This was a very short trip, Friday evening, Sue, Sandy & I left for Las Vegas from Philly on National (check out transportation fourm for that information). Arrived in LV late, actully the next morning to to delays. Picked up my national rental car from the Emerald Club, a white Chevy Blazer. It was a good choice do to the fact we had very little luggage and getting in and out of it was easy with my crutches and bad foot. Check in went smooth. Sue & I got our usual mini suite, and this time Sandy got one too. Of course, since I was on crutches I was asigned room #19001, all the way at the end of the hallway from the elevators! LOL
Played at the Flamingo Bugsy's bar, because the late night closer guy after 2pm on the weekends at the Garden bar is a jerk. Lost quickly and moved over to Barbry Coast, and killed the early morning hours playing triple play nickels. To bed around 5am
Saturday, headed up to Vacation Village for our free spin for the airfare, I won $2, Sue got a buck, and Sandy was the big winner with $20! Went to the bar for our free hotdog with a $10 buy-in....but no hot dogs. The barmaid was a little hung over and never started them. We played for an hour, and still no dogs, so we left for PF Changs for Lunch. It was as great as ever, then a visit to the Orleans, Sue is now hooked on "Dick Clark's Rock'n New Year slots. I played BJ and got my butt kicked. Sandy did her roulette thing. Then, Sahara, Played triple play nickels and held our own, Sandy's turn to get her butt kicked on roulette. Downtown to Main Street Station. First words out of the valets mouth, Hi Lee, hows it going today? This was all before I could even get out of the car! Nothing like being reconized and fast service to boot. Dinner at the Brew Pub, I tried the muchrooms for an app. and had chicken fingers for dinner. I tried something new, was happy with my selections. Played at MSS triple Play and treasure chest VP machines. We leave MSS go back to the Flamingo. If any of you recall, this trip was an award I received from work. So I had no gambling obligation at all this time at the Flamingo. We played for awhile at the Garden bar, drank too much and hit the bed early by our standards at midnight.
Sunday, Caesars and then lunch at the Palm, got my passport stamped, and joined the 837 Club. Then out to Sunset Station, got my butt kicked by a 10 play machine, then used an LVA coupon for a 100 buy in gets you 115 in non negotible chips deal. Played them through at BJ and left with $100 in real chips, so it wasn't a bad deal, I played for an hour at $10 level, and had a shot at making a little too. Played PiaGow Poker till everyone in the group was ready to leave. Stoped in at Arizona Charlies east, what a clean & well run little casino! All of a sudden Sandy starts hollering from across the pit to me that she just seen Gail. In a couple of min. Gail was seated beside me playing Blackjack. This was weird, because I had tried to make plans to meet her, and we just couldn't get togeather. I caught up and was doing more chatting then watching my cards, and my winning slowly slipped away. But it was nice seeing you Gail! Then out the door we went (valet at AZ charlies was very quick also) and to the sahara for dinner at the coffee shop. I do not like this place, but we are still alive. We all orderd breakfast meals, so I figured our chances where better for a decent dinner! LOL Got my butt kicked again at BJ inthe Sahara. Sandy wants to return to the Flamingo and we drop her off. Then we head down to Main Street Station. I treasure chest quarters at the bar, and then we head over to the California, and say hi to Dave at the second floor bar and I play there for a couple of hours drinking ice cold Becks beer. We leave when the bar shuts down about 3am, and head over to the MSS again and I sit to play BJ. Had a blast, the dealers where fun and had some good table mates too. The one cocktail waitress from the Las Vegas club, was a real treat. I enjoyed talking to her in between shuffles. She was ragging on the Las Vegas Club, complaing about her outfit. "It's 108 degrees and what is our uniform.....a darn sweater & polyester pleated skirt". "a sweater in the desert, ya know these guys must really be sharp" LOL I might even venture over to the Las Vegas Club on my next trip, just to ask her if she's warm enough in July! LOL Anyway ay 9:30am, Sue drags me away from the MSS tables, saying like we have to meet sandy in a half hour for the airplane (we arn't even packed or anything. We check out, return the car, get to the airport only to find out we are delayed.
The trip was an expencive one for me. Sue did ok, Sandy power gambled the whole time, so I know she took a beating too. Was it a good trip, yes, would I do it again, yes. Oh by the second day, I ditched the crutches in favor of a sort of limp & hop sort of thing. The crutches where horrible to use in crowed places. 27 more days and counting!

