The video that goes with this recent trip!

The finale

Our last day at Suncoast was spent finishing packing and then out the door to the Silverton.

We got there a little earlier and grabbed a bite to eat in the Cafe.  I had the roasted turkey sandwich
and James had the homemade chicken noodle soup with an order of rye toast.  All of which was
comped of course.  The place was super quiet and service was swift and efficient.

Our regular "ATM" VP slots were not so agreeable.  We shared a virgin pina colada while we watched in vain as our hard earned cash got gobbled up and facing screens void of wins.  It was inconceivable really.  This spot has never failed to provide good returns for us.  Hmmm, not so today.  Behind us sat a wonderfully social elderly lady who told her stories of carpet repair woes and we could surmise that she was there trying to recoup some of the bill that she would be presented with later that day.  As luck would have it, her little wagers and persistence coupled with dealt aces and "jakes" as she would say, left her with a $400+ ticket and away she went.

Some penny slots were next on the agenda and before you knew it Anne, Steve and Jason were texting us that they had arrived and were waiting for us at the Buffet area.

Thank goodness this Buffet was comped (points) because it was not as great as I remembered.  It was Seafood Night and other than crabs legs, we didn't see much that would warrant jacking up the price for this one.  Anyhow, we all enjoyed our meals and desserts while being entertained by little kids who found the beaded curtains to be play things.  A little VP after and a lucky streak by James who got the Bonus on a Monopoly game, was a mini savings grace.



We all parted ways with hugs and best wishes and hopes to meet up again in December.  Our trip is already booked and I sincerely hope that fate sees to it.

This trip certainly wasn't rich in the sense of money, but as far as everything else is concerned, I had the time of my life.

Four Queens

Today we had a light breakfast/lunch here at the Siena Cafe and then headed out to get out our laundry.  No more "creepy poker guy" as there was someone new there this time running the place.

Both of us had free play at Four Queens so we met Mike down there and played a little VP for an hour before heading back to the Sun Coast for our play and eat promo.

Another wonderful dinner at the Sun Coast buffet with Mike, Norm and the two of us.  Mike made me one of his favorite concoctions of ice cream and coffee.  Oh boy!  I am going to struggle with my pants today, but it would all be worth it.  Norm shared his tales of travel as he is the nomad extraordinaire for sure.  No dust settles under his feet and it is almost mind blowing at how he manages to get around to so many places each and every day.  It sure does make the rest of us feel lazy at times.  Many people live their life through Norm's stories and photos whether he realizes it or not.

Sometimes it is all about the friends

We departed the Aquarius and made our way back to Vegas.  This last leg of the trip would have us at the Sun Coast for a few days and some quality time visiting with great friends.

They still have the Play and Eat program, so after a short nap we were able to cycle through 600 points each (with no loss) for two complimentary buffets.  Tonight we were meeting Carol and Mike.  It was a long time since we had the opportunity to connect with Carol and hearing her work stories and life in Vegas accounts were really interesting.  Mike made the special trip from home to spend time with us once he heard about my diagnosis.  Friends drop everything to be there.  Our time together was heartwarming to say the least.

 Our evening winded down with a little gaming that didn't really go our way, but we still had fun.  Mike was the lucky winner with hitting a Royal while earning his comp buffet before supper.

Our4 evening ended around midnight after watching some David Letterman interviewing George Clooney.

RED CARD day!

It was another quiet day for us.  The evening was full of nasty storms and rain that kept up most of everyone in the town for sure.  We woke to more rain and it continued most of the day.

Instead of rushing out of the room, we bummed around for a bit watching baseball and chilling.  I had a tough time leaving the sheets, so that is what I did.  Stayed put for a while.

By the time we got out of the room it was close to 2 and I had my free play to do $ 135 and churned it up to a good $ 350 before we made our way to the Buffet for Italian Night.  Another comped meal for us and both of us had a good feast. 

For the rest of the night we continued a slow bleed but had fun playing around on different machines.  We played up my card to the points we like to keep it at and then continued on his new RED CARD which we achieved last night some time.  This gets us free smokes (neither of us smoke) and 3 X points along with the discounts on food in the Casino restaurants which we already get.  25 % off is pretty good, but like James said it would be nice if Red Card got a little more. 

Room service is here and we are going to have some snacks while catching some television.  Nice to relax early in the evening for a change.  It was a dizzy day for me so I am thrilled to be not on the move for now.

Much of the same

Today was pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday.

Our breakfast in the Aquarius Cafe was comped and each of us had a great meal.  I had french toast, eggs over easy, sausage, coffee and orange juice.  He had the pancakes, eggs over easy and hash.  Nothing too exciting to report other than the ignorant conversation coming from the bench behind us.  All I can say is that in this day and age it floors me that people are not educated enough to speak intelligently and with compassion.  My comment to James in protest to this garbage that was spewed was "Now you know why the world hates Americans".  He laughed and did not object to my out of the ordinary negative comment.  It was well founded.

Our gaming at VP was spotty all day but what I can say is that we do get lots of playing time for our money here.  There is never a rough time parting with our money seeing as we get much more for it.

A walk across the street to Burkes brought out out of the Casino and into the gorgeous heat of the day.  James got a pair of dress pants and he found me some Ryka sneakers.  Hard to beat the prices here and the entire mall has good offers for those that love to shop.

We walked back to our room and succumbed to a long coma which we both were in desperate need of.

After freshening up a bit we continued to play a bit more VP.  One of the sought after games I like to tinker with is the Red Hot Fusion, so we did that one for a bit. I ended up with $100 from twenty and cashed out on our way to getting supper.  Of special note, a slot attendant was right there when I left opening up the machine and doing whatever it is he does.  Sad.  There goes my fun for the future.

Our buffet was comped and it was too bad that neither of us drink as they have wine, beer and margs included in the meal.  Both of us managed to fill ourselves without going crazy and it was funny to see one of the desserts from our Celebrity Chef dinner being served.  I guess it was a leftover.  Hmmmm.

