Hello one and all;
It was a wonderful trip to Las Vegas on November 6-11, and here is the obligatory trip report to be sure I remember it all forever. This trip was a real improvement over the disaster of a trip that I had last year, with numerous highlights. It was also the first trip I’ve ever taken where I did a relatively small amount of total gambling. Here we go:
Day 1 minus ~ 3 months:
I’m visiting my parents and doing some IT support for their computer, when my father hits me with the question: “How would you feel if I joined you in Las Vegas?” To which I take a deep breath and tell him, “I’m not sure.” I feel pretty bad that I didn’t go for it right away, but it was a bit of a decision for me. Dad is a complex guy, with a lot of layers, but in the end (as you’ll see) I’m so glad he came.
Day 1 minus 5 days:
I find out I’ve been upgraded to first class for my flight (bonus!!!)
Day 1:
I arrive at the airport on Sunday night for my flight, and for the first time ever I get to use the “expedited” security lane at the Detroit airport. This means that I got to keep my shoes on, my belt on, and was treated like a human being. It was a taste of what travel was like when I first started my job before 9/11. To be sure, it was an awesome little bonus to start the trip with.
After a slight flight delay due to weather, we were en route to Las Vegas. Delta recently put some effort into improving their meal selection in First Class. The outbound portion included a wonderful Chicken Marsala with a nice, fresh salad. I enjoyed every bit of it, and fired up the iPad to watch some ATHF as the flight went by. The 4.5 hour flight to Vegas usually seems to go fast, but it just seemed to crawl on this occasion. This was helped a little bit by two free cocktails. Delta’s signature cocktail that month was something called the “Rumway Runner”, which was a mix of cranberry/orange juice, and a healthy dose of Rum. It was terrific, and as far I’m concerned represented the first drink of the trip. Now all we need to do is get Delta to install a dice table on the flight and we’ll have the whole package!
As the plane came in for a landing, I was pleased to have a perfect view of the city on approach, first the Boulder Strip, followed by the Stratosphere, and all the rest of the magnificent Las Vegas Strip. The feeling of seeing the city come into view just can’t be matched. I couldn’t wait to get off the damned plane and get the fun underway.
I made my way to the Rental Car facility and was given a nice comfortable Chrysler Sebring with a little over 10,000 miles on it. It made for a very nice car to have for the balance of the trip, and drove very well with nice pick-up. I will never rent from anyone but Enterprise, who did their usual good job for me. It seems ironic to me that their rates are competitive as good as their service is.
From there, I made for the Wal-Mart to pick up my case of water and some snacks for the week, and with that done, I began the journey to Laughlin. The ride on this occasion was the scariest I’ve ever done along this route. There was thick, soupy fog at many points along the way, which made me very nervous as I was already very tired. But, I did finally make it. The expansion of route 95 has been completed, and it’s now a four lane road with 75 MPH the whole way. I was reminded of the time I drove well over 90 in my little rental car to pick up my brother when his shuttle bus hadn’t made it.
My brother and I met at the Aquarius, which was a bit busier then I remembered seeing it last time. As usual, the room did not disappoint. I was given a wonderful Laughlin Strip/River facing room on a high floor. Their beds are super soft, and I’m always glad that I spring for the extra expense to get a room here. Typically, they are about $10-$20 more then the other places in Laughlin, but I’ve always felt it was worth it.
Once I got settled in my room, my brother and I made for the Golden Nugget for a snack, which I was surprised I needed as I’d eaten on the plane. We made it to Harlow’s about a half hour before they closed. Golden Nugget is of course owned by Landry’s, and they put their restaurants in the property. Harlow’s is a pretty good place with a varied menu. I selected a BLT (which according to my diet is an item I don’t get to have all the time) and it was wonderful.
With our late meal completed, we set out for a little gambling. I spotted the Hangover slot machine, which gave me a beating when I had played it in Michigan City a few weeks ago. The result was much better this time around, as I was able to walk away about even with 20 minutes or so of play time, which is outstanding given that the Hangover requires $1 per spin to play all four spots (similar to the Sex and the City machine.)
The gambling continued with the Star Wars Droid Hunt Machines. This also lasted a little while, and we eventually made our way back to the Aquarius and continued with a few Video Poker Machines.
My brother and I had managed to get a good 3 hours out of that first night, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. I closed out the night with an unproductive run at the Aquarius blackjack table. As I recall, I ended the night down around $30 or so.
Day 2:
My only full day with my brother began with a wonderful sunrise over the Colorado River. As usual, I awoke early, but was able to take my time and casually get out of bed (how nice is that!)
As I set up to take my shower, I found out that my shaving mirror and razor didn’t make the trip, and I realized that they’d been left in Houston Texas the previous week. Well, I guess I know what we’ll be doing first today (LOL.)
I picked up my brother and we headed into Bullhead City, AZ to try to find some replacements. We started with a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, which didn’t have much to pick from in terms of Bath (mostly bed and beyond I guess.) Better selection was found at the Target next door, and with the needed items purchased, we headed to the Black Bear Diner to start the day.
I really enjoy eating at the Black Bear Diner, as the food is wonderful. I’ve had many nice, comfortable visits with my brother at this place, and the visit on this occasion was no different. I ordered their Gobbler Sandwich (Turkey, Cranberry) and a bowl of soup to go with it, delicious as always.
From Black Bear we crossed back into Nevada and made our way to Searchlight. About a year ago, my brother and I had had a day trip to Searchlight planned that never happened. It was finally time to do the little tour.
We started with the Searchlight Historical Museum, housed within the Searchlight Community Center. For such a small town, I was pleasantly surprised by the little exhibit. There were artifacts from Searchlight’s mining past, as well as a few of its more notable residents. These included Clara Bow’s steamer trunk and several of her hats, and a few items from Harry Reid. This little museum is free, and I would definitely recommend it to people passing through.
From the community center, we continued east until we arrived at Cottonwood Cove. This is a very nice, secluded spot for people who wish to boat along Lake Mohave. There are several pleasure boats available for rent, but for a healthy amount of money ($500-$1700 a day plus fuel depending on boat size.) We enjoyed walking up and down the pier and watching the various wildlife (Carp, Ducks, etc.) It seemed that the wildlife didn’t want to give up on asking us for food, not that we had any to give. If you’ve got the money to spend on it, I think a group could have a very enjoyable time on Lake Mohave with one of the boats. It would certainly make for an ideal way to get away from it all.
We made our way back to Searchlight, and pulled into the Terribles for a couple of drinks. I was very disappointed to find that the music box has been removed (we were later told it had broken.) However, my brother and I had a wonderful time playing with the automated bowling game. At one point, my brother overdid it and threw the ball so hard the machine couldn’t reset itself. At $1 a game, this is something I’m going to have to remember to do more often when passing through town. It’s a fun way to get up and get moving. My brother even managed to catch a 4OAK on a nickel Video Poker machine.
Our time together was nearing its end, but there was time for more. We made our way to and parked at Pioneer Casino, and went back to the Golden Nugget for another shot at the Hangover slot machine, which I tore up with a few bonus rounds. This is by far the most fun slot machine I’ve been on in a long time.
Dinner was had at the Joe’s Crab Shack at Golden Nugget (another Landry’s restaurant.) My entrée was an excellent blackened Tuna sandwich was a side of Seafood Gumbo. It was very good, and as I don’t regularly eat at Joe’s Crab Shack (love the name though) it wasn’t a big deal that they’re a chain.
