New Attractions and Revamped Hotels Coming to Vegas in 2012-2013! (Link to article)

There have been very few changes to Vegas in the past couple of years, and my favorite city is feeling the effects on all levels.  It's nice to hear there are some changes underway that will debut in 2012 and 2013.  I need some new things to see and do in Vegas!


Here's a link to the Vegas4Visitors.com article that details the changes to some of my "Vegas haunts" as well as some other changes around the town:  http://vegas4visitors.com/column/comingsoon.htm


Looks like I need to get my "to do" list updated!

October 2010 Trip Report

Claire and I posing with some old sign in the Neon Boneyard - love it!



Once again, I am behind getting my full trip report posted. I will have a couple of the restaurant/attraction/show reviews posted separately with more details in the next couple of days, I swear!





A Very Harrah's Trip Report - Oct. 22-25, 2010

Friday, October 22nd

I scheduled this trip almost immediately after my April trip, and my LasVegas4Ever founder/friend Bonnie followed suit pretty quickly. After that, more LV4E people started booking their trips, and the Mega Meet III trip plan was born.

Using the $10 Early Bird check-in on SWA and getting boarding pass A19, I was ready to go. We landed in Vegas at 11:35 on Friday, and it was a beautiful 65 degrees. Coming from 90-degree Texas weather (weird even by Texas standards for late October), it was a welcome relief. The taxi line took about 20 minutes to get through, as the line snaked around and around and all the way back to the exit door near baggage claim. I had to wait for my bag about 10 minutes, and I have a feeling if I’d taken carry-on luggage only I would’ve missed most of that line, but who knows? I’ve come to love my checked baggage when staying more than my usual two nights, so I check it for anything more than a 2 night stay. Arriving at Harrah’s revealed an even longer queue for check in that snaked back almost to the Diamond Check In entrance (trust me, it's not that close), but it took less than half an hour waiting to get my Carnaval tower room (#1417) by 1:00 p.m. Still not too bad, since I had a feeling I’d be waiting for a room due to my arrival time and was pleasantly surprised when I was told I could go up immediately.

I brought my big Canon along for this trip, but I decided to skip the camera bag and just pack my lenses in my carry-on purse/bag/satchel and store them in my suitcase when I wasn’t using them. I really didn’t like carrying my camera bag around during my April trip, so I was determined to travel lighter.

After unpacking and calling home to check in, I decided a snack was in order, since the cup of coffee I’d had at home at 7 a.m. and the little bag of 100 Calorie Mini Cinnamon Rolls from SWA weren’t doing it for me anymore. A quick trip down to Harrah’s Café called for large amounts of soda and a bowl of soup.

I was eager to do a little gambling because my mom and my aunt Ruthie would be joining me on Saturday morning. I knew that once my aunt was in town, there was no guarantee of a quiet, steady gambling session. Unfortunately, I was unable to get anything to produce more than a couple of hits, including VP, Gold Fish, Wizard of Oz and Ruby Slippers. The crappy play on Ruby Slippers further solidified my low opinion of the game, and I decided to head down toward Bill’s for the 5:00 p.m. meet a little early.

I headed into Flamingo instead of using the sidewalk and decided to give Gold Fish 2 another try. I didn’t really care for it in April, but I was willing to see what I could do. Surprisingly I was able to play for quite awhile and actually cashed out $75 in the good. I was almost back to even. Take that, Harrah’s! Oh, yeah…same ownership…*sigh*…they’re still getting my money.

I walked into Bill’s and saw my board friends Mike, Pete and Dave already waiting there. What a nice surprise! Unfortunately for all of us, the seats were all taken for Big Elvis’ next show, so there was nowhere to sit, and the music was hard to talk over. We waited for a few more minutes and were soon joined by our friends Helen and Julie. After waiting a little while longer, we determined that we were the only meet attendees and decided to head back over to Flamingo and the much quieter Garden Bar.

We had a nice little meet in some very comfy chairs at the Garden Bar (located at the back of the casino, near the sports book and the buffet). Just so you know, it would be a great location to have another mini-meet if anyone wants a good, quiet area mid-Strip. And it was so nice to finally put faces to names for Dave and Helen, and get to meet Pete in the flesh after talking to him for almost 5 years online (yes, it’s true)! I’m so glad all of you took the time to make the mini-meet. I really wanted to meet Dave before he left town on Saturday morning, and I think he’s a really funny guy. Thank you, Pete, for not letting him drive over from The Orleans!

We all parted ways at about 6:30; Pete and Dave were hungry, and I was planning on meeting Claire for a small dinner or snack at Mesa Grill in Caesars. It turned out that Mesa Grill – like just about everywhere else in Vegas that weekend – was PACKED and/or BOOKED, and we hadn’t made a reservation because we hadn’t known we were going to do this. The earliest reservation they had was 10:30 p.m., and there was no way we were waiting that long to eat. Claire suggested we just walk through CP and see what we found. After passing a couple of other crowded and/or expensive places, she suggested Max Brenner’s, and I’m glad she did! It was DELICIOUS! We shared the “Really Cheesy – Really Crunchy Mac n Cheese” appetizer (with marinara, fresh tomatoes and bacon) and the individual serving of the “Chicken Bacon Cheddar Rolls” (with maple glaze and buttermilk) first. Our server was a great help to us and was cute and funny to boot, and his suggestion to get the individual serving (4 pieces) versus a larger portion was a good one. The food portions were too large for us to finish, anyway, and we had to have room for dessert if we were dining at Max Brenner’s! Claire ordered the “S’mores Concoction” and I had the “Crispy Chocolate Egg rolls”. They were served in a Chinese takeout container and looked like regular egg rolls, and they were accompanied by two dipping sauces: creamy milk chocolate and a sea salt caramel sauce. They were fantastic, and the ‘banana fudge chocolate filling’ starting oozing out as soon as I bit into one. Again, there were 4 of them in the order, and that was too much for me. I finished one and a half, and took the other 2 to go. Claire, thank you again for treating me to dinner – it was fantastic!

After dinner I took my camera back to my room and headed out on a trek to Palazzo. My plan was to do a little gambling there - because I usually bypass it due to bad luck at the slots – and wait for Bonnie and her son, Mike, to arrive later that evening. I took a walk around first so I could familiarize myself with the area and not get lost when I tried to meet up with Claire and the rest of the group that was heading to the Neon Boneyard at 9:00 a.m. the next morning.

I took a few random pictures and finally settled in to play some Gold Fish 2, since it was being nice to me. I met a nice guy playing next to me – I believe his name was Sumter – and we chatted for awhile before he finally ran out of funds. He left and I finally ran out my $20 and moved over to Star Trek. Boy, am I glad I did! I used “KIRK1234” and settled in, and I proceeded to get the machine up to $170 during the two hours I sat there, texting Bonnie as they made their way from the airport to Palazzo on the shuttle. I reluctantly cashed out, but I was tired and I planned on saying hello and heading back to Harrah’s and up to bed.

Young Mike is just as adorable in person, and he is such a nice guy, too! Bonnie raised a good boy there. I walked up to see their room at Bonnie’s invitation, and I must say I am very jealous of her freebies. I could LIVE in that bathroom, and you know that’s saying something coming from me! It was nice to get a little look-see around the suite in person, because I’m sure I’ll probably never see the inside of one again, LOL!

I gave my remaining dessert egg rolls to Bonnie, and they devoured them on the spot. I guess they didn’t get much food on the plane! (I had planned on giving them to Bonnie when I got them to go, so don’t think she grabbed them out of my hands or anything.) She quickly changed her purse and we headed back downstairs together. They were intending to only gamble for an hour or so due to our early trip to the boneyard, and I left them there to head back to Harrah’s and to bed. And, yeah, they didn’t go to bed after an hour, either.l


Saturday, October 23rd

I set my phone alarm for 7 a.m. so that I could be at Palazzo by 8:30 for the limo to the Neon Boneyard. I did not want to miss this – it’s the whole reason I brought my Canon along! I was out the door faster than I thought, so I had time to sit and gamble while I was waiting for the text from Claire.

I ordered a Bailey’s and hot chocolate from the cocktail waitress while I played more Star Trek (not winning like last night), and I was SHOCKED when she brought me a 32-oz. to go cup filled with the lovely beverage! I had the feeling that I’d be drunk by the time we got to the boneyard if I didn’t watch it, but it was delicious and I sipped and sipped on it until it was gone and we were already in the limo and on the way to our early morning tour.

Claire’s little party consisted of her, me, Bonnie, her son, Diana and Terri. Each of the ladies got a single red rose – so nice! We were dropped off across the street at the meeting place, paid our $15 entrance fee, and signed waivers stating we would only post our photos for personal use.

I didn’t know what to expect from the Neon Boneyard, but it was certainly worth the $15 admission. Our tour guide’s name was Paul, and he led a group of about 15 of us over to the museum area and went over all the safety precautions and warnings before he even let us in the gate. He gave us history on almost every sign in the collection, and there were many from places I’d never heard of. A few people asked questions as he guided us around, but a few of us die-hard photographers hung back to get some great shots while the others kept with the group and actually HEARD everything Paul had to say! We didn’t lag too far behind, but it was certainly worth not hanging on every word he said in order to get the good photos like we did. The tour took a little over an hour, and as Paul was wrapping up his spiel near the gate, I noticed a limo parked right outside (we knew we’d be getting a different limo and driver for the trip back) and asked Claire, “Is that ours?” I think we had the cutest limo driver in the world! And that accent! Diana got a good photo of him standing next to the limo. I was tempted, but I resisted. He opened the champagne for us and we all toasted our great morning. I only had one glass, since I was putting it on top of the 32 ounces of Bailey’s and hot chocolate I’d already consumed without eating anything.

My mom had already called to say they were at Harrah’s, and they decided to wait for me to eat. I walked as fast as I could using the secret parking lot walkway between Venetian and Harrah’s to meet them outside Harrah’s Café, and I was STARVING! Hugs from my aunt, who was taking this trip as her last vacation before back surgery in early November, and I dove into my club sandwich and fries as soon as I got it. Mom mentioned that they were the last plane to land before the airspace was closed and President Obama left Vegas, and she was glad because she didn’t want to have to shoot someone for not letting them land in Vegas on time.

Mom and Aunt Ruthie were ready to walk, so we headed out immediately afterwards. We headed over to The Mirage, Caesars and Bellagio, gambling, sightseeing and chatting as we went. If anyone remembers my trip report from October ’08 (when I went with my mom, 3 aunts and 2 cousins), you’ll know that my aunt has what I call “Gambling ADD”. I swear, the woman cannot sit at any single machine for more than 5 or 6 spins before she’s ready to move on! I’m glad I got some photos of the Bellagio Conservatory at that time, because I didn’t get back over there again for the rest of the trip with all her ‘flitting around’. I left mom and Aunt Ruthie at Bellagio at 3:45 in order to make it to MMIII by 4:00, and I was barely on time.