A bit more VP $100 in dollars $0 out and then $100 in triple play .25 and cashed out at $101.25 before I called it an early evening.  James walked me up to the room and he continued to play.  He was up a bit and we are under and in need of some royals badly.

Play, Shop, Play

Yesterday was a little on the quiet side for us.  I woke feeling less than normal and I wondered if it would
keep me in bed all day.  Mind over matter - I made it!

We scooted down to the buffet to use our two Complimentary VIP passes to have a bite to eat.  I love one of the waitresses there as she has the cutest voice known to man.  James says she should be doing cartoon voice overs and I totally agree.  It never fails to make me smile.  The ladies really are great wait staff there and I can always get a great kick ass carrot cake there when I feel the need.

VP called and a short session left us with good point values and a little $ buffer to start the day.  Off we went across the bridge to Beall's Outlet and Big Lots where James was able to get some work clothes.  I didn't find anything that tickled my fancy, but it was nice to get out just the same.  Gas is considerably inexpensive in Arizona, so we fueled up and he got a big cup of some sort of pop concoction. 

A little nap to rejuvenate in the room and away we went downstairs to play more VP and then hit the Cafe.  For supper we had the Grilled Chicken wrap (me) and he had a shredded steak sub that looked yummy.  Only half of mine got eaten and after we ate, James ran it up to our refrigerator.

The evening continued with another 1 1/2 hours of VP and a meager $50 loss between us and a plethora of new points and comps.

Bedtime around 12 and I was able to smile that I made it through another day.

Cue Cards for Life

Moving day again and we made our way over to Gold Coast as planned to see if James qualified for free play from his participation in the tournament the other day.  He finished 29th and was awarded $ 50 free play which he quickly turned into $ 85.  Before he got this we had a light lunch at Ping Pang Pong because Noodle Exchange was not open yet.

Into the desert we went to Laughlin where we would be having our getaway time.  I wish there were cue cards for life because I am anxious about sharing my condition with those that I love.  I have long since made my peace with it and it causes me some grief when I have to recount or explain myself to others.  People know right away that I am not "myself".


Our Host greeted us inn the Executive Check In room at the Aquarius. I wasn't comfortable with telling our Host what was up with me and instead shrugged it off as being too over zealous at the previous night's Duran Duran concert.  There was no way I was going to spoil her infectious mood unnecessarily and have her worry while we were here visiting.  I will mention it at a later date in full once I feel the time is right.  We were presented with two aprons and a Deli Pro knife as part of our gift bag.  There were a few hours to kill before the Celebrity Chef dinner so we grabbed a few zzz's.

Leann Rimes is playing next door at the Edgewater Casino.  Her tour bus is out back.

At 5pm the doors opened and the both of us were amazed at the participation level.  For whatever reason, I had envisioned a group of 30 people or so.  Not the case at all.  Easily there were 250-300 attendees.  As usual, we were by far the youngest guests there.  The GM directed us to the front of the room where we were to see our Host for seating arrangements.  As we stood near the front table full of RESERVED signs, a rather rude woman piped up that the seats that we were standing in front of were "taken".  I looked at James appalled by her lack of cooth and class.

In no time at all we were given a great table facing the stage.  Another younger couple joined us but they were not all that social.  To our right sat a husband, wife and sister (the W's) and they were very nice to introduce themselves and start up conversation.  It was apparent that I would have to explain myself to MRS at some point and I did so with much reserve.  Her eyes filled up with tears as I leaned in to tell her "my story" and bring some answers to the questions which I knew she was too polite to ask.  My hand gently sat on her arm as I looked her in the eyes and urged her not to be sad for me.  I was quick to tell her that I had been blessed with a very full and enriched life for someone my age and that I found my ailment to be a blessing because it would serve as a daily reminder to not waste my life.  As this couple was in their early 80's, it seemed right away that we found common ground where on the surface, there seemed like none.  MRS said to me that it is how they live their life too at the age that they are and it is something that they have no choice but to think about. 

The meal was as follows:

Black Olive Tapenade over French Crostini
Sundried Cranberry Waldorf Salad with Vina Walnuts and Citric Cream dressing
Braisede Filet with Wild Mushrooms, Gorgonzola Cheese and Tawny Port glace de Viand
Chicken Breast Vesuvio with Match Stick Potatoes, White Wine and Pea Beurblanc
Artichoke and Roasted Garlic Duchess Potato
Fresh Vegetable Medley
Cherry Vanilla Cream Tartlet with Brandied Cherry Mascarpone Cheese

While we finished up the amazing dessert, one of the chefs carved an ice sculpture of a fish.

The W's departed but not before Mrs, who struggled to get up, reached over and hugged me while whispering in my ear that she will include me in her prayers and she expressed a "May God Bless You".  I hugged her back and gave her a peck on the cheek.  Both of us were enriched by the exchange of the evening and the ability to share a moment and each others lives beyond normal conversation. 

We stopped to say thank you to our Host on the way out before spending a few hours playing VP.  At 10:30pm we called it an evening and once again I did fine with $100 in and $200 out to offset James' daily loss.   I got on a great machine that provided me with lots of quads, full houses and three sets of 4OAK aces and Bonus threes.

All You Need Is Now

My days are not consistent in any way and I cannot expect anything beyond waking.  Unfortunately, today was not one of my best, so I kept it simple and curled up in bed for the day to conserve my energy for the big concert tonight (September 30th).  This entire trip came about because Duran Duran has always been on my bucket list and James found them playing at the Joint in the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.  With a venue of 4000 it just doesn't get much better for a big name band.

James had a nice lunch at Gold Coast with Gary.  It worked out well because "E" had to work and I was down and out, so it gave the guys an opportunity to hang alone.  After they enjoyed their soups, James caught a VP tournament by accident and ended up scoring quite well in the end.  It means that we will have to stop there on Saturday to see if he qualified for free play,  Hopefully he did.

When he returned, we had take out from the Cafe here before getting ready for the concert.  I had the chicken salad again and he had the turkey dinner.  Yummy.

