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Aria trip - May 13->18

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by JillyFromPhilly, May 21, 2012.

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  1. JWBlue

    JWBlue VIP Whale

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    Women and their handbags and shoes. :rolleyes2:

    I am surprised at the negativity in this thread about Café Vettro. It is one of my favorite places to eat breakfast. The airiness and airport windows which allow the sun to pour in make it a great place to start the day. I like the food, and frankly I have never noticed slow service. Although, I will say that I am not really picky about either of those things.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2012
  2. JillyFromPhilly

    JillyFromPhilly Tourist

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    Day Five [Part Two] - Prolonging the inevitable...

    We got back up to the suite and while we were lounging around & killing time until dinner the phone rang & it was my host apologizing for not having been around all week - other than a few voice mails earlier in the week, we actually hadn't seen each other or talked all trip - and so we made plans to head down a little early & meet her for cocktails before dinner.

    So we headed down and met up with her at 7:15 and chatted for a bit in the bar/lounge at American Fish before dinner - it was funny because she must've been looking at my play & charges for the week and must have noticed the gap on Tuesday while we were at the Palazzo - so at one point she casually slipped into the conversation "So what did you guys do on Tuesday?" - and without missing a beat, the wife & I - proving that if need be we could easily pursue second careers as a pair of traveling grifters :evillaugh - launched into an entirely improvised story about how we had friends from back east who had recently moved to Henderson and had spent the day seeing their new house and visiting with them. I don't think it mattered to her from a low-play standpoint - my theo for the week actually wound up being up substantially this trip over last, even with us having spent a whole day at Palazzo - so I suspect she was fishing to see if I'd gone off-campus to play somewhere else - or maybe I just felt guilty and therefore was projecting paranoia and ulterior motives onto her when she was just genuinely interested in what we did for the day.

    I probably could've just told her the truth, but for whatever reason when put on the spot I guess my first impulse was to not tell her I'd been "cheating" on her with the Palazzo and we just ran with it :whistle: But otherwise we had a pleasant conversation and all got to know each other a little better and although we offered to have her join us for dinner she said she had other players to make the rounds with so once it was time for our reservation we parted ways.

    American Fish was a bit more crowded than last time - probably owing to this being a Thursday & last trip I believe we were there on a Monday or Tuesday - so the noise level was up a bit & the service [at least initially] slipped down a notch - we waited a bit at the beginning but once drinks were delivered & orders were in it picked up again - perhaps because once we started ordering our server realized this was going to be a big ticket - what can I say, since it was our last night, we really shot the bolt & did it up like a couple of hip-hop stars at the strip club with this dinner :beer: For starters we split some caviar - then I went with the Yellowtail sashimi, while the wife got the shrimp & grits [aside: is it just me, or does every place seem to have shrimp & grits on the menu lately?]

    But even though American Fish is technically a seafood restaurant - and last time we'd sworn that the next time we ate there we'd get seafood entrees - ultimately, having enjoyed it so much the last time we couldn't resist its seductive call and once again went with the salt-baked Prime Rib for two - and even though neither the wife or I are big wine drinkers, since for a change we were both eating red meat at the same time we splurged on a bottle of '96 Opus One to go with the Prime Rib. Finally, for dessert I had a chocolate custard & the wife went with the cheesecake. For those who like to know the gory details - the final tab for all this decadence was nearly $1700 [before tax & tip] :faint:

    After dinner, it was time for a final showdown with the tables - our flight was leaving 11:30 the next morning, so odds were I probably wouldn't have much [if any] time to play after tonight. I still had $35K in chips on me against $60K in outstanding markers - which put me at down $25K at Aria but still up $70K for the trip overall - so my goals for the night were to either get back up to even at Aria so I could just pay off my markers & not have to write a check once I got home - or if things didn't go my way, to put a floor on my losses for the night at $20K - I didn't want to go below a $50K win for the trip overall since that was the approximate cost of the two watches we'd picked up at Piaget - and even though we'd done some other shopping this trip, at the very least I wanted to go home having my wins pay for the watches.

    First off I hit the Carta Privada for some Blackjack - As usual, I started off two hands at $1500/each - and after an initial series of good hands that had me quickly pressed up to about $3000/hand things cooled and I pulled back to about $2000/hand - then for a while it was a mixed bag and I stayed at that level, ping-ponging around even for what had to have been at least the next hour. Then things took a turn for the worse - I mean, how many twelves can one man take? - and by the time I ended the session I had pulled all the way back to $1500/hand and after about two hours the wife showed up - she'd blown the last of her money at the slots - and I walked away down about $9K.

