Democracy in Las Vegas
Jan 1, 2003, 5:33 pm
#1
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Democracy in Las Vegas
My Delta account was sitting at 48200 base miles for the year, so I suggested to my wife wendolene that we take a trip for our 10th anniversary on December 28. “How many miles do you need?”, she asked, seeing right through the ruse.
So we booked SJC-SLC-LAS-SLC-SJC, returning on December 30. By the way, it turned out I really didn’t need to make this run, since shortly after we booked the trip, Delta changed all the rules (there might be a post or two on the Delta board about this), and I would have qualified for Gold Medallion without the trip.
The cab arrived at 4:55 AM for our 6:30 AM departure. It took all of 7 minutes to get to the airport, as all sane people were still asleep. We had both cleared upgrades exactly 72 hours before each segment; wendolene was enjoying her last days as a Gold Medallion, as this was her first Delta trip all year. She had only taken two trips in 2002– an award Hawaii trip ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003163.html ) and a trip to Chicago (an untold tale).
We settled into our bulkhead seats on the 737-800. First Class service was drinks and a Bishoff cookie in plastic wrap. Since we were in First Class, we were offered a second cookie.
The flight arrived in time. As we were making our way to the Crown Room Club, we ran into our old pal TN ( Flyertalk member ngowda, co-star of a couple of my trip reports ( like http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/ft...ML/000775.html ). We talked for a while, bid farewell for the moment (he is my wife’s “date” for my company’s holiday party in a few weeks!) and went into the CRC.
The flight to Las Vegas was on a 767 with business elite seating (60 inch pitch). This had to be the most comfortable 50 minute flight I have ever been on. Service was a drink (a bottle of warm water for me) and a bag with 9 small pretzels. I don’t think the in-seat video was active, but an episode of the Brady Bunch was on the main screen. It was the Christmas episode.
We arrived on time, wheeled our carry-ons on the monorail and to the Avis bus. Avis has arranged for a shiny red Oldsmobile Alero. Well, it beats an SUV.
There was quite a jam of cars trying to go in the rear entrance of the Venetian. Part of the delay was the security guards checking trunks to make sure terrorists don’t get in and blow up the money. Or, maybe they were afraid of one of those clever Las Vegas heists like you see in the movies.
The Valet parking was full, so we parked our own car on the 7th floor. We made our way across the casino with our luggage and checked in. The low-rollers had arrived!
Despite the fact that we spend money like it going out of style, and that I am a big investor in the stock market, I am not much of a casino gambler. A $10 minimum blackjack table makes me sweat. Quarter video poker is more my speed.
We went to our “suite” ($229/night for the first two nights, $399 for the third), which was a bedroom and living room, separated by a railing. It was a nice size. It also hadn’t been cleaned from the previous visitor.
While I was on the phone to complain, the chambermaid showed up, so I hung up. Wendolene was cranky from the lack of food (it was 2PM, and all we had to eat so far was two cookies and 9 small pretzels), so we decided to go to lunch.
All along, I knew the only reason wendolene agreed to this trip was the Stage Deli in the Forum shops. So, I suggested we go there.
I had a New York Combo (Pastrami & Corned Beef on Rye). Wendolene had a Reuben. We had chopped liver as an appetizer. Food wasn’t going to be an issue for a while.
We went back to Venetian to enroll in their player’s club. In the food chain of casinos, we were plankton. Now, there will be documented proof.
We headed right for the quarter video poker machines, where I did well and wendolene did miserably. (This would go on all weekend).
We strolled through the Grand Canal Shops. Despite the fact that it is on the third floor of the hotel, there actually is a canal there. Gondoliers take tourists for boat rides, and sing them any song they want, as long as it is “O Solo Mio”. Since it is Las Vegas, loud is more important than good, and the louder they sing, the better the applause is. Since it is Las Vegas, I am surprised they don’t have an Elvis gondolier singing “It’s Now or Never”.
Bored by the shops here, we walked to the Fashion Mall to see more shops. There are lots of shopping centers on the strip, most with the same stores (and the same stores one can find all over the world). However, there seems to be a lot of magnet stores and a lot of magic stores in Las Vegas, for some reason.
