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[Carlos del Vaca]

(thread title source, I am the asker of the Vegas question)

Smells posted elsewhere about her unrequited wish to win a Vespa, and that finally spurred me to post this.  See, there's a message board I stop by occasionally for frequent travellers, FF mile junkies and such, and one of their forums is exclusively links to travel-related contests and sweepstakes.  If I'm having a slow day, I'll bust through there and enter a bunch of stuff.  And so it came to pass that I got a call last week that I'd won a trip for two to Vegas.  We ended up buying two more plane tickets out of pocket so we can take the kids, but we figured it was worth it--we'll be staying at Caesars, and godDAMN but those rooms are expensive, so the math works out pretty well.

I am a bit of a Vegas fiend, having been out there eight times, but not since 2003 (the children obviously complicate such things).  Normally we like to stay at the Flamingoooooooo, as it's reasonably priced, the rooms are fine, it's a great location, and it's got a fabulous pool.  Caesars is right across the street, so that'll be fine.

My only specific gambling plan is to play in a poker tournament, probably a $50 jobby over at Harrahs.  I played the $1-$2 beginner game at Excalibur last time out, so it's not like I'm a total Vegas poker virgin, but it'll be taking it up a notch.  There's a $120 nightly tournament at Caesars, but frankly I'm scared to play there.

Vegas, baby, Vegas!

[linnea]

Oh word! That sounds incredible. I've only gotten to go to Vegas twice. Once as an infant in 1979 when my dad got kicked out of a casino for holding me in one arm and trying to load a quarter into a slot machine with the other hand (apparently it was immoral to have kids in gambling establishments back then?). The other time was in December with a crap dude ex-boyfriend. We stayed at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, and I shudder to think what the room must have cost. He really pulled out all the stops on that trip, and it was incredible. The lobby of the hotel was fragrant with jasmine, frangipani, and other white flowers. Even today when I wear Serge Lutens A La Nuit I get a little sad because it reminds me of him.

Kick much ass at your poker tourney.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Yep, kids can walk through the casino (with parents, natch) but you can't gamble with kids in tow.  On the 2003 trip, I pushed the stroller into the sports book at Bally's and tried to drop $20 on Monday Night Football.  The guy was about to take the bet when a supervisor rushed over and said "Don't take the bet!  No kids in the sports book!"

And of course, the Titans beat the Jets and I would have won the bet.

[CortJstr]

My parents took me to Vegas for my 21st birthday. We landed at like 11:50 the night before my birthday. Naturally we went with my 4th grade teacher.

[theinevitable]

I have never been or seen it. My best friend who is at the USAF Academy was stationed there for like a month over the summer. He said it was really hot, and the shows were cool.

I will see it, one day. What a crazy place (I think).

[linnea]

I have never been or seen it. My best friend who is at the USAF Academy was stationed there for like a month over the summer. He said it was really hot, and the shows were cool.

I will see it, one day. What a crazy place (I think).

I might have posted this before, but I was astonished to see that Vegas actually ENCOURAGES open containers. We were about to walk out of the casino and I said, "Sweetie! You've got your beer! We can't take that outside!" He laughed and said, "That's nothing, we'll walk out on the street and I'll buy you a three-foot Margarita. They let you take alcohol anywhere in Vegas on foot!"

[theinevitable]

oh my goodness, that is so fancy.

I imagine Roast Beef being really uncomfortable with Vegas. by which I mean, of course he would be. Actually, I would probably have the same reaction.

my dad always tells this story (or rather, I tell him to tell this story?) about this one week where he was working some ridiculous number of hours, and my uncle came to visit. he had promised my uncle (his brother-in-law) a visit to Vegas. He worked until some ridiculous hour, and then walked out and got in the car... they made it to vegas in some absolutely disgusting amount of time. I think he said that if you did the math, their average speed was like 70 mph. Of course, he is always sure to mention, this was through the desert.