My brother and I took a long last walk along the Laughlin riverwalk, which never gets old. Things have turned around for Laughlin in a way. The casinos are fuller then I remember them being last time, and the buzz is a lot happier. I hope the momentum continues, after all, what’s good for Laughlin is good for my brother. It was time to head to Las Vegas.
My drive went more or less without incident, and before long I was pulling up on the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas. I had watched the news surrounding the remodel of the Plaza with great interest and was very excited to see the work that had been done. I had made a point of visiting the Plaza a year ago (just before she closed) and of course had been horrified at how bad it was.
What a difference a year makes. The Plaza is a swanky, sassy, fun place on par with the Golden Nugget now in terms of comfort and glitz. I pulled into the famous porte cochere and headed for the registration desk, where I promptly greeted by a very kind reception attendant. I was given a room on the 18th floor, and was promised it would have a terrific view. She wasn’t kidding! I arrived to find a gorgeous, spacious room with a fantastic view of the Strip. The furniture was ultra swanky and comfortable. The room was super clean, and everything felt new, even if it wasn’t. I was so pleased with how it turned out. The Plaza is a terrific room at a very reasonable price. I will never stay anywhere else again when downtown. The only bummer was I only had one night.
The night wasn’t quite over however, despite how late I’d gotten there.
I headed to Island Sushi for a snack, and was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. I should have guessed, but I had no idea how big Sushi is in Hawaii. It is sufficiently popular that they’ve developed their own brand of Soy Sauce, and have added an island flavor to many of the traditional Japanese offerings. I ordered a roll that included Mango, and also a few pieces of Nigiri. All of it was delicious and I really enjoyed hanging out with the Sushi Chef, who was outgoing and very friendly.
I was also very impressed with the entertainment within the restaurant. There was a guitar player set up on a stool with an iBook computer. He would start every song with a series of quick little notes, or tapping on the guitar, and the computer would record and repeat everything, giving him a melody to play and sing over. It made for a very believable sound, when I first approached the restaurant, I thought for sure there was a full band playing.
I spent the rest of my night working my way up and down Fremont Street and going in and out of the various casinos. I made stops at Freemont, Four Queens, Fitz, Golden Nugget, and Las Vegas Club. The luck was only so-so that night, and as I recall I was down a bit when it was all over. The vibe on Fremont Street is as lively as it’s ever been. Downtown seems to be enjoying its resurgence. Hopefully the momentum can continue. I have always enjoyed splitting my trip between Strip and Downtown, and will continue to do so on future trips.
Day 3
I again awoke early, but with good reason, I wanted to be sure to plan my day carefully.
The day began with a hasty checkout at the Plaza’s front desk and a stop at the Hash House A Go Go. For as long as HHAGG has been in Las Vegas, this is the first one I’ve ever eaten at. As others have commented in the past, the food is wonderful, and I was very impressed with the variety and originality of the offerings. I ordered a Turkey/Broccoli Scramble with hashbrowns and a Biscuit. For $10 it was a lot of tasty food, and I enjoyed my breakfast thoroughly. All the while, I was periodically checking my dad’s flight status on the Delta app.
I departed the Plaza and started my way to the airport. As I was going along, I figured “What the hell” and called the Tropicana to see if we could get an early checkin. To my delight, I was told to come on down and get checked in. I hastily changed course and arrived at the Trop about 20 minutes before Dad was scheduled to touch down. Within minutes I had keys to two rooms, and it was off to the airport to get Dad.
Our arranged meeting spot was the MGM check-in desk, which I arrived about five minutes early to. I remembered that they are also able to print show tickets, and so with no line I walked up and got the two reserved tickets for the Terry Fator show. So when my Dad arrived, I was able to tell him not only were we checked into our room with keys, we had our show tickets as well! I think I managed to impress him with this.
We made for the rooms, which were next to each other on the 11th floor, and found that they had put us on the side of the tower without a Strip view. I figured it was a long shot, but I called the front desk to see if I could get a Strip view room (my Dad indicated he didn’t want one.) To my delight, I was put in the room right across the hall, and so I got my Strip view room, and with my Dad only being across the hall. It couldn’t have worked out better, and I suspect had we waited until 3PM to check-in it wouldn’t have worked out so well. The beds were super comfortable too, and I was very impressed with the quality of the items in the bathroom too. I would definitely consider staying here again, and considering the deal we got through Hotwire, we did very well. Don’t forget, there were several things going on that week (or about to happen that weekend) between the Pacquio fight, 11/11/11, the Latin Grammy’s, and Veterans Day. We got our rooms for $66 a night (resort fee included) which saved us at least $20 or more per night on what other rooms were going for.
Dad indicated he wanted a light snack, and requested a McDonalds. We headed across the street to the Luxor and found a McDonalds, which felt a little weird in the middle of the Pyramid. Once he finished his snack we headed into the Bodies exhibit.
The Bodies exhibit is another item that I’ve been meaning to see for a while now. I’ve missed chances to see it in other places like New York and the touring show’s stop in Detroit. The exhibit includes rooms showcasing all of the major functional parts of the human body, including skeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems. I can’t imagine how much work and care it took to dissect and reassemble these people in meaningful ways for public display. There are also attempts made to highlight the effects of smoking, excessive drinking, and poor dietary choices. The exhibit is expensive, but well worth it.
From Bodies we headed back to the Trop, as Dad was ready for a bit of a rest. I took the opportunity to head to the casino and check out the action. I ended up at the craps table, and with only some minor luck. The casino seems so much smaller then it was before, there are relatively few tables, but I guess they know what they’re doing. It seemed weird to see Club Nikki, the Mob Experience, Gladys Knight, and Brad Garrett’s comedy club all being touted when all four are either on their way out or will be soon. It’s too bad that the Trop has had such bad luck lately, because they really did a good job cleaning it up.
Day was slowly giving way to night, and so Dad and I dressed and headed for the Rio. We began by getting Dad his players club card, which I think is the first he’s ever had in his life. I suspect he’ll be getting some mail from Caesars properties for a while now, we’ll see. From there it was a short walk to the Crown Theater Box Office to get our passes for the All Stage Pass. For a shows junkie like myself, the All Stage Pass is a helluva value. To be able to see up to 6 or 7 shows in 48 hours is an aggressive agenda, but one that is right up my alley.
But is wasn’t quite show time yet, so we headed for dinner at Buzio’s. I have always tried to avoid eating at the same places when I go to Las Vegas (India Oven being a notable exception.) There are simply too many good choices to not try something new when I come to town. I usually spend weeks reviewing menus to ensure that I make good choices. On this occasion, Buzio’s was probably the best of my choices.
We were politely greeted and promptly seated. Buzio’s sits next to Rio’s pool, and with a dramatic view of their main tower (my Dad even had a slight view of the Venetian from his seat.) The servers were very friendly and took good care of us. I ordered a Lobster Bisque (wonderful) and Blackened Scallops with Steamed Green Beans, which was divine.
It was time for the first of our two shows that night, so we settled into the Crown Theater and enjoyed the Platters, Coasters, and Marvelettes. It seems that my taste in music keeps reaching further and further into the past. I don’t enjoy too much in contemporary music anymore (Adele is a notable exception), and so my tastes are starting to go for things from the 50s and 60s. The PCM show was therefore a perfect fit for both myself and my father. The showmanship of the performers (many of them well over 50 at this point) was outstanding, and the live band was right on target too. There were many enjoyable numbers, including “Please Mr. Postman”, “The Great Pretender”, “Only You”, and “Shout.” It was wonderful to see my father throw his arms up and really get into the show also.
