Spent the week of April 29-May 6 in Las Vegas. I always have a car and love the town, so it's more of a 'townie' report than a gambled here, gambled there report. *Note: Thanks to Westie for some ideas.
I would have had some restaurant.com coupons, but after reading all of the horror stories about Firefly Car Rental, I was afraid the trip may end up car-less, so I planned on being able to handle myself with or without a car and didn't waste my money on restaurant.com coupons that may be of no use to me.
Day 1:
Flew out of Philadelphia on Virgin America Airlines (via LAX); $261.RT Such a deal! Virgin Airlines does have little TVs on each seat which is great at helping the time fly by (no pun intended), but after you remove the violet/fuchsia back lighting and the personal TVs, it's still just another airplane seat. Virgin is stopping service to Philadelphia in October...boo! A REAL airline as cheap as Spirit Air...gone. Virgin America 3/5*
Got to Firefly Car Rental in the rental center. Wasn't sure what to expect but their online reviews were abysmal mostly dealing with customer service. Now I had a contract for a Toyota Corola for a week at $70 ($127 with taxes and fees added in). They had me up at the counter in less than 15 minutes and upgraded me to a full size Dodge Avenger without me asking. Really nice car. I found out Firefly is owned by Hertz and is their more cut-rate product. Ah, my Dodge Avenger had 42,000 miles on it...but it was stylish and clean. I did feel that the kids (each of them maybe in their early to mid 20's) behind the counter could be expected to come out with a line such as, "We don't have anymore cars." without realizing what they're doing to someone. People center their vacation around having a car. This may be their one vacation of the year. Not having a car is not acceptable...but a 20 year old might not realize what he is fully doing to someone dependent on his car rental. A more mature person behind the counter may spend more time locating a car at a neighboring company or perhaps even Hertz, their parent company. Anyway, I got a great full sized car for the week at $127...big win! Firefly was great 4/5*
Stopped at the grocery store for some fruit and it's off to Harrah's.
Drove to Harrah's where I spent my first 3 nights, comped. I'm diamond status and asked to be moved into a suite if possible. Yes, it was possible and I was given a 1 bedroom suite. Nice. The room had the same cheap furniture but it did have a wet bar, 3 TVs and a big triangular jacuzzi which is kinda cool. I used the jacuzzi once...how can you not? 4/5*
I'm not a drinker, but on my initial celebration to Las Vegas I always drink myself silly on manhattans and then crash upstairs. As it turned out, the entire rest of the week I had one beer...with lunch. Sipping on manhattans I had a great time at the craps table playing with some professional Aussie rugby players who were here on an expense covered trip from down under. I think you have to pass a drop dead gorgeous test in order to become a professional rugby player. Anyway, it was very difficult to tear myself away from the table after I realized I had to go up to my room and sleep off the booze.
First I walked through the Quad. Really very nice. I love that you don't have to 'cattle shoot' from the Carnival entrance around to the Strip but can actually just walk right into the Quad and cut through the casinos right through to Flamingo and then over to Bally's. Just great planning.
After waking up it was time to try the jacuzzi and then an apple and banana for dinner (now that's a high end vacation dining!) and a drive to Bellagio to check out the conservatory. Beautiful as always...Westie posted a lot of pics. More craps...total for the day..up $1,500 in craps.
Day 2:
Went to a French bakery for brunch, La Belle Terre on Sahara near Red Rock. I had the best cup of coffee I've had in years here. $1.65 for a medium. Absolutely delicious 5/5*. I also had a piece of chicken/spinach/cheese quiche which was amazing 4.5/5*. This place is awesome, I'm dumbfounded on how good, and cheap, it is...but then it's off Strip and hosts to locals.
More craps at Red Rock casino. I love this casino. Good games in a nice open atmosphere. Lost at DDB vp.
