Thursday's Vegas highlight was a visit to the sumptuous buffet at Planet Hollywood.
Helen, Katie and I arrived about 2 p.m. The PH buffet is one of our favs because it has an impressive Middle Eastern section that includes chicken kabobs, grilled zuchini, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouli, lebne, pita bread, couscous and some tasty rice mixtures. Helen opted for a Middle East assortment, which I piled high on a plate for her.
Then Katie and I separately browsed the buffet. She ate sensibly and really enjoyed it.
I overdid it, as I started with a pile of chilled peeled shrimp with cocktail sauce, plus 3 chicken wings and some steamed green beans (gotta have a few veggies, right?). My second course consisted of a slab of stuffed pork loin, mashed potatoes, some BBQ chicken and fried rice. Dessert was vanilla custard topped with both chocolate and caramel sauces and a dollop of whipped cream. Oh yeah, there was also a slab of chocolate cream pie and a couple of cups of coffee.
We were all pretty full when we left. Helen and Katie decided to go shopping for a couple of hours at the PH Miracle Mile stores, while I headed to the poker room. We split up at 3 p.m., planning to rendezvous at 5.
I started my poker adventure slowly and patiently. During my first 15 minutes, I was dealt 2-4, 5-6 and J-8, all of which I chose not to play. Trying to be patient and play only strong starting hands, right? Well, turns out all of those starting hands would have taken down pots - the 2-4 would have been two pair, the 5-6 flop came 4-6-6 and the J-8 would have turned into another two pair. Aaargh...
Anyway, being patient was rewarded after 25 minutes when I looked down and saw both red A-A winking back at me. I bet $12 into a pot of $10 and the guy to my left suddenly spouts out, "All-In." I was feeling pretty good at that. I had bought in for $60 and was willing to shove my remaining $50 or so into the pot with the highest hand possible.
The guy had over $200 in front of him and I was the only caller. He showed a 5-5 and I was feeling pretty strong with my A-A. Only two cards could beat me - the remaining two fives.
The flop came J-4-5, giving him THREE FIVES. No help for me on the turn and river, so I left the poker room after 25 minutes and playing only one hand!
It was the second straight trip to the PH poker room that I busted out with a strong hand. The last time I flopped 3 sixes and lost my whole stack to a guy who flopped 3 tens.
I walked to the sports book to watch some basketball games until it was time to meet up with Katie and Helen. I was feeling pretty down, playing well and still losing. Unfortunately we've hit a real negative streak over the past 7 days, posting losses in five days and barely winning on Wednesday when Purdue hung on for a 1-pt. win over Minnesota.
Driving home from the Strip, the girls wanted to stop at Wal-Mart, so they shopped while I waited in the car and watched people. What an interesting mix of humanity strolling in and oout of that store...
Back at the apartment we watched some TV and Katie gave both of us massages to relax us. She heads home early on Tuesday and we'll miss her very much. She's a great shopping companion for Helen and makes my life easer by helping out around the apartment. A perfect guest! But she has to get back to her NMC classes and keep on track there. She's really staying on course with her classes and I'm proud of her accomplishments in the NMC program.
Today is my birthday and we're planning to have dinner at my favorite LV eatery - Hash House Ago Go. If the weather is nice, we'll also take a drive out to Red Rock Nature Area to show Katie some of the natural beauty that LV offers only 30 minutes or so from the glitter of the Strip.
So our adventure continues...
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Titanic Tuesday
Tuesday was another busy day for us, starting with FREE pancakes at the nearby IHOP, which is so close by our apt. that we were able to walk over there for our short stacks. While the pancakes were free, we did make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.
Then we headed down to the Luxor to see the Titanic Exhibit. While Helen and Katie checked out Luxor, I hiked about a half-mile north on the Strip to the 1/2 price Tix outlet. I was able to get 3 Titanic tickets (reg. price $30 each) for only $16.20 each, plus a $15 service charge. So by taking a walk (and getting a little exercise) I saved almost $40.
The exhibit was pretty impressive, filled with artifacts that they recovered from the stricken ship. One very cool item was a HUUUGE section of the ship itself, aptly dubbed "The Big One," that weighs some 16 tons. I'd recommend this exhibit to anyone even remotely interested in Titanic and its tragic tale.
Lunch was a Little Caesars pizza that we shared.
Then Helen and Katie decided to do a little shopping at the Fashion Show Mall, right on the Strip across from the Venetian. I dropped them off and walked across the street to the TI - Treasure Island, where I dropped $60 in blackjack. It was a really frustrating session, since early I was up about $25 and should have walked to the sports book to watch hoops...but no... I stayed a frittered away my profit, plus another $60. I'm a better player than that and really regretted the way I played.
When we got home Helen and Katie had leftover shepards pie for dinner, while I finished off our lunch pizza. Chocolate fudge ice cream made a nice dessert.
This morning I ran some errands and stopped by the Suncoast to check out the hoops action. I bought a $20 money line parlay ticket, so if Ohio State, Temple, Purdue and BYU are victorious, I'll cash the ticket for $82.
And so our adventure continues...
Then we headed down to the Luxor to see the Titanic Exhibit. While Helen and Katie checked out Luxor, I hiked about a half-mile north on the Strip to the 1/2 price Tix outlet. I was able to get 3 Titanic tickets (reg. price $30 each) for only $16.20 each, plus a $15 service charge. So by taking a walk (and getting a little exercise) I saved almost $40.
The exhibit was pretty impressive, filled with artifacts that they recovered from the stricken ship. One very cool item was a HUUUGE section of the ship itself, aptly dubbed "The Big One," that weighs some 16 tons. I'd recommend this exhibit to anyone even remotely interested in Titanic and its tragic tale.
Lunch was a Little Caesars pizza that we shared.
