Vegas July 2010 *updated*

**Found my little notebook, scroll down past the photos for

a more detailed report**

Had a great trip,  visited/ played poker at some

new casinos like M Resort, Aria, Red Rock, and

Mandalay Bay.  Drank a tonne of redbull+vodkas

(except downtown, where they dont serve energy drinks).

Hit quad queens at the golden nugget for a massive

$50 high hand jackpot (got paid about $220 from the wsop

superstar in the pot).  Ate my mandatory graveyard special

$4 Chicken strips and fries at the California Casino downtown. 

Played poker at the Flamingo with Mel and Pat Humphries

(the old couple from Atlantic City that follows Phil Ivey around a

t the world series of poker and is seen in multiple episodes

on ESPN every year).  Saw Thor Hanson (poker legend)

in the hallway and stood beside Kido Pham at the urinals

of the RIO.  Gorged at Harrahs "buffet of buffets" 24 hour pass

for 7 different buffets for $34.99.   Took in buffets at

Silverton, M Resort, Planet Hollywood, South Point, Red Rock

and others. Lots of food.  Gained exactly 10lbs in 8 days.

Ended the trip on the plus side, about $1500. 

Like i didnt already have every Toby Keith song

memorized, walking by TK's I Love This Bar daily

in Harrahs permanently engrained all of his hits in my brain. 

I will post the poker and food related stuff and fill in s

ome of the gaps as soon as I locate my little notebook

(I hope I find it).

For your entertainment, here's a few pics i took

of billboards and random stuff this trip.

I'd love to see what you get or DONT get as your gift.

Definition of Virtual:  Existing in essence or effect,

though not in actual fact.

Most guys would do it for free.

 

This makes more sense to me.

 

This must be a new place, it wasnt in the phonebook

when i was looking for a safe deposit box.

I always felt like someone was watching me in vegas,
and not just the security cameras.

The king was playing some slots and pounding back

the budweisers at the El Cortez casino.

 

A true patriot outside the Harrahs poker room/ Sportsbook on July 4th
(he was reading about the ponies, waiting for post time at Belmont Park)

 

If they had it in mens size, I would have bought this one.

 

          My favourite dealer at Binions

This Trip report: Totally incomplete, possibly lies, exagerations.

June 29 Tuesday:   took advantage of a comped room at
Caesars Windsor to get some shut-eye and have a shorter drive
to catch the plane early in Detroit.   Plus, I got $10 cashback + $15
food credit just for showing up. 

 

Nice room, will take them up on more free room offers
now that i've stayed there.  Since its a block away from Caesars,
took the tunnel, this was the fastest and easiest border crossing
exerience ever.


June 30, Wednesday  7am:  after touching down in vegas, picked up
the rental car, a Chevy Malibu with a temporary tag in the windshield
(which expired before the return date....oops), no lic. plates and only
1300 miles.  The car was very clean (cleaned by Jesus).  Only a
few hundred metres up the road, Carrie Underwoods song 
"Let Jesus Take The Wheel" came on the radio.  It must be a sign.

8am   Had breakfast at the Original House of Pancakes. 
(4833 W. Charleston Blvd)   Huge portions.
Picture is of the Baked Apple Pancake, about $8

 

 

Hit the 99cent store beside the Pancake House.  Found some
8Hr. Energy Shots and 1.5L Brisk Ice Tea for a buck and some
yummy chocolate protein bars that were 3 for a buck ! 
Bought 9 and made them last the week.  Styrofoam cooler for $1. 

is great investment to keep drinks icey cold in the room.  
With the bullshit airport restrictions on liquids and aerosols,
its a great place to pick up toiletries for cheap instead of trying
to pack mini-size deodorant, hair products, etc.  
Fat Burger is also right by the Pancake House and 99c store, 
what a great spot !  

On the way to hotel passed "The HAMMER Pub and Grill"
on Russell Road. Will have to stop there for a drink some time.

10am CheckIn.  Harrahs Room 1846  Carnival Tower.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Easy access to self-parking, coffee shop, and the bridge to IP.
Room was clean, great for sleepin. No balcony. In room safe is great.

The room at had AirConditioning that was activated by a motion sensor,
not good if you're out of your room for 16 hours in Vegas in July. 
Not one to be out smarted by energy saving technology,
I rigged up this simple apparatus to keep the AC flowing steady
so it would be cool upon return.

