Summer 2012 – Day 19
This morning I’m going to be meeting LVAers Diane of Hannibal, Missouri and Greg or from the south bay area of Northern California at the Chez Mon Ami restaurant at the Paris for breakfast. As is my custom, I get up plenty early enough but somehow manage to have to hurry to make sure I get there at our 9:30 time. I have to pack all my things up because this is one of a couple times that I’m double booked, here at South Point and also at Harrahs, which I’m in a comped video poker tournament. I’ll decide which room to stay the night at depending on the room they give me at Harrahs, but I want to be all packed up just in case.
I also need to make a stop at a Starbucks to send in yesterday’s report as I saw no need to pay $12 for Internet here. I hurried out of my room by 8:30, pulled into the Starbucks on Las Vegas Blvd and Blue Diamond, logged into the five different sites (photobucket, Facebook, LVA [free-for-all and member and membership sides], LV Advice, and my personal friends’ emails) and somehow managed to get it all done a little before nine. There was very little traffic this morning and I took Koval to Flamingo and then back to Bill’s Gambling Hall parking garage (the third straight day). As I was walking across the Ballys’ bridge, I got a text from Diane saying they were already seated. When I got there, they waved to be from their table right on the railing about three feet from where I was standing. Great table! And so I took a pic from there.
Diane and Greg
I had met Diane last year when we had drinks together in the Diamond Lounge of Planet Hollywood as we watched her beloved Cardinals. I was in the beginning of my Hit ‘em All Nevada trip and we had a great time chatting, drinking, and watching the game. She’s here this year with her kids staying the Orleans. Greg, whom I hadn’t met before is a LVA contributor well known on the restaurant and entertainment boards (GREGRIO). Greg’s a “show junkie” meaning that he comes to Vegas to see shows—many of them multiple times. If there’s a new show in Vegas he’s there, and if you ever want to know where the best seats are at in any theater in town, he’s the one to ask as he’ll go see the same show again and again for the sole purpose of sitting in a different part of the theater. I remarked to both of them if I had to guess what his job was merely by his looks, I would have guessed theater reviewer with that academic demeanor and inquisitive style (I couldn’t have been more off base: he’s a long shoreman).
The view from out table at Chez Mon Ami
I had never eaten at this restaurant though, like all tourists, I’ve walked past it hundreds of times sometimes gazing at the food others are eating. This time, it was my turn to enjoy a great breakfast as others walked jealously by. Greg had suggested the blueberry waffles while both of them had the Eggs Benedict. The waffles were outstanding!
Eggs Benedict
Blueberry Waffles
We sat for over an hour and a half talking up anything and everything Las Vegas. Greg is an expert on all the theater and I wanted to learn it all. He says the new Smith Center of Performing arts that just opened a few months ago (he’s already been to three shows there) is worthy of all the hype. You can read his show reviews on the LVA Entertainment board. Diane brings her kids (all teens now) every two years and they had just seen the Terry Fater show. She recommended the Atomic Museum very highly and though I had been putting that off, she’s convinced me it’s time to make a visit.
After breakfast, I wanted to drive over to the Rio to see if the WSOP was still going on and that’s where Greg is staying, so I volunteered to drive him. We walked back to the parking garage and remarked at the Sponge Bob and Iron Man costumed panhandlers in front of Bill’s. We also noted that there were fewer porn-slappers than ever before. I only noticed a couple in front of the Flamingo all day. At the Rio the WSOP was over so we said our goodbyes. I couldn’t resist playing Pick a Pair but lost and finally headed to Harrahs after making a couple of stops for some small necessities. I parked in Valet at Harrahs and left my bags with the bellman assuming I wouldn’t be getting my room for a couple of hours as it wasn’t even 1 PM yet. However, I was the only person in the Diamond Registration office and the nice counter person gave me a suite. I was surprised at how nice this was with an amazing Strip view. It's two rooms include a wet bar couch, sitting area, two wide-screen TVs (another in the bathroom), a large bathroom that included a walk-in shower and a Jacuzzi bath tub with double sinks. After I unpacked, I went back down and gave her a $20 tip along with my card thanking her for such an amazing room. Truth be told, when I’m alone like this, a suite isn’t really necessary; however, it sure is nice when I get one.