Then Helen and Katie decided to do a little shopping at the Fashion Show Mall, right on the Strip across from the Venetian. I dropped them off and walked across the street to the TI - Treasure Island, where I dropped $60 in blackjack. It was a really frustrating session, since early I was up about $25 and should have walked to the sports book to watch hoops...but no... I stayed a frittered away my profit, plus another $60. I'm a better player than that and really regretted the way I played.
When we got home Helen and Katie had leftover shepards pie for dinner, while I finished off our lunch pizza. Chocolate fudge ice cream made a nice dessert.
This morning I ran some errands and stopped by the Suncoast to check out the hoops action. I bought a $20 money line parlay ticket, so if Ohio State, Temple, Purdue and BYU are victorious, I'll cash the ticket for $82.
And so our adventure continues...
Monday, February 22, 2010
KA! - shopping and more!
With Katie here our adventures have been in high-speed whirlwind mode. Here's a brief recap of the past three days..
Friday's highlight was the Cirque du Soleil show KA! at the MGM Grand. It was a spectacular presentation with an amazing stage that is really the star of the show. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in a Cirque performance. After the show we went for dessert at the Grand Lux Cafe at the Venetian. Katie opted for an apple cobbler, I had a strawberry shortcake with vanilla ice cream and Helen chose a tasty cheesecake. All the portions were HUUUUGE and we were pretty well satisfied after a GREAT evening.
On Saturday we spent the day at Hoover Dam and touring the nearby Boulder City, which was founded in 1931 to house the 5,000 workers who built the nearby Dam. The drive from LV to the Dam takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic. It's an impressive structure and we spent a good two hours walking around the Dam, strolling though the visitors center and, of course, checking out the "Best Dam Gift Shop."
About 2 p.m. we left the Dam and went to Boulder City for lunch, settling on Mel's Diner. We got there about 2:20 - just in time because the cozy little eatery closes at 3 p.m. We all opted for burgers - Helen and Katie got western burgers with slabs of bacon atop, while I chose a basic cheeseburger. They were tasty and hefty, very satsifying end to our dam visit! Then we headed home and relaxed for awhile before enjoyin some leftover sausage, peppers and rice for dinner.
Sunday began with the 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church, followed by a visit to the local IHOP for breakfast. Helen enjoyed her mushroom-spinach omelet, I opted for all you can eat pancakes and Katie chose toast and a fruit cup. Then it was off to the Miracle Mile shopping center at Planet Hollywood. Helen and Katie spent the next 4.5 hours shoppping, while I headed for the poker room.
My poker session was unusual. I bought in for $100 and after about 15 minutes played a very interesting hand. I was dealt 6-6 and limped into the pot for the $2 blind. Four of us saw the flop which came 10-6-4 of mixed suits. I had flopped 3 6s and felt pretty good. I checked my hand and the guy to my left bet $20. One guy called and another folded. I stalled a bit, all the time knowing I was gonna put in a hefty raise. So I raised the guy to my left another $40 and he responded by virtually shouting "ALL IN!" The 3rd guy folded and I called.
The turn was another 4, giving me a full house. The river was a 3, no help. I turned over my 6-6 full house and the other guy showed his 10-10, giving him a BIGGER full house!
I was so deflated I left the poker room and just walked to the sports book to calm down. After 20 minutes or so, I bounced back by winning $70 at a blackjack table.
Then I went back to the sports book where I bought a $20 4-team money line parlay (meaning there's no point spread involved, the teams just have to win their game). I picked the Hornets, Suns, Thunder and Hawks. The first three were winners, but the Hawks let me down bigtime. Their game was tied 104-104 with 34 seconds remaining. But the Warriors hit a 3-ball and a free throw to win 108-104. It would have paid $85. AAAARGH!
For dinner we were looking for someplace quick and convenient - How 'bout McDonalds! Then we drove down the Strip checking out the lights as we headed home.
This morning, while the girls were getting up and moving, I ran a couple of errands and stopped by the Suncoast where I won $45 playing blackjack. At one point I was up $65, then lost 4 $5 bets in a row and decided to take my profits and leave. I was home by 10:30.
Later today we're making a trip to "The World's Largest Gift Shop" at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) and Sahara. While the girls shop, I'll stroll across the street to the Sahara hotel-casino and soak in a little Old Vegas vibe. Then we'll head home for dinner - I'll be making one of Katie's favorite meals, Shepherd's Pie. Oh yeah and chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert (another of the niece's favs.) She claims were spoiling her, but I call it just being a good host, LOL!
And so our adventure continues...
Friday's highlight was the Cirque du Soleil show KA! at the MGM Grand. It was a spectacular presentation with an amazing stage that is really the star of the show. I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in a Cirque performance. After the show we went for dessert at the Grand Lux Cafe at the Venetian. Katie opted for an apple cobbler, I had a strawberry shortcake with vanilla ice cream and Helen chose a tasty cheesecake. All the portions were HUUUUGE and we were pretty well satisfied after a GREAT evening.
On Saturday we spent the day at Hoover Dam and touring the nearby Boulder City, which was founded in 1931 to house the 5,000 workers who built the nearby Dam. The drive from LV to the Dam takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic. It's an impressive structure and we spent a good two hours walking around the Dam, strolling though the visitors center and, of course, checking out the "Best Dam Gift Shop."
About 2 p.m. we left the Dam and went to Boulder City for lunch, settling on Mel's Diner. We got there about 2:20 - just in time because the cozy little eatery closes at 3 p.m. We all opted for burgers - Helen and Katie got western burgers with slabs of bacon atop, while I chose a basic cheeseburger. They were tasty and hefty, very satsifying end to our dam visit! Then we headed home and relaxed for awhile before enjoyin some leftover sausage, peppers and rice for dinner.
Sunday began with the 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church, followed by a visit to the local IHOP for breakfast. Helen enjoyed her mushroom-spinach omelet, I opted for all you can eat pancakes and Katie chose toast and a fruit cup. Then it was off to the Miracle Mile shopping center at Planet Hollywood. Helen and Katie spent the next 4.5 hours shoppping, while I headed for the poker room.
