so, the Pinot from Oregon was very nice, but the wine from Domaine Carneros was the winner..good nose, tasty with a nice finish. The Wine Cellar is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays now...looks like I won't be spending a lot of time here this trip.
Back at the Gold Coast, I decide to have a late dinner at Ping Pang Pong. Order some pot stickers and some orange beef. Waitress comes back a few minutes later and tells me that they are out of pot stickers...how is that possible? Okay bring me some spring rolls..whatever. The food is good and the tea is hot. Played some more JOB at the bar..not much to report..no big hits..back to the room and crashed shortly after midnight.
MONDAY:
Fired up my Mr Coffee and enjoyed several cups of fresh brewed Columbian coffee to start out the day. Unfortunately I messed around too late to catch the breakfast buffet..oh well, grabbed a quick but satisfactory beakfast at TGI Fridays. Played more VP at the bar..excellent gin and tonic...then headed over to the LVA office to pick up my coupon book. I then drove over to Harrah's and picked up my ticket for tonight's performance of Legends in Concert. I bought a VIP ticket through Travel Zoo for $31...row AA seat 3. Played some more VP at the bar at Harrahs...couple of Heinekens..walked away even..made a quick $20 on a slot machine on my way out and headed to check out the Cosmo.
The Cosmo is an absolutely stunning place..very classy. Spent quite a while walking around the place..checked out the hidden pizza place, etc. and won $20 on a slot machine before departing for the south strip. I had to try my hand at the Lion's Share progressive machine..no dice..will give it a go next trip..again. I walked accross the street to the Tropicana and finally got a players card..they are making an effort to spruce this place up a bit..won $30..on to NYNY..actually won $20 on a slot machine there...first time that I can remember that I won anything there. Nine Fine Irishmen has always been my mid afternoon quiet retreat..glass of Guiness and some Irish whiskey neat. Today the place was packed, no room anywhere..okay I'll try the pub at the Monte Carlo. Waited forever for the bartender to wait on me, asked for a porter, but they didn't have any in stock...what the hell...now I'm pissed and thirsty. Take the tram over to the Bellagio and spend some quality time admiring the Chinese New Year display in the conservatory. I took several photos, which was difficult at times with all the idiots walking in front of me while I was obviously engaged in taking a picture..wish I had a three foot length of 2 x 4. Next stop is Sully's bar at Bally's. Matt the bartender is not working today, have several Heinekens and run through $60 ...get 4 to the Royal countless times...but no luck.
I thought I would try the Palm restaurant at the Forum Shoppes to take advantage of their Happy Hour pricing on their appetizers. The food was very good and the price was very reasonable. I had their Eastside Side Car, which really knocked my socks off...delicious. Watched the 1st half of the Auburn/Oregon game munching on my crab cakes, Lobster sliders, steak sliders and half a dozen oysters on the half shell. I left at halftime and ended up at the sportsbook at Harrah's to watch the rest of the game. Auburn eeked out a win and made my sportsbet a winner. I hustled over to the Harrah's theater shortly before my show started. Front row seat. I wasn't expecting very much from the show, but was pleasantly surprised by the entertainment. Aretha Franklin belted out the Motown ...sock it to me! Michael Jackson had all the mannerisms and dance moves..they did the dance routine from Thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Elvis impersonator was okay..he gave his scarf to a lady in the front row...she was so excited I thought she was going to pee her pants...gessh lady this is not the REAL Elvis! I paid $31 for my ticket, so this was a very nice way to spend my evening being entertained.
After the show I grabbed a $1 Michelob at Casino Royale on my way to the Venetian to play my Star Trek slots. I played a long time on $40, piled up a bunch of medals..hey, I even had the CW come over so that I could order a Heineken..first time in a long while that I got a cocktail at the Venetian while playing a slot machine. Pick up the car at Harrah's and drive back to the Gold Coast..more VP at the bar...lose $20...bedtime at 01:00.
