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Wolves & Lions & Patron - Mandalay Bay

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by KnotGillty, Feb 12, 2011.

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  1. KnotGillty

    KnotGillty High-Roller

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    My Trip Report

    Day One:
    I arrived in Vegas on Thursday night. My brother Mike flew in from S. California while I flew in from N. California. We don’t see each other often, but for the last 8 years we have had a running tradition of spending Superbowl weekend in Vegas together. It’s a guys trip filled full of gambling, drinking, laughs, and fine dining.

    From the airport it was a short limo ride to Mandalay Bay. We were pleased to be able to score a comp on a 2 bedroom suite with a strip view. A quick unload of the suitcases in the room and we were on our way down to the blackjack tables by 9pm. We started out at a $25 table and stayed there until 2am. Around 10pm we began doing shots of Patron while playing cards. I’m a non-smoker, but when I’m in Vegas, I smoke while gambling & drinking. It’s the remnants of a 25 year habit that only gets itched when in Vegas. By 2am Mike & I were F.U.B.A.R from all the Patron and we decided it was time for dinner, which turned out to be a drunken meal at the Raffles Coffee Shop inside M.B. Let me tell you something, Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs never tasted so good. It reminded me of my long gone college days where midnight munchies were fueled by herbal tendencies. I forgot that food could taste so good and I scarfed it down with the unrelenting abandon of a hungry wolf with its first fresh kill after a long lean winter. I ended up with brown gravy and yellow egg yolk on my chin & mustache, but I didn’t care. I was in Vegas and I felt like a million bucks. After the meal it was time for this wolf to hibernate & off to bed I went.

    Day Two:
    I wake up at 6am and I’m freezing cold. Why the hell is it so cold in here? Also, my mouth feels like it sucked all the ashes out of every ashtray in the casino. My mouth is so dry and parched that I can barely swallow. I feel like a dying man in a desert. Thankfully there is an unlimited supply of water in the bathroom and I proceed to drink 3 glasses in rapid succession. As I sit on the edge of the bed I am now realizing just how much my head actually hurts. And it’s then that I notice that my bed is still made. Why the hell did I sleep on top of the covers in only my underwear all night? No wonder I’m so dang cold. Turning down the A/C when we arrived the night before didn’t help matters either. Neither did all of the shots of Patron while playing cards. I look on my nightstand and find a yellow thousand dollar chip along with a couple black chips. I’m up for the trip so far. All is good.

    After a nice long shower I head back down to the tables for some more blackjack. Lunchtime rolls around and Mike & I decide to eat someplace new. The decision is made to head to The Burger Bar in Mandalay Place which is the mall-like walkway that goes from Mandalay Bay to the Luxor. We sit in the restaurant and look at the menu. I’ve heard the hamburgers here are really good and I’m considering the All American burger for $17 bucks. Can you believe they actually have a $60 hamburger on the menu. It’s called the Rosini and has Kobe beef, sautéed foie gras, shaved truffles, & Madeira sauce. What the hell, I’m here to gamble. For one of my ‘Only in Vegas’ moments, I decide that my lunch will consist of the most expensive hamburger I will ever eat in my lifetime. I might have been a wolf inhaling a fresh kill last night, but today I am a rabbit, taking reasonable bites and savoring every morsel. The Rosini burger fit for a king was really really good, but in all reality, tomorrow morning, it will end up in the same place as the rest of my food. Like the dozens of other things in Vegas that are worth doing once, it was something that was fun and that I’ll likely tell my grandkids someday, but it’s not something I’ll be doing again. After lunch it is back to the BJ tables to kill some time while waiting for some friends to arrive.

    The friends (Joe, Steve, & Steve jr.) arrive just in time to jump into a limo and head to the Stratoshere where we have reservations at the Top of the World restaurant. I highly recommend the Roasted Misu Black Cod with the Ponzu Butter Sauce. It is the best fish I’ve ever had and that says a lot coming from a life long avid fisherman. After several rounds of martini’s and full bellies, we head up to the observation deck above the restaurant to take in some fresh air, the twinkling city lights, and to watch the passengers scream in horror on the rides.

