Breakfast Buffet Review: Cravings at The Mirage

The Cravings Buffet was not very good this time.  I’d had breakfast at the buffet a couple of years ago – right after they remodeled it, I think – and it had been really good then.  We found the food to be very hit-or-miss this time, and we arrived around 9:00 a.m., when all the food should be fresh.  

Some of the hot foods weren’t heated well enough, and the Eggs Benedict had been sitting out for a LONG time because I couldn’t even cut a corner off of the English muffin.  After two attempts, I gave up trying.  Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast food in Vegas, and I was disappointed to say the least.

There was no line, and we were seated at a 4-top (square) table near the middle of the room, where we were equi-distance from any part of the buffet, which is only open on the sides during breakfast.

Here's a listing of the foods we tried, and our opinions:

Chilaquiles - Yum!  This Texas girl liked them and had them twice.

French toast - Good and thick, with deep holes for syrup.

Ham and cheese quizza (quiche pizza, in case you’re wondering) - Good, but it could've been hotter.  It was only lukewarm, which led to me not finishing my slice.

Scrambled eggs - I found them delicious, but I also like mine slightly underdone (but not runny), and these were.  

Sausage links - Our hands-down favorite food on the buffet.  Slightly spicy, and easy to cut with a fork.  We had several helpings  apiece.  Don't judge.

Eggs Benedict - Too hard to even cut.  The egg was  hard, too, so they'd been out for awhile.  I don't even want to think about it...but it's pictured above, in the bottom right-hand corner of my first buffet plate, if you're interested.  It obviously looked better than it really was.

Bacon - Too "bendy", and not at all crisp.  We are a crispy bacon family, and it should break when it hits the plate (in our opinions).

Pancakes - A little on the tough side, according to my cousin (she was only one who tried them).  Pancakes shouldn't be tough.  Ever.  They should be fluffy, even on a buffet.

Watermelon - Good and sweet, and served cold, as it should be.

Croissant bread pudding - It was sweet and filled with raisins.  No sauce needed to top this bread pudding.  My cousin didn't find it sweet enough, but she also likes chocolate donuts (bleh!), so use that as your guide.

Fresh pineapple - Very sweet and fresh, but they sliced it too close to the core, so we had to cut the pieces up to avoid the hard center.

Carpaccio - Cold and fresh, like it should be.  You could tell it'd just been put out, and I'm glad they didn't leave large portions out to harden.  I hate that.

Cheese Blintz - My mom said these had no taste (she was the only one who saw them, I think).  They originally put them in the space that was marked for Apple Turnovers, but there were no turnovers and these were clearly blintzes.

In addition to these items, there was a crepe station, breakfast pizzas, tons of muffins and donuts, biscuits and gravy, smoked salmon, bagels and lox, corned beef hash, hash browns and some assorted breakfast casseroles that none of us apparently found appealing enough to try.   In their defense, I don't usually eat Mexican food outside of Texas (except for the chilaquiles - they looked too good to pass up), so I didn't even bother trying any of the casseroles with Mexican names because I can find really good Mexican food in Texas.  Who knows?  They might have been really good.

Our waitress was not the best.  We had to get a hostess to hunt her down and get a coffee refill, and she forgot my juice twice before I was finally able to successfully reminded her again.  At least the bussers were quick to clean off dirty plates and replace silverware, and they were everywhere, all the time.  


I have a serious question about the Cravings buffet:  What’s with the giant, unwieldy tongs for every dish on this buffet?  The basic, 10-pound hinged salad tongs - where one side is a spoon and the other side is a fork - do NOT work for every dish, yet they were the only things available.  I felt like I was playing one of those crazy crane games where you attempt, in vain, to pick up a stuffed animal in a giant claw when I was trying to grab a sausage link, and I stabbed my French toast and couldn’t get it released from the fork end when I finally got it maneuvered just right to even pick a piece up.   Really?  You don’t just have regular tongs anywhere in your kitchen?  Invest in some basic tongs and let your customers enjoy their food while it's still hot instead of making everyone wait it out in a game of chance.  


This was the only meal I paid for on the trip: $44 + tax for three   buffets ($15.99 per person).  We only left the waitress a tip because she finally got her head unstuck from her nether regions and paid some attention to us.  We were seriously considering stiffing her the tip if she didn't get a clue.


Overall, I'd rate this buffet as a 6.  If the Eggs Benedict had been fresh and the service a little better, I might even say a 6.5, but we were disappointed by the meal and service as a whole.  With just a few bright spots in the whole experience, it's not likely we will return again.  Harrah's offers a much better breakfast buffet across the street for $2 more, and that one is definitely worth the price.


If you are interested in checking out the Cravings buffet for lunch or dinner, here is the website with their hours of operation and a phone number: http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/cravings.aspx.  They do have special menus for occasions such as Easter, Mother's Day and Christmas, so be sure to check out the website before you go if you're looking for something in particular. 

Restaurant Review: Holsteins at The Cosmopolitan

This was our first visit to The Cosmopolitan, and my mom and I had previously viewed the menu online before we left San Antonio to see what/where we would eat in this beautiful new hotel/casino.  We were looking for something that was more casual and not too expensive, because we knew we'd be doing a lot of eating at different places and we wouldn't be able to use our Player's Club points from CET (Caesars Entertainment, formerly HET, or Harrah's Entertainment), which we tend to do more often than not.

We decided to have dinner at Holstein’s on the 2^nd floor; or, as my mom refers to it, “The Pink Cow”.  This was by far my favorite meal of the trip!  My friends Claire and Terri warned that it might be too loud in the restaurant because they sometimes have a DJ playing inside, but we were seated in an area that was fairly quiet and afforded great views for people-watching both inside and outside the restaurant.  

The restaurant itself is open on three sides, with modern art and a large, pink cow decorating the entryway.  The booths and tables are large and comfortable, giving you lots of room to spread out and relax if you so choose.

I wish I’d gotten the name of our waiter, because he was very good, and a cutie to boot.  He made recommendations on wines, asked about the types of food we liked to help us make our decisions, joked with us and flirted with a cute little girl at the table across from us.  He was always walking by and checking on us, and we really enjoyed the attention.  Who wouldn't?

A complimentary appetizer of Truffle Oil Popcorn, served in a tin bucket, was presented while we made our decisions.  It was very good, and quite addicting.  I liked this as an appetizer because it was not heavy or overly filling, and it was just enough for the three of us to enjoy.

My cousin and I ended up getting two orders of the absolutely mouth-watering Lobster Rolls, which were served on two snack-sized, toasted rolls, brimming with a lobster mixture that features a delicious chive aioli dressing.  The two rolls were about the size of a sandwich when placed side-by-side, so they are not overly small OR large, and were just right for this meal.  I selected some very creamy, slightly tart coleslaw as my side "dish", and my cousin opted for French fries.  The serving of fries were more than ample, but the coleslaw was served in a very small cup, and I wished for more of it.  If I'd known how small it was I might have ordered an extra serving!  Still, it was a delicious meal, and it was listed in the 'Small Buns' section of the menu.