My poker session was unusual. I bought in for $100 and after about 15 minutes played a very interesting hand. I was dealt 6-6 and limped into the pot for the $2 blind. Four of us saw the flop which came 10-6-4 of mixed suits. I had flopped 3 6s and felt pretty good. I checked my hand and the guy to my left bet $20. One guy called and another folded. I stalled a bit, all the time knowing I was gonna put in a hefty raise. So I raised the guy to my left another $40 and he responded by virtually shouting "ALL IN!" The 3rd guy folded and I called.
The turn was another 4, giving me a full house. The river was a 3, no help. I turned over my 6-6 full house and the other guy showed his 10-10, giving him a BIGGER full house!
I was so deflated I left the poker room and just walked to the sports book to calm down. After 20 minutes or so, I bounced back by winning $70 at a blackjack table.
Then I went back to the sports book where I bought a $20 4-team money line parlay (meaning there's no point spread involved, the teams just have to win their game). I picked the Hornets, Suns, Thunder and Hawks. The first three were winners, but the Hawks let me down bigtime. Their game was tied 104-104 with 34 seconds remaining. But the Warriors hit a 3-ball and a free throw to win 108-104. It would have paid $85. AAAARGH!
For dinner we were looking for someplace quick and convenient - How 'bout McDonalds! Then we drove down the Strip checking out the lights as we headed home.
This morning, while the girls were getting up and moving, I ran a couple of errands and stopped by the Suncoast where I won $45 playing blackjack. At one point I was up $65, then lost 4 $5 bets in a row and decided to take my profits and leave. I was home by 10:30.
Later today we're making a trip to "The World's Largest Gift Shop" at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) and Sahara. While the girls shop, I'll stroll across the street to the Sahara hotel-casino and soak in a little Old Vegas vibe. Then we'll head home for dinner - I'll be making one of Katie's favorite meals, Shepherd's Pie. Oh yeah and chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert (another of the niece's favs.) She claims were spoiling her, but I call it just being a good host, LOL!
And so our adventure continues...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Las Vegas, Meet Katie!
Thursday was one of the highlight days of our trip so far as Katie finally arrived.
Her trip had been planned since July when Helen and I decided to give her a very special birthday present for her 21st birthday - an all expenses paid trip to LV. So for many months she's been thinking about her visit and what fun things we'll be doing together during her 12 days here in Nevada.
Helen and I met her as she arrived about 1:30 yesterday. She left TC about 7:15 a.m. with a 3 hr layover in Minneapolis before landing safely at McCarran. We drove back to the apartment and just relaxed and talked for a while. I made a lunch of turkey sandwiches for us and we planned our fun for the evening.
We decided on Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet's restaurant at the Flamingo, for dinner and planned to hit the Strip around 6 so that Katie's first view of it would be with its lights ablaze. It didn't disappoint. I drove us east on Sahara and then south along the entire length of the Strip. That took us past such impressive landmarks as Wynn, The Venetian, Fashion Show Mall, Caesar's Palace, Harrah's, The Flamingo, Bally's, Paris, Planet Hollywood, The Bellagio, City Center, MGM, New York New York, Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay.
Katie was thrilled with the lights and color of the Strip and it was really fun to see the excitement in her eyes as she took in the sights. After passing the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at the south end of the Strip, we turned around and headed back north, parking at Bills Gamblin' Hall. Luckily for us, we got to watch a few minutes of the Big Elvis show - he's a 300-plus Elvis impersonator who does a free gig every weekday at Bill's. After viewing that "hunka, hunk of burning love," we headed to Margarita to eat.
On our way there we made a brief stop at the Flamingo to show Katie the live Flamingos in the hotel's garden area. It was dark though and after a quick look at the live lawn ornaments, we continued our trek to Margaritaville.
We got there about 7 and there was a 40-45 minute wait before we got seated. It went quickly though and we enjoyed a great dinner. Helen and Katie opted for HUUUUUUGE salads, while I had a Cuban Sandwich. I also helped them finish off their salads. The food here is always good and the bill was reasonable - less than $50 for the three of us.
Then, using the elevators and overhead walkways, we went over to Caesars Palace. The girls wanted to check out the Forum Shops and I headed to play blackjack. Our plan was to meet about 1.5 hours later at 10:30.
I quickly lost $50 in bj, going 7 hands without winning a single hand (5 losses and 2 pushes, both on 20s, aaaargh). Then I sat down and played some 25-cent poker - breaking even after about 15 minutes. By then it was almost time to meet the shoppers, so I headed to the Forum Shops where they were waiting for me. We made our way back to the car and drove back to the apartment. At the end of the day, we were all pretty tired.
Today will be another big day. Our plan is for me to make a hefty afternoon meal of grilled Italian sausage, red peppers, beans and rice. Then about 4 we'll head to the Strip, parking at MGM where we'll visit the Lions. Katie and Helen want to go to the nearby M&M and Coke stores, so I'll play poker while they shop. Then at 6 or so, we'll meet up and walk to the Ka theater where we have tickets for the 7 p.m. performance. After the show, we'll head to the Venetian's Grand Lux Cafe for dessert.
The girls want to see the Canal Shoppes, while I'm SURE I can find something to do as our adventure continues...
Her trip had been planned since July when Helen and I decided to give her a very special birthday present for her 21st birthday - an all expenses paid trip to LV. So for many months she's been thinking about her visit and what fun things we'll be doing together during her 12 days here in Nevada.
Helen and I met her as she arrived about 1:30 yesterday. She left TC about 7:15 a.m. with a 3 hr layover in Minneapolis before landing safely at McCarran. We drove back to the apartment and just relaxed and talked for a while. I made a lunch of turkey sandwiches for us and we planned our fun for the evening.