Much to my chagrin, I found a group of people waiting for me OUTSIDE Napoleon’s; a private party was underway inside, and we weren’t allowed in. This made me mad. Diana had called the week before to ask a question, and nothing about a private party was mentioned to her then. I had called to see if they had an updated hors d’oveurs menu two weeks before, and nothing was mentioned to me, either. Julie made a quick check to see if the Le Cabaret lounge (right off the casino floor) was open, and it was. By that time, all but two of our group had arrived, and we left a note on the sign outside the door and sent text messages to guide our missing members to the new location. (FYI, the private party was cleared out by 6:30 when I met my mom and aunt for dinner at Le Buffet. The timing sucks.)

I’m so glad we had quick-thinking board members there! We were able to make Le Cabaret work, although it was a bit dark and the table-and-chair configuration didn’t allow us to get close enough to talk to each other while seated. Most of us got up to mingle, and I was happy to put even MORE faces to names I feel I’ve known forever! There were 23 meet attendees in all - quite a turnout! I think we have the most successful meets of any online message board, considering there are only around 500 total members on the board (and they're not all active members, either). I still didn’t get around to everyone in turn, and I really wanted to talk to everyone. I’d finish talking to someone and get ready to find someone else, but I didn’t get to them all. I’m so sorry! It wasn’t my intention to ignore anyone.

NEWS FLASH: I think I am done with the meet planning. I say this because every time I’ve tried to plan one (other than the Jasmine Brunch), something goes wrong. The best meet we’ve had so far was MMII, organized and staged in Steve’s Palms suite by multiple people. I’ll be happy to attend if I’m in town, but I’m not even going to suggest a location anymore. It’s been very frustrating for me, and I’m so over it. I take it very personally when something goes wrong or doesn’t turn out the way I intend for it to, and I don’t like having things I organize turn out half-assed because that’s the OCD way I am. ‘Nuff said. I just want to put that out there because it’s been bothering me all week.

Back to the meet: Most of us stayed until 6 p.m., when people started peeling off to go to their dinner and show reservations. The last ones there at almost 6:30 were me, Claire, Terri, Diana and her husband, and Mike, and we finally broke up to go our separate ways. I was glad I didn’t have to walk too far to get to Le Buffet. I had done a lot more walking than my mom and my aunt, and they were already pooped, too!

We decided to get the 24-hour buffet pass and use it for our breakfast and dinner the next day, as well. My aunt quickly discovered that she was allergic to the plastic they used to make the wristbands, and we had to go back and get it removed before her wrist swelled up. Luckily there was no harm done, and the hostess wrote a note on her ticket and attached the wristband to it for the other buffet hostesses to call if there were any questions. After that, we were more than happy to take our time at the buffet and just enjoy the atmosphere, as none of us had ever been in Le Buffet before. I also spotted my friend Mike getting desserts near our table. He claims he was put in the back room where the “bad kids” are, and it's probably true.

As far as buffets go, it’s my second favorite HET buffet so far. I haven’t tried RIO or Caesars, but I still like Harrah’s the best. The way the buffet is laid out in Harrah’s is open and easy to navigate (Paris seems too crowded with the tables up close to the buffet serving area), and I generally like the food selections at Harrah’s more than Paris only because Paris had a lot of duck and pork dishes that I don’t care for. However, Paris does have the crepe station, and my banana crepe with nuts and caramel sauce on top was the highlight of my dinner. I don’t know how I finished it all, but I did. I bypassed the last of the main dishes and the dessert section altogether after I got that crepe; there was no way I was going to be able to eat anything else. It was SO worth it! The only thing that any of us had that was gross or inedible on the Paris buffet: the bread pudding. I don’t know WHAT they put in their spices, but it tasted weird, and not like bread pudding at all. Not like anything edible, either! Ugh, it was so disgusting!

To say we waddled back to Harrah’s would be an understatement. I think it took us over an hour and a half to walk from Paris, and I think we could’ve slowed down even more than we did. We decided to stick around Harrah’s for the rest of the evening because no one wanted to decide on anything. My mom and aunt were tired from their early morning flight, and I was just tired from all the walking, talking and food! I was more than happy to park myself at a slot machine for the remainder of the evening, and that’s what I planned to do. I lurked the people playing the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR) slots over and over, and I finally gave up trying to get an open seat. I think that the people who play LOTR at Harrah’s have a signal for their cohorts when they’re done playing a machine, and they get there at just the right time (which was never the right time for me). I finally gave up and played other things, instead. I ended up down a little for the day.

Sunday, October 24th

I stayed in bed until 7 a.m., just dozing, but I was hoping to get up and get some REAL gambling in before my aunt was ready to hit the Strip and start flitting about. I managed to get about 30 minutes of gambling in before they were ready to head over to Flamingo for the Champagne Brunch Buffet.

Mike had mentioned that he got a mini bottle of Skyy vodka at the buffet a couple of days before, and we got them, too. I found out later that these were for the Bloody Mary bar, but we had no clue at the time and no one told us WHAT they were for. My aunt doesn’t drink due to all her medical conditions, and my mom only drinks wine, so I put all three mini bottles in my purse to take home. Waste not, want not! My aunt ordered champagne and gave it to me, which she didn’t really need to do since I had my own, and I ended up having three mimosas with breakfast. Apparently I was going to drink more than I do when traveling by myself whether I liked it or not!

After breakfast we headed to Bally’s so that mom could get her 2-4-1 tickets to Jubilee for the evening. She didn’t have any 2-4-1’s in her offers when we looked at her account online before we left, but Harrah’s gave her one on her coupon sheet at check-in – be sure to check yours for good offers! They ended up with VIP tickets in the 2nd row of regular seats, and they paid $104 for the pair. My aunt was happy with that, because she REALLY wanted to take my Cher ticket. I tried to find another ticket for her, but they were sold out by the time I booked their flights at the beginning of October.

We continued down to some of the casinos that my aunt hadn’t seen or flitted through on previous trips and mixed in some others she liked, too: Planet Hollywood, Monte Carlo, NY/NY, MGM, Tropicana and Excalibur. I have to agree with others about Tropicana’s transformation – it is so much brighter and nicer! The whole property just seems so much more inviting than it did before, when it was dark, dingy and kind of depressing. I will be back again to do a little more investigating…and gambling. With my aunt’s bouncing around, you can see why she doesn’t bother getting a player’s card anywhere – there’s no point when she can’t even sit still long enough to EARN a point!

She did manage to play for more than a few minutes on one machine: Deal or No Deal at Monte Carlo. She hit the bonus right off the bat, and she agonized about every ‘Deal’ offered to her, asking me, “What do I do? What do I do?” over and over. I kept telling her “No Deal!” ‘cause it wasn’t my money! She ended up with a really good bonus of $194 for her 40-cent investment, and she was a happy camper for the rest of the day.

Her gambling habits crack me up at times; she will talk lovingly to a machine (say, Gold Fish 2) when it’s being nice to her and giving her a bonus, but if it gives her a small bonus or stops paying her immediately, she will literally SMACK the machine and tell it she doesn’t like it anymore. Ah, that’s my Vegas entertainment!

A cab was in order to get back to Harrah’s from Excalibur; my poor mom’s legs were really hurting her. She got some sort of rash from who knows where, and her legs were painful to touch. She wanted to put her feet up for a bit before going to the show, and I was all for getting them back quickly and safely. I walked them up to their room and went back down to gamble a bit before I got ready to meet them for dinner at Harrah’s buffet. The LOTR slots were still busy, dammit! Okay, I give up.

We met for dinner at 5:30 to finish our 24-hour passes, and we enjoyed some yummy seafood dishes on the Saturday evening buffet. Okay, mom and I enjoyed them, but my aunt stuck to beef. She’s not a fan of seafood. The only bad thing on the buffet was some grilled chicken my mom got – it literally bounced off the plate, and she couldn’t cut it at all. Everything else was good, and I enjoyed some coconut macaroons for dessert. No alcohol for me, thanks. We separated for our shows: them to Jubilee at Bally’s, me to Cher at Caesars.

Cher put on a really good show. I used the 40% off link that my LV4E friend Frank posted, and I got one of the single seats up in the 2nd mezzanine (they should just call it a balcony, because that’s what it is) – Section 407, Row D, I believe, for $61. The show was completely sold out. I will say that those seats are a little high for performers who use the big screen behind them because their heads are cut off from view and the lights come up just about to that row and BLIND you when they’re trying to see the audience. She put on a good show, even though her extreme costume changes between every song left me wishing she’d pick a couple of similar songs and wear the same costume for awhile so she’d keep singing instead of letting all of her backup dancers take up the slack. I did appreciate the trip down memory lane with the video clips from “The Sonny and Cher Show” – they certainly made me laugh and recall good times. All in all, it was a good show, and I don’t know that this is truly her ‘final’ concert like she says it is; she likes being a Diva.

Speaking of Divas, I saw a billboard for Celine Dion – her first concert back at Caesars will be on March 15, 2011. I am determined that I will get to see her some time before she disappears again, but I don’t know when. No plans as of yet.

Lucky for me the others (read: Aunt Ruthie) wanted to stay at Harrah’s again, so I could sit and do some gambling without having to RUN to the next casino. I ordered another Bailey’s and hot chocolate and found myself extremely disappointed when it was delivered to me in a small, wrapped glass. *Sigh*…another 32 ounce sipper from Palazzo would’ve been a perfect way to end the night.

I ran into Julie twice during my wanderings around the casino. We chatted for a bit near the High Limit slots, and she cheered me on while I played Gold Fish and lost my last $20 before I finally gave up and headed to bed after a disappointing day of gambling.


Monday, October 25th

Breakfast was back at Harrah’s Café. The best thing about breakfast on Monday morning? We played Keno as usual, and I hit my birthday numbers for $42 on the first game. For a $1 investment, I’ll take it! It’s always nice to start the day out with a win.

I wanted to head to Imperial Palace to check out the King’s Ransom Museum, but when we walked over we found out it had closed at the end of September. Bummer! Not only had I missed my chance to see the collection, but I had to carry my camera around for the rest of the day until we headed back to pick up our luggage and leave for the airport. We decided to go back to Caesars because it was the one place that all three of us had luck on Saturday. No problem for me! I love gambling there, and it’s been good to me on my past few trips, so I’m all for crossing the Strip.

I was helping my aunt find some interesting slots she’d missed on our previous visit when suddenly I saw it: an empty seat at LOTR. Surely it was a mirage! I practically RAN across the casino to get to that empty spot before someone realized they hadn’t alerted their cohorts. FINALLY I was going to get some LOTR time!

First off I couldn’t remember the sign-in I’d created on the website, so that was a bummer. I had to create a whole new sign-in, which is probably better because it’s easy to remember (no, it’s not Hayley’s Mom). I soon realized why you can never find an empty seat at these machines: they are ADDICTING! I had several different people sit down next to me to play the other machine, but I just kept playing away, taking photos of bonuses and chatting with whoever stopped by. My mom and aunt both came by several times to see how I was doing, and they added their cheers to mine. Both of them knew I’d been itching to get on those machines all weekend, and they weren’t about to say, “Let’s go somewhere else.” I like that. I was even down to my last 40 cents at one point early on and thought I’d have to get out another $20 (I wasn’t about to give up my seat THAT easily!) when I hit a nice bonus that kept me playing. I hit bonus after bonus, exclaiming gleefully every time something new would pop up on the screen. My $20 gambling money was well invested on my minimum 40-cent bet: I played that machine for almost 4 hours before we had to go pick up our bags and head to the airport, and even then I *reluctantly* cashed out a $10 ticket. I think I‘ve found LOTR heaven!