TUESDAY:
Spend the morning drinking coffee and watching ESPN. Finally pack up and then walk down to the cashier's cage to close out my security box...they don't have in-room safes at the Gold Coast. I had to put a $100 deposit on the box, fill out a bunch of forms..asked the lady if she wanted a note from my Mom, also...kind of a hassle. No problems getting my deposit back, cleared out my box and headed over to collect on my sportsbet. Back to the room and reach for my cell phone to make a call and it's not in my pant's pocket...must have fell out when I was at the sportsbook. Back down to the casino..no phone..report my loss to security...shit what a time to lose that sucker. I'm really upset with myself for being so careless..use the TV checkout in the room...pick up my suitcase off of the bed...guess what...cell phone was underneath the suitcase the whole time....duh.
Drive down to the M resort and take advantage of my coupon for a free lunch buffet.. no line...seated immediately. Wide variety of delicious food...this is my third buffet experience here...like it a lot. Stuff myself and then play some slots and do nothing but piss away $60...rats. Pick up my free bottle of wine at the players club and then out the door.
I'm off to the Flamingo ...try the $20 sandwich and politely ask for an upgrade...lady at the counter says that she can't give me a Go room...I tell her that I didn't expect/want a Go room...too much pink...she laughs and gives me a mini suite on the 14th floor.....score. Nice room, huge living area, two big easy chairs, sofa, TV, desk, large windows with a view of Ballys and Bellagio, separate bedroom area with a very comfortable king sized bed. The bathroom was extremely small...like Gold Coast small. If you were sitting on the can and someone opened the bathroom door, they would smack the door into your knees. Unpacked, and uncorked my flask of Basil Hayden bourbon and had a few cocktails while relaxing in the room.
Next stop is some VP at Bugsy's Bar...play a long time on 20 bucks walk away even. I then walk over to my favorite afternoon hang out, Magaritaville....plant myself at the bar and start drink those lovely Landshark drafts. Make some idle chat with one of the bartenders, she is from Wisconsin....a Packer fan, naturally. Time to head downtown. Grab the Ace in front of Paris and am deposited near Fremont street shortly thereafter...much easier than taking the Deuce. Time for a mini coupon run. I have $10 in free play at the 4 Q's which results in nothing. Decide to have a pizza at the Chicago Brew Pub...good pizza and a have several good Downtown Browns (beer)...all the while playing VP at the bar and walk away with a $10 profit. I'm enticed to try a free pull at the slot machine by one of the entrances as I am on my way out...oh, what the hell. I hit 3 of a kind and win $10 in free play...head over to the players club, get the FP loaded onto my card and convert that into a $20 profit. Head over to the ElCo and convert my $10 FP into $5 cash. Next stop is the Vegas Club where my free play nets me zero. This place is a pit...can't get out of there soon enough.
Golden Gate blackjack tables are calling my name and soon I'm sucking down copious quantities of Heineken and having the time of my life. I buy in for $200 and play $10/hand. I have a sweetheart for a dealer, Mattie. Played with a nice couple at the table, who knew basic strategy...we were all winning. I had several double down opportunities and nailed just about everyone of them..getting 20 or 21's. At one point I had 3 BJ in 4 hands. I was up about $150 in about 20 minutes. The play leveled off from there, but after a little over an hour I found myself with a pretty good buzz going and had more than doubled my buy-in...time to cash out. Really like the vibe at the GG...I've had a blast playing at the tables there the past several trips. Caught the Ace back to the strip, VP at the bar at the Flamingo then head for bed.
WEDNESDAY
Coffee in the room and then over to Bill's for breakfast..no waiting, get a table right away. Have eggs, hashbrowns and their juicy ham steak....great breakfast. Play some slots and win $20. I had a coupon for Mac King, so I decided to take in the 1 PM performance. The price was $9.95 with a "free" drink. Here's a little tidbit of advice about the drinks. Get yourself a beer or a glass of wine...they can't screw that up. They had Tangueray and tonic on the drink menu, so I ordered that. Okay says the bartender and he grabs the drink gun thingy and pours my drink out into the glass, then asks me if I want a lime. Tangueray gin out of a drink gun dispenser...I don't think so...but it really didn't matter. If there was any kind of gin in my glass...well I'm a ringtailed monkey.....got a glass of tonic water with a slice of lime...swell. The show, however, was very entertaining. I was sitting in the second row, close to center stage...great seat. Value and entertainment-wise, this is the best afternoon show going in Vegas....if you haven't seen this show, and enjoy magic...put Mac on your list.
