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Girls Trip 3/5 - 3/8: give or take


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Hoopswife

Low-Roller
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
223
Location
Ohio
Trips to Las Vegas
9
Day One Wednesday, March 5th– Yea! Vegas! Kissed the husband goodbye before he left for work and took the kids to day care before heading home to pack last minute items, pack a quick lunch and stop for some over the counter drugs. Unfortunately, my friend B who was coming with me had a nasty cold and cough for 3 days prior to our trip and I was starting to feel bad as well, so I wanted to be armed with an arsenal of drugs, including some variety of antibiotics etc “just in case”

This trip is with my friend B (by way of explanation, we have been friends for over 10 years, we have “lunch” together almost every Friday (we call it our religious holiday) and she’s a hairdresser, so I see her at least once a month and we do two trips to Florida each year with other friends. Basically we are good friends and know each other well. She’s 40 and I’m holding on tight at 38 and basically think we are still young and cute and fun, but gravity is a bitch. Moving on…..

This was an unplanned trip. I kept getting these damn Bally’s offers, cheap room, then free room, then free room and DVD player and I checked flights and they were direct and under $200? Really, it would be wrong not to go. And since my Coach is the BEST THING EVER, in many ways (gives whole new meaning to the phrase full court press) he actually said I should go. Before he changed his mind I booked. (We’ll talk more about the guilt later….. Coach LOVES Vegas probably more than I do)

B arrives, and basically looks like hell. I try to make her feel better (she’s concerned about her swollen eye), but damn that eye is swollen. I root through the prescription drugs in the house and grab some eye drops and some ear drops (her ear is clogged too) and discover I could cure a lot with the leftover prescription drugs I have in my house. I drug her up and give her her lunch and off we go.

We head to the airport at 9am for our 11am flight, it’s a beautiful thing having an airport within 10 minutes of your house and you don’t even have to get on the expressway. We were scheduled on a direct flight on airtran departing at 11am and arriving in Vegas at 1:30p Vegas time, 3:30p our time (eastern or is that 430?). We check in, get through security and settle in to read til its time to board the flight. We leave about 15 – 20 minutes late, read and watch part of a show and eat our sandwiches and Pringles (why does that taste SO good on a plane? I would not eat that at home, but it always tastes so good. (And the looks from others, I am going to start carrying 30 sub sandwiches in my purse and selling them on a flight, I swear I could make money. They are so jealous of our sandwiches and we don’t share and we also run with scissors so there).

We arrive safely in Vegas – god I love this town, and why in the hell does it always take a half hour from the time you land til you can get off the damn plane, drives me nuts. We get our luggage and join the short cab line and our driver without an attitude takes us to buy beer and a few snacks as well as a Styrofoam cooler for the room (Thanks to all who replied to my thread about where to go to get all this in one stop!) Funny thing is we are in a corner convenience/gas station, where I couldn’t tell you exactly, but near the strip. Seriously, two aging chicks, walk in, one grabs a case of Corona (chilled), and the other a cooler and a bag of pretzels and doritos and these construction guys in there are picking up drinks and such were whistling hooting and hollering because they were impressed. It was pretty funny. Two women were there buying a case of beer, pretzels and Doritos and had the brains to buy a cooler, I think there was a marriage proposal, but Im not sure to which one of us.

Off to Bally’s for check in (first time $20 trick didn’t work) but, wait for it, because the hotel was NOT busy, it is harder for them to upgrade free. Hmm. But I did believe this lady and she was punching away on her computer, looking over her sholder and whispering about this isn’t a good time blah blah blah. Ok – so I wanted the Jacuzzi tub in the room and I thought my sick friend could benefit as well, and we wanted that damn tub. And she was miserable sick. Anyway, Im a sucker and I spent $50 a night on upgrade north tower with Jacuzzi, but we wanted that tub and the room was comped, so really, its like paying $50 for a room you really wanted. Im fine with it (but obviously, still hoping I didn’t get screwed.) We were at the desk about 15 minutes and she was as pleasant and as nice as could be, and I think she was really trying to get us something but couldn’t. She originally worked and lived in the same town where my brother lives and they worked in same industry and she had heard of him (or said she had). Once she couldn't score us a complimentary upgrade she handed back the $20 and I handed it back to her as she deserved it, I really think she tried to help us and she was very nice. But, I might also said, I wore my “oops, the girls almost fell out shirt “ which was 100% foolproof on the $20 trick prior to this, but no men at the check in counter!!!!! Alas, we went to get our crap together and freshen up and B wanted to try to head out thinking maybe a quick drink and some air would do her good and she might feel better.

