Category Archives: United States Travel

Las Vegas: Going Degenerate Downtown in the Rain

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Friday, December 17, 2010:  Day Four of Nineteen

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

I am in Las Vegas so obviously I cannot sleep.  I am out at 6:00 am at the El Cortez.  I want to play Multi Strike Supertimes Pay, otherwise known as Crack.  Every downtown degenerate video poker player knows this machine inside and out.  There is just one.  JUST ONE.  In all of downtown.  It is often hard to get on it and it is no surprise that at 6:00 am this morning, Crack is taken.

So fine.   I will just play the quarter Double Double Bonus progressives that I love so much.

$20-$70 Jacks

quarter jacks

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Las Vegas Trip Report: First Time Visiting Cosmopolitan and A Fun Game of “Is It Heroin or Is It Spam?”

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Thursday, December 16, 2010 

[This is day three of a nineteen part trip report.   To start at the beginning, go here.]

Up at 7:30 at the Gold Coast.  I slept well because of Benadryl.  Out at 8:15.

Monopoly Bigger Event slot machine: I hit a $167 bonus, then got a 13X multiplier for $97.50

I try to cash out but I have time left on my bonus meter and as I am waiting for that to run out, the bonus hits again!  This time I only got $8.30

Cash out with $150.

Gold Coast buffet for breakfast, I had the best server ever.  She never once let my coffee cup go empty.  LOVE her.

After eating, it is back up to the room to get dressed and sort out my money.  Then it is back down to play!

Wizard of Oz: Ruby Slippers slot machine, huge bust.

Press Your Luck slot machine: $20-$0

Keno: $60-$0

Quarter Double Double Bonus video poker: $40-0, followed by $20-$0

It is time to check out of the Gold Coast.  My hotel bill is $2.96.

I leave my bags with the bellman and head to the strip for coffee and cigarettes.  I am also going to visit  the Cosmopolitan casino, which opened last night.

My first stop is  Ellis Island.

$20-$0 in triple line nickel Double Double Bonus video poker.

$10-$0 in a nickel progressive Double Double Bonus video poker game.

$20-$50 on an Ultimate X Double Bonus video poker in pennies, so so so so so so much fun.  I could show you lots of blurry cell phone pictures, but I would hate to force your eyes into a permanent cross.  Then you would never be able to read my trip reports again and that would just be terrible!

Lunch is at Ellis Island’s coffee shop with a 50% off coupon from the Las Vegas Advisor.  Bacon mushroom cheeseburger.  My waitress is an idiot.

It’s 12:35.

I walk back to the Strip and head for the Bellagio.

Bellagio Las Vegas

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Las Vegas Trip Report: Going Degenerate to Hit a Higher Tier Level at Boyd

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010 

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

Can’t sleep.  Up at 6:30 am at Gold Coast.  Out to gamble!  I play triple line nickel Double Double Bonus video poker:  $20-$0.

New wheel video poker, playing nickels:  $20-$30 via four of a kind nines.  Have you ever taken acid?   Well my blurry photo of those nines, that comes complete with flash orbs, looks like your acid trip.

Old wheel video poker: $20-$0

Press Your Luck slot machine: $40-$30

Quarter Double Double Bonus video poker: $30-$0

Breakfast was at the Gold Coast buffet.  Nothing special at all, but it is cheap and right here so it works for me.

After eating, I played quarter Double Double Bonus video poker and hit Aces!!  I love Aces.
quarter aces

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Las Vegas Trip Report: The Time There Were Only 28 People on My Flight

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010 – Day One of Nineteen

Yes, day one of NINETEEN.

I left work early, even though I didn’t really need to.  But I wanted to because you know, I am leaving for Las Vegas today and I can’t stand to be at work any longer.

I took a cab from my apartment to JFK Airport.  This is a very rare splurge for me.  With the amount I travel, taking cabs every time I went to an airport would add up to more every year than the cost of a flight.

The airport was so empty and there were only 28 people on my flight.  I just love flying to Las Vegas at this time of year!    However, the downside was that when I got to my gate, there were zero people there which made me think I was late.  So I hurried it the eff up and did not stop to buy a soda.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 – Back when the Imperial Palace was still the Imperial Palace

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that was written back in 2008.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 – Day One of Eight

Today I worked and then went to the airport.  I made it there rather quickly and ended up with only about five minutes to kill in the airport.   Perfect.  My flight leaves at 5:30, but it’s about fifteen minutes after that when the pilot announces he has good news and bad news.  The bad news is that we are 21st in line to take off.  The good news is that there are planes behind us with longer waits and we are not one of those planes.  Oh yeah.  Still though, this actually is much less of a wait than I am accustomed to. I am used to it being hours after we are supposed to take off before they tell us we are 92873498237489237478923473289th in line.

I have the whole row to myself by the way.   This is my specialty.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: December 26, 2007: Yay! Screaming Kid on my flight from Las Vegas!

