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A 30 day trip to Vegas and points beyond... a semi (no promises) report Jan 21-Feb 21

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by WHITEJACKET73, Jan 24, 2019.

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  1. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I didn't do a hell of a lot today....hangovers will do that to you. I picked up some diamond show vouchers at Bally's TR desk and got tickets to see X-Country at Harrahs for Thursday and Penn and Teller on Saturday night at the Rio. I will definitely visit the wine cellar before the show on Saturday. It rained a little this morning and remained overcast most of the day. Thankfully the wind was at a minimum. I walked down to the Mirage and picked up my ticket at the box office for Love tonight. I had not eaten since yesterday morning so I decided to sit at the bar at Margaritaville.

    The place was pretty empty and quiet for the early afternoon. I have had their fish sandwich several times before and the fish has been exceptional, so I ordered this anticipating another tasty lunch.....not to be. I waited over 20 minutes for my food even though the dining area was empty. They have changed the way that they make their sandwich. In the past the fish was like a filet, this time it looked like an oversized patty that you get at McDonalds. The batter was heavy and the fish was way overcooked and dry. When the bartender came over and asked about the food I had to give him the bad news. He claimed that they had not changed the way that they prepare it, but I know better and told him so....,B.S. All I got out of him was "Sorry" as he walked away. The best part of the meal was my Landshark draft. I was very disappointed, as I like to sit at the bar, have a nice lunch, washed down by a lovely Landshark and do some people watching. Bad food and bad service may make me rethink my future luncheons here.

    It happened again as I was trying to cross Flamingo at the light by the Cromwell. The light changed and the lady ahead of me stepped out into the street. At that moment a car pulled out of the Cromwell valet area and narrowly missed hitting this poor woman. The driver didn't slow down as he sped away, totally running the red light. I spent the afternoon doing some reading and then took a two hour nap. I had a Heineken at the Harrah's diamond lounge before heading over to the Mirage for the 9:30 pm show. My free MyVegas ticket afforded me a seat in the very last row of section 200. The row was totally empty except for a pair of people sitting on either side of me. While waiting for the show to begin the guy sitting to my right passed gas twice...give me a break. To make matters worse I had to listen to the lady sitting to my left bitch to her boyfriend about how she didn't think she was going to enjoy the show, it was too late, didn't like the seats....blah, blah, blah. I desperately wanted to tell her to shut the fuck up. When the lights lowered and the announcer came out, I got up from my seat and moved down the row several seats so I could enjoy the show in peace and away from my gaseous seatmate. This is my fourth time seeing this show and I enjoyed it very much. I sometimes forget how much I miss the music of the sixties and early seventies...that was great music; not like the crap rap shit that they pass off for music today...….wait, I'm starting to sound like my 97 year old Dad...…"Get off my Lawn!"

    After the show I went over to the Casino Royale and grabbed a quick Subway club sandwich. I sat at Bally's lobby bar and had a couple Craggy Ranges and talked with Po and Fang, the bartenders. I was texting my friend Dave in San Diego when a hooker sat down next to me and asked what game I was playing on my phone. Time to have some fun. I told her that I wasn't playing a game, but I was texting my friend who works for Metro here in Vegas. See you later, she was outa there. With that, I finished my drink and called it a day. Tomorrow morning I plan to have another gambling session at Pho's high limit room, then check out the art gallery at Bellagio and then visit Valeria at the Gate and do a coupon run downtown and finish the afternoon at Hogs and Heifers.
     
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  2. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I was up and out of the room early today. I have seen it rain in Vegas several times, but never like today. It started to rain last night and continued all day long, finally quitting more or less around 6 pm...a real soaker. Things went well in the Pho high limit room; I had the place to myself the whole morning. I hit some terrific dealt hands and cruised to 1000 tier points and cashed out with over a $400 profit. I then went over to the Bellagio gallery of fine art to check out the new exhibit by artist Yayoi Kusama. There were two exhibits: The Narcissus Garden and the Infinity Mirrored Room. The garden consisted or 12 inch mirrored balls arranged on the floor in one of the gallery's rooms. "These balls are tightly arranged creating an infinite reflective field that distorted images of reality on the surface of the balls."......okay....I don't really get it. The Infinity room was another matter, I really like it. You were placed inside a small darkened room with mirrors all around. Once the door was closed it was pitch black and then soft glowing lights started to appear all around you and then more and more lights glowing and blinking. As you looked around the lights seemed to go on into infinity. Your experience lasted a whole 45 seconds, but it was pretty interesting.

