Trip Reports - New York, Vegas, and Jesus

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Hunnybear was in Toronto for Memorial Day weekend visiting friends and family so I decided to hop over to New York to enjoy the Spring weather there. I needed to be in Vegas on Monday so that left just enough time for a couple dinners and a Sunday matinee in the Big Apple. I called for a 6 a.m. cab. When the taxi didn’t show I figured he had pulled up to the wrong building as happens frequently so I wheeled my bags up the driveway and sure enough, there was an apologetic turbaned driver waiting for me at the wrong apartment building. He whisked me to United in plenty of time, but I noticed the fare was higher than normal. Sure enough, there had been a fare hike a couple weeks before. What was once a $12 cab ride was now $13.

There was no line at either the 1K/First Class queue or the special JFK First Class queue but a red-vested helper directed me to the JFK section. I stood for a few seconds and then an unsmiling agent motioned at me with her hand as if to approach. I did so slowly, one step at a time, because she looked so unhappy I didn’t want to upset her. You’d think if they were going to bother to have a special line for First-Class service for their premium transcontinental flights that they would staff it with agents trained in being friendly and helpful. The agents at the Department of Motor Vehicles were friendlier than this ambassador of the Friendly Skies. “Upgrade certs?” She demanded. I gave them to her. I got out of there as quick as I could, but not before an upset customer in the regular First Class line started complaining that they weren’t taking him before the JFK passengers and tried to cut in front of the next guy in my line. Obviously a New Yorker.

The flight was leaving from the farthest possible gate, 68A, so I hiked through security and down to the gate. When I got there they told me they had stopped boarding because they were doing some tests on the airplane that they had forgotten to do last night. Well tests can be failed so I called the 1K desk and asked what my options were for other flights. The 8 o’clock was wide open so I decided to hang out awhile and see what happened. In a flash they resumed boarding and rushed everyone on the plane. I had reserved seat 5B but when I got on board I saw that it was an old 767-200 with projection TV, meaning that the bulkhead side seats had a very poor view of the movie screen. I rushed out to the gate to try to switch my seat but the harried agent there told me that if any seats were open after the doors closed to just take them. I persisted and after a couple minutes he told me seat 5C was open, but as I thanked him another agent called out “not any more.” By this time the whole plane was full so I was out of luck. I returned to 5B and then a couple agents came on board and upgraded several middle-aged women to Employee Class to make more room in Business.

The Business-Class seats on this plane were the uncomfortable older ones with the useless broken footrests. Nevertheless mine was comfortable enough for a 4-1/2-hour flight. Service was lavish if not overly friendly. We began with a choice of water or orange juice on the ground. I noticed that the First-Class passengers got some biscotti to munch on with their drinks! I was even more surprised when, after takeoff, we got biscotti in the second cabin too! They were fresh and tasted great dipped in my mug of decaf. They passed out menus which turned out not to be entirely accurate.

Breakfast was a choice of asiago cheese and asparagus omelet, stuffed apple caramel French toast, or fruit plate. I chose the omelet. It arrived served on Noritake china with turkey sausage, Canadian bacon, cheese potato soufflé, fruit bowl, and of course the pink and blue salt and pepper tubes. Then a stewardess came around with a choice of breads: bagels, muffins, and croissants. Since I was a couple of pounds overweight I passed on the bread.

The movie was Snow Day with Chevy Chase, a disturbing children’s movie in which the characters attempted to run each other over with a snow plow. I can’t imagine why United would be showing a winter children’s movie to business travelers in May. The flight attendants brought around another drink service with small cups of mixed nuts as the video system showed Sportsnight, my favorite of the sitcoms that United shows. Before I knew it, it was time for another meal. The menu said turkey or roast beef sandwiches, but instead they brought me a monster assorted deli plate! It was the same stuff they bring around on the cart in First Class on the regular flights except with no salmon. I munched on several shrimp dipped in cocktail sauce and roast beef dipped in mustard before I begged them to take it away. There was a tiny Ghirardelli chocolate square served with it.

The menu said Mrs. Fields cookies and Godiva chocolates would be forthcoming but they never were. Despite our ground delay we got to the gate at JFK five minutes early. Good work, captain!

