Summer 2012 – Day 26
For this trip, I brought two types of suitcases. One is my old, classic hard shell Samsonite, which I use for my two and three night stays because I can keep my coffee maker, clothes, and toiletries safe—yes, I get a few stares because this old-school luggage is from the 60s, but it’s tough and it does the job. The other suitcase I bring is a simple bag that holds one change of clothes and a bag of toiletries I use for trips for airplane trips and one night says. This is a leather carry-on bag that I used when I played racquetball more than 25 years ago. It still has the racquet gloves attached to the handles. I mention all of this because I’m noticing how attached I become to things. Yes, it’s probably just a “man” thing, but I’ve used these for years and I’m very suspect of change—but of only certain things. How did I get to be so old?
I woke up pretty late (for me) because of staying up WAY past my bed time. I showered and headed to the closest Starbucks I could find, which was on the corner of Charleston and Decatur. I usually write my trip reports in my room and then when I go to post them at a Starbucks or some other Wi-Fi place, all I have to do is post the pics, attach them to the report and then send it off to the different places that I post them. However, I left the computer in the car this time and so I had to write it in the Starbucks. It takes me about an hour and half to two hours for the entire process, and I didn’t feel right about staying that long, but I pulled up to a counter chair (the only spot available that had an open outlet), bought a coffee and orange juice, and got everything done.
I called the girls and asked if they’d like me to take them to breakfast. It was already 11:00 AM and I had a suspicion they’d still be in bed, and I wasn’t far from wrong. We met at Ballys and walked over to Paris for the buffet. I used my LVA $10 per person discount coupon and paid the rest with my points. Neither of them had ever been to a buffet before. I showed them where the Crêpes were being prepared and all the other stations. We had a nice lunch. I then walked them over to Caesars to show them around (the Seahorse aquarium was a big hit) and then when in the back entrance to see the pool area. I needed to check in to the Orleans, so I said my goodbyes to the girls.
The Paris Buffet
Me and girls between Paris and Ballys
Today is a little windy and there are thunderclouds around the valley, so the humidity is a little higher than I like. Check in was fine and I was put on the 14th floor. I was a little disappointed in that the past couple of times I’ve stayed here, there was a nice, large flat screen TV, and I assumed that was in all the rooms, but this time I have an old tube. It’s not a big complaint, but I do get spoiled. I only had a few minutes before registration closed for the tournament, so I hustled over to the slot tournament area and just made in by four minutes. She gave me my packet and said that the new tournament area was now outside the Brenagan Irish Pub in another wing. This time, though it came with three nights, the tourney is only one day with two 15-minute sessions. My sessions were 10 AM and 1 PM. They’re just far enough apart to make sure the players will stay in the hotel and hopefully gamble—clever these tourney people.
The view from my room this time around--not the best, but still nice.
I went back up to my room and just mellowed there for the next couple of hours watching the Olympics (isn’t it amazing all the competitive sports that go in the world that you have no idea even existed?) I was glad to just chill out for a while. It was then time to go downtown where I was meeting Dave and Julie at the Four Queens. Dave has a comp for Hugo’s Cellar (the same comp Terry and Louise had) that was good for $150. Julie doesn’t really like Hugo’s and chose to eat in Magnolia’s, so Dave and I enjoyed the gourmet dinner and atmosphere of “the cellar.” This is my second time this trip in here, both times at the invite of friends I met on the LVA board. I might be having a lousy gambling trip, but I’m rich with good friends. Dave went for the three-piece seafood and I had the Veal Oscar. As always, the salad was a meal in itself and the food excellent. Because we had plenty left over for the comp, we also had a banana foster for desert—yum! We finally waddled out of the place. We found Julie at the 10/4 progressives hoping to do what Terry had done just 9 days ago—hit that royal.
Entrance to Hugo's.
Dave wanted to show me their room in the Four Queens. They request a room under the Fremont canopy, which most wouldn’t like because of the volume of the shows. But Dave says they prefer it because they never go to bed until the shows are over anyway and they enjoy the view from their window. The room, like all at the Four Queens, is old and is very small (think Motel 6), but they have added new furniture and a flat screen TV. Dave opened the window and he was right. You can hang out the window and be right there looking down on Fremont. Below us were Captain Sparrow and Mr. T. posing for pics and taking tips. It’s just amazing—go to a costume shop, rent a costume, stand on Fremont and make money.
From Dave and Julie's Four Queens window
American Pie show on Fremont canopy
I said my goodbyes as they were heading back to San Diego tomorrow and thanked them again for the meal and the great time together. I headed back to my car, which I parked at Main Street Station and headed back to the Orleans.
When I got back to the room, the girls called and said how much they LOVED the show. Their seats were just a couple rows from the stage. They said it was "Amazingly Awesome!"
The girls styling before heading for Holly Madison and the Peep Show
I was happy for them and that they enjoyed the show. They suggested I go see it...maybe...someday...