Next stop was the Huffington Post Office to pick up my MRB and a copy of the ACG. Ran into Anthony Curtis and asked him where he recommends for a Vietnamese lunch. His first choice was closed today (Closed Wednesdays...really? Wednesdays?) so I hit his second choice, Pho Vietnam. Good, not great. No accounting for taste. 3/5* I ordered a double lunch as I hadn't really eaten in over a day. Mmmm stuffed.
Day 3:
Last day at Harrah's. Heavy losses at craps. Off to the M. More heavy losses at craps. Off to South Point. Winner at BP vp and craps at the South Point. Lunch was 2 of their $0.75 hotdogs in the sports book. Yummy. Now I'm even on the trip...easy come, easy go. I did better when I was drunk. Ugh.
Dinner was at Ruth's Chris Steak House...comped with points. Very good rib steak that actually does sizzle when they bring it out to you. I also had a side of steamed broccoli. Rib steak and side of steamed broccoli (no alcohol)...$69 plus tax and tip. 4/5* I bet there are restaurants in town that I could have gotten a meal every bit as good as this for less than 1/2 the cost. The Strip is such a Succubis.
Day 4:
Caught up on needed sleep. 10 hours worth! Up and pack to move to the Silverton. No trouble getting in at the front desk. Two nights, comped.
We now pause for the execution. They are marching the architect out to the courtyard. He is blindfolded and has his head bowed. You can hear him crying as his head sways from side to side and he repeatedly says, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We thought it was funny. I'm sorry." The rifles are aimed at him. Blam. He falls to the ground. Great cheers erupt from the guests that have to stay in rooms like mine. Outside my window is a cinder block wall. It takes up the entire view and was built not 2 feet from my window. The room is so dark because of the wall that all lights are on even though it's 90 degrees and sunny outside. The architect that placed a cinder block wall against the room windows is dead. It is a good day.
Back to the regularly scheduled program. I don't complain about the room...it's free on a Friday and Saturday night when a big Mayweather fight is in town at MGM Grand and rooms are not to be found. Free wins.
Wait. They are now marching the room designer out into the courtyard. The same scenario ensues. Evidently the designer has transgressed a few rules. He has put cathode ray tube TVs in the small rooms. He has placed them in big clunky bureaus that are needed to hold such a deep TV. These bureaus also have an opening for a refrigerator but he forgot to put in a refrigerator. The bureau he used has doors that don't open fully. They don't open fully because on one side they smack into, and cover up, the lamp that is needed because the room is so dark from a cinder block wall placed right outside the window. The other side doesn't open up fully because it smacks into one of the chairs at the little cafe table in the room. The chair (one of two seats in the room), is useless. Who assembled this useless furniture...oh yeah, the dead man in the courtyard. Yay!
The condiments (shampoo, soap, etc) are almost as good as you would get at a Motel 6...almost. Silverton 1.5/5*
Brunch was an apple and a banana. Dinner was Todai Sushi Buffet at the Planet Hollywood Casino. $40 for an okay dinner. 3/5* There are equivalent places around town that only charge $25. Next time.
Day 5:
Woke up and had a swim. Water was a bit cold at 78 degrees. Drove up Blue Diamond and went through Red Rock Preserve...what a gorgeous drive. I like driving it in this direction best; the views are more inspiring in this direction.
Back to La Belle Terre. Excellent coffee, 5/5*. Excellent Quiche Florentine, 4.5/5*. Excellent Almond Coissant (sp) 5/5*. The Societe Francaise (Local French Group) is meeting today. Everyone in the place is speaking French. Nice to know this is where the locals go for French pastry and such.
Over to Red Rock. Lost at 9/6 JoB and craps. Down about $1,000 on the trip.
