Nevyn's Eleven - Semi-live free room heist from CETDorado, Sep19 -Oct 1

Good to know, thanks

 

Random extra notes and pics from day 1:

• Step count: 22521
• Did a quick check whether i could book a 4th reservation now that this one is started, but no dice apparently.
• it remains a great time to wander the strip in your nfl team colors after they’ve won. And share celebration with like minded strangers. Didn’t get to watch the niner win, but got to celebrate it just the same.

Progress on the MSG Sphere …

 

Sleep last night was a fair bit like the night before. Wake up in the night and then have trouble getting back asleep. But I managed enough to get by so I was all showered by the time my alarm went at 7, so i could just nip down to Pronto by Giada get breakfast to bring back to the room, then head to the course with plenty of time to warm up.

And …. I got my first taste of what a closed breakfast buffet does to other options:


Many of these people seemed to be in some sort of tour group so there is hope this wont be an every morning think. But in 15 minutes i was close enough to see the menu and see that their online menu prices are horribly out of date.

I gave up on that line around 7:30 deciding to grab breakfast elsewhere on the go. On my way to the car I walk through the food course and find that the crepe place has no line, and takes RCs 1 to 1. Good enough for me.



All in all pretty good. 2 sausage patties and real cheese. Decent audible from Pronto


Edit: oops forgot to add the below picture. Why does baccanal buffet cost so much? Because they gotta pay those wall dusters …

 

I arrive at the course with about 25 minutes to spare. There is a little confusion around my group as it is 4 people with 3 bookings.



I share a cart with an older local guy, and the other cart are late 20 something buds from Ohio. We are assigned to play Coyote for the front and Eldorado for the back.

My golf course picture taking is all over the place so you just get a photo dump


On the front we play Whites, and the first few holes go disturbingly smoothly. The forst couple holes i hit fairways and make fairly textbook pars. Then we have a par 5 with the wind behind and my ball takes a ride down the cartpath, before rolling back into the rough 120 from the pin. I go massively long with a wedge as my previous shots had been low and i did not give the wind enough credit. I chip to the middle of the green and two putt for my third par.

I par the next hole as well and am doing unbelievably well given my low expectations. But three doubles in a row humble me, then i close out the 9 with another par and another double.

The local quits after 9 so we strapping young folk decide to move back to the Blues for Eldorado.

The story on the back is quite similar. Im not hitting it great but i am missing in the right spots and getting some nice breaks. On one par 4 i fat a hybrid, and am on the fairway but cant even reach the green. I hit a 7 iron to 70, and the hit my picth alarming low and hard. It takes one hop and the second was nearly int he cup, but it hops back out to a foot for a tap in par. No hole there and i am chipping from the back down a hill. So am i a lucky &@$!? Or unlucky because the birdie didnt stay down.

I fade a little in the last couple holes and end up with a respectable 88, with a very respectable 8 pars and a somewhat disreputable 6 doubles. Still, an auspicious start to me trip after a troubling golf season. And I only lost 2 of the 6 kirkland balls i brought. I came with a ball-light bag because I was planning a costco run anyway …

 

Costco goes fine. They didn’t have the 20 year Kirkland Single Malt at this store, but i picked up some protein bars for me, some to take home for a friend (as Kirkland has more flavors in US stores), and 24 more balls which hopefully should get me through the trip.

And for the foodies just dying to see the finest cuisine in my report i present … the costco hot dog.

 

I get back to the hotel and stop by the players desk to get a card. Or rather that is my excuse leading up to me casually asking about my diamond dinner.

You see, my diamond dinner for 2020 was extended and i thought i got one for 2021 as well, but a few weeks ago i took up Caesars Windsor on a chance to convert the 2020 one do 100 in RCs which is how i was planning to pay for breakfasts. But when i had asked them about the 2021 dinner that girl told me that while my status got extended to 2021 i would not get the dinner without actually earning the tier credits.

So naturally being a cheeky bastard i wanted to double check just how that looked on a TR system in Vegas, and sure enough i have my 2021 dinner, which upgraded tonights plan from EI Steak Special to Giada. I want to do it tonight in case there is an issue with the diamond dinner and i need a reward credit backstop before i use them all on breakfasts. I mean, I can’t go paying CET money for things …

I call Giada for a reservation, then head to the pool for the last of the direct sunlight. Now i have the classic conundrum: underdress for Giada, overdress for EI or waste time changing in between. I opt for the over. Another update to follow with dinner and coupons and *gasp* gambling!

 

Following along… I fully support and endorse getting every ounce you can from CET Win lots and have fun

 

Before I get to the evening it occurs to me that I did not comment on Boulder Creek.

I really like the layout. There is ample room to play but the holes have diabolically positioned bunkers to complicate tee shot club selection and aim. The greens were in fantastic shape with the biggest adjustment being wind affecting putt speed more than slope.