We decided on Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet's restaurant at the Flamingo, for dinner and planned to hit the Strip around 6 so that Katie's first view of it would be with its lights ablaze. It didn't disappoint. I drove us east on Sahara and then south along the entire length of the Strip. That took us past such impressive landmarks as Wynn, The Venetian, Fashion Show Mall, Caesar's Palace, Harrah's, The Flamingo, Bally's, Paris, Planet Hollywood, The Bellagio, City Center, MGM, New York New York, Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay.
Katie was thrilled with the lights and color of the Strip and it was really fun to see the excitement in her eyes as she took in the sights. After passing the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at the south end of the Strip, we turned around and headed back north, parking at Bills Gamblin' Hall. Luckily for us, we got to watch a few minutes of the Big Elvis show - he's a 300-plus Elvis impersonator who does a free gig every weekday at Bill's. After viewing that "hunka, hunk of burning love," we headed to Margarita to eat.
On our way there we made a brief stop at the Flamingo to show Katie the live Flamingos in the hotel's garden area. It was dark though and after a quick look at the live lawn ornaments, we continued our trek to Margaritaville.
We got there about 7 and there was a 40-45 minute wait before we got seated. It went quickly though and we enjoyed a great dinner. Helen and Katie opted for HUUUUUUGE salads, while I had a Cuban Sandwich. I also helped them finish off their salads. The food here is always good and the bill was reasonable - less than $50 for the three of us.
Then, using the elevators and overhead walkways, we went over to Caesars Palace. The girls wanted to check out the Forum Shops and I headed to play blackjack. Our plan was to meet about 1.5 hours later at 10:30.
I quickly lost $50 in bj, going 7 hands without winning a single hand (5 losses and 2 pushes, both on 20s, aaaargh). Then I sat down and played some 25-cent poker - breaking even after about 15 minutes. By then it was almost time to meet the shoppers, so I headed to the Forum Shops where they were waiting for me. We made our way back to the car and drove back to the apartment. At the end of the day, we were all pretty tired.
Today will be another big day. Our plan is for me to make a hefty afternoon meal of grilled Italian sausage, red peppers, beans and rice. Then about 4 we'll head to the Strip, parking at MGM where we'll visit the Lions. Katie and Helen want to go to the nearby M&M and Coke stores, so I'll play poker while they shop. Then at 6 or so, we'll meet up and walk to the Ka theater where we have tickets for the 7 p.m. performance. After the show, we'll head to the Venetian's Grand Lux Cafe for dessert.
The girls want to see the Canal Shoppes, while I'm SURE I can find something to do as our adventure continues...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Are Ya Ready For Some Football?
For those already missing their NFL action, here are the odds for the 2011 Super Bowl Game to be played Feb. 6 at Cowboy Stadium. These numbers are from the Suncoast sports book and will undoubtedly vary at other casinos.
Colts, Chargers 6-1
Saints 7-1
Patriots, Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers 8-1
Packers 10-1
Eagles 12-1
Jets, Ravens 15-1
Giants 20-1
Cardinals, Falcons, Bengals, Titans, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers 25-1
Panthers 35-1
Bears, Seahawks 40-1
Jaguars 50-1
Broncos, Redskins 60-1
Bills, Browns 75-1
Rams, Chiefs, Raiders, Buccaneers and LIONS 100-1
As a Raiders fan, I really don't understand these long odds. Last year the Raider showed glimmers of respectability with FIVE victories, including wins over the Steelers (in Pittsburgh), the Bengals, the Broncos and the Eagles. Cmon, ya gotta say they're better than the Lions, right?
Colts, Chargers 6-1
Saints 7-1
Patriots, Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers 8-1
Packers 10-1
Eagles 12-1
Jets, Ravens 15-1
Giants 20-1
Cardinals, Falcons, Bengals, Titans, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers 25-1
Panthers 35-1
Bears, Seahawks 40-1
Jaguars 50-1
Broncos, Redskins 60-1
Bills, Browns 75-1
Rams, Chiefs, Raiders, Buccaneers and LIONS 100-1
As a Raiders fan, I really don't understand these long odds. Last year the Raider showed glimmers of respectability with FIVE victories, including wins over the Steelers (in Pittsburgh), the Bengals, the Broncos and the Eagles. Cmon, ya gotta say they're better than the Lions, right?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Losing Streak Broken
Monday morning we started the day with toast and coffee, plus the morning news on TV.
Helen planned on cleaning the apt in preparation for Thursday's arrival of Katie, so I was told to get down to the Strip and make money playing poker. So I headed off to Ballys, arriving about 10 a.m. and I was immediately seated in a newly-started $1-2 no limit game.
I won the third hand with a straight, scooping up a pot of about $15. After that I played quite conservatively, patiently waiting for good starting hands. After about an hour, I played the most interesting hand of the day. I was dealt Q-10 of clubs and decided to see a flop, calling the $2 big blind. The flop came K, 9 and 3 of clubs! SWEEEEET. I flopped a flush and needed only the J of clubs for a straight flush, which woould pay a bonus of $384.
The turn was yet another club - the 7. I bet $25 and all folded except 1 guy who called the bet. The river was a 3 of diamonds and I bet another $25. He didn't hesitate, but folded his cards and showed a 6-8 of clubs. We both had shots at straight flushes - I needed the Jack and he needed the 5 of clubs. I scooped the pot of about $100, my biggest win of the day.
I played for about 3 hours before cashing out $82 ahead and going to the Nosh snack bar where I enjoyed a comped chicken salad sandwich for lunch. When you play poker at Ballys you earn $1 in comps for each hour you play. I've built up enough comp $ to have free lunches there for quite a while, I think. For example, yesterday I earned $3 in comps and lunch cost me $9 in comps. Sometimes I play 4-5 hours and don't eat lunch, so I just bank the comps. Poker profits and a free lunch - pretty good day!
While I was grinding out poker profits, Helen dusted and wiped down the apt. Then for dinner I ran out to Del Taco and we enjoyed some Mexican takeout - soft tacos for Helen and a burrito for me. Then it was a quiet night watching TV and talking with Katie about her upcoming trip.