It was a little weird to walk right out of the theater and back in line, but as it happened our next show was going to be in the same theater. The Rat Pack Is Back tribute show was probably the highlight of the trip for me. I have been spending more and more time listening to my Rat Pack CD, and to have the chance to see the material performed live was a real treat. Of the three performers, the ones doing Frank and Dean sound almost like the real thing, and the one doing Sammy is very, very close. All three have the nuances of how they interacted down cold. The show really makes you believe you’re back in the Copa Room with the real thing. It was sassy, fun, and most of all cool. The song selection was also perfect. Selections included “Out of this world”, “My Way”, and “Volare.” Once again, my father seemed to enjoy himself. It was truly magical to share these first two shows with him.
Once the Rat Pack show was over, Dad used his $5 in free play for a little Video Poker, which didn’t last too long. He indicated that he’d had enough for the night, and so I took him back to the Trop and made sure he got up to his room. From there it was time to continue my night on the town.
I began with a long walk to the Monte Carlo, then boarded the Tram to Vdara, then excited Vdara (I wanted to check out their lobby) and walked the rest of the way to Cosmopolitan.
I’ve heard so much about Cosmo over the past year that I couldn’t wait to check it out. I have to admit that I’m impressed with what they accomplished, but I think I still prefer other places like the Bellagio and Wynn. It probably doesn’t help that the prices for everything are so high. I had hoped to play a little craps while there, but I can’t handle a $25 table minimum. Nonetheless, I made my way to the Book and Stage bar to settle in for a little Video Poker and some free drinks. Book and Stage (and every other bar at Cosmo) has a reputation for being a place where the servers can get creative when they make your drink. I told the server that I’d like a sweet drink with Rum in it. She smiled and went to work. I was given a drink that included Rum, Banana Cream, Cream, Syrup, and I suspect a few other things. It was magnificent! Right around the time I got my first drink, I hit a four of a kind on the Video Poker machine I chose. So now I’m playing with free money, enjoying unbelievable free drinks at the same time. Outstanding! Four drinks later (I later got a different server who made a drink with a Strawberry flair to it) I was ready to move on (and with a $40 profit to boot.)
I headed out the front door and made for the Bellagio. I suppose I will never get tired of hanging around the Bellagio. I made a point of visiting the Conservatory, which was still done up with the Fall theme. I also took a good long look at the Chihuly ceiling in the lobby. I was finally ready to make my way to the dice tables and try to continue my luck. It would turn out to be a good night with a few passes made (my first decent session in over a year) and when it was all done I was up another $100 or so. I suppose I’ve had more good luck at Bellagio then anywhere else (at least in terms of consistency.)
I was exhausted, and relented that I’d better get to bed. I walked up the Strip and back towards the Trop, but decided I wanted a little more action before I called it a night. I headed into the MGM Grand and found a bank of The Hangover slot machines. As it turned out, I had a good session that included 2 or 3 bonus rounds and another $20 profit.
I finally completed the walk back to the Trop, making it into bed around 4AM.
Day 4:
I fielded a call from my father at about 9:00, wondering if I was dressed and ready to get some breakfast. Uh, sure Dad….give me five minutes (lol)
I quickly showered and dressed and we headed out for our planned breakfast, ironically back at the Cosmo.
We arrived and headed for the Wicked Spoon buffet. As we were passing through the common areas my Dad commented about how my mother would have found it all to be too depressing, as it represents “such a waste of money.” I can’t say that was my reaction, but to each his own.
The Wicked Spoon certainly puts out a serviceable spread for their breakfast buffet. I enjoyed a special whipped corn dish of some sort especially. Their desert spread was also impressive. What did not impress me was their selection of breads. I guess I associate good bread with breakfast, and aside from a few items, the bread selection was poor. Wicked Spoon is supposed to be the best buffet in town now, and I’m not sure it deserves that reputation (at least not for breakfast.) Wynn and Bellagio are still tops in my book.
From breakfast, we journeyed to Red Rock Canyon. This had been a last minute suggestion on my father’s part. As was the case the last time I visited, the Canyon was beautiful to visit and I enjoyed the stop thoroughly. We made a point of visiting the old limestone quarry site that still has some of the cut limestone blocks that can be viewed and touched. I had no idea that people were mining limestone out of this area as far back at the 1920s, I can only imagine how difficult the work must have been.
Dad indicated that he wanted to pick up a box of See’s candy for my mother on the way back, and gave me some cryptic directions for finding it. He started with “Well, I know it was just a few blocks down from Palace Station.” So we headed in the direction of Palace Station along Summerlin Parkway. We arrived on Sahara Ave. to find a massive traffic jam (what a surprise.) Dad continued to scan the area, and ignored my pleas to find it on my GPS. Finally, after a good mile and a half, we managed to find the right one. As I later found out, it had to be THIS particular See’s because this one offered a discount for Ford retirees. God bless my Dad, he certainly knows how to sniff out a deal.
With our little excursion complete, we finally headed back to the Tropicana and I went to the room to rest a bit (burning the midnight oil isn’t as easy as it used to be I guess.)
Within a few hours I was ready to continue our night. We headed up the Strip and parked at Bally’s. From Bally’s Dad and I headed into Harrah’s and proceeded to their café. Our plans were going to be a bit complicated this evening and I wanted dinner to be as close to where his show was going to be as possible. As it turned out, my random pick for dinner ended up being quite good.
The café was doing their “Italian Night” menu and the food was fantastic. I ordered a Salmon dish of some sort and found it to be very tender and delicious. It seems so strange to be able to get such wonderful fish while in Las Vegas, but I must confess that I’ve never been able to find another place with such consistently wonderful fish offerings as Las Vegas. I also began what ended up being a rewarding process of “interviewing” my father. Much to his credit, Dad was a real sport about being asked about his past, as he doesn’t tend to be much of a talker (at least not about himself.) We covered a lot of topics that I found fascinating, and I took pages of notes that I intend to turn into a short memoir at some point.
For the first (and only) time on the trip, Dad and I separated, as we wanted to see separate shows that evening. Dad went up to the Harrahs box office and secured a ticket to Legends in Concert (which I’ve already seen), and I headed across the street to Caesars to check out Absinthe.
I made my way to the box office and secured my ticket, but with nearly an hour to kill before show time I figured I would do a few other things first. I began by heading across the street to the Bellagio to check out a fountain show. My timing could not have been better, as the song was “Time To Say Goodbye.” This is probably their most dramatic piece, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I headed back to Caesars and went inside to walk around a bit. I stopped briefly to checkout the Seahorse Lounge and made a mental note that I’ve got to stop back in here sometime to get a drink.
I also made a stop at the new Playboy Slot Machine and managed to catch quite a bit of good luck, including a bonus round. It made for 20 enjoyable minutes and I turned $20 into $40. Not a bad way to kill time while waiting for a show.
It was finally time to get into the tent and check out Absinthe. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so much buzz for a Las Vegas show as I’ve heard for Absinthe. Between the various Vegas message boards, Vegas podcasts, and articles in various newspapers, it seemed that literally everybody was talking about Absinthe in 2011. So I suppose my expectations for the show were high. The show is housed in a tent with various types of seating available, including kitchen chairs, couches, stools, and rocking chairs. There are numerous knickknacks on the wall and other things to look at before the show begins. Absinthe seems to be almost the quintessential Las Vegas show. It has elements of sex, comedy, wonder, crudity, poignancy, and bombast. It exhibits much of the same talent that Cirque does, but it does not take itself seriously. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I intend to see it again.