The parking garage at the Hard Rock was not too busy and we zipped right up to the 5th level and made our way into the concert hall.  As this trip was a last minute thing, our seat selection was poor.  We had a choice of $300 ones or the last row in the theatre.  I didn't care that much only wanting to add Duran Duran to my human experience.  As photos will show, there really are no bad seats in here, but the top few are obstructed by a steel post and some venting.  The vents puff tummy stimulating smells throughout the evening which were not unpleasant at all. I actually enjoyed it.

This was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.  It was completely bitter sweet in so many ways.  I found my emotions running a bit on the inside as I wondered how long I have left.  Knowing that I got to be a part of this helped bring me around to "the moment" and not worrying about the ticking clock.  Of all the bands in circulation, Duran Duran did not fail to perform in any way.  They have such a long list of hits that they could have easily played for a few more hours.  For two hours they rocked the house and the crowd lapped it up in a big way.




I had a super craving for a milkshake, so James took us to Jack In The Box where we both got shakes before heading back to our hotel and played more VP.  I did $100 and $100 out with a nice set of 7 quads and a plethora of full houses.  James was not so lucky.

______________________________________________________________________


Iti s now Saturday morning.  We looked through our videos from last night and got packed for our next move.  The sky is blue and although they called for rain, it is supposed to be spotty.  We have only one spot to stop here in Vegas then we are off to Laughlin.  If you could, you would see the HUGE smile on my face.  I am sincerely happy beyond words that most people find Laughlin "too slow" and "boring".  It only means that the town is slow to change and with every visit we know what we can expect.

A hot shower beckons and then away we go.

Multi Points

Thursday we spent our day at Sunset Station getting the most of a multi point coupon that James had.  We started our day at the Cafe there having lunch.  So glad that the Cocos are gone and replaced with the more
personal Cafes that we have grown to love.  Who wants chain food on vacation?  Not us.

Not a lot of luck here other than banging out lots of points (which was our plan).  We played triple play VP @ the 50 cent denomination.  A few seats away from us was a button slapper than nearly brought me to madness. It is always sad to see someone "chasing" their losses and getting angry at a machine. It is the lowest and darkest aspect of gaming.

James go tme supper when we returned (a chicken salad sandwich and coleslaw) before he headed out to the Pinball Hall of Fame. I relaxed with my book and got caught up with emails before calling it a night.

Moving Day

Yesterday we enjoyed a complimentary (points) buffet breakfast at the Rio before heading out to our next destination.  During our meal I couldn't help myself and stopped to compliment a ladies beautiful head of hair.  I am sure that I made her day. At least I hoped I did.

The offer we booked through included$50 in free play when you play $50.  Both of us played around on some fun penny slots with a meager loss of $10 between us.  Off to the booth we went before departing, so he could get his $50 cash.

We dropped off a letter to James' Mom via the drop off box on Sunset at the Post Office.  It should reach her place in a few days.

A stop at the 99 cent store stocked us up with a few drinks and munchies to make our trip that much more enjoyable.

Normally I would write about a new place that we are staying at, but almost every time I do the parts that I grow to love about the property become ruined by an increase in traffic.  It is getting very difficult to find a spot that is quiet, void of pool parties, kids and loud music.  Voila!  We hit the jackpot here big time.  Not only that, but we were brought in by a Host complimentary and would be taking advantage of the multi-point days to top up our account.  The pool beckoned us after we got unpacked and as not to disappoint, it was relaxing in the way that I was craving.  A little time to read my book and to wade in the pool without the distractions of blaring tunes and obnoxious pool guests was simply heavenly.  Just what the doctor ordered (or rather...ME!)

James had $42 on his card which we used for a wonderful supper in their Cafe (he had the special Chicken Pot Pie and I had the Baked Ziti and a vanilla shake - YUP) before hitting the machines and getting in the action that would satisfy the Host and our play requirements for stay.  All the while, we were able to watch along to the two baseball games that were simultaneously featured on the televisions around the bar top.  After about 3 or so hours of play, I managed to stay even $200 in and $200 out.  We were able to cycle through two days worth of points in one with help from 4 Aces, a couple of quads and bonus 40AK'S.

The day winded down the gorgeous 100 degree blue sky to a decent temperature that actually allowed the a/c unit not to work in the evening.  We had a peaceful night's sleep and may consider this property one of our new "homes" for future visits.

11:30pm we were hitting the sheets after a productive day.  James lost $250 but I was even for the day.

The Perspectives and All You Need Is Now tour

As I watch the sun come up in the desert from our room at the Rio Suites Hotel in Vegas, I am surrounded by mixed feelings of euphoria.  Let me explain.  After the last trip in the summer I was told by a prominent physician that under no certain terms should I be alive.  A few of you know the story and for those that don't, lets just keep it that way.  I had unknowingly beaten the "odds" and am somewhat of a medical mystery to those who use their books for information and reference.  I on the other hand, equate my life to a miracle.  So, wallowing in my own personal "miracle", I am enjoying my time away in this favorite place with much more vigor than words can convey.

Yesterday went very well with our flight out of Hartford (I can now add Connecticut to my list of visited States) and it is my understanding that the pilot caught onto some sort of worm hole to get us there in such a short time span.  Although we were 40 minutes leaving the gate, he got us there well beyond our scheduled arrival.

In the comfortable 95 degree temperatures our first stop was the rental car facility and despite the lack of vehicles (we got a brand new Impala), there seemed to be nobody in sight.  Where was everyone?  CVS was next on the list where we would get our H20 and a few other necessities.  Flipping a virtual coin between the Rio Buffet or the Gold Coast's Noodle Exchange brought about soup (paid for by B Connected Emerald points) for the both of us.  On the way out we bumped into Mark at the bar.  Big hugs and pleasantries along with hopefully plans to get together this week were exchanged.  It always floors me when you run into people that you know in a City this huge.  As my Mom would say "no mistakes".

Nobody was in the Diamond Check in (our room was comped of course) at Rio so we got in and out of there with no issues.  Although the rest of the town was quiet, it could not be said equally for here.  As James would say about the $15 a night room rates, you are going to attract a certain type of crowd. Trust me, they were ALL here.  Traveling these days is exhausting for me, so we decided to just chill in our room for the evening.  A few phone calls were made and of course the tv was on Storage Wars.  The bath called my name and urged me to bring my achy bones, a book and a bag of Doritos with me.  Ya, I said "Doritos".  There will be no green bananas in my life anymore, so there you go.