The baggage came out quickly, 15 minutes after we landed, and my priority-tagged bag was so near the front that I missed it! It got caught up on a corner of the conveyor belt and I found it just before I went to file a lost-baggage report. There was no line for taxis so I took the flat-rate cab to the Essex House ($33.50 plus tip).

The two check-in agents at the Essex were busy with customers. One was having a prolonged conversation with two young women trying to get into rooms that were not under their names. “It’s under my boyfriend’s sister’s name,” one of them said. “I just want someone to go in and get my conditioner,” the other one said. Finally the agent called security (to let them in I presume). When the conversation concluded, it was my turn.

“My room is under my boyfriend’s sister’s name,” I said. I held it just long enough for her to have to figure out whether I was joking.

My Starwood Platinum Concierge had called ahead and asked them to upgrade me to a park-view suite, which they did. I could live in this beautiful room. This was a true suite with a completely separate living room with sofa, chair, coffee table, dinette, TV, and desk. I called Catman to let him know I was in town and we went for a walk in the park prior to dinner.

Dinner was at Catman’s favorite Ruth’s Chris. We sat down at the bar to have a couple martinis, which Catman calls “QuietLions.” “Two QuietLions please,” we said. The bartender nodded, then drifted over to her associate. I could overhear the conversation. “Do you know how to make a QuietLion?” … “That’s what I thought.” She returned to us. “What’s in that again?” I told her. You take Bombay Sapphire gin and put in into a shaker. Then you shake it up and pour it into a martini glass. Finally you add a lemon twist. “So you want two Sapphire martinis,” she translated. “Oh, is that what you call them in New York? How quaint.”

We sipped our martinis and soon Michael arrived so we went to our table. They treat Catman like the King of Spain in this place. I ordered the chop salad, which saw superb, and the New York steak, which is Ruth’s Chris’s best cut. Both Michael and I had our steaks arrive overdone, then when they redid them they were way underdone. The third time was perfect and the manager bought us our steaks, which was a nice touch. Even so, the tab came to $47/person including tip. This is not a cheap city.

The highlight of the evening was a visit to the intellectual salon of Howard, a shut-in genius who never leaves his Brooklyn brownstone but welcomes stimulating visitors. Douglas joined us and the five of us talked for over three hours about every subject imaginable. A car service took us back to Manhattan ($32 plus tip for three stops) where I sat enjoying the view of the lights over Central Park before retiring to my Heavenly Bed. I love New York.

Next: too much Heavenly Bed on their minds?


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The Makings of another classic LION TALES story! FOUR PAWS UP REPORT! And I can speak honestly about this becuase I am there.

Thanks for saving my weekend Mr. Lion (and Jamiel who used his layover at EWR to have LUNCH with me! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif THanks Jamiel, hope you enjoyed it! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I'd have managed better if I'd had it planned

After a late start Catman and I went to Stage Deli meet Michael and RichG for brunch. I enjoyed the Wilt Chamberlain Reuben so much last time that I ordered it again. It was as good as I remembered. We talked about mind viruses, cults, and politics. With RichG there’s never an intellectually dull moment.

After lunch the gang walked me to 42nd St. for my matinee of Jesus Christ Superstar ($80 plus $12.80 in fees, taxes, surcharges, and outrageous Ticketmaster commissions). It’s one of my five favorite shows so I’ve seen it many times, my favorite performance being a very limited run starring the Indigo Girls, outdoors on the pier in Seattle. Highlights of this performance were Judas’s voice and the stunning lighting design. Jesus, usually played as the gentle, wise-beyond-his-years rabbi depicted in the Bible, was portrayed more like a stressed-out Microsoft executive worried about the Clinton Administration splitting the company up. Mary was played by an understudy who didn’t quite live up to the demanding role. As always on Broadway the dancers and orchestra were perfect.

After the show I met Catman at the Marriott Marquis rotating lobby bar for a drink. We ordered Manhattans since we were in Manhattan. That place makes the world’s best Manhattans, served in a beautiful oversized martini glass. We sipped slowly and stayed for a few revolutions as we rotated between watching the Times Square street scene and the Lakers crushing the Trailblazers. RichG had filled us in on the Yankees-Red Sox series: tied for first place, tonight was a classic match-up with Clemens facing Martínez on ESPN. We figured we’d watch the end of the game up in the suite after dinner.

