Short but busy, winning trip Aria 8/1-8/2

Hello all! I have enjoyed all of your trip reports over the years so I am going to kick in again and contribute one. I have skipped reporting on a few trips but this one is an easy one to tell about, mostly because it is a winning one! Also, it helped that a week before, at a little pre-trip warm up at my local casino, I hit this nice win.



Some background. I am chiefly a casual poker player but I love Vegas for its non-gambling qualities; the lights, architecture, 24/7, public drinking, nice climate, etc. I'd go there once a month if I could, but I can't, so I save up my spare dollars and grab a trip when I can. This year I decided to take the loooong way home back from seeing friends in Michigan via Vegas. I didn't want to be away from my kids too long, but, Vegas!, so I stayed around 40 hours, with a free Friday night room at Aria thanks to MyVegas. I was quite wishy-washy about getting the room reward but I'm glad I did, as they don't seem to offer them anymore. My friends decided to join me the next day. It would have been cool if we all could have left together from DTW, but we all put this caper together against our better judgments so the flights were wonky.

 

The AM flight was fine, the usual Southwest dosey-doe with the seats, but I got one up front and I was able to de-plane quickly. I had to wait 20 minutes for the WAX bus. It was a little hot but not too bad, I’d gladly wait to save 18-25 bucks. This is where the bus picks up and what the front of it looks like. $2, exact change or dollar bills only.



Hopped off the bus 1 stop late, after it crosses the strip, near NYNY. It’s around 9:30 am. As was my plan, I wandered back across Las Vegas Blvd. to the MGM to start off. My friends would not be arriving for a long time so I had time for those isolated, antisocial activities like poker (they don’t play). Turns out only 1 table was going, and it wasn’t even full, so I didn’t bother with that. I wandered over to the Lion Progressive but a European guy was playing it, and had been for a number of hours, according to he and the waitress. He had it loaded up with $300, so I didn't hover. Spent about an hour playing random slot machines and making a small profit, while waiting on the Lion Progressive and/or the poker room to pick up. Neither situation changed, and the morning marched on, so I was off to redeem MyVegas rewards. Took a wrong turn and ended up at wet republic, so had to backtrack, and ended up playing one of those Buffalo slots. Everyone can kill those but me. I pull myself away and redeem my round trip monorail reward. It didn’t take too long to do, and then I was off to the Harrahs stop. It’s now around 11am.

 

oh, and forgive me if I get too wordy!

 

I decided to explore the Quad in hopes of getting a room offer later. I also was hoping to find out where the Harrah’s Piano bar was located, so I could maybe check out the Big Elvis show in the afternoon. I ran some money through the Quad machines and did really poorly, mostly getting killed on that Buffalo slot. When will I learn?

Wasted enough time and money there so I marched on to the Venetian to get a new Grazie card and maybe check out the poker room for later. Mind you I have not yet checked in at Aria, so I am carting around a backpack like a turkey. Passed the Piano Bar, so I know where that is, and find the Grazie desk and get a new card. And of course play some slots. I got hung up on the Beatlejuice machine, thought I was just pissing away money but I eventually got a bonus. So at this point I am down about $100 in slot losses (thanks CET peeps).

At some point I realize that my watch has stopped! It is now around 1:30, rather than the 11:40 that I thought it was. So then I hot foot it to Aria via the strip and Bellagio tram. Ugh what a waste of time, but I thought I could be faster than the Deuce. Probably a toss up. Walking in the heat was murder, and I love hot weather.

Aria check in line was a mile long. Took forever, seemed like every party was negotiating for a better room or view. Finally got checked in, Michael at the desk gave me a free late check out since I was only staying one night. I tipped him for that. I was glad to get it since I wasn't paying for the room, it was a free Friday night MyVegas room for Aria, the last of its kind I guess. You still get a soaking tub so that is cool with me.

 

So now it’s 3:30 and I have to be at the Rio by 6pm to pick up my Rat Pack is Back ticket (yes, singular) for the show at 7pm. Sad to miss Big Elvis but the slot machine vortex caught me I guess.