The book I am reading somewhat parallels my life, so it was nice to get wrapped up into something that helped me escape my reality for a bit.  At around 10pm my eyes gave way to the end of another day of beating the odds.

June/July 2011 Vegas

Tuesday June 21, 2011

Flight #2022 Albany to Vegas on Southwest

We arrived in Vegas just after 5pm on what we both agree was the quietest and most pleasant flight ever.  The initial seat juggling at our end of the plane included playful banter that began with “Yankees baseball” and finished with me being singled out as the token Canadian.  I countered by commenting that “at least I wasn’t from Vancouver”.  This is a reference to the hockey season for those that don’t follow along with sports.

Our luck began with a complimentary upgrade to a SUV which would accommodate not only our luggage, but my cousins who would be arriving on the 28^th to join us for a week. 

Off to CVS we went and stocked up on H20 and a few other goodies.  Both of us were shocked at how empty the streets were (at least off Strip).  Where was everybody?

I am a simple girl who enjoys the smallest of perks, one being the Emerald Parking at Sam’s Town.  Checking in, we were presented with the Silver Card to defray our vacation costs.  Woohoo.

Some sort of beauty pageant was going on as we could see lots of young girls in tiaras, sashes and gorgeous dresses.

Food became #1 priority and The Buffet at Sam’s $10 during the week was “okay”, certainly no “M” but I must say they carried the most chocolaty of moist cakes I have ever had.

Angels watch over as two tables down from us a teenager began chocking.  I stood up to help, but the waitress swooped in and did the Heimlich and cleared her to safety.  I overheard the Mother say that tomorrow her daughter was graduating.  It was a surreal moment to say the least.

Exhausted beyond belief, we strolled the Casino and then called it a night.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My morning started around 6am when I began writing in my journal and checking emails.  I also had birthday lotto tickets that needed to be scratched.  The shower beckoned and I quickly came to life with some hot water and then headed out the door to play solo for a bit.

I found a small bank of VP on the second floor and I nestled into the middle seat happy as can be.  The sounds of the “fake” birds and the sunlight from the park coupled and the relatively quiet gaming floor was next to heavenly.  The $100 that I deposited quickly became $150 and I was getting my fair share of play waiting for James.  My first 40AK was 6’s which unfortunately would set the stage for an unlucky gaming day for me.

Just as I got into a nice groove racking up points on the Coast Card, to my left sat down an angry male button slapper.  I attempted to block him out and continue to play, but I just couldn’t do it.  I totally lost my focus.  Cashing out, I walked further to find our favorite bank of VP machines only to find they were out of order.  I turned back and landed at a nickel VP progressive and held my own until the waitress brought me a hot cup of coffee and James was able to track me down.

We had the breakfast buffet then played more before the both of us needed a cat nap.  I made a video of the Mystic alls and relaxed and then we set out to Anne’s to pick up our tote that she keeps between trips.  After that we hit Terrible’s Bougainvillea Café (not to be mistaken for their horrid buffet!).  Lovely meal as always then we both lost our $10 match plays before hitting the Post Office to mail something to his Mom.  A trip to Target (bye bye Walmart – you are banned from our lives because of too many negative experiences).  The shopping carts are completely plastic and we were amazed by the ingenuity around the desert heat.  I imagine years of unwanted DNA being left on metal carts from scortched fingers, etc., brought this into play.  Anyhow, I got my Archer Farm Organic coffee and away we went. 

Southpoint was the next stop where I would get slammed by VP as I was there to get my birthday points.  The free spin sported me a comped movie ticket and James got points.  Before leaving he realized that he has $10 in free play, so he used it up.

I found it quite warm wherever we went and was glad that I could remove my sweater. 

Back to Sam’s Town we went and unloaded the tote and hit the Player’s Club for new cards for me.  There was less than an hour left for today’s promo and we banged it out right away on VP for three free draws for a total of 15000 points to be added to our Coast Card. 

Then it was time to hit Calamity Jane’s for some ice cream and then bed.  For whatever reason, my coffee flavored treat was gratuit!  Lucky me.  James insists that the server was making “googly” eyes at me.  Really!  Really?  Oh…Really#*&  What are we?  In Kindergarten?

The 10pm Mystic Falls show ended up being a dud as we watched from our room that the water was not co-operating.  Too bad.

~

So, it is now Thursday at 6am and I hear we have new neighbours.  Inconsiderate is the first word that comes to mind.  The kids pounded the walls for 20 minutes and the adults yelled over one another coupled by doors slamming and kids running the hall.  ~ GOOD MORNING ~  James said that this began around 2am.  Welcome to “Slam’s” Town.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Ugh…the pool is closed on what could be the hottest day of the summer in Vegas.  We had to laugh at the irony.  The front desk advised us that they hoped the pool would reopen around noon.  

We took off our suits then played VP for a bit before grabbing some food at the Deli.  I had a turkey on rye with vegetable soup and James only ate half of his roast beef and soup.  He wasn’t hungry.

Played some more, then came up to ring Anne.  She and Steve had plans for the night, so we continued to play then had Mexican around 5pm (Willy & Jose’s).  The food was great.  I had the Red Burrito and James had the Three Taco combo plate.  Their homemade salsa was awesome.  I love a lot of cilantro and this stuff hit the spot.  On the far side of the restaurant was a group celebrating a birthday.  The staff approached with some sort of dessert that was adorned with a candle and sang this catchy tune “This is your birthday song.  It won’t last very long.  Cya”.  It was done very fast and almost everyone in the restaurant broke into hysterics.  Funny.  I thought it was brilliant.

Our Silver Card took care of the meal, we left a $7.00 cash tip and then away we went for a few hours of VP.