From Caesars, I headed to Bally’s to meet up with my father for the second show of the night. When I first told him about the trip, the one show that he got very excited about was Jubilee. In my case, I suppose I wanted to see an old school showgirl production while I still have the chance. Jubilee is quite a production, much bigger then I think I realized. The costumes, stage dressing, music, and effects are incredible. The fact that it’s been showing continuously for over 30 years now is certainly testament to the quality of the show. It seemed fitting to pair Jubilee with Absinthe on that evening as one was everything that Vegas once was, and the other all that Vegas seems to be about now.
It had been quite a day, and Dad was understandably tired. I ferried him back to the Tropicana and let him off at the door. I ventured out to Wynn to try my luck at the tables. It seemed so strange to find the casino floor almost empty considering how much action Caesars, Ballys, and Harrahs had been getting earlier in the night, but I suppose it was pretty late by the time I got there. Anyhow, luck was not with me that night, and I quickly burned through the $100 I brought with me.
But the night was not quite over. I decided I was ready for a snack, and headed to the Cosmopolitan. I’d heard about a secret pizza place on the dining level. What a cool concept, a hidden pizzeria with dynamite pizza that is open 24 hours a day. The set-up includes a TV tuned to ESPN and a couple of pinball machines. It felt like a slice (no pun intended) of New York. I was tempted to ask if the oven was imported from New York. It was simply the best slice of pizza I’ve had anywhere outside of New York (I went with their “white pizza” which included 4 different cheeses and some fresh garlic.
Feeling some better from the sour note at Wynn, I headed back to the room and went to bed. It had been a wonderful trip so far.
Day 5:
The last full day began with another wonderful meal. We headed to Paris and walked to Mon Ami Gabi. We waited for just a few moments, and were shown into the atrium portion, as we’d opted not to eat outside. As it turned out, we were seated at what felt like the best seat in the house that was still inside. We had a magnificent view of the Strip from our table. The food was wonderful, with the highlight being an incredible baguette that was brought out hot and with fresh whipped butter to go with it. The service was perfect as well. It took me a long time to get to Mon Ami Gabi, but I suspect it won’t be as long before I get back in there again. This is one restaurant that I think I’ll break my rule to revisit.
From breakfast we made our way to the Eiffel Tower ticket booth and got tickets for the ride to the top. This was actually an item that was included with the All Stage Pass, and I’m so glad we took advantage of it. The view from the top is perfect, and surprisingly when the Bellagio Fountains start going off you can hear the music. I took several pictures and made the remark “It’s too bad that we can’t do this at night.” And then a brilliant idea came to mind. Why not get another set of tickets? Tickets that we could use after dark? Sounds like a plan to me. We headed back to the box office and secured another pair of tickets. It was too funny as the ticket agent warned us “You have to use these before 6:30PM”, to which my father and I both laughed later.
It was time to take care of a little bit of souvenir shopping. I started at the Eiffel Tower gift shop and selected a stuffed dog for my daughter. I had originally thought that some earrings would work, but this proved to be too difficult to find (something appropriate.)
My father indicated that he wanted to see one more show on the All Stage Pass and headed to Harrahs to check out Mac King. So I headed across the street to Caesars to continue shopping in the Forum Shops. This ended up being a hell of a long frustrating journey. Store after store, and nothing seemed like a good fit for either of my other two kids. Finally, I ended up at the autograph place. I noted that they had a few toys related to certain movies, and finally found the light-up Harry Potter wand. Perfect! Now only one kid to go.
I made my way back across the street once again to Harrah’s and noticed a display where they were selling these liquid balls that a person could throw down on the ground, splat, and then re-take the shape of a ball. It seemed a good fit for the last kid on my list, so I picked up two of these.
I rejoined my father inside Harrah’s and sat down at the next machine over from his. As it turned out, I hit the machine for about $40, essentially paying me back for a good portion of what I’d spent on each kid, too funny.
Together again, we crossed the street to Caesars for our last dinner of the trip. I had selected Spago on the strength of their menu and also based on Wolfgang’s Pucks reputation. I’m not sure it exactly lived up to the hype, but the food was certainly very good. I had a dish of squash filled pasta, with a soup appetizer. My father had a pork sandwich of some sort, and seemed to enjoy it. What bothered us both just a bit was the noise level, but we made due. We continued the interview process that had started the night previous. It was so interesting to learn all of these things about my father.
With dinner finished, we made our way to the Mirage for the last show of the trip. Just a few weeks before my Dad had asked to join me, I had selected Terry Fator as my “big show” for the trip. This had been before I was even aware of the All Stage Pass and all that. It ended up being a good choice for a last show. Dad and I both enjoyed ourselves. Terry is certainly a talented man, and the show is truly fun for all ages. It was very touching when Terry asked all of the military personnel present to stand and be acknowledged.
We made our way back to the Paris for our last ride up to the top, and as we had suspected all along, there were no issues whatsoever, despite the fact it was well past 6:30. I’m so glad we persevered and went up for a second viewing. There is simply nothing like being up high and seeing the Las Vegas Strip all lit up. We even managed to catch two fountain shows, which were wonderful to see from that angle.
As we headed back to the Trop, I realized how wonderful it had been to have Dad join me for this trip, it had truly made for a memorable experience. I had learned a lot about him, and we’d really connected in a meaningful way.
Dad was off to bed, and it was time for the last night on the town, which I began by searching for a Cigar cutter to be able to fire up my Hoyo De Monterrey. It took a while, but I finally found one at the MGM cigar shop. I don’t generally smoke, but I love a good stogie once in a while, and the Hoyo is a very good choice.
It was time to find a decent craps minimum. As I crossed a pedestrian bridge, I encountered a group of guys who’d come all the way from Australia for a bachelor party. I hit the best man with the old joke about “If you’re the best man, why is she marrying him?” They seemed like a fun bunch of guys, and wished me well for the evening. I slowly worked my way through Monte Carlo, and ran into a prostitute who gave me a line I’ve never heard before “I was looking for you too!” (no I wasn’t…) then to Aria, then finally to Bellagio where I found a $10 minimum. Luck was not with me however, and I quickly went down about $100.
I decided I wasn’t quite ready to give up, and so I withdrew a little more and sat down at a blackjack table that also had a $10 minimum. It ended up being a very enjoyable session, as I got back about $70 of what I had lost at the Craps table. I also made a point of hooping and hollering, which is a little unusual for the Bellagio, but it felt right. It was too funny at one point, a woman at a slight machine started getting very excited, but keeping it in. I yelled over to her “What’d you do sweetheart?” to which she yelled (more like screamed) back “I won!, I won!” which got quite a few people laughing and clapping. It was a genuine Las Vegas moment, and I was glad to be a part of it. I even managed to get the dealer to laugh quite a few times, which was cool. It was one of the more fun gambling sessions I’ve ever had, just silly, lucky, and fun.
I decided I wanted one more slice of that awesome pizza at the Cosmopolitan, so I walked in and got one. As I was making my way through the casino to the food level, I noticed a very drunk woman with a short skirt on, sprawled out on the floor, and showing the whole world everything God blessed her with. There was a rather flustered security guard trying to help her to her feet and get her moving. I imagine her morning after must have been unpleasant.
With my last meal complete, I walked back to the MGM Grand and settled in for one last session with the Hangover slots, which was fun and ended with about a break even result.
It was nearly 2AM, and definitely time for bed. I walked out the MGM with my last drink in hand, and made it all the way to my room before I officially finished it. It was too funny to be standing in my pajamas, finishing a drink and looking out the windows at the Strip. It had truly been a great trip.
Day 6
The trip home went well, no incidents of any concern. Las Vegas appears to be getting her mojo back, and I’m so glad. I hope that in a year’s time when I get to go back that she is as strong as ever. I hope you enjoyed this trip report, and wish you all well for the holiday season.