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

WOW, Lee!! I can't even keep up that kind of pace on TWO working legs!! :-) Seriously, though, so often I find that about 3 days into a Las Vegas trip I can feel my butt dragging behind me. I can't count how many times I've had to turn in early near the end of a Las Vegas trip out of complete exhaustion, only to be so annoyed at myself when I return home because of the time I wasted by cutting a night short!

Anyway, enjoyed the report; sorry about the losses!

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Mark L. in NJ

Markl,
I try to keep going on these trips, but we had to call it an early night on Saturday, because Sue kept falling asleep at the bar. We looked like such amatures, calling it a night at midnight! LOL
I don't like the short trips. I tend to power gamble, as though i just can't lose it fast enough. The longer trips are at a slower pace, we get to bed at a decent hour of 2am. <S>
The feeling of "wasting time" in vegas, I know well. I always wish on my return I would have planned better or stayed up later or gotten up earlier.
Glad you enjoyed the read & and thanks for the kind words.


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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

MarkL,

If Lee told the truth, the only reason he goes like that is to keep up with Sue and Sandy.

Lee,

Where did you find the nickel machines at the Barbary Coast? That is our favorite place to play on the strip. Nickel machines usually get the same results with me as quarter machines. The difference is the nickels take a few minutes longer. As Mark said, you sure get around but Ive said that before and I've seen you in action. Hope the leg heals soon.

Fred

Sorry about the crutches, Lee. I didn't know you were injured. Guess I'll have to read some past posts to figure out what happened to you.

You always seem to have a good time on your trips regardless of the length of stay.

My son age 22 leaves for Vegas on Wednesday and is also staying at the Flamingo. It's his second trip EVER and a gift I gave him for making a 3.7 GPA for the year. There's nothing like an award trip and I'm glad you enjoyed yours.

Lee, as usual, you do get around. Were the chicken fingers at MSS Brewpub still HUGE. When I had them it was like getting 4 entire chicken breasts. You could feed four people with then and the were appetizers!
Sorry you took a hit at the tables. It happens to all of us from time to time.
Guess you'd better get ready for your next trip! You weren't too bummed out were you that VV was out of hot dogs?<G>

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

Fred,
these where nickel triple play machines, just to the left of the slot club booth. There was a dealer (from some casino) on the other side of the bank of them, and he has played them so much, he could tell what we hit by how long the music played while it added up the credits. Even when i hit the deal button while it was counting (that makes the music and the counted go faster) he could still tell.
Lee-PA

Jan,
Yes the crutches where a pain, but as time went on, I just walked slower and watched how I planted my foot.
If I wouldn't be having a good time, I wouldn't go. it an old saying of ours when we travel, where ever we go, we can find a good time. This all comes from being stranded places, missed busses, planes, boats, taxi's...you name it.....we've missed it! LOL But you know what, life is funny, if you want to have a good time, you sometimes got to make it yourself, and we do.
We're sending my daughter & son-in-law to Las Vegas again in September. This will also be there second trip this year to LV. They had such a good time in February, I couldn't say no to them. <S> Besides my daughter is expecting her first child, and this may be the last trip for awhile for both of them.



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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

John,
We all where bummed-out because they where out of dogs at VV. It's just something we do on a regular basis, we expect them to have the dogs hot & waiting. BTW, the bartender was more interested in chatting to the other employees then doing any kind of serving of the patrons at the bar. My wife was yelling You Who at her just to get her attention. Something, I concider rude, but, she was being rude, by not doing her job IMHO. We didn't stay very long after that!
Chicken strips are a meal in them selves. I couldn't beleive all the food and had to leave the last one sit, because i just couldn't eat any more. BTW, I've grown to like MSS French Fries too!

As for the tables.....I'll just win twice as much on my next trip to make up.....LOL
Thanks for reading & replying!