I hovered up and down with $100 on single line VP eventually cashing out even.  James was down, but cashed and played the remaining money on fun penny slots like Kitty Glitter, Gems, Open the Vault and a Quick Hit.  Then we called it a night by curling up in front of the tube and catching Burn Notice.

Friday, June 24, 2011

James went to the Deli and got some food before checking out.  Good old Silver Card.  My stomach was doing flip flops so a simple fruit cup was all I asked for. 

We left “Slam’s Town” after James sorted out the bill with the front desk.  It was supposed to be $0 and wasn’t.  Someone made an error when checking us in.  It was resolved and away we went.

While getting ready the neighbor’s kids kept ringing our doorbell until I finally lost my patience (which rarely happens).  I opened the door and politely asked them to stop. 

Our next stop was the Bank which was NOT a good thing.  The first few days were brutal to the bankroll. 

James stopped after that at the Flamingo to get the Diamond Show List.  I waited in the SUV still feeling green under the gills.  I asked James to take me to CVS so I could get some Gravol.  Dear Canadians, here is a shocker – our fellow Americans do not sell it or carry it.  UGH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I didn’t know what to do so I got some other anti nausea pills that would later make me sicker than a dog.  Who knew?

MSS had a body in their security hut.  What is the world coming to?  They never have a live person checking the garage, but today they did.  James parked in the taxi spot while I waited and he ran into the front desk to get us a pass so that we could get into the garage.

As has been the case the last few trips, our room was not ready yet.  I got settled into a VP machine while James ran over to meet Mike.

I played for a while getting only two scratch cards, $2 – 6’s and the other for $2 – K’s.  I lost $200 then switched to a penny Da Vinci machine.  James and Mike appeared in time to witness my incredibly lucky multiple bonus within bonus hits on that machine.

My third $100 turned into $130 and I cashed out while James tried again to get us into a room that was ready.  Mike headed back and finally we got a room on the 17^th floor.  We made our way back to the parking garage and got settled into the room.

We had a bite to eat at the Cal Café (one of our favorite spots) and then an email came in for James to hang out with Anne and Steve at the Silverton around 7pm.

Friday, June 25, 2011

I slept in and we hit the Cal Snack Bar.  James had the chili fries and I had the chicken katsu.  Running late for Crapsfest as a text came through.  James, Mike, Rhonda, Norm, me and Jason were in attendance.  Norm had to go so the rest of us hit up some grub at the 777 Brew Pub for some social time.  

After that we hit the bar top VP (dessert was virgin pina coladas)  Yummy.

Later on some excitement came our way as someone slipped a cigarette into a trash can.  Smoke billowed out and we alerted the floor staff who got one of the security guards who quickly moved it outdoors. 

VP and Penny Slots, lose, lose and lose.  Parted ways with Mike and then we were up to our room calling it a night.

Saturday, June 26, 2011

We had breakfast at MSS Buffet.  We were seated right away with Emerald Card.  Out of the corner of my eye I see a group of people and instantly realize that the stately woman they were talking to was none other than Maya Angelou.  It struck me as odd, but realized that a large portion of the patrons down here had no idea who she was.  Smart lady.  I didn’t want to bother her as a small group of people was occupying her private meal time.  I did get James to snap a quick photo as discretely as he could.  Later on we would come to find out that Oprah was having a birthday party for her that day.  Not sure where in the city, but today is Maya’s birthday!

Silver Card took care of our meal costs while we stayed at MSS as usual and we left generous tips.

We walked off our breakfast and played for a bit before taking a break.

4:30pm we found ourselves at the Cal Café for supper and then walked over to the FSE to warm up and wear off supper.  The zip line looked fun and it certainly seemed like the street vendors were doing booming business.  One of my bucket list items was a visit to the GN’s little Keno Grotto.  It has only a few big comfy chairs and a small bank of slot machines.  The Casino Host door is in the back of this tiny lounge.  We played $5.00 but didn’t hit more than a few numbers.

Better judgment led us away from the deep fried Twinkies and Oreos despite our constant talk about trying them someday.

Our evening ended in such an incredible way.  We hit a combined 51 Quads.  8 of them were Aces for me.  5 Aces for James.  1pm we sauntered down the hall to 777 for a late night snack.  Before hitting the restaurant there were two prostitutes in the ladies room having a conversation.  If only their mother’s knew.  The “men” were waiting outside for them and I shook my head as I passed by.

We had a great meal at 777 then went back to do another $100 in VP.  Our points were excellent today and around 2:30am we decided to call it a night/morning.

June 27, 2011

James took me to the Cal Snack bar before he left to have lunch with Gary at Gold Coast.

$300 VP – the first $100 went in about 10 minutes – triple play VP .25

I switched to single line and did alright for half an hour before deciding to cash out at $80.00

I went to another bank of triple plays and got 6 scratch cards.  One included a Straight Flush.

Put in another $100 and cashed out at $161.25 out

$300 in and $161.25 out plus six scratch cards.

Up to the room I went and got changed for our night out.  James got back around 2:30 and we managed a power nap before headed to Thomas and Mack at 3:45pm.  This might be a shocker to some, but I agreed to go to a live wrestling event WWE RAW.  I am a closet (not anymore) wrestling fan.  We had seats 118 N /  4 and 5.  James got our tickets in advance and they included parking, so we were all set.  A ridiculously expensive snack from the vendors and we were in our glory.  Okay, maybe not, but I sure did enjoy myself.  What an interesting crowd.

The last match of the night was John Cena and R Truth and we bolted to beat the mass exodus.  Off to Terrible’s for a tiny pit stop and away we went to the Cal for some food.  We ended up eating at the counter because it was so busy (10:00pm).  I had breakfast and James had one of his favorite’s the hot turkey sandwich.

We played the $161.25 TITO and then cashed it at $50 with a few scratch cards. 

Night night at just after midnight.

June 28, 2011

I am sitting in a beautiful room at Sun Coast.  It is by far the most exquisite view I have had in Vegas so far.  The golf course coupled with the spaciousness of the room makes me forget that I am in a busy tourist town.

Backing it up a bit, we woke at MSS and caught a last Silver Card meal at 777.  James had the filet mignon sandwich and I had the cheese burger. 