We had a dinner snack in the Grand Canal, on an “outdoor” seat under the phony sky, and while the phony gondoliers sang “O Solo Mio” on the phony canal, we had Mexican food.
After a breakfast at the Grand Lux Café (who proudly told us they were run by the same people who run the Cheesecake Factory(!)), I won some more money while wendolene lost.
We had tickets to EFX that night that we had to pick up, so we walked down to the MGM Grand Hotel. More precisely, we sprinted. Even since wendolene dropped a bunch of weight, she has turned into jock-woman. She would sense an opening in the crowed sidewalk, and dash through the hole like a latter-day Jim Brown.
I noticed that Clint Holmes (the same doofus who recorded “Playground in My Mind”, one of the worst records ever!??) was “voted” best entertainer, the Flamingo was voted “best slots”, something else was voted best buffet, best comedy show, best bus, best sidewalk, best surf&turf, etc. There must be a lot of elections in Las Vegas.
We picked up our tickets and sprinted back to the Stage Deli, where wendolene had a matzo ball soup and a pastrami sandwich. I had a smoked whitefish platter, of which wendolene had at least one third.
I won some more money, and wendolene lost some more.
We headed over early to the MGM. We decided to take the monorail at Bally’s , but that was so far back, it didn’t save much time. On the platform for the monorail (voted best platform) , there was an announcement in English, and another one in English with an outrageous French accent (courtesty of the Paris hotel). Wendolene identified why this wasn’t even a good phony French accent.
To kill time, we played more video poker on old machines at the MGM. I still won, and she still lost.
The EFX show was good. I remember from American Top 40 in 1972 (“Speak to the Sky”) that Rick Springfield was from Australia. He sounds very American, but I did look it up, and he was born in Sydney.
We walked back to the Venetian and had a late night meal from the overpriced Chinese restaurant in the hotel. String beans in XO sauce were especially good. I voted it best stringbeans on the strip.
Sunday morning, I decided to bet $40 on the Browns (-3) beating the Falcons. It was my first sports bet in a casino ever, and my first sports bet since I bet my bosses’ boss in 1986 that the Mets were going to win the World’s Series.
We took a drive around town. I wanted to show wendolene Hoover Dam, but she wasn’t interested unless there was video poker there. I showed her my old neighborhood (circa 1964) of Desert Inn Road and Maryland Parkway, and we drove by Fremont Street (what a hole!).
I was playing video poker in the Sports Book, when this 70+ woman (at least, she looked 70+) sat down next to me and chain smoked between coughing fits. I would have bet that she wouldn’t live to see the 1PM games, and I would have given the points.
I won the football bet, but actually lost a few dollars on the video poker. Since wendolene was now broke, I had to loan her money at 45% interest daily (as required by Nevada law).
She was having another bad run at video poker. “Can I ask you a question?” she said. “What exactly is a Royal Flush?”
Our old company had moved some people to Las Vegas, so we arranged to meet them for lunch. They suggested PF Changs, which I understand is an awful place. To my shock, wendolene suggested we meet at the Stage Deli.
After lunch, we walked back to the hotel. All over the strip, there are touts trying to hand you flyers and pamphlets, usually for naughty stuff. They make a noise with the paper, and then try to hand it to you. I have fun with them, and stick my hands up my sleeves and pretend I have nothing but stumps.
When we were done gambling, we turned in our player’s cards to see what sorts of goodies our low-roller ways had earned. I got $21 back, a $10 comp at the food court, and a spin of the wheel. I spun and won $10. Wendolene got no money back, the $10 at the food court. Her spin came up empty, so they gave her a key chain. It could have been worse – she could have won two “Lord of the Dance” tickets.
We had some snacks in the food court with our comps. It was awful.
We checked out Monday morning. I left a nice tip for the maid, to make up for random people who go to Las Vegas and don’t tip the maid.
We had upgrades for both legs on the way back, as I had played the 72-hour game well once more. All of wendolene’s upgrade points were expiring the next day, anyway.
The 767 had normal first class seats. Drinks, 9 pretzels. Brady Bunch Christmas episode. The SLC-SJC flight was an ancient 737 that had 8 first class seats. The bulkheads were roomy. I picked up a couple to turkey sandwiches which we ate enroute. They were yummy. We declined the Bishoff cookie.