My mom decided on an order of the extremely cheesy Philly Cheese Steak Rolls off of the ‘Snacks’ section of the menu.  She also decided to get French fries with her meal, and she had a large serving to match my cousin's.  The cheese was oozing out of the rolls, and it was quite hot.  She enjoyed the rolls immensely.  I had a few of the French fries from both sides, and they were nice and crunchy on the outside.

My mom and my cousin each had a glass of Seven Deadly Zins (wine) with their meal, but I opted for water because I'd already had two glasses of wine at a  meet a little earlier.  We were quite happy with the whole experience, and I look forward to going again and trying something new.  My cousin picked up the tab, but I did ask what the damage was: $99+tip was not bad at all.  

I was unable to get any photos of our dishes because my camera died as I was getting ready to take photos of the food.  I had inadvertently left my camera on while I was texting my daughter about the cute waiter, and it refused to come back on again.  Sorry, guys.  You can look up photos of the foods offered at yelp.com, along with over 140 reviews of the restaurant to date: http://www.yelp.com/biz/holsteins-shakes-and-buns-las-vegas

All in all, it was a great experience; very relaxing, affordable, and entertaining.  I give the restaurant, the food, and our experience there a 8.5.  Delicious!

Holsteins is open Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m. - 12 a.m., and Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.  Visit their website at http://www.holsteinslv.com/ to check out their menu, or call 702.698.7940 for reservations.  Reservations are recommended for large parties, but we did not have one and were able to walk up and be seated immediately.

My Trip Report for March 29-April 1, 2011

I previously posted this trip report on the LV4E message board, but I am adding it here for my non-Vegas board member friends to read and enjoy.  I will also be posting more detailed restaurant reviews separately to include my ratings, some photos, and additional restaurant details for those who are interested.  


It's been pointed out by several of my friends that this trip report seems a little more...sarcastic...than usual, and I think they're right.  Read on - it's a long one!

Two Old Ladies in Tow

March 29-April 1, 2011

“Hello, my name is Deann and I am a Lord of The Rings addict.”

I thought I’d just get that out there right from the start.  It’s officially an addiction now, no doubt about it.  Oh, I flirted with those machines in October, but that was merely a little fling and nothing too serious.  THIS, on the other hand, was like trying to hold back my withdrawal symptoms between each session.  I was DREAMING about those dang things, seriously!

Okay, on to the report.  I write mine chronologically and I am very wordy, so…just deal with it.  It’s how I roll.

Day 1 – Tuesday, March 29^th

On this trip I was traveling with my mom and my cousin (hereafter referred to as "the old ladies").  Luckily we had Early Boarding assignments with Southwest Airlines (SWA), because I got sidetracked by housework and packing, and I totally forgot to print them until 4 hours after the 24 hour period began.  Even so, I got A18, and the old ladies got A22 and A23, respectively, so it’s all good.  I continue to be ever so grateful for Early Boarding; it is worth every penny of the $20 total roundtrip fee, and I always tell the SWA flight attendants that when I get on the plane.  Not that they care, but I share, anyway.

I use airport parking because it costs too much to take a cab from my house and my mom and my cousin paid for every cab fare of the trip because I was driving and they were happy they didn’t have to take a cab to get to and from the airport.  It was a pretty good trade-off, because we ended up taking several cabs for achy old lady feet, hips and knees (none of those were mine, by the way).  Because of the trade-off, I have no idea what any of the cab fares were, since I didn’t watch the meter and I had the luxury of getting out of the cab and going on my merry way while someone else dealt with the drivers.

We had some great flight attendants once again.  I love the flight attendants that joke and banter; it makes the trip go all the more quickly.  I’ve heard similar shtick before, but I still find it amusing: “People on the left side of the plane, if you look out your window you’ll see the Hoover Dam.  People on the right, if you look to your left you’ll see the backs of the heads of the people with the good seats.  Next time, get here earlier and you can have a good seat, too.”  It went on and on, and it made us laugh.  Oh, yeah – I was on the left side.

For whatever reason, we came in at the B gates instead of the C gates at McCarran Airport, and I was totally turned around.  I’ve only flown into and out of Vegas from the C gates before, and I can find my way blindfolded from there.  I was surprised there were no trams and no moving walkways at the B gates, and after about a mile of trekking I was STILL wondering where the main part of the airport was.  The old ladies’ various joints were already a-poppin’, and I had to slow waaaaaayyyyyy down in order for them to keep up with me even slightly.  I was never so grateful to see and hear the familiar baggage claim area; I thought we were walking to California.

Three nights comped at Harrah’s is always an easy decision, so I booked as soon as my friend Bonnie and I started discussing a possible board meet-up around our friend Jack’s (possibly last) visit.  That’s as good a way as any to start a meet-up discussion, right?  Anyway, Carnaval Tower non-smoking room 2216 facing the mountains was fine with me because I’m hardly ever in my room, and my eyes are usually closed when I'm in there.  It was clean and everything worked, so I was happy.  The showers could use more water pressure, though.  The old ladies had a room on the 20^th floor in the smoking wing, but I don’t remember what it was.  There was no line and it took less than 5 minutes for the three of us to check in before we were on our way to our rooms to unpack and on to a late breakfast.

I thought it was going to be a sign of things to come when I saw a lady walking a daschund towards the casino, but that was one of only two dogs I saw in the hotel during the entire trip.  I actually forgot they were there until I saw a golden retriever before breakfast on the last day, so they weren’t very obvious, numerous or obtrusive.  I still wouldn’t take my dogs to Vegas, though.  (For those who don't know it, the properties owned by Harrah's - now by Caesars - are currently allowing dogs to stay in their 'pet friendly' rooms.  It's been the topic of much discussion on LV4E.)

We were starving, so we had breakfast at Harrah’s Café instead of venturing out to find something more original because it was the most convenient thing.  (I'd made mom promise they would try new restaurants on this trip, but it was easier than trying to get them to decide what to do at that moment).  The café was a decidedly bad choice for this meal.  It wasn’t crowded at all, but our waitress didn’t get to us for about 10 minutes and then disappeared after our order was taken.  After we finally got our food, our over-easy eggs were actually over-hard, the bacon was limp, and the toast was hard, too.  Instead of complaining about it (who knows how long that would’ve taken and what good it would’ve done?), we ate the parts we could and loaded up on coffee and juice, instead.  That was absolutely the worst meal I’ve ever had at the Café, and the food is usually pretty decent if not pretty good for basic café food.

I got a new Total Rewards card first thing because I saw the “Year of the Rabbit” cards advertised on the Caesars Entertainment (CET) site, and I thought it was a lucky sign that I got the VERY LAST ONE.  Well, we’ll see…

I left the old ladies to recover their aching joints and meet me later, and I headed to Paris for the 4 p.m. meet.  I spotted the most fascinating-looking transvestite ever near Bally’s and was tempted to follow she-it but I would’ve been late for the meet.  She-it was pretty, until you looked at her GIANT Adam’s apple and size 14 feet.  She had on a cute mini-dress, though.  I was distracted long enough by a Bellagio fountain show just starting at 3:30 – “Con Te Partiro” will always stop me in Vegas – so I didn’t get to see where she-it was going.