Away we went and stopped at Flamingo.  Vinny Favorito and George Wallace were both on holidays until the 5^th of July.  So keeping Rick and Wendy in mind, Human Nature tickets it is!  Over to Imperial Palace we went and got booth seating for tomorrow evening.

A quick stop at the Tropicana where I signed up as a new card player and churned $200 into $400 in short order in the HL Room on a $1.00 DDB machine.

Off we went to the airport to pick up Rick and Wendy.

We all piled into the SUV then made a stop at Pawn Stars and our timing could not have been better.  The long crowds had just subsided for the day.  It was fun to walk the store that we watch on television and I was amazed at how much memorabilia they had for sale.

A long adventure to avoid traffic and then we finally ended up at the Sun Coast to check in Emerald.  The Bellman took care of all of our bags for $10 and then we scrambled to the Buffet for some food. 

It was a long travel day for Rick and Wendy so they called it a night and James and I scouted out some VP and penny games before calling it a night -$250 for the day.

James caught Letterman and we crashed shortly after midnight.

June 29, 2011

Ah, we slept in.  I shut off the alarm that I had set for 7am.  Up at 9am we ordered room service which unfortunately came an hour later. 

I headed down to the pool to meet our tanned guests around 10:30 where we made our plans for the rest of the day.  The pool is located on the 2^nd floor and has an elevator and stairs for convenience.  It was quiet down there but I see that there are plans to make a bar and perhaps a party scene at some time in the near future.  It reminded me of the Silverton before they beefed up the pool area. 

Rick and Wendy and I got comped tickets to the Bridesmaid at 1:15.  The Sun Coast has a movie theatre on site which makes it a plus for the property.  I just loved the movie and haven’t laughed like that in a while.  I won’t give up any secrets, but despite a slow start, this movie packs a big punch as far as giggles are concerned.

While we were at the movie, James had hit a Royal.  Kind of interesting because Rick and Wendy are good luck charms for us on vacation.  When they are around, we hit big.  They are available for hire at a nominal fee of course.

The four of us hit the Café for food.  James had a $10 food voucher and the rest was charged back to our room.  We were brought in by a Host and both rooms, food, etc., were taken care of.  The Chinese menu was too tempting, so the four of us ended up having great meals.

Quick change and then we came down to get ready and off to the show.  Played on Wendy’s card so that she could get her 3 bonus draws and food voucher.  Played dollar VP and hit a few quads.  $100 in and $340 out with 400 points met.  All done very quickly and away we went.

Time enough to hit Harrah’s Diamond Lounge where we had drinks and snacks.  I got the time wrong for the show, so 7:30pm was very doable.  The Human Nature show was as good as we remembered and sure was a hit with Rick and Wendy.

Back to Sun Coast where Rick did his $20 and $10 free play and unfortunately we were passed the 10pm cut off so he did not get any bonuses on his card.

11:24pm bedtime.  I just finished packing for tomorrow.  We are meeting for breakfast around 8:30am and then will be going to Laughlin around 10 after getting the SUV gassed up and some water.  There also was a stop to get rid of our dirty laundry with “creepy poker guy” on the way.

June 30, 2011

Had a nice breakfast at around 8:30am in the Sun Coast buffet with our vouchers.  James cleared up our account and away we went to Laughlin.  Once we crested the hill we decided to go straight to Beall’s Outlet and R&W hit Big Lots.  James hit CVS and got some more H20.

We parked the SUV in the garage in case our room wasn’t ready.

Executive check in.  Our lovely host met us and we introduced her to Rick and Wendy before heading up to our rooms on the 4^th floor. 

James and I walked over to the Mall while Rick and Wendy hit the pool for a bit.

When we got back, we churned the free play into good wins and then called it a night.  Aquarius had a great promo when you hit 5000 points you get $25.00 cash.

Our supper was at the Aquarius Buffet and then we walked on the boardwalk up to Golden Nugget where free play came back with us as profit.

Rick and Wendy had stopped at the Mall as well and were stocked with goodies.  They also had signed up along the way at different Casino properties and came back with some “souvenirs”.  They really enjoyed the Riverwalk.

We played a bit more and then called it an evening.

July 1, 2011

Met Rick and Wendy down at the pool and then dumped the bags in the SUV before grabbing one more meal, this time at the Café for breakfast.  We walked to the RiverEdge and Wendy got a new ring.  Although we stopped in at the Watchman, there were no purchases this time around.

We all got ice cream and cold drinks for the road compliments of the VIP check in at Aquarius.

One more stop at the Mall so Rick and Wendy could do a lap.  They got some shoes on sale.  We were on our way with a stop for our clean laundry $23 and then a side visit to Sam’s Town where James gave them a 60 second tour.  I stayed in the car for a super power nap.

Check in at Flamingo was INSANE.  Diamond line was incredible and slow with people flowing outside of the glass doors.  James went first and got the Go Room for Rick and Wendy and we took the “tired” room.  Let me describe this one for you.  Turn on your smell-o-vision for a bit – think of a temporary morgue, mixed with cheap cigars, mold, and filth.  Bingo…welcome to our room!  Our intention here was to give Rick and Wendy the full scope of off strip, Laughlin and the Vegas Strip.  Before checking in, they understood right away why we shy away from the manic Strip.  Giving them the nicer room would off set the misery of the crowds, etc.  I’ve never seen anyone more grateful.  Super glad they liked it and the awesome view.

We met up in the Diamond Lounge for snacks and ended up getting four free tickets to Donny and Marie thanks to a waitress.  She asked what our plans were and if we had ever seen D&M.  A quick glance around the table and the guys were interested, so Wendy and I hugged her, left a big tip and away we went.  Even though the seats were for balcony, it wasn’t a sold out show so we were given a table of our own at the back of the theatre.  I really enjoyed the performance and it brought me right back to my youth as I recalled watching them on tv.

At 10:30pm we were up in the room chilling watching Fox 5 news as they discussed the whole flash flood issues.

