7/1-7/4 - complete with quotes of the day

This trip was my wife and I. We wanted to have a moderate budget due to purchasing a house between the time we booked and the time we went. We wouldn’t have gone if we knew about the house before we booked, but we were excited and ready. I’ll apologize in advance for my typos and/or grammar mistakes, but I’ll try to keep them down.

Day 1 - Saturday the 1st:

Quote of the day: "I know who Wayne Newton is, I've seen Vegas Vacation!!"

Flight left at 7:13am Texas time or so. Flight went quick, I jammed the ipod and read a magazine on the way. Got in Vegas a little before 8am, Vegas time. We picked up the rental car shortly after from Payless - 113 bucks. They offered us too many upgrades, etc., and it took longer than I wanted (only 15 mins or so, but it was annoying being offered upgrades 'for half the regular price!'). I went through expedia for this car. OK, now off to downtown. We gambled around downtown for a while and won lost our 1st 2 tables. Then my wife pulled her $$ out and we used some of hers and won when she did the buy-in. We played BJ and Paigow. I also tried that hold-em table game. OK, we made back our 1st 2 losses, plus a little more (25 or so more, not much). Something extremely funny happened at the Freemont at this point. We were cashing out, and we were behind this chick in tight jeans and a skanky shirt (not hot chick either). She then accidentally dropped her purse, and a bottle of LUBE rolled out!!! It was hilarious. After that we were walking around and saw the 1/2 price ticket booth. Picked up Wayne Newton tickets for half price. That's when my wife blurted out the quote of the day (QOTD). She said she was joking. OK, by now it's around 2 or so - we headed to the strip. We booked for Barbary Coast. Only 1 person in line for check-in, so we went to check in. The lady was super nice. I asked her 'Is is a good Saturday?' and she said, 'Yes, and so is yours, you get a suite.. Awesome, score! It was a huge room. It was on the corner of the 2nd floor. It had a huge tub on this marble platform thing. Out that window, we could see the Bellagio Fountains through/over/around the trees that are right by the fountains. The room has 1.5 bathrooms, a wetbar, a swiveling TV that you could see from either the bed or the couch and 2 chairs (leather). The bed wasn't the most comfortable, but it wasn't bad. We gambles for a while playing 5 dollar BJ and 10 dollar PaiGow. We made about 100 bucks. By then it was time for Wayne Newton. We had balcony tickets, but the seater guy sat us on the 1st level at the back, at a table with 2 ladies. They were nice to talk to. Wayne Newton is a dirty old man. His singing voice is past its best in my opinion. He would comment about one of his back up singers big boobs a few times. My wife and I are in our mid-20s and we expected to be some of the youngest there, but we weren't, there were a lot of young folks. It was a fun show. After Wayne, we went back to the room and took advantage of the bathtub for a bit, it was huge. After that we went south on the strip and walked in and out of most of the places. We took the tram from Excalibur, to Luxor, to Mandalay Bay. We trammed back to Excalibur and then walked back to Barbary Coast. Got the $3.45 breakfast of the Victorian room and then off to bed.

Gambling - +125
Wayne Newton - 80 bucks for 2 (they were ½ price for 32.50, but they had a fee or something)
Food - around 50 (McDs in DFW Airport, Pizza at Plaza, Pizza at Osheas, Victorian room)


Day 2 - Sunday the 2nd:

QOTD: "I am a horny Mormon!"
QOTD(2): "No high-fiving at the tables"

