Thanksgiving 2005 Trip Report – Part 2
Part 2 of 4
(Note: Also Posted on vpFREE Forum)
DAY THREE: SATURDAY
Day 3 of 8
MORNING COUPON RUN (ALMOST)
Began the day with another coupon run. This time to the New Frontier first. Played a $5.00 blackjack MP coupon and hit a blackjack for a $12.50 profit. I next drove across the boulevard to the Riviera parking garage.
I dropped the car keys between the driver’s seat and the console and heard them slip down to the floor under the driver’s seat. I couldn’t reach them, so I had to get out to open the back door and reach under the front seat to get them. I’m always having trouble figuring out power door locks, so before I got out of the car, I pushed the power door lock button thinking I had unlocked the back door. As I opened the front door I realized how windy it was outside in the upper floor of the parking garage. The garage was a not
fully enclosed (only half height walls) and I was parked in a corner spot, so the winds were ripping through this portion of the garage. I went to open the back door and it was still locked. So I went to go back into the open front door to attempt to unlock the back door from the power door lock switch and just then a heavy gust of wind shut the front door. It wasn’t shut tight and I was hoping the front door wasn’t set to lock or if so that it hadn’t latched. Well it was set in the lock position and it closed just enough to latch. It was locked (along with all the other doors) and the keys were under the driver’s seat. Shit!
After thinking what a jerk I was, I finally realized how lucky I was that I had my wallet and cell phone in my pants pocket and not in my coat pocket still on the passenger seat (which is sometimes the case). Otherwise, I would have been completely screwed with no money, no IDs, and no cell phone.
Next, I fantasized that I could just call Dollar and they would be able to open it remotely, just like you see/hear in the advertisements on TV and the radio. So I called, but no such service was available. I think they call it Onstar. She said Dollar could send someone to open it but it would take a couple of hours and they’d have to charge me about $50.
She suggested I call AAA, if I was a member, which I was, and they would do it at no charge. They came within 45 minutes with some burglary tools and opened it in about 30 seconds. My keys were right where I thought they would be on the floor under the front seat.
After all this bad luck, I decided I shouldn’t gamble at the Riviera or anywhere else for the time being. So I just drove to the Flamingo to pick up show tickets for Second City Comedy evening performance (used a Billhere 2-for-1 coupon). Then went back to the room at the Aladdin still thinking what a putz I was for allowing myself to be locked out of my car. I guess I could blame it on force majeure (the greater force or an act of God) that in a contract excuses a party from liability if some unforeseen event beyond the control of that party occurs). Still, I felt like a putz.
GOLD COAST BUFFET
Later, we went to the Gold Coast for a late lunch buffet. I had an ACG 2-for-1 coupon, so it only cost $8.00 for the two of us. Despite the $4.00 PP cost, it was still overpriced. The service and the food were horrible. We had to chase down a waitress and beg her in order to get drinks. The selection of food was slim. The turkey soup was cold. My wife said that
everything she ate”tasted funny”. The apple cobbler tasted “old”. The lamb looked good, but again was cold and dry. The potato pancakes were flavorless and mushy. The vegetables looked precooked and canned. The only item that was tasty was a banana bread pudding.
LAS VEGAS HILTON
We then went to the Hilton. Despite that it is an old facility, overall it looked good. I understand there have been many recent renovations and it showed. In fact there were still some areas under construction. I had two ACG Matchplays for $10 each. I won one and lost one for a $10 profit. More importantly, we went there to play video poker as the Hilton is one of the few places on or near the strip that has Pick’Em, a game my wife and I play locally at a casino in CT.
The nice thing for me is they have it at the $1.00 level. The game is not greater than 100% pay back, but it is 99.95% payback, essentially breakeven. My wife was not doing well at deuces wild and she knows Pick’Em almost cold and enjoys it. So we played at the StarTrek bar side by side. I played the $1.00 machine and she played quarters. A strange thing was upon cashing out even at the dollar level they pay off in large metal tokens. In the end, the overall gambling trend continued, I won ($40) and she lost.