The living area of the suite (not seen is the wet bar behind me)
Bedroom
Daytime view from my window
I headed over to Bally’s to sign up for the tournament. There’s scaffolding surrounding the Imperial Palace as the construction of the new Caesar’s Entertainment complex is in full swing. The Starbucks, photo store, and other places that lined the Carnival Court are all gone. You walk under scaffolding all the way from Harrahs to Margaritaville with a small walking path if you’re staying at Imperial Palace—why they didn’t tear down Imperial Palace is a mystery to me. By today’s standards, the place is a dump. I walked through the new Margaritaville casino, which is the area that used be where the Flamingo Steak house was located. Now it’s all loud music, loud table dealers (who scream and blow whistles every time they get a tip), and loud machines (yea…I’m turning into “that” guy). I walked through the Flamingo stopping long enough to play the new Lord of the Rings machine. I hit Frodo, won $30 and cashed out and played the machine next to it, hitting Frodo again and winning another $47 (new system—hit Frodo and move on as it’s likely you won’t hit him again for a long time—the beginning of another gaming myth is born).
I headed over to Ballys across the bridge (just how many times have I now walked over this thing already this trip?) and there in the corner is the same guy every day with the sign “need money for beer.” I played a couple of games at Ballys and lost most of what I won at the Flamingo—what, is an actual winning streak every going to happen this trip? I got in line to sign up for the tournament. I was a little thrown as I learned the there are three days and each day is separate meaning the top winners of each day get paid, so you have three chances to be in the money. The problem is that I was only given a comped room for two nights. This usually isn’t how these things are done. I’m sure people can sign up for only one or two of the days, but I don’t see the sense in that. So, I did sign up for all three days, but it means that I’ll have drive from my next stay at the M Resort to come back to play in the final day of the tournament. Make no mistake, you have only one ten-minute session per day and if you don’t hit a royal or at least Aces with a kicker, you needn’t even bother to come back at the 8 PM posting of the winners. I did win $1000 last time I played in a VP tournament in Laughlin a couple of months ago having hit a royal but I still only came in fourth place.
After getting my three slips (all at 10 AM per my request), I headed back to Harrahs. I played some bonus poker and Pick a Pair but lost at both. I headed up to the Diamond Lounge and enjoyed a couple margaritas. Their food spread, though far out-shining Laughlin, is still just a shadow of the food they used to offer just a couple of years ago. I talked to the always very chatty bartender Robert who says that the topic he has to deal with every day with customers is how dissatisfied they are with the way things are going for Diamond card holders.
Diamond Lounge food spread
I finally headed back to my room. I have this nice suite; I should spend at least a little time enjoying it. The nighttime view was wonderful and I sat for the longest time just gazing out at the scene before me.
This was taken from my window at 5AM
More tomorrow.
This morning I’m going to be meeting LVAers Diane of Hannibal, Missouri and Greg or from the south bay area of Northern California at the Chez Mon Ami restaurant at the Paris for breakfast. As is my custom, I get up plenty early enough but somehow manage to have to hurry to make sure I get there at our 9:30 time. I have to pack all my things up because this is one of a couple times that I’m double booked, here at South Point and also at Harrahs, which I’m in a comped video poker tournament. I’ll decide which room to stay the night at depending on the room they give me at Harrahs, but I want to be all packed up just in case.
I also need to make a stop at a Starbucks to send in yesterday’s report as I saw no need to pay $12 for Internet here. I hurried out of my room by 8:30, pulled into the Starbucks on Las Vegas Blvd and Blue Diamond, logged into the five different sites (photobucket, Facebook, LVA [free-for-all and member and membership sides], LV Advice, and my personal friends’ emails) and somehow managed to get it all done a little before nine. There was very little traffic this morning and I took Koval to Flamingo and then back to Bill’s Gambling Hall parking garage (the third straight day). As I was walking across the Ballys’ bridge, I got a text from Diane saying they were already seated. When I got there, they waved to be from their table right on the railing about three feet from where I was standing. Great table! And so I took a pic from there.
Diane and Greg
I had met Diane last year when we had drinks together in the Diamond Lounge of Planet Hollywood as we watched her beloved Cardinals. I was in the beginning of my Hit ‘em All Nevada trip and we had a great time chatting, drinking, and watching the game. She’s here this year with her kids staying the Orleans. Greg, whom I hadn’t met before is a LVA contributor well known on the restaurant and entertainment boards (GREGRIO). Greg’s a “show junkie” meaning that he comes to Vegas to see shows—many of them multiple times. If there’s a new show in Vegas he’s there, and if you ever want to know where the best seats are at in any theater in town, he’s the one to ask as he’ll go see the same show again and again for the sole purpose of sitting in a different part of the theater. I remarked to both of them if I had to guess what his job was merely by his looks, I would have guessed theater reviewer with that academic demeanor and inquisitive style (I couldn’t have been more off base: he’s a long shoreman).
