GREGRIO
10-08-2005, 09:45 AM
WOW...I'm still tired, this tourist stuff is rough.
This was a totally different kind of trip for me. It was a
THANK YOU gift for my Brother who had to deal with 2 1/2 years
of EL TORO CRAPO from a Washingtin State EL TORO CRAPO bank
that had my Mom's house, personal effects, car...you name it,
under their control until we met the terms of her Will.
It's all over now...WE WON.
Jeff and DeAnna haddn't been to Las Vegas in yeeears. The big
green MGM was the new kid on the block and wanted me to set
the week up for them. It was quite fun actually...I had to put to
the test everything I preach...organize and plan out your days...
leaving enough time for spur of the molment things...stick to your
budget and bankroll...be on time...get all your show tickets in advance
and...HAVE A BLAST!
I split the STRIP into two sections for sightseeing, one each day.
First day...Mandalay Bay to Bellagio, Second day...Venetian to the
Stratosphere, catching other properties while visiting Shows.
TAXI UPDATE: I re. to the monthly Surcharge evaluation...I didn't
notice much change.
(this month) the Meter starts at $3.50. My average fare from RIO
to anywhere on the STRIP was $9.00 each way. I tip $3.00 on top
of each fare, so my average ride each way was twelve bucks.
RIP-OFF-TIP: Make sure your driver always re-sets the Meter.
We were going from RIO to Bellagio. Our driver had not re-set the
Meter...it read $6.25.
He 'balbed' something about starting the Meter from where it was...
"it's a short ride" ...meaning the total would come out the same when
we got to Bellagio. We were talking (not thinking)...I said "sure" and
off we went. Hop-Skip-andajump we were on top of the Flamingo/I-15
overpass...Meter read $7.75...arrived at Bellagio, Meter read $13.00.
Oops! my fault. I gave him the $13.00 NO TIP. and it won't happen again.
Drivers pay (out of THEIR pockets) the $3.50 re-set fee to the
cab company. By not re-setting the Meter when he picked us up,
he saved himself $3.50 and ran the fare up more than it should have
been, pocketing more money for himself...live and learn
ALWAYS RE-SET THE METER.
SUN: I got in first. I was at the RIO by 8:30AM and set up my room requests.
2 rooms, Ipanima Tower, one smoking, one non...both upper floors
with pool/STRIP views.
Their room was ready and I dropped my bag off. It was one of the newly
remodeled Diamond Suites...perfect! It was an end room, close to the
Masquerade Tower side, with a great view of the pools below and
the STRIP all out in front.
My favorite room was ocupied but the guests were checking out that
morning so I waited...and waited... and WAITED.
By 1:00 the still hadn't shown, so we had the Housekeeping Supervisor
check the room. They had used the Express CheckOut and were gone...
but there was a problem. Actually, my registration friend called it
a 'situation' and the room might not be available at all! Seems they had
a little party and had totally trashed the place...I told them I'd wait and
please get it ready...they did and I was in at 3:45.
"J" and "D" arrived at 4:30. They got their bags up and we were off!
We ate Mexican at RIO's BOMBALEO, the to the MIRAGE where we
took the 'tram' to 't.i.' and MYSTERE.
The 'tram' works great for in 'n out and avoids all the traffic after the
Show at 't.i.' for cabs and valet. MYSTERE...to SIRENS, then the Volcano,
the back to RIO...enough for the first day...it was Midnight.
MON: After a quick breakfast in the Cafe, we were out the door and at
BELLAGIO by 9. Fountains were down due to wind...the Conservatory of
Flowers was wonderful as usual, they went through the Fine Arts Gallery,
I sat outside and ate Gilatto (...is that the way you spell it ?) in any event,
I didn't care for "Landscapes".
Next stop MON AMI GABI in PARIS. We had lunch on the terrace, then
toured the hotel/casino.
NO...I did not get them tickets for WE WILL ROCK YOU...they weren't even
sure who QUEEN was...(I need new relitives)
We cabbed to MANDALAY BAY, took in the sights, checked out THEhotel's
Lobby, walked the Shopping Bridge and into the LUXOR.
Snapped lots of pics, looked all around, and caught a cab to MGM.
Lobby, casino, Lion Habitat, up the escalator...over the bridge to NYNY.
