Question of the Day - 01 May 2020

Today is May Day, not April Fools Day.
BTW, that wasn't technically a memory but a past life experience.

Wild story,but well written!You are out of control.
  I don't like magic shows. Sitting in the FRONT row, I could figure out some of the smoke and mirror presentations. I'm too analitical. Not entertainment for me.

  When the show girls came out to their dancing,there were beads and feathers falling all over the stage,some into my lap.

We stayed at the Mirage.  At night we were running low on toilet paper so we called downstairs and ordered some more. The next morning I was standing in front of the bathroom mirrow shaving in the nude as I always do.  The maid came in our room walked into the bathroom and put a couple rolls of toilet paper on the counter.  She said good morning so I said good morning and she walked out.

My favorite memory was meeting Oscar Goodman. I had seen and heard of him through TV documentaries and bought the book "Of Rats and Men". It took me 2 years but we met him and the author, John L. Smith and we are still friends today. Oscars no-nonsense approach and sense of humor are wonderful and I feel privileged to have become friends. His visions for The Mob Museum  and Las Vegas are spot on. 

My favorite memory is more of a general memory of the days not that long ago when Vegas casinos treated us like valued and welcome guests instead of trying to extract every last nickel with fees for everything they can think of. So many things that used to be free or low-cost were included in your visit. I didn't mind losing at my gambling as much when I felt like I got good value on my hotel room, meals, show tickets, rental car, free parking and other things that made the visit seem a lot more fun and I couldn't wait to return and do it again. I'd even vote for bringing back the mafia, they knew how to treat honest customers better than the blood-sucking corporate owners we have now. Vegas is now run like it has to meet shareholder expectations of profit every 90 days, they don't care very much about developing longterm customers. I wish the state forced each casino to have a different owner so there'd be more competition, now we have a few owners controlling the majority of places.

WHENEVER ,  'THE MEADOWS' is reopened - just to stand at the 4 corners downtown , will be THE GREATEST --- AGAIN !!!!

I'll never forget the 1st time in Vegas, Oct '70. Learning the games as I played them, but we renewed our vows (by Elvis, of course) and had a great party, and our youngest daughter got married at Paris, so I gave away the bride there. AND my parents retired in Vegas so there were many things that were non-gambling and often kid related that my Mom found for us to do with the kids when we visited (like Vegas Potato Chip factory, the neon signs at YES before there ever was a "boneyard museum", the Atomic test sight tour, and much more). Staying at the long gone Landmark, Stardust, Riviera, Frontier and Boardwalk. Yup, we stayed at all of those. Each memory has a story that would take more than the thousand characters allowed to us. And Deke, as I read your story, I was expecting you to say, "And that's when I met my wife Wanda". 

I have been to Vegas at least 20 times, so there are quite a few memories. Hands down my favorite was the 5 days I brought my parents (with assistance from my precious daughter-in-law). From Rat Pack Show, magic shows, Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Bellagio fountains, my parents playing video poker, the Eiffel Tower, countless buffets and more, just watching their eyes as they took it all in was such a treat. My dad talked about it until he died some 11 years later. It remains a favorite memory for my 89-year-old mom and for me! We still remember hearing my mom proclaim with surprise at some Vegas sight, "Well, bless my soul and poke me down a gopher hole!"

My dear wife immediately said when we got married at Bally's.  After some very fast thought, I said me too.

The story of what happened on my last flight to Vegas could begin with the words, “Dear Penthouse Forum.”
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The story ended in baggage claim with a hug, and the words, “Thank you for a VERY memorable and enjoyable flight.”

Later June, 1967, 1st family trip from PA to Vegas. I was 15. At the Aladdin, specifically the pool. They rented those old school 30"x 65" [or so] float/rafts. I was floating around, it started sinking. My dad took it up for a replacement. The guy wanted to charge for the damage. I didn't remember doing wrong. He and dad got into it a bit. Guess who came to my rescue, really...Shirley MacLaine !!!!  She was sittimng at the pool where they had little 4 foot roundinsh things to just have your feet/ankles in water. She said 'this boy did nothing wrong, ,that raft hit the sharp ceramic tiled corner, accidentally. Its your pools fault not his.  All was good, my mom went happy spastic after witnessing Ms MacLaine came to my rescue !!!!  Bill H Allentown, PA

I've told this already, my James Woods encounter. But it still ranks as a favorite.

Playing blackjack at Bellagio, heard a crowd 'ooh' behind me.  I asked the dealer what's going on?  She said "James Woods just walked through." I'd never watched "Shark" but I knew of him from "Casino", as the sleazy Lester Diamond character.  I turned to see but he'd already passed by.  No big deal.  Not a top 10, LOL.