It was time to head back to the hotel to change for dinner and recharge my new cell phone battery, which had finally died after leaving it on for over three days! Apparently there’s been a big technological breakthrough in batteries: I just bought this lithium-ion ultra-slim vibrating battery over the Internet for $28! Ebay is full of vendors selling them.

I was eager to try Cité, coincidentally next door to Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Cité had a fixed-price wine dinner every evening after eight ($59.50). Catman and I descended into the beautifully decorated restaurant and enjoyed the bacchanal next to a young couple from Austin. We started with flutes of my favorite champagne, Taittinger, which our charming waitress Miss Dara gladly refilled when they inexplicably became empty. The price included a choice of any appetizer, entrée, and dessert from the menu. I started with a huge, fresh shrimp cocktail while Catman had chicken sausage. Miss Dara poured a nice light Simi chardonnay to accompany. For the main course I had a beautiful rack of lamb. I had to send it back only once for being overcooked, an improvement over the previous night. The second time was a charm, though, and it came out perfectly rare to medium-rare accompanied by a delicious sweet-potato mash. There were two red wines served with the entrée, an uneventful cabernet sauvignon and a pretty tasty Bordeaux. As a rule I don’t eat dessert but it was included and they had profiteroles, so the Cat and I each had a trio. Miss Dara bought me a Muscat to make up for the overcooked lamb, which wasn’t necessary but which I certainly appreciated.

After we finished drinking dinner we headed back to the Essex House with the intention of watching the tail end of the ballgame. But a well-dressed man by the elevators told us we could not go up just now because the elevators were in “fire” mode and weren’t operating. He suggested we wait in the bar, which we did. I figured it was a typical false alarm but it turned out there was an actual fire on the ninth floor. We stayed in the bar for about an hour while an assortment of firemen paraded around with axes and extinguishers. By the time they let us up it was after eleven and the game was over, so we just crashed as both of us had an early day tomorrow. It’s funny. Something goes wrong every time I stay at the Essex House, yet the front-desk service is so consistently good that it remains my favorite hotel in New York.

Next: I get up at 2 a.m. LA time…ugh!

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[This message has been edited by QuietLion (edited 05-29-2000).]

I would add Cite Cite to my list of recommended restaurants. Excellent service, the wine tasting menu is a lot of fun and great atmostphere.

And I agree with you brother feLION: The Essex House is my favorite hotel in NYC. (the official hotel of teh Catman Do Two and Trois (Spring, 2001!)

Enjoy your travels Mr. Lion! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Great trip report, QL! It sure sounds like a lot of fun.

Woke up Sunday morning about 11 a.m., having gone back to sleep several times, but finally felt well-rested for the first time in many days after a bad cold totally disrupted my sleep schedule... and everything else. Wait a minute... I have no sleep schedule! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif After catching the end of "Meet the Press" on Channel 4 (featuring a 50 year old clip of Sen. Robert Taft acting at least as psychotic as certain current-day politicians) I checked my e-mail and found a message from Quiet Lion inquiring as to my whereabouts. A phone call later I was on my way to the Stage Deli to meet Catman, Quiet Lion, and Michael. Since I'm rarely home on weekends, this was a rare opportunity to drive to a midtown location and park (it being Sunday). http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The matzoh ball soup and the blintzes were actually very good, even though Quiet Lion seems convinced that I don't like the Stage. (Not true... there are just others I prefer.)QL's comments about the conversation are too kind... I just think he and Catman and I tend to find the same things interesting, which does not guarantee that others might not find them (the conversation subjects) boring. I think I'd rather be known for drollness. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[Fast forward to Monday night]: While dining on linguine with red clam sauce in a local pizzeria, I noticed fire equipment racing towards my building from two different directions. Later, after taking a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood casually looking for the conflagration, I noticed a couple of fire engines backtracking from the way they had originally gone. This generally means they're looking either for a wreck on the West Side Highway, which could not have been the case here since traffic was flowing too well, or they were heading for someplace underneath the highway, where access is difficult, or for one of the new Trump buildings. Turns out to have been the latter, which are still tricky for the F.D. to find since the streets are new additions to the map and are tricky extensions to the Manhattan street grid. There does seem to have been a fire in an apartment 30 floors up or so in one of the new buildings, but by the time I got there the F.D. was busy spraying water out of the apartment and the paramedics were standing by an empty stretcher not looking very concerned. Still, I don't know if anyone was hurt. But if I lived in one of those buildings I'd be very concerned about the Fire Dept. not knowing how to get there.