Drove along Rt. 215 to Aliente Casino. Nice. Small. The area is very dry and barren. It reminds you how Paradise Valley (where the Strip is located) used to feel. Now Paradise Valley is so full of moisture, you don't really feel like you're in the desert anymore. For dinner, at Aliente Casino, I was recommended the Caprese Salad and a Flat Tire beer. I loved the beer 4.5/5*. The Caprese Salad, not so much 2/5*. A Caprese Salad is made of sliced tomatoes accompanied with mozzerella cheese and basil leaves. The star of the show is the tomatoes. They were mealy mealy mealy. Yuk. I admit I'm a tomato snob...there's a reason Campbells set up shop in South Jersey...we have amazing tomatoes. California, which has so much fantastic produce, has crappy tomatoes. Took the direct route back to town; straight down Simmons Avenue. Simmons Avenue is a strange street. It doesn't know if it's 4 lanes wide, 2 lanes wide, a parking lot..??..or what. Eventually it does end just north of Downtown. Very strange street.
Back to M casino. Lost more.
Over to Silverton. Last meal of the day was a taste off between a McDonalds Big Mac and an In/Out Burger single cheeseburger. Both are located right near Silverton. Result: McDonalds 2/5*, In/Out 3/5*. It's fast food...what did you expect?
Day 6:
Alas, today I leave my lovely Silverton hotel. My last stop will be the Gold Coast for 2 days. After packing up the car I drove Downtown. I love Downtown. It's the best party in town. I gave them bunches of my money. Why can't I win anywhere??? Geeze. Had my best hit...a 6s pull for an inside straight flush...$250! Still lost it all before leaving the machine...9/6 JoB which I can play without error.
Went to the Cornish Pasty Bar in Commercial Plaza for lunch. I had heard these were great pasties and being of English descent thought it would be nice to try. They are big. They are tasty. They are almost all potato filling. I did find about 3-4 small pieces of meat in my pasty. It was almost all sliced potatoes in a tasty crust; not my type of meal. To really destroy my diet, I used this opportunity to head to Luv-It frozen custard. Had my favorite Western Sundae. Oh, Baby!
Here is how you get a free suite at a hotel you have never been to before:
When you check in at the front desk you chipperly mention that this is your third hotel in Las Vegas. That Harrah's was really nice and put you up in a suite and that the Silverton then actually put you in a dungeon with a cinder block wall 2 feet away from your window blocking out all sun and signs of life. "Do you have something somewhere between the two?" After the front desk lady laughs, she'll put you in a one bedroom suite...very similar to Harrah's but sans jacuzzi tub. It was much better appointed. Very nice furniture and a very nice atmosphere to stay in. And that's how you do it.
Won a little on JoB vp and had dinner at their Chinese restaurant. I got a popular dish, the Hot Pot, that I wasn't sure how to eat. They take a handful of spices...whole big spices that you can't eat...and throw the handful of them into a pot with broth and put it on a propane heater. Then you are given a plate heaping with cabbage, mushrooms, corn, meat and noodles. You put all this stuff into the broth and then eat it in a little bowl. I just don't know why they don't just make the seasoned broth in the kitchen and just give you a big bowl of soup like you get in a Vietnamese restaurant. Well, it was different. 3.5/5*
Day 7:
Got a lot of sleep. You need to catch up or you'll get sick. (I had 102.4 temperature for 3 days when I got home anyway.)
Today I'm off to the German Bakery at Eastern and 215. Had a rum ball 3.5/5* and a Honeysting cake 3/5*. They were good, but not as good as I was expecting given another review. This is not a cafe and there's no coffee, no tables to sit at, just a bakery to take away.
Next stop at Green Valley Ranch. Lunch was at their fast food court...a salad at Cappriottis. Very good salad...much needed. 3.5/5*. After lunch off to the movies. The Grand Buddapest Hotel was a charming movie. Quirky humor and beautifully artistic photography. Very enjoyable afternoon.
Off to Harrah's to print my boarding pass for tomorrow and dinner at The Oyster Bar. I got the seafood appetizer for 2 for dinner. Oysters, mussels and shrimp 4/5*. Crab legs and lobster tail 2.5/5*. For the price it should have been better. Oh, wait, it was free with comp dollars. Still, should have been better.
Day 8:
I left in the morning. Got gas, picked up some fruit for the plane ride, returned the car, and Virgin America took me home. Only $2,500 lighter than my pocket was before I left. Typical vacation.