Room is fine (I’ve stayed in this type room before) and B loved it. Big windows, double vanity, etc. Nice. She was really impressed and thought it was very nice. We settle in and pour a beer while we freshen up a bit (she brought limes in her suitcase, I brought plastic knives).

After unloading the important stuff and slapping some makeup on, we head down to the bar at Bally’s to play some VP and have a few coronas. Im there about 15 minutes and hit 4ok kings. Nice! My friend is impressed. Which is funny. She has played VP, but doesn’t know a lot of strategy and thanks to coach I know some so I was helping her out and we were having fun. I hit another 4ok 8s about a half hour later and we make friends with Lou, the bartender. He was a nice guy.

We were pretty lit and decide to wander over to Harrah’s to get a spot at the bar and play some VP while enjoying the piano bar. I must have forgotten the times as Karaoke was still going and twins didn’t start til 9pm. Uh oh. It was only about 730pm vegas time (but 930p our time, I told you we were old) and as I said, we were feeling no pain by now. We stuck around for awhile and Greg and Ozzy took great care of us at the bar. I remember some young guys, early twenties, with their hats on sideways and sporting some gangbanger gear tried to hit on us so we’d buy them drinks. We were not that toasted. It was funny and Greg and Ozzy finally waved them off. Also Kennedy, one of the Harrah’s security guys kept coming in and chatting with us, he was entertaining and we felt safe because he kept coming by. Good guy. The twins started at the piano bar and we made it about an hour and it was time to hit the road. B really enjoyed the piano bar and I always enjoy it as well. We tipped Greg and Ozzy handsomely and hit the road.

It was about 10p vegas time (1am eastern) and headed back to Bally’s but not without a detour at Burger King. I can’t tell you the last time I was at Burger King, but B wanted food and I managed to choke down a cheeseburger. We went back to the room and
Crashed for the night…..a great first day and we were looking forward to the next……

I'll try to post Day 2 and 3 tomorrow night.....
 
So far so good. You know if construction workers are oogling you you've still go it.
 
great report
love reading it
and no you didn't get screwed on the room
I was offered that room the week before for :poke:
100 bucks a night
so consider it 1/2 price :beer:
 
Day Two - Thursday March 6th
Well we are both up bright and early for Vegas time, about 5:30 – 6:00 a.m. It would be sleeping in at home (unheard of) but it feels early in Vegas. We need coffee. B feels BAD. Im sure it wasn’t the 6 (yes, 6) sudafeds and other meds she took on the plane. But she really felt bad and thought some coffee might perk her up. The white trash that we are, we keep the sweats on we wore to bed and threw a sweatshirt on over our tshirt, brush our teeth and brush our hair. We would NEVER venture out of the house like this at home, so it was kind of fun not to care. We went and got a grande coffee with a shot of caramel at the coffee stand in lobby and to Nosh for a large bottle of water and bagel. Onion bagel for me, toasted with veggie cream cheese. I could live on those, however, we would need wider doors for my hips, but those bagels are great. B had a plain bagel veggie cream cheese, extra toasted. Funny thing was it tasted so good, but the large water at Nosh is a killer, $4. So with our daily coffee and bagel it is over $10 for breakfast. But its good and keeps us full til afternoon so we are happy campers.