Afterward I caught the ACE and headed for the Sahara to make up for the beating I took last year. Used my coupon for $50 in promo chips and I also had a $25 MP burning a hole in my pocket.....rest of the afternoon was pretty ugly. My $50 in promo chips resulted in $45 cash at the BJ table, then I lost my $25 MP. I decided to check out the $1 BJ pit area. Sat down at a table and bought in for $30 and played $2/hand. I should have known that this was a mistake when the first time I declared a double down the player to my left wanted me to explain what that meant. Over the next four hours I witnessed countless bonehead decisions my other players. I know that other players poor play is not supposed to affect your outcome overall, but I ended losing close to $80 playing $2/hand. I was the dealer's favorite, however, since I was the only player that tipped the dealers all the while I was at the table...felt sorry for them. At least the drink service was good, tipped the CW 2 bucks initially and we were best buddies from then on. Tried bumping my bets towards the end...chasing my loses...only made things worse...took the Monorail back to Harrah's with my tail between my legs..depressed.
I had a pretty good jag going for me; dinner was a couple of slices of greazzy pizza and $1 Michelob. Dessert consisted of an Irish Car bomb and a beer at O'Sheas...yum. Walked/stumbled down to Bill's to see about playing craps, but after watching the tables for a few minutes I decided against buying in.....tables looked cold. I ended up playing VP back at the bar at the Flamingo...more Heinekens...played for the longest time on $20. Found a Cash Time slot and sat down and played again for a long time on $20. During this stretch a very lovely young lady sat down at the slot machine next to me while I was ordering yet another libation and ordered a vodka and something. I didn't pay any attention to her initially until it became apparent that she had no plans on playing the machine in front of her. Her intent was to try playing me. She tried making some small talk...I gave some very brief replies to her queries before stopping play, turning towards her and politely suggesting that she was wasting her time..fair enough, she stood up and vanished. Two minutes later I had another 'lady' sit down next to the machine on the otherside of me and asked me how I was doing....what is this, hooker central? Cashed out and called it a night....walked about 20 feet and was approached by yet another hooker. Two hours later that greazzy pizza decided to get it's gastrointestinal revenge in the form of the worst case of hearburn that I have ever had. Pharmaceuticals to the rescue....better.
THURSDAY
I need several cups of coffee and a long hot shower to clear my head this morning. Time to pack up and check out. Put my bags in the car and then head over to the Cosmo to try their buffet. I was really impressed with the Wicked Spoon buffet; very nice dining area and great food....the mushrooms braised in red wine were very good, everything that I tried was delicious...next trip I definitely will have to try the dinner buffet. Played some slots after lunch...lost $60, then went over to Bill's to see about craps. Tables were empty, just a couple of old guys at each table, not much action except for one guy that was betting a huge stack of black chips on the don't pass line. The tray in front of him was filled end to end with black chips. No, don't want to play at this table. Bought in for $200 at a BJ table and played $10/hand for the next couple of hours. Played with a nice group of people, dealers were funny and engaging. Didn't get a lot of double down opportunities and the ones that I did get resulted in getting a 13 or 14 most of the time. Ended up losing $130...time to head for the airport.
No problems checking in the car; got another 1st class upgrade at the airline counter...no line at security. I got to my gate with plenty of time to spare so I decided to play a dime slot machine to kill some time. Put $5 in and played for a while, steadily losing money. I was playing max credits (3 dimes) at a time until I finally was down to one credit. Last 'pull' was for one credit and up pops three red sevens, which would have resulted in a $30 win if I had been playing 3 coins........typical of my luck this trip.....gave out a loud laugh and called it a day. Flight home was uneventful, a couple of glasses of wine and I slept the last half of the flight. I had to clear off several inches of snow off of my car at the park and fly lot...welcome home. Pulled into my driveway at about 2 AM. Back to reality.
