Summer 2012 – Day 3
It was up and an early checkout today as I want to drive to Vegas before the heat sets in. After putting the finishing touches on the report, I checked out and picked up so OJ for the trip. My overall impressions of staying at the Riverside are positive. The room was clean, mattress comfy, and the little coffee maker a plus. (3 snores)
Nice moon rise on the horizon from Riverside room
The drive to Vegas takes 90 minutes and is about as easy a drive as you can ask for. The majority of it is a long stretch of two lanes in each direction with a 75 mph limit. I wanted to take a picture of the new rest area that they’ve been working on for the past year that’s not far from the Arizona/California/Nevada corner because it’s so unique, but the darn things sill isn’t open. Hopefully by the end of this trip it will be. The drive does take you through a speed trap called Searchlight, NV. This little town with a population of 539 got its 15 minutes of fame a couple of years ago when the Tea Party had a gathering and Sarah Palin was the keynote speaker. It was an ideal location what with all the hot air that’s already out there (editorial).
The speed limit goes from 75 to 25 (even with four lanes and a passing lane) and is patrolled a-plenty. At one time they used to have a police car in a conspicuous spot, which only had a dummy behind the wheel to remind people to slow down; but unfortunately, it worked too well and much needed traffic fine money was being lost, so they got rid of it (editorial). There are a couple of small casinos here with bars that both boast $1 beer. It’s just what you want from a place that caters to drivers. They have one school here (K-5). I suppose after you graduate from the 5th grade you’re just SOL.
Searchlight NV - gas stop for your car and for you
Another view of Searchlight...looks bigger than it is
I arrived in Las Vegas at 9:30 AM. The first stop was at the Starbucks off Sunset in Henderson. I filed my report and then darted over to the Costco to fill up ($3.42 per) and into the store to pick up some dried fruits and nuts. I’ve been sending a care package to an ex-student who is currently serving in Afghanistan. I know it’s an odd thing to send, but that’s what is asked for—a healthy choice, I suppose. I then asked Siri on my iphone where the closest post office was to get it sent out. Yes, I love the addition to my iphone. Star Trek technology has come in my lifetime. Next, the Apple people need to come up with a transporter app. By the way, I want to mention that this Costco has something I've not seen before. Along with the usual drink despensor fountain in all of the Costcos, this one has a separate "chewable" ice dispensor. For the heat out here, I thought this was a class act.
Nice touch at Costco with 100 degree temps outside
I finally made my way to my next stop, The Las Vegas Hotel. Formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, I can’t help but wonder that they chose this name so as to not have to change all of the signage with LVH on it. Check-in went smoothly and I found myself on the 15th floor of the East Tower. I don’t remember ever being in the East Tower on my many stays here over the years. The room was recently remodeled with a nice desk area overlooking the view and a flat screen TV. There’s no coffee maker (okay as I bring my own), and though the room is quite nice, the bathroom is still very small—there’s only so much you can do when you remodel a room that was constructed back in the 1969. It’s interesting how much the public has shifted the importance of bathrooms compared to that time. The bathrooms at Caesars’ new towers are the size of most small hotel rooms.
View of my room at the LVH
Another angle
Nice view of downtown in the background
This is one of the few times this trip that I’m paying for my room, albeit, at a nice discount. The deal is three nights for $99. Included were two tickets to the July 4th party on the pool deck, which includes an open bar and BBQ. Also included was a complimentary gift when you picked up your tickets. When I did, I got just what I needed, two t-shirts with the LVH logo on them—sweet! (sarcastic editorial). But it’s a great deal considering where else will you get a room like this for $33 a night? BTW – if anyone in Vegas reads this today and wants a free ticket to the party with food and drink, let me know. I obviously have one extra.
After unpacking, it was time to gamble a bit. For years, I’ve been playing the Ugly Deuces Spin Poker machines for nickels (nine games at a time at $.25 each is $2.25 per deal). I was very happy to see they were still there. I put in a hundred and played for a good long time with the usual swings. At one point I was down to $30 but managed to get back to a hundred, so I quit having played enough to keep the discounted offers coming. The machines in the Sportsbook are still full pay at the quarter level, but a warning, it’s the only place where the machines are full pay. The rest of casino has terrible pay schedules, so stay in the Sportsbook, which is still the largest in Las Vegas. However, on this day as you can see in the picture, it’s really slow. This remains one of the coolest places to hang out and watch games while playing some full pay video poker.
The massive Sportsbook at the LVH
After playing a variety of penny games and breaking even, I wondered in what to be the Star Trek casino. It’s now been turned into a “nightclub” and I use the term loosely. A disco table for the DJ and a lot of cocktail tables spread around. All the machines are gone. It’s sad.