I pick up my ticket and then screw around with the Twilight Zone machine for a while, but I’m a little gun shy. I do get a g&t. The waitress had to wear so little that I tip her more than usual. Then time to line up for the show. More waiting, then each group (me, myself and I here) are delivered to “Dean Martin” for a chat and photo op. I was so embarrassed that I was alone and he took full advantage of that ha ha! I have to say, the likeness was uncanny! I was a little speechless and probably looked silly. I felt a bit like cousin eddie


http://youtu.be/Vd9q3Qju-Yk

Anyway, it was a great show, Joey Bishop was really funny but not very pc. I can't remember the Frank songs too well, other than that they ended the show with "New York" and "My Way" neither of which I am crazy about, but those were the low points. The rest was awesome. "Old Black Magic" was great. The Dean M did the funny/drunken version of "When You're Smilin" but they did straight versions of "What Kind of Fool Am I" and "Me and My Shadow" I prefer the slapstick versions myself. The show was certainly one of the high points of this quick trip. I don't know why more people don't go!

 

Love the report so far, hopefully you get a couple big wins to put you ahead of those CET peeps. I am staying at Aria next week and am hoping for not too long of a line at check in. Haven't decided on the $20 trick or even asking for an upgrade or not yet. Keep up the report, and keep it wordy, makes for a good read. I think I will do a TR as well as these reports are quite inspiring!

 

Enjoying so far!

 

Loving this report. And there's nothing wrong with wordy - just have a look at some of the other reports, and you'll discover that you're nothing like too talkative! I can empathize with the watch-stopping incident. Happened to me at the casino at Genting Highlands, Malaysia one year... missed out on a show and my trip back down the mountain. Still, had fun.

 

Hey thanks for the positive feedback everyone! Let me continue...

I magically find a shuttle back to Harrahs, rally, and march to Palazzo to use a year old Groupon at Dal Toro. There were some vicious reviews of this place on Yelp, but I thought it was great. I had a san pellegrino and the special, lobster risotto. I realized after I ordered it that I probably shouldn't' roll the dice with seafood on special, but it was terrific. The presentation was a little bizarre; basically the dish was served atop the lobster's butterflied body, antennaes and all; the tail meat was still there but the rest was just a shell. I found myself wishing my kids were with me so I could gross them out. Now it's around 10pm, I'm fully hydrated, and off to the Venetian poker room.


This is my first time playing live nlhe in Vegas. I played 2/4 at the El Cortez for an hour years ago, but it was kind of a unique experience I think. I am an experienced player at my home casino (Foxwoods), but the play here was a little different, at least on this night. Lots of people seemed to buy in short, for $100 or so, with the intention of just staying an hour, which surprised me, but it makes sense, as there are hundreds of other things to do in Vegas besides play poker. There were also a few "I'm just here to play and have fun" types, that are competent but want to be in every hand so there stack is up and down. Then a few regular grinders and retired people who play to supplement their income. It was a good mix and not intimidating at all. Oh, and here's a tip; there are 3 coffee carafes near the cage, so if you need a coffee, just go get it, rather than have to pay the waitress. I did get a good cappuccino. Their bottled water was terrible. I ended up +150 after 4 hours, so I am back to even for the day. It is getting late now and I have to get some sleep before my friends arrive.

Again the long walk back to Aria. There were a lot of hookers out, more than I ever recall. There were also a lot of girls dressed like hookers. "How can you tell the difference?" my friend asked me. I think, the vacationing girls are generally really drunk, while the working girls are sober, because they're working, it's all business. Anyway, it was a beautiful night, nice and warm, the tram thankfully was still running from Bellagio to Aria in the early am. I get to my room, totally wired, feet are killing me. My friends will be arriving in a few hours, so I open the blinds, turn on CNBC and get a quick bit of sleep.

 

The sun is up! My friends, a husband and wife, are here! I check out with my cell phone from Aria and we are off to Monte Carlo, where they are staying. I promised one of them a birthday breakfast so we all go to the Henry at Cosmo for the first time. We were all impressed, everything was great, and large portions so you don't have that nagging feeling that maybe you should have done the buffet. I especially appreciated their eco-bottled carbonated water. I consume seltzer like a fiend at home so it was worth it to me to have my own bottle for $5.


