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Viva La Vegas....

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Jer, Jul 7, 2005.

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  1. Jer

    Jer “The Walrus has spoken”

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    My Trip Report

    Well, another trip to Vegas over and done with. As I’m going back over the things that happened, it makes me sad that even a 4-night trip can go so damn quickly. This trip was a mixture of fun with friends and a lot of fun with the kids and YES the ex-wife…

    Day 1 - Are we there yet???

    So, the anticipation is building on all ends. I’m up and ready to go early, but my son absolutely has to attend a b-day party (social butterfly that he is…) Print out the Rio buffet coupons, make sure I read up on all the last minute deals that I can scoop up since I barely have any money that I can spare for gambling. The day goes by pretty quickly and then it is that magic time of day to where you get in the car knowing when you get out for the last time it will be in LAS VEGAS.

    Now… I’m the type of guy that cannot have to use the restroom if I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My ex and my kids are the exact opposite. We made 6 stops in 340 miles (a new world record in that category I might add…) We hit Prim at 5:45 and everyone else was just starving. We ended up having the Prime Rib there and it was pretty good. For six bucks you got a great meal (sans veggies of course, they were gross.) I brought $75 bucks to gamble with for 4 nights. I play some blackjack there and color up for $75 more. Nice, I have doubled my bankroll.

    So, we end up rolling into the Mirage at about 7:30pm or so and I was in heaven. My ex makes all the arrangements that need to be made and we are up to our room. 2-bedroom tower suite, it was fan-f’ing-tastic. My kids wanted to go to Ghirardelli’s, so we went across the street and they had a nice band playing in the carnival court. The funny thing about sundaes in 90 heat at 8:30 at night? Better consider it a shake…

    So we’re sitting down and my oldest son (6 going on 7 in a few weeks) is getting a bit tired of sitting after being in the car for that long so he gets up and starts dancing and goes up to the gate. My ex and I start to talk (argue) about something and outta the corner of my eye I see him open the exit gate and go inside and sit down at the bar. I jump up and run over there, but the security guard waved me off with a big smile saying he would handle this. He goes up and sits next to my son and asks him what he is doing there. He says, “I’m thirsty and I wanted a drink…†The guard and the hot female bartenders start to laugh. Bartender gets him a soda (on the house of course…) He then asks my son how old he is and my son replies “almost seven…†The guard proceeds to let him know that this area is for people 21 and older for which my son replies, “well, I guess I’ll be back in almost (he ponders to think…) 14 years! I like this spot…†We all just start to roll and head on back to the Mirage. Good times and comedy! Bed at 11 or so, and resting for a big day in the morning…

    Day 2 – Its Father’s Day Bitches!!!!

    So we wake up, head over to the Rio for the buffet. I waived my Father’s Day in June to have it on this very day. It was a day of what I wanted to do with no complaints and craziness. We go at 9 and hang out by the pool there until 10:20 or so, so we can get the lunch stuff for the breakfast price. On top of that, we printed out the $5 off coupons. Well, I am never one for reading the fine print until right before and see that it says they are only good Sunday thru Thursday and since this is Saturday, I’m thinking we are SOL… They take them anyway so I think we spent like $18 for all of us. That spread is still pretty good. I particularly liked the Chinese section. They had BBQ pork that was excellent. There Mongolian station was great as well. My kids tore this buffet up. And so did Greg Raymer, I saw him at the omelet station a few times.

    I have been a big buffet guy in the past. The more and more I go, I just want to sit down and have people bring me a great meal. The variety is great, but I just want to eat one type of thing on my plate and be done. I don’t want to stuff myself anymore to “get my money’s worth…â€

    Traffic is starting to get pretty bad. My ex has the boys swim trunks in the backpack so they change and head back over there. I take my $150 and say what the hell… I start at craps, and jump that up to about $250. I hit a $50 blackjack table and jump that up to $500. So, I look at my watch and see that 25 minutes has passed by and I’m up $350. I say screw it and hit the $100 table. I ask what I have on my card so far and they say about $18. Cool, I really didn’t play that much at Harrah’s Rincon.