Toilet Paper Coathanger Motion Device

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Took a much needed nap, got up around 3pm, beautiful afternoon,
95 degrees F, walked over to Flamingo poker room, short wait before
new table opened up. 1.5 hour session   + $90.

Headed to the Gold Coast. 
Used LVA (Las Vegas Advisor Passport Coupon Book)
2-4-1 plus some points i had accumulated for 2 free buffets. 
After, tried out the GC poker room which has been moved/upgraded
since my last visit.  Its still geezer town.   Played 2/4 limit for a while. 
My table consisted of 4 elderly asian men (min 65yrs) and 3 absolutely
miserable old bittys.  What a life, complain for 10 hours a day while
playing poker, desparately hoping to hit the bad beat jackpot,
which at the time was $156,000.00   Left - $39.

8pm IP poker  - 200 

Shitty poker start, so headed to bed early after playing some slots.

Thursday July 1 
great night sleep so up before 7am.   Headed to Red Rock for
breakfast buffet. LVA coupon +$4 card discount,  2 for $7.56   
Loved it, carafe of coffee with pitcher of real cream,
smoked salmon, omlette bar, great scrambled eggs. 
Classic rock instead of elevator music in the background
while you eat.  Big casino, 15-20 minute drive, seems family
oriented, movie theatre - the whole place smelled like popcorn,
bingo, bowling, fast food court, non-smoking slot machine area.

MGM poker room.  Still running like shit there, bad players
but that room's got a hex on me or something.  AK vs 89,
flop top pair, villain makes 2pr on river.  AK vs AQ,
villain catches Q on river.   - 100.

Ballys poker room.  had 3 sets, all 3 lost   - 200.

Drove (way) south to M Resort for dinner buffet $24.81
for two with LVA,  includes free beer and wine !! 
Food was hot and great quality, awesome desserts. 
Sushi and bamboo salmon were yum. 
Friendliest casino staff i have encountered at any casino ever !!!  
Their poker room had a tourny running, 4 tables.
I hope they send me offers, would like to stay there
for a few nights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way north to the strip, stopped at Mandalay Bay,
my first visit to their poker room.  Crappy comps system
even though its an MGM property.  Decent high-hand jackpots. 
Good mix of players.   
+ $217

Friday July 2
Slept in to 10am,  11am lunch at the Orleans, two for $8.64 LVA,
satisfactory but not great.   +$6.55 on the Lucky 777 slot machine.

1:00-1:45pm  Mirage poker room   Missed a couple flopped
Royal Flush draws with AJ and QT of diamonds, also had
QJ  hearts on a 9T of hearts flop.  NOTHING !! 
but you gotta play it out since this room pays $599 for a royal flush
and $150 for a straight flush.  Mirage also pays $6000.00 !! for a flopped royal. 

2-5pm  grinding at Venetian Poker room     + $175 

6pm SouthPoint Seafood buffet $20.48 for two with LVA. 
Ate lots of crablegs clams and sushi.   SP poker room had
5 tables running with 6 on waiting list.  Manager said he wont
be opening up another table and wait would be 1 hour plus
so skipped it.

7:30pm-6am Played all night session at Imperial Palace. 
15 RedBull + Vodkas.    $ +245

Needed food so drove downtown for the traditional $4
chicken strips special at California. Asked for extra ranch
dripping sauce.  Since the waiter felt bad for sending in the
wrong order which caused a delay, he brought 3 BOWLS of
dipping sauce.  Should have taken a picture.


Saturday July 3,
slept in after long night. 

4pm Popped down to harrahs poker room for a quick session,     
 + $ 159.

6pm  Harrahs buffet, bought Buffet of Buffets $34.99 24hr pass.
Used my comps from playing at Windsor.  Harrahs was decent,
better than i expected.  

Back to Harrahs poker room to finish of the night,  + $ 152

Sunday July 4th  
11am Silverton Champagne Brunch, great value with 241 ACG,
about $10.  Food is always enjoyable here.  Checked out the B
ass Pro Shops next door, no deals.  Silverton poker room was
totally empty, not even a dealer
or brush.

1pm Harrahs poker room only 2 tables running, but added a
new table every hour until about 5pm.   Was able to play smallball,
seeing flops cheap which is advantageous to me.    + $200.

