Summer of Cal/Nev - Day 37
Today I’m meeting some good friends I met from the LVA, Mike and Janice, for lunch and pretty much that’s all I have scheduled. So, I thought I’d go pick up a few small things I needed. There are about 14 long streets that run perpendicular to the Strip and they reach as far as the mountains to east and all the way to the Red Rock area to the west. These are massively long streets that today consist of hundreds and hundreds of strip malls and shopping centers: Tropicana, Flamingo, Sahara, and the Desert Inn to name just a few. I’m pretty sure that at one time or another I have driven all of these one time or another in both directions.
A few years ago on one of these trips (I think it was the Summer of ’55), I drove the entire Flamingo Dr and did nothing but count the drug stores—they seemed to be on almost every corner. I thought I might take one of these streets to the east and I picked Charleston. I wanted to pick up some cleaner and appropriate cloth to clean my laptop screen, which was getting pretty dirty as I tend to run it through the hoops on these trips. I found that in no time at an Office Depot. So I kept driving. My driving today down Charleston and my other observations this trip have brought me to the conclusion that the drug store count might well be in jeopardy by the number to tattoo parlors that seem to be popping up everywhere. I quit counting after passing no less than 15 of them on this street alone.
No...not NYNY...it's on Charleston and used to feature a restaurant...not it features...(see next pic)
The new owners of the statue...makes sense to me.
The further east I drove, the more I realized I was moving into a more depressed area. The stores were looking rougher with crudely painted signs, many in Spanish. I made a stop at an Indoor Swap Meet out of curiosity. The entrance door was opened for me by a security guard—odd. Inside was what I expected, which were many small independent booths with selling clothes, crafts, furniture, tattoos (of course), and other small booths. I counted three different computer repair booths, two specializing in clothing alterations, and a few couple of shoe stores. The oddest booth was a lawyer who had chosen here to put his office. I wondered just who would seek legal advice at the Indoor Swap Meet on Charleston? The other very obvious thing that stood out here was me. I was the only white man in the place surrounded by Asians, Hispanics, and Middle Eastern couples and families. I got more than a couple of inquisitive stares.
The Charleston Swap Meet...of no importance other than I found it interesting
One of the many isles within the Indoor Swap Meet
It was getting close to noon and I was going to meet Mike and Janice at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino on Fremont. We met at the café where they ordered their special Burger/Beer deal (a large quarter pounder served with a heaping stack of chips along with a beer for only $5) and I had a club. I met them a few years ago at Sam’s Town as they would follow my trip reports and we struck up a good friendship. When I made my National Casino Run a couple of years ago, I stopped off at Mike’s business (on the outskirts of Chicago) and he gave me a wonderful tour of the place. They own a condo here in Las Vegas when they come to visit so they don’t have to worry about hotels. I was THIS close to buying one in their complex last year when they were going dirt cheap.
Mike and Janice
We had a great visit. These are two simply terrific people and I’m glad to know them. Hopefully, we’ll run in to each other again soon. I headed back to the Fremont after lunch and hung out in the room for a bit and then thought it was time to go gamble a little bit. I grabbed all of my downtown slot club cards and started at the Four Queens where I put in a $20 at their 9/6 JoB and cashed out $50 (hit a quad and some). Outside the Four Queens, Stevie Wonder was waiting for someone to put a fiver in his bucket to break into song.
Stevie waiting to perform...as long as someone drops some coin
I then walked into Binions and tried some Keno. It was going badly, so I cashed out and my ticket was blank. I called the attendant who squared that away and as I was leaving, I noticed in the corner were a couple of the old Beat the Clock machines. I noticed that whoever played it last left with the clocks past the 6 on the bottom, which is more than half way to the bonus. So, I put my ticket in and played at fifty cents a spin. After a few good hits, I made the bonus and got the major (there’s only one higher, the grand) for $112.00. Very nice. The machine next to it was at that same spot, so I moved over there and hit the bonus, but no big hit here, just another $19. So overall, I walked away with a nice $135 profit for being observant—and lucky.
The once famous home of the WSOP at Binions room is now becoming this...sad.
I walked down to street so I could get a picture of what used to be the Lady Luck Casino and is FINALLY (it’s been shut down for years) under construction as the Grand. It’s supposed to ready this winter.
