Spring Break 2011 (part 7)
The winds are upon us. Though the temperature is a righteous 78 degrees, the wind is blowing today. I was up an hour before the fitness center opened and thought I just might to my jog outside this morning but it only took about ten steps outside the doors and I changed my mind. I went back to write yesterday’s report instead.
After taking care of all the usual morning duties, I headed over to Starbucks on Flamingo do turn in the report (the Orleans wants $12.50 per day for Internet—that ain’t gonna happen). I’ve come to this Starbucks so often over the years, I almost expect a “Norm!” greeting. It’s always busy and today I was just barely lucky to catch a table. I bought some over-priced orange juice (it says “freshly squeezed” on the bottle—how can something be freshly squeezed, put in a bottle, and shipped across the country?) The people-watching here (many beautiful bodies of the female persuasion) makes the price of admission worth it.
I’m thinking of spending the day downtown today. I took the I-15 to the usual downtown turnoff to go to Main Street Station, where I like to park. However, the streets are torn up with traffic cones all over the place. I actually couldn’t figure out which temporary lane I was supposed to be in, and I took the wrong one, which put me in a dead end. I turned around and discovered that the only way out was right back on the I-15. Geez! So I’m heading south on the I-15 and decide being that I’m going this way, perhaps I’ll go to the Rio (I’ve now driven one big circle) to play some VP.
For the past six months or so, I’ve been putting all my Harrahs play at Rincon because of their good pay schedules. I’ve noticed that my Las Vegas offers have pretty much dried up except for the token quarterly corporate two day offer. So, I thought it might be wise to put a few hundred points on an LV property to get those offers coming in again. Inside the Rio, coming from the southern parking garage, I was struck by the location of the new Whopper Bar. I read about it in the LVA, but I assumed it was in the spot where the old BBQ place was at. However, it’s right across from the Chippendales Theater where the pretzel place used to be. It’s a very nice looking joint. It’s very different from your usual Burger King outlet. They make the burger in front of you (ala Subway) as you tell them what you want on it. They also offer a Bourbon Burger, a Veggie Burger, and an array of other specialties. They even sell beer. The poor pretzel place was moved across the way by the Italian restaurant almost out of sight (I don’t give them six months).
The Rio is not very busy and I took no time saddling up to one of their VP machines. I’m relegated to 7/5 Bonus, which is their best VP offer. I play for quarters and though being distracted by the dancing and singing cocktail servers, I managed to play for a good two hours on the original $100 investment. I was getting tired of playing and cashed out $80 having played a little over $3k. On my way out, I noticed a new “I Love Lucy” penny machine, which has an unusual bonus in that after you catch any win; you have five spins to catch “three wins in a row,” which will then add on that previous win. It’s too complicated to explain here, but I somehow managed to turn my $20 into a $40, and thus breaking even for the Rio, so I cashed out and left.
I took a stop over at the Las Vegas Advisor offices and bought the book many of you mentioned called BLACKJACK AUTUMN. Evidently, this guy had the same idea about visiting every casino in Nevada, but his take was to play blackjack in all of them. I’m going to read it for pointers and possible places that I might miss. His theme was blackjack, mine will be—well—I’m not sure what mine will be just yet. The book was on sale and put me back just $3. This is the fourth or fifth time I’ve been in the LVA building and again the only person who seemed to be there was the receptionist—does anyone work there?
I gave downtown another shot, this time taking the back way past the World Market building (still a most impressive, massive structure). The Smith’s Performing Arts complex, which is being built across the street, is beginning to take shape. This will be one beautiful building when it’s done.
I pull into the Main Street Station parking lot, and I’m really hungry. It’s already 2:00 PM and I haven’t eaten anything today, so I go into the Triple 7 Brewery, order up and ice tea and a Montgomery cheese, grilled, chicken sandwich—delicious! I want to go check out this new coin-drop pinball machine place that has supposedly opened up (despite the Pinball Museum, which is on Tropicana). I walked all the way up and down Freemont and I couldn’t find it. It must be on some side street I’m not familiar with. I did watch a lot of people taking that wire swing ride across Fremont. Kudos to whoever came up with that idea, they’re making money hands over fists (whatever that means). There are still too many panhandlers along here. I know it’s a losing battle, but it’s just unfortunate that Security has little authority to do much about the problem because it does tarnish the atmosphere of Freemont Street. One perfectly healthy, fit guy asked me for a quarter, I told him no and the dude threw an explicative or two my way.
I put a $20 in a machine at the Golden Gate—lost; put a $20 into a machine at Golden Nugget—lost; put a $20 into a machine at the 4 Queens—lost, and finally at the Vegas Club, I put a $20 into my traditional Joker’s Wild bank of progressives—lost. Hmm. I’m getting the hint. Speaking of Vegas Club, you have to tip your hat for the GM who is obviously trying anything and everything to get the place going. They’re trying the Go-Go girls in cages above their blackjack party pit in the front of the casino and now there are signs outside advertising: Beer and a Dog, only $2. Remember their attempt at a “luxury nightclub” in the back? Well, that’s turned into a walled Bingo Hall. I poked in for a look and there will a grand total of seven people playing. On a good note, on this lower level close to the registration desk are a bank of VP machines that have full pay Jacks, Bonus Poker, and NSUD for denoms from five cents to a dollar.