Next Fall, 2 weeks in Las Vegas.
Hope you enjoyed,
Stu
I would have had some restaurant.com coupons, but after reading all of the horror stories about Firefly Car Rental, I was afraid the trip may end up car-less, so I planned on being able to handle myself with or without a car and didn't waste my money on restaurant.com coupons that may be of no use to me.
Day 1:
Flew out of Philadelphia on Virgin America Airlines (via LAX); $261.RT Such a deal! Virgin Airlines does have little TVs on each seat which is great at helping the time fly by (no pun intended), but after you remove the violet/fuchsia back lighting and the personal TVs, it's still just another airplane seat. Virgin is stopping service to Philadelphia in October...boo! A REAL airline as cheap as Spirit Air...gone. Virgin America 3/5*
Got to Firefly Car Rental in the rental center. Wasn't sure what to expect but their online reviews were abysmal mostly dealing with customer service. Now I had a contract for a Toyota Corola for a week at $70 ($127 with taxes and fees added in). They had me up at the counter in less than 15 minutes and upgraded me to a full size Dodge Avenger without me asking. Really nice car. I found out Firefly is owned by Hertz and is their more cut-rate product. Ah, my Dodge Avenger had 42,000 miles on it...but it was stylish and clean. I did feel that the kids (each of them maybe in their early to mid 20's) behind the counter could be expected to come out with a line such as, "We don't have anymore cars." without realizing what they're doing to someone. People center their vacation around having a car. This may be their one vacation of the year. Not having a car is not acceptable...but a 20 year old might not realize what he is fully doing to someone dependent on his car rental. A more mature person behind the counter may spend more time locating a car at a neighboring company or perhaps even Hertz, their parent company. Anyway, I got a great full sized car for the week at $127...big win! Firefly was great 4/5*
Stopped at the grocery store for some fruit and it's off to Harrah's.
Drove to Harrah's where I spent my first 3 nights, comped. I'm diamond status and asked to be moved into a suite if possible. Yes, it was possible and I was given a 1 bedroom suite. Nice. The room had the same cheap furniture but it did have a wet bar, 3 TVs and a big triangular jacuzzi which is kinda cool. I used the jacuzzi once...how can you not? 4/5*
I'm not a drinker, but on my initial celebration to Las Vegas I always drink myself silly on manhattans and then crash upstairs. As it turned out, the entire rest of the week I had one beer...with lunch. Sipping on manhattans I had a great time at the craps table playing with some professional Aussie rugby players who were here on an expense covered trip from down under. I think you have to pass a drop dead gorgeous test in order to become a professional rugby player. Anyway, it was very difficult to tear myself away from the table after I realized I had to go up to my room and sleep off the booze.
First I walked through the Quad. Really very nice. I love that you don't have to 'cattle shoot' from the Carnival entrance around to the Strip but can actually just walk right into the Quad and cut through the casinos right through to Flamingo and then over to Bally's. Just great planning.
After waking up it was time to try the jacuzzi and then an apple and banana for dinner (now that's a high end vacation dining!) and a drive to Bellagio to check out the conservatory. Beautiful as always...Westie posted a lot of pics. More craps...total for the day..up $1,500 in craps.
Day 2:
Went to a French bakery for brunch, La Belle Terre on Sahara near Red Rock. I had the best cup of coffee I've had in years here. $1.65 for a medium. Absolutely delicious 5/5*. I also had a piece of chicken/spinach/cheese quiche which was amazing 4.5/5*. This place is awesome, I'm dumbfounded on how good, and cheap, it is...but then it's off Strip and hosts to locals.
More craps at Red Rock casino. I love this casino. Good games in a nice open atmosphere. Lost at DDB vp.
Next stop was the Huffington Post Office to pick up my MRB and a copy of the ACG. Ran into Anthony Curtis and asked him where he recommends for a Vietnamese lunch. His first choice was closed today (Closed Wednesdays...really? Wednesdays?) so I hit his second choice, Pho Vietnam. Good, not great. No accounting for taste. 3/5* I ordered a double lunch as I hadn't really eaten in over a day. Mmmm stuffed.