We go back to the room and B lays down and is feeling bad and wants to take a nap. I read awhile (this is tough knowing there is a casino below) but I didn’t want to leave B because I wanted to make sure she was ok. She woke up about an hour later and we laid around watching the morning news and laughed about snow we were supposed to get back home. B took a long shower (that steam shower is FABULOUS) and it really helped her head cold. She then jumped in the Jacuzzi and enjoyed that for about a half an hour. In the meantime I grabbed a shower and got ready for the day.

We head out and up the strip to the M&M store as I always take some home to my girls at home. B needed some sunglasses and she found some nice ones on the way at a street vendor for $10. I didn’t need glasses, but purchased a pair anyway because she said I looked hot in them. Haha

We run in PH and check out the shops and damn near got lost in there, such typical girls, in and out of stores looking for something fabulous, and I found a great jacket at the Guess store, and cut and color was fabulous, but the material was VERY thin cotton and frankly, I couldn’t bring myself to pay $140 for it, but it was damn nice. And another thing about the salespeople in these places. I worked in retail several moons ago and I always greet whoever is working there politely and that Im just looking around. Why is it, these people act like they are on a pedestal looking down at you and analyzing your hair, outfit etc. We caught more than one salesperson giving us their “evil eye†and we wanted to knock them into next week. This was however an unplanned low bankroll trip and we didn’t want to waste it on bail, so we let them live and didn’t whack them upside the head with our canes. Can’t wait til gravity hits them. Karma’s a bitch. Seriously, some of these people were very annoying, a select few, but enough that it irritated us.

It was early afternoon by this time and we realized, “Of course we are irritated! We haven’t had any alcohol yet!†Silly us. I couldn’t decide what I wanted and didn’t want beer, but Bs throat was on fire. We stopped at a stand in PH and she got a non-alcoholic fruit smoothy and I got nothing, I wanted to sit down so I waited for her on a bench. I knew we were in trouble, this girl likes to drink and fruit smoothy. Hmm…..

We walked back to Paris going in and out of store and doing some shopping and decided we were ready to sit down for a bit, so we ponied up the bar at Paris and played some VP. I finally decide to get a pina coloda, not my normal at all, but couldn’t figure out what I wanted yet. I wasn’t “hungover†but we figured out we each had about 12 beers Wed between the room, Bally’s bar and Harrah’s piano bar, so I wanted something other than beer. We hung out for awhile, I hit 4ok Kings, 9s and then aces, but no kicker. That’s ok, I was still happy!! After a bit, we decided it was time to get something to eat and return our purchases to the room and freshen up.

I introduced B to Ellis Island, taking the Bally’s exit by the Sports Book and headed over. We both had the steak special, baked potato, salad with ranch and a rootbeer. I know some people to not like the steak special, but I am not picky food wise and frankly, it’s a damn good steak for $7, but I’m not the type that would go spend $300 on a meal either, Id rather shop or gamble that . B loved it too and sadly, neither of us could finish and we basically left an extra meal sitting there. We played a little VP and headed back to Bally’s. B increasingly feeling worse, so we head back to room and its about 6pm and she puts her PJs on. You have to know B. She’s the chick who on a girls outlet mall shopping trip, would insist on packing a full cooler of at least 4 different options to drink and at least 3 are all alcohol related, so I know she is in a bad way. She falls asleep about 10 minutes later and is breathing and all so being the good friend that I am, I don’t want to disturb her so I go to the casino!

I went downstairs and after putting my name in on the 1-2 table at Bally’s, I head to the bar to wait for my name to be called. I order a decaf and Bailey’s and throw a $20 in. As I am waiting for name, maybe 25 minutes, I hit 4ok 5s and 8s. Nice! My name is called and I go take my seat about buying in for $200.