--------------------------------------
Previous trip reports, including another one on Las Vegas with more-or-less the same jokes, can be found at http://home.pacbell.net/opus17/
[This message has been edited by opus17 (edited 01-01-2003).]
So we booked SJC-SLC-LAS-SLC-SJC, returning on December 30. By the way, it turned out I really didn’t need to make this run, since shortly after we booked the trip, Delta changed all the rules (there might be a post or two on the Delta board about this), and I would have qualified for Gold Medallion without the trip.
The cab arrived at 4:55 AM for our 6:30 AM departure. It took all of 7 minutes to get to the airport, as all sane people were still asleep. We had both cleared upgrades exactly 72 hours before each segment; wendolene was enjoying her last days as a Gold Medallion, as this was her first Delta trip all year. She had only taken two trips in 2002– an award Hawaii trip ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003163.html ) and a trip to Chicago (an untold tale).
We settled into our bulkhead seats on the 737-800. First Class service was drinks and a Bishoff cookie in plastic wrap. Since we were in First Class, we were offered a second cookie.
The flight arrived in time. As we were making our way to the Crown Room Club, we ran into our old pal TN ( Flyertalk member ngowda, co-star of a couple of my trip reports ( like http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/ft...ML/000775.html ). We talked for a while, bid farewell for the moment (he is my wife’s “date” for my company’s holiday party in a few weeks!) and went into the CRC.
The flight to Las Vegas was on a 767 with business elite seating (60 inch pitch). This had to be the most comfortable 50 minute flight I have ever been on. Service was a drink (a bottle of warm water for me) and a bag with 9 small pretzels. I don’t think the in-seat video was active, but an episode of the Brady Bunch was on the main screen. It was the Christmas episode.
We arrived on time, wheeled our carry-ons on the monorail and to the Avis bus. Avis has arranged for a shiny red Oldsmobile Alero. Well, it beats an SUV.
There was quite a jam of cars trying to go in the rear entrance of the Venetian. Part of the delay was the security guards checking trunks to make sure terrorists don’t get in and blow up the money. Or, maybe they were afraid of one of those clever Las Vegas heists like you see in the movies.
The Valet parking was full, so we parked our own car on the 7th floor. We made our way across the casino with our luggage and checked in. The low-rollers had arrived!
Despite the fact that we spend money like it going out of style, and that I am a big investor in the stock market, I am not much of a casino gambler. A $10 minimum blackjack table makes me sweat. Quarter video poker is more my speed.
We went to our “suite” ($229/night for the first two nights, $399 for the third), which was a bedroom and living room, separated by a railing. It was a nice size. It also hadn’t been cleaned from the previous visitor.
While I was on the phone to complain, the chambermaid showed up, so I hung up. Wendolene was cranky from the lack of food (it was 2PM, and all we had to eat so far was two cookies and 9 small pretzels), so we decided to go to lunch.
All along, I knew the only reason wendolene agreed to this trip was the Stage Deli in the Forum shops. So, I suggested we go there.
I had a New York Combo (Pastrami & Corned Beef on Rye). Wendolene had a Reuben. We had chopped liver as an appetizer. Food wasn’t going to be an issue for a while.
We went back to Venetian to enroll in their player’s club. In the food chain of casinos, we were plankton. Now, there will be documented proof.
We headed right for the quarter video poker machines, where I did well and wendolene did miserably. (This would go on all weekend).
We strolled through the Grand Canal Shops. Despite the fact that it is on the third floor of the hotel, there actually is a canal there. Gondoliers take tourists for boat rides, and sing them any song they want, as long as it is “O Solo Mio”. Since it is Las Vegas, loud is more important than good, and the louder they sing, the better the applause is. Since it is Las Vegas, I am surprised they don’t have an Elvis gondolier singing “It’s Now or Never”.
Bored by the shops here, we walked to the Fashion Mall to see more shops. There are lots of shopping centers on the strip, most with the same stores (and the same stores one can find all over the world). However, there seems to be a lot of magnet stores and a lot of magic stores in Las Vegas, for some reason.
