Post Mortem, 8/2017.
Huh.
What to say about this one. Not much TO say, really. It was about as standard a trip as there is for me...and there may be a problem brewing on that. Just some general impressions on this one as frankly a blow by blow would be boring for anyone reading this (like myself).
-The flight in: Hell. I arrived at the airport before 4p. Early, but I figured, heck, I'll have time to relax, reset my head, have a couple beers and it'll be fine. That was when the flight was scheduled to leave at 7:04p. It didn't leave until after 11p. Thanks, JetBlue. I sat in the airport stewing for 7 fucking hours, totally ruined the first night in Vegas. I was supposed to be in town by 8:45, I wasn't there until 12:30a. JetBlue's compensation for all that? A $15 dollar food credit in the airport (no alcohol) and a $75 flight voucher afterwards.
-The room: once I finally got into town, got over to Bally's and settled in. Changed my 2 queens room to a single king. It was plenty roomy, recently renovated, certainly not luxurious in any way but ticked all the boxes for a single guy for 5 nights. Everything worked, everything was slightly worn down but not terrible. I had a strip view of Caesars and north, no Eiffel/fountains this time but it was fine. Basically was right across from the Cromwell, looking down on Drai's nightclub which I thought might be a problem but it was only noticeably loud once or twice and didn't really affect my sleep. All in all it was fine. The resort itself is a big nothing but I spent nearly zero time there.
-The money: all went fine. As planned went down to BoW via cab on Friday morning and pulled out what I planned to, didn't really gamble much so I was OK then on Saturday I won a little here and a little there at Cosmo during the day, then hit a grand on a fucking Willie Wonka (why was I even playing it?) machine later that night so all the pressure was off. Spent liberally on food and drink, gambled a little more and still came home with $2K, more than half of the start of trip spend.
-The food: good and bad. Had a good steak on Friday at Blue Ribbon in Cosmo, Saturday I ate at Holstein's there for lunch which is supposed to be good burgers but I had a lobster pasta thing that was full of truffle and that stayed in my mouth all day, really gross. Had a ham and cheese biscuit thing at Yardbird at V/P that was tasty enough but the truffles were still killing it from hours earlier. Then Sunday I had the big $150 meal at Tender at the Luxor, quite good, a bison tenderloin that was overcooked but tasted great. Good dessert there too. Monday I had a good jambalaya pasta dish at Emiril's at V/P, then just had comfort food the rest of the day.
-The drinking: Monumental.
-The health: in and out due to the drinking. For the most part I held it together, but the combo of heavy drinking, strange bed and not being on normal meds schedule led to some spotty sleep at best. Don't think I got better than 6 hours at a stretch the whole trip. No real luck at napping either though I tried several times. I was actually OK by the fly out morning though so I was adjusting if nothing else and the few days back since have been OK aside from feeling residual tiredness. Not forcing blow down my nostrils is helping me be in better shape after these trips for sure.
-The plan: not enough of one. The "go to bar, drink, go to another bar, drink, repeat ad nauseum" plan of Vegas trips is frankly getting old. I was actually finding myself feeling bored on Monday, the last full day. I felt OK physically but I didn't want to just bar hop again for the whole day which is all I could think of doing. I think on future trips I need to strike more of a balance of having free time and also working in a show or a concert or something to get me out of the routine (yes, Vegas has become routine). I don't do 4-day benders here at home and it's not really a valid model for a vacation in Vegas either.
-The people: This was one of the real downers of this trip. I'm not THE biggest party starter in the world but man, I met some dour and boring bartenders and service folks on this trip. I guess I understand it, these people serving idiot tourists all year have to get de-sensitized to us but man would it hurt you to be a little engaging? Not just flash me a fake smile, serve my drink then go complain about your job to your co-workers for an hour while I stare into space? As always the Cosmo is usually the exception to the rule but almost everywhere else I went I was bored senseless. I'm not asking to be entertained, sometimes I WANT quiet but at least make an effort. Then of course the strip walkers were their usual slow, annoying, fat idiot selves, but I'm used to that at this point and would expect nothing else. I've taken to cabbing whenever possible on the strip now resort to resort so it was as minimal as possible. Girls? Hah. Outside of a couple hookers trying to pick me up I was Mr Invisible as usual.