I walked back to Main Street Station and sat at the bar to play their 9/6 Jacks for quarters. This turned out to be one of those classic sessions. After putting in my $100 and ordering my diet Coke, I began playing. In about ten minutes and with only one full house and three flushes, my money was gone. It was simply a massacre. These sessions happen, so all I could do was shake my head, take another sip of the soft drink and head to the door.
By now it’s almost 7:00 PM and I want to pick up some dinner to take back to my room for the DWTS elimination show. The café at the Orleans has a good turkey wrap, but they don’t do takeout orders. I stopped at a Smith’s grocery store on Rancho Rd. and walked over to their deli where I bought a turkey sandwich and a small portion of crab and lobster salad. When I got into my room, I still had some time, so I walked back down to the casino where I played some Bonus Poker on their 100-play machine for pennies ($5 per hand). I managed to get my $100 up to $164 hoping to hit it up to $200 so as to salvage the mess at Main Street Station. That didn’t happen. The dealt cards suddenly went dead, and I cashed out for $102.50. I wasn’t about for my last gambling in Vegas this time around to be a loss.
This ends my time in Las Vegas as tomorrow I drive back to San Diego where I’m staying a couple of nights at Rincon. Unless something spectacular happens there, I probably will end these trip reports here. I’ve talked about Rincon enough in the past, and there’s really not much to add being that it’s an Indian casino located all by itself in the middle of nowhere in northern San Diego. It’s a nice enough place, and I go there because they offer me nice suites, and there is full pay video poker, which for a Harrahs, is unheard of.
I’ll be spending the next couple of months preparing my retirement plans, which I should mention that the district is asking me to come back two days a week as part of the after school program to teach only drama, so as to keep the drama department alive (they will close it down when I leave—it’s a small school—I am the drama department). The part time work (and pay) would be nice and considering I only just turned 60, I’m not quite ready to sit in a rocking chair the rest of my life.
So, for now I’ll read that book and begin making the plans for the summer Nevada trip. I’ve decided on Guwapo’s suggestion: Hit ‘em All Nevada. The logistics alone are going to be difficult. Outside of the Internet, I’m still not sure just where every casino is at. I’ve emailed the Casino Board of Nevada as well as the Commission of Casinos, and none have emailed me back. I’ll keep at it. Until then, thank you for all your kind words and suggestions. It’s what keeps me writing.
More in a few months.
The winds are upon us. Though the temperature is a righteous 78 degrees, the wind is blowing today. I was up an hour before the fitness center opened and thought I just might to my jog outside this morning but it only took about ten steps outside the doors and I changed my mind. I went back to write yesterday’s report instead.
After taking care of all the usual morning duties, I headed over to Starbucks on Flamingo do turn in the report (the Orleans wants $12.50 per day for Internet—that ain’t gonna happen). I’ve come to this Starbucks so often over the years, I almost expect a “Norm!” greeting. It’s always busy and today I was just barely lucky to catch a table. I bought some over-priced orange juice (it says “freshly squeezed” on the bottle—how can something be freshly squeezed, put in a bottle, and shipped across the country?) The people-watching here (many beautiful bodies of the female persuasion) makes the price of admission worth it.
I’m thinking of spending the day downtown today. I took the I-15 to the usual downtown turnoff to go to Main Street Station, where I like to park. However, the streets are torn up with traffic cones all over the place. I actually couldn’t figure out which temporary lane I was supposed to be in, and I took the wrong one, which put me in a dead end. I turned around and discovered that the only way out was right back on the I-15. Geez! So I’m heading south on the I-15 and decide being that I’m going this way, perhaps I’ll go to the Rio (I’ve now driven one big circle) to play some VP.
For the past six months or so, I’ve been putting all my Harrahs play at Rincon because of their good pay schedules. I’ve noticed that my Las Vegas offers have pretty much dried up except for the token quarterly corporate two day offer. So, I thought it might be wise to put a few hundred points on an LV property to get those offers coming in again. Inside the Rio, coming from the southern parking garage, I was struck by the location of the new Whopper Bar. I read about it in the LVA, but I assumed it was in the spot where the old BBQ place was at. However, it’s right across from the Chippendales Theater where the pretzel place used to be. It’s a very nice looking joint. It’s very different from your usual Burger King outlet. They make the burger in front of you (ala Subway) as you tell them what you want on it. They also offer a Bourbon Burger, a Veggie Burger, and an array of other specialties. They even sell beer. The poor pretzel place was moved across the way by the Italian restaurant almost out of sight (I don’t give them six months).
The Rio is not very busy and I took no time saddling up to one of their VP machines. I’m relegated to 7/5 Bonus, which is their best VP offer. I play for quarters and though being distracted by the dancing and singing cocktail servers, I managed to play for a good two hours on the original $100 investment. I was getting tired of playing and cashed out $80 having played a little over $3k. On my way out, I noticed a new “I Love Lucy” penny machine, which has an unusual bonus in that after you catch any win; you have five spins to catch “three wins in a row,” which will then add on that previous win. It’s too complicated to explain here, but I somehow managed to turn my $20 into a $40, and thus breaking even for the Rio, so I cashed out and left.
