Oh hello. It’s been a minute since I’ve posted. So long that I was logged out of the board! Our flight was today but yesterday Bruxo gave me 5 hours notice and said let’s go early! Quickly made a flight reservation, paying $35 more each and called Cosmo to extend. Only $100 for a city room for additional night. Booked! The previous day I did an up and down one day trip to Oakland for a business meeting. I got to tour a ship’s 360 simulator. It had simulations of crashes and things on fire. I hasn’t been in any simulator before so this was a treat. I tooted the whistle too. Last week Bruxo and I did a (unposted, uneventful trip) Palm Springs/Yam 5 day trip and returned home for a yard sale. We made $301 and after paying our housekeeper in mostly one dollar bills, we took the rest to Vegas, destined for Gold Stacks. Two weeks before that, I was dog sitting this guy for two weeks while my aunt was in Europe. I’ve been busy!
While dog sitting Bruxo and I and two friends thought it’d be fun to join this stein club. First 10 people to drink a liter of all their drafts gets in the club. All of us did it in 7-9 days, drinking 18 liters of beer each. Yep $400 worth of beer each we figure it’ll be $2000 worth of spend to recover that with the 20% discount we all now enjoy. And we get name plaques and our own stein. Crazy I know but I do like beer and I couldn’t go out of town because of pup so I was up for the challenge. Back to yesterday, I packed in 10 minutes and from takeoff to hotel it was a quick 90 minutes. Hotel check in took 30 minutes because I had three reservations 1/3/1 nights all in different type rooms. To keep the same room type all nights I paid an upgrade, total $173. We had a snack at Tekka for $80, walked to Harrahs and had a starting drink at Harrahs Lounge. We played the yard sale money, cashing out at $612 not bad! Downtown’s Spandex Nation plays M-W at Carnaval Court. They def sound better downtown. Played some more and while at Mo’Mummy my host came up to me! I wasn’t even staying there and in three years had never met him. A young 38 years old, I told him I thought he’d be older and he said he got that a lot. He handed me $100 fp! That’s never happened. Proceeded to spend that and yard sale money too fast, ending up at Pai Gow, losing more. I did get all these pots for $200. Bonus round gave me around $300 more but that got shoved back into Gold Stacks. Now enjoying the room while working all day, Din Tai Fung reservations tonight. Beautiful but windy weather. Cousin Zippy is here somewhere at Palms. He took my room’s final night at Yam last weekend and then headed to Vegas so he’s probably ready to leave but I’m trying to convince him to stay since his brother comes in Sunday with his two kids and grandkids. One daughter is trying out for the Raiderettes and the other I got a room at Harrahs with the walk out to the pool. Geez I haven’t even stayed at that room yet.
Din Tai Fung after a long day. My aunt has tiny fingers. I wonder if she’d be good making these dumplings with all these folds.
Ugh woke up groggy and pounding headache and an empty wallet. Played at Paris and couldn’t even make 1000 points before tapping out. Bruxo did well at BJ only because I squirreled away his winnings as he earned them. If fruit is in it, it can’t be bad for you. Tv remote was missing and tv wouldn’t turn on so we called front desk and they gave a $50 food credit. Thanks MGM! Tv was unplugged. Hairdryer and Kleenex was missing too. Tried to status match again at Cosmo and front desk lady said I hadn’t matched before so ok! But she went to the back and I guess verified again that I had matched. Caught me in a lie. A rainy dreary day and puddles all over despite it only sprinkling. Probably just as well since we worked in the room anyway.
I lost my bonus $75 bet to the Bucks losing by a single score. Freak n A. I don’t know if it’s a secret but to avoid ATM fees and ATM max withdrawals, fund sportsbook and withdraw it at Caesar’s. Caesar’s is now $11.99 to withdraw via ATM and Cosmo is $9.99. I remember when the flamingo diamond lounge ATM had no fees.
I take that back. I went to Caesar’s to withdraw and they wouldn’t do it. They said I have to gamble more or return the deposit to my bank account. I went to Harrahs and they said as long as it’s $500 or less they’ll do it without needing to make a phone call. That’s the secret! He also said he could do multiple withdraws, just not all at once. Did a quick Peter Luger dinner. They take drink tickets. Put leftovers behind Carnaval Court bar with Flippy. Hopefully I don’t forget like I did last night with Din Tai Fung noodles. Damn I’m annoyed about that still.
Peter Luger was great but expensive as expected. We first went to Hells Kitchen but the bar was full. We got two spots at the bar at Peter Luger, a couple of cocktails, Bruxo had salmon and asparagus and I had a salad and a potato. The couple next to us got frites and steak for two which was so massive they didn’t finish it nor their fries. Bruxo said he just wanted a bite. Best asparagus I ever had. A $20 potato yeah I guess it’s to be expected but it’s massive and makes a good breakfast snack. I don’t eat bacon so they put it on the side but if you ask for a side of it by itself it’s $9! At Din Tai Fung I asked for a side of sauce and they said $9 also! What the heck.
$11.99 for an ATM withdrawal?! Woah, I haven’t needed to do that in many years and am happy to know so I plan accordingly for my next trip, as well. That’s insane. And I’m sure my bank would tack a couple on top of that. Glad they gave you that $50 food credit for the room trouble. Did you have to ask for it or they just offered?
Drove around Enterprise, Southern Highlands and Summerlin looking at houses. No wow factor in any except the $1.8 million house we accidentally dropped into, and even that had a tiny lot and needed some upgrades. This little tri level townhouse had a spectacular 360 view of the city and mountains from the rooftop deck but it had 6 sets of stairs to get up to the top. My knees did not approve. Topped off the day with some crab from Crab Corner, then a refreshing nap back at Cosmo. I just missed cousin Zippy and Raiderette wannabe niece for lunch so maybe I can find them tonight.
We bought our condo in Vegas without seeing it around 2008. Mistake. It was so dark. But it’s been a rental all this time and now we’re finally doing some updates like recessed lighting. Light it up!! So much happier to not be in a cave. Having the fireplace redone too. And kitchen. And floors. Well basically the whole thing. We tried Palette Tea House in Chinatown for the first time. A+ for presentation and B for food. Prices were reasonable. Truthfully I wanted to go because I saw the ducks on instagram. The lobster dumplings came with a lobster juice injection.