The one time Lady Luck hotel now becoming the Grand
I walked back to the Fremont Experience and as it’s the weekend, the place is buzzing with people. I walked into the D, which took over and remodeled what was once Fitzgerald’s. I wonder if the old owners would walk in now what they would think. The place is simply jammed! It has become the new “in place” to be as the majority of customers were the young, hip types. They did an amazing job as it really does look terrific. I went upstairs to confirm that the good machines are still there and many of them are including plenty of 10/7 Double Bonus and 8/5 Bonus for quarters and dollars. I tried some Keno again and lost again and then I put $10 in a three-seven old-school slot machine. I never play these, but I’m up a little for the day, so why not? I didn’t hit anything big, but I did manage a $20 profit on it.
Upstairs in the D sits an old-school Horse Derby game...a classic!
It was now getting late, so I walked back to the Fremont and passed their gift shop, which had another sign that all I can do is shake my head. It says Everything in the store, $10 (“and up” in small print). I looked inside and saw that they were selling candy bars. I asked the person at the counter how much they were and she said, “$1.25.” Being a smart-ass I told her, “You should tell the boss the sign out there should read, ‘Everything in the store, $1.25 and up’.” She didn’t get it.
I couldn’t leave well enough alone today. I was a couple hundred up and decided to tackle the Pick ‘em machines again. I’m really going through a rough patch on these, as I lost the profit for the day. However, the good news is that I didn’t lose any money today. In Vegas, that’s a win.
More tomorrow
**As I sit here in Starbucks on Rancho by Sahara typing this report, there’s an older gentleman—I would guess late 60's with a stunning Asian woman I would guess to be her 30's. As they talk, she’s appears to be just hanging on every word (yes, I can be nosy). No less than four or five people at different times have come over and shaken his hand and briefly chatted with the guy. He must be somebody—but I don’t recognize him—oh, another older gentlemen just walked in and was introduced to the woman as his brother (I’m too far away to eavesdrop). So, now I’m totally curious who this guy is…darn it…it will just have to remain a Vegas Mystery.
Today I’m meeting some good friends I met from the LVA, Mike and Janice, for lunch and pretty much that’s all I have scheduled. So, I thought I’d go pick up a few small things I needed. There are about 14 long streets that run perpendicular to the Strip and they reach as far as the mountains to east and all the way to the Red Rock area to the west. These are massively long streets that today consist of hundreds and hundreds of strip malls and shopping centers: Tropicana, Flamingo, Sahara, and the Desert Inn to name just a few. I’m pretty sure that at one time or another I have driven all of these one time or another in both directions.
A few years ago on one of these trips (I think it was the Summer of ’55), I drove the entire Flamingo Dr and did nothing but count the drug stores—they seemed to be on almost every corner. I thought I might take one of these streets to the east and I picked Charleston. I wanted to pick up some cleaner and appropriate cloth to clean my laptop screen, which was getting pretty dirty as I tend to run it through the hoops on these trips. I found that in no time at an Office Depot. So I kept driving. My driving today down Charleston and my other observations this trip have brought me to the conclusion that the drug store count might well be in jeopardy by the number to tattoo parlors that seem to be popping up everywhere. I quit counting after passing no less than 15 of them on this street alone.
No...not NYNY...it's on Charleston and used to feature a restaurant...not it features...(see next pic)
The new owners of the statue...makes sense to me.
The further east I drove, the more I realized I was moving into a more depressed area. The stores were looking rougher with crudely painted signs, many in Spanish. I made a stop at an Indoor Swap Meet out of curiosity. The entrance door was opened for me by a security guard—odd. Inside was what I expected, which were many small independent booths with selling clothes, crafts, furniture, tattoos (of course), and other small booths. I counted three different computer repair booths, two specializing in clothing alterations, and a few couple of shoe stores. The oddest booth was a lawyer who had chosen here to put his office. I wondered just who would seek legal advice at the Indoor Swap Meet on Charleston? The other very obvious thing that stood out here was me. I was the only white man in the place surrounded by Asians, Hispanics, and Middle Eastern couples and families. I got more than a couple of inquisitive stares.
