1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

kitsons rio trip report days two and three

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by kitson, May 18, 2004.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. kitson

    kitson VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,883

    My Trip Report

    tuesday morning bright and early took a cab up to the mandalay convention center. had three separate but related trade shows there, where we place orders for future delivery with various vendors, for our retail store. we had attended these markets last may, in their first time held in may, and were very glad to see an improved, bigger show, and more business being done. the timing of this show works much better for us than these same shows february and august dates. lots of orders being written, we found new vendors as well as our favorites from last year, and spent...

    saw a poster at registration noting a party for trade show vendors and attendees at jimmy buffetts margaritaville that night. since that was on our list anyway, went up and asked the show manager for details, and was handed tickets. left the trade show about 4, took the tram from mandalay to excalibur, across the street to nyny. had a couple 20 dollar free play coupons there, redeemed those at the players club, and ran through the poker machines a few times. probably lost 50 there, wandered on down the street to the flamingo, had good luck there and won 150 or so before the 7 oclock party.

    went in the party, had a separate area for our group just past the main floor bar and reception area. they put a wristband on us as we turned in our tickets, and we had two drink coupons each, too. area was probably a 20000 sq ft area, decorated like a harbor, video screens showing concert footage, which switched over to the live band that they had playing for us. had a very nice caribbean buffet, as well as hordourve trays, and used our drink tickets on strawberry and mango daquiris. the band was called radio rage, played some great 70's rock, and i wished they would have played more, but were very versatile and super entertainers. wont spoil the surprise for those who will be visiting in the future, but we did get to see the volcano go off a couple times, very entertaining.

    walked down to harrahs, caught the shuttle to the rio, talked my wife into having a beer at the tilted kilt. she thought my appreciation for the plaid skirts and knee socks was inappropriate, but i just think they help complete a very authentic scottish look to the place, and it just wouldn't be the same without the barmaids!

    wednesday was back to the trade show, until early afternoon, then to the house of blues at Mandalay Bay for lunch. decor was interesting, we split a full rack of ribs. ribs that are that cooked should have been falling off the bone, but the meat was tough, and work to get off the bone. barbecue sauce makes everything better, though and now we can say we ate there, but we wont go back. did a walk through of the shops at mandalay place, and then walked through to luxor. played a little video poker there, no luck. on to excalibur, shudder, and over to new york, new york. we killed three or four hours there, ate at gonzalez y gonzales, good mexican food, and found a table at the bar in times square for the dueling pianos show. this is one of our favorite las vegas activities, and this was our third time. crowd from 21 to 70, great entertainers, and so many only in las vegas moments. at the start of the third 90 minute set, both teams of musicians joined in with the crowd on the long version of bohemian rhapsody! i cant imagine doing the waynes world head bob, with a crowd of 300 of my closest new friends, anywhere but there. and to watch somebodys grandma getting into singing "pour some sugar on me", priceless. if the girls who were pressing themselves to the windows during the evening would have come in and joined the crowd? called it a night after 4 hours of the entertainment, and cabbed it back to the rio.

    great night, lots of fun, business part of the trip is now over, looking forward to the last two days of the trip.
     
  2. Little Bob

    Little Bob Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2002
    Messages:
    397
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Good report! We are going to Vegas Memorial Day weekend and are planning to eat dinner at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Friday evening before seeing Jay Leno at Mirage. I am looking forward to a good margarita and some simple but tasty food with great music and atmosphere. I wish I could figure out a way to make my Vegas trips tax deductible. I'd probably go way too often if I could write it off. Glad you had a great time!
     
  3. NEON

    NEON Tourist

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2003
    Messages:
    414
    Location:
    Santa Fe
    Good report!
    How did you like the RIO???

    P.S. Ribs should never be tough! I'll make a mental note regarding House of Blues food. Sometimes those "Chain, Name Brand" places think they can ride on name alone?
     
  4. kitson

    kitson VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,883
    neon, the rio was fun, the service from reception, housekeeping, and the cocktail waitresses was superb. the bevertainers are interesting, some of them are very good, others must get really depressed when players turn from their machines, watch for 10 seconds, and go back to playing.

    we did not eat at any of their fancy restaurants, but toscanos deli, the all american bar and grill, and the tilted kilt were all very satisfactory, and you just have to experience the tilted kilt scenery to believe it.

    watched the masquerade show in the sky twice. once is probably enough, but overall the atmosphere in the casino is fun. never played any blacjack, tables were always very full, and i saw a lot of continuous shufflers, which i dont like.

    played a lot of video poker, progressives never built very high there, were getting hit a lot, and i sure got my share of four of a kinds the first few days, but ran out of luck the last day and a half. think it is probably a looser paying property than those on the strip.

    not at all impressd with the harrahs players club, compared to the park place card, comps build up very slow, and if you dont have access to a harrahs property every 6 months, you lose any carryover points.

    we would stay there again, if the price was right. cabs to the airport and to mandalay bay got there much faster than from the strip, and the free shuttle from rio to harrahs and back made geting to the strip very easy.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.