Reflections on Las Vegas

[Buccaneer]

Luxor is still my favorite place to stay.

Paris is still my favorite place to drink and to eat

…and to potty.

---

Mandalay Bay has become my second favorite place to drink and to eat…

…but I did not check out the potties there.

---

Caesars is my favorite place to drink…

…at 2:00 in the morning.

---

It was very distressing to me to see so many families with young kids there.

It was even more distressing to see those families dragging those young kids up and down the Strip and through the casinos at 11:30 at night.

---

I perceive that I spent more money on cab fares than I did on three nights of lodging.

However, cab drivers can be very creative in going from point A to point B.

---

I don’t have a favorite Sports Book, I think all of the major ones are good.

However, it was not that good of a feeling to bet on several favorites in baseball games and see them lose.

But it was a good feeling to have some of the more significant underdogs win.

---

It was an amazing thing to be able to watch multiple sporting events all at the same time.

But what was even better was to watch the end of the Pirates/Marlins game and see the Pirates hold on for a 4-3 victory…

…when they were the underdogs going off at +155

…and you had money on them.

---

Why people play slot machines is still one of life’s more puzzling things.

So puzzling that I can’t think of a witty reply.

---

It was amazing to see the popularity of poker tables when a couple of years ago, most of the tables were empty during the day.

But in watching them for a while, I would suggest that one should not be so eager to bet especially when it was not your turn yet.

---

Having my brother and I hit 180 golf balls at the Callaway Golf Center was cool.

Hitting 180 golf balls at 2:00 in the afternoon was something other than cool.

---

The sound and feel of a Great Big Bertha II Driver hitting a golf ball was one of life’s more unique experiences…

…except when one swings and misses, then it became one life’s more embarrassing moments.

---

The girls of Crazy Girls are the most perfectly sculpted females in the world…

…especially when you can view them 18 inches from the stage.

---

The Blue Man Group has got to be the coolest performance on stage…

…ever

…in the history of mankind.

---

One of the good things about drinking and hanging out at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars late one night or early one morning, I’m a bit fuzzy on the details, was that it was all adults and no kids…

…or actually, some adults were acting like kids, but still.

---

Another good thing while at the Barge was finally understanding how some UNLV girls pay for their tuition.

However, it was very hard to avoid making eye contact with this one very cute UNLV girl when I was quite liquored up so it was in my best interest and a good thing to sit elsewhere.

---

Elsewhere ended up near the dance floor where half of the writhing bodies were a bachelorette party.

I wish I could get invited to bachelorette parties.

---

The best lounge bands are usually found in the best lounges of the best resorts.

Such a band was Paragon at the Bellagio, a symphonic rock cover band with real studio musicians, an accompanying electronic string quartet and a hot female lead with a body like Stevie Nicks, a voice like Ann Wilson and moves like Alanis Morissette.

And when she and the band ended with Sweet Child O’ Mine and then Stairway to Heaven, that was fun.

However what was not fun was watching the typical Bellagio crowd just sitting there and acting like they were watching a poetry reading.

---

Ra is an Egyptian sun god and according to the story, he parties hard after working all day.

Where he goes is, get this, RA – a large dance club at Luxor with many hundreds of dancing bodies doing things way beyond writhing.

The Crazy Girls just writhe. The girls at RA just go crazy.

---

At 3:00 in the morning, I came up with three tips in partying at RA:

1. Getting in while decidedly non-sober means you don’t talk and you don’t make eye contact.
2. You have to be prepared for a security search more intense than anything you would go through at any airport in the world, bar none.
3. It is impossible to make your way across the dance floor with a mixed drink in hand without spilling some, so don’t try.

---

What we did at the RA stayed there.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Gee, I spent a week in Las Vegas and didn't go to ANY of those places.

[Fritz]

Jesus Steve, you sound almost human

[oliegirl]

I wish I could get invited to bachelorette parties.

I am having my first Bachelorette Party in Chicago on 7/31, I can get you an invite if you want....

[JonInMiddleGA]

About the only thing in common to your list & my list is the choice of Paris for pottying ... and therein lies the beauty I find in Las Vegas:

It can be whatever you want it to be, and you can have whatever sort of fun you want to have.