It was a wonderful trip to Las Vegas on November 6-11, and here is the obligatory trip report to be sure I remember it all forever. This trip was a real improvement over the disaster of a trip that I had last year, with numerous highlights. It was also the first trip I’ve ever taken where I did a relatively small amount of total gambling. Here we go:
Day 1 minus ~ 3 months:
I’m visiting my parents and doing some IT support for their computer, when my father hits me with the question: “How would you feel if I joined you in Las Vegas?” To which I take a deep breath and tell him, “I’m not sure.” I feel pretty bad that I didn’t go for it right away, but it was a bit of a decision for me. Dad is a complex guy, with a lot of layers, but in the end (as you’ll see) I’m so glad he came.
Day 1 minus 5 days:
I find out I’ve been upgraded to first class for my flight (bonus!!!)
Day 1:
I arrive at the airport on Sunday night for my flight, and for the first time ever I get to use the “expedited” security lane at the Detroit airport. This means that I got to keep my shoes on, my belt on, and was treated like a human being. It was a taste of what travel was like when I first started my job before 9/11. To be sure, it was an awesome little bonus to start the trip with.
After a slight flight delay due to weather, we were en route to Las Vegas. Delta recently put some effort into improving their meal selection in First Class. The outbound portion included a wonderful Chicken Marsala with a nice, fresh salad. I enjoyed every bit of it, and fired up the iPad to watch some ATHF as the flight went by. The 4.5 hour flight to Vegas usually seems to go fast, but it just seemed to crawl on this occasion. This was helped a little bit by two free cocktails. Delta’s signature cocktail that month was something called the “Rumway Runner”, which was a mix of cranberry/orange juice, and a healthy dose of Rum. It was terrific, and as far I’m concerned represented the first drink of the trip. Now all we need to do is get Delta to install a dice table on the flight and we’ll have the whole package!
As the plane came in for a landing, I was pleased to have a perfect view of the city on approach, first the Boulder Strip, followed by the Stratosphere, and all the rest of the magnificent Las Vegas Strip. The feeling of seeing the city come into view just can’t be matched. I couldn’t wait to get off the damned plane and get the fun underway.
I made my way to the Rental Car facility and was given a nice comfortable Chrysler Sebring with a little over 10,000 miles on it. It made for a very nice car to have for the balance of the trip, and drove very well with nice pick-up. I will never rent from anyone but Enterprise, who did their usual good job for me. It seems ironic to me that their rates are competitive as good as their service is.
From there, I made for the Wal-Mart to pick up my case of water and some snacks for the week, and with that done, I began the journey to Laughlin. The ride on this occasion was the scariest I’ve ever done along this route. There was thick, soupy fog at many points along the way, which made me very nervous as I was already very tired. But, I did finally make it. The expansion of route 95 has been completed, and it’s now a four lane road with 75 MPH the whole way. I was reminded of the time I drove well over 90 in my little rental car to pick up my brother when his shuttle bus hadn’t made it.
My brother and I met at the Aquarius, which was a bit busier then I remembered seeing it last time. As usual, the room did not disappoint. I was given a wonderful Laughlin Strip/River facing room on a high floor. Their beds are super soft, and I’m always glad that I spring for the extra expense to get a room here. Typically, they are about $10-$20 more then the other places in Laughlin, but I’ve always felt it was worth it.
Once I got settled in my room, my brother and I made for the Golden Nugget for a snack, which I was surprised I needed as I’d eaten on the plane. We made it to Harlow’s about a half hour before they closed. Golden Nugget is of course owned by Landry’s, and they put their restaurants in the property. Harlow’s is a pretty good place with a varied menu. I selected a BLT (which according to my diet is an item I don’t get to have all the time) and it was wonderful.
With our late meal completed, we set out for a little gambling. I spotted the Hangover slot machine, which gave me a beating when I had played it in Michigan City a few weeks ago. The result was much better this time around, as I was able to walk away about even with 20 minutes or so of play time, which is outstanding given that the Hangover requires $1 per spin to play all four spots (similar to the Sex and the City machine.)
The gambling continued with the Star Wars Droid Hunt Machines. This also lasted a little while, and we eventually made our way back to the Aquarius and continued with a few Video Poker Machines.
My brother and I had managed to get a good 3 hours out of that first night, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. I closed out the night with an unproductive run at the Aquarius blackjack table. As I recall, I ended the night down around $30 or so.
Day 2:
My only full day with my brother began with a wonderful sunrise over the Colorado River. As usual, I awoke early, but was able to take my time and casually get out of bed (how nice is that!)
As I set up to take my shower, I found out that my shaving mirror and razor didn’t make the trip, and I realized that they’d been left in Houston Texas the previous week. Well, I guess I know what we’ll be doing first today (LOL.)
I picked up my brother and we headed into Bullhead City, AZ to try to find some replacements. We started with a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, which didn’t have much to pick from in terms of Bath (mostly bed and beyond I guess.) Better selection was found at the Target next door, and with the needed items purchased, we headed to the Black Bear Diner to start the day.
I really enjoy eating at the Black Bear Diner, as the food is wonderful. I’ve had many nice, comfortable visits with my brother at this place, and the visit on this occasion was no different. I ordered their Gobbler Sandwich (Turkey, Cranberry) and a bowl of soup to go with it, delicious as always.
From Black Bear we crossed back into Nevada and made our way to Searchlight. About a year ago, my brother and I had had a day trip to Searchlight planned that never happened. It was finally time to do the little tour.
We started with the Searchlight Historical Museum, housed within the Searchlight Community Center. For such a small town, I was pleasantly surprised by the little exhibit. There were artifacts from Searchlight’s mining past, as well as a few of its more notable residents. These included Clara Bow’s steamer trunk and several of her hats, and a few items from Harry Reid. This little museum is free, and I would definitely recommend it to people passing through.
From the community center, we continued east until we arrived at Cottonwood Cove. This is a very nice, secluded spot for people who wish to boat along Lake Mohave. There are several pleasure boats available for rent, but for a healthy amount of money ($500-$1700 a day plus fuel depending on boat size.) We enjoyed walking up and down the pier and watching the various wildlife (Carp, Ducks, etc.) It seemed that the wildlife didn’t want to give up on asking us for food, not that we had any to give. If you’ve got the money to spend on it, I think a group could have a very enjoyable time on Lake Mohave with one of the boats. It would certainly make for an ideal way to get away from it all.
We made our way back to Searchlight, and pulled into the Terribles for a couple of drinks. I was very disappointed to find that the music box has been removed (we were later told it had broken.) However, my brother and I had a wonderful time playing with the automated bowling game. At one point, my brother overdid it and threw the ball so hard the machine couldn’t reset itself. At $1 a game, this is something I’m going to have to remember to do more often when passing through town. It’s a fun way to get up and get moving. My brother even managed to catch a 4OAK on a nickel Video Poker machine.
Our time together was nearing its end, but there was time for more. We made our way to and parked at Pioneer Casino, and went back to the Golden Nugget for another shot at the Hangover slot machine, which I tore up with a few bonus rounds. This is by far the most fun slot machine I’ve been on in a long time.
Dinner was had at the Joe’s Crab Shack at Golden Nugget (another Landry’s restaurant.) My entrée was an excellent blackened Tuna sandwich was a side of Seafood Gumbo. It was very good, and as I don’t regularly eat at Joe’s Crab Shack (love the name though) it wasn’t a big deal that they’re a chain.
My brother and I took a long last walk along the Laughlin riverwalk, which never gets old. Things have turned around for Laughlin in a way. The casinos are fuller then I remember them being last time, and the buzz is a lot happier. I hope the momentum continues, after all, what’s good for Laughlin is good for my brother. It was time to head to Las Vegas.
