Thirty dirty! July 24th to 27th. Mgm and cosmopolitan

First post here on vmb. I've been a huge Vegas traveler since turning 21 but the last 2 years I've only been able to frequent Vegas 3 or 4 times a year (mainly due to having a kid). But due to the fact that I'm turning 30 my parents decided to watch our kid for 4 days!

Friday July 24th
We left from Los Angeles to Vegas. Quick 45 minute flight and we were ready for a nice long bday weekend with friends!


Check in line at the mgm took 45 minutes due to everyone coming in for the rush concert the next evening. Did the 20 dollar tip but only got a strip view. But she did send us a complimentary bottle of champagne as it was my birthday! (yea we kept it... We head plenty to drink this weekend)



After checking in, I rented a car at mgm and headed straight to downtown grand. I had 2 night comp there with $100 free play and $20 dining credit. Used the first $50 of free play which actually turned into a loss of $400 (Vegas knows what they are doing). I was not hitting at the bj table and the craps table was cold (they don't even offer bonus bets like fire or all tall/small) . Also, the gaming area for table games shrunk in half at the downtown grand. not sure what is happening with management over there but I'm not sure I'll be gambling here again in the future. Went across the street to try pizza rock and I'm glad we did. Their margarita pizza is to die for. I know why it won so many awards. Go get some if you are in downtown (limited to 75 a day).



We headed back to the mgm to get ready for dinner with our friend at bazaar steak at the sls. When we arrived at the sls it was around 830pm and the casino floor seemed dead! But the restaurant was packed! Had about 12 courses and every single item was delicious. We didn't have time to play at sls but will try on a future visit.


Our steak for the evening. Bone in ribeye that was half wagyu and half Angus


Our "reuben" sandwich made with air bread and wagyu beef


Steak tartare


Wagyu beef with cheese sauce


Making our grapefruit cocktail with liquid nitrogen


Ribeye


Dessert selection...i think we got half of it

After eating half a cow, we go to the Wynn to watch zedd. Vibe was good and the music was amazing. Drinks at any club in Vegas will cost you and arm and a leg, but hey, the clubs need to find a way to cover the $200k they pay these djs each night right? Had a few tequila shots and gin and tonics and called it a night at 330am.



https://vimeo.com/135306481

Saturday July 25th

Alarm went off at 5am...damn I have a tee time at 620am. Don't know how I did it but I got ready and we headed to Revere golf course in Henderson. Beautiful course and a bargain at $52 for the round on a Saturday morning. Weather was perfect and stayed in the low to mid 80s. I had to skip the first few holes because I was still in recovery mode but one I recovered I still sucked. Haha. Ended up with only one par on hole 17 but finished around 11am.





Met up with the girls for lunch at yardbird in the venetian. Until the end of August, they have a blue plate special of 2 pieces of fried chicken, watermelon, and a biscuit for only $15. It's not on the menu so you will need to ask for it. Fried Chicken was amazing! Played some bj right before sitting down and won a quick $100. So far down $300.


Couldn't handle a round of morning golf


Fried Chicken goodness

Head back to mgm and go out to the pool while the wifey takes a nap. Nice weather but witnessed way too many men and women that shouldn't be wearing extra small speedos/bikinis. But hey who am I to judge



Got ready for dinner at 545 at Charlie palmer steak at the four Seasons. For $48, you get unlimited wine and a 3 course meal. Can't beat it! Great service, wine, and food.



Head over to mgm again to watch a show at brad garrett's comedy club. Show starts of slow but the bouncer makes our way to my table and asks everyone for their id. He said it was part of their practice audit. Mind you all 12 of us are 30 or over but my one friend forgot his ID at the cosmo so he kicks him out! We tried to plead our case but to no luck. So I walk out with him, pissed off we head to cosmo to get his id but decide to just drink in the room instead of heading back to the show. After a few glasses of makers we head back to mgm. Show wasn't over yet so we decided to get some bourbon over in the whiskey lounge.


Enjoying the bellagio show and a makers



Once everyone comes out we all decide to hit the craps table. Ice cold! 7 of us at the table. The first 6 all crap out within their first 4 rolls. It was a total sh*t show. I'm down $300. Total for trip -$600. I walk away before the dice even gets to me. Head over to the single deck bj and buy in for $200. First two shuffles I'm even. Then the next shuffle I get hot. I'm at $800 and the rest of my friends end up at my table. 2 of them join me and freaking ruin my run. I end up leaving with $500. Down -$300 for the trip. It's around midnight, and we decide to head over to hakkasan. Girls get in, guys don't. We wait for the them at the craps machine. No luck again! Down another $200, total -$500. Once girls are done we decide to have drinks at my friends room at the cosmo and order secret pizza. It was a good night, pizza, booze and bad reality TV (dating naked?). Call it a night and get ready for the next day.



To be continued. Didn't realize this update would take so long. No wonder most of you do live reports.

 

Great photos!

 

You know how to do Vegas! What a great birthday trip and a fabulous report, with great pictures to boot! Looking forward to the rest.

 

Great TR. I stopped doing the club/DJ thing more than ten years ago. (Damn, probably closer to 15 than 10). Interesting to see what it looks like now. Looks likes a super fun time. You sleeping at lunch made me laugh. Been there.

 

@wookie, that definitely was not me sleeping. lol. The club these days consist mostly of EDM and trap music.