We woke up around 10-10:30am. Showered, gambled a bit, then headed for Wynn. We got to Wynn around 1 or so. Didn't want to check-in, then have no room, then have to re-check in, so we parked and walked down to Stardust. I really liked the casino there a lot. Will be sad to see it go. Played 5 dollar BJ (got a dollar chip for a souvenir). Lost 50 bucks there, then headed to Paigow ($10 minimum) and the table had some fun folks. Wife and I were in seats 1 and 2. In the last seat was an older guy, probably in his mid to late 60s or so wearing a cowboy hat. He was the real deal when it came to cowboys. He claimed that he was a horny Mormon (QOTD). He was hilarious. He was a chain smoking old man that had a great sense of humor. The dealer messed with him and his smoking a lot. It was a great time. That 50 bucks lasted my wife and me about 2 hours on the Paigow table (why we like the game so much). At one point, only one of us could play, and we won, so then the other played again until we both lost. It was a great time. Back to Wynn for check in. We asked for something odd numbered and high. We got both, awesome. Room 5757. What a great view. It was awesome. The room was phenomenal. The bed was amazing. We paid 159 for the room. Was worth is to say we've stayed there and we really loved to stay there, but it was a splurge for us. We walked over to the mall to eat at Maggiano's for dinner. It was good, and around 37 bucks after tip. After that, we went to the New Frontier for some Paigow. I his a 6 card straight flush, no jokers, and of course, I didn't play the bonus. Wouldn't have been the big daddy payout, but it'd have paid for a straight flush. Wife got quads 2 times this session, no bonus either time. Lost 100 quicker than I’d like, but pulled another 100 out and made the 1st one back. Cashed out dead even there. From there we went to Stardust and it was too full to play Paigow so we went to Circus Circus. We played 10 dollar min, single deck BJ. We made a quick hundred there and cashed out real quick. Pit Boss sort of gave me the 'why did you turn in a players card and play 10 mins' look. Oh well. Then we went to Slots-o-Fun. This place seemed a little shady, but we found a 3 dollar BJ table and tore them up. We won about 100 bucks or so, and the drink service was great. My wife and I both scored BJs in the same hand and high-fived, that's when the drink lady said QUOT(2). LAME! OK, so we took them for about 100 bucks roughly. Now we're up 100 on the day. Next was to New Frontier. Got on the same Paigow table and made a little $$. After that, it was about 3am so we went to bed.

Gambling - +145 today (270 for trip)
Food - around 70 (pizza at osheas, maggianos, ice cream at stardust and something else)

Day 3 - Monday the 3rd:

QOTD:

“What, I can’t hear you, I’m stacking my chipsâ€

Woke up around 10:30am. Showered and my wife’s friends were in town. They came to see the room/view and out we went. We walked to the mall and had pizza (we ate a lot of pizza for some reason). The girls wanted to ride the spiral escalator at Caesars. We went in to TI, Mirage, then to Caesars and walked around there for a bit. It was CROWDED in there. We then went across to Barbary Coast and wife’s boyfriend and I played Paigow while the girls went to play some slots. Paigow was a lot of fun. I didn’t really know the dude, but within an hour or so, we were drunken, hi-fivin’ fools. The beer came fast. When we’d win one, the beer would get ‘cheaper’, when we lost one, the beer would get ‘more expensive’. We played for a few hours and he lost his hundred and I cashed out with all of mine, plus 5, so I tipped the dealer than one. Even, and lots of beer, does life get much better?? Went in to Flamingo and ate at Margaritaville. Good food. It was about 30 bucks or so for my wife and me. From there, we went back to the Wynn to get the car. We got downtown around 6, we had reservations at the Golden Nugget. We went to the line and asked for North Tower, they said we could have it for 25 extra bucks. Nope. So then they put us in a room w/ 2 small beds. That sucked, they didn’t have kings available. The girl behind the counter wasn’t helpful at all really. She said that was it and we could call later. We got to the room and the beds looked smaller than a full, but that’s what they were she said. We called to see if we could get them pushed together somehow (we knew we couldn’t) or if we could pay for the north tower upgrade and get a king there. They said ‘nope’. They offered to switch us to a smoking room w/ a king. We accepted. The smell wasn’t too bad. They told us to go to the new room and wait for a bellman. We waited for about 10 mins, called w/ our cell, then another 10 mins and he came. We decided then that we wouldn’t gamble or eat there at all. We went in and out consistently losing, or breaking even. It sucked because most of the downtown places we went in to had 10 dollar mins on most tables. It blew. We went down to the El Cortez. This place is really fixing itself up. The tables were nicer, they had nicer chairs, but no 3 dollar tables. That’s cool with us, 5 works. We got on a 5 dollar single deck, w/ 3/2 pay for BJ. It doesn’t get much better. Could not double after split, but other than that, as good as it gets in my opinion. This is when the QOTD occurred. There poker tables were about 20-30 feet to my right and you could hear them when it was a decent pot, etc. At one point, an older guy said, “why on earth would you call me there, with middle pair, you are stupid to call†Apparently he had bluffed at a guy and the guy called with his middle pair. The guy who won said, “What, I can’t hear you, I’m stacking my chipsâ€. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. We won 50 there. I liked the vibe of the casino. We went back to the canopied area and lost a little more here and there. One trip between casinos, the light show came on, there was a guy in the middle of the road prancing and dancing along, he was hilarious. I didn’t know what to watch – the lights or the bum. Lost 100 at Golden Gate in a brutal fashion. It was single deck, 6/5 game. We’d have 20, w/ a 6 showing for the dealer, he’d flip over a 10, for a 16, perfect for us right? Nope, 5! He drew to 21 so damn many times it was unreal. This session sucked. We went to 4 queens to play Paigow. For some reason, when I have been drinking a lot, I pick my cards up at Paigow 1 at a time. One hand, the 1st 4 cards I picked up were 4 to a royal flush, uh oh, no bonus out for me this hand. I play it from time to time. Usually the dollar bonus, not the envy bonus. So, I am 4 to the royal……JOKER next. I hit a ROYAL FLUSH! Yes, with a joker, but still cool. One guy had an envy out, so he got 50 bucks off my hand. I missed out on 50 bucks by not playing the dollar bonus, oh well. Lost 100 there. Went to the Plaza and more 10 dollar tables. We walked to the MSS and found a 5 dollar single deck (6/5 for BJ) and lost 50 there. Walked through the overpass thing to the California and lost 50 there quick. It was a rough session in general downtown. Went through Vegas Club and won 59 playing craps, but then gave 50 back at the BJ table. We went to Binions for their 99 cent breakfast, but there was a line of people bitching about ½ the tables being dirty, the other ½ with people on them. So we left and ate at the Golden Nugget, though we said we wouldn’t spend $$ there. Breakfast was 6 bucks each and somewhat slow, but it was good. Off to bed around 4am.