6pm Went next door to IP, was really card dead so started
pounding the vodka redbulls.   

8pm  Played the $3/6 Mixed-Game at the Imperial Palace
I was already down $29 playing $1/2 NL against a bunch of
guys trying to earn back their WSOP tournament entry fees,
so i hopped over to the mixed game when it started.  
Quite a bit of fun, action on every hand.

Games included: 
Omaha hi/lo,  Razz,  Stud hi/lo,  Badugi,  2-7 triple draw,
Baduci (2-7 triple draw, with 4 card badugi getting half the pot),
A-5 Triple Draw,  3-2-1 Omahai Hi (3 flops,2 turns, 1 river),
4 card Ocean Crazy Pineapple (4 cards like omaha,
discards like pineapple, and the ocean is a 6th street card)

Managed to win a few hands and ended the session +$40 or so.

9:30  Back over to Harrahs poker room, table was shit,
left after 10minutes, -$10

Hungry so went to the Hard Rock casino to Mr.Lucky's restaurant. 
Had the $7.77 burger and steak specials (not on the menu,
have to ask for it).  Place was busy and really loud, almost unpleasant. 

Compared to other years, very little overt flag waving
american patriotism this 4th of July / supposed-independance-day  
(aside from the one guy pictured above).   Not sure if its the economy,
the wars, or an awakening to the realities of the Republic and the Democracy.


Monday July 5th: 
10am  Still had time left on the 24hr buffet pass so went over
to Paris.  Crazy long line.  Drove over to Planet Hollywood. 
Line was long there too, but doable.  Line when we left was
super long- up the escalator into the main casino. 
Food was good, place was busy.

12:30pm  Imperial Palace, no games going.
12:40pm  Harrahs, waiting list and no one moving

12:50pm  Flamingo got a seat after a few minutes.
Had QQ vs KK, lost.   Had AK vs AK (against Mel Humphries), chop. 
Had AK vs. QQ lost.  Ended session 5pm -$45
Read on the back of one dealers ID card that the true name of
the Flamingo is Flamingo Hilton Las Vegas.


Elvis, Michael Jackson and the LV sign workin on the
Las Vegas Boulevard in the 39 celcius mid day heat,
hope they earning big bucks

6pm RIO buffet  (free B of B's).  very busy, decent. 
Saw Thor Hansen and Kido Pham.

8pm Went downtown to Binions.  Only 2 tables. 
Played at the $2/4 limit table until a $1/2NL seat opened up. 
Both games sucked.  Only thing worse than the drink service
was the drinks themselves. The chairs are falling apart and t
he one table had a 6" slant from one side to the other. The one dealer
was on coke or speed. The chip runner made 3 counting errors,
all to the house/his advantage. Then there's the steady lightning strikes,
the flash from people getting their picture taken with the $1M cash
outside the poker room. Still get good turn outs for their daily
tournaments though. probably wont even stop by next trip except
to cash in some comps.   -$25 

9pm  Went across the street to the Golden Nugget,
much better games,  room was near full.   Hit high hand jackpot.
I had Pocket QQ on the button.   It folds around to the cut-off who limps,
I pop it to 17, SB calls 17, BB folds,  C/O calls 17.   Flop is Q83. 
Check, check.  I bet $20.  SB check-raises to 40,  cut-off folds.  
I smooth call.  Turn is a 7.   He leads out $50, i give a hollywood
and just call.  River is the case Queen.  He checks.  I bet $40
(with only 40 more behind).  He snap calls.  I turn over my QUADS. 
He says as he mucks... "I had you crushed on the turn".  LOLZ 
Tipped the dealer $10.   glad thats all i tipped her because quad queens
jackpot only paid me $50, guess it had been hit recently.   
+ $280

11pm   Walked down to the ElCortez.  Got maximum value
from a $10 free slot-play coupon.  Played video poker and
slots for 1hr 40mins and cashed out with a $6 profit.  
Parked at Binions, had to wait a long time to get the car back. 
Even their valet service has gone to shit.

Tues July 6th   
up at 8:30am    Last 'free' buffet of buffets, walked over to
Flamingo, seated by big windows into gardens, great view of fish,
turtles, flamingos, but very warm, to the point of sweating. 
Buffet selection was small, mediocre.  Did have smoked salmon
and a (VERY busy) omlette station.

