- not having any responsibility
- drinking all day
- having my biggest worry of the day be to make sure I don't miss getting my early Sportsbook bets in
- Using my laptop for betting lines research instead of intense coding
- Eating approximately 22 courses of excellent food each day (with multiple desserts)
We had two tremendous meals at Mesa Grill and Craftsteak. I love Craftsteak for its simplicity and atmosphere. Not stuffy at all, extremely relaxed (being able to stretch out on their couches while I scarf down a massive juicy steak is my favorite aspect of that place). Just a great meal. Here is a pic from Craftsteak that is after the carnage.
I was pleasantly surprised with Mesa Grill. For those who don't know me - I like my food plain, and I am an extremely fussy eater. But the food was incredible. If I liked it, then anybody would love that place - fantastic.
Best gambling moment was Derek and I opening up a craps table (and I don't shoot the dice, so it kept going back to him). It started out a little choppy, but Derek finally got on a serious roll. We are talking about Pedro in 99 kind of roll. Just an assassin mowing every point down. Oh, and a special shoutout to the WFBS (Wiz Field Bet System) - that truly worked wonders. By the end, we were looking at one of the best sights in a casino. All craps players know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking about seeing the dusty circles around the stacks of chips that USED to be over by the dealers, but are now in our racks!!!!! I love seeing that. Hah!!!!!
Second best gambling moment was hitting the over in the NYY/TOR game in the 3rd inning. Watching Randy Johnson get smacked around like a whore was satisfying. Also getting that walkoff HR by the Sox on Patriots day was pretty nice (and very lucky!!)
Other random events:
I can't speak highly enough of the Wynn casino. One of the most unique and amazing casinos I've seen. Its like the Bellagio (high end), but better. Then when you walk out on to the patio and see the golf course overlooking massive water falls, its just breathtaking. Its so calm and relaxing, yet you are on the strip!! Even though it was very high class, the dealers and pit bosses were really friendly to us. And we weren't exactly on our best behavior. We were all fairly drunk and we had taken over a BJ table (trouble right there), but a pit boss came over and struck up some conversation and comped us a buffet (I thought at first he was moving in just to intimidate us to get us to pickup). Pretty surprising and I can promise you that would NEVER happen at Bellagio (hey or the Monte Carlo for that matter!!!!). I remember our last trip when Derek, Eric and I played craps at Bellagio and we were cheering when we won, the place got so silent, and we got so many stares, the only thing missing was the scratched needle moving off a record sound. Assholes.
Another cool thing to checkout was the WPT tournament that was being held at the Bellagio. All the big poker players were there Hellmuth, Ivey, Harrington (with the RS cap on of course), Johnny Chan, Sammy Farhar (sp?), etc. It was fun to check out the event, and then see a bunch of them hanging out in the sportsbook after.
Funny moments:
Yelling out "OK I'm reloaded now, here comes the pain!!!!" after hitting the ATM
Trying to convince Derek to grind with this random Bride at the Rio and yell "I get deeper from the back!!" Never happened though...
Derek telling Kerri that he was going to give her a "DDT". I haven't heard "wrastling" lexicon since grade school.
"The Sahara - where cocktail waitresses go to die" - Kerri
That above quote may have been true, but their service was outstanding! And when I'm parched, I'd rather have fast service than eye candy (if forced to choose, the Wynn was full of both).
Sad notes:
Like returning to your old neighborhood growing up, the Monte Carlo was showing its age and was disappointing in many ways. It was fine that we were able to give her a proper sendoff, but we have officially graduated. Their service was below average, we didn't get comped on anything (although in fairness we were on the poker rate already so our room rates were very good - but the pitbosses don't know that). The poker room was terrible. I used to LOVE that room. Now, they offered No Limit and $2-$4 (they had 3-6 once). Can't we offer anything in between???? Isn't that a bit of a large spread between games?! WTF?? Then, because they are offering all these tournaments, they take players away from the cash games, and each game is short handed. So the blinds are racing around. It sucked. SUCKED. Oh, and don't think this is sour grapes - I was +$160 over three small poker sessions even though I really didn't have one run of good cards (best hand I had was a straight) with a lot of that coming against idiots at 2-4 who think they are great poker players because they watch ESPN and Rounders). I just wanted to play more 3-6, and not have a stupid "sit and go" destroy a table every 20 minutes. Oh well...
We really didn't even gamble at the Monte that much, we actually played much more at the Sahara, and that probably saved our trip!! Didn't think I would ever type that sentence. But I cashed out ahead for each of our three visits there. Oh, and I still have some money working over at Leroy's Sportsbook (think local bookie who got bought out by a casino, wears a striped referee shirt every day, personally takes your bets at his one window, while games are shown on 1988 style TVs). Thats Leroys.
All in all, we had a great time, special kudos and thanks to Derek for carting us around everywhere. And he also was nice enough to blast X-rated rap songs when we pulled up to a valet stand at the casinos. Nice. :)
Now, I am getting ready and packing for our trip to Charlotte tomorrow with a 7 hour car ride with a fussy, teething, ear infected baby. Back to reality indeed.... I'll be ready for another Vegas trip in two years. Which will probably be for Derek's bachelor party... I'll be ready for another Ali like comback into the lions den...
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