    To make a long story short, in an hour I make $200 at a $100 table. I ask the pit boss to put in my play so I can see what I have now. I’m doing that every time I leave a table from know on to see what they get me at and compare. “Okay Jer, you know have $19 in comps dollars…†Huh? Nobody could explain why I only got $1 in comps for an hour of between $100 and $300 bets. They kept telling me to go Total Rewards and have them figure it out. This is a battle I can’t win, but I’m in the process of writing some pretty intense letters and seeing what happens of it.

    So, the kids are done swimming there and we hit the M+M store to get some stuff there. So we all get our own bags and some things here and there. Yep, I spent a black chip at the M+M factory and we hadn’t even made it to the Coca Cola shop yet. It’s Harrah’s money, so we tip our little pony bottles of soda and say thank you to the Rio!

    Our cousin is flying in so he can watch the boys at when we want to play around in Vegas. I go and get him at the airport, which is extremely packed and hard to get around. It’s about 4 or so and I need to be at the BC at 7 to meet Larry and some of the other T2V’ers that said they would be there. My ex and I walk around the Mirage for a while and she starts playing some penny slots. BAM, $300 right off the bat. I can’t win a freakin’ slot to save my life and she is pulling money out of them like they are an ATM. We drink a bit and just walk around. She tries to get me to go to the Casino Royale… Uhh… Not a chance. It is really staring to fill up and the streets are jammed with cars. Its then that I realize that I left my hat and a few things out by the pool (including my cell phone, what a shocker…) at the Rio. I drive back there and luckily the HOTTTTT waitress that was helping us with drinks had brought it up to the towel shack. So at about 5:30, I don’t want to drive anymore. I had a room reserved at the Rio for this night (free) just in case I wanted to get away from everything. Room 707 in the Ipanema tower. Had a great view of the pool and some of the strip. I didn’t want to mess with driving or the shuttle so I got in the cab line. Luckily, the people next to me were hitting the BC as well and told me I could hitch with them. So, I must have walked right past Mikey playing craps and to a blackjack table. Weird rules at Coast casinos. They don’t check the hole card unless it’s an ace. I couldn’t win at all… I was down $325 at one point and battled back up to plus $50. I see my cell phone is going off and it’s a LV number. I’m in the middle of a double down so I can’t answer it. I then look up and see Mikey at the lounge area. Color up plus $75 and head over there. I meet Larry and Todd, and we start drinking and telling stories like Mikey has already said. We hit that craps table and then the magic happens. Todd, thank you… Mikey, you too! Yeah, Mikey was right. We went dark side on this ass at the other end of the table. It worked out and we all are still alive!

    I had intended to meet Kellee (Vegasbound) at the Plaza at 11:30. Since Mikey was there, he tagged along with me. Larry and his friends were to meet us there at some point. Tim the bartender at the Plaza was spinning the free drinks again. What a guy. If you want to know something, he is the guy to ask. I sit at a blackjack table and wait for Kellee and she comes strolling down the aisle. I look down and realize I’m up another $50, sweet. Mikey gets a call from Larry and they are at the Bayou. We make it over there and the drinks are on Larry. I ask for a “surprise me†drink and get the colorful “special Olympics in a glass.†That knocked me on my ass. I remember going to Binions and eating steak. And then I remember going to the Vegas Club and playing blackjack with Kellee and Mikey. When I’m winning, I like everyone to be winning. I don’t know how much I slid towards Mikey and Kellee, but they were having fun and that’s all that mattered. We colored up pretty big and then realized it was 4:30 or so in the morning. Wow… Kellee dropped Mikey off at the BC, and me off at the Rio. I went upstairs to relax and sober up a bit before I headed back to the Mirage. Sleep time, and I needed it…

    more to follow....
     