SECOND CITY
Later, we went to the 8:00 PM Second City Show at the Flamingo. It was funny, but not killer. Had I paid full price of nearly $50 a ticket, I don’t think I would have thought I got full value for my entertainment dollar, but if you can land a 50% off coupon (as I did) it would be worth it. I think my wife liked it more than I did.
BAHAMA BREEZE AND THE PALMS
After the show, my wife and I went to Bahama Breeze restaurant on Paradise a few blocks east of the strip. It was touted on one of the numerous Vegas TV shows. Service was fast and extremely attentive and friendly. The place was clean, bright, and nicely decorated. The mashed sweet potato accompaniment was extremely tasty. The prices were reasonable, as I recall in the very low teens per entree
After the late dinner, I dropped my wife off at the Aladdin and I headed to the Palms for some JW video poker. After about two hours being down at about 2:00 AM, I hit a big hand and came back to about even leaving with an overall $5.00 win.
DAY FOUR: SUNDAY
Day 4 of 8
After coffee and Danish, I dropped my wife off at the church across the street from the Stardust. I went to the New Frontier next door, where I played a $5 MP and lost and dropped another $7.00 playing FPDW video poker at a bank of slant-tops.
WYNN
Following church and souvenir shopping, we went to the Wynn, to check out the player’s club sign-up deal for two buffets. I signed up for the player’s card and asked the guy about the buffet deal. He said if you rack up 500 points you can get two free buffets. Each $3.00 at slots was worth 1 point, so if you pass through $1,500 in slots you’d get two buffets worth as much as $30.00 per person plus tax — a $68 value for dinner. For video poker, however, you have to pass through $9.00 for each point or $4,500. I said to
him that I had heard you only needed 50 points to qualify. He then elaborated and disclosed that it’s 500 points on the weekend, but only 50 points on weekdays. This would mean you only need to pass through $150 in slots or $450 in video poker to qualify on the weekdays.
I asked if that meant that if I came back on Monday or Tuesday to play that I would only need 50 points? He said yes. I make it rule not to chase comps, but I figured even with horrendous luck, the most likely loss at video poker with a paytable of 99% or higher shouldn’t be much more than 20% of the $450 passthrough (although it is technically possible to lose all $450). And I also had an equal opportunity to win as much, but more likely expected to break even plus or minus $25 or $30. I made a note to come back.
AUTO EROTICA
While passing through Wynn my wife noticed the Ferrari-Maserati dealership. As we got closer, we noticed the $10 admission fee was in effect (perhaps because it was a weekend). We subsequently found a place called the Exotic Car store at Caesar’s Forum Shops, which has many Ferrari’s, Maseratis, Rolls Royces, and other exotic cars and motorcycles on display for free.
After looking at the more extensive free car exhibit at the Exotic Car store, we hit the Stage Deli at Caesars. The food was good, abundant, and reasonable (I had a corned beef sandwich). After lunch, my wife went shopping at the Desert Passage Mall and I went to Terrible’s to play a few MPs and to Ellis Island. I broke even on the MPs, but had fun and got a free tee-shirt at Terrible’s.
MAGGIANO’S
That night we ate at Maggiano’s at the Fashion Show Mall and the service and food was fantastic. I had the lasagna (that my fussy Italian wife even liked). She had a special pasta and sausage with shrimp dish. She loved it. Although relatively new to Vegas (about one year old), this place is already rated very highly at www.ratelasvegas.com and I can see why.
ZUMANITY
Since we have already seen Mystere and KA, we decide to try Zumanity at NYNY. Before the show we played some penny slots and won $3.00. The show was essentially a male and female R-rated strip club circus act and we had front row seats, so we were asked to participate in the show in a minor way. The show consisted of upper body nudity and lower body thongs, simulated sex acts with sex toys and dancing and gymnastics. It was a bit disjointed and each act was a bit longer than it needed to be, but overall it was entertaining, although surely not for everyone.
Steve T
(End of part 2 of 4 – to be cont’d with two more installments)
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