We decided to eat at the airport so we wouldn’t be rushed, and Subway was just the thing. As we were ordering our food, all three of our cell phones rang at the same time. SWA calling to say our flight had been delayed from 3:50 until 4:35. That’s the first time SWA has ever called me about a flight delay, but it’s also the first time I’ve ever had a delay of more than 10 minutes. Even so, the pilot made up all but 10 minutes in the air, and we landed back in sweaty, 90-degree San Antonio before 9 p.m. as the pilot advised us that Tony Romo had just broken his collar bone in the Cowboys game. I’m glad I didn’t put money on that game, after all.

I came back from Vegas only $300 down, and I think part of that was breakfast cash, the Neon boneyard fee and taxis. Not a winning trip, but I have no problem losing so little money in Vegas.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my mom and aunt were both selected to go through the scanner at McCarran, and my mom was also given an additional pat-down by a female TSA agent including having her hands wiped with some sort of antibacterial cloth. They told her “she had a lot going on up here”, indicating her chest, and she was kind of freaked out. I didn’t see her get held back until they were already doing the pat-down, and she had a ‘deer in the headlights’ look on her face. She was convinced they saw something bad in the X-ray, and they were just doing a pat-down to make sure she wasn’t ‘packing’ anything, I guess. I guess a two-time breast cancer survivor has a lot of thoughts the rest of us don’t.

Highlights:
Meeting new friends (and old ones) at the Mini Meet and Mega Meet
Neon Boneyard tour (thanks again, Claire!)
Cher
LOTR slots at Caesars
Star Trek slots at Palazzo
GRANDE Baileys and hot chocolate at Palazzo
Spending time with my mom and favorite aunt
Beautiful October weather in Vegas!

Lows:
Not getting to eat at Mesa Grill
Having to move the meets to alternate locations at the very last minute

Link to article: Proper Table Games Ettiquette

My friend Westie found a great article on table game etiquette over at wizardofodds.com. It's got some great tips for a first time player: http://wizardofvegas.com/article/table-game-etiquette

The thing I always find interesting is no matter how long it's been since I last played blackjack, I always feel nervous when I first walk up to a table. I feel like I'm going to do something wrong. I'm guessing that's just a personal thing. I'm too nervous to try anything like craps at this point, too. Maybe someday...

BINGO!

BINGO!

Bingo can be quite a lucrative game in Las Vegas. Depending on where you're from and how familiar you are with the games and the payouts, you can win thousands of dollars on a single Bingo game in Vegas.

The trick is finding the bingo halls and being there at the right time. Most of the bigger, competitive bingo halls are either located off-Strip or downtown, so don't be surprised if you have to travel from your favorite Strip casino to get in a few games. Shuttles to and from most of these locations are available, so be sure to check out my list of Vegas shuttles to help plan your excursions. Luckily you don't have to sit in for an entire session; you can come and go as you please at all locations.

As requested by my sister-in-law, Teresa (whose mother just happens to be one of those lucky, big payout Bingo winners, and has been on multiple occasions), here's a listing of some of the bingo spots in Vegas. Please note that this information is subject to change at any time:

Arizona Charlie's on Decatur - Games are played 24 hours a day, on the odd hours. The minimum buy-in is $4, and the cards are both the paper and electronic versions. They have room for over 500 people and offer complimentary drinks (plus free donuts during the morning hours beginning at 5 a.m.).

Arizona Charlie's on Boulder - Same as the other Arizona Charlie's location, right down to the free donuts.

Boulder Station - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. A minimum $4 buy-in is required, and both paper and electronic cards are available with seating for 600 people. They offer complimentary drinks at all sessions and free donuts during their 9 a.m. session only.

Cannery - Games every even hour between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. This location also has a minimum $4 buy-in requirement, paper and electronic cards, and complimentary drinks are available during the games. This location seats 288 players.

Eastside Cannery - Games every even hour between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Paper and electronic cards are available with a $4 minimum buy-in, and complimentary drinks are available. This location has seating for 450 players.

Fiesta - Games begin every odd hour between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and the minimum buy-in is $5. They offer both paper and electronic cards and complimentary drinks during the games with seating for 396 players.

Fiesta Henderson - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $5 minimum buy-in. This location offers paper cards only, and they serve free drinks at all sessions with free donuts available at the 9 a.m. session. This location has seating for 300 players.

Fiesta Rancho - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $5 minimum buy-in. This location also uses paper cards exclusively, and they serve free drinks at all sessions with free donuts available at the 9 a.m. session. Seating information not available. (A progressive jackpot is also available at both Fiesta locations.)

Gold Coast - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum buy-in. Both paper and electronic cards are used, and there is seating for a whopping 780 players. Complimentary drinks are served, with free donuts being offered at the 9 a.m. session.


Golden Nugget - Specific game times and information were not available on line, no matter how hard I looked for them. Please check with the casino for specific details. I specifically list this casino because this is where Teresa's mom plays - and wins - with regularity.
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Jerry's Nugget - Six daily sessions beginning at 10 a.m. with complimentary drinks served at all sessions. Seats 400 players, but no minimum buy-in information available.

Palace Station - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum. Both paper and electronic cards are used here, and complimentary drinks are available. Again, donuts are offered at the 9 a.m. session. This location has seating for 307 players.

Plaza - Games every odd hour between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. with a $5 buy-in. Both paper and electronic cards are available, and complimentary drinks are provided. There is seating for 400 players here.

Red Rock - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. The minimum buy-in is $5 with complimentary drinks served. This location uses both paper and electronic cards and has seating for a total of 610 players.

Sam's Town - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a minimum buy-in of $4. Complimentary drinks are served all day and free donuts are available at the 9 a.m. session. Both paper and electronic cards are used. Seating for 500 players is available.

Santa Fe Station - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum buy-in. This location uses both paper and electronic cards and seats 488 players. Complimentary drinks are served and there are free donuts available at the 9 a.m. session.

Silver Nugget - No specific information regarding their bingo hall is provided. Check with the casino directly for details.

South Point - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum buy-in. This location has both electronic and paper cards and serves complimentary drinks. There are seats for 600 players.

Suncoast - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a minimum buy-in of $4. Both electronic and paper cards are available, with seating for 600 players. Complimentary drinks are served at each session, along with free donuts at the 9 a.m. session.

Sunset Station - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum buy-in. Both paper and electronic cards are available, with seating for 542 players. Complimentary drinks are served all day, with free donuts offered at the 9 a.m. session.

Terrible's - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a minimum buy-in of $4. Both paper and electronic cards are available. There is seating for 195 players, and complimentary drinks are served. There is also a free self-serve snack bar available at this location.

Texas Station - Games every odd hour between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. with a $4 minimum buy-in. There is seating for a total of 495 players, and both paper and electronic cards are available. Complimentary drinks are served during all sessions, and free donuts are also offered at the 9 a.m. session.

Need a little bingo refresher? Check out Las Vegas Advisor's bingo info: http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/infobing1.cfm

Deals and steals for a $1 or less

I've mentioned some of the free things to see and do in Vegas before, but what about the things you can get for a dollar or less? Here are some deals for a buck and under.

Please note: I have never been to either Slots O Fun or Circus Circus, and I really don't have any desire to ever visit them. That being said, I'm just posting the deals here, so try them at your own risk.

Drinks

$1 beer at Draft Bar in M Resort - This offer is only good during "happy hour", Sunday - Thursday, 4-7 p.m.

$1 margaritas at Bill's Gambling Hall and Saloon (formerly Barbary Coast) - A single note will get you a margarita blended or on the rocks. They're pretty strong, too.

$1 margaritas at Casino Royale - This special has been around for quite awhile. Don't expect them served in a real glass, but for the price they're pretty good and certainly hit the spot on a hot day.

$1 domestic beer at Casino Royale - Yes, you'll have to pay $1.50 for an import, but even that price can't be beat.

75-cent frozen margaritas at Slots O Fun - Many flavors to choose from, according to the website.

$1 Heineken beer at Slots O Fun - From what I've seen elsewhere, this is a pretty good price for a Heineken.

$1 beer at Sahara - The offer doesn't say if this price is for ALL beer or just the domestic varieties like Casino Royale. If anyone knows, I'll be glad to update this posting.

$1 shots at Sahara - Not only are the shots just a buck, but you get to keep the shot glass, too.

$1 beer at the Station Casinos - This offer is only during football season and ONLY during the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday football games. Still, if you like to hang out in a sports book to watch your favorite games, you could do worse.

$1 Miller Genuine Drafts at Silverton Casino - This offer is only available at the 24-hour casino bar.

$1 Budweiser and Bud Lights at Fiesta Henderson - This is an ongoing offer, with no start or end date posted.

$1 tequila shots or Miller Chill bottles at Mi Casa Grill - Located in the Silverton Casino, this offer is available only during "happy hour", Monday - Friday, from 4-7 p.m.

$1 beer at Gold Spike - This downtown casino was notorious for being dirty and dingy - and more than a little bit scary - but a recent remodel has the place showing in a new light...literally. If you're brave enough to go into the Spike, I say go for that beer! (If anyone does, I'd love to hear about it.)

Food

99-cent shrimp cocktail at Golden Gate - This offer has changed a little bit over the years, but it's still a great deal. In order to get the 99-cent version, you must first have a Golden Gate Player's Club card. Once you do, you can enjoy their spicy shrimp cocktails over and over again. There is a $2.99 version of the shrimp cocktail that also contains imitation crab in addition to the shrimp and spicy cocktail sauce in a slightly larger glass, but the classic original is still the best deal you can get.

$1 hot dogs at all Station Casinos - As with the $1 beer offers, this is only good during football season at ALL Station casinos while football games are being played on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

99-cent shrimp cocktail at Slots O Fun - Being as there is a fantastically delicious shrimp cocktail at Golden Gate casino downtown, I can't imagine even thinking about trying this version. I think I am hopelessly biased.

99-cent half-pound hot dogs at Slots O Fun - I have no idea what comes on this dog or what the quality is, so you're on your own here.

$1 hot dogs at Mermaids casino - This downtown establishment is more famous for their frozen drinks than hot dogs, but they're available for anyone who wants to give them a taste.

Gambling

50-cent roulette at Slots O Fun - This sounds like the best deal from this casino by far. You could make quite a few bets for just a little bit of cash.

$1 blackjack at Sahara - This deal is back by popular demand. It used to be that you could find $1 (and $2) blackjack everywhere in Vegas, but the takeovers by large corporations shut them out. The $1 blackjack games are near the NASCAR area.

$1 roulette at O'Shea's - O'Shea's Casino has had 50-cent and $1 roulette at their tables for quite a long time. Sometimes the tables are crowded and sometimes they're not, but you can be sure they'll be busy on long holiday weekends and during college tournaments.

$1 roulette at Golden Gate - You could take in a few spins of the wheel after you've had a couple of their 99-cent shrimp cocktails. A full afternoon under $20 could be possible!

