Summer of Cal/Nev – Day 36
It’s time to leave Laughlin and drive back to Las Vegas for what I call “family and friends” week. After more than a month of pretty much riding solo on this trip, I’ll be visiting with LVA friends, old school friends, and some family members as well. I wanted to be absolutely sure that I didn’t encounter any thunderstorms on the road this time, so I left at 9 AM. I arrived at Costco in Henderson to fill up ($3.56 per gallon—up 12 cents from a week ago) and pick up a case of Diet Snapple—my preferred drink to take my vitamins.
It was already beginning to get pretty hot, so I drove on downtown though I knew I wouldn’t be able to check in for a while. I’m staying at the Fremont Hotel and Casino downtown for a couple nights. They’re parking is underground valet and I didn’t want to go there just yet so I parked at Main Street Station and made the walk to the Fremont Experience by way of the California Hotel. I’ve talked about the California before as what sets it apart is that they cater to and charter in Hawaiians. Consequently, most of the décor and restaurants cater to their tastes. The Aloha Café upstairs is an interesting mesh of Hawaiian and American dishes and is always crowded. The Oxtail soup is big seller here.
(menu)
I went downstairs and was lured in to play the 7/5 Bonus Poker bank of machines that have progressives on all quads and up. The Royal was over $2.5K so I thought I’d give it a shot, knowing full well I have not hit a single line royal in well over a year. I played a surprisingly long time but I only hit one quad (and that was dealt to me) and had to walk away a loser.
Fremont Experience today
There’s a lot of construction going on at the Fremont Experience as they’re putting up this zip line that’s going to transverse the entire canopy, but it’s making for a lot of detours. There are more than the usual panhandlers today (and not the costumed ones, but just the bums with cardboard signs). I know the whole “freedom of speech” thing, but honestly, something needs to be done. They truly do put a black eye on the whole atmosphere.
I walked into the Fremont because I was anxious to play one of my favorite games, Pick ‘em, and they have a bank of machines here that are full pay. I gave it my best shot but simply could never get that quad you need to get a cash-out—another loss. I think I’m seeing the writing on the wall today. This isn’t going to be a good day at the games, so I put a grinding halt to it. Tomorrow’s another day.
I went to get the car and drove around to the valet at the Fremont to check in. I really had no idea what to expect aside from I knew the rooms would be small. I’ve stayed at the California, Main Street Station, Las Vegas Club, and the Four Queens, but never here. The room was indeed very small (the smallest of all of them); however, they did a very nice job remodeling with what they had: there’s a flat screen TV, a small lounge chair and table, and the bathroom is all granite. It is tiny, but I’m happy with it (suites are sweet, but I don’t really need them).
My room at the Fremont Hotel. Shutters again...I'm not a fan
View from my room...not the best this trip...the Experience canopy on the left
It was one in the afternoon and I had skipped breakfast and was pretty hungry, but I didn’t want to eat anything to big as I was having dinner in another four hours with Albert, so I thought I’d just go to the Fremont café and get a small hot dog and drink to hold me over. I ordered it and my jaw dropped when it was given to me. It was HUGE, reminiscent of those ½ pounders that used to be sold at Slots-A-Fun back in the day.
Monster Dog from Fremont cafe
Sitting next to me in the café were two older men and these guys were either deaf or completely unaware as they were talking to each other that was really like shouting. The entire place was glancing over at them every time one of them said something to the other as if he were on the other side of the casino—it was really annoying. This is the same café I talked about a week or so ago when one guy had the audacity to walk up to a couple and ask the man if was going to finish his lunch and then took the remains and sat at another table and ate it. You can see it all in Vegas.
Albert, known to us as AP, is an original member of Curley’s Chat Room. What is that? Back in the early 80s (we’re guessing, neither us can remember just when), long before LVA, texting, tweeting, and just when the Internet was getting under way, there was a place dedicated to Vegas enthusiasts. I have no idea how I came across it, but after finding it (and chat rooms were rare at the time), I became a regular with the likes of AP, Candace, Mark, Truillo (from Italy), Stan, Patti and Lolly. Whenever possible, we’d meet in Vegas. This was back in the day when video poker was just becoming available. Most of us were playing craps and dabbling in this and that. I was strictly a nickel (and on good days dime) player and couldn’t imagine playing for quarters all the time!