The only negative would be the condition of the carts. They all look somewhat beat and my initial one did not have a working parking brake.

Still, good times and

 

Giada went pretty well. Seated right away nicely away from anyone and service was prompt. Kicked things off with a Tenaya Creek Brown Ale



Appetizer was Arancini



The last time I had Arancini it was at Bacio at the Trop in 2013. Both excellent but interesting contrast in styles. The Bacio app was one large ball compared to the 4 ones here.

On the one hand you can’t go far wrong with extra crunch surface area, and the pesto and pommodoro added a dimension. But on the other such small balls leave little room for the risotto texture. Still delicious, but texture wise all crust and cheese.

Honestly could not say which I prefer. Enjoyed both.

Next up was the Branzino


Along with a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Smith and Sheth




The Branzino and wine were both superb.


For dessert I went with the Chcolate Hazelnut Crunch Cake



This is a chocolate hazelnut mousse over a chocolate cake, with hazelnuts for crunch. Pretty darn good.

No issues using the dining credit, and the rest i used RCs from my other dining credit

Bill came to 105. Fairly sure there was a CR discount in there too, and no tax due to the comp. Tipped 21 and off to EI!

 

Ellis Island is what happens when you return to gambling after a long layoff and don’t want to leave well enough alone.

They’ve apparently gotten more liberal with their coupon policy and he put through the slot match before I played it. In fact, after an awkward period of chexking paytables and finding the only quarters full pay were the 3 spin poker by the players club I managed to fail to switch from 5c to 25c, play my 16 hands, activate the free play (20 bucks from each!) and start playing it. I finally got things adjusted and after I was finished with the freeplay was up 49.50

But goshdarnit I didn't come all this way just to leave you with no pics! I need some quads. So I played it awhile. And at first the little hands helped me tread water. But the up money dwindled all the way to 2 dollars and this is the most excitement i had for you:



But blackjack will fix everything right? There were 5 dollar tables running but I felt like uping variance a tad plus having a less crowded often solo table so I played 10. After 2 match plays i was up 20 on a BJ and a loss. And O had a decent little run within 4 bets of even for a couple shoes. But then things took a turn, and the bad kept getting worse. The results on doubles were brutal. Had the last 15 of my 200 buy in out there and of course i get 8s against a 4. Top up for 20 to split and the dealer gets 21.

So coupon results plus 49.50 at VP and plus 20 at blackjack. But post coupons lost 47.50 at VP and 225 at BJ not counting tips.

Net result is minus 203 for the first gambling night.

Tomorrow may see a fancier breakfast depending on sleep timing, maybe a morning by the pool and the a mad dogs and englishmen round at Mountain Falls golf, in, um, Pahrump.

Dinner tentatively planned for the Black Sheep. In fact round timing is based on Pahrump forecast being cooler and timing to stop at restaurant on the way back.

Tomorrow night may be an Oyo coupon and MyKonami freeplay run.

Edit: for reference, EI Vp lasted for just shy of 900 coin in.

 

Up early and alert again, so a few random notes from yesterday.

• Step count was down to a rather pedestrian 17200.
• Ellis island was fairly busy for a Monday. The 5 dollar tables were near full and the 10s and 25 mostly empty. I had a 10 dollar table to myself for a good part of it but at some points the table grew to up to 4 players. The spin poker machines were all unoccupied although the bank is uncomfortably close to the offers kiosk.
• The walk to EI features a lot more sleeping homeless than I recall from any prior trip.
• At Giada I opted for the bench seat rather than the chair and found that it has you a little low for dining. Did not really notice until I realized my arm was a little uncomfortable from the position I was holding it all meal.

 

This report is so great! Love the golf pics. We are scheduled to arrive in Vegas on October 5 mostly to attend the Shriners Open PGA tournament out at TPC Summerlin, two years ago was our last trip prior to the dreaded March 2020. We are still undecided but leaning towards coming. Please keep the report coming! No 40.00 Shoppers test here in Winnipeg.............boo

 

I also took another run last night at booking another CET comp reservation before they disappear and this time it worked.

So for next year I now have 5 nights in a Flamingo Premium room booked in September along with the already booked 5 Caesars nights in April.

I will probably only take one of those trips, but nice to have options. For max CET pain i could have done another 2 week bridge in April but I doubt I will want to stay that long, so booking it would mostly be for the lulz. I opted for planning flexibility instead.

 

I'm guessing this is the same course that I played 30 years ago, although I only remember 18 holes. We also paired up a 'local'. At one point, he said, "under no circumstances go into the yard down this fairway" (there were a few houses on the course at the time). As we passed by the property, sitting on the porch was a grizzled veteran cradling a shotgun. Apparently, he wasn't afraid to use if you came on his property .... !