Too windy for the MANHATTIN EXPRESS, but walked all around the casino
and got back to the RIO for the 4:00 SEAFOOD BUFFET...wonderful!
We went to the SCINTAS Show at 7:30, then up to VOODOO LOUNGE for
drinks and the view from the terrace, then off the the 10:30
LA FEMME Show at MGM.
TUE: We started at the FASHION SHOW MALL, then toured the VENETIAN
and cabbed to the STATOSPHERE for a 1:30 lunch reservation at
TOP OF THE WORLD. We wouldn't have time for dinner, so chose the
$30.00, three course lunch special which was a better deal than ordering
alacart.
A short rest back at the RIO and it was time to head ford the COLOSSEUM...
ELTON WAS WAITING!
Rear Orchestra seats/center...F$#$#$# AMAZING!..such a great show.
Up to the top of the Eifel Tower, then across to BELLAGIO for late
night Spagheti.
WED: A few of my local friends joined us at the RIO and we did the
Breakfast Buffet. We found a nice secluded corner and ate and talked
for 3 hours...interupted only by the damn BEVERTAINERS who's stand
was just outside the buffet next to us.
In a thank you email I sent MARILYN WINN the other day,
I expressed my wish (again) the BEVERTAINERS contract NOT be
renewed. BRING BACK THE IPANIMA COCKTAIL SERVERS!!!
We walked to the GOLD COAST, across to the PALMS, played a bit,
took a nap, then changed cloths and headed to MIRAGE for DANNY GANS.
I usually hit the HARD ROCK on my last night, so after Danny we cabbed
to the ROCK.
I had (the always questionable) LVA-not on the menu, STEAK and SHRIMP.
It's always interesting to see just how much of the Steak you can
actually cut with a knife and then chew...LOL!...but hey, it's tradition.
Back to VOODOO LOUNGE and last-night pictures, got my SOUTHWEST 'A'
Boarding Pass printed from the Registration counter, and hit the sack.
THURS: Left the RIO at 12:00, flight at 2:30, home by 4:30, thought
about the fantastic trip for a second, then Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The upcoming December trip is going to be so slooow, peeeaceful,
niiice. I'm getting to old for this kindashit...it WAS a BLAST though!
This was a totally different kind of trip for me. It was a
THANK YOU gift for my Brother who had to deal with 2 1/2 years
of EL TORO CRAPO from a Washingtin State EL TORO CRAPO bank
that had my Mom's house, personal effects, car...you name it,
under their control until we met the terms of her Will.
It's all over now...WE WON.
Jeff and DeAnna haddn't been to Las Vegas in yeeears. The big
green MGM was the new kid on the block and wanted me to set
the week up for them. It was quite fun actually...I had to put to
the test everything I preach...organize and plan out your days...
leaving enough time for spur of the molment things...stick to your
budget and bankroll...be on time...get all your show tickets in advance
and...HAVE A BLAST!
I split the STRIP into two sections for sightseeing, one each day.
First day...Mandalay Bay to Bellagio, Second day...Venetian to the
Stratosphere, catching other properties while visiting Shows.
TAXI UPDATE: I re. to the monthly Surcharge evaluation...I didn't
notice much change.
(this month) the Meter starts at $3.50. My average fare from RIO
to anywhere on the STRIP was $9.00 each way. I tip $3.00 on top
of each fare, so my average ride each way was twelve bucks.
RIP-OFF-TIP: Make sure your driver always re-sets the Meter.
We were going from RIO to Bellagio. Our driver had not re-set the
Meter...it read $6.25.
He 'balbed' something about starting the Meter from where it was...
"it's a short ride" ...meaning the total would come out the same when
we got to Bellagio. We were talking (not thinking)...I said "sure" and
off we went. Hop-Skip-andajump we were on top of the Flamingo/I-15
overpass...Meter read $7.75...arrived at Bellagio, Meter read $13.00.
Oops! my fault. I gave him the $13.00 NO TIP. and it won't happen again.
Drivers pay (out of THEIR pockets) the $3.50 re-set fee to the
cab company. By not re-setting the Meter when he picked us up,
he saved himself $3.50 and ran the fare up more than it should have
been, pocketing more money for himself...live and learn
ALWAYS RE-SET THE METER.
SUN: I got in first. I was at the RIO by 8:30AM and set up my room requests.
