Live and Unexpectedly Solo at MGMs Grand and Park

OMG did they give you the family portion of hash browns. Just give me two eggs over medium and those hash browns and I would be full.

 

I wanted to go check out Sahara while I was up here, and I decided to walk. Important background info: it was 115 degrees here today. I’m an idiot.

Someone asked a question here about the McDonalds next to Circus Circus. Here it is:



It looks like a McDonalds. Nothing special.



I stopped into Slots A Fun for the air conditioning. It’s cleaner than I remember, but nothing going on. Very few machines.



I also went into Circus Circus for old times sake. Lovely.

 

Was the slot carousel spinning, or broken down?

 

I will always have fond memories of Slot's A Fun. On our first trip to Vegas back in the early 1980's we spent a lot of time there. I was amazed. We were playing nickel slots and getting free Coronas with lime. We were getting the same while playing $1.00 blackjack. If we got hungry we could get a monster hotdog for a buck. We spent a ton of time in there. We left $60.00 a head after a dozen Coronas each. Great memories. It is times like that that made LV so special. I almost forgot about the craps table that was almost in the middle of LV Boulevard.

 

The Fontenbleu does not look ready to open anytime soon.



There lies the Sahara.



They replaced that dumb SLS statue out front with…some boring plants. (Still looks better.)



I didn’t spend a ton of time at SLS, but I kind of liked it. I mean, the location stinks, but they were trying something, at least. I expected the Sahara to be better, but it was worse. I’m almost every way. Things were dirty, broken. The clientele was…well, this wasn’t Encore, let’s put it that way.



There are some niceish looking restaurants, but overall this place gets a D- from me. There’s better stuff in better locations. There’s better stuff in worse locations. It’s just not good, and they’re not putting any money into it, apparently. I waited for 10 minutes to get a players club card, but the line was so slow I gave up. Even the craps crew was surly.



The pool was bad.



This is a cabana. It looks worse in real life.



To add insult to injury, I just wanted to get the eff outta there, but there were no taxis. I called a Lyft, but you have to go to the 4th floor of the parking garage for pickup (for some reason). Luckily I had plenty of time to get there, because ride share continues to blow.

 

Not spinning, sadly.

 

I was feeling tired, hot, and a little hungover. I wanted to sit in air conditioned comfort and bet on some horse racing. Just one place come to mind.



Probably my best Vegas memory is the day I spent at the Mirage Sportsbook with my father and my friend James betting on horses. The screens need an update, but the ticket writers are sharp and VERY loose with the drink tickets. There’s no place on earth I’d rather kill an afternoon.



A few bloody maries put me right back in fighting shape. I had a few big winners at Saratoga and Delaware Park each, but then got stupid and bet way too big on dumb races, giving it all back, plus a bundle.



Contrary to what it looks like in these pictures, Mirage was pretty hopping for a Wednesday afternoon. Only one craps table open ($15) but lots of action all over the place.

I probably covered my comp in horse racing and sports bets today (although I forgot to have them swipe my card a few times..damnit) and although Saratoga let me down and the Padres coughed up a fucking 2 run lead in the bottom of the ninth, I got a trillion drink too and had a great time.

 

Epic report. I want more!!!

 

Sahara looks like the perfect place to wait out COVID safely.

 

Honestly? You’d be better off at home.

 

Leaving Mirage was easy. Cabs waiting, no line, easy.

Drove by the fountains mid-show.



I had a whole plan to go to Mandalay Bay and work my way home but then I thought, “I’ve been really happy at Park.” So I went back there. Glad I did. Angela wasn’t working, but I still got lots of drinks and good play at the VP bar in the Sportsbook. Cashed with the Yankees over and the Rockies under, lost with the stupid Red Sox over.



I had the spicy chicken sandwich from Side Betty which was excellent, and had about a million drinks.

Made an ill-fated trip to the craps table deepening the day’s hole. Trying to get closer to god by (once again) betting against the USA. Give me Australia +11.5, baby!!!

 

Awesome Intel! Loving the report, keep it going. Aloha!!!

 

Loving the report!

 

I was being a smart-ass based on Sahara looking so dead.

 

Just the mention of Slots A Fun Makes my knees-a-quake and my lips-a-quiver. Personally walking inside or seeing images on a trip report make me weep like I did at the cineplex when Tom Hanks said goodbye to Elizabeth Perkins and turned back into a four year old boy (Josh Baskins).

Of all of the demolition and change in that town, what has become of Slots A Fun is a tragedy this land has never faced.

Love all of the hopping around, Diplo! I very much admire.

I'll admire more once I see you at the salad oasis section of one RT Buffet.

 

Funny that @FormallyTD should show up a quaking and a quivering in my TR this mornings, cause look where I just pulled up to…



We going downtown today, baby.

First a quick wrap up from last night. Before bed I decided to hit a blackjack table and empty my wallet to either double up or lose it all. I wasn’t shocked that I’d lose it all, but the manner in which it happened was bracing. I didn’t win a single hand. I pushed on 19 and lost like 10 in a row. Absolutely brutal beat down. The US men were down big in the first half but then came roaring back to stomp the Aussies and cover the 11.5 easily. More brutality.

Gambling-wise, the day was a horror show, but for the trip I’m down less than half a day’s bankroll, and with two days left I’m feeling pretty good. Gonna shake off the bad juju from yesterday and go take all of Derek Stevens’ money.

But first, breakfast.

 

Breakfast at Siegel’s. I’ve never eaten here, and in fact I don’t recall ever even seeing it before. But it’s super. I ordered a sensible breakfast, watched The Maltese Falcon, and listened to Sinatra and Tony Bennet. Daisy was a lovely waitress. Really pleasant experience all around.

 

Let me tell you a little story about my morning at the ElCo.

I got a new players club card and was told about the promotion that if you earn 300 points, you get a spin for free play or other prizes. I thought to myself “I’m gonna play some VP anyway, so I might as well try for it.” Well, I was not having terrific luck. I was playing 10 hands on Ultimate X Gold, and the bonuses were all way up, but I could not hit a 4 of a kind for my life. I understand how variance works, but I mean come ON! Something’s gotta hit eventually!

I was nearing the 300 points and down almost $200. That’s not the end of the world, but I was annoyed with myself.

Then this happened.



Brought me allll the way back and then some. I played the winnings down, trying to hit the other bonuses, but stopped when I was exactly even. I went and claimed my free play spin, which was of course $5. I turned it into $2.50 or real money. Thanks goodness for those Aces, because I would have been SO pissed at myself for losing $200+ for $5 in free play. That’s rookie bullshit.

As it is, I left there up $2.50 and a few bloody maries. And feeling very victorious.



I like the ElCo during the day. It has everything you could want, plus chandeliers in the bathrooms. The toilet seats are low to the ground and have cigarette burns on them. All class.

 

The D is loud and has a weird vibe. I mean, that’s actually a good encapsulation of the entire Freemont St Experience. I cashed in a $25 match play, which I lost on roulette. Get me outta here.





Next Golden Gate. Friendly and fast craps dealers, (though I think the older gentleman was farting?). Played by myself on the $15 table but had bad rolls, also lost another $25 match play.

 

Plaza next. Great experience. I super like this place. Really nice players club attendant, excellent craps crew. I played on the $10 table, lots of fun people playing. I hit both $10 match play, and after a long while I left up about $40. The Plaza is dynamite, maybe my fave downtown.