Most ... wonderful ... place ... on ... Earth.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

I am having my first Bachelorette Party in Chicago on 7/31, I can get you an invite if you want....

Thanks I appreciate that. However as I said to my brother while trying twice (or was it three times?) to avoid making eye contact with that UNLV girl, my wife would f'n kill me.

[oliegirl]

Thanks I appreciate that. However as I said to my brother while trying twice (or was it three times?) to avoid making eye contact with that UNLV girl, my wife would f'n kill me.

Oh well, guess we'll have to find someone else to be our man-toy for the night! ;0

[Buccaneer]

Oh great, olie, now you are going to have every guy here within 100 miles of Chicago sending you a PM.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

Oh well, guess we'll have to find someone else to be our man-toy for the night! ;0

I mean this with all the love an respect in my heart -- that is the hottest thing I have ever read here at FOFC.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

I mean this with all the love an respect in my heart -- that is the hottest thing I have ever read here at FOFC.

I have several PMs from you that say differently...

[TLK]

Just returned from Vegas yesterday, and I'm already planning the return trip. I think the only change I will make, is that I won't spend as much on a hotel room. We paid $150 at The Mirage and didn't spend any time in the room besides sleeping..... Looking at a $550 trip(air + 5 nights at the Orleans), that would include New Year's in Vegas.....

[Fritz]

I think Oliegirl and Bucc are off having netsex now, which disturbs me because I thought we figured out that Oliegirl was Curt Schilling.

[oliegirl]

I think Oliegirl and Bucc are off having netsex now, which disturbs me because I thought we figured out that Oliegirl was Curt Schilling.

Nope, I was printing the envelopes for our wedding invitations and I had to feed them through one at a time...but I am back now

I am totally confused on one thing, what is with the Curt Schilling comment? In between laughter induced tears I recapped this thread to radii and we are both a little thrown by that...please explain...

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Fritz

Jesus Steve, you sound almost human

Seriously... where the hell did this all come from?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Fritz

I think Oliegirl and Bucc are off having netsex now, which disturbs me because I thought we figured out that Oliegirl was Curt Schilling.

She's not Curt Schilling. I would never marry someone that plays as much EverQuest as he does.

[Fritz]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

please explain...

come again?

wait.... ew

[Fritz]

dola

this is just the shit I have started: http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/for...archuser=Fritz

If you can EXPLAIN any of it, be my guest.

edit:

there are some real gems in there. Moses Bowling, Angry Volcano Gods....

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by Fritz

dola

this is just the shit I have started: http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/for...searchid=21147

If you can EXPLAIN any of it, be my guest.

edit:

there are some real gems in there. Moses Bowling, Angry Volcano Gods....

Truthfully, quite an impressive body of work.

[Buccaneer]

Ok, my brother and I are planning on going again, most likely the week of Jan 10. Got some questions:

1. Is the monorail finally running from MGM to Venetian to Hilton?
2. When we were there last, we saw ads for the new Queen show at Paris. Anyone knows if it's worth it?
3. According to articles in Newsweek and such, they are saying that Hard Rock Cafe is THE place to be. Any recommendations on what to do there?
4. What are the best, non-pretentious clubs on the Strip?
5. Fremont Street worth taking a cab to?
6. Thinking about staying at Treasure Island but never stayed there before. Good place? What's up with the new "TI" campaign, they get rid of the pirating motif or something?

[Craptacular]

1. hxxp://www.lvmonorail.com/

Still out of service. My brother-in-law and his wife were on their honeymoon out there when it went down. However, there are a few casino-run trams that can help get you from place to place. I think one goes from MB to Luxor to Excalibur, and another goes from the Monte Carlo to Bellagio. You can get from Excalibur to Monte Carlo by going through NYNY, so you can make a relatively short trip between MB and Bellagio with two trams and a short walk. My wife and I stayed at MB for the end of our honeymoon in 2002, and the trams made it a pretty short (and FREE) trip to see the fountains at Bellagio.

3. The pool.

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Ok, my brother and I are planning on going again, most likely the week of Jan 10. Got some questions:

1. Is the monorail finally running from MGM to Venetian to Hilton?
3. According to articles in Newsweek and such, they are saying that Hard Rock Cafe is THE place to be. Any recommendations on what to do there?