    From there we decided to hit the single-zero wheel together - and deciding to go for broke started putting out $200 on all my usual bets plus an extra $100 on each of my four splits for about $3000/spin - which after three misses quickly put me down $18K for the night - If I kept betting at the same level, one more spin would put me below the floor on losses I'd set for myself earlier in the evening - but of course I showed a complete lack of discipline and put another $3K out anyway - and hit a 6! Yes, I was still alive :clap: Another miss and then I hit a 15 - not a great hit, but once again, at least it was keeping me alive and at the table.

    Unfortunately, the next 4 spins were misses - and I was now only $800 above my floor for the night - and once again I showed a complete lack of willpower and went for it again anyway - and saints be praised, an 11! :woohoo: And this is how things went over and over again for probably a good hour or so - I'd play down to right at or below my floor, break the promise I made to myself, and then get a hit just when I needed it to keep me at the wheel - though in my defense the wife was with me & we were drinking & having a good time lingering and chatting up the pit critters - and I think neither of us really wanted the night to end.

    Then, finally I hit a good streak of hits in short succession - at one point I actually hit my goal of being up $25K on the night - but of course, once again the desire to keep playing [knowing it was our last night] overtook my desire to stop playing when I hit my pre-set goals - and I played a little bit more - but now the misses started outnumbering the hits again - and by the time we headed up to the suite for the night I had $49K in chips left - so it looked like I was going to finish out the trip down $11K at Aria but up $84K for the trip overall - that is, unless I managed to squeeze in a little more play the next morning before we left...
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2012
  3. JillyFromPhilly

    JillyFromPhilly Tourist

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    I agree the room is beautiful and a great place to start the day - and last time everything was fine - but this time the service was really slow and the food was lackluster at best.
     
  4. dunebug81

    dunebug81 VIP Whale

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    Initially I was shocked at a $500 breakfast but once I realised the bottle of Dom was 80% that made more sense.

    Then you're wife plays bangkok hooker for you...very nice!

    After that you take Sheldon adelson for nearly $100,000 and an awesome tour of the "members only" club...well played.

    Then you really get going with a $1700 dinner which is impressive but honestly would be wasted on me as I'm somewhat of a picky eater and would have only eaten the prime rib.

    None of that made me re-read anything thinking I'd misread something, that os until I got to the part where you said you paid 50k for 2 watched. Jesus H Christ! Really? 50k for watches. Can we get a pic of what I can only imagine is a watch made from solid gold and ivory made from the horn of a unicorn?! Lol.

    Loving the TR, I'm hoping you were able to buy back your marker.
     
  5. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    I too love the decor of the restaurant. Unfortunately for me, food & service are also important aspects of my restaurant experience. I found the food inconsistent, some items I enjoyed, others were off-the-charts bad. I found the service consistently horrible. However, on the plus side, like you mentioned, I really enjoyed the sun pouring in to start the day, even if I did sit down for the meal at 3am.:evillaugh
     
  6. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    Wow Jilly,

    It's probably not that good for me to be reading all these roulette hits you had with a trip coming up so soon. Although I've got to say I'm not going to have any trouble staying awake now for the day.:beer:

    Are you playing the single zero wheel on the floor or in the high-limit room over by the sky suites? I blew $1,000 in promo chips in one spin in that high limit room and drunkenly won it back with my own money one trip, been scared to go back in ever since.

    I sure would love a trip like yours, and second that it would be cool to see a pic or link to those watches. I used to eye that $300K diamond studded gold rolex over in the Wynn Esplanade.
     
  7. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    That's why I always bet the Don't in roulette.
     
  8. Transplant

    Transplant Tourist

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    Really entertaining tr. I think Vegas is built on the backs of folks who set a limit, have a little fun and then break those limits, up or down. Good for you that it was up in the end.
     
  9. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    no

    they base comps on 4 hours a day of play at an average bet. but it's all based on theo. as long as you have the theo to cover your comps it doesn't matter how much time you play. but one of the reasons they use the 4 hour per day minimum is because they want you to stay there for a long time. they know the longer you play, the more likely they will take your money.

    no
     
  10. Tree DA

    Tree DA High-Roller

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    I'd like to see that wheel.
     