We had a dinner snack in the Grand Canal, on an “outdoor” seat under the phony sky, and while the phony gondoliers sang “O Solo Mio” on the phony canal, we had Mexican food.
After a breakfast at the Grand Lux Café (who proudly told us they were run by the same people who run the Cheesecake Factory(!)), I won some more money while wendolene lost.
We had tickets to EFX that night that we had to pick up, so we walked down to the MGM Grand Hotel. More precisely, we sprinted. Even since wendolene dropped a bunch of weight, she has turned into jock-woman. She would sense an opening in the crowed sidewalk, and dash through the hole like a latter-day Jim Brown.
I noticed that Clint Holmes (the same doofus who recorded “Playground in My Mind”, one of the worst records ever!??) was “voted” best entertainer, the Flamingo was voted “best slots”, something else was voted best buffet, best comedy show, best bus, best sidewalk, best surf&turf, etc. There must be a lot of elections in Las Vegas.
We picked up our tickets and sprinted back to the Stage Deli, where wendolene had a matzo ball soup and a pastrami sandwich. I had a smoked whitefish platter, of which wendolene had at least one third.
I won some more money, and wendolene lost some more.
We headed over early to the MGM. We decided to take the monorail at Bally’s , but that was so far back, it didn’t save much time. On the platform for the monorail (voted best platform) , there was an announcement in English, and another one in English with an outrageous French accent (courtesty of the Paris hotel). Wendolene identified why this wasn’t even a good phony French accent.
To kill time, we played more video poker on old machines at the MGM. I still won, and she still lost.
The EFX show was good. I remember from American Top 40 in 1972 (“Speak to the Sky”) that Rick Springfield was from Australia. He sounds very American, but I did look it up, and he was born in Sydney.
We walked back to the Venetian and had a late night meal from the overpriced Chinese restaurant in the hotel. String beans in XO sauce were especially good. I voted it best stringbeans on the strip.
Sunday morning, I decided to bet $40 on the Browns (-3) beating the Falcons. It was my first sports bet in a casino ever, and my first sports bet since I bet my bosses’ boss in 1986 that the Mets were going to win the World’s Series.
We took a drive around town. I wanted to show wendolene Hoover Dam, but she wasn’t interested unless there was video poker there. I showed her my old neighborhood (circa 1964) of Desert Inn Road and Maryland Parkway, and we drove by Fremont Street (what a hole!).
I was playing video poker in the Sports Book, when this 70+ woman (at least, she looked 70+) sat down next to me and chain smoked between coughing fits. I would have bet that she wouldn’t live to see the 1PM games, and I would have given the points.
I won the football bet, but actually lost a few dollars on the video poker. Since wendolene was now broke, I had to loan her money at 45% interest daily (as required by Nevada law).
She was having another bad run at video poker. “Can I ask you a question?” she said. “What exactly is a Royal Flush?”
Our old company had moved some people to Las Vegas, so we arranged to meet them for lunch. They suggested PF Changs, which I understand is an awful place. To my shock, wendolene suggested we meet at the Stage Deli.
After lunch, we walked back to the hotel. All over the strip, there are touts trying to hand you flyers and pamphlets, usually for naughty stuff. They make a noise with the paper, and then try to hand it to you. I have fun with them, and stick my hands up my sleeves and pretend I have nothing but stumps.
When we were done gambling, we turned in our player’s cards to see what sorts of goodies our low-roller ways had earned. I got $21 back, a $10 comp at the food court, and a spin of the wheel. I spun and won $10. Wendolene got no money back, the $10 at the food court. Her spin came up empty, so they gave her a key chain. It could have been worse – she could have won two “Lord of the Dance” tickets.
We had some snacks in the food court with our comps. It was awful.
We checked out Monday morning. I left a nice tip for the maid, to make up for random people who go to Las Vegas and don’t tip the maid.
We had upgrades for both legs on the way back, as I had played the 72-hour game well once more. All of wendolene’s upgrade points were expiring the next day, anyway.
The 767 had normal first class seats. Drinks, 9 pretzels. Brady Bunch Christmas episode. The SLC-SJC flight was an ancient 737 that had 8 first class seats. The bulkheads were roomy. I picked up a couple to turkey sandwiches which we ate enroute. They were yummy. We declined the Bishoff cookie.