  2. Jer

    Jer “The Walrus has spoken”

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    Day 3 – Grain Train part deaux

    So, think I slept? About 3 hours… I was awaken by, “Mommy says we’re going to Circus Circus…†Which my response was Mommy can take you… Nope, they made just enough noise to get me up. I was still quite lit from the night before. I had a killer headache, and honestly just wasn’t functioning normally. We made our way down there and it was fun. Played some games, and I played some blackjack and won back the money we spent on games, etc… So, the kids see the ad for the Ho dog. I strongly advise against it, but was out voted. They get in line and I sit down at a blackjack table there. Cool dealer, and good people at the table from Australia. So, I’m down about $100 while playing $25 a hand. I announce to the dealer that I’m going to win 4 in a row and press it every time. So the pit boss hears this and gets on the phone. I think nothing about it at the time, but after the first two wins, there are now 3 bosses standing there watching me stack the greens to make $100 in the circle. The count is still pretty positive; I’m in good shape. I win that one so now I’m at $200 and going for the grand slam. “Shuffle†says the pit boss. There were 3 of us at the table and the deck had at least 3 more hands in it. I just glare at the pit boss and he glares back. “Do you have something to say?†he asks me. I asked him jokingly (but still mad…) what the number was to the gaming commission. The other two laughed and the dealer smirked a bit, but the pit boss did not like that comment. “It was time to shuffle..†he responded in an asshole like response and tone. I looked at him and said that I used to deal and even with the horrible eyesight that I have, I could still see the cut card was way down in the deck. “If you are such a good dealer, then why don’t you go back there and deal..†he responds. Now look… I’m a pretty calm guy. I go with the flow and don’t try to start problems. But when it comes to gambling and pit bosses, I just can’t escape the assholes. I looked at him and just started to shake my head. He asks me what I’m shaking my head about and I proceed to ask him if the asshole license comes along with the pit boss title these days. It is getting pretty tense and my ex must have seen what was going on so she runs over and grabs me and tells me to let it go and walk away. I have some greens and reds and just pick them up and start to walk away. “Sir, I need those greens back,†says the pit boss. I just keep walking the 8 steps it takes to get to the cage and cash in.

    Yes, my 6 year old finished a Ho dog and a virgin lemon lime marg. My 4 year old got through a 1/3 of it and my cousin ate the rest. I made the mistake of ordering a strawberry margarita. It was all strawberry syrup. Yuck… But it was cool on a hot day. We asked the kids where they wanted to go for dinner and Benihana was the winner. We call the LV Hilton and they have reservations open all day long. We hit the Mirage pool for a few hours and then head on over. Good food, but about 10 bucks more on each entrée then back in SD. Good chef though, he made us laugh. $185 bucks later, we head back to the Mirage and the Ex wants to go downtown and walk around. We get a cab and head down to the Plaza. We try to find Tim, but he is not there I guess. It was packed as well. She wants to hit the Bayou and I just really have no interest in it at all. “C’mon, chicken? Can’t out drink your ex-wife?†Man, I hate that… So, 5 minutes later, I have two in hand and down the first one in about 3 minutes. I had had beers at the Ho as well as the Mirage and at Benihana. I was drunk. We played some Star Wars slots somewhere, after that I remember walking around the El Cortez just wanting to throw up… I held it, but the minute I crossed that street I let loose. I guess I pounded the other one pretty quickly as well. After filling the trashcan, I felt better. I went in a bathroom and washed my face and bought some breath mints from a vendor somewhere. She was pretty trashed, but nothing like me. We both can’t remember about 1.5 hours of downtown, but after the train wreck we could remember getting back to the Plaza and going back to the Mirage. After that, I have seriously thought about retiring from a grain train action. But, damn I just CAN’T!!!


    Days 4 and 5 just really blend together. I really didn’t gamble too much and just spent a bunch at the outlet center and on food. All in all I came home with $1300 and in the previous post, my Challenger league has been paid in full. Not bad for $75, huh?
     
  3. Jack21

    Jack21 Guest

    "Now look… I’m a pretty calm guy...."

    Looks like this calm guy made off with a few extra clams at some pit boss's expense...I seem to recall a similar incident in a previous TR involving a pit boss, but it was black chips that time, and no ex to the rescue.... ;)

    Good times, Jer. Enjoyed the TR....
     
  4. Coaster Kikky

    Coaster Kikky Tourist

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    A really nicely written TR, Jer - I almost feel like I was there... less the massive hangover of course! What is it about crossing the street from the El Co that inspires trash can vomiting anyway? I think I'd like to skip that part if it's all the same to everyone in September!

    Good job on hanging onto your cellphone... better job hanging onto your wallet this time!! :p
     
  5. RossW

    RossW North of the 49th

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    Good read Jer.