[Joe]

to answer #6, I've stayed at Treasure Island a few times, and I really liked it. The new "TI" campaig isn't getting rid of the pirates, but making it more adult themed (and sexy!), rather than the old disney-type they used to have

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

6. Thinking about staying at Treasure Island but never stayed there before. Good place? What's up with the new "TI" campaign, they get rid of the pirating motif or something?

We stayed there in April. I'd give it a B-. It's still "pirate-y", but now it's aimed squarely at adults as opposed to families. As an example, the pirate fight is still there, but now it's a battle between off-duty strippers.

It's a solid place to stay but, in Vegas, you can find something better. My wife and I enjoyed it but we would not go stay there again.

[digamma]

Hard Rock has gone down hill since it has gotten more publicity. Translation: more dudes who play text sim video games hang out there and less women who have never heard of text sim video games don't (nothing against you Buc!). Of course, there is a fairly new poker room there and it is supposedly full of fish.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Fritz

Jesus Steve, you sound almost human

He admitted that he "generally agreed" with me in an earlier post. I think it's meds.

[Buccaneer]

The vacation thread reminded me of this again. For the Vegas vets, what is it like there during the cold/rain season of January (post-CES and post-AVN)? Also, anyone checked out Tangerine at TI?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

The vacation thread reminded me of this again. For the Vegas vets, what is it like there during the cold/rain season of January (post-CES and post-AVN)? Also, anyone checked out Tangerine at TI?

Tangerine was a fun place. My friends and I were obviously the youngest ones there (being 21), so I'd say the average age was mid-20's. Very cool atmosphere, and much more low-key than many of the other clubs.

[Calis]

I just got back from staying at TI over Christmas break, and Tangerine was closed..was pretty dissapointed.

Anyway, thanks for this thread Buc, I actually printed it off before I headed out, and some good info.

Christmas was psychotic there, talked to a couple people from there who said it was one of the craziest days they've seen. Far and away the most people I've ever seen though(although I've only been a couple times).

[Buccaneer]

Thanks, that will remind me to check online before I go to see what the dark days are. My brother recommended to get a weekly to check out some of the local or off-strip places. I've heard there are some tribute bands downtown and such.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

The vacation thread reminded me of this again. For the Vegas vets, what is it like there during the cold/rain season of January (post-CES and post-AVN)? Also, anyone checked out Tangerine at TI?

If your stay is over a weekend it will be crowded because of the play-offs. I've never been during the week in January.

[boilermaker]

I wrote a pretty long thread and lost it, so I'll just smack a few links up for your approval. You might be interested, you might not be.

If you like beer, the German motif, and know where the Hard Rock is, then across the street is the Hofbrauhaus:
http://www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com/index.php

If you like ice hockey, I'd say this is probably one of the nicest arenas in the entire sport, and well worth every penny to visit the Orleans Arena and see the Las Vegas Wranglers:
http://orleansarena.com/
http://lasvegaswranglers.com/

And note, the Hofbrauhaus is rather expensive and it's the only watering hole I know of around here with a last call (and not only that, but it's at 11). And, some people don't like the German beer hall motif. It usually means you're sitting uncomfortably close to complete strangers who might be ready to vomit on you after drinking a couple mugs of beer that tends to take the sight out of you. On the other hand, you might like that idea, and the fraulines who serve beer there wear the cute and sexy German beer wench outfit. Evidence:
http://www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com/images/beer_lady.jpg

I'd recommend the Hofbrauhaus if 1.) you go with a group and 2.) you're wallet is fat or 2a.) someone else is paying.


A note about the Orleans/Wranglers hockey...the Orleans is off the Strip, maybe two, three miles. Definately need a cab, a bus, or rental car if you're staying on the Strip.

And lastly, I'm a terrible host. I've decided that if you've lived in Vegas long enough, all the things guests find interesting, you either don't notice such things (since you're not looking for cool stuff, being a citizen and not a guest) or you're desensitized to it. In other words, asking a Las Vegan for tips about Vegas is a bad idea. It's best to ask other guests/people who've been here, really. They have a better eye/perspective for the interesting.