Sites and Attractions

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort - Located at 500 E Washington Avenue in Las Vegas, the old fort charges only $1 admission every day. Displays change occasionally. Call (702) 486-3511 for days and hours of operation.

Like playing video poker? Try Big Event Poker from WMS Gaming online!

Blonde4Ever (the web mistress at LV4E) just found a neat new game over at WMS Gaming: Big Event Poker. Yet another fun video poker game for me to get addicted to!

Here's the link for you to practice your video poker strategy - or just play for fun: http://www.wms.com/BEPoker/popup.html

It's always nice when you find some of the games that are available in Vegas (or soon will be) available on line. I love to try these things out before I go on my trips; that way I'll know whether or not I should give them any play when I get there!

Trip Report - Kodidog and Tom in Vegas - Sept. 2009

Here's the link to yet another great trip report recently added over at LV4E, written by my friend Sandy, aka 'Kodidog':
http://www.blonde4ever.yuku.com/topic/11893/t/Kodidog-Loves-Vegas---Time-Caesars-Mirage-Paris-Sept-2009--1.html

She has a fantastic writing style, and her details - as well as her ability to use coupons and discounts very effectively - make for a very interesting read.

But consider yourself forewarned: her reports are notoriously LONG! Set aside some time to read the whole thing from beginning to end, and enjoy her photos, too.

Lagasse's Stadium restaurant opens at Palazzo

Emeril Lagasse opened his newest restaurant, Lagasse's Stadium, at the Palazzo Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip last week. It is replacing the short-lived Jay Z's 40/40 Club and the equally short-lived Palazzo Sports Book. According to the article, this new restaurant is set in a sports book-like atmosphere, but is supposedly arranged intimately. Makes me curious, because I can't imagine an "intimate" sports book setting in most cases. Maybe it's the casino itself that will set up the "intimate" feeling, I don't know.

If you don't already know, Emeril has three other Las Vegas restaurants on the Strip: Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian, Table 10 at Palazzo, and Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at MGM. I ate at the Fish House years ago - very good stuff! I'm hoping to go again during one of my trips next year because I really enjoyed it and I'd like to add a new review for you here.

Here's a link to the article in the Las Vegas Weekly: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2009/sep/27/emeril-opens-new-sports-book/.

Here's a link to Emeril's website so that you can check out all of his great restaurants in Las Vegas and elsewhere - restaurant information is available for each of them: http://www.emerils.com/.

If anyone tries one of Emeril's restaurants - but most especially any of his current Vegas eateries - I'd love to hear your opinion of the dining experience in the comments section.

Trip Report - The Westies in Vegas Sept. 16-30, 2009

I just had to share a link to a really great trip report by Westie, a good friend of mine over at LV4E: http://www.blonde4ever.yuku.com/topic/11775/t/Las-Vegas-It-39-s-Human-Nature-TR.html

He and his wife, Ann, are retired, and they are both really adventurous foodies, show-goers, and lovers of art. They just returned from another two week trip to Vegas (they take 3 or 4 two-week trips every year), and their latest report is chock-full of unusual food adventures and some great show reviews, as well.

Westie is a serious coupon user and deal-finder, and he always provides the LV4E members with great links to the very same deals that he uses when he books his trips. In his reviews, you will see his rating of the experience as well as the total cost and what coupon/discount code he used for each one.

Their next trip is in December, and I'm sure it'll be just as stuffed with interesting new places I've never heard of and how to get the same deals for my trip.

For the love of slot machines: Gold Fish rules!

There's no need to torture me for the information, I confess: I love slot machines.

I love most types of slot machines, but I really go WILD for the ones that contain multiple bonus rounds and other special features. They are addicting to me, and I make it my personal goal to try and get every different type of bonus round on each new game I try. Sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes I'm not, but I have a lot of fun trying!

My absolute favorite slot machine at the moment is one called Gold Fish. It is one of the newer video reel slot machines, and nearly everything about the game is displayed using computer animation. There are no actual "reels" turning and locking into place; instead the game is played on computer-generated reels that are displayed on the machine's two screens. The main game is played on the screen directly in front of you, and all the bonuses are played out on both the main screen and a secondary screen above the machine depending on the type of bonus you get into. I think the secondary screen was probably developed so that people all over the casino can see what kind of bonus you're playing and entice them to come over and take a closer look. It works; I always find myself stopping my nearby game to watch other peoples' bonuses.

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I love this particular slot machine so much because an additional 10-cent "fish bet" tacked onto my wager gives me the opportunity to experience one of the six fish bonuses, and the machines are set so that these bonuses are triggered in a completely random manner. They are so random, in fact, that you don't have to have a winning combination (two matching symbols or more on most machines) in order to go into a bonus game. This is the biggest draw for me because so many of the slot machines out there allow you to get soooooo close to winning, but always seem to be one position off. Here I never know just when the next bonus will begin, so I can't get mad at the machine if I don't know how or when the bonus will be triggered (I know that's irrational, but I still do it).

The thing is, the bonuses can be fickle, and sometimes you can leave a bonus round with as little as 5 credits, which is certainly annoying when you can wait quite a while between bonus rounds on a "cold" machine. People who love and play Gold Fish regularly know the following to be true:

- No one wants to have to pick a bubble, because we always seem to pick the lowest amount.

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- When the pink fish shows up to spit out her numbers, it never fails that the "9", "3", and "0" will end up as "039" when they settle on the screen to award the credits if you've been doing badly before that bonus round.

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- Getting Goldie to pay you a visit with her free spin selections is cause for celebration every single time.

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- Everyone loves the kissing fish because we know that Goldie might kiss our bonus number and double it more than once.

There is an in-game bonus called "Fish Food", and it also leads to wild emotional swings. On the one hand, I can match every combination of fish food and get a really high score in the bonus round, or I can immediately get three turtles on my first three selections and pick the lowest bonus award right away. Nevertheless, I look forward to every bonus round with great anticipation, and they are what keep me coming back again and again.

Mentioning "cold" machines before, all slot machines go through cycles with their Random Number Generators (RNG), and you have to be patient and weather the cold spells until the next "hot" cycle with lots of bonuses come along. Still, I won't put more than $20 into any machine - even my beloved Gold Fish - if I'm not hitting any winning combinations at all, and I will move on to something else...even if it's another Gold Fish machine nearby!

The best non-bonus win I've gotten out of these machines was at Caesars Palace on a solo trip almost two years ago, soon after these machines were introduced in Vegas. Sitting with a nice Scottish couple (she and I got bonus rounds left and right; her husband sat between us and couldn't get a winning combination to save his life), I was actually chatting with them when the winning combination of five Goldies popped up on my screen. I had to stop and snap a photo because the 10,765 credits won looked so neat - even for pennies! High fives all around. I was playing the minimum bet for the maximum number of lines (plus the fish bet, of course), and still hit over $100 on that single spin. It just goes to show you that even penny machines can deliver some very nice wins. In the instance above, I was playing a penny machine with 20 lines + a 10 cent fish bet for 30 cents total - not a bad return!

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Next time you're in Vegas, give Gold Fish a try. More than one person of my acquaintance has come back as a Gold Fish addict based on that recommendation. Just be sure to leave some money there for my next trip, too!

Trip Report from March 2009

I've decided to add another one of my "older" trip reports - this one from March 2009. On this trip I traveled with my cousin and my mom in order to celebrate mom's 60th birthday in her favorite place. This is a kind of long report, so dig in!

Vegas Trip Report – March 25-27, 2009

Well, another trip has come and gone. At least this time I felt like I had time to myself! October’s trip was so crazy I needed another vacation just to recover from that one. This trip was so much more relaxing I was able to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it! Looking forward to leaving on a very early 7:35 a.m. flight, I drove to my cousin’s apartment to meet my mom and cousin for the cab ride to the airport.

This was the first trip in quite awhile where the plane was not completely full or overbooked on the way out, and was only about half full on the way back. I’m used to SWA employees asking if anyone would like to go standby and be guaranteed for the next flight with some cash involved. No begging or pleading needed, and we didn’t have to avoid meeting anyone’s gaze while we waited.

On the approach into Vegas, I was glad to see that we were near Hoover Dam and I could actually get a photo, although my camera was *technically* stowed away, I swear. It’s as close as I’ll probably ever get to Hoover Dam.

Upon arrival, my cousin and I tried to delay my mom a little bit because we knew the limo driver would be there, but we wanted to make sure he was there and waiting. Well, even though we stopped, I pretended to get a pebble out of my shoe, we adjusted carryon bags and purse straps, and thought of all sorts of diversions, my mom was practically running to the baggage claim area! Finally I told her to slow down because I had something for her. She figured it out and thanked me but wanted to know WHY I did it. I told her “You only turn 60 once!” Our limo driver was waiting in baggage claim, and she would’ve missed him because she was headed straight to the taxi area. He was a nice guy, very talkative and funny, and he gave us an ‘old Vegas’ feel because he had a thick New York accent and gave us thoughts of the mob on our journey to Harrah’s.

We checked in but were unable to get into our rooms because it was only 9 a.m. Vegas time. We stored our bags and headed to The Café at Harrah’s for breakfast – we were all starving! We didn’t have breakfast before our early flight out of San Antonio, so we absolutely had to get a little bit of food before we headed out to Encore for a bit of sight-seeing, picture-taking, and gambling. Mom paid for our breakfast with her Total Rewards points since she has a LOT of points, and we let her ‘cause we’re nice that way.

Encore – what can I say? Everyone has been right – it is very, very RED! Beautiful artwork, chandeliers, tapestries…everything. We walked around the property for quite awhile, but I’m sure I missed some things. In fact, I KNOW I did because I remember there were some very specific things in a friend’s photos that I was looking for and never found. I did feel that the casino floor was very small because of all the curtains, but I didn’t get that feeling when I was sitting near the atrium or one of the large windows. With all its beauty, I think I still like Wynn better. I don’t know why, though. I can’t explain it.

I took some photos outside of the Sinatra restaurant, but the dining area was well roped off and I didn’t try to venture in and take any more photos than I already had (even though a roped off area doesn’t usually keep me from taking photos if I really want to). I also managed to have a couple of good spins on a penny Wolf Run machine, so I was happy with that. A little Asian lady next to me was not happy with my wilds, though, because she kept gesturing to my machine and telling her companions something that sounded very angry to me. I finally got annoyed with her leaning over my shoulder, so I gathered up my mom and my cousin, and we headed for Wynn.

At Wynn, I continued my long-standing tradition of losing, losing, losing in that casino. I love the place – love the buffet, love the atmosphere, love their variety of machines. But I can’t win a dime. Or a nickel. Or a penny. I don’t know what that casino has against me, but it doesn’t want me to take anything from it. As long as I get to visit my money every so often I guess it’s okay.

From there we walked to Palazzo. For some reason, this casino’s layout gets me turned around. I can’t find the same place twice. I did find a very nice Hot Hot Penny China Moon machine that let me play on the same $20 for almost 3 hours, so at least I wasn’t just feeding money into the machines all day long. As we were leaving Palazzo to walk to the Venetian, we managed to catch the performers in front of the Palazzo fountain by the escalators. Interesting to watch for a little while, but I wouldn’t stand around waiting for them. I liked their “fountain fingers” – whatever they had on their hands to make it appear that water was spouting out of their fingertips was interesting. (There's a photo of these ladies on my blog page.) Now I can say I saw it and check it off of my list of things to see in Vegas.