The view from out table at Chez Mon Ami
I had never eaten at this restaurant though, like all tourists, I’ve walked past it hundreds of times sometimes gazing at the food others are eating. This time, it was my turn to enjoy a great breakfast as others walked jealously by. Greg had suggested the blueberry waffles while both of them had the Eggs Benedict. The waffles were outstanding!
Eggs Benedict
Blueberry Waffles
We sat for over an hour and a half talking up anything and everything Las Vegas. Greg is an expert on all the theater and I wanted to learn it all. He says the new Smith Center of Performing arts that just opened a few months ago (he’s already been to three shows there) is worthy of all the hype. You can read his show reviews on the LVA Entertainment board. Diane brings her kids (all teens now) every two years and they had just seen the Terry Fater show. She recommended the Atomic Museum very highly and though I had been putting that off, she’s convinced me it’s time to make a visit.
After breakfast, I wanted to drive over to the Rio to see if the WSOP was still going on and that’s where Greg is staying, so I volunteered to drive him. We walked back to the parking garage and remarked at the Sponge Bob and Iron Man costumed panhandlers in front of Bill’s. We also noted that there were fewer porn-slappers than ever before. I only noticed a couple in front of the Flamingo all day. At the Rio the WSOP was over so we said our goodbyes. I couldn’t resist playing Pick a Pair but lost and finally headed to Harrahs after making a couple of stops for some small necessities. I parked in Valet at Harrahs and left my bags with the bellman assuming I wouldn’t be getting my room for a couple of hours as it wasn’t even 1 PM yet. However, I was the only person in the Diamond Registration office and the nice counter person gave me a suite. I was surprised at how nice this was with an amazing Strip view. It's two rooms include a wet bar couch, sitting area, two wide-screen TVs (another in the bathroom), a large bathroom that included a walk-in shower and a Jacuzzi bath tub with double sinks. After I unpacked, I went back down and gave her a $20 tip along with my card thanking her for such an amazing room. Truth be told, when I’m alone like this, a suite isn’t really necessary; however, it sure is nice when I get one.
The living area of the suite (not seen is the wet bar behind me)
Bedroom
Daytime view from my window
I headed over to Bally’s to sign up for the tournament. There’s scaffolding surrounding the Imperial Palace as the construction of the new Caesar’s Entertainment complex is in full swing. The Starbucks, photo store, and other places that lined the Carnival Court are all gone. You walk under scaffolding all the way from Harrahs to Margaritaville with a small walking path if you’re staying at Imperial Palace—why they didn’t tear down Imperial Palace is a mystery to me. By today’s standards, the place is a dump. I walked through the new Margaritaville casino, which is the area that used be where the Flamingo Steak house was located. Now it’s all loud music, loud table dealers (who scream and blow whistles every time they get a tip), and loud machines (yea…I’m turning into “that” guy). I walked through the Flamingo stopping long enough to play the new Lord of the Rings machine. I hit Frodo, won $30 and cashed out and played the machine next to it, hitting Frodo again and winning another $47 (new system—hit Frodo and move on as it’s likely you won’t hit him again for a long time—the beginning of another gaming myth is born).
I headed over to Ballys across the bridge (just how many times have I now walked over this thing already this trip?) and there in the corner is the same guy every day with the sign “need money for beer.” I played a couple of games at Ballys and lost most of what I won at the Flamingo—what, is an actual winning streak every going to happen this trip? I got in line to sign up for the tournament. I was a little thrown as I learned the there are three days and each day is separate meaning the top winners of each day get paid, so you have three chances to be in the money. The problem is that I was only given a comped room for two nights. This usually isn’t how these things are done. I’m sure people can sign up for only one or two of the days, but I don’t see the sense in that. So, I did sign up for all three days, but it means that I’ll have drive from my next stay at the M Resort to come back to play in the final day of the tournament. Make no mistake, you have only one ten-minute session per day and if you don’t hit a royal or at least Aces with a kicker, you needn’t even bother to come back at the 8 PM posting of the winners. I did win $1000 last time I played in a VP tournament in Laughlin a couple of months ago having hit a royal but I still only came in fourth place.
After getting my three slips (all at 10 AM per my request), I headed back to Harrahs. I played some bonus poker and Pick a Pair but lost at both. I headed up to the Diamond Lounge and enjoyed a couple margaritas. Their food spread, though far out-shining Laughlin, is still just a shadow of the food they used to offer just a couple of years ago. I talked to the always very chatty bartender Robert who says that the topic he has to deal with every day with customers is how dissatisfied they are with the way things are going for Diamond card holders.
Diamond Lounge food spread
I finally headed back to my room. I have this nice suite; I should spend at least a little time enjoying it. The nighttime view was wonderful and I sat for the longest time just gazing out at the scene before me.
This was taken from my window at 5AM
More tomorrow.