After doing a little walk around Paris to see what was new and/or changed, I headed for Napoleon’s, where I found Bonnie, Norm and a couple of others already waiting for the doors to open at 4 p.m.  We waited and waited, Bonnie peered in, knocked on the glass, called our “contact person”, all to no avail.  We were seriously considering changing locations when we were finally let in.  (For the record, it says 4 p.m. on the sign outside and on the website.  It should say 4:30 p.m.)  After that, though, it was all good service.

I loved having “Napoleon’s Retreat” (the ‘cigar bar’ part of Napoleon’s Lounge with fully-closing doors and no smell at all) all to ourselves, and the 2 free drinks per person was a nice surprise.  I don’t know how the private room happened, though. (Did someone complain? Or did they open it up as a courtesy?)  Thanks again to Lynn for all she did to make our meet a pleasant one, even though she didn't attend the meet and wasn't even in Vegas at the time.  I just wish she’d been along to enjoy it herself.

We had fifteen people show up at the meet, which is a great turnout, and it was nice to have the private, quiet room to socialize, get up, move around and make ourselves comfortable in, just like Bonnie likes to do at all of the LV4E meets.  The meet lasted right at two hours, and we all started peeling off to go our separate ways.  The old ladies arrived to meet me about 5 minutes later, and we slowly walked over to The Cosmopolitan to look around and have our own dinner at Holstein’s.

The Cosmopolitan is so pretty!  Compared to dark Aria, it is so refreshing, bright and…sparkly!  It will take me a bit to get used to the layout, though.  And I totally forgot to sign up for the Identity card (their slot club).  It’s something for me to do next time, for sure.  We walked around for quite a while, admiring this and that and ooh’ing and aah’ing at everything.  I was taking photos left and right, hoping my little Kodak would do justice to what I was seeing.  I decided it’s like the Grand Canyon – unless you see it in person, you can only assume it looks even better in person than it does in photos.

We had dinner at Holstein’s on the 2^nd floor; or, as my mom refers to it, “The Pink Cow”.  This was by far my favorite meal of the trip!  Claire and Terri warned that it might be too loud, but we were seated in an area that was fairly quiet and afforded great views for people-watching inside and outside the restaurant.  I wish I’d gotten the name of our waiter, because he was very good, and quite a cutie to boot.  He made recommendations on wines, asked about the types of food we liked to help us make our decisions, joked with us and flirted with a cute little girl at the table across from us.  We ended up having two orders of the absolutely mouth-watering Lobster Rolls (me and cousin) and an order of the cheesy Philly Cheese Steak Rolls (mom) of the ‘Small Buns’ and ‘Snacks’ sections of the menu, respectively.  The old ladies both got fries with their meals and I got some very yummy, creamy but slightly tart coleslaw (which is just like I like it).  Along with the complimentary truffle oil popcorn (delicious!) and a glass of wine each, we were quite happy with the whole experience, and I look forward to going again and trying something new.  My cousin picked up the tab, but I did ask what the damage was: $99+tip was not bad at all.  There were no photos taken during this meal, because my camera died right as I was getting ready to take a photo of my food.  I had inadvertently left my camera on while I was texting Hayley about the cute waiter, and it refused to come back on again.  Sorry, guys.

I intended to walk the old ladies back out to the Strip and meet Claire, Diana, Terri and Bonnie for drinks, but it was not to be. The old ladies had a hard time figuring out where to cross the street to head to Paris to catch a cab (it was the closest thing for their aching feet that they KNEW) and they started heading across the street in front of the Bellagio fountains.  I re-directed them and walked them back across to Paris personally.  Then I walked them to the taxi stand at Paris.  Mom’s knee and my cousin's foot were really hurting by then, and I went back with them to make sure they were okay and settled in at their favorite machines.  By then I was too pooped to head back to The Cosmopolitan, so when Claire drunk-texted me (HA!), I told her I wasn’t going to be making it back.  Terri told her to tell me to quote/unquote “Get my ass over there,” but I was having none of it.  I do believe they told me I sucked, too.  Yep, that’s what they said.  Suck or not, I was too tired to go all the way back down to The Cosmopolitan, so my evening in Harrah’s had begun.

And so began my addiction to Lord of the Rings (LOTR).  I was unable to find an empty seat on my first, second or third passes (I felt like Phoebe’s ‘lurker’ from “Friends”), so I finally took a seat at a Goldfish2 machine.  $40 lighter, I made yet another pass by the machines and found an end seat open.  Yay!  I took it quickly before some other schmuck – oh, I mean GAMBLER, sorry – got lucky.  A few people came and went around me, and I ended up playing for quite awhile next to a nice German couple who spoke very little English.  My “danke” and “bitte” limits were tested, but smiles went a long way.  I ended the day down $140 when I finally dragged myself up to bed at 12:30 a.m. because I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.  Time differences on the first day in Vegas suck when I have to get up extra-early to take Hayley to school before I leave!

Day 2 – Wednesday, March 30^th

I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I did it, anyway; I went to a buffet on this trip.  We went to Cravings Buffet at The Mirage for breakfast.  We just could not decide on another breakfast location that wasn’t A) Harrah’s Café, or B) Harrah’s buffet.  They held to their promise to try something new, and they were following through, but they didn’t want to try Hash House a Go-Go (HHAGG) as I had suggested.  Mom didn’t like it when she’d eaten there with Hayley and I for breakfast last year (Hayley and I loved it and would’ve gone back every day), and she didn’t want to go back again.

Cravings Buffet was not very good this time.  I’d had breakfast at the buffet a couple of years ago – right after they remodeled it, I think – and it had been really good.  The food was very hit-or-miss this time.  Some of the hot foods weren’t heated well enough, and the Eggs Benedict had been sitting out for a LONG time because I couldn’t even cut a corner off of the English muffin.  

Our waitress was not the best.  We had to get a hostess to hunt her down and get a coffee refill, and she forgot my juice twice before I finally reminded her again.  At least the bussers were quick to clean off dirty plates and replace silverware.  And what’s with their giant, unwieldy tongs for every dish on this buffet?  The basic, 10-pound hinged salad tongs (you know, the kind where one side is a spoon and the other side is a fork) do NOT work for every dish on a buffet.  I felt like I was playing one of those crazy crane games where you attempt (in vain) to get a stuffed animal when I was trying to grab a sausage link, and I stabbed my French toast and couldn’t get it released from the fork end when I finally got it maneuvered just right to even pick a piece up.   Really?  You don’t just have regular tongs anywhere in your kitchen?  Either way it was better than yesterday’s breakfast, and it was the only meal I paid for on this trip - $44 + tax for 3 buffets ($15.99 per person).

I remembered to get a new MLife slot card (the new name for the former MGM-Mirage properties' slot club) before we sat down to do a little gambling, and I played a Hitchcock machine right outside the buffet for about an hour before I finally lost my $20.  Even after all this time, ol’ Alfie still scares the sh!t out of me every time he pops up in the corner.  Love that game, but it’s getting harder and harder to find.