My drive went more or less without incident, and before long I was pulling up on the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas. I had watched the news surrounding the remodel of the Plaza with great interest and was very excited to see the work that had been done. I had made a point of visiting the Plaza a year ago (just before she closed) and of course had been horrified at how bad it was.
What a difference a year makes. The Plaza is a swanky, sassy, fun place on par with the Golden Nugget now in terms of comfort and glitz. I pulled into the famous porte cochere and headed for the registration desk, where I promptly greeted by a very kind reception attendant. I was given a room on the 18th floor, and was promised it would have a terrific view. She wasn’t kidding! I arrived to find a gorgeous, spacious room with a fantastic view of the Strip. The furniture was ultra swanky and comfortable. The room was super clean, and everything felt new, even if it wasn’t. I was so pleased with how it turned out. The Plaza is a terrific room at a very reasonable price. I will never stay anywhere else again when downtown. The only bummer was I only had one night.
The night wasn’t quite over however, despite how late I’d gotten there.
I headed to Island Sushi for a snack, and was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. I should have guessed, but I had no idea how big Sushi is in Hawaii. It is sufficiently popular that they’ve developed their own brand of Soy Sauce, and have added an island flavor to many of the traditional Japanese offerings. I ordered a roll that included Mango, and also a few pieces of Nigiri. All of it was delicious and I really enjoyed hanging out with the Sushi Chef, who was outgoing and very friendly.
I was also very impressed with the entertainment within the restaurant. There was a guitar player set up on a stool with an iBook computer. He would start every song with a series of quick little notes, or tapping on the guitar, and the computer would record and repeat everything, giving him a melody to play and sing over. It made for a very believable sound, when I first approached the restaurant, I thought for sure there was a full band playing.
I spent the rest of my night working my way up and down Fremont Street and going in and out of the various casinos. I made stops at Freemont, Four Queens, Fitz, Golden Nugget, and Las Vegas Club. The luck was only so-so that night, and as I recall I was down a bit when it was all over. The vibe on Fremont Street is as lively as it’s ever been. Downtown seems to be enjoying its resurgence. Hopefully the momentum can continue. I have always enjoyed splitting my trip between Strip and Downtown, and will continue to do so on future trips.
Day 3
I again awoke early, but with good reason, I wanted to be sure to plan my day carefully.
The day began with a hasty checkout at the Plaza’s front desk and a stop at the Hash House A Go Go. For as long as HHAGG has been in Las Vegas, this is the first one I’ve ever eaten at. As others have commented in the past, the food is wonderful, and I was very impressed with the variety and originality of the offerings. I ordered a Turkey/Broccoli Scramble with hashbrowns and a Biscuit. For $10 it was a lot of tasty food, and I enjoyed my breakfast thoroughly. All the while, I was periodically checking my dad’s flight status on the Delta app.
I departed the Plaza and started my way to the airport. As I was going along, I figured “What the hell” and called the Tropicana to see if we could get an early checkin. To my delight, I was told to come on down and get checked in. I hastily changed course and arrived at the Trop about 20 minutes before Dad was scheduled to touch down. Within minutes I had keys to two rooms, and it was off to the airport to get Dad.
Our arranged meeting spot was the MGM check-in desk, which I arrived about five minutes early to. I remembered that they are also able to print show tickets, and so with no line I walked up and got the two reserved tickets for the Terry Fator show. So when my Dad arrived, I was able to tell him not only were we checked into our room with keys, we had our show tickets as well! I think I managed to impress him with this.
We made for the rooms, which were next to each other on the 11th floor, and found that they had put us on the side of the tower without a Strip view. I figured it was a long shot, but I called the front desk to see if I could get a Strip view room (my Dad indicated he didn’t want one.) To my delight, I was put in the room right across the hall, and so I got my Strip view room, and with my Dad only being across the hall. It couldn’t have worked out better, and I suspect had we waited until 3PM to check-in it wouldn’t have worked out so well. The beds were super comfortable too, and I was very impressed with the quality of the items in the bathroom too. I would definitely consider staying here again, and considering the deal we got through Hotwire, we did very well. Don’t forget, there were several things going on that week (or about to happen that weekend) between the Pacquio fight, 11/11/11, the Latin Grammy’s, and Veterans Day. We got our rooms for $66 a night (resort fee included) which saved us at least $20 or more per night on what other rooms were going for.
Dad indicated he wanted a light snack, and requested a McDonalds. We headed across the street to the Luxor and found a McDonalds, which felt a little weird in the middle of the Pyramid. Once he finished his snack we headed into the Bodies exhibit.
The Bodies exhibit is another item that I’ve been meaning to see for a while now. I’ve missed chances to see it in other places like New York and the touring show’s stop in Detroit. The exhibit includes rooms showcasing all of the major functional parts of the human body, including skeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems. I can’t imagine how much work and care it took to dissect and reassemble these people in meaningful ways for public display. There are also attempts made to highlight the effects of smoking, excessive drinking, and poor dietary choices. The exhibit is expensive, but well worth it.
From Bodies we headed back to the Trop, as Dad was ready for a bit of a rest. I took the opportunity to head to the casino and check out the action. I ended up at the craps table, and with only some minor luck. The casino seems so much smaller then it was before, there are relatively few tables, but I guess they know what they’re doing. It seemed weird to see Club Nikki, the Mob Experience, Gladys Knight, and Brad Garrett’s comedy club all being touted when all four are either on their way out or will be soon. It’s too bad that the Trop has had such bad luck lately, because they really did a good job cleaning it up.
Day was slowly giving way to night, and so Dad and I dressed and headed for the Rio. We began by getting Dad his players club card, which I think is the first he’s ever had in his life. I suspect he’ll be getting some mail from Caesars properties for a while now, we’ll see. From there it was a short walk to the Crown Theater Box Office to get our passes for the All Stage Pass. For a shows junkie like myself, the All Stage Pass is a helluva value. To be able to see up to 6 or 7 shows in 48 hours is an aggressive agenda, but one that is right up my alley.
But is wasn’t quite show time yet, so we headed for dinner at Buzio’s. I have always tried to avoid eating at the same places when I go to Las Vegas (India Oven being a notable exception.) There are simply too many good choices to not try something new when I come to town. I usually spend weeks reviewing menus to ensure that I make good choices. On this occasion, Buzio’s was probably the best of my choices.
We were politely greeted and promptly seated. Buzio’s sits next to Rio’s pool, and with a dramatic view of their main tower (my Dad even had a slight view of the Venetian from his seat.) The servers were very friendly and took good care of us. I ordered a Lobster Bisque (wonderful) and Blackened Scallops with Steamed Green Beans, which was divine.
It was time for the first of our two shows that night, so we settled into the Crown Theater and enjoyed the Platters, Coasters, and Marvelettes. It seems that my taste in music keeps reaching further and further into the past. I don’t enjoy too much in contemporary music anymore (Adele is a notable exception), and so my tastes are starting to go for things from the 50s and 60s. The PCM show was therefore a perfect fit for both myself and my father. The showmanship of the performers (many of them well over 50 at this point) was outstanding, and the live band was right on target too. There were many enjoyable numbers, including “Please Mr. Postman”, “The Great Pretender”, “Only You”, and “Shout.” It was wonderful to see my father throw his arms up and really get into the show also.
