PH April 11-14th (Late on writing this TR)

I'm a bit late on writing this TR, my first one on this forum as I came over here a few months back once plee, sorry VegasMonkey mentioned it to me when I saw him in October.

Anyway, this trip happened because my lovely girlfriend was in Peru and I didn't want to stay in DC and not have any fun. The logic there is terrible but that, combined with the stress of trying to switch jobs (not going political here but it's difficult currently if you're a DC resident) made me need to get away. This trip had the weird dates of Tuesday-Friday lol.

Flew SW and got into Vegas at around 8:30pm connecting to Oklahoma City (I'm ignorant, didn't know the Midwest was that flat lol. Nice folks on the plane from there however). I played light the first night, probably winning a few hundred bucks.

I'm a blackjack player, and I play pretty much exclusively at the tables near the North Elevators where they have the double deck at 3:2 for $25 min. Anyway, played a bit the first night, had a few drinks and didn't want to get too hammered as one of my girlfriend's best friends, who I had only met once prior, was there on business and we were to meet up.

Next day when I woke up I was going to behave until 3pm when her conference was out so I would be moderately sober and not make an ass out of myself. Well, the former didn't happen. I started playing blackjack in earnest, beginning at Paris (at around 8am) because the double deck table at PH doesn't open until noon.

Don't judge me here but, as a 30 year old guy, I drink pretty much mimosas in Vegas because I find them refreshing. I get some weird looks but whatever, I enjoy it and I can drink a ton of them. So anyway at Paris, I'm playing and we get a lively table. This is out on the main floor, I think it was only a $15 table but 3:2. I usually am most comfortable between the $25-$75 range so we played for 2-3 hours. And in that time, while I'm not a big player, I tip frequently and a lot. This resulted in me having no less than 8-10 mimosas in that span, before 11am when I left.

I thought it prudent to eat something. This was my first of about 7 trips to earl of sandwich (3 of them I don't remember and much like my TR from last year if you're on the other site, I again woke up with a half eaten Caesar Wrap in my bed with chicken on me lol).

After Earl, I wonder to the double deck tables in PH and they're opening. It looks like a lot of people my age but not the douchey type (I'm 30 and recognize there's still many bros who attend Vegas to just be clowns, I'm a gambler- not a good one but I know how to "behave"). Well, another 6 mimosas, and 2-3 shots of something green among other drinks- it's 4pm and I'm up $800. Now time to meet my girlfriend's close friend, and I've had somewhere in the vicinity of 15-18 drinks.

She was staying at Aria, which I don't do, so she met me at PH. I gambled a bit and she sat beside me getting free drinks over the course of an hour or so. I was also getting a massage and someone finagled eating Earl of Sandwich #2 at the table (This time I was at the Party Pit, shitty 6:5 $15 rules but I wanted to just mess around and talk to her but still gamble a bit lol). While drinking, eating and getting a massage, I hear her utter "can you do all this stuff here on the reg?"- I respond with, why not?

We then venture across the street to Cosmo to get the Verbena, which I had played up to her back in DC when I first met her and she said she was going to Vegas. She loved it. Drank that thing in 5 minutes. She kept saying, and I'm not embellishing but feeling pretty good about it, "do you have any friends?". At this point I'm feeling like she will report that I behaved, which I always do in Vegas (I don't go for strip clubs, just to gamble, drink, and get away from the stress of home). I'm inclined to think she things my low roller ways are badass (I rarely bring more than 2500 to Vegas for 3 days and always have a blast, but never win lol).

As part of my comp, I had a $100 dinner credit which I elected to use at Mesa Grill in Caesars. Her flight was leaving in a few hours but I convinced her to come with. We sat down, and she bought me a drink (classy move, I like when women do that- and I wasn't even hitting on her either lol) and we chatted while I had the Salmon & brussel sprouts. I had $50 left on the comp and insisted she order but at this point her flight left in 90 mins and she still needed her bag/uber from Aria so we parted. She asked again if I had any friends, which again made me feel like I'm clearly doing something right here and that she will tell my gf that YES I DO JUST GAMBLE AND DRINK IN VEGAS lol, nothing nefarious.


After that, I went back PH and gambled at the double deck table until I don't know, but I woke up the next day with a Caesar wrap in bed with me- this happens frequently- and baileys and coffee spilt on one of the pillow cases. This was Wednesday, tomorrow (Thursday) being the last day so I believe I got back into the room at midnight?


Thursday- last full day before flying out. I tried the pool at PH for the first time, this was actually pretty nice as I got a bit of a tan and just listened to music for a while- using a ton of data too because PH's wifi sucks, doesn't work in the room well and certainly not at the pool but whatever.

I then elected to go to the gym for the first time there as well which was nice.

At this point it's 12 (noon) and I haven't had a drink. Something needed to change here. I go to Caesars and begin playing some $25-$50 blackjack at a $15 3:2 table in the center area (yes 3:2 does exist at least during afternoons at this level). 8 mimosas later, someone only over 75 minutes, I leave (pit sucks there, I was playing normally around $40-$50 a hand but he had me at $20 and wouldn't budge?).

Head back to Planet Hollywood and try the Spice Market buffet- wouldn't recommend for the price but I wasn't too hungry to be fair- then for the next 9 hours apparently (got the rating the next day)- I sat at the double deck table which I call home and played all night. It started out with pretty girls which I enjoy, but some jacked guy named Chris began dealing and after contemplating leaving, I stayed. He turned out to be a trip, cop for 25 years or something but super cool guy. I woke up the next morning, walked to MGM grand for an uber (I wanted fresh air and PH's uber pickup sucks since my wifi couldn't really get a signal).

I ended up playing around 22 hours over 3 days at an average rating of $50-60. Small potatoes but I get rooms wherever I want so will I be back? You're damn right, especially since I only lost $300 but had probably 75 drinks lol.

Sorry for the late TR and lack of photos, but I figured I would contribute since I want to make the next VF meetup and someone actually say (I remember that name)

 

Thanks guys! It's nice to know people read my occasional ramblings haha. I read everyone's TR and it's such a relief from the monotony of work.

I guess I got lucky on such a small loss, the past few trips the bankroll has almost eviscerated so I'll take this as a win. Robbie- she was indeed happy, she knows it's true as well because the one time we went together I apparently bought a salad from Ballys and ate it in bed, then fell asleep.

Elf- You're right, it unfortunately is. I moved here since it's a great place for work but this is the first time I've seen people really nervous about their jobs (again, not a political statement!). Thankfully Vegas was a great outlet to forget about the stuff here. Looking forward to reading your future TR's!

 

Lol yes that's the guy. He looks intimidating but was a riot. I also remembered the pit boss tamara who remembered me, not because of me but because the guys I were playing with back in October were rowdy but tipping like crazy. Call me crazy but that sort of customer service is what keeps me coming back. I know I probably won't win anything big for a while but I had so much damn fun, can't put a price tag on it!

 

Lol yes sir bronco, it's miserable here now huh? 50 and rain during mid-May, what the hell lol. If I have a good reason to I'll try to do an AC trip soon so LMK if you're headed back up at some point.

And yes New York lady! October 2015, it was my first trip in years and now I've gone 5 times since hahaha. Was excellent meeting you too! I also think you may have been right, I didn't get much sleep that trip. Then again, I rarely do but I love that damn town.