We slowly walked to The Venetian to get away from what I knew would be the same casinos again and again because of the old ladies’ limited walking abilities on this trip.  The Venetian was still crowded, and I still can’t win there, so nothing has changed.  It's just like Paris; I can’t win there, either.  I played Goldfish Race and one of the older Star Wars games after Star Wars Dark Side refused to take my card or my money, but I couldn’t get anything to work for me.  Not surprising.  I think we probably stayed a little over an hour before we decided to walk back to Harrah’s because the old ladies were not ready, willing, or able to walk down to Wynn or Encore.  They don’t care for either property and didn’t feel they were missing a thing.  I walked back with them because I didn’t want to leave my mom.  It just felt wrong.

We got back to Harrah’s and I played 50-Play Double Double Bonus video poker with mom.  We couldn’t hit a dang thing.  Mom was seriously considering going back up to the room for a nap, but I was just tired of sitting or walking slowly, so I told them I’d meet them by “the statue” in the middle of Harrah’s at 5 p.m. so I could go stretch my legs before we began our planned “dinner tour” at Caesars.

It was soooooo nice to take long strides and walk fast!  I walked to Wynn, took some photos and played a Wizard of Oz (WOZ) Wicked Winnings machine that actually let me play for a bit before stealing all my money.  I also noted that the Parasol Up bar would be a fantastic place for a future meet, just like Tania had said before.  It is central, open, and not loud at all.  There’s plenty of seating, and you can get to it quickly and easily from any direction, so it’s easy to spot “lost” people.  Just a thought for the future.

I walked on to Encore and couldn’t find anything at all to entice me to play, so I just walked around, gazing at pretty flower arrangements and people-watching in general.  Then I had the brilliant idea that I needed a sparkly shirt for our Caesars “dinner tour” and headed over to Fashion Show Mall and the easy-to-find Macy’s because I didn’t want to get lost in the mall like Hayley and I almost did last year.  I shopped around for a bit before finding a shirt I liked and was happy to find it was on sale for ½ price and didn’t even know it until I got to the register to pay.  I think that was my biggest win for the entire trip, unfortunately.

I was desperate for something sweet and got an ice cream sandwich from a vendor outside the Fashion Show Mall to tide me over.  The weather was so perfectly perfect that the ice cream stayed nicely frozen until I got over to The Venetian and a bench by the canal to people-watch and listen to music from Phantom played over the speakers.  I heard no singing gondoliers on this trip, which is odd.  I always hear them.  Maybe Sheldon Addleson (owner of The Venetian and Palazzo) decided singing wasn’t in the plan for his properties.  I miss the singing.

I got back to the room, changed and freshened up and found the old ladies by “the statue” right on time.  They had been doing horribly, too.  My mom had already gone through a whole day’s gambling money and was already into the next.  She probably should’ve taken that nap!  Once again, we walked sloooooooowly to Caesars.  We checked out the menu for Mesa Grill, but sadly the old ladies couldn’t find anything on there that enticed them.  We checked out the menu for Nero’s and found we couldn’t afford anything (that place is really pricey and WAY out of my league).  Then we checked the menus at The Palm, Spago, and Trevi, but still nothing that piqued their interest.  We walked by Max Brenner’s and made sure my mom’s intended dessert was still on the menu, and they decided they would like to try Cheesecake Factory for appetizers and maybe dinner, too, since nothing else was appealing to them so far on our walk through CP.

Even though it’s a chain, neither of them had ever eaten at Cheesecake Factory before.  I told them it was similar to Grand Lux and had some of the same items, but they were willing to try new dishes for me since they didn’t like the other things they’d seen.  Fair enough.  It was pretty crowded, but the wait was less than 5 minutes at almost 6 p.m., and we were seated in the main dining room downstairs.

We had fried calamari and Vietnamese Shrimp Summer Rolls for appetizers, and they were both very good.  The fried calamari was cooked perfectly, and mom and I loved the Summer Rolls.  They came with a peanut sauce and a Hoisin sauce, but we only liked the Hoisin sauce.  Drinks were two red wines for them and white sangria for me.  Their wines were very good, but my sangria wasn’t very original (it tasted totally like mix and not at all fruity).  The waiter offered to get me red sangria, but I declined. 

After looking at the menu, we decided to have dinner there for sure.  My cousin ordered the Shrimp Scampi and Steak Diane.   The scampi sauce was actually creamy AND buttery and we tried it on everything, and the mashed potatoes were heavenly.  The sauce on the steak was a little too sweet for all of us.  My mom ordered the Cajun Jambalaya Pasta that had a fantastic, spicy sauce on it.  It had to be the best Cajun sauce we’ve ever tasted, and the waiter brought us an extra bowl so we could put it on EVERYTHING.  They have a lunch-sized portion available before 5 p.m., which probably would’ve been perfect, because this was way too big for any human to finish.  I ordered Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta; the shrimp were jumbo-sized and very good, but the sauce was a little bland.  Good thing I had mom’s Cajun sauce!  We were absolutely stuffed, but it was a yummy meal.  Our waiter was a bit of flake (I think he was making jokes, but I wasn’t 100% sure if he was serious or not).  The rest of the staff was great and everyone kept checking on us and chatting with us.  My mom picked up the tab because she owed me, but I saw the bill: $105.56 + tip for 3 of us with 3 drinks, 3 entrees and 2 appetizers is not bad at all.  Plus I’m getting used to not taking out my wallet.

We rolled ourselves slowly back to the casino to do some gambling before dessert, and I found an empty seat at the Crack Machines (aka LOTR, in case you don’t remember).  I tried like anything to get something going on these machines, and I was constantly tempted by the “mile awarded” announcement from the seatback speakers, so I kept feeding the machines.  A weary soul would get up from one of the other machines and I would immediately transfer myself into their vacated seat.  Lured in by the Siren song of a brief win, I would find myself listening for the next mile announcement to get me ever closer to the next bonus to unlock.  Oh, LOTR gods, you are cruel!  You will give me two miles back-to-back, and then withhold them for the length of several twenties.  Well played, LOTR.  You had me at “Welcome to Lord of the Rings”.

We finally decided there was NO WAY dessert would be happening tonight – we were just too full.  And Caesars Palace was not being nice to us gambling-wise.  We walked slowly back to Harrah’s.  Damn Crack Machines were full!  But wait!  I hadn’t tried the Wizard of Oz “Great and Powerful Oz” community bonus machines yet.  Oh, those could be addicting if I didn’t feel so pressured to make the next bet and get in on a possible community bonus.  Those slot developers are pretty smart people!  I played through a $20 bill that lasted quite a while before deciding I would go in search of my Crack Machines once again.

Aha!  A seat!  I dashed to it, almost knocking over a little old lady with a walker, and settled in for the duration.  I love that you are automatically signed in when you insert your Total Rewards card.  This just made me love them even more (like I need another reason to love them).  Sadly, I had to try 3 different machines before I finally found a winner, and I had around me a great group of 3 other ladies who all enjoyed watching each other’s bonuses, cheering each other on and trying to figure out what the NEXT bonus would be when we got those sometimes elusive miles awarded.  I played with that group of ladies until after 2 a.m., when I finally gave up for the day.  Even though I had a small comeback at the end, I managed to donate $325 to Vegas’ economic well-being.  You’re welcome.