As well, the pitchers of beer were so cheap in the clubhouse (at the time, a mom and pop operation), that they were literally vacuuming under our feet as we kept ordering more pitchers .... .

GG

 

you might be thinking of Boulder City. Not very residential at Boulder Creek

 

Thanks, you must be right. When I took a quick look on Maps, it looked like they were adjacent. Seems that Boulder "City" is closed. Still, it was an interesting experience!

GG

 

How are those (I assume) eggs cooked in those bags? Missouri minds need to know.

 

They arent in bags, just poached rather that fried. The ‘bags’ are the whites

 

So after another night of fitful sleep and waking up too early again, I get dressed and make my way over to Primrose for breakfast. I had forgotten how annoying they’ve made the strip walk on the west side of the street.



If the Giada bankette I was in last night was a tad low, the armchairs at the table I was seated at at Primrose were absurd. They made for a tiebreaker in my menu choice as I picked the dish that does not require knife and fork.

The smoked salmon bagel looked pretty and was more or less fine, but not a huge salmon portion and I prefer my lox on a platter so you can assemble yourself. I go light on the capers, had to pick some out of this.

 

As I would not be having lunch due to golf, and the smoked salmon portion was meager, I stop at Eataly on my way out and pick out a Prosciutto Croissant and a cold brew coffee to have before I leave for golf. Then I cross to the East side for a less annoying walk back to Caesars.



I head down to the pool for at hour or so getting there shortly before it opens.
Then I head back up to the room to get changed for golf and have my Eataly food.

The drive to Pahrump proves someone eventful as my car is nagging me on a couple of fronts. First apparently bottled water on the passenger seat is enough for passenger detection so the car is prompting me to attach the bottle water’s seatbelt.

More concerning, the TPMS sensor is bugging me about the rear passenger tire. Its pressure does not seem that bad (around 30) and I am pressed for time so I make the drive without incident, with a plan to check and inflate at a gas station after the round.

I arrive and discover that I am not paired up with anyone, and that the tee times ahead of me are empty so I can go when ready. I roll a few practice putts, do some stretches, then head to the first tee 15 minutes early.

Playing alone can really disrupt your rhythm as there is no waiting and time to process racing to your next shot in a cart. I resolve to take my time on the tee blocks, getting all my stats in from the last hole, taking pictures and assessing my plan for the tee shot.

I decide to be a little on the daring side and opt for the 6600 yard blues over the 6000 whites. Despite my high handicap, distance is not usually much of an issue for me, but this choice with force me to pull driver more than I would like or face some long approaches.

Of course, I start off playing terribly, going triple double out of the gate and sitting at 10 over after 6. And of course in the misery of the moment my tee block plan has gone out the window.

The early holes are not particularly long and I am hitting mostly mediocre hybrid shots off the tee, finding every fairway bunker and just generally off in all stages of the game.

On the par 4 6th hole I finally hit a big drive, but mess up the approach and end up with bogey. I also remember to start taking pictures and decide that after the round I will circle back on the holes that I missed.

I get to the par 5 7th and uncork my second straight solid drive onto the fairway. With 220 left I go for hybrid and get a bit past pin high left of the green. I have plenty of green to work with for once, and a decent lie, so unlike the awkward high chips I had been trying, this one i can so my specialty, a low bump and run. The Eagle chip misses by inches leaving me a tap in birdie, and there is hope for this round yet.

The 8th is a short part 3 and bupyed by the birdie I hit a nice wedge to 20 feet and then somehow make the snaking putt.

Suddenly I am back to bogey golf and feeling good. I hit another quality drive on 9, and hit the approach to an 8 foot downhill putt. I miss the chance at three straight birdies but post out out of nowhere 44 for the front.

The back starts on a rough note as the 10th takes driver out of my hands and i put myself in the trees with a ‘safe’ 7 iron. I muddle my way to a triple from there, but after that the back nine goes very smoothly.

I catch up to a twosome in front of me and they are obstinate in their complete inattention to waving me through nor asking me to join them But I want to slow somewhat anyway after a 1 hour front, so I dont press the issue.

The 14th throws another curveball as the par 3 is closed, with a tiny sign instructing you to play 2 balls on 17.

After the par 15th i decide to drive back and take a pic of the hole that wasnt as I will be waiting anyway. That lets me play 16 at pace, and when I get to 17 I discover a couple things. First, they have moved a second green to have 2 par 3 ‘holes’. Second the twosome have caught another twosome and apparently joining with people AHEAD of you is fine. So i now get to watch a foursome simulplay two par 3s.

When they finally clear I manage an up and down par on the now 210 yard’14th’. I miss the up and down on the 185 yard 17th but still make bogey. I close with a regulation par off another solid drive. My birdie attempt goes 4 feet by but i make the comebacker.

All told I managed to fight all the way back to an 87, which is pretty solid given my start and the tee selection.