Next day I went to 'my' bank of 3/5 VP machines. James Woods was playing a machine end of one side.  Deciding I wouldn't go all fan crazy and run him off I said nothing and sat at the other end machine, same side.  Drink girl came, I said "black coffee", James said "That's my girl!"  Not sure what he meant, but it started us conversing about nothing much.  He wasn't hitting on DDB.  I suggested he switch to DB.  He did, almost immediately hit 4 Aces for $800, jumped up and gave me a big hug, like it was 8 million.  Maybe the most 'close up' and personal celeb sighting I've ever had.

Maybe that was his version of the meeting.
"And that's when I met my wife Wanda"

There are so many memories.  
- Seeing Joan Rivers and Gary Shandling perform on my first trip to Vegas.
- Seeing Redd Foxx perform at the Hacienda
- Saying at the classic Sands
- Playing $2 and $3 blackjack at El Rancho and the Dunes/Oasis
- Going on many trips to Vegas with my parents as a teen, and the first time they surprised me with my own hotel room (at Circus Circus)
- Hitting my first royal flush for $1,000 at The Stardust.  

I had the opposite kind of celeb sighting to Candy Wright's brush with greatness. I once saw Richie Havens totally engrossed in playing a slot machine at the Riviera. You probably have to be a member of the Woodstock generation to appreciate how disillusioning that was.

That was not a Vegas highlight. A major highlight came on my very first trip when I encountered the filming of a big musical production number in the area outside the Stardust sports book at 2 AM. Middle of the night, under the magnificent old Stardust sign, music blaring, high energy dancers dressed like waiters holding drink trays with the glasses glued to the trays. It was a commercial for the Stardust or its Lido de Paris show, and I saw it for years on the Stardust house TV channel and maybe also on local Vegas TV.

I had spent a year learning to play Video Poker, thanks to Jean Scotts Frugal Video Poker software. We arrived at Silverton to use a coupon for a BOGO Buffet and played $10 through a quarter VP machine it was a winning machine and I had my $10 over $20 when I got 4 to a Royal and yep the J of diamonds came in = $1000 . I continued to play VP the rest of the week and on our last day at Arizona Charlie's again for anothe coupon $40 in and 4 to a Royal in hearts and the second draw a fith card netted me my second Royal in 6 days = a nother $1000. I thought I had Vegas figured out and would always have a profitable trip with my new found knowledge.... silly girl I have never hit a Royal since. 

Sooooooooooooo many good things, so will share a few.

* Met George Burns in the elevator at MGM
* Met Redd Foxx in the elevator at MGM
* Best meal ever at Picasso's in Bellagio, brought SF Examiner 
  Sunday magazine w/Julian Serrano on cover; he signed it. Still 
  have it 21 years later
* Attended Ted Binion murder trial
* Saw Dunes and New Frontier implosions  
* Celine Dion at Caesar's Palace, tickets impossible but waited two
  hours for the chance and got great seats.
* Enter The Night at Stardust many times
* Isaac Hayes at Sahara then ended up on same floor with the band
* Last but not least, after a major heavyweight fight, sat down at 
  $100 BJ table w/three, all with "lots of pretty chips".  One guy  
  alone but CEO and his top guy were together.  Boss doing well,  
  suddenly took a GREY chip, said, "I always wanted to do this" and 
  pushed it in.  He was dealt F-2 and dealer had Face. CEO stares at his
  cards and asks everyone what to do?    
 
 
 

After lots of table chatter with every possible bit of advice given, he takes a deep breathe and STAYS. The two to his left are "afraid to breathe".  One takes a card, the other stays ... leaving it up to the dealer ... who turns a DEUCE.  Silence ensues and time stands still.  Finally dealer deals himself a Face.  The table cheers, I offer a high five from first base and to this day think I can still feel the jubilant sting of the SLAP.  Will  fondly remember forever.  

In 2007, playing $5 JoB at the GN, I made two $20k royals about 5 hours apart!  Pretty sweet for a "middle" roller.

First time to Vegas was in 1988. Stayed at Vegas World- not the Strat. North end still had casinos so it was great to wander either end. It was New Years eve and we had tickets to Wayne Newton at the Hilton. Got lost walking through the casino and ended up in the kitchen. Back then people were friendly. Got a fresh bite of steak  from one of the chefs and then carried on to the show. Had cheap seats but those days, could slip the doorman/seat gut a few bucks, probably $10 as there were 4 of us and ended up at the table in the front row. 