Day 3 – March 31^st

A text from Bonnie at 6:15 a.m. made sure I was up for the day.  She was informing me that there were picketers outside of The Cosmopolitan, but they were gone (or hidden) by the time I got down to Paris to meet some of my friends for breakfast on the patio at Mon Ami Gabi (MAG) at 9:30 a.m.  On my walk down to Paris, I made a wide berth around a heavily bearded homeless man who was talking to his cup by a trashcan in Carnaval Court.

I met Mike, Doris, Bonnie and Claire for breakfast at MAG, and mine was delicious as usual.  I don’t remember what everyone else had – I think Doris had an omelet and Blonde had corned beef – but I had Bananas Foster Waffles.  The waffles were crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside.  A side of handmade whipped cream was a delicious dipper.  Yum!  The company was great, too, and we had our waitress take several photos of us because we had to have photos with different cameras and we apparently couldn’t smile on command.  Thanks again to Mike and Doris for treating us all to breakfast – it really was a treat!

After breakfast, Mike and Doris were headed back home, and Bonnie was off to gamble on her last full day in Vegas.  Claire and I were off to the Sugar Factory, where Claire gave me the 50-cent tour (she’s a great tour guide) and we had candy-flavored martinis.  I had the Hubba Bubba martini, and Claire had the Blow Pop martini.  Pop rocks and small pieces of gum were used as the rim garnish instead of sugar, and the drinks were delicious, too!  I definitely felt my drink was stronger at the bottom of the glass, but at least I had some Hubba Bubba gum to chew on after I was finished!  It made a cute garnish.  Thank you again, Claire, for taking me to the Sugar Factory, and buying me a martini to boot!

I walked back to The Cosmopolitan with Claire to take some more photos (since my camera died the first night), and we settled into some chairs at the bar near the registration desk so I could see the “show” on the giant columns in that area.  It is such a cool place - I am certainly looking forward to visiting again as soon as possible.

After saying goodbye to Claire, I walked back to Harrah’s to change clothes because the day was already too hot, and then walked back to Flamingo to meet the old ladies for our last full day in Vegas.  Gambling at Flamingo was not good – mom and I tried some new machines (I don’t remember what they were called, but they had a Hawaiian theme) near the Donnie and Marie display, but we couldn’t get anything to hit a bonus round or let us play for more than a few minutes at a time.  I either missed the LOTR machines there or they were not there at all. (I found out later that they were near the registration desk.  Dang it!  Oh, well - I probably would've lost there, too.)  We checked out the menu for the Flamingo café to try and get some ideas for dinner, but nothing looked interesting, so we walked to Imperial Palace to cash in some gambling tickets for my cousin and decided to catch a cab down to MGM.  I certainly could’ve walked, and mom was in agreement, but my cousin’s feet were hurting and she didn’t want to walk it.  Fine, as long as she was paying for the cab (and she was).

             

At MGM, I used some Point Play I had saved up for a couple of trips and managed to spend a couple of hours playing Lobstermania, just running the same cash through again and again.  I don’t remember taking any money out of my wallet, so that was a good start to the day…especially after losing my a$$ the day before.  It took awhile for us to find each other again, and my cousin was now willing to walk sloooooooooowwwwwwly down to Planet Hollywood if we took our time.  We wanted to, and we did.  It was a beautiful day, and I was glad I changed clothes because it was definitely warm in the sun.  Sun is always better in Vegas, isn’t it?

At Planet Hollywood, my cousin made some Big 6 wheel bets for her sister (who usually wins them), but nothing came of them.  I found some silly slot machines that make me laugh, and I spent some time donating to the Planet Hollywood cause through them.  Bonnie texted me at some point, saying she had dealt herself a royal flush on a video poker machine, and I told her not to put it all back.  I don’t remember when or where that was.  What a blur.

We finally decided we were hungry and checked out the menu at the PBR Rock Bar & Grill.  It was after 5 p.m. when we arrived, and we decided to sit out on the patio to enjoy the weather as the sun was already behind City Center and we wouldn’t be burning ourselves in it.  It was perfect weather, a little breeze blowing, and the music out there wasn’t loud at all.  PBR sort of has a sports bar feel to it with a Country twist, but there were all sorts of people – young and old, country and punk – all through the place, so we fit right into the un-mold, and we were able to people-watch from our seats in all directions.

My cousin ordered the Catfish Po-Boy with Kickin’ Coleslaw.  She said the hoagie bun was a little too hard for her, but all the insides were good, and she ended up eating everything with a fork.  Mom and I both ordered the half-pound Fried Dill Pickle Burgers – mine with fries, hers with Kickin’ Coleslaw – and even though the massive amount of fried dill pickles were a little overcooked, it was a really good cheeseburger and I finished ¾ of it and most of my fries.  Breakfast seemed so long ago!  I wondered why it was called “Kickin’” Coleslaw and figured it out immediately: the little red bits on top were…Pop Rocks!  You could hear them popping from the next table.  Apparently Thursday was Pop Rocks Day in Vegas.  I tasted the coleslaw, but it was way too sweet for me, even without the Pop Rocks (which I avoided – that just seemed gross).  I am a tart and tangy coleslaw kind of gal, and I avoid sweet coleslaw at home, too.  Mom paid for dinner, which included 3 iced teas, and the bill was $49.50 + tip.  I was still enjoying NOT paying for my meals in Vegas.

Once again, we slooooooowwwwwwwwly walked to Caesars because we were determined to have the dessert we missed out on the night before.  I was once again drawn in by the siren song of the LOTR machines, and I spent a good 3 hours parked at them, feeding them twenties, while digesting a little bit of food.  Mom and I also managed to get into a Goldfish battle to see who got the most bonuses – she won the battle, but we both lost the war and our $20 investments in the end.  We finally decided to find my cousin and head for Max Brenner’s for dessert at 9 p.m.

My mom had already predetermined what she would be having for dessert by perusing the online menu at home: the “100% Pure Chocolate Chocolate Experience Ice Cream Max-wich”, which is basically two giant chocolate cookies with chocolate chips, filled with chocolate ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings, and accompanied by milk chocolate sauce for dipping.  That is too much chocolate for me!  After seeing someone with the same thing at another table, she decided to split it with my cousin, because there was no way one person would be able to finish it by themselves.  I ordered the “Fantastic Popsicle Chocolate Fondue” (for 1, but you can get it for 2 with two ice cream bars), which allows you to dip your own vanilla ice cream bar into milk chocolate fondue, toffee bits and/or chocolate drops over and over again.  It was like a never-ending chocolate-covered ice cream bar!  I always hate when the chocolate coating comes off when you bite into a bar like that, and this one lets you “reapply” your coating as many times as you like.  Our waiter took forever to get to us, but we were able to see what other people were getting before we placed our order, so I guess that’s a good thing.  He tried to talk me into getting the order for 2 because he said the ice cream bars were kind of small, but with the ability to reapply the toppings again and again it was just right.  Two would’ve been too much.  I had a glass of water (too much chocolate calls for lots of water), and the old ladies each had a cup of coffee.  My cousin picked up the tab, which came to $24.21 + tip.  Not bad for dessert!