It was a little weird to walk right out of the theater and back in line, but as it happened our next show was going to be in the same theater. The Rat Pack Is Back tribute show was probably the highlight of the trip for me. I have been spending more and more time listening to my Rat Pack CD, and to have the chance to see the material performed live was a real treat. Of the three performers, the ones doing Frank and Dean sound almost like the real thing, and the one doing Sammy is very, very close. All three have the nuances of how they interacted down cold. The show really makes you believe you’re back in the Copa Room with the real thing. It was sassy, fun, and most of all cool. The song selection was also perfect. Selections included “Out of this world”, “My Way”, and “Volare.” Once again, my father seemed to enjoy himself. It was truly magical to share these first two shows with him.
Once the Rat Pack show was over, Dad used his $5 in free play for a little Video Poker, which didn’t last too long. He indicated that he’d had enough for the night, and so I took him back to the Trop and made sure he got up to his room. From there it was time to continue my night on the town.
I began with a long walk to the Monte Carlo, then boarded the Tram to Vdara, then excited Vdara (I wanted to check out their lobby) and walked the rest of the way to Cosmopolitan.
I’ve heard so much about Cosmo over the past year that I couldn’t wait to check it out. I have to admit that I’m impressed with what they accomplished, but I think I still prefer other places like the Bellagio and Wynn. It probably doesn’t help that the prices for everything are so high. I had hoped to play a little craps while there, but I can’t handle a $25 table minimum. Nonetheless, I made my way to the Book and Stage bar to settle in for a little Video Poker and some free drinks. Book and Stage (and every other bar at Cosmo) has a reputation for being a place where the servers can get creative when they make your drink. I told the server that I’d like a sweet drink with Rum in it. She smiled and went to work. I was given a drink that included Rum, Banana Cream, Cream, Syrup, and I suspect a few other things. It was magnificent! Right around the time I got my first drink, I hit a four of a kind on the Video Poker machine I chose. So now I’m playing with free money, enjoying unbelievable free drinks at the same time. Outstanding! Four drinks later (I later got a different server who made a drink with a Strawberry flair to it) I was ready to move on (and with a $40 profit to boot.)
I headed out the front door and made for the Bellagio. I suppose I will never get tired of hanging around the Bellagio. I made a point of visiting the Conservatory, which was still done up with the Fall theme. I also took a good long look at the Chihuly ceiling in the lobby. I was finally ready to make my way to the dice tables and try to continue my luck. It would turn out to be a good night with a few passes made (my first decent session in over a year) and when it was all done I was up another $100 or so. I suppose I’ve had more good luck at Bellagio then anywhere else (at least in terms of consistency.)
I was exhausted, and relented that I’d better get to bed. I walked up the Strip and back towards the Trop, but decided I wanted a little more action before I called it a night. I headed into the MGM Grand and found a bank of The Hangover slot machines. As it turned out, I had a good session that included 2 or 3 bonus rounds and another $20 profit.
I finally completed the walk back to the Trop, making it into bed around 4AM.
Day 4:
I fielded a call from my father at about 9:00, wondering if I was dressed and ready to get some breakfast. Uh, sure Dad….give me five minutes (lol)
I quickly showered and dressed and we headed out for our planned breakfast, ironically back at the Cosmo.
We arrived and headed for the Wicked Spoon buffet. As we were passing through the common areas my Dad commented about how my mother would have found it all to be too depressing, as it represents “such a waste of money.” I can’t say that was my reaction, but to each his own.
The Wicked Spoon certainly puts out a serviceable spread for their breakfast buffet. I enjoyed a special whipped corn dish of some sort especially. Their desert spread was also impressive. What did not impress me was their selection of breads. I guess I associate good bread with breakfast, and aside from a few items, the bread selection was poor. Wicked Spoon is supposed to be the best buffet in town now, and I’m not sure it deserves that reputation (at least not for breakfast.) Wynn and Bellagio are still tops in my book.
From breakfast, we journeyed to Red Rock Canyon. This had been a last minute suggestion on my father’s part. As was the case the last time I visited, the Canyon was beautiful to visit and I enjoyed the stop thoroughly. We made a point of visiting the old limestone quarry site that still has some of the cut limestone blocks that can be viewed and touched. I had no idea that people were mining limestone out of this area as far back at the 1920s, I can only imagine how difficult the work must have been.
Dad indicated that he wanted to pick up a box of See’s candy for my mother on the way back, and gave me some cryptic directions for finding it. He started with “Well, I know it was just a few blocks down from Palace Station.” So we headed in the direction of Palace Station along Summerlin Parkway. We arrived on Sahara Ave. to find a massive traffic jam (what a surprise.) Dad continued to scan the area, and ignored my pleas to find it on my GPS. Finally, after a good mile and a half, we managed to find the right one. As I later found out, it had to be THIS particular See’s because this one offered a discount for Ford retirees. God bless my Dad, he certainly knows how to sniff out a deal.
With our little excursion complete, we finally headed back to the Tropicana and I went to the room to rest a bit (burning the midnight oil isn’t as easy as it used to be I guess.)
Within a few hours I was ready to continue our night. We headed up the Strip and parked at Bally’s. From Bally’s Dad and I headed into Harrah’s and proceeded to their café. Our plans were going to be a bit complicated this evening and I wanted dinner to be as close to where his show was going to be as possible. As it turned out, my random pick for dinner ended up being quite good.
The café was doing their “Italian Night” menu and the food was fantastic. I ordered a Salmon dish of some sort and found it to be very tender and delicious. It seems so strange to be able to get such wonderful fish while in Las Vegas, but I must confess that I’ve never been able to find another place with such consistently wonderful fish offerings as Las Vegas. I also began what ended up being a rewarding process of “interviewing” my father. Much to his credit, Dad was a real sport about being asked about his past, as he doesn’t tend to be much of a talker (at least not about himself.) We covered a lot of topics that I found fascinating, and I took pages of notes that I intend to turn into a short memoir at some point.
For the first (and only) time on the trip, Dad and I separated, as we wanted to see separate shows that evening. Dad went up to the Harrahs box office and secured a ticket to Legends in Concert (which I’ve already seen), and I headed across the street to Caesars to check out Absinthe.
I made my way to the box office and secured my ticket, but with nearly an hour to kill before show time I figured I would do a few other things first. I began by heading across the street to the Bellagio to check out a fountain show. My timing could not have been better, as the song was “Time To Say Goodbye.” This is probably their most dramatic piece, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I headed back to Caesars and went inside to walk around a bit. I stopped briefly to checkout the Seahorse Lounge and made a mental note that I’ve got to stop back in here sometime to get a drink.
I also made a stop at the new Playboy Slot Machine and managed to catch quite a bit of good luck, including a bonus round. It made for 20 enjoyable minutes and I turned $20 into $40. Not a bad way to kill time while waiting for a show.
It was finally time to get into the tent and check out Absinthe. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so much buzz for a Las Vegas show as I’ve heard for Absinthe. Between the various Vegas message boards, Vegas podcasts, and articles in various newspapers, it seemed that literally everybody was talking about Absinthe in 2011. So I suppose my expectations for the show were high. The show is housed in a tent with various types of seating available, including kitchen chairs, couches, stools, and rocking chairs. There are numerous knickknacks on the wall and other things to look at before the show begins. Absinthe seems to be almost the quintessential Las Vegas show. It has elements of sex, comedy, wonder, crudity, poignancy, and bombast. It exhibits much of the same talent that Cirque does, but it does not take itself seriously. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I intend to see it again.