Today I head off to the grocery store to stock up for Katie's visit and then do some vacuuming around the apt. Always an adventure here in LV...
Helen planned on cleaning the apt in preparation for Thursday's arrival of Katie, so I was told to get down to the Strip and make money playing poker. So I headed off to Ballys, arriving about 10 a.m. and I was immediately seated in a newly-started $1-2 no limit game.
I won the third hand with a straight, scooping up a pot of about $15. After that I played quite conservatively, patiently waiting for good starting hands. After about an hour, I played the most interesting hand of the day. I was dealt Q-10 of clubs and decided to see a flop, calling the $2 big blind. The flop came K, 9 and 3 of clubs! SWEEEEET. I flopped a flush and needed only the J of clubs for a straight flush, which woould pay a bonus of $384.
The turn was yet another club - the 7. I bet $25 and all folded except 1 guy who called the bet. The river was a 3 of diamonds and I bet another $25. He didn't hesitate, but folded his cards and showed a 6-8 of clubs. We both had shots at straight flushes - I needed the Jack and he needed the 5 of clubs. I scooped the pot of about $100, my biggest win of the day.
I played for about 3 hours before cashing out $82 ahead and going to the Nosh snack bar where I enjoyed a comped chicken salad sandwich for lunch. When you play poker at Ballys you earn $1 in comps for each hour you play. I've built up enough comp $ to have free lunches there for quite a while, I think. For example, yesterday I earned $3 in comps and lunch cost me $9 in comps. Sometimes I play 4-5 hours and don't eat lunch, so I just bank the comps. Poker profits and a free lunch - pretty good day!
While I was grinding out poker profits, Helen dusted and wiped down the apt. Then for dinner I ran out to Del Taco and we enjoyed some Mexican takeout - soft tacos for Helen and a burrito for me. Then it was a quiet night watching TV and talking with Katie about her upcoming trip.
Today I head off to the grocery store to stock up for Katie's visit and then do some vacuuming around the apt. Always an adventure here in LV...
Monday, February 15, 2010
Monday Moanin'
Starting this week with a renewed effort in keeping the blog up to date.
Over the weekend we've been concerned about my Dad's health. He's still in Oakwood Hospital near Detroit fighting off pneumonia and other issues. Brother Bruce reported in a positive note Sunday that Dad was moved from ICU into a regular room. Seems like it will just take time for him to recover. He may still face surgery to reduce fluid pressure on his brain. Docs say that may reduce his dementia symptoms, but we won't know until it's done.
Helen and I spent a quiet Valentine's Day. After church I zipped over to the Suncoast casino to cash a $25 hoops ticket. While there I bought a $25 ticket on Illinois over OSU. That was a loser, making Sunday a losing day, the fourth in a row. Seems like I've hit a dry spell after 7 straight winning days...
Then we watched some TV, including the classic "African Queen." We talked with Katie last night and she's really getting excited about her trip here. If all goes well and the airlines cooperates, she'll arrive Thursday around 1 p.m. The plan is to bring her back to the apt. to get settled in, then we'll all go back to the Strip for dinner at Margaritaville. I'd really like Katie's first view of the famous LV Strip to be a nighttime visit when the lights are most impressive.
Helen and I had lunch at Margaritaville on Friday and it was really great. Portions are HUUUUUGE and you don't go away hungry! Helen had a taco salad, while I enjoyed a BBQ pulled pork sandwich with onion rings. Helen's salad was so big she had it for dinner on Saturday. For all you foodies, yesterday's dinner was Middle Eastern fare of hummus, tabouli, Kalamata olives, and fresh pita bread.
This morning I wrote my March casino entertainment column and sent it to the Booth editor. It's a slow month for casino shows. Usually there are 18, 20 or more, but in March only a dozen acts are performing, including none at Leelanau Sands or Odawa. Wonder if it's the economy...
Helen has plans to dust and clean the apt. in preparation for Katie's visit. That means she's sending me to the Strip to get out of her way. The plan is for me to vacuum tomorrow, as our LV adventure continues...
Over the weekend we've been concerned about my Dad's health. He's still in Oakwood Hospital near Detroit fighting off pneumonia and other issues. Brother Bruce reported in a positive note Sunday that Dad was moved from ICU into a regular room. Seems like it will just take time for him to recover. He may still face surgery to reduce fluid pressure on his brain. Docs say that may reduce his dementia symptoms, but we won't know until it's done.
Helen and I spent a quiet Valentine's Day. After church I zipped over to the Suncoast casino to cash a $25 hoops ticket. While there I bought a $25 ticket on Illinois over OSU. That was a loser, making Sunday a losing day, the fourth in a row. Seems like I've hit a dry spell after 7 straight winning days...
Then we watched some TV, including the classic "African Queen." We talked with Katie last night and she's really getting excited about her trip here. If all goes well and the airlines cooperates, she'll arrive Thursday around 1 p.m. The plan is to bring her back to the apt. to get settled in, then we'll all go back to the Strip for dinner at Margaritaville. I'd really like Katie's first view of the famous LV Strip to be a nighttime visit when the lights are most impressive.
Helen and I had lunch at Margaritaville on Friday and it was really great. Portions are HUUUUUGE and you don't go away hungry! Helen had a taco salad, while I enjoyed a BBQ pulled pork sandwich with onion rings. Helen's salad was so big she had it for dinner on Saturday. For all you foodies, yesterday's dinner was Middle Eastern fare of hummus, tabouli, Kalamata olives, and fresh pita bread.
This morning I wrote my March casino entertainment column and sent it to the Booth editor. It's a slow month for casino shows. Usually there are 18, 20 or more, but in March only a dozen acts are performing, including none at Leelanau Sands or Odawa. Wonder if it's the economy...
Helen has plans to dust and clean the apt. in preparation for Katie's visit. That means she's sending me to the Strip to get out of her way. The plan is for me to vacuum tomorrow, as our LV adventure continues...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started with Helen and I going to the 8 a.m. service at the Lakes Lutheran Church.