Now, about me and poker. I love poker, am I good at it? Probably not, but I enjoy playing and Coach has taught me to be patient and just wait and don’t play every hand etc. So there is a mix at table of younger men and older, nothing in between and I’m the only girl. I can deal with that and I like the Bally’s dealers, they always make me feel welcome. SO I hang around and you have the typical 20 something wearing his sunglasses and backwards visor on (I swear I’m getting this shirt I saw online that says something like “You aren’t Helmuth. This is low limit 1-2. Lose the sunglasses.†For Christ sakes, it’s 1-2 people, get over yourselves. You are not playing in the WSOP. Anywho…..I am having fun and several decaf and Bailey’s and finally I get a hand. Now I called a few other hands, but folded after the flop as I had one of those hands where I had to get out if I hit nothing on flop, so this was the first hand I have, KK. So I raise and get two callers. Flop comes, K39. Great trips for me! So I bet, guy next to me folds, other player calls. Fabulous. Turn card is a 4, ok, I like that and its all rainbow so I don’t have to worry about a flush. I bet again, he calls. River is another 3. Damn, full house baby! This is when I start to then think, ok, he could have pocket 3s, and I try to think fast through everything and this guy’s buddies are just riding him like mad and I start getting nervous, why, no clue, lack of sleep, tired, had no backup at table, whatever it was, but this guy was cocky, and damn it if I can’t be aggressive with a full house kinds high why in the hell am I here. So I bet, larger than previous bets and he goes all in (mind you he only had about $45 left) and I insta-call. (This is where I want to throw up in my purse, every time. I know I have a good hand here, but if someone has quad 3s nothing I can do about it and I still had a damn good hand.). So, the guy has 3-4. Yes folks 3-4 and OFFSUIT. He is all pissed off, standing up and mumbling about this and that and then he turns around and says I dirty raised him. Huh? What the hell does that mean? I did ask my husband later, but how in the hell did I dirty raise him?? The guys buddies were just cracking up laughing and he was still muttering and finally just walks away from the table and I tip the dealer, but I’m a little uncomfortable. But dealer and the guys at table said the guy had been playing like crap and had bought in 3 times and it probably really burned his ass to get beat by “a housewife drinking coffee†which is what it looked like to them. But I raked in about a $160 pot, so I was happy and the more I think about it, someone, somewhere, told that story more than once about “Skippy†who
Bought back in 3 times and some old housewife took the last of his money. It’s pretty funny. So I stuck around about another half hour, I was exhausted and just waiting a respectable amount of time after winning that pot to leave the table. I agree with leaving when you are up and all, but I always hate it when someone wins a decent pot and immediately leaves, give people a chance to get it back, but that poor little boy had already gone home crying to his mommy. Awwww……hehe :evillaugh

So I threw the dealer another $10 on my way out and headed for the room……

Coming Soon,… Day 3 Friday March 7 – Today I am going to meet the one, the only, Hurricane Mikey! :nworthy:
 
Thanks so much for posting part 2 tonight. I had just finished reading part 1 and magically when I went back in, part 2 was there. Looks like you and coach will be there the same time as hubby and I will. Maybe we can get together for a drink since I haven't met anyone from the board yet! Looking forward to reading the rest of your trip!
 
Excellent TR. I love that you kicked that idiot's butt in Poker. I hate people that don't know what they are doing and get arrogant.

Hope your friend, B, gets better. Can't wait for part 3 (or is it III).....
 
Day 3 – Friday March 7th
Today we plan to go downtown for a bit and then head over to see Hurricane Mikey. I love his blog and confess to checking it daily (ok, sometimes more than once a day) and I thought it would be really neat to meet him. So we are up early again, but we have been in bed early, so its all good. We again head downstairs, in all our glory (sweats, flip flops and tshirt) laughing all the way as we would not go out like this at home and we find this hilarious. We get our coffee with shot of caramel and a bagel with cream cheese at Nosh. Yum. We hang in the room a bit and get our shower/steam shower/Jacuzzi bath and get dolled up and ready to go downtown. B is feeling better this morning and off we go to run to Ceaears’s Forum shops as B wants a jacket but we don’t find anything and she borrows a sweater from me.

