Then you find you're back in Vegas - SD quick trip

Well I was going to do a partial live trip report 6/18/16-6/20/16, but stupid me forgot to install tapatalk and then time just ran away from me, so I'm doing a recap. This trip was quite short 2 days and 3 nights, at 3 different hotels! It wasn't hard on the wallet or the mind though, as my brother was already in town and had his car, so I had no cab fares or bus rides to navigate, for the most part. The foundation of the trip was the Steely Dan concert at the Colosseum, and the fact that bro had left his job and was doing the drive across the country thing. Why not meet up in Vegas? Gives him a bit of a focal point at least.



1. Night one - flew out of Boston on the Jetblue lucky 777 direct flight with no problems. My seat cushion was quite tired, but other than that it was a pretty peaceful trip. This was the first time I had ever been picked up at the airport in LAS but the passenger pick up area was pretty easy to figure out.



First night is at the Wynn. I've never been there previously. Quite nice, but the decor was a little too granny-meets-architectural digest for me. I like an edgier look in Vegas. Molton Brown bath products though - those were nice and I am still using them to re-live the trip (sniff!). Anyway, parked my crap in the room then we went to Zoozacrackers deli for a bit. I got my $14 Philly steak and cheese, which was yummy but not quite big and sloppy enough to be called a Philly steak and cheese. Very nice bread though, and banana peppers too. I was still able to get a Red card at midnight, so I slutted up the slots. If you make 300 points as a new member, you get a spin the wheel kind of bonus, and if you make 700 in 3 days, you get 2 free buffets. I probably could have made the 300 points but I was winning and didn't want to give it back. I actually made around $100 just playing pennies and cashing out when I bonused. I had to wait for the slot tech to fix my machine once - it froze up right when i got the bonus - what a brilliant scam! A bunch of drunk middle aged women were playing the Game of Thrones slots near me while I waited, so I got to watch that and it wasn't too terrible. It probably saved me some cash to be honest. I am trying to lose some weight, so since I indulged in a steak and cheese (no lunch mind you, and I worked out that morning) I didn't drink that first night. Off to bed after a while.

 

2. Day 1 - I knew the pool opened at 8 am and I wanted to hit it before it got too hot and crowded. Passed a bunch of cute shops on the way to the pool. Found some shade when I got there, but the temps were still in the acceptable range so I moved into the sun. It wasn't really populated at all at that hour. Swam a bunch, up and down, the barbell shape of the pool gave some focus to my swimming, up to the other circular section, then back again. Sat in the hot tub a bit too, which was hotter than the Orleans one, but not unbearable - eventually you get used to the temperature. Pool music was great! Every other song was a Rat Pack era number, mixed with other songs that were pleasant, and the music wasn't so loud that you couldn't talk. I could have swam all morning but this French guy who claimed to be a broadcasting executive started talking to me. We chatted for a long time but eventually he asked me to have a 10 AM drink with him in his room (after previously insisting he didn't drink) so I after I politely declined, I ended up scooting out early.



Back in the room. To my delight, the 3 Stooges were on, so I watched them with coffee until my bro woke up and dragged himself out of bed. We moved over to the Peppermill for breakfast, which was good, not great but good. Fun to see the locals. I really want to have the evening fire pit experience there next time I go. Then we packed up and moved to Mandalay Bay for his free MyVegas night there, to counter the price gouge we had at Wynn, due to the EDC being in town.



I really loved Mandalay Bay! I didn't think I would, due to the age of the casino and the remoteness of the location, but it was great. Felt very airy, and the rooms are recently remodeled, so they were lovely. The soaking tub was larger - or at least deeper - than the one at Wynn. The television might have been bigger too. Other MB pros - they had an affordable sushi place, and a Starbucks. Unfortunately this trip has me re-hooked to Starbucks - the cold brew coffee was a life saver!



I didn't feel like playing poker this trip so I started up with the slots again, hoping to get an offer in the future. This is the trip I get addicted to 2 slots that are new to me. One is Pompeii, which looks like it has been around forever. I played the oldest one I could find (this strategy has been a winning one in the past) and sure enough I bonused for $75 on a minimum bet - either 25 or 30 cents! Then I got another bonus for $100 on a different old machine. Later I met the crack cocaine that is Cleopatra Tiles. I don't even know why I started playing it. I even looked at it and thought "boy that looks dumb" but then I started playing it and I couldn't stop. I did have that Davinci Diamonds aspect in that tiles drop so it slows the game, but the bet was so low (30 cents) and you clawed your way back so often, that I was able to play it a crazy long time. As I drank, I became convinced that it was mathematically impossible to ever get the bonus. Eventually I did though, a few times, after a few glasses of white wine. It was a waste of money but I enjoyed playing it and drinking.

 

3. Night 2 - It was getting late and time for Steely Dan. I fixed myself up and off we went. We decided to leave the car parked and took the trams and walked. Kind of a mistake. Took forever and obviously it was crazy hot. We had dinner in Wolfgang Puck in Crystals, used the MyVegas free pizza reward, had entrees that were awesome, watched the final game with the WP waiters going apeshit, and then took the tram to Bellagio. I hate trying to navigate Bellagio so you end up on the correct side of the fountain. Half the time I mess it up. This time we did it right though, and finally got to the Colosseum. We missed most of Steve Winwood but we did hear the end of "Dear Mister Fantasy" and "Gimme some Lovin" - the only song of his I wanted to hear was "Dear Mister Fantasy."