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2007.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 – Day Four of Four – Last Day

I hate hate hate waking up on my last day in Las Vegas.   Even though this trip is special because I’ll be back in less than a week, I still have to go home today and I just don’t WANNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I get up early at the El Cortez and go downstairs.  I manage to lose half of my day’s budget and it’s not even 9:00 am.  Way to go.

Of course, I head to McDonalds for my third morning in a row.  I will admit that on this day, I am a bit sick of Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuits.  But I just have to do it.  Just to be a dick.

Come back to the room and hide out for a couple of hours.  Pack my stuff up, rearrange my bag, check out, leave my bag at the Bell Desk and go.

Of course, first stop Binions, second stop – Press Your Luck.  I cannot stop it with this game.  I lost my $60 immediately.   Oh so it’s going to be one of THOSE last days, eh?

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Las Vegas Trip Report: December 25, 2007: The Day I Ate McDonalds Twice in One Day. Subtitled: Suck it.

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2007.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 – Day Three of Four

Merry Christmas!

My alarm goes off at 5:00 am because I have a massage appointment at Imperial palace and I need time to get there.   At about 5:15 I start getting “Merry Christmas!” text messages from East Coasters who never seem to figure out that I am in Vegas and probably asleep.  Or maybe they know I am a degenerate gambler who is up at 5:00 to start gambling.

Take the Deuce bus down the Strip and get off at Harrahs at around 6:15 am.   You know I stopped for McDonalds breakfast.   You also know I want you to CAN IT with your commentary on that.

I play around Imperial Palace and remember why I play Downtown.  I could not get a damn thing.   Not even from an All That Glitters slot that normally loves me.
At 7:00 I head to the spa, take a shower and get ready for my foot relaxation massage.   I am very excited about this.  Living in New York City = walking everywhere = every New York City chick needs a foot massage.    It was an hour long.   My feet didn’t really get massaged.  They did get exfoliated and wrapped in paraffin though, so that was wonderful.   The cost was $100, minus $10 from a coupon I got with the fun book I got when I signed up for a Bill’s player’s card.  Definitely worth it.

I take the Deuce back downtown without stopping to play anything on my way to the bus stop.   Hit Fitzgeralds and play and bit and I’m losing. What the hell.   I look at the time and its 10:00 am and I begin to think, do I dare?  Hell why not, I’m on vacation and I get my SECOND McDonalds breakfast of the day.  I mean it was four hours since my first one and I am on vacation ya know.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: December 24, 2007: Pressing My Luck in Las Vegas

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2007.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Monday, December 24, 2007 – Day Two of Four

I decide to sleep in with no alarm.  I turn my phone off to avoid the inevitable my-sister-calling-me-before-the-sun-is-up-because-she-is-obnoxious thing.  And I’m up naturally at 8:30.  I tell myself I did okay though because it’s really 11:30 on my time so I did in fact, sleep in late.

I am at the El Cortez.  I head downstairs and lose and lose and lose.  Sigh.   I go to walk over to McDonalds for breakfast (SHUT. UP.)

I stop at a Press Your Luck slot machine on the way out (OKAY it isn’t really on the way out, but you know) and I got back all the money I lost.   See why I am addicted?

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Las Vegas Trip Report: December 23, 2007: The Time my commute to the airport was longer than my flight

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2007.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Sunday, December 23, 2007 – Day One of Four

Here we go.  What trip to Vegas would be complete without me having problems getting to Vegas?  As you may recall, I have had problems with every trip I’ve ever taken from New York City.   Massive delays are usually the way my trips start off.   So I vowed I would start trying early morning flights, or leaving from Long Island.

Well.  Spirit Airlines had a sale and I found round trip airfare for $130 from Atlantic City (followed by an $81 round trip fare I booked for the following week.)

So that you understand this geographically:  For me to get to Atlantic City, it’s an hour train ride to Port Authority, and then 2.5 hours on a bus to Atlantic City.  This is really no big deal to me.  Add in the fact that the cost to Atlantic City is cheaper than a cab to a New York City airport ($33 round trip. Add in the cash you get back once you reach there, this makes the trip cost $13 round trip or less), this was a no brainer for me.
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Las Vegas Travel Blog: June 14, 2005: Last Day

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Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2005.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 – Day Ten of Ten

Up at 5:00 am – last day in Las Vegas!    I’m so sad.  I am out of the room at 5:30 am.  Head to Stardust, with a stop at Starbucks.

Stardust Sign Las Vegas

Lose and lose and lose.  Head to Wynn.   Lose and lose and lose and have $20 left of my gambling budget.   Put it in a lucky seals penny machine and win $85.   Wooooo.    Head to the buffet.   Wow.  $16.07.   Bacon was excellent, eggs were excellent, but other than that, I didn’t find anything I liked enough to warrant that price.   Also, the entire buffet is non-smoking.

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