Just thought I'd match Quiet Lion's F.D. story with one of my own. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Please recall that I'd recommended Cite for previous FT gatherings in the past! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The other place that comes to mind is Cite (51st bet 6th-7th)for those who go for the art deco thing. Here, as you know, you get the same kind of deal (decent steaks etc)with ALL the great wine you want included for about $50./head. And the kind of bistro version, Cite Grill next store is less expesive than that with the same outstanding wine deal, but I dont know if they poor the same good wines there. By the way, I don't even know if Mayor Guiliani's new regulation perhaps killed this nice promo?! needless to say, I like wine and that is/was the big attraction here.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum95/HTML/000079.html

doc, I never take food recommendations from skinny guys but in this case it turns out you were right. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Lion Kingdom

I set every alarm in the place for 5 a.m. in order to make my 7:15 flight. I checked out of the Essex House to find that I had been charged for every minute over 10 for my local dial-up calls in violation of the company policy. The clerk didn’t know about the policy but gladly reversed the longest call which balanced things out. He did not offer to compensate me for not being able to get to my room last night because of the fire. I didn’t expect anything but the guy in line behind me told me he was expecting a credit for the night.

I paid on my ITT Sheraton ClubMiles Optima card an got my first two nights toward the two free weekends. That done, I hopped into a cab and said, “Kennedy airport, driver, and step on it!” He offered to take the Triborough Bridge but I suggested the Midtown Tunnel as more direct and he complied. The fare was almost exactly the $30 that they charge flat rate in the other direction.

The Los Angeles and San Francisco flights leave from terminal 6 so I’m glad I was awake enough to point that out to the driver. There was no waiting at the First Class/1K check-in. When the agent asked for my upgrade certificate, I asked her for a double upgrade but got the stonewall. I went to the gate and asked the agent there for a double upgrade but she quoted Cole Porter and said never never never never never never never never never. I said I’d just hang out quietly in that chair in case something opened up at the last minute. When she called final boarding I went back up and asked again but she didn’t seem real open to the possibility so I boarded, walked through Employee Class, and took seat 5D.

There was no preflight drink service on this flight but otherwise the service was attentive, not surprisingly given that Business Class was less than half full (First was full). We got photocopies of menus and they got the same in First. As on the trip out they began with a pair of delicious biscotti. The entrée choice was a little weird: I took an asparagus pie over the stuffed pancakes or fruit plate but didn’t care for it. The movie was RKO something something something starring the guy who plays Mr. Big on Sex and the City, John Malkovitch, and Michelle Pfeiffer and depicted Orson Welles’s experiences making Citizen Kane. I enjoyed it very much. They finished up with Mrs. Fields chocolate-chip cookies and hot towels.

Overall I found the “Premium” Business-Class service superior to regular domestic First-Class service on most flights. The minuses were the cramped feeling of the 2-2-2 layout in the 767, the older seats, and the intangible annoyance of knowing that there’s a higher class of service and I’m not getting it. In the days of transatlantic crossings the common wisdom was “never travel Second Class.” In steerage at least you knew you were paying as little as possible and in First at least you know you were getting the best treatment available, but in Second Class you got neither.

Arriving home at LAX I headed to the RCC for an hour’s work on line. I left 20 minutes before flight time and got to gate 85 just as they were announcing final boarding. I took 1C. Once again service was good on the LAX-LAS Shuttle route and it’s always different flight attendants. I guess maybe people who get to spend their time flying between those two great cities are just in a good mood as opposed to the mildewed bunch who splash between Seattle and San Francisco.