Day 3:
Last day at Harrah's. Heavy losses at craps. Off to the M. More heavy losses at craps. Off to South Point. Winner at BP vp and craps at the South Point. Lunch was 2 of their $0.75 hotdogs in the sports book. Yummy. Now I'm even on the trip...easy come, easy go. I did better when I was drunk. Ugh.
Dinner was at Ruth's Chris Steak House...comped with points. Very good rib steak that actually does sizzle when they bring it out to you. I also had a side of steamed broccoli. Rib steak and side of steamed broccoli (no alcohol)...$69 plus tax and tip. 4/5* I bet there are restaurants in town that I could have gotten a meal every bit as good as this for less than 1/2 the cost. The Strip is such a Succubis.
Day 4:
Caught up on needed sleep. 10 hours worth! Up and pack to move to the Silverton. No trouble getting in at the front desk. Two nights, comped.
We now pause for the execution. They are marching the architect out to the courtyard. He is blindfolded and has his head bowed. You can hear him crying as his head sways from side to side and he repeatedly says, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We thought it was funny. I'm sorry." The rifles are aimed at him. Blam. He falls to the ground. Great cheers erupt from the guests that have to stay in rooms like mine. Outside my window is a cinder block wall. It takes up the entire view and was built not 2 feet from my window. The room is so dark because of the wall that all lights are on even though it's 90 degrees and sunny outside. The architect that placed a cinder block wall against the room windows is dead. It is a good day.
Back to the regularly scheduled program. I don't complain about the room...it's free on a Friday and Saturday night when a big Mayweather fight is in town at MGM Grand and rooms are not to be found. Free wins.
Wait. They are now marching the room designer out into the courtyard. The same scenario ensues. Evidently the designer has transgressed a few rules. He has put cathode ray tube TVs in the small rooms. He has placed them in big clunky bureaus that are needed to hold such a deep TV. These bureaus also have an opening for a refrigerator but he forgot to put in a refrigerator. The bureau he used has doors that don't open fully. They don't open fully because on one side they smack into, and cover up, the lamp that is needed because the room is so dark from a cinder block wall placed right outside the window. The other side doesn't open up fully because it smacks into one of the chairs at the little cafe table in the room. The chair (one of two seats in the room), is useless. Who assembled this useless furniture...oh yeah, the dead man in the courtyard. Yay!
The condiments (shampoo, soap, etc) are almost as good as you would get at a Motel 6...almost. Silverton 1.5/5*
Brunch was an apple and a banana. Dinner was Todai Sushi Buffet at the Planet Hollywood Casino. $40 for an okay dinner. 3/5* There are equivalent places around town that only charge $25. Next time.
Day 5:
Woke up and had a swim. Water was a bit cold at 78 degrees. Drove up Blue Diamond and went through Red Rock Preserve...what a gorgeous drive. I like driving it in this direction best; the views are more inspiring in this direction.
Back to La Belle Terre. Excellent coffee, 5/5*. Excellent Quiche Florentine, 4.5/5*. Excellent Almond Coissant (sp) 5/5*. The Societe Francaise (Local French Group) is meeting today. Everyone in the place is speaking French. Nice to know this is where the locals go for French pastry and such.
Over to Red Rock. Lost at 9/6 JoB and craps. Down about $1,000 on the trip.
Drove along Rt. 215 to Aliente Casino. Nice. Small. The area is very dry and barren. It reminds you how Paradise Valley (where the Strip is located) used to feel. Now Paradise Valley is so full of moisture, you don't really feel like you're in the desert anymore. For dinner, at Aliente Casino, I was recommended the Caprese Salad and a Flat Tire beer. I loved the beer 4.5/5*. The Caprese Salad, not so much 2/5*. A Caprese Salad is made of sliced tomatoes accompanied with mozzerella cheese and basil leaves. The star of the show is the tomatoes. They were mealy mealy mealy. Yuk. I admit I'm a tomato snob...there's a reason Campbells set up shop in South Jersey...we have amazing tomatoes. California, which has so much fantastic produce, has crappy tomatoes. Took the direct route back to town; straight down Simmons Avenue. Simmons Avenue is a strange street. It doesn't know if it's 4 lanes wide, 2 lanes wide, a parking lot..??..or what. Eventually it does end just north of Downtown. Very strange street.