10:00am   Flamingo poker room, no game
10:15am   Imperial Palace poker room, no game.

Decided to drive to Venetian.  Seated by about 11:30am.
Very tough games, even after table change.  Grinders and nits,
tourny guys waiting for the next deep stack event to start,
folding everything but AA-QQ and AK.  Should have left sooner
and found a better game.   - $20

Gassed up the car at $2.79/gallon.  Must be nice to fill up 
your car for $25.  Gas was  $4/gallon at home, thank you
Dalton "HST" McGuilty.

5pm  Went over to the Mirage for poker and buffet. 
The buffet was....meh.  Selection was not great, food quality
was so-so, not hot.  sushi was dry.  Had good peeled shrimp
and the service was really friendly though.  Very disappointing
for $28.05 for 2 WITH a 241 LVA coupon.  Not good value. 
Made up for that in the Mirage poker room.   
+ $200  Hit and run.

7:30pm   Decided to hit Caesars to see Sonny "the money" Rattan
who was in a $250 deep stack tournament.  Coincided with his
dinner break too.  Caesars poker room still sucks.  Not One Drink
in over an hour sitting at the table, even after calling for cocktails. 
No one asked for my players card, pretty standard for counter,floor
and/or dealer to ask you so you get credit for you play. 
Poor service all around.
+ $75

9pm  Down the road to Mandalay Bay for an hour and a half.  + $15

10:30pm Back to Harrahs.  Hit and run after 40 minutes. + $155.

midnight - 2am at IP.  shitty game, both of the tables. skilled
and tight players.  5 guys at the table had played WSOP events. 
Atleast the conversation was interesting.   Cashed out with  
$1 less than I started with.

Had to get some vittles before bed.
Ate at the Burger Joint at the Flamingo. 
They have a late night (12am-6am) special,
$2 burger + fries,  quite tastey, great value.
Recommended for latenight hunger mid-strip.
Larger than it appears in the photo.

Wednesday July 7: 
Did some pre-packing before heading to the RIO buffet
for 11am.  No line up. Fresh sushi, hot food was good.
Desserts were lacking in variety and quality.  Used 241 LVA
and $16.95 in comps.

Checked out the new Aria hotel. Modern looking, kinda dark inside.
Fucked up parking, Look at the huge gaps between parking spots
in the picture...WTF !  Are they expecting everyone who visits Aria
to drive a Jaguar or Bently and they want them to have lots of space
between each expensive car ?  Newflash, those cars get valet. 
It almost looks like jumbo handicap parking spaces, except they had
plenty of those close to the entrance.  It was hard to find a spot,
lots of people trolling.

Poker room was nice though, weak players.  4 tables of $1/3
+ $300  

Definitely have to visit Aria again to see if games are
usually that soft and....they have fantastic bathrooms !

Over to Ballys.  3:45 -4:30.  Nitty game, lots of 1 limper vs.
the big blind.   Or, raise to 15 and everyone folds    - $5

Back to harrahs for one last poker session. 4:45-7:00pm,
very winnable game, several old nits and a cpl of hyper
aggressive guys.   + $90   

Placed some $5 sports bets before going back to room to
shower and pack up.

2011 Stanley Cup
TBay Lightning @ 30/1  pays $155
Boston Bruins  @ 20/1  pays $105

2011 SuperBowl
Pit Steelers @ 15/1 pays $80
Phi Eagles  @ 20/1  pays $105
Atl Falcons @ 20/1  pays $105

2010 World Series
Cinci Reds @ 18/1 pays $95

2010 British Open
Jim Furyk  @ 25/1  pays $130
Ret Goosen @ 30/1 pays $155
Tim Clark   @ 45/1 pays $230

I should have pulled the trigger earlier in the week when
there were some good lines on Justin Rose and Miami Heat.

Picked up Long John Silvers to-go on the way to the
car rental return.  It was great, for a brown dinner. 
Everything was hot and crispy and the portion was HUGE,
2 big fish fillets, 4 jumbo shrimp, hushpuppies, clams,
french fries, and slaw.  I might have got special treatment
after the girl found out i was from canada, she might have
had a crush on me. I rang the ships bell on the way out so
she knew i liked her too  ;)

Flight home was full.  Very warm and noisy.  
There should be no one under the age of 5 allowed
on flights between 11pm and 6am. 
Likely not enough to keep me from going back though  ;)