We arrived on time in Las Vegas and I headed over to meet Kevin’s Northwest flight from Minneapolis. I played a little Deuces Wild and won $2.50—a good start! (Note to IRS: This amount has been balanced by current-year losses meeting or exceeding $2.50.) When I tried to cash out the hopper was empty so the attendant had me fill out a form and paid me cash. I guess they’re used to people running off to catch flights so they have a system in place for that contingency.

I needn’t have rushed, however. Kevin’s flight sat on the ramp for a full half-hour waiting for a Tokyo-bound 747 to get out of the way. The gridlock finally unraveled and I greeted Kevin, who was last off the plane. Since he is a Silver Elite on Northwest they gave him a seat in the cargo hold.

Having met people arriving just after me before I knew to look for my bag on the floor adjacent to United’s carousel 2. Kevin’s bags hadn’t come out yet but we noticed the MGM had a remote front desk at the airport so we checked in there, requesting and getting airport views, and his bags were ready by the time we finished. MGM offered a shuttle service but at $12/person it was far more expensive than a taxi so we went out into the blistering 108-degree heat and grabbed an air-conditioned cab ($10 including tip).

I had booked our rooms at MGM over priceline.com with a bid of $55/night for a four-star hotel. Everything went smoothly. Since there’s no Starwood hotel in Vegas except the overpriced Desert Inn, which soon leaves Starwood anyway, Priceline was not a bad option. I have to admit I liked all the lion paraphernalia in the MGM, including the real lions playing in their Plexiglas habitat.

We had a late lunch at Coyote Grill. I had a great hamburger and Kevin had the best tacos he’d ever eaten. Well he’s from Minnesota. I tore up the blackjack table and in the process asked the casino host for a couple primo seats to my favorites, Penn and Teller. Even if I don’t play high enough stakes to get complimentary tickets, they are always willing to sell me VIP seats as a casino player. So we got a front-row-center booth for the 9:00 show ($41.25 each) then headed over to Mandalay Bay to play some Pai Gow Poker there.

The Pai Gow tables were jammed so we played Monopoly instead. Once again we both won! Luck was being a lady tonight. I finally got into a Pai Gow game and asked the supervisor for a line pass to House of Blues, where I had a leftover two-for-one coupon from the last trip. Line passes are another thing you can get if you’re not a high roller, pretty much for the asking. House of Blues had a great atmosphere, great service, great drinks, and mediocre food.

We played some more Monopoly, winning yet again, and took the tram back in the direction of MGM for the show. Penn and Teller were hilarious, outrageous, and dazzling as always. I almost fell asleep when the lights were down for the show but got a second wind and Kevin and I played Pai Gow Poker into the wee hours before crashing.


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QL, what a joy to read. I'm smiling and chuckling so much, people are beginning to think I'm enjoying my work! Don't travel as much as you, only 1 trip/month, ususally on my own dime.
Any suggestions for my trip next week to San Francisco? I'm thinking Somona Mission Inn? You can email me.

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Love that report! How come the Gambling Goddesses are always with you when I'm NOT there? Hmmmm..... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Thanks Rogues88. I'm a Starwood man and I'm not terribly enamoured of the Starwod properties in SF. I'll probably try the W next time since I haven't yet. Before Starwood I used to stay at a nice place called Queen Anne Hotel, a large inn with reasonable rates and nice rooms.

“Kennedy airport, driver, and step on it!”

I'm very impressed, since this is never, ever quoted precisely accurately.

Now... what movie is it from?
Hint: should be a FlyerTalk favorite!
(No..... not Airport or any of the sequels.)

Mr. Lion, good luck in Vegas (one of my favorite cities) and may you break the bank at Paw Grow poker (never played it myself.)

Makes me count the days till July 14-17th when I'll be partying there again! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Rich G: "WHen Harry Met Sally?"

Like the beat beat beat of the tom-toms

It was still the hour of the morning when no one had any right to be awake when I became aware of a gentle tapping, as of someone softly rapping, rapping at my chamber door. I ignored it and drifted back off to sleep only to hear it again a moment later. After about 45 minutes of this I pried my eyes open and looked at the room clock. It said 6:47 a.m. I struggled out of bed and attempted to locate the source of the noise. It was loudest in one corner of the room. As I stood there I heard it again, a hammering. I pounded my fist on the wall and nearly broke it: the wall was solid concrete.