The Charleston Swap Meet...of no importance other than I found it interesting
One of the many isles within the Indoor Swap Meet
It was getting close to noon and I was going to meet Mike and Janice at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino on Fremont. We met at the café where they ordered their special Burger/Beer deal (a large quarter pounder served with a heaping stack of chips along with a beer for only $5) and I had a club. I met them a few years ago at Sam’s Town as they would follow my trip reports and we struck up a good friendship. When I made my National Casino Run a couple of years ago, I stopped off at Mike’s business (on the outskirts of Chicago) and he gave me a wonderful tour of the place. They own a condo here in Las Vegas when they come to visit so they don’t have to worry about hotels. I was THIS close to buying one in their complex last year when they were going dirt cheap.
Mike and Janice
We had a great visit. These are two simply terrific people and I’m glad to know them. Hopefully, we’ll run in to each other again soon. I headed back to the Fremont after lunch and hung out in the room for a bit and then thought it was time to go gamble a little bit. I grabbed all of my downtown slot club cards and started at the Four Queens where I put in a $20 at their 9/6 JoB and cashed out $50 (hit a quad and some). Outside the Four Queens, Stevie Wonder was waiting for someone to put a fiver in his bucket to break into song.
Stevie waiting to perform...as long as someone drops some coin
I then walked into Binions and tried some Keno. It was going badly, so I cashed out and my ticket was blank. I called the attendant who squared that away and as I was leaving, I noticed in the corner were a couple of the old Beat the Clock machines. I noticed that whoever played it last left with the clocks past the 6 on the bottom, which is more than half way to the bonus. So, I put my ticket in and played at fifty cents a spin. After a few good hits, I made the bonus and got the major (there’s only one higher, the grand) for $112.00. Very nice. The machine next to it was at that same spot, so I moved over there and hit the bonus, but no big hit here, just another $19. So overall, I walked away with a nice $135 profit for being observant—and lucky.
The once famous home of the WSOP at Binions room is now becoming this...sad.
I walked down to street so I could get a picture of what used to be the Lady Luck Casino and is FINALLY (it’s been shut down for years) under construction as the Grand. It’s supposed to ready this winter.
The one time Lady Luck hotel now becoming the Grand
I walked back to the Fremont Experience and as it’s the weekend, the place is buzzing with people. I walked into the D, which took over and remodeled what was once Fitzgerald’s. I wonder if the old owners would walk in now what they would think. The place is simply jammed! It has become the new “in place” to be as the majority of customers were the young, hip types. They did an amazing job as it really does look terrific. I went upstairs to confirm that the good machines are still there and many of them are including plenty of 10/7 Double Bonus and 8/5 Bonus for quarters and dollars. I tried some Keno again and lost again and then I put $10 in a three-seven old-school slot machine. I never play these, but I’m up a little for the day, so why not? I didn’t hit anything big, but I did manage a $20 profit on it.
Upstairs in the D sits an old-school Horse Derby game...a classic!
It was now getting late, so I walked back to the Fremont and passed their gift shop, which had another sign that all I can do is shake my head. It says Everything in the store, $10 (“and up” in small print). I looked inside and saw that they were selling candy bars. I asked the person at the counter how much they were and she said, “$1.25.” Being a smart-ass I told her, “You should tell the boss the sign out there should read, ‘Everything in the store, $1.25 and up’.” She didn’t get it.
I couldn’t leave well enough alone today. I was a couple hundred up and decided to tackle the Pick ‘em machines again. I’m really going through a rough patch on these, as I lost the profit for the day. However, the good news is that I didn’t lose any money today. In Vegas, that’s a win.
More tomorrow
**As I sit here in Starbucks on Rancho by Sahara typing this report, there’s an older gentleman—I would guess late 60's with a stunning Asian woman I would guess to be her 30's. As they talk, she’s appears to be just hanging on every word (yes, I can be nosy). No less than four or five people at different times have come over and shaken his hand and briefly chatted with the guy. He must be somebody—but I don’t recognize him—oh, another older gentlemen just walked in and was introduced to the woman as his brother (I’m too far away to eavesdrop). So, now I’m totally curious who this guy is…darn it…it will just have to remain a Vegas Mystery.