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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Lee, I haven't had anything at MSS Brewpub that has not been very good and a good value. I keep saying I should just stay there but as long as Caesars keeps taking care of us I can't seem to make a move. I have a feeling that sometime in the next few months I will make a trip without Linda. I may try MSS. I love the casino, Brewpub, Pullman Grille, the bartop vp, etc., etc., etc.

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

John,
I like the place, but only for short stays. Your much better off at Caesars. I really don't think that MSS can take care of you like Caesars can.
I think all that you like about MSS is because they have to do something, because the acomadations they offer are less then grand!
Sue is perfectly happy with MSS though, it's me that notices all the little things in the rooms. Which is odd, because that's Sue's job! LOL

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Lee, I couldn't keep up with your pace even without any crutches - sounded like a fun trip even though you didn't exactly beat the house at its own games - because the trip was an award you had somewhat of a head start! <g> As I recall you got that bad foot on your last trip from the car tire. Right?
I'm sure your mini-suite at Flamingo was great - however the check-in person doesn't get any awards in my book putting you so far from the elevators when you were clearly on crutches.
I always did wonder why the waitress' at LVC haven't gone on strike about those outfits. In the summer they could at least give them cool, thin, short sleeve nylon sweaters or the like.
BTW - where is PF Changs? Joyce

Joyce,
I missed the last step on a ladder, doing my job, that's how I got the "bad" foot. <S> The Limo did run over some toes on the previous trip, but suprisingly, no damage was done then....although it is the same foot. Maybe I just got an unlucky foot! <S>
The suite was prearanged with my host, and she had no idea, I had a bad wheel. So I fault no one. I checked in really late, so there wasn't going to be much they could do for me. I wasn't going to move the next day and I wasn't going to give up my nice room! [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] They did bring up a refridgerator for me (free of charge). I needed it for my Gel splint. I would throw it in there at night and in the morning it would feel like heaven!
As far as the outfits at LVC, I'd like to see them wear less [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img] but I respect LVC for keeping some of the older gals on as cocktail waitresses. If they went with skinkier outfits, I'm sure, the older ones would quit. Personally, the olders servers, are a lot more greatful for a decent tip.
PF Changs, is located on Paradise, between Flamingo & tropicana, just across from the old Continental (soon to be Terribles Casino).
Thanks for reading & replying.
I probably should spend more time over at LVC, I understand the Great Moments room is a nice evening dinner.



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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Lee,

Thanks for another great report. As others have said, I don't think I could keep up with you with 2 good legs!

So sorry you didn't get your favorite breakfast this trip <G>.

Did you enjoy the Blazer? I almost took one but chose a Grand Prix instead for some reason. I seriously considered one of the 4X4 pickup trucks but JMT wasn't there to go riding with me.

jm

Jeff,
I wanted one of the 4X4's, but it was just going to be a problem getting in and out of. They tempt me every time, but I don't think it will work out either on my next couple of trips. Too many people to haul around, and I don't think any of the ladies want to ride in the bed! LOL Something about messing up their hair?
I liked the Blazer as a rental.....would I by one? No, I'm in a truck enough with my job, and it drives like a truck...a nice truck, but none the less a truck.

So......when do we see your trip report?
<VBG>
Lee-PA

Lee -

Have you EVER won at the Flamingo Hilton? I used to win there years ago but in the past 2 years, I've had no luck at all. I mostly play video poker and those machines are cold, cold, cold. I'm curious to know what you think.

Mike Dunghe

Mike,
We've won at the Flamingo, but not that often. I am basicly a joke at the Garden bar that I play at regulary. While I do walk away with more in my pocket then I started with sometimes. I have yet to hit a royal there. Which is really long odds when you concider that in general, we play 3-4 hrs a night every night we are there. It's gotten so bad, the bartender have taken to razzing us about it! (but they are friends so we let them) I've told them, when I hit that royal at their bar, I ain't tipping no one, because of all the crap they are giving me! LOL But it's all done in fun, and some of the best Bartenders (people) I've run into in Las Vegas work the late shift at the Garden Bar.
I don't play in too many other areas of the Flamingo, to really judge the property on the whole.
The pay scales are less then friendly on most VP machines, I really should move my show to another Hotel. But, it's not that easy. I have grown comfortable at the Flamingo. I've met more nice people at the Garden bar then anywhere else in Las Vegas.


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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com