    Picture from our dinner table:
    [​IMG]

    Top of the Stratosphere Roller coasters:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    After dinner we head back to Mandalay Bay for several more hours of black jack. I graduate to drinking water for the last 4 hours of the evening. The cards were not kind to me today and I gave back all of last nights winnings plus another thousand. Back to the room by 2am for some shuteye.

    Day 3
    I wake up at 7am and feel like a million bucks. No hangover what-so-ever. My brother and I decide to go get breakfast at Raffles Cafe. I call my friends to see if they want to join us. After a rather confusing conversation on the phone, I finally decipher that they got really drunk and were up long enough to watch the sun rise. Needless to say, they would not be meeting us for breakfast. I again had the chicken fried steak and eggs and it was still really good.

    After breakfast I played BJ until my friends woke up. As soon as they came down to the casino floor I marched everyone up to Fat Tuesday’s where I convinced them that an alcohol fueled slurpee had all the vitamins and minerals that were essential for curing a hang over. We proceeded to take our drinks down to the sportsbook at MB and made some bets for the superbowl. After that it was more cards. At one point my brother sends me a text to meet him in the high limit room. As I arrive, I walk up to the roulette table Mike is playing at only to discover that he is playing at the same table as Charles Barkley. Charles had about 70 grand in yellow chips and about 50 grand in chocolates. After a brief stint, he colored up and went to a blackjack table. I cheered on a couple of his wins and my brother made small talk regarding a basketball trade.

    Dinner tonight was at StripSteak in Mandalay Bay. The truffle fries cooked in duck fat were good. But to be honest, it’s hard to fry a french fry wrong. I ordered the bone in rib eye and it was excellent. I also tried the mac-n-cheese which was good, but almost too rich. I also tried the Kobe burger and it was excellent. The onion rings were different from any I had ever tried. Very thin and delectable. After dinner it was more BJ and then back in bed by 2am.

    Day 4
    It is superbowl Sunday and I wake up feeling great. Even though I drank probably 15 beers last night after dinner, the fact that I didn’t drink any tequila, and stuck solely to beer, has me feeling good (no headache). Today I decide to skip breakfast as I know I’ll be eating plenty at the Superbowl Party we’ve been invited to as guests of Mandalay Bay. The morning passes slowly at the Black Jack tables and soon enough it is approaching 1pm and we make our way to the Events Center with our VIP passes to watch the game. The spread is nice with several buffet stations and 4 or 5 no limit bars. There were also several tattoo booths in the mix along with several stations where you could get free pictures with a cheerleader. Like a bunch of sailors on leave, we took full advantage of all the free food & liquor before us. We use the giant buckets of beer on the table to wash down pizza, sub sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta, nachos, wings, and those giant hot doughy pretzels. By the end of the game the 5 of us likely went through 7 or 8 buckets of beer (7 beers in each bucket). Someone heads off and brings back 5 oversized shots of Patron. It’s still pre-game and we are already doing shots. This might be a long day. Someone in our group has the bright idea to do Patron shots every quarter. Since the alcohol is free, we proceed to finish several bottles of Patron by the end of the game.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]



    I ended up winning some money as I bet that there would be a successful 2-point conversion as well as a completion of more than 33 yards by Rothlisberger. The last round of shots were brought to our table just after the game ended. My buddy greased the bartender and each glass held at least 4 shots of Patron. I did half my glass and emptied the remainder under the table. No mas, no mas. The game was fun and we had a great time. After the game ended, we walked behind some ****** bag with the most offensive shirt ever. It was a black shirt and in HUGE LETTERS it said ‘JESUS IS A C***. Now I know I can’t type it here, but since we just finished watching a football game, lets just say the last word rhymed with ‘punt’. What a loser. Mods – if the pic is inappropriate, please delete.