    Glad the kids had fun. I’ve never been to LV in the heat of the summer. Always wanted to be able to do some “pool time†but November or March really is not “prime months†for floating down a lazy river or splashing about in the pool. Someday I’ll do a summer trip, I have always wanted to try it. I don’t mind it hot; it never seems to bother me too much.

    Did the kids enjoy the fact that Mom and Dad were together for a weekend of family time? That would be nice for them.

    Let us know if the Evil Empire sends a reply...What bunch they are, that floors me…
    ….. a whole Buck!!!....

    As Matt Foley, the SNL motivational speaker would say.....Whoopty Freakin' Do!!!!
     
  6. vegasbound

    vegasbound VIP Whale

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    Nice job, Jer! Enjoyed the read. Sounds like great trip. Loved the story on how your son got kicked out of Carnaval court, too cute.
     
  7. Vegas Tonya

    Vegas Tonya Margarita Connoisseur

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    Nice report Jer.....

    It's always nice to take the kids to LV...but nicer to have a sitter and you can go out and be an adult. If my son goes, so does my niece to babysit.

    Thanks for sharing.
     
  8. Typhinie

    Typhinie Tourist

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    Greatread, Jer! It sounds like you had a great balance between family and friends! I'm glad you had a great time and came home a winner!
     
  9. Beach Crazy

    Beach Crazy Hostess With the Mostess

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    To think you all had such a great time on that initial $75 investment, that's so cool. Enjoyed the report, Jer. I now understand what your son and I have in common :p

    It's also good to know the Challenger league has been paid in full. :wiggle:
     
  10. SH0CK

    SH0CK Stylin' and Profilin' Quasi Tech Admin

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    * * THREADJACK IN PROGRESS * *

    Damn Typh, won't you warn a guy next time you update your avatar? ;)

    * * END THREADJACKING * *

    Nice trip report Jer! It's always good to come home with a profit :thumbsup:
     
  11. doctor_al

    doctor_al VIP Whale

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    Good times...

    Nice TR, Jer; glad Vegas could contribute to a good cause.

    p.s. copy that, Sh0ck.
     
  12. sanonofresurfer

    sanonofresurfer Dude

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    Umm....Can I get a copy of that for when I go out to sea? I could make us a lot of money.......

    Or is that just too icky? :haha:
     
  13. RossW

    RossW North of the 49th

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    Down Boy!! :drooling:
    Remember the advice you gave me a while back......She's too hot...and we're too Old.....Remember???...... :ssst:

    Hehehehe
     
  14. doctor_al

    doctor_al VIP Whale

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    Not icky like, say, an inflatable sheep, but yeah, kinda.
     
  15. Coaster Kikky

    Coaster Kikky Tourist

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    No Al, that was a vibrating inflatable sheep...
     
  16. Typhinie

    Typhinie Tourist

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    haha.... I'll try to warn everyone next time I update it. I wasn't sure if I liked the pic- My friend told me I look like a porn star in it.... But now that I think about that- it's not such a bad thing!
     
  17. enterpriser2151

    enterpriser2151 Tourist

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    Got that right!! Yummy! :wink2: Sorry, went to my happy place there for a moment. It's all good now.:angel:
     
  18. blackjack

    blackjack Monkey!!

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    Hypothetical situation: Larry falls overboard & gets stuck on a deserted island with a vibrating inflatable sheep and a picture of Typh lookin' porn star hot. He finds a Genie lamp & gets one wish. Does he...

    A. Wish for the sheep to come to life?
    B. Wish for the pic of Typh to come to life?
    C. Wish to be transported to the Island Bar at Mandalay Bay where all his T2V buddies are waiting for him with Jaeger Bombs in hand?

    btw, it's a trick question cuz ya know he'd choose "B" but then Typh would get one wish also... :evillaugh
     
  19. Jack21

    Jack21 Guest

    B, followed by A, then all three get C. Of course, I've never seen a sheep successfully hold a Jaeger Bomb
     
  20. sanonofresurfer

    sanonofresurfer Dude

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    Man, am I glad I put my coffee down for that one. :haha:

    I'm not really that predictable am I?
     
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