--------------------------------------
Previous trip reports, including another one on Las Vegas with more-or-less the same jokes, can be found at http://home.pacbell.net/opus17/
[This message has been edited by opus17 (edited 01-01-2003).]
Jan 1, 2003, 6:25 pm
#4
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I've decided I can no longer tell you how much I enjoy your reports for fear I'm starting to look like a groupie. 
Jan 1, 2003, 8:18 pm
#5
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Plato90s:
$229/night for the room, and you play quarter video poker?
You must confuse the heck out of the casino revenue people.</font>
$229/night for the room, and you play quarter video poker?
You must confuse the heck out of the casino revenue people.
</font>
wendolene has asked to set the record straight:
- She will be a Gold Medallion until March 1, so she will enjoy two more months of being elite and not flying.
- It's "O Sole Mio".
- She did win, or at least break even, once I explained the rules to her.
- She immediately spotted "Keri like the lotion" from EFX as a plant, and wants credit for that.
- She's never talking to me again.
Jan 1, 2003, 11:57 pm
#8
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by QuietLion:
You'd have had to tip the maid $500 to make up for how much I don't tip her.
QL</font>
You'd have had to tip the maid $500 to make up for how much I don't tip her.
QL</font>
Jan 2, 2003, 12:01 am
#9
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Almost too many 's to count, but this was my favorite:
Great report!
's to count, but this was my favorite:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by opus17:
In the food chain of casinos, we were plankton. </font>
In the food chain of casinos, we were plankton. </font>
Jan 2, 2003, 12:53 am
#10
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Thanks for the trip report. The Venetian used to be my favorite hotel, till I lost over $500 and wasn't comped anything so I left for greener pastures
If you're plankton then I guess I must be the green algae.. always enjoy reports about Vegas!
If you're plankton then I guess I must be the green algae.. always enjoy reports about Vegas!
Jan 2, 2003, 10:15 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Chicago,IL.
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
The Venetian used to be my favorite hotel, till I lost over $500 and wasn't comped anything so I left for greener pastures
If you're plankton then I guess I must be the green algae.. always enjoy reports about Vegas!</font>
The Venetian used to be my favorite hotel, till I lost over $500 and wasn't comped anything so I left for greener pastures
If you're plankton then I guess I must be the green algae.. always enjoy reports about Vegas!</font>
It is a great hotel by the way, and mid week rooms can often be had for 100-150$ so...
Jan 2, 2003, 1:44 pm
#12
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My wife and I stayed at the Venetian from the 26th to the 28th, as well.
I was considering writing a trip report, but since this probably serves as the magnum opus (sorry) on LV for the weekend, I won't go forward with it.
We paid $209 for Thursday night, and $229 for Friday night.
We enjoyed it and would definitely stay there again, although we wonder how it compares to Bellagio.
Greg
I was considering writing a trip report, but since this probably serves as the magnum opus (sorry) on LV for the weekend, I won't go forward with it.
We paid $209 for Thursday night, and $229 for Friday night.
We enjoyed it and would definitely stay there again, although we wonder how it compares to Bellagio.
Greg
Jan 2, 2003, 2:10 pm
#13
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by greg99:
My wife and I stayed at the Venetian from the 26th to the 28th, as well.
I was considering writing a trip report, but since this probably serves as the magnum opus (sorry) on LV for the weekend, I won't go forward with it.
We paid $209 for Thursday night, and $229 for Friday night.
We enjoyed it and would definitely stay there again, although we wonder how it compares to Bellagio.
Greg</font>
My wife and I stayed at the Venetian from the 26th to the 28th, as well.
I was considering writing a trip report, but since this probably serves as the magnum opus (sorry) on LV for the weekend, I won't go forward with it.
We paid $209 for Thursday night, and $229 for Friday night.
We enjoyed it and would definitely stay there again, although we wonder how it compares to Bellagio.
Greg</font>
The rates started going up on the 29th (due to New Year's Eve, I guess). I tried booking through Amex FH&R, at it was $499/night. My wife found the $399 rate online.
We actually tried the Bellagio first, but they were sold out.