It was after 11 p.m. when we finally rolled out of there, too, and I was feeling heavy eyelids.  Walking slooooooowwwwwwwly back to Harrah’s allowed me time to revive in the night air, but I also managed to catch my leg on the corner of that $%!# fire hydrant in front of Margaritaville (what the HELL is that thing stuck out in the middle like that, anyway?!?!).  It almost made me cry I hit it so hard – there were so many people at that corner!  I didn’t break the skin, but I do have a nice bruise to show for it.  I know exactly where that hydrant is and usually avoid it, but I couldn’t manage it this time.

When we got back to Harrah’s, I darted into an empty seat at LOTR because I was determined to add more miles before we had to leave in the morning.  Who should show up next to me but the nice German couple from the first night!  The man recognized me immediately, and, even with a language barrier, he greeted me warmly and gave me a pat on the back.  We saved seats for each other when we had to take bathroom breaks (Isn’t that nice?  I trusted a stranger with my money in Vegas!), and I played the same machine until after 2:30 a.m.  I knew I still had to pack and we were planning on leaving for the airport not too long after breakfast, so I had to drag myself away.  I ended up down $200 for the day, which was more than I liked to be down but better than the day before.

Day 4 – Friday, April 1^st

Another text from Bonnie at 6:15 a.m. telling me she had not put back all her money from the royal the day before got me up before my alarm.  No worries – now I’d be able to play more LOTR before meeting the old ladies for breakfast!  When I got ready and headed down, I saw the old ladies at some poker machines near the café, and I quietly eluded them so that I could take my place at an end LOTR machine that had given me a little bit of luck on the first night.  Avoidance – the true sign of an addict!  My $20 bill turned into $65 before my mom finally spotted me.  Drat!  I guess I have to go to breakfast.  I probably should’ve stayed at the machine, though.

                                    

We tried the café again, since we had to leave in less than 2 hours, and this time I got a vegetable omelet that was very good.  Our waitress was pleasant, timely, and very nice.  It was a completely different experience from the first night – more like what I’m used to at the café.  This time I paid for my meal with a few of my tons of Total Rewards points.  Why shouldn’t I?  I’d put plenty of points on my card by playing LOTR machines at every freakin’ Caesars Entertainment property on the Strip!  My omelet and coffee came to $13.38, so it wasn’t too bad.

After breakfast, I darted back to my LOTR machine, which seemed to be waiting for my imminent arrival, but it was no good.  All the good mojo or kharma or whatever had been sucked out of it (or me), and I lost about ½ of what I’d won out of it earlier.  With a dejected feeling, I left Frodo and his Fellowship of the Rings for another trip and went to get my bags and meet the old ladies in the lobby.  All in all, though, I came out ahead for the day because I was playing on the ticket I had cashed out before breakfast.  Consider the last day a win!

I printed our boarding passes at the airport and headed to the gate to start writing up my notes for my trip report.  Overall, it wasn’t a bad trip, even though I lost/spent/tipped about $700 and $84 of that was paying for a meal on the second day and parking at the airport in San Antonio.  True, I had told my mom before we left that she owed me breakfast and dinner for a couple of favors I'd done for her, but my cousin also added that I booked their room, their flights, and I made lots of suggestions for new things to try on this trip, and they were thankful that I was “putting up with them”.

Even so…I’m planning on my next trip being solo!

Observations:

Tuesday was the most crowded day.  I don’t know why, but Harrah’s was extremely busy from morning until night.  Wednesday and Thursday were about normal everywhere.

The weather was never bad - not even cloudy - and never too cold in the mornings.  (70's for highs, 50's for lows)  Perfect!

The Cosmopolitan looks very pretty lit up at night.

The 'porn slappers' (the annoying people who hand out advertisements for "ladies of the night" on most street corners on the Strip) are the worst in front of Paris, Bally’s and O’Shea’s now, and they are getting a little too aggressive for me.  You really have to go out of your way to avoid them, and I wish there was something that could be done about them.  They put people in danger.

The street performers are getting more numerous, too.  I don’t know if they travel from place to place, but they are always having their photos taken with someone.  They tend to group together and clog up certain areas, though.

If you ever plan on betting on any NBA games at a CET property that involve the Celtics, forget it – the owners have a percentage ownership in the Celtics and they don’t even televise the games on their properties for that reason.  (We were trying to bet on the Celtics/Spurs game, but couldn't.)  I still think it’s weird that they don’t televise the games, though.  I guess they are trying to prevent people from placing bets on the side?  (I found out this is also true for some other professional teams at other Vegas casinos; if a team owner has ownership interest in a casino, they will not allow betting there, and may not even televise the games.)

If you are still reading this – congratulations!  This is the end.  It is 18 pages in Word, so that definitely makes it wordy.

Until next time…Viva Las Vegas!

(A little post script note - if anyone knows me, they know that I think the world of my mom.  I did not intend to make her - or my cousin - out to be a bad person in this trip report, so please don't think it mean when I say that I stand by what I wrote here.  I went into this trip knowing that my mom and cousin would probably not want to do many of the things that I like to do, and I made concessions for them, even when I really wanted to do something else, and I reported things as they happened.  By the same token, they made concessions for me and tried new places to eat.  I do appreciate the fact that they stepped out of their comfort zone so I could try new restaurants, and I do enjoy their company.  This trip just wasn't my favorite, and I hope we'll be able to travel together again in the future and have fun in Vegas.)

No matter the destination, be a good traveler!

Once upon a time, after a really bad plane ride coming home from Disney World a few years' back, I wrote a little something with the intention of posting it somewhere, but I wasn't sure where.  After seeing a similar article recently in PARADE magazine, I decided that posting it on my blog was as good a place as any. 

Why?  Because I hope that everyone would be courteous when traveling and follow some basic etiquette rules...but it really doesn't happen, does it?  People end up being just as rude and uncouth as they are when I encounter them in my day-to-day life, and it really should STOP.  Still, it makes me feel better to post it, even if only a few people will see it. 

If you know of someone who's a bad traveler, please share it with them.  Find a way to bring it to their attention because NO ONE should have to put up with bad travelers, EVER.

It's a bit wordy, but then, that's ME!

Airplane Etiquette 101

Having traveled on economy-priced airlines fairly often in my adult life, I have to say that basic airline etiquette is really lacking amongst many of its passengers.  As with so many other aspects of society today, common courtesy has certainly gone missing in a lot of cases, but it's more than just that.  Why do people think that hurtling through the sky in a pressurized metal tube at hundreds of miles per hour gives them license to do anything they please is beyond me.  Let's start at the beginning and take an imaginary flight, shall we?