I took a stop over at the Las Vegas Advisor offices and bought the book many of you mentioned called BLACKJACK AUTUMN. Evidently, this guy had the same idea about visiting every casino in Nevada, but his take was to play blackjack in all of them. I’m going to read it for pointers and possible places that I might miss. His theme was blackjack, mine will be—well—I’m not sure what mine will be just yet. The book was on sale and put me back just $3. This is the fourth or fifth time I’ve been in the LVA building and again the only person who seemed to be there was the receptionist—does anyone work there?
I gave downtown another shot, this time taking the back way past the World Market building (still a most impressive, massive structure). The Smith’s Performing Arts complex, which is being built across the street, is beginning to take shape. This will be one beautiful building when it’s done.
I pull into the Main Street Station parking lot, and I’m really hungry. It’s already 2:00 PM and I haven’t eaten anything today, so I go into the Triple 7 Brewery, order up and ice tea and a Montgomery cheese, grilled, chicken sandwich—delicious! I want to go check out this new coin-drop pinball machine place that has supposedly opened up (despite the Pinball Museum, which is on Tropicana). I walked all the way up and down Freemont and I couldn’t find it. It must be on some side street I’m not familiar with. I did watch a lot of people taking that wire swing ride across Fremont. Kudos to whoever came up with that idea, they’re making money hands over fists (whatever that means). There are still too many panhandlers along here. I know it’s a losing battle, but it’s just unfortunate that Security has little authority to do much about the problem because it does tarnish the atmosphere of Freemont Street. One perfectly healthy, fit guy asked me for a quarter, I told him no and the dude threw an explicative or two my way.
I put a $20 in a machine at the Golden Gate—lost; put a $20 into a machine at Golden Nugget—lost; put a $20 into a machine at the 4 Queens—lost, and finally at the Vegas Club, I put a $20 into my traditional Joker’s Wild bank of progressives—lost. Hmm. I’m getting the hint. Speaking of Vegas Club, you have to tip your hat for the GM who is obviously trying anything and everything to get the place going. They’re trying the Go-Go girls in cages above their blackjack party pit in the front of the casino and now there are signs outside advertising: Beer and a Dog, only $2. Remember their attempt at a “luxury nightclub” in the back? Well, that’s turned into a walled Bingo Hall. I poked in for a look and there will a grand total of seven people playing. On a good note, on this lower level close to the registration desk are a bank of VP machines that have full pay Jacks, Bonus Poker, and NSUD for denoms from five cents to a dollar.
I walked back to Main Street Station and sat at the bar to play their 9/6 Jacks for quarters. This turned out to be one of those classic sessions. After putting in my $100 and ordering my diet Coke, I began playing. In about ten minutes and with only one full house and three flushes, my money was gone. It was simply a massacre. These sessions happen, so all I could do was shake my head, take another sip of the soft drink and head to the door.
By now it’s almost 7:00 PM and I want to pick up some dinner to take back to my room for the DWTS elimination show. The café at the Orleans has a good turkey wrap, but they don’t do takeout orders. I stopped at a Smith’s grocery store on Rancho Rd. and walked over to their deli where I bought a turkey sandwich and a small portion of crab and lobster salad. When I got into my room, I still had some time, so I walked back down to the casino where I played some Bonus Poker on their 100-play machine for pennies ($5 per hand). I managed to get my $100 up to $164 hoping to hit it up to $200 so as to salvage the mess at Main Street Station. That didn’t happen. The dealt cards suddenly went dead, and I cashed out for $102.50. I wasn’t about for my last gambling in Vegas this time around to be a loss.
This ends my time in Las Vegas as tomorrow I drive back to San Diego where I’m staying a couple of nights at Rincon. Unless something spectacular happens there, I probably will end these trip reports here. I’ve talked about Rincon enough in the past, and there’s really not much to add being that it’s an Indian casino located all by itself in the middle of nowhere in northern San Diego. It’s a nice enough place, and I go there because they offer me nice suites, and there is full pay video poker, which for a Harrahs, is unheard of.
I’ll be spending the next couple of months preparing my retirement plans, which I should mention that the district is asking me to come back two days a week as part of the after school program to teach only drama, so as to keep the drama department alive (they will close it down when I leave—it’s a small school—I am the drama department). The part time work (and pay) would be nice and considering I only just turned 60, I’m not quite ready to sit in a rocking chair the rest of my life.
So, for now I’ll read that book and begin making the plans for the summer Nevada trip. I’ve decided on Guwapo’s suggestion: Hit ‘em All Nevada. The logistics alone are going to be difficult. Outside of the Internet, I’m still not sure just where every casino is at. I’ve emailed the Casino Board of Nevada as well as the Commission of Casinos, and none have emailed me back. I’ll keep at it. Until then, thank you for all your kind words and suggestions. It’s what keeps me writing.
More in a few months.