Where once Trekies walked the walk, now stands a lonely nighclub
Entrance to Dos Rios
I walked down the eastern corridor and next to the café there’s a new little place called Dos Rios. It’s just a small bar that only serves drinks and appetizers. They have a 7 day a week Happy Hour where everything is half hour between 2 to 5 PM and 9 to 11 PM. I stepped in and had a huge margarita and nachos, which were excellent for less the ten bucks (4 ½ gulps). I had a nice chat with the bartender named Aris. He’s from Barinas, Columbia and came to this country on work visa in 1989. He said that one of the happiest days of his life was when he became an American citizen two years later. He started work as a day laborer in the fields not far from Mesquite where he met and married his wife and raised three children. When his wife was diagnosed with MS in 1998, he moved to Las Vegas for her care and found a job here at the then Hilton Hotel as custodian cleaning anything from the floors on the nightshift to the bathrooms. He said he didn’t mind as it beat being out in the heat in the fields and the pay was better.
He worked his way up bus boy in the café to a bar back in the Shimmer theater where he became friends with Sheena Easton, who was performing at the time. She’s semi-retired and is the godmother to one of his daughters. I told him that Martin and I watched her show on night years ago and sat at the bar. He probably was there.
He said the change in ownership didn’t really affect his job on his level. However, he mentioned quietly that now there aren’t three bosses for every department anymore, which was a good thing. Under the Hilton brand name, he was able to go to any Hilton in the world at an employee discount but he didn’t mind losing that perk as with his wife’s condition, they rarely travelled. He’s 42 now and confesses that he has neither the education nor skill to go any further up the ladder. He’s happy being a bartender and makes a reasonable living. He wife, though wheelchair bound, is happy and works a little out of the house. She still can make handcrafts and that they like to sell them in a booth when there are craft fairs around the city.
I paid my bill (leaving a hefty tip) and thanked him for the chat. I walked back into the casino area and played a few more games. It being the Fourth of July holiday, I’m stuck by how slow the place is. Only three of the blackjack tables have anyone playing and one craps table with two customers throwing the dice. I believe the hotel is nice. The owners are putting in improvements and it seems to stay as modern as is possible for a hotel that’s 50 years old. Rich Little (a relic himself) is playing in the main showroom (yes, the same show room that once housed Elvis and Barbara). The restaurant row is still there with the sushi place and Benihanas along with a steakhouse. There doesn’t appear to be many people in any of them.
I can’t describe any meals this time around as all I ate was a hotdog at Costco and the nachos at Dos Rios. I’m simply not hungry today (a good thing with my weight issues). I made it back to my room to watch some TV before going to bed. The room next to me is having a party. They’re loud but having a good time and it ended by 10 PM, so I’m fine with that. Gambling wise it was a breakeven day. I’m only down $100 for the trip so far and everything considered, that’s pretty darn good considering I’ve not hit any big hands whatsoever. Hopefully, tomorrow will change that.
More tomorrow
It was up and an early checkout today as I want to drive to Vegas before the heat sets in. After putting the finishing touches on the report, I checked out and picked up so OJ for the trip. My overall impressions of staying at the Riverside are positive. The room was clean, mattress comfy, and the little coffee maker a plus. (3 snores)
Nice moon rise on the horizon from Riverside room
The drive to Vegas takes 90 minutes and is about as easy a drive as you can ask for. The majority of it is a long stretch of two lanes in each direction with a 75 mph limit. I wanted to take a picture of the new rest area that they’ve been working on for the past year that’s not far from the Arizona/California/Nevada corner because it’s so unique, but the darn things sill isn’t open. Hopefully by the end of this trip it will be. The drive does take you through a speed trap called Searchlight, NV. This little town with a population of 539 got its 15 minutes of fame a couple of years ago when the Tea Party had a gathering and Sarah Palin was the keynote speaker. It was an ideal location what with all the hot air that’s already out there (editorial).
The speed limit goes from 75 to 25 (even with four lanes and a passing lane) and is patrolled a-plenty. At one time they used to have a police car in a conspicuous spot, which only had a dummy behind the wheel to remind people to slow down; but unfortunately, it worked too well and much needed traffic fine money was being lost, so they got rid of it (editorial). There are a couple of small casinos here with bars that both boast $1 beer. It’s just what you want from a place that caters to drivers. They have one school here (K-5). I suppose after you graduate from the 5th grade you’re just SOL.
Searchlight NV - gas stop for your car and for you
Another view of Searchlight...looks bigger than it is
I arrived in Las Vegas at 9:30 AM. The first stop was at the Starbucks off Sunset in Henderson. I filed my report and then darted over to the Costco to fill up ($3.42 per) and into the store to pick up some dried fruits and nuts. I’ve been sending a care package to an ex-student who is currently serving in Afghanistan. I know it’s an odd thing to send, but that’s what is asked for—a healthy choice, I suppose. I then asked Siri on my iphone where the closest post office was to get it sent out. Yes, I love the addition to my iphone. Star Trek technology has come in my lifetime. Next, the Apple people need to come up with a transporter app. By the way, I want to mention that this Costco has something I've not seen before. Along with the usual drink despensor fountain in all of the Costcos, this one has a separate "chewable" ice dispensor. For the heat out here, I thought this was a class act.
