Quickie

A quick trip report...

Had a Wed-Th. contractor's confrence at Monte Carlo. Blast off from Birmingham Tuesday 6:40 AM. 3 night stay. Flew American for the first (and last) time. Actually American is OK if you like to be hearded like sheep and packed in like sardines. Had knees in my back the whole flight, and that was from a little old lady!

We stayed at Caesars for the first time in over 10 years. Still trying to figure out how a place can be so spread out and chopped up at the same time. It's still a very nice place but I don't think it ever recovered from the Mirage's opening in 1989. Except for the Forum Shops (brilliant move) it just can't figure out how to grow old gracefully. Somehow it reminds me of Elizabeth Taylor. Anyway, the dice tables had a bouncy rubber under the felt. I played one session, lost $$ and didn't play there again.

By the way the high was 118 and the low was the highest low they've ever had. 95. Didn't know there was even such a thing as a highest low!

We did try a new restaurant at the Forum Shops called Joe's...which is a little fancier Joe's Stone Crab, the famous Miami place....and I'm sorry to say it didn't live up to it's namesake.

Still, we're in my favorite town where you can't help but have a blast.

Checked out the new Binions. Did they capture the old magic? Some of it, yes and they've done a good job but some things are so unique you just can't reproduce.

On the way back we had an old cab driver who used to deal at the Sands. I asked him about the Rat Pack. He said Dino was a gem of a guy. Everybody loved him. Said Sanatra was a jerk.

For the first time ever, I played more 21 than dice. I play blackjack semi-agressive (like a dice player, I guess) and actually won some $$$. Here's an amazing fun fact!!!!... Most folks who sit down at a BJ table don't know basic strategy. Of course, just look at the packed 6/5 tables and that should tell you something.

Other stuff...Anyone who gets on The STRAT Tower ride called "Insanity" is insane. Monte Carlo is a nice, comfortable casino with a friendly staff. Blackstones is a very good steakhouse. Give me slot tickets rather than coins any day! The flappers still irritate the %&$#%@! out of me. If you play any table game and bet level, you will lose; The Wynn is first class but I think Steve has lost just a little edge (the exterior is a tapered-curved Mirage and the interior is a Bellagio clone??). The hardwood floors in the Palms was a dumb idea. The finish was worn off is the first year (Am I sounding like a contractor?) I predict Ivana Trump's condo tower will bust. Bad location.

Gambling...not trying to say how anyone should play but how I play. Short sessions at any game. Try to get up, then walk. Then try to do it again. Anyway, that's just me. Somebody here can grind it out for hours at one table and make big bucks but I can't. This time I came back with enough of LV economy to buy our plane tickets for the next trip. Better than the alternative.

Your Vegas Buddy
BigLouie

 

Thanks for the TR, Louie.

I have a love/hate relationship with the new Forum Shops. It's an improvement in look and style. However, it takes forever to get to the casino. So now I have to go all the way to the center entrance (if coming from the North) to enter. (I did love your Elizabeth Taylor comment, though...)

The weather sounded unbearable. Too hot to just walk the Strip, which is part of the Vegas experience, to me.

Is Blackstones moderately priced or high-end?

 

Louie, I love reading your stuff. That's beautiful.

p.s. if I read it right, you're predicting a big bust for Ivana Trump?

 

I can't help but think of Caesars as a Roach Motel. Not because I've ever encountered any ummm wildlife there, but I can find my way in but never find my way out. For that reason alone, I avoid going in there. Oh, except for Thursday night when I'm having dinner there! Wish me luck getting out!

 

Nice report Louie. My girlfriend just got back too and said it was so hot she couldn't even stand going to the pool. That has to be hot! I'll chime in on the Liz Taylor comment too, that was great. Caesars will always be Vegas to me. Our first trip to Vegas was in '79 and Caesars was THE place. Yep, it's certainly changed a lot since then, but I still love it and like KC, I can never find my way out.

Sounds like a good trip, thanks for the write up.

 

Not Frank... say it ain't so.

Actually, you can pretty much guess that, however I would have killed to be one of his "friends".

Great TR Louie!! I also love reading your stuff.

Quick threadjack...

A funny story I read about Frank - Bernie Allen was an unknown comedian when in 1966 he was invited by a friend to a Friars Club dinner honoring Joe E. Lewis. All the stars were there including Frank & Jack Entratter (Entertainment Director for the Sands). While standing in the back, Joe E. Lewis's road manager recognized him from an act he'd seen & asked him to do his act that night. He agreed & got his props out of the trunk of his car. On his way up to the stage, Frank says "Who is this crazy bastard?". Bernie did his act & had the place in stitches. Sinatra was holding his sides saying "If this son of a bitch doesn't stop, I'm going to have a heart attack." After the show, Frank approached Bernie & asked him where he performs & then said "You're crazy, I've never laughed so hard in my life." he then got Jack Entratter & told him to put Bernie up in the Celebrity Room at the Sands. Jack booked him for one month at $1750/week & on opening night Frank told every star on the strip "Go see that nut Bernie Allen" & Red Skelton, Danny Thomas, Tony Bennett, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Red Buttons, Betty Grable, & Jerry Lester were all there with Jack Entratter. Allen killed the audience & was held over 16 weeks.

 

Great TR, Louie! Love the writing style. Frank wasn't so much a jerk but someone with very exacting standards. He was extremely generous to his friends in many ways. On the other hand if you crossed him in some way, you were dog food (ask Peter Lawford). Dino was always a gentleman no matter what. His old partner Lewis on the other hand, was and is a complete and utter selfish bastard.

 

Kill for Frank

"Not Frank... say it ain't so.
Actually, you can pretty much guess that, however I would have killed to be one of his "friends". "

How do you think alot of his "friends" got to be alot of his "friends"

 

I thought it was because they sent him a fruitcake every Christmas .

Sarcasm & mob references aside, Frank was probably a first class ass but his friends were treated like royalty (even the ones who didn't kill for him).

 

Oh how true you speak! I had Dino records when I was in high school when everyone was listening to Pink Flyod. Did I spell that right? lol (of course I hid them in the back of the album rack though) I just hate Jerry Lewis. Nobody sings like Dean did. I stll listen to his music. Of cource now it's on CD.