July 2, 2011

Met at the pool with Rick and Wendy.  They told us all about the strict rules and the obnoxious attitudes of the staff.  The place was a mad house and not at all a place to relax.  At 10am they crank the music so loud that you cannot hear yourself think.  I must be getting old.

It was agreed that we would have the Rio Buffet again after all these years.  It also would give R&W a chance to see yet another property.  There is a circular room that is for Diamond/Seven Stars only and we were seated in there.  The Buffet was quite different than what I remembered from years ago.  They could beef up the dessert section, that is my only observation.

A walk around the property and then we drove across the road to the Palms for Rick and Wendy to sign up.  They ran through their free play and ended up $28 between the two of them.  Hard Rock was next on the list but they did not want to accept the ACG coupons.  James got his $5 chip and said hello to the fellas in the pit and away we went.

Up to our disgusting room at the Flamingo we went while Rick and Wendy walked the Strip until 9:30pm.  While they were out we went across to Caesars and got tickets to Absinthe and then over and got Legends tickets.  These were all comped.

I missed seeing Anne the other day, so James and I met up with them at Viva’s for 7:30pm.  Unfortunately, Steve and Terry were M.I.A. this time.  Stacy, Stephen and Jason were there.  The night flew by as we all looked at our watches in shock as it was 10pm when we departed.

The Silverton always seems to be a “giving” place for us and we decided to zip by there on our way back to the Flamingo.  James had free play here and we played in our favorite spot (secret) – and I ended up hitting a Royal!  Woohoo…  We played only a wee bit longer before making our way back to the Flamingo and into bed around 12:30.

July 3, 2011

We were at the pool by 9:30am to meet R&W.  It was not as busy but very hazy.  A woman from Etobicoke (Michelle) came over and introduced herself as she must have heard the Canadian accent from one of the four of us.  They exchanged pleasantries and her mother was making fun of her behind her back as you can tell Michelle is “quite the talker”.

James left for Pinball Hall of Fame and R&W and me hit the Café at the Flamingo for breakfast.  Skipping the line with a Diamond Card is probably the most valuable of perks.  Twenty somethings in line crabbed and voiced “another Diamond card!”.  Although, Evil Harrah’s” has their own way to keep the impatient “ME” generation happy by offering them an opportunity to pay more to skip lines.  For those of us who earned our Diamonds, this is a huge slap in the face and presents an argument for not renewing our status. 

Anyhow, after we ate, they left to walk the rest of the Strip and got some sign up bonuses while I did our 50pts for the promo*.  I managed to do so on a .25 VP triple play machine and cashed out with a $133.75 profit and $70 cash back*

I made my way back to the morgue and caught a nap while waiting for Jeff and Denise to call.  We were to help them get Barry Manilow tickets.  When I woke up, the computer told me that perhaps that their flight was not going to arrive on time.  Keeping the cell phone with me just in case, intuition told me that perhaps they were unfortunately not going to be in town to catch Barry. 

A nasty storm blew in just after we hit the Caesar’s Diamond Lounge prior to Absinthe.  I knew then that D&J’s flight was probably not going to be on time.  

Like everything else in life, the progression to having younger inexperienced staff take over your business is a killer in so many ways.  While standing in a pool of water in a lightening storm in the desert we were “yelled” at by the young staff members of the Absinthe show to suck it up and get out from under the drink tent.  After all we were told to be there early when we got our tickets.  Hmmm…  It was chaos in so many ways.  People who could not fit under the tent grabbed the big umbrellas off the tables to keep themselves protected from the pouring rain only to have staff members come along and rip them out of their hands and take them away.  I sincerely hope someone had a video cam running.  I was just too disgusted to comprehend the whole situation otherwise I would have done so myself.

The manager came out to explain that for safety reasons, they could not let us into the big tent until the brunt of the strong storm passed us by. 

Once the doors were opened, the somewhat organized line became non existent as everyone rushed to the tent.  The four of us stood looking at one another along with a few other couples who were shaking their heads in amazement.

Anyhow, we did manage to make it inside and Wendy firmly secured us four seats together at the back.  Let me impress a point here.  There is NO NEED to line up here.  There is ample seating and they can and will put out more chairs as needed.  You can take photos during the show but with no flash.  The show was worth it and if you get a chance to see it before it is gone, it is well worth it’s weight in gold.  $75 is fair.

We piled into the SUV after the show and headed down to FSE at the request of R&W.  James had free play at the Four Queens.  I put through $100 but left with $0.  We met up after 1 ½ hours and headed back to find the Flamingo valet full (but not for Diamond or Seven Stars!) 

The whole “Pet Relief Area” thing is gross.  On more than one occasion we sat waiting for our vehicle in the valet area watching owners let their dogs go on the grass anywhere outside and not the specific section which is assigned for the dogs.  This is a stupid idea in so many different ways. 

The temperature dropped to the mid 70’s but the air is humid.  Night night at 12:38am.

July 4^th, 2011

Had breakfast at the Flamingo Buffet.  It was full of kids and families and I struggled to find something “hot”.

To escape the mania we decided to get out of town and show Rick and Wendy Primm.  They once had a package from Canada that included a room at Whiskey Pete's and we wanted to show them where they would have ended up.   Both of them enjoyed the Mall shopping and did sign up at Terrible’s but the sign up was a bit lame.  Not being able to use the Buffet slip was a bummer.

A quick nap back at Flamingo and I made last minute dinner reservations at The Range @ Harrah’s thanks to our Diamond card.  We would get a nice window seat and this would be by far the nicest atmosphere and meal that we presented R&W with.  Like Vegas does to all of us, we hoped to leave them with a little something and wanting more.  I explained that there are so many awesome restaurant experiences in this City that it would be near impossible to hit them all in a lifetime.  Next time around I am hoping that we can take them to the VooDoo Café at sunset.

Our meal was comped $170 (after tax taken off).  R&W left the tip as usual as part of their trip. 

Off we went to the Legends Show.  Tonight’s performance would feature “Stevie Wonder”, “Bobby Darin”, “Steven Tyler”, “Elvis” and “Lady Gaga”.  I believe this may be the third time we have seen this, but it never fails to entertain.  Rick and Wendy loved it as well.