I called the hotel operator and asked for the manager on duty. “Yes, Mr. Lion. For which department?” “Whatever department is in charge of the hammering sound I’m hearing in my room.” “I’ll connect you with the front-desk supervisor.” Pam came on the line and I asked her if this hotel was under construction. “They are doing renovations on the 11th and 12th floors.” I asked her if she thought it was reasonable to have this kind of noise at six in the morning. She said no, and they weren’t supposed to start until eight but that by law they had no control over the hours that subcontractors worked. I allowed as how even eight was too early and said I needed a room with no hammering noise. She immediately offered me a room on the 26th floor and a free buffet for two. I said fine, I’ll call back when I’m more awake.

As that point I was too riled to go back to sleep so I did some writing and tried to read FlyerTalk until it crashed my system half a dozen times. I called Kevin and asked him if he had been awakened by hammering. He had, so I called back and got a new room for him too. The bellman came up with my new keys after about 15 minutes and I wheeled by bags up to the new room. It was a mirror image of the old one, this time with a mountain view just to the left of the airport. The black-and-white photos on the wall were of Lucille Ball and some familiar-looking dude from the same era instead of the Marilyn Monroe and Patrick Stewart prints in the old room, but otherwise the same king bed and Art Deco daybed were in place. I went down to play Monopoly while I waited for Kevin.

Brunch at the Grand Buffet was typical. Highlights were the Miami ribs and a high-quality dessert selection. As a rule I don’t eat dessert but they had macaroons, yummy chocolate layered things in cupcake paper, bi-level chocolate-custard cream pie, and chocolate layer cake with white frosting. When they rolled me out of there Kevin suggested going for a walk and I agreed.

I wanted to get some serious play time in at Mandalay Bay for future comp consideration so we walked over there and played Pai Gow Poker for a few hours. I held my own and only dropped a small portion of the previous day’s winnings. Kevin got hungry so he had a snack at the Vegas version of Border Grill, one of Hunnybear’s and my favorite restaurants in Santa Monica. He said it was great. When he returned he said he had taken the elevator to the 26th floor, found his room, and then realized he was in the wrong hotel. Doh!

We walked to Caesar’s to take a look at the Forum Shops. We stopped in front of the main fountains and felt the strong desert winds whip against us. It was about 100 degrees with 50-m.p.h. winds. Amazing. We took the people mover, passed several groups of people standing still enjoying the illusion of progress, and walked through the casino to the shops where I suggested we try one of the world’s greatest margaritas at La Salsa. We ordered two 16-oz. top-shelves with Herradura ($18) and sat down to enjoy them and watch a little of the Lakers-Trailblazers game. I promptly caught my straw with my wrist and tipped my whole margarita onto my lap. Patti, the nice waitress, came with a huge stack of napkins, wiped everything up (except my lap which I did myself) and insisted on bringing me another margarita on the house. I took the straw out and enjoyed it.

We walked across the street to play a few hands of Let It Ride before dinner. I caught a straight but that was about it and we decided to head for Battista’s Hole in the Wall for dinner. Gordie the accordion man was playing Kevin’s fight song, On Wisconsin, as we entered, and then he came over to our table and played a nice Italian good-luck song for us. He happened to mention that it was his last round, several times, so I came up with the idea of giving him a tip right now seeing as he wouldn’t be back that night. Meanwhile an English family consisting of five very attractive women and one bedraggled daddy came and sat down right in my line of sight. Kevin did a double-take wheeled around, slapped the daddy on the arm and said, “I don’t know what you’re doing right, but keep it up!”

We had two excellent Italian salads. Keven had a very healthy grilled chicken breast which he pronounced the best he’d ever tasted. I had Steak Caruso, tenderloin tips sautéed with bell peppers and tomatoes. It was superb. Dinner included garlic bread and “cappuccino” which was actually hot chocolate. I told the waiter, “Cappuccino. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Dinner for two was $64 including tip and a carafe of chilled red wine.

We were both ready to crash by this time since we had been awakened all too early by the construction, so we headed up to our respective rooms and crashed.


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I told the waiter, “Cappuccino. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Inconceivable! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

(if I'm getting the movie reference right)

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Regards,
- Anna

[This message has been edited by AnnaS (edited 06-01-2000).]