14-15 years ago, Binion's had one of the best video poker inventories downtown. One Christmas, they ran a promo: If you played a certain large amount of $$ through the machines, you got a $560 Binion's debit card good for restaurants, the hotel or whatever else you wanted. I did my play & got the card. That also got me invited to a little party that had a drawing with 5 cash awards: $250, $500, $750, $1000 & $2500, to be drawn in that order. There were about 125 people, so I figured my chances of a prize were slim, & I wasn't even hoping for one. The first 4 names got called & they were given their checks. Then they called the name for the top prize, & it wasn't me, so I thought it was over. But the person didn't come up. They waited 2 minutes & then said they were calling another name. It was mine! I was stunned, so instead of jumping for joy, I slowly rose from my seat with my hands over my mouth & slowly walked to the front to get my check. That was my biggest hit ever!

There's a sentimental "story behind the story" about that great trip to Binion's. My dad, who lived in Vegas, had just died on May 31, and after I left the funeral there and went home to L.A., I was overcome by a feeling that I never wanted to go to Vegas again. It took 6 months for that feeling to go away, which opened the door for the December trip. An 80-ish married couple were my dad's best friends, so I was able to use that $560 debit card to treat them to dinner at the Steakhouse. I knew they would be on their best manners and order the cheapest things on the menu, but I told them about the debit card I won and that thus the dinner wouldn't cost me anything, so order whatever you want. I really wanted them to order steak & lobster or something else they ordinarily wouldn't choose. But, sweet old souls that they were, they just couldn't do it, and selected inexpensive entrees. But I could see that they enjoyed their meal, and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to give that to them.

Went to a trade show with an older Vegas "Expert" who really know the strip.  Had an afternoon off and Spent about 8 hours walking from Bob  Stupak's Vegas World - all the way to Caesars.  Stopped in almost all of the casinos along the way.  One thing that I do remember at Vegas World was that playing BJ BOTH dealer's cards were face up.  I forget what the "hook" was that put the odds in the house's favor but I know I didn't win.  

Also remember the dealers at Vegas World had bow ties on, on which was printed "Bob Stupak - He's Polish"  

Been a big fan of Las Vegas ever since. 

I was 19 and my new in-laws wanted to meet up in Vegas. We stayed at the Fremont; my husband sat me in front of a machine with a bucket of nickels and figured no one would notice me while he played table BJ. An hour or two later I hit 6 of 7 Sevens; $1K. He must have seen a commotion, thank goodness, and came over. I just asked if my husband could sign the paperwork and they never asked for my I.D. That was in 1977.

first vegas trip stayed at Excal their second year.  I was playing Keno at 2:00am like the Griswalds drinking Heinekens

year later watching the sun come up playing craps off the street at slots-a-fun. stayed at the riv that time and Isat in the lounge listening to live music.

midnight golf across from mandalay
beer bar at main street station
buffet at M
Egg nog at Ellis Island
lunch at the Milo's at Cosmo
Staying at the Cortez, Gold Coast, Silverton, Rio etc
Hitting $200 while having a hot dog, beer, shot at stage door.

many more with friends.

I remember going to that show.  
And I really miss the whole OZ thing. It was very cute, back in the days when casinos actually themed themselves.  Now it is all beige. 

Went to visit the art gallery that was at the Desert Inn before it was imploded to build the Wynn. Coming out noticed a guy sitting in the bare bones snack bar.  Ask him if he was Steve Wynn. He was and I thanked him for the Mirage and Bellagio and how I was looking forward to his new resort, Le Reve. I didn't want to be 'that" guy so didn't get a photo with him.

In June 1962, my husband and I had our honeymoon at, the then wonderful, luxurious Sahara Hotel. This was the Vegas in its heyday that everyone reminisces about. It was late evening and no one was in the pool. We were walking toward our room, which was in the new tower. We saw a bunch of men walking toward us going to the casino. As they got closer, my heart skipped a beat, it was Elvis and his bodyguards. This was in his heyday, he was at the peak of his career and making most of his movies, and so handsome. As he got closer, he said "Good Evening" and winked at me!!! Later that evening, my husband went to the casino to play $1 blackjack and sat at a table with a lone gentleman. It was Elvis again and offered to buy husband a drink. My husband said Elvis was the nicest and most polite man, betting $1.

About 50 years ago, wearing my brand new rather loud corduroy suit and just having turned 21, I walked  into a showroom after Milton Berle had started his act. My table seat was front center stage. He did about 30 seconds on me. Love the memory now but not so much then.