Then we came home where I made Helen's breakfast of a chopped apple, topped with vanilla yogurt and cinnamon before I headed over to the Suncoast. I had a ticket to cash on MSU that paid $22 and I wanted to get a bet down on Illinois +1.5 over Ohio State. Right now OSU is up 14 with 10 minutes to play so that looks like a loser.
Today we're just relaxing at the apt. and enjoying out traditional big box of chocolates that we always share on Feb. 14.
We're still concerned about my Dad's condition. He remains in the hospital fighting off pneumonia and it's not going as well as we first hoped. Initially he seems like he had the infection under control, but recent days have shown little, if any, progress. Sister Bev is keeping us posted via emails, but it's hard being so far from the situation. All we can do is keep her and Dad in our thoughts and prayers.
Helen and I are eagerly awaiting the arrival of niece Katie who flies into LV on Thursday. We have SO MANY things we want to show her and share with her. We miss her very much and can't wait til she gets here.
We're just watching some TV today and dinner today will be Middle Eastern fare - hummus, tabouli, lebne, olives and fresh pita bread.
Tomorrow our LV adventure continues...
Then we came home where I made Helen's breakfast of a chopped apple, topped with vanilla yogurt and cinnamon before I headed over to the Suncoast. I had a ticket to cash on MSU that paid $22 and I wanted to get a bet down on Illinois +1.5 over Ohio State. Right now OSU is up 14 with 10 minutes to play so that looks like a loser.
Today we're just relaxing at the apt. and enjoying out traditional big box of chocolates that we always share on Feb. 14.
We're still concerned about my Dad's condition. He remains in the hospital fighting off pneumonia and it's not going as well as we first hoped. Initially he seems like he had the infection under control, but recent days have shown little, if any, progress. Sister Bev is keeping us posted via emails, but it's hard being so far from the situation. All we can do is keep her and Dad in our thoughts and prayers.
Helen and I are eagerly awaiting the arrival of niece Katie who flies into LV on Thursday. We have SO MANY things we want to show her and share with her. We miss her very much and can't wait til she gets here.
We're just watching some TV today and dinner today will be Middle Eastern fare - hummus, tabouli, lebne, olives and fresh pita bread.
Tomorrow our LV adventure continues...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Catching Up
Yikes!
It's been almost a week since I last posted an update here. Not doing a very good job of keeping friends and family updated, but there is a good reason.
Last weekend my 83-year-old Dad was hospitalized with pneumonia and other health issues, including a buildup of fluids on the brain. After several tense days, it appears he's doing much better and will soon undergo surgery for the fluid buildup. Still he remains in Oakwood Hospital near Detroit and is in our thoughts and prayers.
My sister Bev has been a stalwart in this tense situation. There's not much Gordon in Fla. and us in LV can do except give moral support and await updates.
I've kept busy hitting the gaming floors. I keep a running total of my wins and losses and Feb has been a great month so far. Out of 8 days of gaming, I've shown a profit in 7 of them - ranging from $33 to $151. My only loss was a $100 setback on Feb. 1.
We're getting ready to host niece Katie who arrives on the 18th. She has a whole list of fun events and attractions that we're going to share together, including a cirque de soleil show, Ka, on the 19th. We also plan on visiting Hoover Dam, Red Rock Natural Conservation Area and other fun stuff. Helen and Katie will spend some great times shopping and lunching too.
Helen's doing well and appreciating the warmer weather we're expecting in the next few days. It's supposed to be in the upper 60s, a welcome change from the 55-ish and rain we've had in recent days. Helen just started Janet Evanovich's "Finger Lickin' 15" and she's enjoying it.
I just finished writing a couple of Vegas-related articles for the Booth newspapers - "Vegas on the Cheap" and a feature on "The Pinball Hall of Fame." I'll also be working on my monthly casino entertainment column for the Boothies. It's due the 15th...
So our LV adventure continues...
It's been almost a week since I last posted an update here. Not doing a very good job of keeping friends and family updated, but there is a good reason.
Last weekend my 83-year-old Dad was hospitalized with pneumonia and other health issues, including a buildup of fluids on the brain. After several tense days, it appears he's doing much better and will soon undergo surgery for the fluid buildup. Still he remains in Oakwood Hospital near Detroit and is in our thoughts and prayers.
My sister Bev has been a stalwart in this tense situation. There's not much Gordon in Fla. and us in LV can do except give moral support and await updates.
I've kept busy hitting the gaming floors. I keep a running total of my wins and losses and Feb has been a great month so far. Out of 8 days of gaming, I've shown a profit in 7 of them - ranging from $33 to $151. My only loss was a $100 setback on Feb. 1.
We're getting ready to host niece Katie who arrives on the 18th. She has a whole list of fun events and attractions that we're going to share together, including a cirque de soleil show, Ka, on the 19th. We also plan on visiting Hoover Dam, Red Rock Natural Conservation Area and other fun stuff. Helen and Katie will spend some great times shopping and lunching too.
Helen's doing well and appreciating the warmer weather we're expecting in the next few days. It's supposed to be in the upper 60s, a welcome change from the 55-ish and rain we've had in recent days. Helen just started Janet Evanovich's "Finger Lickin' 15" and she's enjoying it.
I just finished writing a couple of Vegas-related articles for the Booth newspapers - "Vegas on the Cheap" and a feature on "The Pinball Hall of Fame." I'll also be working on my monthly casino entertainment column for the Boothies. It's due the 15th...
So our LV adventure continues...
Friday, February 5, 2010
Talking With a Pinball Wizard
Thursday morning began with some coffee, toast and a phone call from Helen who is still visiting her brother Norm's family in So Cal. She's having lots of fun and enjoying her time there, especially spending some dog-time with Norm's two pups - Tony and Buddy.