We go to the ballet

My first noise-free night at the MGM Grand behind me, I slept in, wrote, and headed over to the Flamingo to drop in on the seminar Kevin was teaching today. I took the tram to Bally’s and then walked across the street to the Flamingo. I played a bit of Monopoly to no avail then headed up to the meeting room to catch Kevin just as his group returned from his lunch break. He was looking sharp in a freshly pressed charcoal suit and had the group engaged and entertained. I hung out for an hour while I learned a few secrets of persuasion from Kevin along with the group then headed over to Bellagio for lunch.

I walked through the casino and settled on Circo, a restaurant on the casino level with an eclectic menu and outdoor seating over the man-made lake. Since it was over 100 degrees I asked for a table in the shade and the hostess, smartly dressed in a gray ankle-length coat and pants, seated me right on the rail under a parasol. I had scoped out the menu prior to entering and had settled on the “Scottish salmon,” served crispy in the skin atop sautéed spinach. It was sublime, almost as good as Hunnybear’s patented grilled salmon. I had two very thin slices of olive bread. Service was excellent. As quickly as I drank my water, an army of bussers kept my blue goblet filled the whole time. The single dish came to $20 before tip.

My gastronomy satisfied for the nonce, I headed to Mandalay Bay for an afternoon of Pai Gow Poker. I walked to Excalibur and took the tram from there, which is quite convenient. I once again held my own for a few hours then took the tram back to meet Kevin at the MGM. The tram system, like everything else in Las Vegas, was cynically designed to bring customers into the casinos. I took the express tram from a very convenient stop right on the sidewalk at the corner of Tropicana and the Strip, but they sent that train back empty! To return I needed to take the “local” that stopped at the Luxor and the inside of the Excalibur. Signs then directed me to walk through the casino to get to the Strip. After a couple rounds of this I discovered the secret way not to walk through the Excalibur casino—I just went the opposite direction from the way the signs pointed.

When I arrived at the MGM Grand to play a bit with Kevin we both got hoovered in short order so we decided to change for dinner. We took a taxi to the Mirage ($8) and tried for Kokomo’s but they had a bit of a wait so we went to Mikado next door. We asked to be seated at a cooking table. Kevin enjoyed the show, never having been to one of these things before. I had previously been here with Jeffrey and Teresa and remembered having an excellent meal. We started with some very fresh assorted sashimi, which Kevin bravely tried for the first time. The meal included miso soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, choice of one or more meats or seafood, and green tea (which for some reason they don’t serve until after the meal). One secret here: if you order the shrimp then you get scallops as an appetizer. Dinner for two came to $102 before tip.

After dinner we decided to try Las Vegas’s fabled ballet. We took a taxi to the ballet hall for $5.40 plus tip. Apparently the show had already started but they seated us anyway. We enjoyed a very nice dance show with talented artists from all over the world, some of whom even mingled with the audience after their performances, which I thought was a very nice gesture. One nice touch was several large-screen televisions so that people who preferred to watch SportsCenter instead of the ballet could indulge themselves. At 11:30 the show showed no signs of ending so we left before the final curtain as Kevin had an early day tomorrow.


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Originally posted by QuietLion:
We go to the ballet

After dinner we decided to try Las Vegas’s fabled ballet. We took a taxi to the ballet hall for $5.40 plus tip. Apparently the show had already started but they seated us anyway. We enjoyed a very nice dance show with talented artists from all over the world, some of whom even mingled with the audience after their performances, which I thought was a very nice gesture. One nice touch was several large-screen televisions so that people who preferred to watch SportsCenter instead of the ballet could indulge themselves. At 11:30 the show showed no signs of ending so we left before the final curtain as Kevin had an early day tomorrow.

Uh huh ... this wasn't an activity that auh2o recommended by any chance?

I'm still waiting for the part when you meet Jesus Alou.

Cooking tables are great, you just have to make sure you're not wearing a necktie or your hair is too long... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Too bad my ballet dancing days are over http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

RichG checking in from ... Washington, our Nation's Capital! No Senators or Congressmen were harmed during the posting of this message.