Around 10a we head to Cesears taxi line and head downtown. Our cabbie was a freaking maniac. At one point he drove up on the curb to pass a car and had been beeping at the car in front of us to go faster and he was riding right on their tail. Interesting. Anyway, we arrived at the Golden Nugget and I hadn’t been there in several years, so I wanted to check out the pool etc. Their renovations are very nice! I really liked the pool area and the casino is very nice also. We were getting a little hungry so we checked out of eating options and although I wanted to try the MSS Brew Pub, B didn’t feel like walking around once we got there. She was thirsty so we stopped at a bar to play VP and get a drink. It was a respectable 11a at least, so I ordered a corona double lime and B got one too. It was damn cold and tasted good. Hmm….we ended up staying at that bar for an hour or so having a couple beers and playing VP, and I hit 40k aces with kicker! Woo hoo! I also had a 4ok Qs there. During this time we are both getting text messages constantly from our friends and husbands and other family that they are getting a lot of snow back home and we are supposed to go home tomorrow afternoon. We wondered if our flight would be cancelled, but probably would have to just go to airport and if they cancel it we’ll get a Plan B. We then had a cheeseburger and fries at the Grill at the Nugget which was pretty good, although next time I would order it medium rare, just wasn’t pink enough inside, but still good. We also tripped over a pit boss there who laughed with us and chatted for a few minutes and he took me over to meet their hosts and I got their business cards and I told them I was impressed with the renovations and they were very nice and said I should call them if I decide to try downtown for a trip. I really do like that pool. Not that I have been to a pool in Vegas yet, but there is always a first time.

So B feels ok, but doesn’t want to walk around downtown now, so we head back to strip. We go back to room and B wants to hang by pool, so we change and go over to Paris. We get a corona at the pool $7 each plus tip – youch! And we hang out there for a few hours, still receiving texts and phone calls from back home and our husband’s tell us to change our flight, that its bad at home. Hmmm…this could get interesting.

So B isn’t feeling well again, maybe combo of a few beers, sun and Sudafed, etc. She didn’t take an excessive amount of anything, but I think the combo did her in. We went back to room and turned on TV and B got a shower/steam shower and Jacuzzi. The weather was getting bad at home and threats of more snow. I showered and called Airtran who indicated they were changing flights with no change fees for passengers and they already had people stuck in Atlanta. We had had a direct flight from Vegas to CAK, but couldn’t land in CAK due to snow. We really wanted a direct flight, but there wasn’t one til Tuesday at 3pm (it was Friday afternoon at that point). Our options were red eye on Monday morning, connection in ATL and arrive CAK at 9:30a or leave Monday morning at 8am, with a 6 hour layover in ATL and arrive home at about 7pm Monday night. Although we have both done a red eye before, we both decide the red eye is actually better and we can get some things done Monday before kids get home from school and B has to go to beauty supply for week of hair appointments starting Tuesday, so we decide this is best for us.

Now for the room. I decided it was best to handle this in person and got ready to go downstairs and hunt up a casino marketing person or something since I there on an offer.
B is feeling VERY BAD at this point and I thought I should try to find her some soup or something. We maybe had 4 beers each over a period of about 4-5 hours, so it can’t be that. Has to be the sun, beer, Sudafed and other meds combo. B wants nothing to eat or drink and says she’s going to bed and it was almost 4pm at that point.

So I get ready and go downstairs, starting first at Check in where a bitchy young lady tells me they are sold out for Saturday night and I am out of luck. Uh oh. Ok, not willing to give up, I move to the Total Rewards desk where I tell them story and again, older woman says, we are sold out and a young man behind the counter rolls his eyes and nods his head to the side. SO I head the direction of the nod and he follows. We go around the corner and he says I need to call a host and if I am not going back to my room now, to go to bar and order a drink and gamble if I want and ask them to call a host. I thank the young man and I head to the bar to do just that. I speak with a host and explain my dilemma and he puts me on hold. After a brief pause, he comes back on line and says I can have my same suite for $40 for Saturday and since taking red eye, he said to stay in room Sunday and that is comped. $40? I thought for sure I would get hosed on this deal, but this was a major score to me!! I was thrilled. I celebrated with a corona and a session of VP where I hit 4ok 10s and 4ok 7s but I played for almost an hour and a half on a $20 (after cashing out when I got up over $30 from the 4ok), and although I was concerned about weather and flight, hotel issues, it was taken care of and I can’t control the weather. I felt bad for leaving my husband and kids another couple days, but it really couldn’t be helped. It took almost 2 hours between holding for Airtran reps, changing reservation and handling room issues, and for whatever reason it wore me out. Too much work for vacation I guess 

