TR- Bellagio, Britney and Blackjack/Craps

Hello to all,
First and foremost, let me just thank all those who are able to complete a live TR, that task is atrociously difficult, my hats off to you. I attempted but failed before I even left to Vegas. (phone discharged on the plane)

Background:

My wife and I (29/30) made our 10th trip to Mecca for Slipknot on 8/28 and Britney Spears 8/29. We are avid gamblers and enjoy drinking, pool time, but missed the EDM train for some reason. We make every attempt to attend Omnia or Hak, but those lines and Dbaggots just remove any ambition to do so.
I’ll keep it short and sweet!

Hotel:
Bellagio - Aug 27th – 30th, Simply put, Awesome! We had kept MGM as our home base for the last 5-ish Vegas trips, but decided to change it up when MGM didn’t pony up any reasonable offers. Wound up booking Lake View room at Bellagio for about $275, money well spent. Everything from the restaurants, to the common areas to the room is much more serene and peaceful. The bed was the perfect amount of firm and linens where top quality. Service was impeccable on all facets. AND THE POOL!! The pool was perfection!! Normally used to the insanity at MGM, we felt the Bellagio pool provided just the perfect relaxation and tranquility. Loungers where easy to come by, service was great and the view was amazing. (view=bikinis and skin). Just make sure to wear sunglasses!

Gambling:
Ok, I’m going to go off on a little rant! I was completely terrified of the ongoing Blackjack 6:5 plagues that had seem to be consuming the Strip (as reported on VMB and TA). However, I do believe this to be an overreaction! There was 3:2 S17 at Bellagio for $10 on Saturday and throughout the weekend. Being a green chip player, I was never forced to play 6:5 anywhere (except Luxor which only has 6:5) including: MGM, Paris, Cosmo, Aria, NYNY, Excalibur, Caesar’s, Mirage, Harrah’s, Flamingo, Bally’s, Pho and Bellagio. Albeit, some games where better than others, they were still not a bad deal. FWIW: The best 2 BJ games where at MGM and Bellagio with S17, coming from 6 deck shoe at the $25 level.
Craps was the best bet all weekend with the BR getting as high as 6k, but on Saturday, after far too many drinks while watching the crowd at Britney, (trust me fellas, Britney was the second best part of the show) and feeling good d/t my suit/tie and increased BR, I decided to play $100/hand BJ In the high limit room at the PHO then Bellagio. After all, what could go wrong right? It was “their money!”
Well it went wrong! Lost $2.5k in about an hour. The wife was pissed! No, action when we got to the room. The only atrocity of the weekend. That’s all I have to say about that!
Overall, I left with the same 3k bankroll I originally started with. Keep in mind, I use my BR to pay for meals, shows, tips, souvenirs for the kids, and any expenditures we may encounter. I do take a CC for emergencies, but did not charge a penny. Simply put: a winning trip.

FOOD:
I’ll start with the best and taper to the least best!

Tender- Used the pesky MyVegas reward for $75 dollars off. Wife and I shared the 32oz Tomahawk steak, truffle mac and cheese, asparagus, mozzarella tomato app, 2 beers, 2 mimosas (I know, the wife drank mimosas all weekend, weirdo!!) And bill was at flat $100. Service was perfect, meal was fantastic. I am quite the carnivore and steak aficionado, so no, these steaks aren’t prime, I wasn’t expecting prime, but indeed was a good USDA Choice equivalent. Steak was seasoned generously and cooked to a perfect medium rare. All sides where top notch quality wise and overall, meal was 8.2/10

Lemongrass- On Saturday for lunch, we decided to try Lemongrass at the Aria as my wife LOVES PHO and Asian food. We showed up on an empty stomach, shared the sesame chicken, crab dumpling, shrimp dim sum or cum or … whatever, and of course my wife had her PHO. Food was fresh and excellent and the service was impeccable. I Can’t wait to eat here again. 7.8/10
Holsteins- Lunch on Friday, Burger at Holsteins. EXELLENT! Shared a Gold Standard burger and it was delicious. Fries are amazing and onion rings must have been fried in crack. Addicting. Overall 7.7/10

5/50 Pizza: Wife and I ate here upon landing in Vegas. Ordered the Gotham pizza with beer. In all honesty, great pizza. Cheese was cooked well, with just the perfect amount of sear to the cheese/crust. Toppings all tasted fresh. Wife and I reluctantly/joyfully ate the whole pie. In comparison, I have tried Secret Pizza and both are amazing. I don’t, really think you can definitely say one is better than the other, although, I do have a soft spot for the Pizza place in NYNY second level as you make your way to MGM. I’m not sure what it’s called, but it is also just as good, just doesn’t get the credit because, well frankly, it’s in NYNY.. 7.5/10

Pin-Up Pizza- Nowhere near as good as the others. Decent at best!! Once you’ve indulged in the other three pizza joints aforementioned, the bar is pretty high. A disappointing, 5/10
Everything else eaten was where snacks along the way as we usually eat one big meal a day. Oddly, I lose about 2-5lbs every time I visit Vegas, too busy walking, gambling and drinking I guess. Oh well, no complaints here!