We’ve kept in touch all these years and whenever possible meet up. When I was on my National Casino Run a couple of years ago, I caught up with AP, who lives in Toronto at a casino at Niagara Falls, which is the last time I’ve seen him. He’s here in Las Vegas for a couple of weeks. AP is a strong player and really knows his stuff, so I enjoy picking his brain on the better plays and if anyone knows if there’s an advantage to be had, it’s AP. He’s an Emerald card holder with Boyd (their top tier) and is using his gold card (free food, rooms, and beverages) for two to join him at the Second Street Grill at the Fremont. This is a gourmet room and they’re food is amazing.
AP at the Second Street Grill at the Fremont
AP had the rib eye and I had the salmon with a couple of crab cakes. We had a wonderful two hour dinner catching up on anything and everything. He, too, is going to be spending much of this week with friends as both Mark and Lolly are coming to town as well. We finished the meal and said our goodbyes. It was 7PM and I went up to the room and just as I got into the room, the electricity went out. I opened the shutters and unbeknownst to either AP or I was that a major thunderstorm was in progress outside. Half of downtown was in darkness (my half, of course) and there was not a lot I could do. The elevators are down, and I wasn’t about to walk down ten flights of stairs only to be in darkness there as well. It was a pretty intense storm. Lightning and thunder seemed to be nonstop and sheets of water were just pouring down the sides of the building. Of course, the air conditioning went off as well, but it really wasn’t all that hot in my room. What else was I to do? I simply, pulled down the covers, got into bed, and went to sleep.
I was awakened at 11:30 when the electricity came back on, so I got up and turned the lights off and tried to get back to sleep but just tossed and turned for an hour and finally gave up and turned on Jimmy Fallen (not sure if I get his humor). Sleep finally returned.
More tomorrow
It’s time to leave Laughlin and drive back to Las Vegas for what I call “family and friends” week. After more than a month of pretty much riding solo on this trip, I’ll be visiting with LVA friends, old school friends, and some family members as well. I wanted to be absolutely sure that I didn’t encounter any thunderstorms on the road this time, so I left at 9 AM. I arrived at Costco in Henderson to fill up ($3.56 per gallon—up 12 cents from a week ago) and pick up a case of Diet Snapple—my preferred drink to take my vitamins.
It was already beginning to get pretty hot, so I drove on downtown though I knew I wouldn’t be able to check in for a while. I’m staying at the Fremont Hotel and Casino downtown for a couple nights. They’re parking is underground valet and I didn’t want to go there just yet so I parked at Main Street Station and made the walk to the Fremont Experience by way of the California Hotel. I’ve talked about the California before as what sets it apart is that they cater to and charter in Hawaiians. Consequently, most of the décor and restaurants cater to their tastes. The Aloha Café upstairs is an interesting mesh of Hawaiian and American dishes and is always crowded. The Oxtail soup is big seller here.
(menu)
I went downstairs and was lured in to play the 7/5 Bonus Poker bank of machines that have progressives on all quads and up. The Royal was over $2.5K so I thought I’d give it a shot, knowing full well I have not hit a single line royal in well over a year. I played a surprisingly long time but I only hit one quad (and that was dealt to me) and had to walk away a loser.
Fremont Experience today
There’s a lot of construction going on at the Fremont Experience as they’re putting up this zip line that’s going to transverse the entire canopy, but it’s making for a lot of detours. There are more than the usual panhandlers today (and not the costumed ones, but just the bums with cardboard signs). I know the whole “freedom of speech” thing, but honestly, something needs to be done. They truly do put a black eye on the whole atmosphere.
I walked into the Fremont because I was anxious to play one of my favorite games, Pick ‘em, and they have a bank of machines here that are full pay. I gave it my best shot but simply could never get that quad you need to get a cash-out—another loss. I think I’m seeing the writing on the wall today. This isn’t going to be a good day at the games, so I put a grinding halt to it. Tomorrow’s another day.