In Venetian, we checked the time and saw that it was already 4 p.m., so we decided to head over to Grand Luxe Café for a snack. We shared two appetizers – a plate of fried calamari, rock shrimp, and vegetables in a tempura batter, and another appetizer called Cheese Steak Spring Rolls. Those spring rolls were awesome! They came with a spicy cheese sauce and a more traditional lumpia (spring roll) sauce. The other plate had some kind of lemon tartar sauce and a chipotle sauce for dipping. I think we dipped all the appetizers into all the different sauces just to try them out. No bad combinations there at all. Those two appetizers were big enough for regular meals, and the total for both of them and our three teas was $24. My cousin paid for that because she said she owed me for the limo. Fine by me!

Back at Harrah’s, my cousin ended up with one of the remodeled Premium rooms in the Mardi Gras tower (room 408) that have the flat screen TVs, but I opted for a non-smoking Deluxe room on a higher floor in the same tower (room 1848) so that I could have a Strip view – finally! I saw their room and felt the bathroom was too crowded with the TV mounted on the wall, so I’m glad I got my room with a view. I’ve been going to Vegas for 12 years, and this was the first time I’ve had any kind of Strip view at all. I had visions of sleeping with the curtains open so I could see the lights from The Mirage, Rio, and Caesars Palace. Oh, I was a happy girl, indeed.

After a few room photos, we met downstairs and decided to head over to Imperial Palace (IP) to play for a little while before we settled in for some serious gambling at Harrah’s. We walked around to see what new machines were available, and found IP to be very crowded for a Wednesday night. The craps tables were all full to brimming as usual, and the crowds were very noisy but seemed to be having lots of fun. I finally found a new Monopoly Up, Up and Away slot machine near the front and sat down to play – I just love Monopoly machines! On my second spin, I got a nice little line win for $100. Cool!

A very nice, older lady from Canada sat down next to me, and we chatted while we played. However, it seemed to annoy her that I wouldn’t cash out my ticket with more than $100 on it and just insert another bill to play on. I just don’t do that. A lot of people do, but I play down to even numbers ($100, $80, $60, etc.) and may cash out then if I’m staying there for awhile. Still, she was quite funny and we had a great time admiring each other’s bonus rounds – lots of fun bonus rounds on those machines!

At about 10 p.m. we headed back to Harrah’s. It was EXTREMELY crowded! I walked around for quite awhile trying to find an open seat at my favorite Gold Fish or Double Dolphin Super Jackpot Party machines, but there were none open anywhere. Not only that, there were usually people literally lined up behind the other players, waiting for them to get up and move so that they could get on those machines. I walked all over the casino trying to find some new slots with open seats, but there were none available. I finally gave up and went to find my mom. We played DDB VP side by side for a long time, and traded back and forth four of a kinds (4OAKs) that kept us afloat each time we dwindled down to less than 10 credits. A lot of points were added to our HET cards that night!

I almost forgot to mention my favorite new casino drink: Bailey’s and hot chocolate. I had about 6 of them that night, and they were yummy and strong…*hic!* They went down reeeeeeaaaaaalllllll smooth! All in all, I lost about half of my day one bankroll because of earlier losses at Wynn, Palazzo, and Venetian. It was nice to be able to go back to my room and look out my window lovingly at the beautiful Vegas Strip before I hit the hay. You can’t ask for much more than that, can you?

Day 2 was mom’s birthday. I called my mom in her room to wake her and my cousin up - as is my job in Vegas - and I wished her happy birthday from my Strip view room. I got her tacky birthday card ready and headed down to meet them for breakfast at the IP Teahouse (mom’s choice – it’s her birthday, after all) before we headed down the Strip for our second day. It was all her choice of stuff to do for today. My cousin paid for breakfast with her TR points. I’m still not complaining!

Believe it or not, we got "long-hauled" from IP to Luxor! How the hell does that happen? I suspected something was afoot when the cabbie turned LEFT onto the Strip instead of turning RIGHT to go behind IP onto Koval and make a quick trip to Luxor. He didn’t say a word when I asked him what he was doing by taking us this way. He headed down past TI and turned by the Fashion Show Mall – headed for I-15! I asked him why he didn’t take Koval behind IP. He shrugged and said, “This is faster.” Dirty looks and lots of grumbling from us followed while we were stuck in traffic on I-15. Forget stink eye – I was sending some serious ojo his way. The fare was $14.70, and he got $15. That should’ve been a $7-$8 fare out the back of IP, easy.

Since we hadn’t been to Luxor in quite a few years, I had some photos to take. In fact, the last time we were there I still used disposable cameras on my Vegas trips! I left my mom and cousin at the entrance and walked toward to tram for some photos before we finally headed inside to look around and gamble.

I’ve heard that the casino had changed to a more modern feel. I didn’t really feel that at all. Sure, there’s a bar right inside the main part of the casino that looks a little modern-ish, but the place still feels very old Egyptian to me – just like it always has. It didn’t stop me from taking new photos, though.

A photo shoot was underway at one of the craps tables when we got inside. My guess is that they’re getting ready to update their marketing materials soon. There were lots of 20-somethings all dolled up and crowded around, yelling “Go!” over and over again and throwing the dice. This led to lots of cameras flashing in my eyes where I was sitting. I was initially blinded by the flashes and had to find another area to gamble in because it was really annoying. Then I noticed some open Wizard of Oz (WOZ) machines – cool! I played for about 15 minutes before all my money was sucked away. Then I realized that I had been playing 5-cent instead of 1-cent WOZ. That was the only place I made that mistake. It gets expensive!

I did visit the atrium level because I wanted to see if anything had changed up there. I’m just glad King Tut’s Tomb is gone – it was so lame! I did find out that the Titanic Exhibit opened at 10 a.m. each day so I could plan my visit for July. Otherwise, not very exciting up there at all. There was a pretty cool looking bar up there, but I don’t remember the name of it.

My mom and cousin finally decided they’d lost enough money in Luxor and we walked to Excalibur. They headed for the VP machines near the sports book, but there were open Gold Fish machines nearby calling my name! I sat down at one on the end and stayed there for another couple of hours, finally cashing out $100 for my $20 investment. I was very happy because I had a few visits from Goldie the Goldfish herself – 10 spins, 15 spins, and even 20 spins. I was just glad to know she decided to pay me a visit on this trip, since she has been avoiding me for awhile.

After Excalibur, it was over to NY/NY. I wanted to show my mom the scary Hitchcock slots, since she was in another area when my aunt Mina and I were playing them in October. She got to experience the random surprise of Alfred popping up in the corner for herself – at least it’s not just me! I also found a Hot Hot Super Jackpot Chariots slot that lasted for awhile, but nothing was hitting bonus rounds for me. Disappointing.

I’m glad that they appear to finally be done with all the remodeling in the NY/NY casino. When were there last, the restaurant area in the back was still like the streets of New York with cobblestone walkways, and the casino was partially modern with a lot of temporary walls up everywhere. I still like the old look better personally, but it’s a vast improvement for them to be finished and have the casino looking like it’s all one place and not a hodge-podge of different looks.

Next on our list was a stop at MGM. For some reason, they’ve taken out a lot of their penny machines near the lions. We didn’t find anything that we wanted to play for any length of time, and my cousin was getting perturbed by the lack of VP hits above 3OAK. There was not a seat to be found at Sigma Derby – again – so it’s still on my list for the next trip. The decision was made to walk to Planet Hollywood from there.

I don’t know about the wisdom of this decision because of the WIND! Had it been just another beautiful, sunny spring day in Vegas, it would’ve been great. The sidewalks were very crowded with people, but throw in some swirling dirt and dust from all the construction in the area and it made for a rather unpleasant walk. I did finally get to walk past the Hawaiian Marketplace and other areas I’d previously only heard about, though, and I think I’ll be paying another visit to the area in July, as my companions didn’t want to stop in the wind and dirt. Not that I blame them.

Neither my mom nor my cousin had been in PH since it opened, so I took them on a little tour of the casino floor before they settled in to gamble. My cousin spotted the Big Six wheel and remembered that she still hadn’t made a bet for her sister. Her sister's luck continues on each trip with a $2 bet on 40, and it doesn't matter if she plays it herself or if someone plays it for her. She won for herself at Bellagio during our October trip, and my cousin hit the $2 on 40 bet for her AGAIN! She is one lucky chickie when it comes to the Big Six wheel and her $2 on 40 bet.

We headed over to the area near The Earl of Sandwich deli because my cousin saw some VP machines she wanted to play. I found a machine I hadn’t seen before: Lucky Meerkats, which is a version of Lucky Lemmings. What a hoot! In the bonus round, one of the meerkats does an MC Hammer “Can’t Touch This” dance to award points. I’m obviously easily entertained, because even though I eventually lost my $20, I was laughing my butt off at all the silliness.

Finally we decided we were getting a little hungry, so we headed over to Paris. Once there, we decided to wait just a little while longer to get the dinner menu at Mon Ami Gabi (MAG). I followed another LV4E friend’s advice and had a seat at the Gold Fish machines near the cabaret bandstand. Goldie decided to visit me again and again, and I was happy to see her. We had a nice little visit, and the cocktail waitress was quick and deadly with her delivery. I think I had about 5 (small) Kahlua and cream glasses before my mom decided she was starving, and we had only been there for less than an hour!

When we walked up to MAG, we saw they were now offering breakfast starting at 7 a.m. each day. Breakfast at MAG?!?!? I think I’m in heaven! Oh, it looks like July will be a wonderful time to stay at Paris!

The hostess offered to seat us on the patio, but we opted for a window seat just inside, as the winds were still blowing furiously and you could see the spray from the Bellagio fountains all over the place on the Paris side of the street. I was actually surprised that the fountains were not turned off, but they stayed on the entire time we were there.

For dinner, we decided we would get three different entrees and share them, and then share desserts. The reason for this was because we always wish we’d tried something else no matter what we get, and this way we’d all be able to try several things and still be happy. This turned out to be a good decision – we weren’t stuffed, but we enjoyed a really good meal. We ordered Steak Classique, Steak Bernaise, and Gabi’s Fish and Frites. We cut them into thirds and exchanged pieces. Mom and my cousin both ordered a glass of the house red wine, and I finally got to try the Frangria that my friend Tania had mentioned before. I will be trying it again – it was good but strong. I’m such a lightweight!

The desserts were delicious, too – mom’s favorite flourless chocolate cake was the first choice, and the sorbet of the day was actually two: banana and pineapple. They were both fan-freakin’-tastic! I’ve never met a sorbet at MAG that I didn’t like, and these were delicious. I discovered that if you mixed the banana sorbet with a bit of the flourless chocolate cake it tasted a lot like those frozen chocolate covered bananas that used to be so popular when I was a kid. Also, if you mixed the banana and pineapple sorbets together, it tasted like a pina colada. We were very happy with our choices and think we’ll do that again so we can sample more stuff and not be OVERstuffed. My cousin paid for dinner, as well, as this was her birthday present for my mom. The total for all three of us was $112. Not bad at all.

