12/27-12/30

Posted by BIGRAY

Another great after Xmas trip for my wife and I

Air: US Air Charlottesville, Va/Phila/LV (reverse on the return)
1 hour delay on the way out...on time coming back. No baggage problems (first class seems to help as they ticket the bags differently). Also separate first class security line and counter @ LV makes things even nicer.

Car: Hertz...I've used most everybody, and Hertz seems to get it righter oftener

Hotel: Again The Stardust...great mid level property, adequate restaurants, decent location, friendly staff, spectacular comps for green chip players. Meal at William B's steakhouse was excellent

Gambling: We set a total budget for the trip to encompass everything except airfare including gambling. I generally take $500 or so in cash, the rest travellers checks. Never needed to cash a traveller's check this time...very unusual and pleasant as well.

Shows: Kevin Spacey/Bobby Darrin show. 2 nights only, so tons of LV big shots in the audience, from Steve Wynn to Robert Goulet. Great show, fabulous band. Spacey sings just ok, but an excellent entertainer, very warm. A great, old style Vegas evening. I'll see the movie.

KA (Cirque du soleil) @ MGM. Absolutely breathtaking and unlike anything we've ever seen (including the other LV Cirque shows). We only had OK seats, but the theater and production are so well designed, they were fine.

Havana Nights: Lots of fun, high energy, tremendous production with an all cuban cast of singers, dancers, and musicians. At the Stardust, so our host had us in row 1! My wife was even plucked right out of her seat to dance with the cast! Unforgettable memory and picture.

Designer Outlets near Downtown: First trip there...my wife really enjoyed the shopping...I enjoyed the prices.

Back home in time for NYE performance with my own band @ The Homestead in Hot Springs. At midnight, a glitch in the computer caused EVERY room door to electronically lock! As people tried to retire for the evening, they couldn't get in. It took til 3:30 or so to get things fixed, but the hotel opened all the bars with no check for anybody...turned into a hell of an after party! The hotel GM said it happened in MANY hotels across the country....anybody hear anything?

Posted by misterKeno

good quick TR Ray.... its nice when u dont have to dig into extra dough/checks...and can breeze right thru. KA sounds like a winner....so what were u betting your green chips on--do tell.

mK

Posted by gregrio

Ya make me smile Ray...good trip. Glad you liked the shows and congrads on the good gaming...you'll just have to sign those travelers checks back over to the bank until the next trip.

Did the crowd at New Years get you guys to play longer due to the computer thing?...you heard power went out in Vegas? Seems like it was up along West Flamingo to the Blvd...PALMS, RIO, CAESARS, FLAMINGO, all dark for two hrs.
Welcome home......here comes 2005!

Posted by BIGRAY

MK: I only play BJ. I play $25-$150, my wife sits next to me and plays $10-$50. We both enjoy it very much and play fairly well. I think the number one way to enjoy LV is to remember the whole point is entertainment. Some folks just take the whole gambling thing a little too seriously.

Greg: By the time we realized there was a problem @ The Homestead, my road crew had things electonically broroken down far enough that to start again would have taken an hour...we just had to drink free with the guests, especially since we couldn't get in our rooms either.

Posted by gregrio

...too bad!, I'm sure the guys would have loved to play for another hour and a half just to sooth the savage guests, score points with the management and maybe get a spur-of-the-molment 'hat' passed around but hey....
sometimes you just have to drink and socialize to sooth the savage guests, score points with the management...tough gig! I'm sure they were pleased you guys were around to do it.