EPILOGUE:
I enjoy my occasional solo Vegas trips....do what I want, when I want. Next solo trip I think I will stay downtown....had the most fun during this trip while at the FSE really like playing at the Golden Gate. Played mostly VP and slots which resulted with a net gambling loss this trip...bummer. That first royal flush still eludes me. Enjoyed both shows..tried to see LOVE this trip, but the show was dark on Tuesday and Wednesday...will keep it on my must see list. Madman Mike is really fired up about taking a Vegas trip this spring. A guys trip the end of March is looking very promising...could have 4 or 5 of my co-workers going. Always have a riot playing craps with these guys; and sometimes even make some money at the tables. Thanks for reading.
My November trip with Gail(see Road to Rio trip report) should have satisfied my Vegas itch, but this Minnesota winter has been a cruel master. Snowfalls in excess of 42 inches in December combined with the hectic Christmas season left me desperately longing for an escape. Madman Mike says "Vegas, Baby..let's go in January. We were sucessful in receiving the time off...great.... wait...Mikey's wife says "No way". I've got this whole week off in January...what I am going to do? Ice fishing up at Lake of the Woods? Somehow sitting in an ice shack by myself for several days jigging my fish pole and listening to the wind howl outside just didn't seem like a whole lot of fun...screw it...I'm going back to Vegas. Gold Coast would give me two free nights in a premium room and Harrah's would give me two free nights at the Flamingo..deal. Sun Country came through with a flight schedule that fitted my schedule, got a decent rate for a car rental from Enterprise...Game on!!
SUNDAY JAN 9th:
Got to the ticket counter at MSP early and scored a 1st class upgrade..sweet. We board the plane first, flight attendant asks if I would like a cocktail before we takeoff...request a Manhattan...F.A. asks me "Sir, what's in a Manhattan?" Whoa...okay let's keep this simple..bring me a beer and a Jack Daniels on the rocks. I was served a nice cheese plate followed with a salad and a main course consisting of sliced turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, with a warm chocolate cookie for dessert. Naturally all this was washed down with several glasses of Chardonnay. This 1st class deal could really spoil me. This was with smoothess flight to Vegas that I can remember..no turbulence and the landing was smooth as silk.
I was in and out with the Enterprise people and hit the strip with my Dodge Avenger in short order..light traffic on the strip; soon was pulling into the parking ramp at the Gold Coast. Clerk gave me a premium room on the 4th floor; not much of a view, but the room was very nice..very comfortable king sized bed, flat screen TV. Side note: The Gold Coast offers Ballroom dancing on Sunday afternoon/evenings, with dance lessons in the afternoon. I took weekly ballroom dance lessons for about six years ...great past-time and good exercise...also this is a fabulous way for a single middle-aged guy to meet interesting single women. I didn't get a chance to check this out on Sunday evening, but will keep it in mind for future trips.
After unpacking I headed to the bar and played some 9/6 JOB at the 50 cent level for a while and had a few Heinekens. Walked over to the roulette table and used my $5 free play along with 5 bucks of my own money to bet on black...winner. I then drove over to the Rio...yeah I know, it's only accross the street..so sue me. My favorite cash time slot machine was not in it's usual place. I walked over to the Carnival Tower side of the casino with intentions of spending some quality time at the Wine Cellar..found my cash time machine close to the entrance and got side tracked to the tune of $60 worth..zip, nada, nothing...not even a free spin...this sucks. Mary Ann and Jose were not working...some guy named Joe behind the bar. Talked to a nice couple from L.A. who seemed to be Wine Cellar 'regulars'...they say Jose is now working at the Cosmopolitan. I tried one of their Pinot Noir flights...the New Zealand wine was so so, the Pinot from Oregon was very nice, but the wine from Domaine Carneros was the winner..good nose, tasty with a nice finish. The Wine Cellar is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays now...looks like I won't be spending a lot of time here this trip.
Back at the Gold Coast, I decide to have a late dinner at Ping Pang Pong. Order some pot stickers and some orange beef. Waitress comes back a few minutes later and tells me that they are out of pot stickers...how is that possible? Okay bring me some spring rolls..whatever. The food is good and the tea is hot. Played some more JOB at the bar..not much to report..no big hits..back to the room and crashed shortly after midnight.