From there we decided to head into Bally’s, which was extremely crowded – the slots, the tables, the sports book were all very busy – and mom decided we should just catch the monorail back to Harrah’s. She’d already worn out her hip on the walk from MGM to PH earlier, so I didn’t push it and we took the easy way back.

Back at Harrah’s, it was already time for me to print the boarding passes for the next day. Got A24, A29, and A31 – the lowest numbers we’ve had in a LONG time. We headed up to the rooms to put them away and freshen up for the evening.

Downstairs again, I finally found an open Village People Party machine that I had been eyeing the day before. Again I was hitting enough bonuses to keep me from going down to $0. After I had been at the machine for about an hour, a girl sat down at the machine next to me and was extremely excited each time she hit a bonus round on whatever it was. She kept yelling “Fireballs! Fireballs!” every time she’d get the bonus rounds, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I found her to be very entertaining – as did others in the area - and she finally cashed out and left. I cashed out a little while later and went to find my mom. We played side by side VP for awhile again, drinking Bailey’s and hot chocolate - mom loves them, too! - and the 4OAKs kept me alive yet again tonight. The next time I looked at my watch it was 1:30 a.m., and I was just dead on my feet. I said good night and headed for bed, down a little less than half of my daily bankroll.

For our final day we had breakfast at Harrah’s café yet again. We had originally planned to eat at the Mirage buffet for breakfast, but we had eaten dinner so early the day before that we just couldn’t wait to eat – what pigs we are! I tried their Southern Eggs Benedict: two biscuits with sausage and eggs on top, covered with good ol’ cream gravy. Heart attack on a plate! I couldn’t finish even half of it, but it was good and filling. My mom paid for breakfast with her TR points – again – and again I wasn’t put out by either of them spending a small portion of their vast amount of TR points on my food. We checked out of our rooms and took our bags to the bell desk since we wouldn’t be leaving until 7:40 that night and were planning on being gone for awhile.

We walked to Caesars on a beautiful, sunny Friday morning. If every day in Vegas were like that, it would truly be heavenly. I FINALLY got to play my Dancing Dolphins Super Jackpot Party machines! I saw less of them on this trip, and when I did they were usually taken. I picked the wrong dang shell almost every time I got the free spins, and I never got a chance at the Super Jackpot Party bonus. It was depressing.

I also went back to visit my favorite Gold Fish machine that paid my lovely five Goldie win last March, but it wasn’t showing me any love, either. Finally I gave up and went and found my mom and cousin to tell them I was heading to Bellagio to take some photos in the conservatory, as they were planning on skipping it this trip. We agreed to meet at Flamingo at 2 p.m.

As usual, the Bellagio conservatory smelled absolutely wonderful. The spring display includes the butterfly house, as well as different styles of gardens from around the world, including an Italian garden with a funky head statue, a traditional English garden, and a Japanese Zen garden. I could spend all day in there, truly.

I walked over to Flamingo and found my mom had just hit 75 free spins on one of the new Happy Days machines. She had put in $5 and was up to $160. I left her there and headed for the Quick Hits slots. Up and down, up and down – finally I remembered that I hadn’t gotten the Margaritaville T-shirt my DH requested. Mom and I headed over to get the shirt and pick up my cousin and head back toward Harrah’s.

We stopped by Ghiradelli’s for some chocolates at Hayley’s request (she’d rather have them from Vegas than from San Antonio), and listened to the band WonderBoogie in Carnaval Court for a couple of songs. They are so good! Then it was on to a couple of shops in Harrah’s to look for anything else that caught our fancy before we did our last gambling of the trip.

Once again I was able to find an open seat at a Gold Fish machine and hit quite a few bonus rounds. Goldie was really visiting me on this trip, but unfortunately her bonus rounds consisted of a lot of consolation credits. I still love her, though, and I’ll be back to visit her again in July.

We decided for a quick snack at the café again before we headed to the airport, and I just ordered a bowl of French onion soup. Not too bad. My cousin paid for that with her TR points, so I officially didn’t spend any money on food for the entire trip!

At 5:45 we grabbed our bags from the bell desk and caught a cab back to the airport. This time the fare made sense - $14 from Harrah’s to the airport is pretty low these days, actually. I gave the nice guy a good tip and headed up to the craziness that is the new C gates.

For the first time in Vegas history (for me, at least), the TSA agents were all very nice and friendly. Usually they are staring straight ahead, or they are very business-like, but they were actually funny and cutting up with some of us crazy customers and each other. It was a nice change.

Our plane was at the gate early, and we left on time. I couldn’t resist taking one last photo out the plane window before takeoff – once again, I swear my camera was *properly* stowed the whole time.

Anyone who’s going to Vegas soon – please say hello to my money. I left about half of it there for you all to take a crack at. Let me know if any of you give it a good home.

Vegas Trips on a Budget - Part 5 of 9: Gambling

Part five in my series of money-saving tips for your Vegas vacation involves gambling. Following are just a few ideas for making your gambling budget go a little farther on your next trip.

Gambling

Budget your gambling money AND stick to your budget - Set a limit before you begin gambling - like $200 per day or $40 per session, for example - and stick with it no matter what. This will keep you from going to the ATM for more money, or delving into your next day's gambling funds to continue trying to chase wins. When you've used your gambling money, you're done for the day, so find something else to do with your time. There are lots of things to see and do in Vegas, so you'll never be bored...even when you have no gambling money left. See my post: "A few of my favorite 'free' things to see and do" from June if you need a few ideas to get you started.

Use envelopes to divide your daily gambling funds - Before you leave for Vegas, put each days' gambling funds in a separate envelope and label each of them "DAY 1", "DAY 2", etc. I use this technique for each trip to ensure that I do NOT go beyond my daily budget and spend more than I'm willing to part with. In addition, you should keep non-gambling monies separate from your gambling funds so that you don't spend all your money gambling and have nothing left for food, entertainment, and transportation.

Take your winnings home - Something else I do: If I win of $100 or more on any machine in a slot machine bonus round or while playing VP, that money goes back home with me. Yes, seriously. I put it into a separate envelope so that I'm not tempted to put it back into a machine or spend it on something else. This way I always know I'll be going home with a little bit of money if I manage to hit a nice payout.

Consider lowering your bets or denomination - If you feel you go through money too quickly when you're gambling, think about taking your bets down a notch or two. Playing blackjack? Go down to $5 per hand, or head to smaller casinos like O'Shea's or Casino Royale to find $2-$3 blackjack games. Playing video poker or slot machines? Stop playing $1 or 50-cent games and play 25-cent, 5-cent, 2-cent, or even penny games. Most of the machines are now multi-denominational, and you can change the denomination of your game without changing seats in many cases. Also be sure to check the machine's denomination before you start playing so you don't risk more than you're willing to on a single bet.

Play max lines, but not max bet - When playing slot machines, especially the video reel slots with bonus games attached, be sure you always play the maximum number of lines for the game to get the most out of the winning combinations. You don't have to play the maximum bet, though; many of the video reel slot machines with bonus rounds will not engage the bonus rounds without the maximum number of lines played, but will still pay out winning combinations with even one coin bet per line. So, you could play for very little cash while still taking advantage of the bonus features.

Play downtown or off-Strip for better payback on video poker (VP) or blackjack games - The Strip is dominated by lesser pay tables because of the large corporations that own them, such as Harrah's Entertainment, MGM-Mirage, Wynn, and the like. The corporations know many people visiting Vegas may not want to venture too far away to find better gambling options because they're unfamiliar with the city or don't have transportation, so they're willing to play lesser games than go looking for the better deals. Gambling at local's casinos (for example, the Station casinos, Sam's Town, and downtown casinos) will give you better pay tables to choose from because they are geared towards keeping their local customers happy and offer the good payouts to keep their guests coming back again and again.

Learn to play live poker, but avoid no-limit games - The popularity of poker is higher than ever before, and low-limit games can be found in casinos all over the Las Vegas area. You can play for long periods of time with a small investment, and you can earn comps for free buffets or lunches more quickly than playing slots or video poker. In addition to being a Vegas bus guru, my friend Dewey is also a big poker player, so you may find some great tips in his blogs, as well: http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/ and http://www.pokerbluegill.blogspot.com/.

Set your loss limit and stick with it - Don't go with the "one more $20 bill" mentality. If you decide to only gamble $40 in a certain casino, that's what you need to do. After that it's time to move on to something else.

There are so many gambling options in Las Vegas these days that you can certainly find something that will fit your budget and still allow you to have a great time. Walk around the casino before you start gambling to make sure you've found a game that you feel comfortable playing at a denomination you can afford. After that, it's all up to Lady Luck.

Tomorrow's tips: Entertainment

Trip Report - July 11-14, 2009

This trip report was previously posted on Las Vegas4Ever, but I decided to repost it here in it's entirety for your reading pleasure. Individual sections have been taken out for my hotel, restaurant, and show reviews, so a lot of this information is duplicated in other posts. If you choose to read on, I hope you enjoy it because it is a LONG report!

This trip was definitely my favorite one so far! People who know me know that I’m a planner and list maker by nature, but I definitely needed to have a plan for this trip because of the meets and shows.

Believe it or not, I actually slept pretty well the night before I left. That is unusual for me, but I think my body knew how long I’d be up and that I’d need the energy to get from place to place and enjoy everything that day. I was up at 6:00 a.m. Texas time and went to bed about 3:00 a.m. Vegas time (5:00 a.m. Texas time). It was a long – but very enjoyable – first day.

Saturday, July 11th

I picked up my mom and cousin at my cousin’s apartment at 9:15. I decided to drive and park in long-term parking this time because I usually get stuck with a $45 cab fare on the trip back to my house, and it’s not my favorite thing to spend money on. It worked out great and I’ll be doing it again.

I had crammed my bag of Mega Meet beads and the bracelets for Blonde and Tania into my carryon bag and almost didn’t have room for my purse. The TSA agent gave the bag a couple of looks before it was finally passed through, probably trying to figure out what the heck I was trying to smuggle!

Our plane was supposed to land at 12:20, but we made up time somewhere in the air and landed at 11:48. I parted ways from my traveling party at the airport. They had checked their luggage for their week-long stay at Harrah’s, and I only had carryon items and was headed for Paris for three nights with a double booking at Bellagio on the third night. No line for the taxis, either. I had a quick cab ride that cost $14.90 + tip, but I don’t think the driver said a word or moved his head during the entire trip. Oh, well. Lots more talking later!

Check in was super-quick! I walked right up and handed the lady my reservation sheet. She confirmed three nights comped in a non-smoking room with a king bed. I asked if there was anything immediately available, since I didn’t know how late I’d be returning to the room (I didn’t think it would be 3:00 a.m.!), and she said she could put me in a room on the 5th floor if it was okay with me. Absolutely! She handed me keys to room 501, thanked me for staying at Paris and gave me directions to my room, and I was in it by 12:20. Thirty-two minutes from touchdown to room video!