    I then drove downtown to the Gamblers General Store located on Main St. I belong to a card group who gets together a couple of times a year for a potluck dinner and an evening of socializing and card playing. We play a game that requires four decks of cards. Some of our group are all thumbs when it comes to shuffling the decks; so I purchased a four deck automatic card shuffling machine; I got 10% off with my ACG coupon. I parked at the Golden Gate's valet and started my coupon run. I pocketed my $25 match play chip at the Gate for later use. I stopped by to do the free spin in front of Binion's. I must be doing the spins too often because the attendant asked me where my friend (Dave) was. I turned my $10 free play into $15. My $10 free play at the 4 Queens netted me $10. I went to the D's players club desk and pocketed two more $25 match play chips. I then walked in the rain over to Hogs and Heifers for a brew.

    I must becoming a regular at this bar because the bouncer came over and shook my hand as I walked in. I sat at the bar and ordered my usual Bud Light draft and a shot of Jameson Black Irish whiskey. They told me that they no longer carried it as it was seldom requested. Damn, I should have drank more of the stuff. I chatted with the new bartender, Brandi, and another bartender named Mattie; which I refer to her as the "Little Firecracker". She is about 5 foot nothing and must weigh no more than 100 pounds soaking wet, but she is a bundle of energy behind the bar and good for a million laughs. The girls danced on the bar as usual, but one of them had a 'wardrobe malfunction' and ripped the crotch in her jeans...guess what, no panties.

    I played some 8/5 BP at the Gate, walking away with another $70 profit. I watched some TV in the room before heading over to Harrah's to see the X-Country show. My free diamond ticket landed me a seat in the back of the room, but the view was okay. The girls are in great shape and are talented dancers. Entertaining show, but I would not pay full price to see it again. I had a burger at Johnny Rockets after the show and then called it a night. Tomorrow I have an appointment at the Art of Shaving at the Venetian for a haircut and straight razor shave; one of the guilty pleasures that I indulge myself during some of my Vegas visits. If the weather is nice I may run over to Bonnie Springs Ranch for a look see before they close for good later this month I think.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2019
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  3. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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  4. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Great pics of valley of fire!
     
  5. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    Nice VP hits!
     
  6. rooster42000

    rooster42000 Goat of all Goats , My Hero

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    Great pics.
     
  7. booker

    booker VIP Whale

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    Loving the TR!
     
  8. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I spent a lazy morning in my room drinking coffee and doing some reading. I walked over to the Venetian for my appointment at the Art of Shaving. The wind was blustery today and the clouds were rolling in from the west. I spent a little over 90 minutes being pampered by Ron, my barber. He did another great job cutting my hair and the shave left my face fresh and rejuvenated. I still had a hankering for fish so I had a late lunch at Gordon Ramsey's fish and chips at the Linq Promenade. The fish was delicious, the batter light and crisp, the fish was moist and flavorful. I felt like saving one of the pieces of fish and taking it over to the bar at Margaritaville and show them what a good piece of fish looks like....bastards.

    I decided to do some more gambling at the high limit room at the Pho and things did not go well. I could not get any good hands; a lot of blanks. Within 15 minutes I was down $200 and I pulled the plug. I took a break and walked over to the Flamingo wildlife habitat to see the fish and fowl. I can't believe how many people walking around and sitting on the benches with their heads buried in their phones. I read a lot of the inscribed paving bricks; many which professed their love to their soulmate. I wonder how many of those people are actually together now.....I guess I'm being a pessimist. The Habitat is a nice quiet escape from the hustle of the Strip.

    I made a sports bet at the book at Bally's. The line is that the Minnesota Twins will win at least 85 games this year....I don't see it...I bet the under. I then took another shot at the triple play VP machines at Bally's up near the keno lounge. This turned around and my Hundy lasted for several hours, letting me put enough points to reach my 500 tier point goal and more. I had a few Craggy Ranges at the lobby bar then remembered that Valeria was dancing at the 3535 bar at the Linq tonight. I stopped at the CVS and picked up several Milano's cookie packs as I know she likes these to snack on. We talked briefly, after all she is working, got a few hugs and said our goodbyes. The wind is still blowing and it started to rain again as I was walking back to Bally's.