More tomorrow.
For this trip, I brought two types of suitcases. One is my old, classic hard shell Samsonite, which I use for my two and three night stays because I can keep my coffee maker, clothes, and toiletries safe—yes, I get a few stares because this old-school luggage is from the 60s, but it’s tough and it does the job. The other suitcase I bring is a simple bag that holds one change of clothes and a bag of toiletries I use for trips for airplane trips and one night says. This is a leather carry-on bag that I used when I played racquetball more than 25 years ago. It still has the racquet gloves attached to the handles. I mention all of this because I’m noticing how attached I become to things. Yes, it’s probably just a “man” thing, but I’ve used these for years and I’m very suspect of change—but of only certain things. How did I get to be so old?
I woke up pretty late (for me) because of staying up WAY past my bed time. I showered and headed to the closest Starbucks I could find, which was on the corner of Charleston and Decatur. I usually write my trip reports in my room and then when I go to post them at a Starbucks or some other Wi-Fi place, all I have to do is post the pics, attach them to the report and then send it off to the different places that I post them. However, I left the computer in the car this time and so I had to write it in the Starbucks. It takes me about an hour and half to two hours for the entire process, and I didn’t feel right about staying that long, but I pulled up to a counter chair (the only spot available that had an open outlet), bought a coffee and orange juice, and got everything done.
I called the girls and asked if they’d like me to take them to breakfast. It was already 11:00 AM and I had a suspicion they’d still be in bed, and I wasn’t far from wrong. We met at Ballys and walked over to Paris for the buffet. I used my LVA $10 per person discount coupon and paid the rest with my points. Neither of them had ever been to a buffet before. I showed them where the Crêpes were being prepared and all the other stations. We had a nice lunch. I then walked them over to Caesars to show them around (the Seahorse aquarium was a big hit) and then when in the back entrance to see the pool area. I needed to check in to the Orleans, so I said my goodbyes to the girls.
The Paris Buffet
Me and girls between Paris and Ballys
Today is a little windy and there are thunderclouds around the valley, so the humidity is a little higher than I like. Check in was fine and I was put on the 14th floor. I was a little disappointed in that the past couple of times I’ve stayed here, there was a nice, large flat screen TV, and I assumed that was in all the rooms, but this time I have an old tube. It’s not a big complaint, but I do get spoiled. I only had a few minutes before registration closed for the tournament, so I hustled over to the slot tournament area and just made in by four minutes. She gave me my packet and said that the new tournament area was now outside the Brenagan Irish Pub in another wing. This time, though it came with three nights, the tourney is only one day with two 15-minute sessions. My sessions were 10 AM and 1 PM. They’re just far enough apart to make sure the players will stay in the hotel and hopefully gamble—clever these tourney people.
The view from my room this time around--not the best, but still nice.
I went back up to my room and just mellowed there for the next couple of hours watching the Olympics (isn’t it amazing all the competitive sports that go in the world that you have no idea even existed?) I was glad to just chill out for a while. It was then time to go downtown where I was meeting Dave and Julie at the Four Queens. Dave has a comp for Hugo’s Cellar (the same comp Terry and Louise had) that was good for $150. Julie doesn’t really like Hugo’s and chose to eat in Magnolia’s, so Dave and I enjoyed the gourmet dinner and atmosphere of “the cellar.” This is my second time this trip in here, both times at the invite of friends I met on the LVA board. I might be having a lousy gambling trip, but I’m rich with good friends. Dave went for the three-piece seafood and I had the Veal Oscar. As always, the salad was a meal in itself and the food excellent. Because we had plenty left over for the comp, we also had a banana foster for desert—yum! We finally waddled out of the place. We found Julie at the 10/4 progressives hoping to do what Terry had done just 9 days ago—hit that royal.
Entrance to Hugo's.
Dave wanted to show me their room in the Four Queens. They request a room under the Fremont canopy, which most wouldn’t like because of the volume of the shows. But Dave says they prefer it because they never go to bed until the shows are over anyway and they enjoy the view from their window. The room, like all at the Four Queens, is old and is very small (think Motel 6), but they have added new furniture and a flat screen TV. Dave opened the window and he was right. You can hang out the window and be right there looking down on Fremont. Below us were Captain Sparrow and Mr. T. posing for pics and taking tips. It’s just amazing—go to a costume shop, rent a costume, stand on Fremont and make money.
From Dave and Julie's Four Queens window
American Pie show on Fremont canopy
I said my goodbyes as they were heading back to San Diego tomorrow and thanked them again for the meal and the great time together. I headed back to my car, which I parked at Main Street Station and headed back to the Orleans.
When I got back to the room, the girls called and said how much they LOVED the show. Their seats were just a couple rows from the stage. They said it was "Amazingly Awesome!"
The girls styling before heading for Holly Madison and the Peep Show
I was happy for them and that they enjoyed the show. They suggested I go see it...maybe...someday...
More tomorrow.