Next we get them checked in, and I deposit my bag in their room. It's a cloudy day so it looks like I won't be seeing a pool this visit, oh well. We always do well at NYNY so we shuffle over there after some video blackjack. We're kind of wandering around and breaking even, treading water, and then we decide to check out the high limit room. Now here the hi limit slots are as low as $5 a spin, so I load up $100 and give it a shot. I decide to do 4 spins, blank, blank, blank, win $2. I'm done but my friend tells me, "just bet $2 and then you get your $80 back" so I do, and win another $2 ugh. "Bet $2 more." I do, and I still don't know how, but I hit a bonus that needs activation! He doesn't see it and says "there see you won $6" so I hit him in the arm and show him the bonus. The thing goes nuts and there are dragons and stuff, and by the time my girlfriend comes back from the bathroom, he tells her "she just won $1000." Yay! Never in my life have I hit slot machines so hard, not to mention 2x in 1 week! We cash out and I give him $100 because I wouldn't have stayed in there without his awful peer pressuring!



The rest of the trip is post-win revelry. My girlfriend and I head to the center bar at NYNY and get drinks, then they leave me at the twilight zone machine. I could play that thing for the entire trip and be happy! I actually did pretty well on it and won around $100.



I returned to the bar and got the skinny on the Ketel One $10 "special" - it doesn't count with Red Bull (not an issue for me) or martinis. Oh, that is why my last $10 martini was $15. She did tell me that they used Sky for the house martinis, which I was good with, and she comped it to me because I had the video poker loaded up with $100. Shortly after that an older couple was jockeying for seats together so I gave up mine, only losing $7 in the video poker machine. We soon left and I was living the dream, or my dream anyway, walking down Las Vegas Blvd. with a martini, not a blue slushy (because I like to mix my alcohol with alcohol ), and decidedly up for the trip. We had a rich dinner at Julian Serrano, which I paid for, fooled around with more Monte Carlo slots but I am beginning to feel the fact that I've had 4 hours of sleep in the last 2.5 days. So then I was off to the airport around 10pm, and I actually pried cash out of my wallet to pay for cab.

A very short trip but well worth it. As always, I need to work on tightening my orbit on these ultra short trips. I like the Venetian poker room so next time I will try and stay closer to that. I can even see the advantage of staying at TI just to be closer. Definitely going to the Rat Pack show again, if it is still running. Oh, long winter I guess I am ready. Thanks for reading, hopefully my next trip will be longer!

 

Loved your report! I was secretly hoping you would stay another night!

Thanks for posting!

 

great report....I am going between August 25-29...staying at the Bellagio...have not been in 8 years so looking forward to all the new places.

 

Incredible win on a 2$ bet.

 

Yeah I know. I wish I had "splurged" and bet the whole five spot! I probably should retire from slots; I'm not going to do much better than I have these last 2 big wins. As a poker player, any 3 digit winning session is positive for me.

 

I hear you. I play poker on my trips too. Lately, at the Bellagio just to splash around the 4-8 limit game. Good way to have many drinks, be relatively social and not lose too much money.

 

Oh I can lose quite a bit at limit! It's not my game I guess. Anyway I was glad to finally play a real Vegas room. I'd been afraid of it all these years, but it was just the same old same old really. I am hoping for a good room offer or rate.

 

I grew up on limit. Transformed to NL back in mid 2000's like most everyone else.
I just don't like playing well for hours and losing an entire stack on a bad beat. I have stayed at Aria last 4 trips and play a little there. Played their 1pm tourney which has great structure and offers lots of play. You need 12 hrs however if u plan on going the distance

 

Yeah it seems kind of nutty that I stayed at Aria but didn't play there. I stayed there my last visit, but I got to the poker room at 5am because i was awake, still on East Coast time. There were only a few tables, but everyone at 1/3 had over $500 stacks. And they were running the vacuum cleaner, so it was loud. I just didn't feel good about it so I didn't bother. Next time I will play there, during normal-person hours

 

Really enjoyable TR. thank you. Oh the CW look fine to me !

 

Very enjoyable TR - thanks for sharing!