    I've been on the road for 26 days now and it's starting to take it's toll. I will be kind of glad to leave Vegas on Sunday...I've had my fill. I face chat with my son and daughter in law and see my 7 month old grandson, Max a few ,minutes everyday. I miss them, but don't miss the Minnesota winter. I will try again to drive out to Bonnie Springs tomorrow, the last thing on my Vegas to do list for this trip.
     
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  9. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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  10. john1516inny

    john1516inny High-Roller

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    Really enjoyed your reporting, great pics and nice adventures, thanks for taking us along!
     
  11. gailtherese

    gailtherese Upper Middle Class ?!

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    I can’t believe it’s been 26 days. What an amazing adventure in the dead of winter! We are just drudging through it here in MN - it’s been unrelentless! I am betting you will take a different route home? Safe travels; and thanks very much for taking us vicariously along!!
     
  12. Treb23

    Treb23 Low-Roller

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    I've really enjoyed your report. Thanks for taking us along and have a safe trip back home!
     
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  13. casinokid68

    casinokid68 Caesars Diamond Member

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    :hmmm:
     
  14. casinokid68

    casinokid68 Caesars Diamond Member

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    Great report, but I think that you really should try to use the overpass next time!!
     
  15. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I slept in late on Friday...again. I drove out to Bonnie Springs Ranch, but it turned out to be quite a drive. I think half of Vegas decided that it would be a good day to visit Red Rock Canyon Park. I was about 3/4 of a mile from the park when traffic came to a dead stop on the highway. I crawled along in stop and go traffic for about half an hour until I could see the problem. Cars were backed up trying to get into the park. I was finally able to drive around this mess and it was clear sailing from then on. As I passed the park I looked back and it was wall to wall cars inside the park....glad I didn't have to deal with that.

    There were plenty of people at Bonnie Springs; with lots of little kids running around. The old town area looked pretty rundown and a lot of the shops/buildings were closed. The "cowboys" staged a bank robbery and the sheriff enlisted the kids in the audience to help out. Eventually the new deputies convinced the bad guy to surrender and then they ran him out of town. They also had a melodrama shortly afterwards which was pretty corny but the kids laughed and enjoyed the actor's antics on stage. I walked around the grounds a bit; they have a large pond with several dozen plump, well contented mallard ducks swimming around. I wonder what's going to happen to these guys when the place closes down.

    Back on the Strip I went over and lunched in the Paris diamond lounge and had a couple of gin and tonics. They did have Hendrick's gin this time so I was a happy man. Later, I packed up my belongings as I wanted to get an early start for my drive to Lake Tahoe. I took a short nap only to be awoken by a tapping on my door. It was some lady with a hotel badge doing a security check. I told her to wait while I put some clothes on and then opened the door. She had to come inside to check the windows....what? She then went over and rattled the window to see if they would open and then went over to my phone and punched in a code. I was not happy with the invasion of my privacy, let alone waking me up, but that is the new Vegas reality.

    I dressed and then drove over to the Rio and had a hard time finding a parking place. The casino was a madhouse; I don't think I have ever saw so many people. They had a large area in the Masquerade tower casino area blocked off with poker tables. Apparently they had some big WSOP event going on. I was greeted By Lita and Jose at the wine cellar; it was good to see them again. I picked out a flight of pinot noirs and kicked back to enjoy the wine. I could not stay long as I had a ticket to see Penn and Teller, for about the eight time.

    I had a seat in the eighth row, on the left...pretty good for a free seat. The show was terrific. Except for two illusions, the rest of the show was brand new. Lots of laughs and some amazing tricks. I stopped at the lobby bar for one last Craggy Range before calling it a day. I have a long drive ahead of me and they are still talking of snow up at Tahoe.
     