About 10:30, I headed toward the Strip to interview Tim Arnold, owner-operator of the Pinball Hall of Fame, located on Tropicana about 2-3 miles east of the Strip. I had visited the HOF on Wednesday, but Tim wasn't there so I played pinball for about 30 minutes and had a GREAT time. This place houses 225 pinball games from the 50s vintage games to current ultra-flashy digital games.
I spent about an hour talking with Tim, who left Lansing in 1990 to move to LV. I'll be writing a 500-word feature article about him and the HOF for the Booth papers. Plan to get that project written over the weekend.
For lunch, I decided to hit the Suncoast and score a buffet comp. Played blackjack for about 30 minutes, winning $55 before getting my free lunch comp. I was pretty hungry, but took care of that with a plate full of fried rice and orange chicken, 3 chicken wings, steamed broccoli and a slab of banana cream pie. I knew right away dinner would be soup at the apt.
Checked out the sports book and thought about betting on the CMU hoops team. Should have made the wager, which would have been a winner.
Before leaving, I tried blackjack again and quickly racked up another profit of $75 and decided to head to the apt. So I was up $130 and enjoyed a free buffet - pretty sweet day.
At night I heated up a can of Chicken & Rice soup and relaxed with some TV. Talked with Katie who is getting excited about coming to visit us. She arrives on Feb. 18 for a 10 day visit. We'll be seeing Ka, visiting the Titanic exhibit and doing a whole list of fun things.
So our adventure continues...
About 10:30, I headed toward the Strip to interview Tim Arnold, owner-operator of the Pinball Hall of Fame, located on Tropicana about 2-3 miles east of the Strip. I had visited the HOF on Wednesday, but Tim wasn't there so I played pinball for about 30 minutes and had a GREAT time. This place houses 225 pinball games from the 50s vintage games to current ultra-flashy digital games.
I spent about an hour talking with Tim, who left Lansing in 1990 to move to LV. I'll be writing a 500-word feature article about him and the HOF for the Booth papers. Plan to get that project written over the weekend.
For lunch, I decided to hit the Suncoast and score a buffet comp. Played blackjack for about 30 minutes, winning $55 before getting my free lunch comp. I was pretty hungry, but took care of that with a plate full of fried rice and orange chicken, 3 chicken wings, steamed broccoli and a slab of banana cream pie. I knew right away dinner would be soup at the apt.
Checked out the sports book and thought about betting on the CMU hoops team. Should have made the wager, which would have been a winner.
Before leaving, I tried blackjack again and quickly racked up another profit of $75 and decided to head to the apt. So I was up $130 and enjoyed a free buffet - pretty sweet day.
At night I heated up a can of Chicken & Rice soup and relaxed with some TV. Talked with Katie who is getting excited about coming to visit us. She arrives on Feb. 18 for a 10 day visit. We'll be seeing Ka, visiting the Titanic exhibit and doing a whole list of fun things.
So our adventure continues...
Monday, February 1, 2010
Downtown Photo Run
This morning I headed downtown to take photos of some of the attractions I am including in an article on "10 Vegas Attractions That Are Cheap or Even Free."
So by about 9:30 I was strolling through the lobby of Main Street Station in search of a very special men's room that houses a large section of the Berlin Wall. Luckily the first men's room I found contained the wall, which runs along the five urinals in the facility. I waited til a couple of guys left the room, then clicked off 4 or 5 pics while the washroom attendant wiped down the counters. It was all over in less than a minute and I was outa there.
My next stop was the Golden Nugget, about a two block walk from MSS. My goal at the GN was to find a 16-pound Golden Nugget that they have on display. A quick check with security sent me right to the big rock, which is encased in glass and called The World's Largest Gold Nugget.
I took a few pics and headed across Fremont Street to my final stop on the downtown run - Binion's Horseshoe where they have a cool $1 million on display.
The cash turned out to be not that impressive. It's stacked inside a plexiglass pyramid in the middle of a poker table. But after taking a few pics, I stopped at a nearby snack bar and enjoyed a cheeseburger and coffee. Then it was off to see the legendary Binion's Poker Room, where the World Series of Poker originated. It's a cozy room whose walls are lined with large photos of some of the poker greats who have played there, including Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, Puggy Pearson, Johnny Moss and Stu Unger.
They were just getting a $1-2 no limit game going, so I grabbed a seat. I played for about an hour before losing my $100 buy-in on a tough hand. My three kings lost to a full house and I was heading home, about a 30 minute drive.
I got home about 2:30 and just spent some time relaxing, paying bills and watching TV. Helen called and we talked for about 15 minutes. She's having a great time visiting her brother Norman and his family. For dinner, I fired up a can of New England Clam Chowder and built a turkey sandwich.
Tomorrow our adventure continues...
So by about 9:30 I was strolling through the lobby of Main Street Station in search of a very special men's room that houses a large section of the Berlin Wall. Luckily the first men's room I found contained the wall, which runs along the five urinals in the facility. I waited til a couple of guys left the room, then clicked off 4 or 5 pics while the washroom attendant wiped down the counters. It was all over in less than a minute and I was outa there.
My next stop was the Golden Nugget, about a two block walk from MSS. My goal at the GN was to find a 16-pound Golden Nugget that they have on display. A quick check with security sent me right to the big rock, which is encased in glass and called The World's Largest Gold Nugget.
I took a few pics and headed across Fremont Street to my final stop on the downtown run - Binion's Horseshoe where they have a cool $1 million on display.
The cash turned out to be not that impressive. It's stacked inside a plexiglass pyramid in the middle of a poker table. But after taking a few pics, I stopped at a nearby snack bar and enjoyed a cheeseburger and coffee. Then it was off to see the legendary Binion's Poker Room, where the World Series of Poker originated. It's a cozy room whose walls are lined with large photos of some of the poker greats who have played there, including Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, Puggy Pearson, Johnny Moss and Stu Unger.
They were just getting a $1-2 no limit game going, so I grabbed a seat. I played for about an hour before losing my $100 buy-in on a tough hand. My three kings lost to a full house and I was heading home, about a 30 minute drive.