2 rooms, Ipanima Tower, one smoking, one non...both upper floors
with pool/STRIP views.
Their room was ready and I dropped my bag off. It was one of the newly
remodeled Diamond Suites...perfect! It was an end room, close to the
Masquerade Tower side, with a great view of the pools below and
the STRIP all out in front.
My favorite room was ocupied but the guests were checking out that
morning so I waited...and waited... and WAITED.
By 1:00 the still hadn't shown, so we had the Housekeeping Supervisor
check the room. They had used the Express CheckOut and were gone...
but there was a problem. Actually, my registration friend called it
a 'situation' and the room might not be available at all! Seems they had
a little party and had totally trashed the place...I told them I'd wait and
please get it ready...they did and I was in at 3:45.
"J" and "D" arrived at 4:30. They got their bags up and we were off!
We ate Mexican at RIO's BOMBALEO, the to the MIRAGE where we
took the 'tram' to 't.i.' and MYSTERE.
The 'tram' works great for in 'n out and avoids all the traffic after the
Show at 't.i.' for cabs and valet. MYSTERE...to SIRENS, then the Volcano,
the back to RIO...enough for the first day...it was Midnight.
MON: After a quick breakfast in the Cafe, we were out the door and at
BELLAGIO by 9. Fountains were down due to wind...the Conservatory of
Flowers was wonderful as usual, they went through the Fine Arts Gallery,
I sat outside and ate Gilatto (...is that the way you spell it ?) in any event,
I didn't care for "Landscapes".
Next stop MON AMI GABI in PARIS. We had lunch on the terrace, then
toured the hotel/casino.
NO...I did not get them tickets for WE WILL ROCK YOU...they weren't even
sure who QUEEN was...(I need new relitives)
We cabbed to MANDALAY BAY, took in the sights, checked out THEhotel's
Lobby, walked the Shopping Bridge and into the LUXOR.
Snapped lots of pics, looked all around, and caught a cab to MGM.
Lobby, casino, Lion Habitat, up the escalator...over the bridge to NYNY.
Too windy for the MANHATTIN EXPRESS, but walked all around the casino
and got back to the RIO for the 4:00 SEAFOOD BUFFET...wonderful!
We went to the SCINTAS Show at 7:30, then up to VOODOO LOUNGE for
drinks and the view from the terrace, then off the the 10:30
LA FEMME Show at MGM.
TUE: We started at the FASHION SHOW MALL, then toured the VENETIAN
and cabbed to the STATOSPHERE for a 1:30 lunch reservation at
TOP OF THE WORLD. We wouldn't have time for dinner, so chose the
$30.00, three course lunch special which was a better deal than ordering
alacart.
A short rest back at the RIO and it was time to head ford the COLOSSEUM...
ELTON WAS WAITING!
Rear Orchestra seats/center...F$#$#$# AMAZING!..such a great show.
Up to the top of the Eifel Tower, then across to BELLAGIO for late
night Spagheti.
WED: A few of my local friends joined us at the RIO and we did the
Breakfast Buffet. We found a nice secluded corner and ate and talked
for 3 hours...interupted only by the damn BEVERTAINERS who's stand
was just outside the buffet next to us.
In a thank you email I sent MARILYN WINN the other day,
I expressed my wish (again) the BEVERTAINERS contract NOT be
renewed. BRING BACK THE IPANIMA COCKTAIL SERVERS!!!
We walked to the GOLD COAST, across to the PALMS, played a bit,
took a nap, then changed cloths and headed to MIRAGE for DANNY GANS.
I usually hit the HARD ROCK on my last night, so after Danny we cabbed
to the ROCK.
I had (the always questionable) LVA-not on the menu, STEAK and SHRIMP.
It's always interesting to see just how much of the Steak you can
actually cut with a knife and then chew...LOL!...but hey, it's tradition.
Back to VOODOO LOUNGE and last-night pictures, got my SOUTHWEST 'A'
Boarding Pass printed from the Registration counter, and hit the sack.
THURS: Left the RIO at 12:00, flight at 2:30, home by 4:30, thought
about the fantastic trip for a second, then Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The upcoming December trip is going to be so slooow, peeeaceful,
niiice. I'm getting to old for this kindashit...it WAS a BLAST though!