Very nice, Mr. Lion. Could you please put up on the web, the "Unofficial Las Vegas Visitors' Tram Guide"?

Catman: "Paw Grow Poker". Very cute. You can have NINE tables of that at the Kit Kat Klub Katsino and Hotel. No, not "When Harry met Sally". Although I understand that if you go to KATZ' DELI you can request that table. Please look at the hint. (I really expected Shadow to chime in with the answer by now.)

Another hint: An equally sublime line from the same movie: "When's the next plane outa here?"

I got it

I got up early to have a farewell breakfast with Kevin down at the Grand Buffet. Kevin was still talking about the cooking table at Mikado last night. As a rule I don’t eat dessert but they had inadvertently put out the desserts even though it was 8 a.m. so I just had a slice of coconut ream pie and a cookie. I walked Kevin through the casino out to the taxi stand and bid him goodbye.

I had about an hour till I had to pack so I played a little Pai Gow Poker and had a quick winning streak so I stopped. The only way to leave a winner is to leave when you’ve winning. I headed over to the casino host and asked what they could do for a high roller like me. He took care of a couple charges but noticed that the folio was all screwed up from the room change. Then he said that next time, he could offer me the casino rate of $69/night…but apparently that’s more than I paid over the Internet so it wouldn’t do me much good. Exactly, I said.

I went up to the 26th floor and enjoyed the crystal-clear mountain view while I picked up the phone and called the front desk to get the charges fixed. Eventually they did, so I used the video checkout and wheeled myself down to the taxi line. I thought I’d try Rudi’s trick of offering to share the cab with the guy behind me to see if he’d offer to pay. A minivan rolled up so I actually offered to share with two guys and sure enough one of them offered to pay, saying, “Hey, I’m here on business, so let me get it.” I warned him I was a one “I got it” kind of guy but he insisted.

There was no line at the Premier/First-Class check-in counter but the two agents were each working on large extended Japanese families who didn’t want to take the Northwest nonstop to Tokyo. Probably a good choice. After a few minutes I checked in, received my complimentary upgrade to seat 1C, checked my Andiamo whale to LAX, and headed for the mile-long walk/tram ride to gate D43. I maneuvered for my favorite position on the tram, in front of the large picture window at the head, and enjoyed the ride. In Terminal D I played a bit of dollar Deuces Wild and hit five of a kind, winning $50. Then I went to check in, found the plane was delayed 20 minutes, and played some quarter video poker. This time I hit a royal flush (with deuces) and won another $12. A good trip gambling-wise.

A large Indian family was filling ¾ of First Class and they asked me to move to seat 1A so they could sit together. I happily complied. My new seat opponent was a vulture capitalist and we spent the trip talking about where we thought high-tech was headed. He asked me how I thought Microsoft would do after the government sliced them up. I said I thought they would fare better than the members of the Clinton Administration would after they got sliced up. Hopefully Microsoft has learned their lesson and will keep their political contributions at or above their competitors’ level from now on.

We had a beautiful straight-in landing at LAX and arrived only a minute or two late despite the delay. My priority-tagged bag came out toward the end and I grabbed a taxi home. The rate increase was even more apparent on the return trip. I paid $20 where I had paid $15 before. I may start parking for short trips with the round-trip cab fare boosted from $27 to $35. But with the luck I had in Vegas this week…I didn’t mind.

The end.


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Originally posted by QuietLion:
As a rule I don’t eat dessert...



Great report, QL, as usual. Methinks it´s time to chuck that rule, though...

Always follow RichG's LAS C/D security trick:

When going to the "D" tram, follow the signs to the "C" gates, and cut across in front of security. Always saves ~100' of walking, and sometime gets you on a short security line that is blocked by a longer line.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif


[This message has been edited by BostonBoy (edited 06-03-2000).]

I thought I’d try Rudi’s trick of offering to share the cab with the guy behind me to see if he’d offer to pay. A minivan rolled up so I actually offered to share with two guys and sure enough one of them offered to pay, saying, “Hey, I’m here on business, so let me get it.” I warned him I was a one “I got it” kind of guy but he insisted. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

more (old) 'guerilla' tips from the early days of FlyerTalk: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum101/HTML/000125.html