Pre-boarding and boarding

When you board an aircraft headed for any destination - whether it be for business or pleasure and whether you're lucky enough to have a direct flight or not - all passengers will board the plane in some particular order that is predefined by the airline, and the order probably depends upon the type of aircraft you are traveling in.  Most of the larger airlines board their first class passengers first, or according to their assigned seating arrangement on the plane.  This has certainly prevented the unnecessary flaring of tempers while waiting in a sometimes seemingly endless line where everyone accuses everyone else of stealing "their spot".

Still, some people will try to walk up to the front of the line of the currently boarding passenger group and step into line and onto the plane without waiting for their grouping to be called.  When discovered by the airline personnel - or when they are revealed by the other passengers who have been patiently waiting in line in the correct order - they usually have one of these reactions:

• Shock or surprise - "I didn't know this was the new boarding procedure!" is a common response.  Southwest Airlines (my favorite carrier) has had their "new" boarding procedure in place for a couple of years now, with ample media coverage and repeated reminders given by the attendants at the gates.  Spare me the acting job and go to your place in line, thank you.
• Indifference - "Oh, it's not my turn yet?  Well, since I'm already here, can't I go ahead and board now?"  Answer: A resounding "NO!" from the rest of us in line.  Just get your butt back in line like everyone else and wait your turn.  Next time, get your boarding pass earlier or get a better seat and then you won't have to worry about waiting so long.
• Anger - "Why the heck can't I board now?  It's not my fault that the 'C' group boarding passes were the only ones left!"  That might be correct, but it's not anyone else's fault, either.  Someone has to board at the end of the line, and I've survived it before.  Be a man and get in line.

Another tactic is using the airline's pre-boarding system to get on the plane before a particular boarding group is called.  Hopefully most people have stopped trying to do this, but there's always the chance that people can't wait their turn, or just refuse to do so.  And don't think that all six people in your party are going to board with Great Uncle Joe and His Magical Electric Wheelchair anymore, either.  One person is allowed to pre-board with each person who requires pre-boarding assistance, so...get back in line.

Once you actually get on the plane, then you just have to get to your seat.  If you fly with an airline that has assigned seating, that's great; your wait time to actually get to your seat and get buckled up probably won't be that long...unless you are behind a family that has decided they are going to carry on every item they purchased on vacation OR because they just don't want to pay for any extra luggage to be stowed below the aircraft in the cargo hold.  No, these people would rather take up every bit of overhead bin space, the space under their seats (to the front AND back of them - you didn't need to actually put your feet on the floor, did you?), and possibly the seat beside another family member.  They will try to stuff, pack, fold and rearrange their carry-on luggage for several minutes while you and the other passengers stand behind them in a somewhat patient manner.  If you're lucky, a flight attendant will intervene and get them to their seats before you or someone else has the chance to club them over the head with a laptop.  This is good, because I'm sure that the computer repair companies are tired of fixing dented laptops used as battering rams by frustrated fliers.  I'm sure they would much rather spend their time removing viruses from hard drives or some other serious thing. 

While you're taking this long walk onto the plane, be sure to remember to hold your carry-on items in FRONT OF you, not drag them along behind you.  Why would you want to jostle everyone in their seats when you bag bounces from side to side on its trek down the aisle?  There's no need to take out someone's fast food beverage and the top of Grandma's head while you're walking.  Keeping your bag in front of you keeps it safe, in your sight, and out of everyone else's way.

Now you'll have to deal with "bin hogs" - people who intend to sit in a row further back on the plane, but who like to stow the bulk of their carry-on items in the front of the plane.  They think they're being smart because they can just grab their bag as they exit the plane, but they are really inconveniencing other passengers.  Let me tell you, if there's a shortage of bin space and someone saw you put your bag in an overhead bin on the third row before heading to the back of the plane, you can bet that the flight attendants will be notified and your luggage will possibly end up in the cargo hold after all.  I can't guarantee that I would be totally innocent in that situation, and the flight attendants are on my side, too, because they know how important it is to sit near your own bags for security reasons.

So you've finally stored your carry-on items.  Good for you!  Notice those two people in the row to your left or right?  Yep, one person is sitting by the window, and the other person is sitting by the aisle.  That means that it's the middle seat for you, my friend.  Just because neither person will make eye contact with you doesn't mean you can't ask nicely for either seat if you really want the window or need the aisle.  It doesn't guarantee you'll get the seat you ask for, either - that's what "open seating" means.  Of course, they're both probably hoping that no one will ask for any of the seats and just pick another row, giving them more arm and leg room and allowing them to stretch out during a full flight.  If you're flying on a truly full flight, though, someone's going to have to make a compromise somewhere, but it doesn't mean it has to be YOU all the time.  Just ask politely and you'll (hopefully) get a polite response from one - or both - of them, even if it's a polite "no".

Which brings up another point:  if you know that you'll need to get up more than once during the flight to use the restroom or take care of a medical issue or something else, letting a flight attendant or seat mate know before the flight takes off will allow everyone to be seated in a place that is as comfortable as possible for all parties.  You don't have to share too much personal information to get a point across, but just let someone know so that you can be re-seated quickly and efficiently if needed.  Maybe sitting toward the front or back of the plane in order to have quick access to the restroom - or even choosing an aisle seat over a window seat or an exit row over some other row - would be best for you.  Air travelers should always remember that they are not the only ones flying and no one should be inconvenienced more than is absolutely necessary.

If you're traveling with small children, remember that federal law requires at least one parent or guardian sit beside each child (or one parent or guardian between two or more children on the same row or aisle) in their party during the entire flight.  I've seen parents attempt to abandon their offspring by sitting the child in the first available seat they find and then scurrying off towards the back of the plane, sometimes with a little smile on their face.  Flight attendants and wily passengers like me have an eye for this play, too, but I doubt if too many passengers would allow someone to place a small child beside them before the offending adult runs off in obvious relief.

In-flight courtesies

Now your plane is in the air.  You've reached 10,000 feet and the pilot has advised it is now okay to turn on approved electronic devices.  What should you do?  Well, you can turn on your iPod or iPad, get out your laptop, work on crossword puzzles or Sudoku, read your book or newspaper, or even talk your seat neighbor about your trip.  There are lots of options here - I'm sure I've missed a few favorites.  You should not start pestering the flight attendants for drinks and snacks or blankets and pillows.  They will attend to each of the passengers, row by row, in turn.  Bugging the flight attendants as soon as possible just takes away from the time they need to take care of everyone efficiently.  If you need additional, personalized care, an upgrade to a first class ticket or booking a flight on another airline might be advisable for you.