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  16. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I was on the road by 7 o'clock and once I was north of the city the traffic was light....it was nonexistent. I traveled for a long time without seeing any cars. I stopped in Tonopah for gas and grabbed some food to eat on the road. The farther north and west I drove the worst the weather got. When I got to Walker Lake it started to snow. When I got south of Carson City it was snowing pretty hard. I should have continued on to Reno and stayed overnight there, but decided to make the drive over the mountain pass to Tahoe. Well the next hour was a white knuckle drive to say the least. The road was covered with snow, the road curved and climbed up and up til I hit the summit at around 7,200 ft. I saw several vehicles that had slid off of the road and were helplessly buried in the snow. The drive down into town was just as bad. When I got out of my car in Harvey's parking garage my car was covered with a thick coat of icy slush.

    The clerk gave me a 12th floor lake view room, but it was snowing so hard that you could only see out about a hundred yards. I unpacked and then went over to the diamond lounge at Harrah's and had a salad, some spring rolls and some Swedish meatballs....and several stiff drinks. After that long and harrowing drive I was exhausted and spent the rest of the evening reading in the room. Even though I was dead tired, I had a hard time falling asleep.

    Today I will do some gambling and maybe walk around town for a bit to get some fresh mountain air. I may leave a day early depending on the weather reports. I could continue my gambling vacation by staying over in West Wendover at one of their casinos. The sunshine is out and it looks like a beautiful day.
     
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  17. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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  18. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I woke up early today to a magnificent view of the snow covered mountains, blue sky and glistening lake; then fell back to sleep...yawn. I took a stroll down the main street of town and made my way through the mobs of skiers. I was surprised on how many small children were decked out in their ski apparel toting their skis and ski poles. The sun felt warm on my face, but you really noticed the drop in temperature when you were in the shade. I browsed through some of the shops and then stopped into a bar and grill called the "Lucky Beaver" They advertised having craft beer... sure, their menu had about 6 selections, one of them was Guinness. I ordered a glass of Guinness and people watched. I walked back to Harvey's and played some 8/5 dollar BP.

    I lost the first seven hands in a row. I rallied, got back up to even and then things went south again. The second hundy didn't go much better...time to take a break. I made a reservation at Harrah's steakhouse, Friday's Station, I thought I would get a pre-meal cocktail at the diamond lounge, but when I tried to open the door, it was locked. I peered through the glass and the place was closed....at 7pm...what the hell? The steakhouse is located on the 18th floor with great views of the lake and mountains. I ordered a half bottle of Duckhorn merlot(one of my favorite wines) and then ordered a Caesar salad, filet mignon and some grilled asparagus. The filet rivaled the filet that I had at BLT Steak earlier in the trip, very tender and delicious. I asked my waiter, Scott, if they had any sorbet on their dessert menu. He said that they had mango sorbet.....sold... I love the mango sorbet. BLT has it, but it is not on their menu. I always ask for it and have yet to be turned down....good stuff. This was a very satisfying meal; took me two hours to finish it.

    I sat down in Harrah's high limit room and played 8/5 BP on one of their 50 play machines. You can play at the 25 cent level but you have to play a minimum of eight hands, or $10 a pop. Things started great, getting a quad on the third hand. Not too long afterwards I hit quad aces and I was cruising along. I then accidently hit the max bet button; that's a $62.50 bet and lost my butt. Things did not go well after that. I put over 500 tier points on my card, losing $94 in the process.

    I'm still undecided about leaving a day early. I will see what the weather is like in the morning and then make up my mind.
     
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  19. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    I sometimes rant about the inconsiderate drunken morons that I frequently encounter in Vegas. I had an episode late last Friday night that put some of my faith back into humanity. After the Penn and Teller show I went to the food court at Bally's to get a couple slices of pizza to eat back in my room. I stood back as a couple put in their order, and before I could step up to the counter a lady stepped in front of me. Okay, no big deal, she looked a little drunk... not going to get my undies in a bunch as I wasn't in any hurry. She was taking her time while I waited patiently when her boyfriend walked up to me and asked if she had jumped ahead of me in line. I told him that it was no big deal, that his girlfriend was welcome to place her order. Hey, she looked hungry. I ordered my slices, but when I went to pay for them the lady at the counter said that it had been taken care of.. the boyfriend had paid for my meal.....wow. I told him that it was not necessary but he insisted.....wow, what a nice gesture.
     
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  20. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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