He slept the whole way. his only memory is of waking up to my uncle screaming "HOLY fuck*ng SHIT!" and seeing a car exploding on the side of the road-- apparently there had been a crash?

[Carlos del Vaca]

I think there is an open-container law on the books in Vegas, but it's seldom enforced.  So yeah, it's pretty frickin' sweet to be able to walk around on the Strip or downtown and take your drink with you.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Here's some crazy shit.  Caesars has several swimming pools which are all swanky an' shit (no water slides, from what I can tell).  The so-called "Venus Pool" has a freaking cover charge on the weekends, even if you're staying at the hotel.  $20 for dudes, $10 for chicks.  It also permits "European sun bathing," which explains why the guys have to pay twice as much to get in.

[Nabubrush]

Here's some crazy shit.  Caesars has several swimming pools which are all swanky an' shit (no water slides, from what I can tell).  The so-called "Venus Pool" has a freaking cover charge on the weekends, even if you're staying at the hotel.  $20 for dudes, $10 for chicks.  It also permits "European sun bathing," which explains why the guys have to pay twice as much to get in.

I have heard about the Venus Pool, and nothing I heard was good. Let's just say if you charge people to go to a place and take their clothes off, you are going to limit the folks who show up to people that should have to pay a lot more than that for the privilege of walking around naked.

I'll just stay in Portland and go to Sauvie Island - you can get naked there for free!

[smick]

I have heard about the Venus Pool, and nothing I heard was good. Let's just say if you charge people to go to a place and take their clothes off, you are going to limit the folks who show up to people that should have to pay a lot more than that for the privilege of walking around naked.

I'll just stay in Portland and go to Sauvie Island - you can get naked there for free!

I have heard of this place.   I will be investigating it more.

[KeithHernandez]

I went to Vegas for about four hours and had hell of Roast Beef reactions.

[Carlos del Vaca]

I go to Vegas in two days and dammit I am psyched.

Let's combine this with football discussions.  The first bet I intend to place is on the Saints-Colts game, so if I end up in the hotel room with the kids while the missus goes to the spa or something Thursday night, at least I can watch football and have a rooting interest.  The line is Colts by 6, give or take half a point.  Who ya like?

I'm thinking the Colts, becuase for some reason I can't convince myself that the Saints will repeat last year's magic.  But I could be wrong.

[Nabubrush]

Oh man, sports book for NFL opening weekend? There is going to be some serious money changing hands - no one has any idea where the lines ought to be.

Colts are hosting - I think you're on the right track.

Also:

Fans Encouraged to be in Seats before 8 p.m. for Opener
INDIANAPOLIS - When is a football game more than a football game?
A few answers . . .

1) When it involves one of the biggest names in music.

2) When it's not just a game, but a civic event, too.

3) When it involves last season's Super Bowl champions.

All of the above are true for the Colts’ 2007 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, September 6, at the RCA Dome. That’s why ticket-holders are being encouraged to arrive not at 8:30 p.m., but shortly before 8 p.m.

Because that’s when the show starts.

At 8 p.m., fans will see a live performance inside the RCA Dome by Indiana native John Mellencamp. There also will be a banner ceremony to celebrate the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears this past February.

Johnny Cougar is one of the biggest names in music? What, one of the 500 biggest names?

[Carlos del Vaca]

Johnny Cougar is one of the biggest names in music? What, one of the 500 biggest names?

"Mellencamp" does take up a lot of room on a marquee.

We fly out Sunday morning, otherwise I'd be all about an all-day NFL betting, drinking & football watching binge.  (Theoretically I could bet Sunday's games, but it would be a hassle to collect.)

I will, however, look to place a futures bet on who will win the Super Bowl. 
http://www.vegas.com/gaming/futures/superbowl.html
Gotta look for the right mix of:  actually able to win Super Bowl, odds good enough to make coming back to Vegas to collect worth it, and can stand to root for them all season.  My Philly Iggles therefore look like a good bet, though I realize putting money on any Philadelphia team to win a championshp is probably wasting money.