  11. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Did you 'synchronize your watches'?? ;)

    Seriously interesting trip report.

    My trips are pretty much identical in mood and tone, just divided by 1000.
     
  12. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    way to hold your ground on the Birkin bag. if you gave in and got her that one, next trip she'd want a crocodile Kelly bag. :faint:
     
  13. Mauretania

    Mauretania Tourist

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    Fun trip report but I'm MORE impressed that you guys know the words "Jimmy Choo", "Birkin" and "Kelly" bag:faint:
     
  14. JillyFromPhilly

    JillyFromPhilly Tourist

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    If it wasn't for the wife, I wouldn't - and believe me, I wish I didn't!!!:eek:
     
  15. cloudi63

    cloudi63 MIA

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    My husband had better not ever refer to me as his "whore" or he'd be sleeping with a real one soon enough! a handsome six pack ab man doesn't easily impress they are usually gay or players, but hey Kudos to you for your level of confidence. Kudos on being a "High Roller" and the flamboyant trip report.
     
  16. JillyFromPhilly

    JillyFromPhilly Tourist

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    Day Six - Departure/Epilogue

    Friday morning we got up - I had my custom eggs benedict from earlier in the trip again - skipping the bottle of Dom this time - utilized the butler to pack our bags [though we lied at the airport and told them we packed our own bags & they hadn't been out of our sight :nono: so hopefully Aria & the other hotels on the strip do not employee terrorist sleepers as butlers, since I can't imagine we're the only people who've said yes to this question when the butler really did it] - I must say beyond the custom room service, the packing was my favorite part of butler service - packing the bags is always so depressing and such a pain.

    Then on the way out I actually showed some discipline for a change and skipped my usual last morning trip to the high-limit slots room - I figured I'd wasted enough on the slots this trip - in fact, in hindsight if I hadn't made all those stops in the Spin room I would've come out ahead for the trip at Aria, too - so I'd like to think "lesson learned" and that next trip I'll stop making all those fruitless pitstops trying to get that "quick hit" that never comes - but knowing me next trip I'll still wind up doing it over and over again anyway :bang:

    After turning in my chips & settling up - turns out even with having taken an entire day out to visit Palazzo, my theo at Aria was still up substantially this trip over last - and then it was into the limo and off to the airport - where despite the fact that our plane left 20 minutes late, with a strong wind on our back we actually managed to arrive back in Philly ahead of schedule anyway.

    Overall, I have to say this was a very good trip, ranking in the all-time top 2 or 3 trips to Vegas we've had so far - lots of great action both in the casino :woohoo: & upstairs :kiss:, lots of great meals :beer:, and a big, fat win that I managed to lock in almost entirely without squandering too much of it back :trophy

    I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I did sharing it with you all - and due to apparent popular demand, next time I will make sure to buy a digital camera & bring it with so I can take some pictures to share with you all as well [For the record, I normally don't bring a phone with so I can completely unplug from work while there + the wife & I have been to Vegas enough times that we rarely feel the need to take pictures while we're there anymore]

    Right now it's looking like our next trip will be sometime in September or October - and that we'll likely be staying at the Palazzo [considering how much better my luck has been there than at Aria the last two trips] - though I'm sure we'll visit Aria again as well, as we really do like it there.

    So thanks again for all the kind comments and stay tuned for the next trip report in a few months...:peace:

    THE END
     
  17. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    awesome report, loved every minute of it. and thanks for finishing up so EARLY tonight so I don't have to stay up until 2am.:poke:

    I am disappointed to read the one girls comment that a guy either has to be Fat, Gay, or a Player. I was hoping I could be a Fat Player. damn it.
     
  18. natedog666

    natedog666 17 and 20 Expert

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    Excellent TR and Win Jilly! I really enjoyed the action (both downstairs and up). Makes me want to give the Palazzo a try again....
     
  19. JWBlue

    JWBlue VIP Whale

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    :nworthy:

    I will be at Aria in July. Hopefully your loss is my gain.

    Thank you again for the Chronicles of JillyfromPhilly.
     
  20. MangoPort

    MangoPort High-Roller

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    I'm still only half-way through reading this TR so don't spoil it for me, but in regards to the check-signing with a butler that isn't the case for the Bellagio Villas.

    Nothing to sign, everything is brought to you and they leave immediately. I actually don't like it this way because you can't really show immediate appreciation with a tip, you have to wait until the end, and at that point you have no idea what an appropriate tip is.
     
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