The Plan. Xmas 2015.
Likely will hit Vesper or Bond inside Cosmo for a drink or seven, or maybe The Henry if I'm a little peckish, but won't need anything more than an app as I'll be steaking it up later. Maybe a little light gambling, a couple hundie at most, I usually take it easy on the first day/night as I don't want to dig too deeply into the bankroll on day 1.
Probably roll out of The Cosmo at around 5p and start working my way down to Mirage for my 6:30p reservation at Tom Colicchio Steakhouse. Should be there a little early so I can hit the myVegas counter and get demoted a level (but I'm not bitter!) and pick up my voucher for the meal. Then should be time to check out the new Center and Parlor bars that have just opened up in Mirage. Then it's steaky time, probably at the bar.
All that noise should take about an hour, then that ought to be perfect timing to head somewhere to catch the Dubs game at 7:30. Could watch a bit at Mirage's excellent sportsbook but that's not a very sociable spot so I may head over to Rockhouse, one of my standard spots at Palazzo. Then after the game it's just wander time, see where the cool winds take me. Will try not to get scammed out of a credit card and a jacket like last Xmas.
Day 2, Xmas Eve, probably will sleep in a bit (11-ish?) and get up and ready to go see Star Wars down the Strip. Show's at 1:20p, and it'll take a half hour to walk down there (close to MGM) so maybe time for a shot or two then it's movie time. Movie should spill out around 4p latest, time to grab a pee and start working my way ALL the way down to Luxor to hit the myVegas desk again for my 5:45p super-steak voucher.
After absolutely gorging myself on $150 worth of food at Tender, since I'll be so close to Mandalay Bay I'd like to head up to the new Skyfall lounge on the top floor of the Delano to check out the best view in Vegas and see what they've done with the place since changing over from MiX. With my whole MGM brouhaha going on I don't know how often (if ever) I'll get down this far south on the Strip so it's a good chance to get 'er done.
After Mandalay it's "work back up the Strip" time. Likely will stop at Monte Carlo (last time under that name?) to hit the myVegas desk AGAIN and cash in my last reward, for a whiskey tasting at the high-limit lounge in there. I had a personable bartender there the one time I went in so hopefully he'll be around again. Then maybe will stop in for a couple at The Pub in MC on the way to the tram up north. They have a shit-ton of beers there, usually a good spot to hang for a bit.
May stop into Aria for a bit to try to change my luck there bar and slot-wise; I've never really had much fun or luck in that place at all, but there are a couple new-ish bars I haven't check out and this may be the time. Then it's on the tram and off-load at Bellagio. I have NO intention of spending any time there, the place is overrun at Xmas time by foreign selfie-shooting hoards that annoy me greatly, so I'll try to scoot through as quickly as possible back out to the Strip.
It should be around 10 or 11p by this point, so I may wander a bit, but on my last night staying at the Cosmo I'll likely want to mainly hang there. A new bar called Clique should be open by then that took over the old Book & Stage space, so that may well be a spot to check out that night. Will want to do a bit of gambling too to rack up a few Identity points for future trip comps. No nap and a lot of eating/drinking this day so might be a semi-early night so as not to zombie-fy for the last couple days.
Day 3, Xmas day, it's up and check out of the Cosmo (sad face), maybe have a light brekkie and a Bloody Mary and then it's up Flamingo street to check into the Palms for the last two days. Probably will walk it to shake off the cobwebs unless it's raining. I like walking in Vegas so long as I don't have to fight through shoulder to shoulder crowds.
Hopefully check in a little early, dump the bag, take a little nap if I need one then come down to explore the Palms. I was in there for one shot before seeing Alice In Chains last year at the Pearl, so I really haven't seen much of it. Need to pick up my Club Palms card so I can do a little gambling as well. Nice not to have to be chained to the slots in MGM resorts this time.
There's a 2p Dubs game that I can find a bar to take in, dick around in Palms a bit then I'll need to catch a cab back to the Strip to start getting in position for my traditional Xmas meal at Gallagher's Steakhouse. Probably will get to NYNY early so I have time to check in at Nine Fine Irishmen, one of my fave haunts in town. Despite my "differences" with MGM after the Mlife thing, I do love NYNY, it's got a great atmosphere and I certainly will still hang out there in future trips. And I ABSOLUTELY will hang out at Gallagher's, amazing steak/service every time. Probably will throw a couple hundie into the slots just to stay in some kind of good graces with Mlife.
Done with the meal around 9p, it's wander time after that, no real plan. Probably not a whole hell of a lot going on on the Strip as it's Xmas night, so may just fumble around looking for some kind of crowd, maybe on the east side of the Strip, which I don't see enough. Wouldn't be at all surprised if I make it back up to the Cosmo to hang at Vesper at some point. Could be a late night.
Day 4 is my "open" day, I have no plan whatsoever, no reservations, nothing. Probably will sleep in then just wander down to the Strip and see where I end up. There's a chance a friend or two of mine may be in town while I'm there so that might be a good day to hook up with them. If I do it will likely involve the Double Down, which would be fun. If not it's just a wander day. Where I eat may depend on how much bankroll is left, if I still have a decent amount I may try to walk in to a posh joint somewhere. If not I've got some other sandwich type options I'm looking at.
I will have to take my foot off the gas drinking-wise around 8 or 9p, switch to beer and drink a lot of water as I will have an 8a wake up call Sunday morning for my flight. NOT looking forward to that, but in honesty I will probably be ready for an early night by that point. 4 days of raging I am not used to anymore. Or, who knows, if I'm still in good shape maybe I'll switch to a later flight if possible, we'll see, but more than likely I'll be ready to get out of town by morning 5.
So, assuming normalcy, I'm on a plane around 10:30a, and back in my hobbit hole by 1p or so Sunday. Sounds like a good trip to me, lots of good food, plenty of drinking, a little gambling, and if I stick to my weight loss goal for December maybe even a "social interaction" or two.
T-minus 25 days.
Comments
Post a Comment