I’m used to IP and Harrah’s, and I really liked my room at Paris. It wasn’t an upgraded room, but I had a great view of the pool and the Eiffel Tower (no bushes, Jack!) in a classic blue room. Peath, thanks for trying, but I think I checked in too early for whatever upgrade they might’ve had for me. I took photos and a video, and put away my things so that I could head down to Harrah’s to meet my mom and cousin for lunch at the Café.

It was hot out on the Strip, but it didn’t feel as hot as the weather I left behind in Texas. I got myself down to Harrah’s and enjoyed a yummy lunch of a club sandwich, fries, and iced tea while they had breakfast. Harrah’s was crowded all over, but not so bad that you couldn’t walk around, and I decided to sit with them for a little VP before I went over to The Mirage to pick up my ticket for LOVE on Sunday night. I fed $40 into two machines playing DDB VP in short order, with nothing at all to show for it. Bah! I decided to head over for my ticket then instead of spending more money so quickly.



As soon as I walked up to The Mirage, I saw they had changed it even more since March: there is now some sort of bar right outside the main door across from Harrah’s on the right, and there are no more gift shops just inside the door. The gift shops have been replaced with three or four little food and drink spots, including one that appears to be under Britney Spears’ ownership (scary).

There was no line at all at the LOVE Box Office, and I got my real show ticket and two 2-4-1 drink coupons for Revolution Lounge (which I gave to Tania and V at the meet). I walked around to see what new machines were there and found the JAWS machines that were mentioned here, so I tried $20 in one. As I always do with new slot machines, I started with all lines at the minimum bet until I could see what was going on with the bonuses, etc. I hit 10 credits once for that $20, so I gave up. Not hitting anything at all turned me off of those machines immediately. There are other things to spend my money on! I walked around checking out new slots and watching other people play a few things here and there. The Mirage was crowded, too, and it was pretty loud in there.

The pre-Mega Meet time had finally arrived!


I walked into The Piano Bar and identified the usual suspects immediately. It is true what’s been said on some threads already: it’s amazing how you get to “know” people online from their avatars and posts, and how much the real people are exactly like their online selves. That is a good thing, indeed. I had to start out giving hugs all around, and I was so glad to be able to finally meet everyone after talking to them for SO LONG.


Like Blonde said in her report, we attempted to go upstairs at 5:00 p.m., but it was a no go. I think she used her feminine wiles to get them to send the elevator down quickly, because as soon as we headed back to The Piano Bar, I went back to put a note on the elevator and found they’d sent someone down for us! I started back to tell the group we could head up again, and was surprised by Tania and V standing there. More happy hugs and greetings! I feel like I’ve known Tania for years, and she’s crazier in person than she is on the board if that’s possible – and I mean that in a good way!

Tables were rearranged in short order, and a Harrah’s host (Bruce) came up and introduced himself while I was filling out nametags and getting money together for socalgirl (Terri). Peath had contacted her host, who was on vacation, but Bruce brought us the goodies Blonde mentioned and thanked us for coming and said to ask for anything we needed. Thanks, Peath!

.
After that, the meet started in earnest, and there was lots of happy chatter. Blonde gave me and Tania our wonderful gifts and I made sure that everyone got one of the Mega Meet necklaces that I had made. Blonde, thanks again for making me feel so special. Planning this meet was fun, and I loved it.


There were a lot of photos taken – cameras were flashing all over the place! I know BCCanuck (Denis) was taking photos left and right, and Tania was actually taking photos over her shoulder without looking. When I wasn’t taking the photos Mercin wanted, he just took my camera and shot them himself. Oh, he’s a card, that Mercin!

Jack opening the bag with the horse apples in it was hilarious! I didn’t think Blonde would really stick her nose in there, but she did, and I made sure to get a photo of that, too. I do what I can for all of you! I selected Denis’ gift – two Vancouver magnets and a commemorative pin for the 2010 Winter Olympics. I collect pins, so it’s a great addition to my collection. The gift exchange was a great idea that Denis came up with, and I’m glad we had so many great gifts to choose from. Thanks, Denis!

I want to thank Mercin for keeping us on track. He was a great help to Blonde and me both with all the moving of meet stuff from place to place. In between trying to get around to meet everyone, hand out Harrah’s beads and nametags, and actually get to my drink at the other end of the table, he kept “suggesting” things to me. “This is just a suggestion…” he’d start, and we did the gift exchange and photos before too many people got away because he’d remind me of what we should be doing.

I also want to thank Terri for coming up with the wonderful idea of the silver Las Vegas bracelet from Brighton’s and taking the time to get it for Blonde. It was a great idea, and all of us felt it was a wonderful gift for someone who does much for us here on the site.


Eyesofquantum and her new hubby had to leave and get their boys before we got a group photo with them. I’m glad she stopped by and we got to see her wedding photos, but we missed getting any photos of her (unless someone took some that I’m not aware of). Also, I didn’t get to really talk to antiquegambler, ilvegaslover, Denis, SMG, or Paul and “the two Jacks” at all before the meet started breaking up. I’m so sorry I didn’t get to get to talk to you guys! Ilvegaslover, thank you for bringing me my special crane-covered crane – I think it helped me with my Free Play at Bellagio on Monday, but that’s a story for later.

When I left the meet at 8:40 to get to Phantom of the Opera on time, there were only a few people left, and I think our first Mega Meet was a great success. It was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to doing it again…in cooler weather…


Phantom of the Opera was fantastic! I was in row HH, seat 8, which is almost dead-center and far enough back from the stage so that I could see the entire setup and enjoy the chandelier falling. I sat next to a really sweet older gentleman, Ed, and his 14-year-old daughter, Darcy, who were great company before the show. I learned that he is living in Vegas for a very critical daily cancer treatment, and his daughter comes up to visit when she can to see shows and spend time with him. Talking with her, I found she is a lot like Hayley in her likes and dislikes, and she also goes to a private school in Texas. Darcy is Ed’s “late in life” daughter, and you can tell they have a close bond. I’m glad I got to meet them.


I didn’t find the theater too cold, but that may be because I was a little farther back from the stage. There was so much going on for a 95-minute show that I don’t think I had a minute to think about being cold, and it was fantastic. The chandelier is truly the centerpiece of the show – it goes from being in four pieces and suspended above the audience to a wonderful centerpiece for most of the show and a heart-stopping effect as it crashes to just feet above the audience. The role of The Phantom is performed by Anthony Crivello, and he is an amazing singer. Kristi Holden as Christine and Andrew Ragone as Raoul are also fantastic performers, and I would love to bring Hayley back to see the production on a stage that was made for it. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. I paid $60 for my ticket from one of the many online sales I heard about here, and I would’ve paid twice that without feeling any pain.


As I walked out of the theater, I turned on my phone to check for any messages. I wasn’t even entirely out of the theater when I heard Claire yell my name. And all this time I thought I was the loudest person in the world! She and Mary were waiting for me, and we started our long trek towards the Bellagio, where we were meeting Blonde for a little gambling time. As it was about 11:40, the Strip was packed with the young and the beautiful (as well as the strange and the weird) trying to get into the clubs. Crazy! I saw a new fashion statement that I don’t understand: tube socks with sundresses in 107-degree heat? Not just one girl, but several. I’m talking about those crazy white tube socks with colored stripes from the 70’s. Apparently they’re back, and they’re being worn by young girls everywhere with otherwise cute outfits. Yuck!

We finally made it to Bellagio and met up with Blonde. It was definitely hard to find a spot to gamble together, but we tried our best. Claire and Mary only lasted about an hour before they headed back, but I’m really glad they got to stay for a while. Claire, you’re a trooper! I know you were really tired and needed to sleep, but I’m so glad you got to come along. I hope we get to spend more time chatting at another meet.


Blonde introduced me to some of her favorite machines, some of which totally confused me, but we had a lot of fun trying to figure them out. That little shamrock guy she was talking about was too funny to watch, and I think I should’ve just taken Blonde’s money instead of letting her putting it into the machines. Yes, I turned $20 into $175, so I ended the day on a positive note.


I finally called it a day around 1:30, said goodbye to Blonde, and headed back to Paris. When I got there, I looked for Mercin at the blackjack tables, but he has since told me that he spent a bit of time playing poker instead of blackjack, and that’s why I missed him. Too bad I missed you, Mercin – I hope there’s a next time, ya big ol’ sweetie!

I spotted another interesting slot machine that was some sort of Hot Hot Penny variation and played it for almost an hour before I finally dragged myself upstairs. What the heck made me stay down there? I played on the same $20 that whole time, but I should’ve been sleeping.

Sunday, July 12th

At 7 a.m. I woke up to housekeeping knocking on the doors. Granted, I had the privacy hanger on my door and they weren’t knocking on mine, but I’m a light sleeper, and I was done sleeping. I got up and got ready for the day. My mom and cousin apparently had the same idea, because they called me at 8 a.m. to say they were already up and ready if I wanted to go to breakfast early. Why not?

We headed to the Flamingo Brunch Buffet and found no line at 8:30. We got a table by the windows overlooking the habitat and enjoyed a relaxing brunch for $19.99. I really enjoyed the view, the mimosas (I had three), and the French Toast Casserole - that was really, really good stuff. Some of the hot foods weren’t all that hot, but everything was good and they had a wide variety of breakfast and lunch items. I don’t know if I’d go again depending on my dining choices, but I liked it. I could have a complete breakfast of that casserole and the mimosas if you let me. We decided to walk through the habitat before we split up again, and it was still pretty nice out – not too hot yet.


I headed down to Wynn to work my way back up the Strip. I gambled for a bit at Wynn before going to Palazzo, and I ran into Claire and Mary as they were coming into Wynn for breakfast. Sadly, that was the last time I got to see Claire before I left. I’m keeping the hope that we’ll meet again!

On to Palazzo, where it was really, really cold! It didn’t matter where I was at, I was freezing everywhere! I didn’t last very long in there before I just couldn’t stand it anymore, so I headed on to The Venetian. Walking through the shops, I thought I saw ShelbyMustangGuy walking towards Palazzo. I’m pretty sure it was SMG, but he was on the opposite side of the shops from me, and I didn’t want to scare him (or freak him out) if I yelled across to him.

I stopped and watched some of the Venetian street performers and took some great pictures of costumes in a shop window. I’d be afraid to see how much they cost, but they were gorgeous! Once I got into the casino, I was a little more comfortable and I found a Gold Fish machine that let me play for awhile without freezing. I finally decided I couldn’t stay awake anymore and headed back to Paris to take a nap around 2:30. I didn’t get Blonde’s text message until later – what is up with my phone not immediately giving me messages in Vegas?


I got up and got ready to meet my mom, my cousin Diane, and my Vegas cousin Eddie and his wife for dinner at Battista’s. I didn’t realize how close it is to walk through the shops at Paris, through Bally’s, and out the door by the sports book to get to the light directly across from Battista’s – definitely a much cooler walk that trekking down the Strip! We had a nice, leisurely dinner and did lots of catching up. It’s rare that we can get together in Vegas, so there’s a lot to talk about when we can. We were there for over 2 ½ hours, and that’s a lot of talking!

After dinner, I headed down to The Mirage for the 9:30 LOVE performance. I couldn’t believe the number of people who were in line at the box office getting their tickets for the 9:30 show at almost 9:00 p.m.! I was glad I’d gotten mine the day before. I looked for Tania and V when the crowds came out of the theater after the 7:00 show, but I never saw them. It was crazy in there!