Steely Dan was terrific. Fagen was quite animated (for Fagen) and the band was on point. We had theorized that they would do all these Vegas themed songs like "Your Gold Teeth" and "Do it Again" but they did not. The added a fun part to "Hey Nineteen" where the girls held the note a bit when they sang "the cuervo goooooooold" so that was nice. They did play one of my favorites, "Razor Boy" but the "Dannettes" sang it and it wasn't quite as sad that way. So that fact that it wasn't as sad was a bit of a bummer, if that makes sense. Oh well, great view, even with what might have been some of the worst seats possible, great sound, great over all. We eventually found our way out of Caesars and took the Deuce back to Mandalay Bay. Pretty much spent so off to bed, listened to podcasts til I fell asleep.

 

4. Day 2 - Moving to SLS today. Technically I didn't need a room but my flight was at midnight and I hate being homeless in Vegas, so I took the SLS up on it's $19 room offer. Of course this went up once I added another bed, and the resort fees of course, but I've liked paying there in the past so I was ok with it. I slot-slutted up for a while at Mandalay Bay before we left. Never got to the pool because now I am in full degen mode and only gambling. Even got some bonuses on lightening link but was too deep in a binge to take photos. Anyway, I did use the soaking tub at least.



There were lots of EDC kids at SLS. And they didn't seem to gamble at all. After check in, we stashed our stuff in the room, which was much cleaner than it looked online, and went to Umani burger. Food was great, waitress was very attentive, but be warned, the $5 fries do not come free with a burger, despite being pitched as though they do. So a few points off for that. I really wanted to sit in the beer garden but it was so hot that they didn't even offer it. Next time. Russian soccer was playing, I think. A nice place to spend the afternoon.



Not much to report after that, except I played a little blackjack, lost, and then played about 8 hours of pai gow poker LOL. Floor and dealers were very nice and fun to play with. I managed to hit two straight flushes with the bonus bet, so that kept me alive. Even though we were just betting $10 a hand, the floor did notice and told his relief, in a Russian accent "these two be playing a very long time" LOL what that will get me besides a degen star, I don't know. Hopefully some free rooms because I do like that place as a kind of hide out.



Got a ride to the airport, PSA precheck, and sat around waiting for the always-late 778 flight home. Short trip but nice, just tried to relax and not force myself to see and do too much stuff. I would have felt a little cheated out of the shortness of this trip, but I'm going back in August so I feel ok. Staying at Aria next time, seeing Aoki at Hakkasan too - my friend is a crazy fan so we're doing it for him as a birthday present. Maybe i can bluff my way through it! Next one will be live, at least for a little bit. Thanks for reading!

 

With a ham bone in your hannnd.

Saw (and heard) Steely Dan at the Palms a couple of years back, the backup band was fantastic. Doesn't get much better than that.

 

LOL Yeah, I missed them by a week, twice, so I said this year I'm going. Bonus to finally see a show at the Colosseum too!

 

Thanks for sharing what looked to be a fun relaxing trip. I like Pompeii - it is definitely one of the oldies!

 

Nice report! But no poker during the WSOP? Whaa?

 

Yes, this was a mellow trip. Next one will be more go-go-go

 

Yeah, I know. Since it was so short, if poker went badly, I could have very likely been in a poker-hate spiral for the whole trip, and I didn't want that to happen. And my brother plays, and has the same temper, so who knows what might have happened had we both played bad. I'm not really that good a player, not aggressive enough, but better than average at exploiting other players' weaknesses. And WSOP players aren't supposed to have many, so meh...next time. I do live near Foxwoods, so I can catch a game any time I want.

 

Nice. But my gawd, only 2 nights. I don't know if I could do it.

 

I know, but I've done shorter trips! Plus my daughter has been ill for the last year. At the time of.planning the trip, i wasn't sure how long i could stay away and feel ok about it. But, no flare ups so i was hardly missed Until my kids are grown i will tend to have short trips & cut back on the sleep there. Once they're off to college, hold my mail & watch my cats, going to Vegas!

 

Nice trip and report. Never knew about the hot tub at Wynn. Will have to check it out thought I don't think in August!

I live in NYC and take long trips. Once I did a trip for 40 hours to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday. In addition to my long trip in August I am thinking about a weekend trip in October. Flight out of JFK on Friday night and possibly a red eye back Sunday night if I can get a good first class airfare on Virgin America. I am too old to do red eyes sitting up in a seat.

What's your routine for quick recovery once you're back east post a short trip and a red eye?

 

My routine mostly consists of living in denial about my age and zero f#cks given about how i look the following week! But seriously, I usually arrive home at 7am and have the day off. I always think I'm going to jump back in to life as normal but after a few hours i just pass out. Jet lag doesn't bother me and i live a pretty tame life at home so I can rally a few times a year. And my co-worker picks up the slack to a degree and enjoys abusing me in my still debilitated state once I'm back to work. Also, I try and make sure i get a window seat on the way back so i don't sleep on a stranger's shoulder!

This next trip will be a real test. I try & stay on East Coast time as much as possible but we will be at Steve Aoki until 4am vegas time, and then i leave 18 hours later.

You can do it Flowers! Fall will be the best weather for a Vegas weekend and a sneaky way to extend the Summer!

 

LOL. I hear you. Even with my long trip in August I am STILL getting a red eye back Sunday night (sometimes after 9 nights I'm still not ready to leave Vegas!) and though I am working the next day I'll be able to work from home, which will make it easier. I am okay on the jet lag. My problem is that I usually love to get 7 hours of sleep each night in the normal course (though usually not in Vegas) so it's the shorter sleep time that's the biggest challenge but I'm thinking about it! I'm seeing some good fares, including for Labor Day weekend (though I will have JUST returned from Vegas earlier that week!) If Wynncore does a slot tournament in October I may come in for that and double book a CET offer.

Thanks again for taking the time to write a report! Great read.

 

That was a very quick trip but a nice relaxing one.