From Caesars, I headed to Bally’s to meet up with my father for the second show of the night. When I first told him about the trip, the one show that he got very excited about was Jubilee. In my case, I suppose I wanted to see an old school showgirl production while I still have the chance. Jubilee is quite a production, much bigger then I think I realized. The costumes, stage dressing, music, and effects are incredible. The fact that it’s been showing continuously for over 30 years now is certainly testament to the quality of the show. It seemed fitting to pair Jubilee with Absinthe on that evening as one was everything that Vegas once was, and the other all that Vegas seems to be about now.
It had been quite a day, and Dad was understandably tired. I ferried him back to the Tropicana and let him off at the door. I ventured out to Wynn to try my luck at the tables. It seemed so strange to find the casino floor almost empty considering how much action Caesars, Ballys, and Harrahs had been getting earlier in the night, but I suppose it was pretty late by the time I got there. Anyhow, luck was not with me that night, and I quickly burned through the $100 I brought with me.
But the night was not quite over. I decided I was ready for a snack, and headed to the Cosmopolitan. I’d heard about a secret pizza place on the dining level. What a cool concept, a hidden pizzeria with dynamite pizza that is open 24 hours a day. The set-up includes a TV tuned to ESPN and a couple of pinball machines. It felt like a slice (no pun intended) of New York. I was tempted to ask if the oven was imported from New York. It was simply the best slice of pizza I’ve had anywhere outside of New York (I went with their “white pizza” which included 4 different cheeses and some fresh garlic.
Feeling some better from the sour note at Wynn, I headed back to the room and went to bed. It had been a wonderful trip so far.
Day 5:
The last full day began with another wonderful meal. We headed to Paris and walked to Mon Ami Gabi. We waited for just a few moments, and were shown into the atrium portion, as we’d opted not to eat outside. As it turned out, we were seated at what felt like the best seat in the house that was still inside. We had a magnificent view of the Strip from our table. The food was wonderful, with the highlight being an incredible baguette that was brought out hot and with fresh whipped butter to go with it. The service was perfect as well. It took me a long time to get to Mon Ami Gabi, but I suspect it won’t be as long before I get back in there again. This is one restaurant that I think I’ll break my rule to revisit.
From breakfast we made our way to the Eiffel Tower ticket booth and got tickets for the ride to the top. This was actually an item that was included with the All Stage Pass, and I’m so glad we took advantage of it. The view from the top is perfect, and surprisingly when the Bellagio Fountains start going off you can hear the music. I took several pictures and made the remark “It’s too bad that we can’t do this at night.” And then a brilliant idea came to mind. Why not get another set of tickets? Tickets that we could use after dark? Sounds like a plan to me. We headed back to the box office and secured another pair of tickets. It was too funny as the ticket agent warned us “You have to use these before 6:30PM”, to which my father and I both laughed later.
It was time to take care of a little bit of souvenir shopping. I started at the Eiffel Tower gift shop and selected a stuffed dog for my daughter. I had originally thought that some earrings would work, but this proved to be too difficult to find (something appropriate.)
My father indicated that he wanted to see one more show on the All Stage Pass and headed to Harrahs to check out Mac King. So I headed across the street to Caesars to continue shopping in the Forum Shops. This ended up being a hell of a long frustrating journey. Store after store, and nothing seemed like a good fit for either of my other two kids. Finally, I ended up at the autograph place. I noted that they had a few toys related to certain movies, and finally found the light-up Harry Potter wand. Perfect! Now only one kid to go.
I made my way back across the street once again to Harrah’s and noticed a display where they were selling these liquid balls that a person could throw down on the ground, splat, and then re-take the shape of a ball. It seemed a good fit for the last kid on my list, so I picked up two of these.
I rejoined my father inside Harrah’s and sat down at the next machine over from his. As it turned out, I hit the machine for about $40, essentially paying me back for a good portion of what I’d spent on each kid, too funny.
Together again, we crossed the street to Caesars for our last dinner of the trip. I had selected Spago on the strength of their menu and also based on Wolfgang’s Pucks reputation. I’m not sure it exactly lived up to the hype, but the food was certainly very good. I had a dish of squash filled pasta, with a soup appetizer. My father had a pork sandwich of some sort, and seemed to enjoy it. What bothered us both just a bit was the noise level, but we made due. We continued the interview process that had started the night previous. It was so interesting to learn all of these things about my father.
With dinner finished, we made our way to the Mirage for the last show of the trip. Just a few weeks before my Dad had asked to join me, I had selected Terry Fator as my “big show” for the trip. This had been before I was even aware of the All Stage Pass and all that. It ended up being a good choice for a last show. Dad and I both enjoyed ourselves. Terry is certainly a talented man, and the show is truly fun for all ages. It was very touching when Terry asked all of the military personnel present to stand and be acknowledged.
We made our way back to the Paris for our last ride up to the top, and as we had suspected all along, there were no issues whatsoever, despite the fact it was well past 6:30. I’m so glad we persevered and went up for a second viewing. There is simply nothing like being up high and seeing the Las Vegas Strip all lit up. We even managed to catch two fountain shows, which were wonderful to see from that angle.
As we headed back to the Trop, I realized how wonderful it had been to have Dad join me for this trip, it had truly made for a memorable experience. I had learned a lot about him, and we’d really connected in a meaningful way.
Dad was off to bed, and it was time for the last night on the town, which I began by searching for a Cigar cutter to be able to fire up my Hoyo De Monterrey. It took a while, but I finally found one at the MGM cigar shop. I don’t generally smoke, but I love a good stogie once in a while, and the Hoyo is a very good choice.
It was time to find a decent craps minimum. As I crossed a pedestrian bridge, I encountered a group of guys who’d come all the way from Australia for a bachelor party. I hit the best man with the old joke about “If you’re the best man, why is she marrying him?” They seemed like a fun bunch of guys, and wished me well for the evening. I slowly worked my way through Monte Carlo, and ran into a prostitute who gave me a line I’ve never heard before “I was looking for you too!” (no I wasn’t…) then to Aria, then finally to Bellagio where I found a $10 minimum. Luck was not with me however, and I quickly went down about $100.
I decided I wasn’t quite ready to give up, and so I withdrew a little more and sat down at a blackjack table that also had a $10 minimum. It ended up being a very enjoyable session, as I got back about $70 of what I had lost at the Craps table. I also made a point of hooping and hollering, which is a little unusual for the Bellagio, but it felt right. It was too funny at one point, a woman at a slight machine started getting very excited, but keeping it in. I yelled over to her “What’d you do sweetheart?” to which she yelled (more like screamed) back “I won!, I won!” which got quite a few people laughing and clapping. It was a genuine Las Vegas moment, and I was glad to be a part of it. I even managed to get the dealer to laugh quite a few times, which was cool. It was one of the more fun gambling sessions I’ve ever had, just silly, lucky, and fun.
I decided I wanted one more slice of that awesome pizza at the Cosmopolitan, so I walked in and got one. As I was making my way through the casino to the food level, I noticed a very drunk woman with a short skirt on, sprawled out on the floor, and showing the whole world everything God blessed her with. There was a rather flustered security guard trying to help her to her feet and get her moving. I imagine her morning after must have been unpleasant.
With my last meal complete, I walked back to the MGM Grand and settled in for one last session with the Hangover slots, which was fun and ended with about a break even result.
It was nearly 2AM, and definitely time for bed. I walked out the MGM with my last drink in hand, and made it all the way to my room before I officially finished it. It was too funny to be standing in my pajamas, finishing a drink and looking out the windows at the Strip. It had truly been a great trip.
Day 6
The trip home went well, no incidents of any concern. Las Vegas appears to be getting her mojo back, and I’m so glad. I hope that in a year’s time when I get to go back that she is as strong as ever. I hope you enjoyed this trip report, and wish you all well for the holiday season.