Shows:
Slipknot: Slipknot on Friday at MGM Village outdoor venue was a great place for heavy metal band to perform. Place was packed with weirdoes, including me, and this was wife’s first heavy metal show. She was comically terrified!!!!!! Show went off without a hitch and was basically what I expected. Great show, good venue.

Britney Spears Piece of Me- Ok, I must confess (see what I did there?) this was the surprise of the trip. For starters, the only reason my wife gave the green light for the trip, was because I promised her we’d see Britney Spears. I figured, “hey, no problem, where in Vegas” easy ultimatum. HA! I would do it again tonight. Fellas, picture this: Basically 6000 Britney fans, 90% female, DRUNK, wearing the slutiest/most reveling outfit in their closet! Amazing!! AMAZING!! And yeah, the show was ok too. Just wear your sunglasses.

Overall, It was a great trip to Vegas! 70hr work weeks, 7 kids and the ongoing task of trying to stay married provide a constant stream of deterioration! The 2-3 3 day trips to Vegas have always provided us the necessary escape. So until next time Vegas.

 

Thanks for the great info.....sounds like a really good trip!!

 

Sounds like a good time. The Bellagio pool really is a nice change of pace form the MGM pool. Surprised you did not try Noodles, since it is at Bellagio. I like it more than Lemongrass. Good job on the gambling and finding playable BJ tables. Your Britney report sounds similar to what my friends reported when I got them tickets a year ago. Glad it was fun

 

Sounds like a fun trip!

 

Very nice TR. Thank you. Lemongrass only a 7.7? 8.5 1/2 for me. Did it bother you that Britany was lip syncing? Probably not due to the "outfits"... Totally understand the part about "the green light from the wife" I would have promised just about anything to go. One mistake.. Should have told her you won more! Not lost.. LOL. (That's probably why im divorced) Way to come home a winner. 7 kids? Did I read that right? God bless you. Thanks again.

 

Don't hear slipknot and Britney in the same sentence to often lol....

 

Seven kids? Wow.

Where was the $10 3:2 BJ at Bellagio? When I was there in July, all the $10 tables in the pit by the lobby had been turned into permanent (i.e., on the felt) 6:5 games.

 

Great TR! Sounds like a winning weekend. We are seeing Britney in November...gotta remember the shades

 

WOW!! THE Packer responded to my TR, AWESOME!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, Lemongrass was really good!! Won't be the last time eating there

Britney was indeed lip syncing everything, to be quite honest, it may have even been a double, I wouldn't have cared less, wife had a great time, I had a great time!!! And as they say, it was a show, not a concert. Talent was top notch!!!

And Yes, 7 wonderful, healthy, chaotic and beautiful kids!! Can't wait till they are 21 to take them with us.

 

WOW!! THE Packer responded to my TR, AWESOME!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, Lemongrass was really good!! Won't be the last time eating there

Britney was indeed lip syncing everything, to be quite honest, it may have even been a double, I wouldn't have cared less, wife had a great time, I had a great time!!! And as they say, it was a show, not a concert. Talent was top notch!!!

And Yes, 7 wonderful, healthy, chaotic and beautiful kids!! Can't wait till they are 21 to take them with us.

 

At Bellagio, I believe "Pit 2" Between the Petrossian Bar and the Craps pit.

 

Slipknot and Britney! I'm jelly! Lol

 

Good to know. I shined going last trip due to the lip thing. You are right, it is a show. Now, I will go. Thank you!

 

Is the lip synching obvious? My wife has been hinting last couple trips she would like to see the show, and with rumors (I think I read here maybe?) that Brit may go at the end of the year, I'm going to break down and take her in November - plus its her bday, so she'll get a kick out of that.

I'm just not sure she'll be as into it if its obvious she's lip synching, so wondering how good/bad that aspect of the show is?

 

To be quite honest, 100% obvious! She lip syncs the entire show! However, It is a show, not a concert and all the dancing, props ambiance do make it worth it! I paid around $250/Ea for the tickets and it was worth it!

 

Thanks for the response!! The price is one reason I was asking, more than happy to drop 5-600$ on this show if its worth it, but man if wasn't I'd go on tilt and drop a bunch more at the craps tables on the way out trying to get revenge on P-Ho!

Guess we'll pull the trigger on it.

 

Don't forget the sunglasses

 

Great trip report, thanks for writing it up. I took my girl to see Britney as well. Loved the show!! Yes, she does lip sync, but honestly it's all about the show. The dancing and her flying through the air and the energy of the show, she would be out of breath singing the songs herself. They sound better recorded, probably. LOL But the girls in the audience were the best part. You didn't know who to keep your eyes on, Britney or the audience. Next week I am taking her to see Ricky Martin, in the same Axis Theatre as where Brittany does her show, so hoping for more of the same.