So I didn’t get to go see Hurricane Mikey today and I didn’t want to leave B by herself, she wasn’t going anywhere……I was pretty bummed out about this, but maybe I can go in May when I go back with Coach. Sorry Mikey!

So I head back to room and tell B about the room and she is half asleep. She doesn’t want any food or soup or anything as she feels horrible and didn’t even call her husband to tell him we would not be home next day because she was so sick. I ran down to Nosh and picked up a bagel for myself and came back to the room because she seemed pretty sick and I didn’t want to leave her. She was happy overall that she seemed to do ok in the morning and afternoon but then she just crashed, which was fine with me, especially now that our low bankroll trip was now extended by almost 2 full days! At this point in the trip I am up about $950 but knowing I will be working into some of that since trip got extended. Oh well. we would try to save some of the winnings and I stil lhad gambling money left, but I know B was getting low on money and I may need to loan her some.

So I head back to room and eat and read a book til 10pm then I go to bed. B fell asleep at about 5:30p and was still sound asleep.

Coming soon Day 4 Saturday March 8th………
 
the saga continues

Hoopswife said:
The white trash that we are, we keep the sweats on we wore to bed and threw a sweatshirt on over our tshirt, brush our teeth and brush our hair. We would NEVER venture out of the house like this at home, so it was kind of fun not to care.
Click to expand...

Is this what they mean by " What happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas!" ?

This sounds so familiar!!! I can identify with this all too well!
I cannot wait for the latest chapter in your TR. So much happened to you girls!!
 
Pardon me on asking mundane details...

How much was the cab ride downtown?

Great job telling us about your trip. Great details, and good sense of humor. Thanks.
 
Hi Judy - we were cracking up the way were would go down to casino inmorning for our coffee and bagel. We would sit and people watch for about a half hour when we would do it. One day we saw a couple, man and woman, walking and still tanked from the prior evening and BOTH of them were supporting mullets. and B is a hairdresser, so I was encouraging her to give them a makeover, but we dedcided no one might be interested in taking our beauty advice they way we looked. We decided we still looked better than they did, and as long as someone looked worse than we did, we figured it was ok. We were cracking up, people probably thought there was something wrong with us.....

Hey Dougie - I want to say that the cab ride was $18 and change from Cesears to downtown plus tip. I think I gave him 22 or 23 bucks - I just couldn't wait to get out of the cab - this guy was a lunatic, weaving in and out of traffic and cursing at everyone. Its funny now, but I was literally shaking when I got out of the cab and needed a drink.
 
come on hoopswife, crash the boards! leave it all on the floor, give it all ya got and we will all be winners.

and, if the girls got in the game again...
 
Thanks for the reply, Hoopswife. Justifies my car rental for the Madness. And people watching is a must do in Vegas. Oh, the humanity!
 
I hear you Dougie - I would have liked to go back downtown since our trip was extended, but I couldn't justify $50 round trip to do so and Im too lazy to figure out the bus schedule. :rolleyes2:
 
Cmon Hoopswife, finish the TR. I am suffering with B's disease right now and need some more to read. It's been good TR, SO FAR.
 
Great TR so far. It's never good to be sick in Vegas (been there done that), but, your friend sounded really sick. That's was really good that that person at Total Rewards told you about contacting a host; and, you scored on keeping the room those extra days.
 
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