I went to get the car and drove around to the valet at the Fremont to check in. I really had no idea what to expect aside from I knew the rooms would be small. I’ve stayed at the California, Main Street Station, Las Vegas Club, and the Four Queens, but never here. The room was indeed very small (the smallest of all of them); however, they did a very nice job remodeling with what they had: there’s a flat screen TV, a small lounge chair and table, and the bathroom is all granite. It is tiny, but I’m happy with it (suites are sweet, but I don’t really need them).
My room at the Fremont Hotel. Shutters again...I'm not a fan
View from my room...not the best this trip...the Experience canopy on the left
It was one in the afternoon and I had skipped breakfast and was pretty hungry, but I didn’t want to eat anything to big as I was having dinner in another four hours with Albert, so I thought I’d just go to the Fremont café and get a small hot dog and drink to hold me over. I ordered it and my jaw dropped when it was given to me. It was HUGE, reminiscent of those ½ pounders that used to be sold at Slots-A-Fun back in the day.
Monster Dog from Fremont cafe
Sitting next to me in the café were two older men and these guys were either deaf or completely unaware as they were talking to each other that was really like shouting. The entire place was glancing over at them every time one of them said something to the other as if he were on the other side of the casino—it was really annoying. This is the same café I talked about a week or so ago when one guy had the audacity to walk up to a couple and ask the man if was going to finish his lunch and then took the remains and sat at another table and ate it. You can see it all in Vegas.
Albert, known to us as AP, is an original member of Curley’s Chat Room. What is that? Back in the early 80s (we’re guessing, neither us can remember just when), long before LVA, texting, tweeting, and just when the Internet was getting under way, there was a place dedicated to Vegas enthusiasts. I have no idea how I came across it, but after finding it (and chat rooms were rare at the time), I became a regular with the likes of AP, Candace, Mark, Truillo (from Italy), Stan, Patti and Lolly. Whenever possible, we’d meet in Vegas. This was back in the day when video poker was just becoming available. Most of us were playing craps and dabbling in this and that. I was strictly a nickel (and on good days dime) player and couldn’t imagine playing for quarters all the time!
We’ve kept in touch all these years and whenever possible meet up. When I was on my National Casino Run a couple of years ago, I caught up with AP, who lives in Toronto at a casino at Niagara Falls, which is the last time I’ve seen him. He’s here in Las Vegas for a couple of weeks. AP is a strong player and really knows his stuff, so I enjoy picking his brain on the better plays and if anyone knows if there’s an advantage to be had, it’s AP. He’s an Emerald card holder with Boyd (their top tier) and is using his gold card (free food, rooms, and beverages) for two to join him at the Second Street Grill at the Fremont. This is a gourmet room and they’re food is amazing.
AP at the Second Street Grill at the Fremont
AP had the rib eye and I had the salmon with a couple of crab cakes. We had a wonderful two hour dinner catching up on anything and everything. He, too, is going to be spending much of this week with friends as both Mark and Lolly are coming to town as well. We finished the meal and said our goodbyes. It was 7PM and I went up to the room and just as I got into the room, the electricity went out. I opened the shutters and unbeknownst to either AP or I was that a major thunderstorm was in progress outside. Half of downtown was in darkness (my half, of course) and there was not a lot I could do. The elevators are down, and I wasn’t about to walk down ten flights of stairs only to be in darkness there as well. It was a pretty intense storm. Lightning and thunder seemed to be nonstop and sheets of water were just pouring down the sides of the building. Of course, the air conditioning went off as well, but it really wasn’t all that hot in my room. What else was I to do? I simply, pulled down the covers, got into bed, and went to sleep.
I was awakened at 11:30 when the electricity came back on, so I got up and turned the lights off and tried to get back to sleep but just tossed and turned for an hour and finally gave up and turned on Jimmy Fallen (not sure if I get his humor). Sleep finally returned.
More tomorrow