    Most offensive shirt ever?:
    [​IMG]


    After the big game I planted my drunk butt down at a $50 BJ table and spent the next 5 hours playing cards and drinking nothing but water. An extremely beautiful young lady sat next to me early on, and over the course of several hours, I came to find out that she missed her flight earlier that day & had to book a room for an extra night. All her friends had left for home and she was all alone. Oh yeah, it was also her birthday. She was lonely. Talk about hitting the lottery. By midnight it was apparent that she was looking for some company to celebrate her birthday in her room. I felt like a lion, King of the jungle, about to devour a young helpless lamb, when I abruptly remembered that I was married. I finished my last hand of blackjack, gave her a hug, and wished her a happy birthday. I immediately went to find my friend who was in the poker room as I thought I would play match maker with him and the lonely girl. By the time we got back to the BJ table however, the lovely birthday girl was gone. I know, I know, ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’. But I felt really good about turning down the whole proposal. I have a great wife and it’s going to stay that way. Call me stupid or call me a hero, it all depends on your perspective. I headed straight to bed and got a good nights sleep.

    Day 5
    I wake up and have absolutely no hangover whatsoever. I guess drinking water all night kept me hydrated enough to get rid of any tequila hangover. Today is our last day as my flight leaves at 3:30 pm. I pack my suitcase and reflect on a great weekend. Back down to Raffles Café for breakfast and a few more hours playing blackjack. I end the trip with $2,500 more in my pocket than when I arrived. At the airport I bought some jewelery (earrings) for my wife & daughters from a vendor and then headed back to California.

    I am already looking forward to the next superbowl which will be the ninth year in a row for my brother Mike & I.

    My only regret from this trip is I barely took any video. Hope you enjoyed the journey.
     
  2. Kiwicol

    Kiwicol Low-Roller

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    Great TR, I really enjoyed that.

    I'm impressed with your restraint on the final night:beer:
     
  3. KnotGillty

    KnotGillty High-Roller

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    Here's a few video clips

    Dinner at Top of the World and the amazing view. For the 2nd half of the video I sped everything up & turned 4 minutes of video into about 40 seconds of film. The advanced speed allows you to see the restuarant rotating around the windows:
    [YOUTUBE]Xx0oBEOJ0NY[/YOUTUBE]


    Here is video of a few of the Stratosphere roller coasters:
    [YOUTUBE]DkAT9YnMKyU[/YOUTUBE]


    Here is the view from our two bedroom suite at Mandalay Bay:
    [YOUTUBE]Fh54qKFqxWk[/YOUTUBE]


    Here is some clips of the Big Game party at the Events Center at Mandalay Bay:
    [YOUTUBE]y3Po0llHoMs[/YOUTUBE]
     
  4. DJ Ran

    DJ Ran VIP Whale

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    Great report and a really fun read. Videos were a nice added touch. Thanx for posting. :cheers:
     
  5. Reed

    Reed High-Roller

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    Sounds like a great trip, especially coming out ahead at the end. Thanks for posting!:thumbsup:
     
  6. TexBC

    TexBC Tourist

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    So many double-entendres with the way that trip ended, must exercise restraint... lol

    Great trip report, thanks for sharing! Kudos for not taking the birthday girl home, thats a difficult proposition to pass up!
     
  7. BigRoss71

    BigRoss71 Low-Roller

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    Good report. Mandalay Bay seems to be a place where some of the music industry people and (former) athletes hang out. As for the offensive shirt, it is sin city. I would not wear it, but not being a religious person i see it as something to get a rise out of some people and a laugh for others (the slightly different folk like me). Either way, it's an attention grabber.
     
  8. zerofan

    zerofan VIP Whale

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    Great report man and complete with a number of wildlife references....lol

    When I used to stay on the strip, I loved Mandalay Bay. :nworthy:
     
  9. lobsterkmd

    lobsterkmd Low-Roller

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    Great trip report!! Thanks for posting those videos too!!
     