Back to M casino. Lost more.
Over to Silverton. Last meal of the day was a taste off between a McDonalds Big Mac and an In/Out Burger single cheeseburger. Both are located right near Silverton. Result: McDonalds 2/5*, In/Out 3/5*. It's fast food...what did you expect?
Day 6:
Alas, today I leave my lovely Silverton hotel. My last stop will be the Gold Coast for 2 days. After packing up the car I drove Downtown. I love Downtown. It's the best party in town. I gave them bunches of my money. Why can't I win anywhere??? Geeze. Had my best hit...a 6s pull for an inside straight flush...$250! Still lost it all before leaving the machine...9/6 JoB which I can play without error.
Went to the Cornish Pasty Bar in Commercial Plaza for lunch. I had heard these were great pasties and being of English descent thought it would be nice to try. They are big. They are tasty. They are almost all potato filling. I did find about 3-4 small pieces of meat in my pasty. It was almost all sliced potatoes in a tasty crust; not my type of meal. To really destroy my diet, I used this opportunity to head to Luv-It frozen custard. Had my favorite Western Sundae. Oh, Baby!
Here is how you get a free suite at a hotel you have never been to before:
When you check in at the front desk you chipperly mention that this is your third hotel in Las Vegas. That Harrah's was really nice and put you up in a suite and that the Silverton then actually put you in a dungeon with a cinder block wall 2 feet away from your window blocking out all sun and signs of life. "Do you have something somewhere between the two?" After the front desk lady laughs, she'll put you in a one bedroom suite...very similar to Harrah's but sans jacuzzi tub. It was much better appointed. Very nice furniture and a very nice atmosphere to stay in. And that's how you do it.
Won a little on JoB vp and had dinner at their Chinese restaurant. I got a popular dish, the Hot Pot, that I wasn't sure how to eat. They take a handful of spices...whole big spices that you can't eat...and throw the handful of them into a pot with broth and put it on a propane heater. Then you are given a plate heaping with cabbage, mushrooms, corn, meat and noodles. You put all this stuff into the broth and then eat it in a little bowl. I just don't know why they don't just make the seasoned broth in the kitchen and just give you a big bowl of soup like you get in a Vietnamese restaurant. Well, it was different. 3.5/5*
Day 7:
Got a lot of sleep. You need to catch up or you'll get sick. (I had 102.4 temperature for 3 days when I got home anyway.)
Today I'm off to the German Bakery at Eastern and 215. Had a rum ball 3.5/5* and a Honeysting cake 3/5*. They were good, but not as good as I was expecting given another review. This is not a cafe and there's no coffee, no tables to sit at, just a bakery to take away.
Next stop at Green Valley Ranch. Lunch was at their fast food court...a salad at Cappriottis. Very good salad...much needed. 3.5/5*. After lunch off to the movies. The Grand Buddapest Hotel was a charming movie. Quirky humor and beautifully artistic photography. Very enjoyable afternoon.
Off to Harrah's to print my boarding pass for tomorrow and dinner at The Oyster Bar. I got the seafood appetizer for 2 for dinner. Oysters, mussels and shrimp 4/5*. Crab legs and lobster tail 2.5/5*. For the price it should have been better. Oh, wait, it was free with comp dollars. Still, should have been better.
Day 8:
I left in the morning. Got gas, picked up some fruit for the plane ride, returned the car, and Virgin America took me home. Only $2,500 lighter than my pocket was before I left. Typical vacation.
Next Fall, 2 weeks in Las Vegas.
Hope you enjoyed,
Stu