MONDAY:
Fired up my Mr Coffee and enjoyed several cups of fresh brewed Columbian coffee to start out the day. Unfortunately I messed around too late to catch the breakfast buffet..oh well, grabbed a quick but satisfactory beakfast at TGI Fridays. Played more VP at the bar..excellent gin and tonic...then headed over to the LVA office to pick up my coupon book. I then drove over to Harrah's and picked up my ticket for tonight's performance of Legends in Concert. I bought a VIP ticket through Travel Zoo for $31...row AA seat 3. Played some more VP at the bar at Harrahs...couple of Heinekens..walked away even..made a quick $20 on a slot machine on my way out and headed to check out the Cosmo.
The Cosmo is an absolutely stunning place..very classy. Spent quite a while walking around the place..checked out the hidden pizza place, etc. and won $20 on a slot machine before departing for the south strip. I had to try my hand at the Lion's Share progressive machine..no dice..will give it a go next trip..again. I walked accross the street to the Tropicana and finally got a players card..they are making an effort to spruce this place up a bit..won $30..on to NYNY..actually won $20 on a slot machine there...first time that I can remember that I won anything there. Nine Fine Irishmen has always been my mid afternoon quiet retreat..glass of Guiness and some Irish whiskey neat. Today the place was packed, no room anywhere..okay I'll try the pub at the Monte Carlo. Waited forever for the bartender to wait on me, asked for a porter, but they didn't have any in stock...what the hell...now I'm pissed and thirsty. Take the tram over to the Bellagio and spend some quality time admiring the Chinese New Year display in the conservatory. I took several photos, which was difficult at times with all the idiots walking in front of me while I was obviously engaged in taking a picture..wish I had a three foot length of 2 x 4. Next stop is Sully's bar at Bally's. Matt the bartender is not working today, have several Heinekens and run through $60 ...get 4 to the Royal countless times...but no luck.
I thought I would try the Palm restaurant at the Forum Shoppes to take advantage of their Happy Hour pricing on their appetizers. The food was very good and the price was very reasonable. I had their Eastside Side Car, which really knocked my socks off...delicious. Watched the 1st half of the Auburn/Oregon game munching on my crab cakes, Lobster sliders, steak sliders and half a dozen oysters on the half shell. I left at halftime and ended up at the sportsbook at Harrah's to watch the rest of the game. Auburn eeked out a win and made my sportsbet a winner. I hustled over to the Harrah's theater shortly before my show started. Front row seat. I wasn't expecting very much from the show, but was pleasantly surprised by the entertainment. Aretha Franklin belted out the Motown ...sock it to me! Michael Jackson had all the mannerisms and dance moves..they did the dance routine from Thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Elvis impersonator was okay..he gave his scarf to a lady in the front row...she was so excited I thought she was going to pee her pants...gessh lady this is not the REAL Elvis! I paid $31 for my ticket, so this was a very nice way to spend my evening being entertained.
After the show I grabbed a $1 Michelob at Casino Royale on my way to the Venetian to play my Star Trek slots. I played a long time on $40, piled up a bunch of medals..hey, I even had the CW come over so that I could order a Heineken..first time in a long while that I got a cocktail at the Venetian while playing a slot machine. Pick up the car at Harrah's and drive back to the Gold Coast..more VP at the bar...lose $20...bedtime at 01:00.
TUESDAY:
Spend the morning drinking coffee and watching ESPN. Finally pack up and then walk down to the cashier's cage to close out my security box...they don't have in-room safes at the Gold Coast. I had to put a $100 deposit on the box, fill out a bunch of forms..asked the lady if she wanted a note from my Mom, also...kind of a hassle. No problems getting my deposit back, cleared out my box and headed over to collect on my sportsbet. Back to the room and reach for my cell phone to make a call and it's not in my pant's pocket...must have fell out when I was at the sportsbook. Back down to the casino..no phone..report my loss to security...shit what a time to lose that sucker. I'm really upset with myself for being so careless..use the TV checkout in the room...pick up my suitcase off of the bed...guess what...cell phone was underneath the suitcase the whole time....duh.