 

Love the photos.....great way to celebrate your 30th. I've celebrated every milestone birthday since 21 in Vegas. Perhaps you'll do the same. I've heard great things about Pizza Rock and hope to try it sometime (but definitely won't die for it lol). I have to ask......why does your wife always appear as a yellow star? It didn't look like you were doing anything that woukd make her not want to be seen with you lol.

Sux that your friend got bounced at Brad Garrett's. It is very odd that is a frequent practice in NV. I am over 50 and have been carded a few times. At my age, I am happy (oh ok, I actually want to make the oerson asking my new BFF) but must really suck to be 30 and bounced.

The Cosmo terrace view NEVER gets old.......can't wait to see it again myself in September. Love seeing that view to tide me over!

 

@breanna61 my wife just feels weird that i'm posting stuff to the internet so she said dont put a picture of her up. lol

 

I suspected that was why but I bet she's a star to you!

 

Enjoying your trip report. Another reminder that no matter your age, carry id in Vegas. Love the view of the fountains and strip from the Cosmo room.

 

Yeah Vegas is cracking down pretty hard the last couple of years. I get carded at least a few times a trip at 35 now it seems, but never did in my 2011 trips. The worst time was when I was carded at Casino Royale Outback after ordering a WATER with my meal. Bartender explained no one under 21 is even allowed to sit at a bar. Looking at the group photo's faces in this TR, not having your ID is a big no-no. And you want to have your ID on you anyway for slot handpays!!! [emoji6]


And yes, writing these things does take awhile deezn, but you're doing a great job so far, so keep it up! And welcome to the forum!

 

That's so weird - practice audit. I don't know that I've been carded much in Vegas. I do always have my ID because my sister looks 12 so they then they get us all, but still... Looking forward to the continuation.

 

Sunday July 26th

My birthday! Morning starts off with us checking out of the MGM Grand and dropping our luggage off at the cosmopolitan. We pick up some of our friends to go get some pho in xhinatown. Totally hit the spot after all that drinking. Then one of my friends suggest getting $20 foot massages in Chinatown. Sure, why not! Best $40 I spent for me and my wife this whole trip! (sorry no pictures... Recovery morning)

Check in to the cosmopolitan around 4pm and decide not to do the $20 trick. First, it was my birthday so I was hoping a complimentary upgrade might be coming my way. Second, it was a comp room anyway so I didn't mind what room I got. Well they gave me a terrace king upgrade for my birthday!



Got ready for my birthday dinner at mastros ocean club at crystals. One of my supervisors decided to treat me out because she was out in Vegas already. Stopped by aria to kill some time. The wife and I played some friends and titanic slots. I hate slots but damn I kept hitting those bonuses on titanic. "my heart will go on" was blasting in the speakers and I was in top of the world! Up $100 . total for trip - $400.

Dinner was amazing. Cocktails, wine, seafood tower, steak, truffles, foie Gras, and butter cake!







Decided to go to drais after our 3rd steakhouse meal but ended up taking a 10 hour nap.

Monday July 27th

Woke up at 8am and had to go to the mgm grand because my wife left me 2 dresses in our old room. I will thank her later for that. Took a cab and picked up the dresses. Decided to try the tables one last time. I had $300 left on me, bought into a single deck bj for $200. Took two shuffles to wipe me out. Total - $600. Wife was still playing Michael Jackson slots so put my last hundred on craps. Hit a couple of hard tens and my bankroll was at $175. Then my hero showed up. Nice ladies in her 50s with her daughter. First two rolls were out of play... Was thinking about leaving but decided to stay. Had $4 on all tall, all small, and all numbers. After 16 rolls she hits every number except the 2. So I already got my $120 bonus from the all tall (8-12), all I needed was aces. Put $5 dollars on aces for her next roll (31 to 1). Guess what she hits? Aces!!! $150 for aces, $120 for all small (2-6), and $540 for all numbers! I also put $1 for the dealers on the all numbers so they were screaming with me. Played a few more rolls, gave $50 to my hero, and called it a day. Left with $1300. Wooooo! Total +$700.



Lunch was on me! Ate at docg at cosmo and took a taxi to the airport.



Spaghetti with meatballs, cavatelli with sausage and porchetta sandwich.




Wife okayed this one.


What a trip. I come up a winner, spend some time with the wife (no kid), and eat some amazing food. No complaints here. Now time to plan a winter trip. Hope my first trip report was okay. [emoji41]


Anyone tell me how to do that cool countdown banner below?

 

Good times. That was a great roll... Thanks for the report!

 

Excellent 1st post, thank you for the report, I really enjoyed it! Awesome pic of you and your friend on the Cosmo balcony, love the photo!

 

GREAT trip report and what a great 30th birthday celebration!!! You're wife is sweetheart. You two make such a cute couple!

 

Fun trip report - happy that you had good luck gambling on your bday trip - nice pics!

 

Great TR! Great hit on the all! Thanks for sharing!

 

Very nice win at Craps for your birthday trip and very nice of you to tip your hero shooter! Happy to hear Cosmo upgraded your room to help celebrate! On the terrace watching the lights of the strip just adds something special.

I enjoyed your report and photos! Well done!

I'll have to check for you on the number of posts required before you can get the countdown timer.

Looking forward to your next trip report.

 

Great trip report, thanks for sharing!

 

Liked your TR.

Good friends - good food - golfing and good gaming + a winner at the end = great time spent

Happy Birthday and glad you enjoyed your special day.