When relaxing during a flight, be sure not to overdo it and relax too much.  That's right - don't relax too much.  Remember that you are on an airplane, in a confined space, and try to resist the urge to do any of these things unless you are on an overseas flight or the flight attendants give the passengers specific permission.  Don't:

• Take off your shoes.  You are not at home, and these people don't know you.  Even though you may feel the urge to do it, keep those shoes on and all your foot scents to yourself.  You'll also be keeping your shoes out of the aisles and other passengers' personal space, but I'm really concerned about the smell factor here.  You may not think they smell, but...
• Fully recline your seat on a full flight.  Yes, you may be tired, but there are other passengers who are probably just as tired as you are.  If you're on a full flight, ask the person seated behind you if they mind before you recline.  They may have a child seated on their lap that loves to pull hair, and if mom or dad falls asleep, there's no telling what horrible things Junior may be able to do to you before the parents even realize it.  Recline at your own risk.
• Prop up your feet.  There is no reason for this that I can fathom that is not medically related.  If you need extra leg room due to your height, size, or a medical condition, talk to a flight attendant before the flight.  No one wants to share their armrest (or headrest, or seat) with someone's footwear - or foot.  And if you get a cramp, just stand up in front of your seat or in the aisle as soon as you can.  Jamming your foot or leg into someone else's lap is NOT the way to make friends on a flight.
• Undo your belt and/or pants.  You might be surprised to know I have personally experienced this little show twice!  Maybe you should wear looser pants on the plane, or eat a little less before the flight takes off to ensure your own comfort.  If you see someone doing this, it's best just to let the flight attendant know and allow them to handle the situation.  You don't want to cause a confrontation with another passenger if you can possibly avoid one.  In fact, any time you feel uncomfortable asking another passenger to do (or not to do) something on a flight, let the flight attendants act as your go-between.  They have the authority to ask all passengers to behave in a manner which befits a traveler.
• Release excessive gasses.  Either end.  Seriously.  There are so many over-the-counter remedies out in the market for all types of gas and bloating that make this very easily controllable (or more manageable).  If you are prone to any gassiness, you should seriously consider preparing yourself for relief before you get on the plane and make sure you take your remedy before your symptoms take over.  Truly, your cabin mates will be extremely grateful for this bit of thoughtfulness, and I am speaking very specifically for one of my family members who always seems to get a gassy neighbor on every flight.

When the flight attendants bring around the drinks and snacks, please plan on being awake to receive them if you want them.  It is very rude to order something and then immediately pass out and force your neighbor to place your drink or snacks on your tray while you're snoring.  I'm not a waitress, either, so I can't guarantee I won't spill something on you.  If you're too tired to eat or drink a little something, then please don't bother ordering it.  You can probably wait until the plane lands and get something at the airport.

Also, if you were already out like a light while the initial drink ordering took place, don't demand the flight attendants do your bidding as soon as you snap to consciousness; they will get to you as soon as they are done with the other passengers.  The same goes for that second (or third) round of drinks.  They will get to you in good time, so be patient.

Approach, landing and exiting the aircraft

Now you are approaching the airport.  You know this because a flight attendant or pilot has shared this information with all the passengers via the intercom system.  Please don't wait until someone comes by your seat to personally beg you to throw away your trash, turn off your electronic devices, and make sure your seat back and tray table are both in their full, upright and locked positions.  When they ask, respond by doing.  It saves time for everyone.

Make sure you take your last restroom break or return items to the overhead bins by this time.  Flight attendants are not usually really happy with passengers who need to use the facilities or rummage around in their baggage during the final approach.  Neither are the pilots, for that matter.  Unless there is a medical emergency (which is certainly an exception), you will be ushered back to your seat to wait out the remainder of the flight, so be mindful of how much time you have before the plane lands.

You're on the ground.  Your plane is now taxiing down the runway and headed to the designated arrival gate.  There are those individuals who are so eager to get to their destination that they just cannot wait to hop out of their seats, grab all of their precious belongings, turn on their cell phones and hit the terminal running.  These people should seriously consider traveling on a private jet.  No matter how eager you are to get off of that plane and get to your rental car, hotel, onto a connecting flight or back to your house, remember that once again YOU are not the only person on the plane.  Just as you got on the plane in a certain order, you will exit the plane in a similar fashion.  If you are seated in the back of the plane, just stay seated until the rows in front of you have cleared of all exiting passengers.  Pretend you're at church, if that helps.  If not, remember the guy in the second row with the dented laptop who almost leveled you when boarded the plane; he'll be watching for you, too.

If you have a lot of items to remove from the overhead bins, consider letting a couple of people go by before you try to yank everything out and whack your way to the exit door.  Or just wait until most of the passengers have exited the plane to avoid collisions.  You won't be more than five minutes behind your original exit time, and chances are you'd be stuck in the terminal behind an elderly couple walking calmly to the baggage claim area, anyway.

Wait until you are in the terminal to call "your people".  You don't need to have a cell phone attached to your ear as soon as the wheels hit the tarmac (or even a little bit before).  Before the invention of cell phones, people actually had to wait to make phone calls until they got off the planes - seriously!  And if you're trying to drag your extra-large bag down the aisle with one hand and balance your briefcase, suit jacket and phone with the other arm while exiting the plane, you're not only making yourself look like a fool, but you're once again probably whacking someone who doesn't deserve it.  They should be whacking YOU.  I'm calling Laptop Guy.

Remember that, if you needed a wheelchair to get ON the plane safely, you need one to get OFF the plane safely.  Airlines usually base the number of wheelchairs waiting at the arrival gate on the number they are informed of by the personnel in the departure city.  This helps ensure that everyone will be transported off of the plane and delivered to those waiting for them in the terminal as efficiently and safely as possible.  If you truly needed a wheelchair when you boarded, wait until the flight attendants inform you that it's your turn to exit, and they will provide assistance as needed.  Attempting to walk at a time like that could cause others to suddenly require their own wheelchairs.

If you really didn't need a wheelchair when you departed but wanted to get on the plane first by using the pre-boarding procedures, SHAME ON YOU.  Don't be surprised if you get dirty looks from fully capable passengers and others who actually need assistance.  And don't be surprised if you're asked to sit down and wait until other passengers have exited the plane.  I have seen a few hip-checks in my time and know that people don't take too kindly to being duped by other passengers looking to skirt the policies.  I may have even been the source of a couple of those hip-checks myself, but my memory is a little foggy at times.

So, that about sums it up.  Follow these rules of basic airplane etiquette to help make your trip a pleasurable one.  Believe me, you're helping others, too, and I promise I won't give you any dirty looks the next time you're on my flight.  I might even smile and talk to you for a minute or two before I put my own headphones on.

Happy flying!

Link to article: Types of Gamblers...what sort of gambler are YOU?

My dear, dear friend Bonnie found a link to an article on HealthyPlace.com regarding the different types of gamblers and how to rate yourself as a gambler, from professional to casual or even (God help you) a degenerate gambler.

Welcome, degenerates!

Based on the criteria, I thought of myself as more of a 3 (casual social gambler), but with tendencies towards a 4 (serious social gambler) because Vegas itself is a serious source of entertainment to me.  Still, I felt I was more of a 3 than a 4 until someone pointed out that I DO publish a blog about Vegas.  Well...okay.  Maybe I'm more of a 4 than I thought.  Maybe I'm a 3.5.

So, where are YOU on the list?  Do you change at all?  I personally could never see myself becoming a compulsive gambler (which is 6 on the list), or even getting serious enough to become a "real" relief and escape gambler (5 on the list), but then I don't have any big problems to escape from.

What it really comes down to is this: I enjoy gambling in Vegas.  It's fun, I have fun with my friends, and I only hope to win some money.