I got home about 2:30 and just spent some time relaxing, paying bills and watching TV. Helen called and we talked for about 15 minutes. She's having a great time visiting her brother Norman and his family. For dinner, I fired up a can of New England Clam Chowder and built a turkey sandwich.
Tomorrow our adventure continues...
Weekend Update
Helen is enjoying time in Thousand Oaks, Ca. while I'm in LV working on a couple of stories for the Booth papers.
Saturday I played in a Free Roll Poker Tournament at the Monte Carlo and finished 50th in a field of 104. Unfortunately they only paid the top 25 spots, so I was out of the money. It was a lot of fun and showed me that I am certainly capable of playing in this level of tournament. Here's how my final hand unfolded...
I started the tourney with 4600 in chips, somewhat below the average starting stack of 5500. But I was able to win a few early pots. The blinds started at 25-50, but rose every 25 minutes and were at 300-600, plus 100 antes when I made my last stand. At the time, I had 2700 in chips and realized at 1700 per round, I was only gonna see about 10 hands and the blinds & antes would take all my chips.
So when I looked down and saw J-J in late position, I was determined to go All In and either raise my stack or go out. I was not excited when two other guys - one was the table Short Stack and the other was Chip Leader - both went all in ahead of me! Still, I went All In. The dealer told us to show our hands and I was pretty pleased to see the other hands - Mr. Short Stack had A-10, while Mr. Chip Leader had A-Q.
I was actually ahead and feeling good, because there were only 2 Aces and 3 Queens that could beat me! Unfortunately, one of the two Aces fell on the River, giving Mr. Chip Leader the pot and sending me and Mr. Short Stack to the rail. I headed home, calling Helen and niece Katie to give them the news that I was not a poker tourney winner...
Earlier in the day, I took an autographed Joe Montana football helmet to a sports shop to try to sell it. I won the helmet last year in a contest at the Suncoast and we had it in storage over the summer. I was determined to get some cash out of the thing and after some negotiating, ended up selling it for $230.
I devoted Sunday to doing some research on the two stories I'm working on for Booth - one on cheap/free Vegas attractions and the other a feature on the Pinball Hall of Fame. I spent a few hours visiting the Bellagio Conservatory and Chilully art glass display and taking photos for the article. The Conservatory changes its floral theme every couple of months and now is honoring the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger.
After watching some basketball in the B's sports book, I rolled down to MGM where I wanted to get some pics of the Lion Exhibit. Unfortunately the Big Cats were pretty lazy and content to lay on their sides like big stuffed animals tossed on the floor. I waited patiently for about 30 minutes for the cats to move, before giving up and having a comped pastrami sandwich for lunch. Then I went back to the Lion Exhibit and one of the cats was finally looking somewhat Lion-ly. I snapped three pics that I thought were pretty good, but after loading them on the computer they are blurry and have some glass reflections that make them unusable.
Today I plan to head downtown to scope out 3 free attractions - a chunk of the Berlin Wall that's inside a men's room at the Main Street Station, a display of $1 million at Binion's and a HUUUUGE gold nugget at, where else, the Gold Nugget. Hope to get usable pics of all of them. May play a little bj while I'm downtown.
The adventure continues...
Saturday I played in a Free Roll Poker Tournament at the Monte Carlo and finished 50th in a field of 104. Unfortunately they only paid the top 25 spots, so I was out of the money. It was a lot of fun and showed me that I am certainly capable of playing in this level of tournament. Here's how my final hand unfolded...
I started the tourney with 4600 in chips, somewhat below the average starting stack of 5500. But I was able to win a few early pots. The blinds started at 25-50, but rose every 25 minutes and were at 300-600, plus 100 antes when I made my last stand. At the time, I had 2700 in chips and realized at 1700 per round, I was only gonna see about 10 hands and the blinds & antes would take all my chips.
So when I looked down and saw J-J in late position, I was determined to go All In and either raise my stack or go out. I was not excited when two other guys - one was the table Short Stack and the other was Chip Leader - both went all in ahead of me! Still, I went All In. The dealer told us to show our hands and I was pretty pleased to see the other hands - Mr. Short Stack had A-10, while Mr. Chip Leader had A-Q.
I was actually ahead and feeling good, because there were only 2 Aces and 3 Queens that could beat me! Unfortunately, one of the two Aces fell on the River, giving Mr. Chip Leader the pot and sending me and Mr. Short Stack to the rail. I headed home, calling Helen and niece Katie to give them the news that I was not a poker tourney winner...
Earlier in the day, I took an autographed Joe Montana football helmet to a sports shop to try to sell it. I won the helmet last year in a contest at the Suncoast and we had it in storage over the summer. I was determined to get some cash out of the thing and after some negotiating, ended up selling it for $230.
I devoted Sunday to doing some research on the two stories I'm working on for Booth - one on cheap/free Vegas attractions and the other a feature on the Pinball Hall of Fame. I spent a few hours visiting the Bellagio Conservatory and Chilully art glass display and taking photos for the article. The Conservatory changes its floral theme every couple of months and now is honoring the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger.
After watching some basketball in the B's sports book, I rolled down to MGM where I wanted to get some pics of the Lion Exhibit. Unfortunately the Big Cats were pretty lazy and content to lay on their sides like big stuffed animals tossed on the floor. I waited patiently for about 30 minutes for the cats to move, before giving up and having a comped pastrami sandwich for lunch. Then I went back to the Lion Exhibit and one of the cats was finally looking somewhat Lion-ly. I snapped three pics that I thought were pretty good, but after loading them on the computer they are blurry and have some glass reflections that make them unusable.
Today I plan to head downtown to scope out 3 free attractions - a chunk of the Berlin Wall that's inside a men's room at the Main Street Station, a display of $1 million at Binion's and a HUUUUGE gold nugget at, where else, the Gold Nugget. Hope to get usable pics of all of them. May play a little bj while I'm downtown.
The adventure continues...
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