Ugh…in Canada, when it is July 1^st, the fireworks go no matter what.  Not a day before, a day after…that very day.  So, keeping that in mind, we all pile into our room (thank you Donny and Marie for the obstructed view from your giant poster) and focused on Caesars patiently for the fireworks to begin.  As time passed us by, I asked James to check the internet only to find out that we missed them by one night.  The whole idea of staying here was to be able to see the fireworks.  The irony was too much for the four of us and we laughed like crazy.  Oh well.

July 5^th, 2011

Had an 8am breakfast at Flamingo’s Café with Rick and Wendy and then got the car loaded and headed to the airport.  We dropped them off and wished them a safe flight and then rang Jeff and Denise to meet up at Silverton for lunch.  Because of the debacle of their flight, etc., I suggest we swing by The Hotel to pick them up. 

Both of them appreciated the tour of the Silverton and the four of us caught up with a meal at the Café with comps.  A $5 Keno ended up being $0, but I still enjoy playing.

We dropped them off and headed to BOA for a deposit before heading to Laughlin.  I almost cried when we were presented with a suite #4068 at the Aquarius.  Woohoo!  Unpacked and had a short nap before going downstairs and grabbing some food.  Luck would have it as it was Italian Night at the Buffet.  My eyes lit up and all was good!  Comped of course and $5 tip left.

Played VP with good wins, but continued on to practically even before heading to bed an midnight.

July 6, 2011

Breakfast at the Café then we spent the day relaxing.  Around 6pm we hit the Buffet before heading over to the Golden Nugget and had great luck winning back some of the Aquarius losses.

James played BJ and won $650.  I won $15 after playing with $120 for the entire evening.

July 7^th, 2011

We had lunch at the Café (Mindy waitress) then shopped next door.  I got some Armani perfume then we stopped at Burke's but the terminal was down.  Leah put our purchases aside and we said we would call later and come over once things were fixed. 

Great play ALL day as James hit a ROYAL and I hit Aces on VP dollars. 

Outback in the Aquarius for supper (IVAN our waiter).  The wait was long but the meal was decent. 

More play before calling it a night with a pit stop at the gift shop.

July 8^th, 2011

At the pool when it opened at 9am but it was not peaceful by any means.  I moved into the shade to finish writing and not get scorched.  Screaming children are not my idea of peaceful enjoyment.  Here comes more.  Ugh. As James reminds me “it isn’t YOUR backyard”. 

We received an invitation to a VIP party today as part of our check in.  It was in the little lounge behind the bar on a lower level facing the river.  I love the colors in the quaint room with a purple sofa, brightly colored chairs of orange, etc and the view was of course next to heavenly.  We had some of the fare and a few drinks before heading out.  Nobody our age was there and with mostly locals, we felt oddly out of place.  Not many younger people achieve higher status here that was pretty evident. 

We lost $750 all day and that was noted in the charts that James carefully keeps.

July 9^th, 2011

A quick pool visit, VIP breakfast, played and then packed

We had dinner at the Café – James had the Prime Rib and I had the Signature Wrap

Up to the room to put the extra sandwich into the fridge then back down to the mania.  James played Spin Poker and I did .05 10 line VP for a change.

The place was packed with party goers who were there for the night club that opened outside by the water. 

July 10^th, 2011

We had our last VIP breakfast at the Aquarius.  (They had a separate section set aside with nice white linen tablecloths, more selections of a private buffet to compliment the standard one, and more staff). 

Our Host covered ALL charges and after a 30 minute wait in the valet with the mass exodus, we were on our way.

A stop at Harrah’s for a promo then back to LV.  Weather warning on the radio left us with information that we would be heading right into imminent danger.  Ha…(not).  Photos to prove it.  Like Moses, they parted as we went through, I kid you not. 

Sam’s Town Room 570.  Again, we were lucky to have the Silver Card for this short stay.  Norm and Andrea met up with us for Mexican. 

While we waited for the restaurant to open, I put $100 into VP and cashed out at $200 and James $100 in and $0 out.  Leverage always works in our favor.  We were originally scheduled to stay at Red Rock by a Host but collectively decided that with a decent budget for a few days we could end this trip with money in our pockets, so the luxurious Red Rock got tossed for another stay at Sam’s.

It was much quieter here and I believe the waterfall is off?  The four of us had a great meal being served by our waiter Maverick.

Parted ways around 6:30pm and then of course we played more VP.  James had $75 in free play loaded on his card.  I played $100 in and cashed out at $80.  He played $100 in and out at $95.

Up to our room at 9pm for bankroll preservation.

July 11^th, 2011

Breakfast at the Firelight Buffet…argh…cold and unappealing but it was food.  What can I say?  The only plus here was the fresh omelette section that was quite busy.

We played VP for a bit then headed to the RIO to continue our promo with “Evil Harrah’s”.  On the way back we picked up our laundry $24.00 and stopped at McDonalds.

Back up to our room at Sams we packed away our clean clothes and I fell into a long nap.

In a bit we tidied up and hit the Firelight Buffet which ended up being decent.  It was certainly busier than before.  Hit the slots until 11pm.

We lost $650 today, but up $2900 for the trip.  The goal was to come home with no less than $2500.  With a day left, this was very achievable.

July 12^th, 2011

Sleep took over and we missed the breakfast buffet cut off at 10:30am. 

Off to the Deli we went where I had a loaded omelette, hash browns, rye bread toast, a Naked Tropical Juice and a fresh cup of coffee.  James had a Mountain Dew, fruit cup and hot dog.  Silver Card took care of the damage.

Played our remaining budget of $400 on $1 VP.  Less than one hour and we were wiped out except for some decent points achieved.

12:30pm we showered and got ready to head to the airport.  We decided to get deli sandwiches for the plane ride home seeing as our Silver Card was still active.

A side trip to Anne’s where we dropped off the tote on the way to drop off the rental SUV.

Bye bye Vegas.  We are on our way back home and will arrive in Albany around 1am and thankfully have a room at the Best Western to rest our heads.