For this show, I chose a seat on the front row of section 305 so that I could be higher up in the audience. When I first saw the show two years ago, I had a seat in the 5th row on the floor. I really enjoyed the show from the higher vantage point, but I found myself missing the intimacy of the floor seat. When I go back for a third show (oh, I will be back!), I’d like to sit on the floor again. This is just such a wonderful show, and I enjoy every little bit of it. It’s another show I’d love for Hayley to see. I was going to get her a shirt, but they started at $44! The Phantom shirts were much more reasonable, so I just got a LOVE program, instead. When I was looking at the names of the performers, I found an interesting one from England: Jolly Goodfellow. Seriously! I wonder if it’s his real name…

After the show, I decided to head back to Paris for some gambling. The Strip was packed again – lots of people walking everywhere, and there was a big crowd watching the fountain shows at Bellagio. It doesn’t seem like Vegas is suffering to me.


I got lucky and found a WOZ seat at Paris – I think I sat there for about 3 hours playing up and down on the same $20. After that, I started playing random machines all over the place: Gold Fish, DDB VP, Top Dollar, Blazing 7’s. Then the machines were just sucking up my money, so I decided to call it a night around 2 a.m.

Monday, July 13th

Once again, I woke up at 7:00 a.m., but no housekeepers woke me up this time. Apparently I just can’t sleep in Vegas! I got ready and headed downstairs to play some more WOZ slots before the breakfast meet. MikeZona found me there, and I cashed out so we could head over to MAG where Doris was waiting. I’d already gotten a text from Claire that said she wasn’t feeling well, so we were just waiting for Tania and V. I tried calling Tania, but she didn’t answer and her voicemail wasn’t set up. We waited just a few minutes and decided to head in. I advised the seating hostess of the change of plans and asked for patio seating, and we got a great table right by the railing.



I had the Blueberry French Toast, and it was awesome! I totally forgot to take a picture of it. Doris had the Mushroom Omelet, and Mike had the Strawberry Waffle. We all tried to finish our breakfasts, but the portions were pretty big. I’m looking forward to going again. We sat and chatted for quite a long time, and I was so glad that I finally got a chance to get to know them both a little better. I didn’t get to talk to either of them at the Mega Meet for very long, and we barely got a chance to talk when we first met during my October trip, so it was great to be able to sit and relax with them. They were so sweet and even bought me breakfast – thanks again, Mike and Doris! I had a great time. Mike, I hope you didn’t sunburn your head too badly. The sun was definitely starting to shine over the building by the time we left.

After breakfast I walked down to the Tix4Tonite shop at the Hawaiian Marketplace to get a ticket for the Titanic Exhibit at Luxor. With my $2 off coupon that Westie posted, my ticket cost was $13.75 (original cost was $30 per person) – a great deal! I walked down to Luxor and exchanged my coupon at the box office for a real ticket.

This was something I’ve wanted to see for a long, long time, and I really enjoyed the exhibit. The way everything is laid out – from the boarding and the beautiful scale model of the Grand Staircase, from the ice warnings and the calm, moonless sky to the subsequent disaster – it was well thought out. I was surprised to see a 22-foot piece of the Titanic’s hull on display, and seeing where it was located on a teeny, tiny part of the boat really gives you an idea of how HUGE the ship was. Also, being able to feel how cold the water was and touching an “iceberg” was very humbling. My passenger’s name was Eva Miriam Hart, 7 years old, and both she and her mother survived the sinking while her father perished.


Next I walked to Excalibur and found another Hot Hot Penny machine that was giving bonus rounds like crazy. I checked in at home and found that I’d become an aunt again – my husband’s youngest brother and his wife had their first baby that morning – and had a couple of “free” drinks before moving on to New York/New York and MGM. Not a whole lot of gambling at either place for me. The Hitchcock machines were taken at NY/NY, and MGM never lets me win anything. I decided it was time to start the trek down to Bellagio to check in for my double-booked last night and see if they could get me into a room.

By the way, City Center has a couple of buildings that FINALLY have names on them, but it still looks so incomplete overall. I swear I don’t think it’ll ever be totally finished!

I walked into the Bellagio lobby around 2 p.m., and there was no line at the front desk. I was able to check in immediately and got a king room on the 11th floor (11009), and went up to check it out and cool off a little. Beautiful - gorgeous all around! My room had a pool view, and it was still a great view because I couldn’t see City Center at all. I took photos and a video, but I was reluctant to leave and get my stuff from Paris. I finally managed to pull myself away to go get myself totally moved into this gorgeous room.


I messed up my bed at Paris, packed my bags, took the amenities from the bathroom, and left a tip for the maid. Let me say that carrying my bags across the Strip is not the most entertaining thing I would think of to do on any given day. Luckily the lights were all with me, and I made a quick trip back into the shade of Bellagio just as “Luck Be a Lady” started up on the fountains. Ah, happiness!

After putting my stuff away and freshening up, I headed down to the player’s club to activate my $50 Free Play. I didn’t know I was also receiving a VIP line pass for the buffet and the Café with my offer, but I was happy to have it! Saving that for later…

I sat down at a Hitchcock machine, put my special crane-covered crane on the buttons and plugged in my Free Play. Immediately I started hitting bonus rounds one after the other, and I finally cashed out at $175 after about 2 hours of playing. Awesome job on the Free Play!

My mom and cousin met me near the shops because they always get lost in Bellagio, and we headed for the buffet together. That line pass came in handy immediately, because the line was about 70-80 people long at 6:30 p.m. We walked right up and were seated in a quiet corner with no waiting. Another great thing!

Bellagio’s buffet was just awesome, as usual. The sushi bar, the tons of meat and seafood options, all the yummy sides, salads, and desserts – I could’ve easily gained a ton of weight if I had tried everything I wanted to. I loved their Beef Wellington, the split King Crab legs, the herbed polenta, grilled asparagus, grilled scallops, and shrimp ceviche most of all. For dessert, I kept to the bread pudding and crème brulee because I tried so many other things.


After dinner, I took my mom up to see my room. I think she wanted to stay, because I had a hard time getting her out of there again! I finally convinced her it was time to go gamble, and we tried to find some Gold Fish machines side-by-side. They weren’t paying off very well for us, so we walked over to the Conservatory to check it out. I always love the Conservatory, but once again it seems like they are re-using the same elements over and over again, so it’s nothing new. Still, it smells so good in there I could walk around all day just people-watching.

My mom and cousin went back to Harrah’s a little while later, and I headed back to the same Hitchcock machine I played before. Once again, I put my special crane on the machine and started playing. This time I cashed out $125 for my $20, and I decided to call it a night on my good luck. The combination of my walking back and forth in the heat earlier in the day, being stuffed at the buffet and all the free Bailey’s and hot chocolates was making me very sleepy.


I’d forgotten all about Bellagio’s turn down service, so I was surprised when I opened the door to my room and heard soft jazz music playing. Now THAT’S the way to come into your hotel room! I almost didn’t see my Bellagio chocolates because they put them on a little corner of an end table. I was happy to leave the TV on the jazz channel, put on my fluffy Bellagio robe, and just RELAX in that uber-comfortable bed while updating my trip notes. I could do that every day!

Tuesday, July 14th

My last day in Vegas. I had a great night’s sleep – the best I’ve ever had in Vegas, even though I was still up at 7:30. I decided to head down to the Café for breakfast and use my line pass if I needed to, but I didn’t need it. There was no line at all, and I sat at the counter to enjoy my breakfast. I ordered the Bellagio Classic Omelet: 3 eggs, Maine lobster, diced asparagus and tomatoes with mozzarella cheese. Delicious! With coffee, my total came to $21.62 before tip.


After breakfast, I decided to try the Hitchcock machines one more time to see if I had the same lucky streak on “my machine”. I was doing okay and holding my own, but there were three women who sat down at the other end of the row, and they proved to be annoying pretty fast. I’m guessing they were all related; they looked like a mother and her daughters, and they had the same sort of Southern accent. It didn’t matter what they did on their machines, they weren’t happy with the results. If they didn’t get bonuses, they complained. If they got a bonus, they complained that they weren’t getting more credits or that bonuses were boring. They were freaked out by the surprise Hitchcock in the corner and complained about that, too. I decided I’d enjoyed their company enough and cashed out.

I gathered up my stuff and checked out of my wonderfully comfortable room via the TV. I had a hard time packing all of the amenities into my bag from both Paris and Bellagio, but I managed with NO room to spare! I checked my bags at the bell desk and headed over to do a little tour of Bill’s, Flamingo, IP, and Harrah’s. I was just playing hit-and-run everywhere, nothing special.

At Harrah’s I played a Triple Sevens machine while I waited for VegasSun to show up at 1:30. It turns out she was playing a Happy Days machine nearby, so she was already waiting for me! Hugs again, and she introduced me to her husband – what a cutie! We played Star Trek side by side and failed to hit any bonuses at all. The other two machines were hitting all kinds of bonuses, but we couldn’t do a thing. We had a nice little visit and chatted for over an hour. It was great to finally meet her, because I think we are a lot alike. I’m so glad she was able to make it over, because I know they were both jet lagged from their early morning flight. Hopefully we’ll be able to get together again.


After VegasSun and I parted ways, I walked to Caesars because I was meeting my mom and cousin yet again for a late lunch before I left for home that evening. We had intended to eat at Mesa Grill, but they have a limited menu between 3 and 5:30 p.m., and we couldn’t find anything we liked on that menu. We decided to walk through part of the Forum Shops and see if anything else caught our eye. The Palm – nope. Spago – nope.

Finally we came upon Trevi right by the main fountain, and we decided to stop in after looking at their menu. We ordered appetizers and desserts, and it was all very good. We had Antipasti, Fritto Mitto (tempura-coated calamari, shrimp, and vegetables), and Polenta Fries with Marinara for appetizers, and a selection of three sorbettis and three gelattis for dessert. We chose lemon, watermelon and strawberry sorbettis, and pistachio, chocolate chip and tiramisu gelattis for our tasting. The tiramisu and lemon were the best. In the end, we were mixing flavors together to get new combinations, and the other flavors were better that way. With three iced teas, the total came to $64.32 before the tip. I would definitely love to eat there again.


After lunch, we parted ways for the final time, and I hit the Hot Hot Penny and Gold Fish machines for a while. I did much better on the Hot Hot Penny machine, but finally had to tear myself away to head back to gather my bags at Bellagio.

Cab fare back to the airport was exactly the same as the trip to Paris: $14.90 + tip. What are the chances of that? I reprinted my boarding pass (Hayley checked me in from home the night before) and I was through security quickly. My plane was on time departing, and I landed in San Antonio at 12:35 a.m. Off to get my car, pay my parking fee, and head home. I got home at 1 a.m. and my hubby and Hayley were surprisingly still up and waiting.

In the end, I came out ahead by over $200, so it was a winning trip for me. In addition to the money, I enjoyed two great new hotels, two fantastic shows, met some wonderful people, and I’m looking forward to doing it again sometime. What could be better than all that?