Gambling: -400 for the day (-130 for the trip – not bad)
Food – around 50-60 (pizza at mall, margaritaville, Carson st. café)

Day 4 - Tuesday the 4th

Up around 11:15 or so, showered, walked a little. Got some souvenirs and some Gatorades and then off to In and Out Burger. It was really good. We are it in the parking lot. Usually by my last day of Vegas, I am ready to go home because I am tired, hung over, worn out, you know what I mean, but not this trip, I wanted to stay. Got to the rental car place about 1:45, flight was to leave at 4:12, but it was delayed, fun. Finally left about 2 hours late (sitting in an airport for 4 hours is an ass-whippin and a half). Flight home was ok, saw some fireworks before we landed in DFW area. Got home from the airport around midnight TX time.

All-in-all a fun trip. Was not as profitable as last trip, but that’s alright. We enjoyed 2 of our 3 hotel experiences a great deal. We like to switch hotels so we can see a little more or what Vegas has to offer. Hope to go again sometime soon, but who knows. I will think of more things to add I am sure and will add them. I will also post a few pictures of our rooms later.

 

Thats just tremendous...

Like the quotes, and love the report!

 

Great report and good to see someone else who likes to hop around. We didn't do downtown our last trip, but you've inspired me to return. Thanks!

 

Good job!

Now that's some serious table playing.
Glad to hear your trip was a good one.
You info on "hopping" hotels is encouraging...I'll be trying that for the first time this coming trip.

 

Great read, I loved the Quotes of the day. The "What? Can't hear you..." will be stuck with me. Glad you had good time!

 

Love the poker smack, especially when it's at the expense of some dime-store Hellmuth. Nice report.

 

Great Report!

I really enjoyed reading your report!! Glad you had such a wonderful trip.

Did you see any $5 Pai Gow tables throughout your journey? That is what I am hoping to play when I go in a couple of weeks...just wondering where/if I can find a $5 table!

Also - stupid question and don't take any offense to it...but why don't you play the Pai Gow bonus? Is it a sucker bet? I ask with absolute honesty and sincerity...

Thanks
Nicole

 

Binions had 5 dollar Paigow at time(s).

No offense taken about the bonus bet. I kind of see it like this with the bonus bets. The casino has an edge on every bet you make there - so why give them another bet with an edge? I know, it's only a dollar, yes. I play bonus bets at random times.

 

Excellent report. I concur that the poker quote is to die for. I tried Pai Gow last March for the first time & loved it despite a couple of losing sessions. It was a nice break from blackjack. I can't believe GN had such a stick up their arse - not cool.

 

Same here, it was suprising to me, and sort of put a damper on the early part of our evening - mostly because we could have stayed cheaper elsewhere and been treated better. We stayed at Vegas Club back in January and while the room wasn't as done up and fancy as the GN, it was clean and more than acceptable. The front desk people were efficient and extremely nice and helpful, which more than made up for the lower caliber room, as compared to the GN. No more GN for me.