Drive down to the M resort and take advantage of my coupon for a free lunch buffet.. no line...seated immediately. Wide variety of delicious food...this is my third buffet experience here...like it a lot. Stuff myself and then play some slots and do nothing but piss away $60...rats. Pick up my free bottle of wine at the players club and then out the door.
I'm off to the Flamingo ...try the $20 sandwich and politely ask for an upgrade...lady at the counter says that she can't give me a Go room...I tell her that I didn't expect/want a Go room...too much pink...she laughs and gives me a mini suite on the 14th floor.....score. Nice room, huge living area, two big easy chairs, sofa, TV, desk, large windows with a view of Ballys and Bellagio, separate bedroom area with a very comfortable king sized bed. The bathroom was extremely small...like Gold Coast small. If you were sitting on the can and someone opened the bathroom door, they would smack the door into your knees. Unpacked, and uncorked my flask of Basil Hayden bourbon and had a few cocktails while relaxing in the room.
Next stop is some VP at Bugsy's Bar...play a long time on 20 bucks walk away even. I then walk over to my favorite afternoon hang out, Magaritaville....plant myself at the bar and start drink those lovely Landshark drafts. Make some idle chat with one of the bartenders, she is from Wisconsin....a Packer fan, naturally. Time to head downtown. Grab the Ace in front of Paris and am deposited near Fremont street shortly thereafter...much easier than taking the Deuce. Time for a mini coupon run. I have $10 in free play at the 4 Q's which results in nothing. Decide to have a pizza at the Chicago Brew Pub...good pizza and a have several good Downtown Browns (beer)...all the while playing VP at the bar and walk away with a $10 profit. I'm enticed to try a free pull at the slot machine by one of the entrances as I am on my way out...oh, what the hell. I hit 3 of a kind and win $10 in free play...head over to the players club, get the FP loaded onto my card and convert that into a $20 profit. Head over to the ElCo and convert my $10 FP into $5 cash. Next stop is the Vegas Club where my free play nets me zero. This place is a pit...can't get out of there soon enough.
Golden Gate blackjack tables are calling my name and soon I'm sucking down copious quantities of Heineken and having the time of my life. I buy in for $200 and play $10/hand. I have a sweetheart for a dealer, Mattie. Played with a nice couple at the table, who knew basic strategy...we were all winning. I had several double down opportunities and nailed just about everyone of them..getting 20 or 21's. At one point I had 3 BJ in 4 hands. I was up about $150 in about 20 minutes. The play leveled off from there, but after a little over an hour I found myself with a pretty good buzz going and had more than doubled my buy-in...time to cash out. Really like the vibe at the GG...I've had a blast playing at the tables there the past several trips. Caught the Ace back to the strip, VP at the bar at the Flamingo then head for bed.
WEDNESDAY
Coffee in the room and then over to Bill's for breakfast..no waiting, get a table right away. Have eggs, hashbrowns and their juicy ham steak....great breakfast. Play some slots and win $20. I had a coupon for Mac King, so I decided to take in the 1 PM performance. The price was $9.95 with a "free" drink. Here's a little tidbit of advice about the drinks. Get yourself a beer or a glass of wine...they can't screw that up. They had Tangueray and tonic on the drink menu, so I ordered that. Okay says the bartender and he grabs the drink gun thingy and pours my drink out into the glass, then asks me if I want a lime. Tangueray gin out of a drink gun dispenser...I don't think so...but it really didn't matter. If there was any kind of gin in my glass...well I'm a ringtailed monkey.....got a glass of tonic water with a slice of lime...swell. The show, however, was very entertaining. I was sitting in the second row, close to center stage...great seat. Value and entertainment-wise, this is the best afternoon show going in Vegas....if you haven't seen this show, and enjoy magic...put Mac on your list.