Nice touch at Costco with 100 degree temps outside
I finally made my way to my next stop, The Las Vegas Hotel. Formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, I can’t help but wonder that they chose this name so as to not have to change all of the signage with LVH on it. Check-in went smoothly and I found myself on the 15th floor of the East Tower. I don’t remember ever being in the East Tower on my many stays here over the years. The room was recently remodeled with a nice desk area overlooking the view and a flat screen TV. There’s no coffee maker (okay as I bring my own), and though the room is quite nice, the bathroom is still very small—there’s only so much you can do when you remodel a room that was constructed back in the 1969. It’s interesting how much the public has shifted the importance of bathrooms compared to that time. The bathrooms at Caesars’ new towers are the size of most small hotel rooms.
View of my room at the LVH
Another angle
Nice view of downtown in the background
This is one of the few times this trip that I’m paying for my room, albeit, at a nice discount. The deal is three nights for $99. Included were two tickets to the July 4th party on the pool deck, which includes an open bar and BBQ. Also included was a complimentary gift when you picked up your tickets. When I did, I got just what I needed, two t-shirts with the LVH logo on them—sweet! (sarcastic editorial). But it’s a great deal considering where else will you get a room like this for $33 a night? BTW – if anyone in Vegas reads this today and wants a free ticket to the party with food and drink, let me know. I obviously have one extra.
After unpacking, it was time to gamble a bit. For years, I’ve been playing the Ugly Deuces Spin Poker machines for nickels (nine games at a time at $.25 each is $2.25 per deal). I was very happy to see they were still there. I put in a hundred and played for a good long time with the usual swings. At one point I was down to $30 but managed to get back to a hundred, so I quit having played enough to keep the discounted offers coming. The machines in the Sportsbook are still full pay at the quarter level, but a warning, it’s the only place where the machines are full pay. The rest of casino has terrible pay schedules, so stay in the Sportsbook, which is still the largest in Las Vegas. However, on this day as you can see in the picture, it’s really slow. This remains one of the coolest places to hang out and watch games while playing some full pay video poker.
The massive Sportsbook at the LVH
After playing a variety of penny games and breaking even, I wondered in what to be the Star Trek casino. It’s now been turned into a “nightclub” and I use the term loosely. A disco table for the DJ and a lot of cocktail tables spread around. All the machines are gone. It’s sad.
Where once Trekies walked the walk, now stands a lonely nighclub
Entrance to Dos Rios
I walked down the eastern corridor and next to the café there’s a new little place called Dos Rios. It’s just a small bar that only serves drinks and appetizers. They have a 7 day a week Happy Hour where everything is half hour between 2 to 5 PM and 9 to 11 PM. I stepped in and had a huge margarita and nachos, which were excellent for less the ten bucks (4 ½ gulps). I had a nice chat with the bartender named Aris. He’s from Barinas, Columbia and came to this country on work visa in 1989. He said that one of the happiest days of his life was when he became an American citizen two years later. He started work as a day laborer in the fields not far from Mesquite where he met and married his wife and raised three children. When his wife was diagnosed with MS in 1998, he moved to Las Vegas for her care and found a job here at the then Hilton Hotel as custodian cleaning anything from the floors on the nightshift to the bathrooms. He said he didn’t mind as it beat being out in the heat in the fields and the pay was better.
He worked his way up bus boy in the café to a bar back in the Shimmer theater where he became friends with Sheena Easton, who was performing at the time. She’s semi-retired and is the godmother to one of his daughters. I told him that Martin and I watched her show on night years ago and sat at the bar. He probably was there.
He said the change in ownership didn’t really affect his job on his level. However, he mentioned quietly that now there aren’t three bosses for every department anymore, which was a good thing. Under the Hilton brand name, he was able to go to any Hilton in the world at an employee discount but he didn’t mind losing that perk as with his wife’s condition, they rarely travelled. He’s 42 now and confesses that he has neither the education nor skill to go any further up the ladder. He’s happy being a bartender and makes a reasonable living. He wife, though wheelchair bound, is happy and works a little out of the house. She still can make handcrafts and that they like to sell them in a booth when there are craft fairs around the city.
I paid my bill (leaving a hefty tip) and thanked him for the chat. I walked back into the casino area and played a few more games. It being the Fourth of July holiday, I’m stuck by how slow the place is. Only three of the blackjack tables have anyone playing and one craps table with two customers throwing the dice. I believe the hotel is nice. The owners are putting in improvements and it seems to stay as modern as is possible for a hotel that’s 50 years old. Rich Little (a relic himself) is playing in the main showroom (yes, the same show room that once housed Elvis and Barbara). The restaurant row is still there with the sushi place and Benihanas along with a steakhouse. There doesn’t appear to be many people in any of them.
I can’t describe any meals this time around as all I ate was a hotdog at Costco and the nachos at Dos Rios. I’m simply not hungry today (a good thing with my weight issues). I made it back to my room to watch some TV before going to bed. The room next to me is having a party. They’re loud but having a good time and it ended by 10 PM, so I’m fine with that. Gambling wise it was a breakeven day. I’m only down $100 for the trip so far and everything considered, that’s pretty darn good considering I’ve not hit any big hands whatsoever. Hopefully, tomorrow will change that.
More tomorrow