  10. jdub7

    jdub7 Tourist

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    Nice report. Sounds like a great way to spend time with you brother and friends! I am sure you felt really good to have someone hitting on you. But, the fact that you turned down the whole situation, you must be a good guy!!:nworthy: Glad to see you came back money ahead. That always makes for even better memories!!
     
  11. denluvslv

    denluvslv Low-Roller

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    Great report!! We loved the MB when we stayed there. :beer::beer::beer:
     
  12. booker

    booker VIP Whale

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    Fantastic report. Love the vids.
     
  13. KnotGillty

    KnotGillty High-Roller

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    Thanks for the positive responses everyone.

    In the last 8 years I've attended VIP Big Game (superbowl) parties at the Hilton, Venetian, Caesars, Golden Nugget, and this year we did Mandalay Bay.

    Pros of the Mandalay Bay VIP Viewing party:
    * It was held in the Events Center, plenty of seating.
    * There were at least 4 buffet stations (one on each side of the room).
    * Free Liquor - We probably finished two bottles of Patron between our group of 5 along with a lot of beer. However, free liquor is standard at these types of events.
    * HD quality viewing and good sound.
    * Tons of confetti fell from the rafters after every score. The room was a mess by the time the game ended.
    * If you wanted free pictures with the MB Cheerleaders, they had a photo booth set up for those interested (we passed).

    Cons of the Mandalay Bay VIP Big Game Viewing party:
    * No station to place bets & collect winnings inside the events center. Prior Big Game viewings I've been to at other Casino's have had dedicated betting stations within the same private room where you view the game. This is ultra convenient for placing and collecting winnings. At Mandalay Bay, there was a betting station just before you enter the events center, but they were closed before the game ended which forced everyone to cash their bets in the regular sports book with the masses. MB needs to step up in this area.
    * No squares for sale. I hated this fact as every year our group enjoys the big boards where you can buy squares for $50 or $100. It's fun to root for certain scores at the end of each quarter, based on your board square, to win a nice payback. Sure the casino doesn't make any money on selling squares as it is 100% payback, but it is great fun for the guests.
    * There were tatoo parlors set up. I don't need a tatoo during the superbowl, regardless of how much patron I drink.
    * The brightest light in the joint was focused right on our table. I asked if it could be turned off or dimmed, but was informed it could not be adjusted.
    * A quality PA system would have been nice.
    * There were random drawings for $50 gift certificates throughout the game. Guests had to physically leave their seats to see if they were a winner. Again, a PA system would have been useful for the drawings to announce the winners. Also, some signed sports memorabilia would have been a nice touch as other casino's offer such perks.

    Don't begin to think we didn't enjoy ourselves. The above is just an objective critique based on some of the other Big Game viewings I have attended.

    Lastly, one of the guys in our group lives in Southern California. He is a die hard Steelers fan. In fact, he has season tickets to Steelers games and he flies back east for Steelers home games. He was so bummed at the end of the game that he shed a few tears into his yellow terrible towel.:cry:

    Already looking forward to the next one . . .
     
  14. LaRae

    LaRae Low-Roller

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    Great report. Thanks for making me laugh out loud. Sleeping on top of the covers in your underwear...
     
  15. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    Great report and I give two thumbs for remembering you are a married man (if only my ex had remembered she was married before meeting guys we would not be divorced). I believe in karma, the gods rewarded you with $ for your restraint.

    Sent from my EVO via Tapatalk pro.
     
  16. sulobo

    sulobo Low-Roller

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    The guy wearing that shirt is an effing idiot . Probaly has the brain the size of an ant.
    Glad you had a great trip Knot gilty. After reading your ebarrassing story on another post I was thinking about what might happen to the poor girl on her birthday. LOL


     
  17. DirtyFrizank

    DirtyFrizank Tourist

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    Great report! Love the amount of drinking you guys did.
     
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