Afterward I caught the ACE and headed for the Sahara to make up for the beating I took last year. Used my coupon for $50 in promo chips and I also had a $25 MP burning a hole in my pocket.....rest of the afternoon was pretty ugly. My $50 in promo chips resulted in $45 cash at the BJ table, then I lost my $25 MP. I decided to check out the $1 BJ pit area. Sat down at a table and bought in for $30 and played $2/hand. I should have known that this was a mistake when the first time I declared a double down the player to my left wanted me to explain what that meant. Over the next four hours I witnessed countless bonehead decisions my other players. I know that other players poor play is not supposed to affect your outcome overall, but I ended losing close to $80 playing $2/hand. I was the dealer's favorite, however, since I was the only player that tipped the dealers all the while I was at the table...felt sorry for them. At least the drink service was good, tipped the CW 2 bucks initially and we were best buddies from then on. Tried bumping my bets towards the end...chasing my loses...only made things worse...took the Monorail back to Harrah's with my tail between my legs..depressed.
I had a pretty good jag going for me; dinner was a couple of slices of greazzy pizza and $1 Michelob. Dessert consisted of an Irish Car bomb and a beer at O'Sheas...yum. Walked/stumbled down to Bill's to see about playing craps, but after watching the tables for a few minutes I decided against buying in.....tables looked cold. I ended up playing VP back at the bar at the Flamingo...more Heinekens...played for the longest time on $20. Found a Cash Time slot and sat down and played again for a long time on $20. During this stretch a very lovely young lady sat down at the slot machine next to me while I was ordering yet another libation and ordered a vodka and something. I didn't pay any attention to her initially until it became apparent that she had no plans on playing the machine in front of her. Her intent was to try playing me. She tried making some small talk...I gave some very brief replies to her queries before stopping play, turning towards her and politely suggesting that she was wasting her time..fair enough, she stood up and vanished. Two minutes later I had another 'lady' sit down next to the machine on the otherside of me and asked me how I was doing....what is this, hooker central? Cashed out and called it a night....walked about 20 feet and was approached by yet another hooker. Two hours later that greazzy pizza decided to get it's gastrointestinal revenge in the form of the worst case of hearburn that I have ever had. Pharmaceuticals to the rescue....better.
THURSDAY
I need several cups of coffee and a long hot shower to clear my head this morning. Time to pack up and check out. Put my bags in the car and then head over to the Cosmo to try their buffet. I was really impressed with the Wicked Spoon buffet; very nice dining area and great food....the mushrooms braised in red wine were very good, everything that I tried was delicious...next trip I definitely will have to try the dinner buffet. Played some slots after lunch...lost $60, then went over to Bill's to see about craps. Tables were empty, just a couple of old guys at each table, not much action except for one guy that was betting a huge stack of black chips on the don't pass line. The tray in front of him was filled end to end with black chips. No, don't want to play at this table. Bought in for $200 at a BJ table and played $10/hand for the next couple of hours. Played with a nice group of people, dealers were funny and engaging. Didn't get a lot of double down opportunities and the ones that I did get resulted in getting a 13 or 14 most of the time. Ended up losing $130...time to head for the airport.
No problems checking in the car; got another 1st class upgrade at the airline counter...no line at security. I got to my gate with plenty of time to spare so I decided to play a dime slot machine to kill some time. Put $5 in and played for a while, steadily losing money. I was playing max credits (3 dimes) at a time until I finally was down to one credit. Last 'pull' was for one credit and up pops three red sevens, which would have resulted in a $30 win if I had been playing 3 coins........typical of my luck this trip.....gave out a loud laugh and called it a day. Flight home was uneventful, a couple of glasses of wine and I slept the last half of the flight. I had to clear off several inches of snow off of my car at the park and fly lot...welcome home. Pulled into my driveway at about 2 AM. Back to reality.
EPILOGUE:
I enjoy my occasional solo Vegas trips....do what I want, when I want. Next solo trip I think I will stay downtown....had the most fun during this trip while at the FSE really like playing at the Golden Gate. Played mostly VP and slots which resulted with a net gambling loss this trip...bummer. That first royal flush still eludes me. Enjoyed both shows..tried to see LOVE this trip, but the show was dark on Tuesday and Wednesday...will keep it on my must see list. Madman Mike is really fired up about taking a Vegas trip this spring. A guys trip the end of March is looking very promising...could have 4 or 5 of my co-workers going. Always have a riot playing craps with these guys; and sometimes even make some money at the tables. Thanks for reading.
