socalpokerjoe (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} socalpokerjoe) wrote,@ 2008-01-14 15:56:00 |
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Christmas with Steve & Bill
It was decided a few months back that Maureen would spend Christmas with her mom in Philadelphia. I decided, in lieu of this, that it would be a good chance to spend a few days in Vegas with my buddy Steve.
We left around 4am on the 22nd because we were expected at the Las Vegas Pauite Golf Course for a late morning tee-time. The course was unbelievable and the weather really cooperated. Sunny and bright with relatively low winds, but definitely a nip in the air. We played one of the three Pete Dye design courses on the property, The Snow Mountain Course...all 7,146 yards of it. We both played rather well. My only major hiccup on the front 9 came on the par 5 third hole where i went for the green in 2 and pushed my second shot into the pond. I took the drop but failed to get up and down for par, settling for a bogey 6. Two other costly mistakes were off-line drives that caused me to take un-playable lies at one penalty stroke a piece. Double bogey on the signature 445yd par 4 finishing hole and i finished with an 83.
After golf, we checked into red-headed step-child of the Las Vegas Strip, Bill's Gambling Hall & Saloon. (Formerly The Barbary Coast) All in all, this place is actually a great bargain for its location. You are a very short walk from some of Las Vegas' premier properties like The Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, Paris LV & PH. There is a 42" LG plasma television in every room and the place smells and looks very clean. (even for a smoking room) Bathroom is tiny (and if you've read this, you know how much i like my big bathrooms like the Hotel at Mandalay and PH) I'm glad i got to stay here at least once because the word on the street is that w/in 18 months, Bill's, along with The Flamingo and IP, will be a huge pile of rubble to make way for the newest mega-resort.
Saturday night we ventured over to the buffet at the Palms and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. (i believe it cost $17.99) Better than average selection that included pizza, sushi, BBQ short ribs, good size crab legs and a carving station with prime rib. I was so content after dinner that I didn't even check out the desserts.
On the gambling front, I had an awful trip...lost every bet I made including, but not limited to, Blackjack at the Sahara, Craps at the Riviera, Let it Ride at Bill's, Star Wars penny slots at the Venetian and a $4-$8 Hold'em session at the Bellagio.
On the plus side, I made a resolution to never, ever gamble north of The Wynn ever again. Those properties (The Sahara & Riviera especially) are dead to me. At one time or another, I thought they were cool throwbacks to the old days but now they are havens for scumbags and lowlifes. Pass. Sunday afternoon was such a tease. after hearing horrible weather reports, Steve and i had decided late Saturday night to skip golf on Sunday. Well, not like anyone should be surprised, but Sunday afternoon was absolutely gorgeous, with temperatures AT LEAST 10-15 degrees warmer than the previous day. Bummer. We decided to get close to golf the next best way we knew how, drinking Coronas on the porch overlooking the 18th hole at Wynn Las Vegas and watching the privileged few who were out playing that day. Not a bad place to get a burger/kill an hour or two.
Christmas Eve Dinner at The Rosewood Grill was a meal for the ages. Steve and I split a 7lb lobster accompanied by a 5 oz. Fillet Mignon.
The trip was a blast, I rarely ever have a bad time in Las Vegas. I figured my gambling losses to be just south of $500. Couldn't wait 'til the new year so I could wipe the slate clean again on my gambling figure.
It was decided a few months back that Maureen would spend Christmas with her mom in Philadelphia. I decided, in lieu of this, that it would be a good chance to spend a few days in Vegas with my buddy Steve.
We left around 4am on the 22nd because we were expected at the Las Vegas Pauite Golf Course for a late morning tee-time. The course was unbelievable and the weather really cooperated. Sunny and bright with relatively low winds, but definitely a nip in the air. We played one of the three Pete Dye design courses on the property, The Snow Mountain Course...all 7,146 yards of it. We both played rather well. My only major hiccup on the front 9 came on the par 5 third hole where i went for the green in 2 and pushed my second shot into the pond. I took the drop but failed to get up and down for par, settling for a bogey 6. Two other costly mistakes were off-line drives that caused me to take un-playable lies at one penalty stroke a piece. Double bogey on the signature 445yd par 4 finishing hole and i finished with an 83.
After golf, we checked into red-headed step-child of the Las Vegas Strip, Bill's Gambling Hall & Saloon. (Formerly The Barbary Coast) All in all, this place is actually a great bargain for its location. You are a very short walk from some of Las Vegas' premier properties like The Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, Paris LV & PH. There is a 42" LG plasma television in every room and the place smells and looks very clean. (even for a smoking room) Bathroom is tiny (and if you've read this, you know how much i like my big bathrooms like the Hotel at Mandalay and PH) I'm glad i got to stay here at least once because the word on the street is that w/in 18 months, Bill's, along with The Flamingo and IP, will be a huge pile of rubble to make way for the newest mega-resort.
Saturday night we ventured over to the buffet at the Palms and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. (i believe it cost $17.99) Better than average selection that included pizza, sushi, BBQ short ribs, good size crab legs and a carving station with prime rib. I was so content after dinner that I didn't even check out the desserts.
On the gambling front, I had an awful trip...lost every bet I made including, but not limited to, Blackjack at the Sahara, Craps at the Riviera, Let it Ride at Bill's, Star Wars penny slots at the Venetian and a $4-$8 Hold'em session at the Bellagio.
On the plus side, I made a resolution to never, ever gamble north of The Wynn ever again. Those properties (The Sahara & Riviera especially) are dead to me. At one time or another, I thought they were cool throwbacks to the old days but now they are havens for scumbags and lowlifes. Pass. Sunday afternoon was such a tease. after hearing horrible weather reports, Steve and i had decided late Saturday night to skip golf on Sunday. Well, not like anyone should be surprised, but Sunday afternoon was absolutely gorgeous, with temperatures AT LEAST 10-15 degrees warmer than the previous day. Bummer. We decided to get close to golf the next best way we knew how, drinking Coronas on the porch overlooking the 18th hole at Wynn Las Vegas and watching the privileged few who were out playing that day. Not a bad place to get a burger/kill an hour or two.
Christmas Eve Dinner at The Rosewood Grill was a meal for the ages. Steve and I split a 7lb lobster accompanied by a 5 oz. Fillet Mignon.
The trip was a blast, I rarely ever have a bad time in Las Vegas. I figured my gambling losses to be just south of $500. Couldn't wait 'til the new year so I could wipe the slate clean again on my gambling figure.
