Category Archives: United States Travel

Las Vegas Trip Report: One of Many Days I am a Degenerate Gambler in Las Vegas

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009 – Day Six of Eleven

[This is part six of an eleven part Las Vegas trip report.  If you want to start at the beginning, go here.]

My trip is officially half over and very unlike me; I haven’t been obsessing about this every day.

I am up and out at 8:19.  The slot club here at Golden Gate does not open until 9:00 so I can’t give them my Las Vegas Advisor multiplier yet.  I figure I’ll have breakfast first.  I have about $50 in comps here, so here it is I shall eat!

The Golden Gate diner has a menu item named Snickers Hot Cakes, which are pancakes with Snickers baked in them.  Sounds delicious.  It turns out to taste just like regular pancakes, only every now and then you get a mashed up peanut in a bite.  Disappointing.

I go to pay and give my card to swipe as I’ve done in the past.  This is when I’m told they don’t do that anymore.  You have to get a comp slip.  Excuse me, what?  I ate here BECAUSE I have comps and I can’t use my comps?  I am told “Well you can go to the slot club and get one.”  No I can’t because they don’t open until nine and it’s not nine yet.  Then I start whining and I cut myself off because it’s not her fault so why am I whining at her.  Then she goes on to say that this comp system is actually really great.  I ask her “If it’s so great, then why am I paying for a meal when I have over five times enough comps to cover it?”  She didn’t have an answer for me.

Again, I make myself stop talking because it’s not her fault at all that this is the new system or that I was unaware of it.
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Las Vegas Trip Report: That Time I Got a Room With a Mirror on the Ceiling

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Monday, April 27, 2009 – Day Four of Eleven

[This is part four of an eleven part trip report.  If you want to start at the beginning, go here.]

I wake up at the El Cortez, I am out at 8:10 am.  Breakfast is at Cafe Cortez.  I am exhausted.

I play that penny diamond progressive I found the day before (or two days before, I cannot keep track of days in Las Vegas) and I lose $20.  I play video Keno in one of those really old school coin dropper Keno machines.  I turn $40-$50.  See?  I’m writing stuff down better!

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Las Vegas Trip Report: The Day I Hit a $626 Progressive Jackpot

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Sunday, April 26, 2009 – Day Three of Eleven

[This is part three of an eleven part trip report.  If you want to start at the beginning, go here.]

I wake up at seven at the El Cortez, I am out at eight.  I have a $75 budget for this morning.

I use my Las Vegas Advisor 3x points coupon at the El Cortez. I should have used it yesterday since I ended up playing a bunch, but I didn’t plan to play a bunch.  This is how it goes though; you never can tell when it’s a good time to use these things.

My notes are absolutely AWFUL.   They say “Invaders From the Planet Moolah $60″.  Sixty what.  Did I put sixty in or did I take sixty out?  Hello?  THE PURPOSE OF TAKING NOTES IS SO THAT YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WON OR LOST YOU IDIOT.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: Video Poker With a Wheel Showdown

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Saturday, April 25, 2009 – Day Two of Eleven

[This is part two of an eleven part trip report.  If you want to start at the beginning, go here.]

I wake up at 9:00 at the El Cortez. I am out at 10:00.

Viva Monopoly = $0

My progressive quarter Double Double Bonus video poker machine – This is MY machine because I won $300-something on it back in December and I love her – gave me $0

I first stop at Dunkin Donuts for iced coffee and then head over to the Las Vegas Club to scout out video poker with a wheel.  On the way, I stop at the slot booth to activate my 2x points coupon.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: The One Where I Purposely Choose A Crappy Room Because I am an Idiot

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Friday, April 24, 2009 – Day One of Eleven

Today I left work early and headed for the airport.  I am on a US Airways flight pretty much only because I forgot they charge a luggage fee.

I arrive at the airport and check the departures.  Sure enough, my flight is already showing a delay.  This happens every time.  Every time I am told it’s because I’m leaving during rush hour.  Well this time I have photographic proof I am cursed.  Do you see all these flights?  Also leaving during rush hour?   DO YOU SEE that the ONE flight that is delayed is mine? Do you?  DO YOUOUOUOUOU?!?!?

delayUgh.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: March 29, 2002: Last Day

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that was written back in 2002.  Most of this information is now outdated and a lot of what is mentioned no longer exists.  

Friday, March 29, 2002 – Day Six of Six

My mother and I wake up at 7:00 and check out of the Barbary Coast.  We went to Paris for breakfast. This was my first time eating at their buffet and it definitely will not be my last. So good.

I lose some more money in Paris. I only have about $70 left on me.

We take a cab to the Hard Rock and I lose $5. I ask my mother “Do you want to look around” meaning “Do you want to look at the memorabilia”  She says “yes” and starts looking at the slots. We play The Price is Right and I win $50 – which I really needed.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: March 28, 2002: The Day I Accidentally Smashed My Head On a Slot Machine

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that was written back in 2002.  Most of this information is now outdated and a lot of what is mentioned no longer exists.  

Thursday, March 28, 2002 Day Five of Six

We wake up at the Barbary Coast at 7:00 am and go over our breakfast options. My mother is starving and doesn’t want to walk far. I agree to eat next door at the Flamingo only if she promises not to put any money in any machines. She agrees and we go.

They have a brunch in the morning so you can have breakfast or lunch. We stuck to the breakfast. Their buffet is actually very good. It’s too bad I now hate that place with a passion. We had a window table and spent our time watching the flamingos outside.

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Las Vegas Blog: The One Where I am So Stupid

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that was written back in 2002.  Most of this information is now outdated and a lot of what is mentioned no longer exists.  

Wednesday, March 27, 2002 – Day Four of Six

Once again Vegas blog readers, my mother and I wake up at the Barbary Coast.  I am feeling better, but much disoriented. Why is this happening to me? I normally spend my casino trips very drunk and lacking all sleep. On this trip I am sober.  We are resting during the day AND getting eight hours of sleep at night.  Perhaps I am just not cut out for this lifestyle.

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Las Vegas Blog: The One Where I Hate The Flamingo

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This is an older Las Vegas trip report, from 2002.  If you randomly landed on this page and wish to start at the beginning, go HERE.

Tuesday, March 26, 2002 – Day Three of Six

Once upon a time about a decade before I had a Vegas blog, my mother and I woke up at the Barbary Coast relatively late (11:00 am) and ate a late breakfast at the Victorian Room inside the Barbary Coast. My mother and I each had the skillet breakfast and neither of us finished even half of it.

We went next door to the Flamingo to gamble. Ugh. I lost about $100 and then won $150 on a Megabucks slot machine. I decide I am going to only play with the additional $50. I hit 1100 credits on a Bewitched nickel slot machine. This is a hand pay.   I waited about 45 minutes for the attendant. My mother won on some game with a monkey – I can’t remember the name – and she waited 55 minutes for the attendant.

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