-The flight out: JetBlue ALMOST redeemed themselves for the flight in fiasco by being on time, not overstuffed and actually getting me home ahead of schedule. So huge for me on that last day not to be sitting around for hours while I'm just so damn ready to be home.
-So, the trip: about a 5/10. Just nothing to remember or be excited about repeating. It was OK, nothing awful, just too routine and that's not why I do these trips; I don't want to break my rut by flying to a rut in another state. The solution? Right now I don't know. Right now I'd say I take my Xmas trip that's already locked down then...take a break? Maybe the comp gods have taken away my status for next year for a reason. Maybe I DON'T schedule a March trip next year. Maybe I go some damn where else or take a roadtrip or go up and see my mom (ugh) or something. As of now I'm a little burned. For sure I won't do another trip until after Xmas, then I guess I'll see how that one goes and play it by ear. For sure there will be more planning involved on a trip next year, build it around a show or a festival or something to get me out of the bar to bar to bar rut I'm in there now.
Right now...I'm kinda done with Vegas.
What to say about this one. Not much TO say, really. It was about as standard a trip as there is for me...and there may be a problem brewing on that. Just some general impressions on this one as frankly a blow by blow would be boring for anyone reading this (like myself).
-The flight in: Hell. I arrived at the airport before 4p. Early, but I figured, heck, I'll have time to relax, reset my head, have a couple beers and it'll be fine. That was when the flight was scheduled to leave at 7:04p. It didn't leave until after 11p. Thanks, JetBlue. I sat in the airport stewing for 7 fucking hours, totally ruined the first night in Vegas. I was supposed to be in town by 8:45, I wasn't there until 12:30a. JetBlue's compensation for all that? A $15 dollar food credit in the airport (no alcohol) and a $75 flight voucher afterwards.
-The room: once I finally got into town, got over to Bally's and settled in. Changed my 2 queens room to a single king. It was plenty roomy, recently renovated, certainly not luxurious in any way but ticked all the boxes for a single guy for 5 nights. Everything worked, everything was slightly worn down but not terrible. I had a strip view of Caesars and north, no Eiffel/fountains this time but it was fine. Basically was right across from the Cromwell, looking down on Drai's nightclub which I thought might be a problem but it was only noticeably loud once or twice and didn't really affect my sleep. All in all it was fine. The resort itself is a big nothing but I spent nearly zero time there.
-The money: all went fine. As planned went down to BoW via cab on Friday morning and pulled out what I planned to, didn't really gamble much so I was OK then on Saturday I won a little here and a little there at Cosmo during the day, then hit a grand on a fucking Willie Wonka (why was I even playing it?) machine later that night so all the pressure was off. Spent liberally on food and drink, gambled a little more and still came home with $2K, more than half of the start of trip spend.
-The food: good and bad. Had a good steak on Friday at Blue Ribbon in Cosmo, Saturday I ate at Holstein's there for lunch which is supposed to be good burgers but I had a lobster pasta thing that was full of truffle and that stayed in my mouth all day, really gross. Had a ham and cheese biscuit thing at Yardbird at V/P that was tasty enough but the truffles were still killing it from hours earlier. Then Sunday I had the big $150 meal at Tender at the Luxor, quite good, a bison tenderloin that was overcooked but tasted great. Good dessert there too. Monday I had a good jambalaya pasta dish at Emiril's at V/P, then just had comfort food the rest of the day.
-The drinking: Monumental.
-The health: in and out due to the drinking. For the most part I held it together, but the combo of heavy drinking, strange bed and not being on normal meds schedule led to some spotty sleep at best. Don't think I got better than 6 hours at a stretch the whole trip. No real luck at napping either though I tried several times. I was actually OK by the fly out morning though so I was adjusting if nothing else and the few days back since have been OK aside from feeling residual tiredness. Not forcing blow down my nostrils is helping me be in better shape after these trips for sure.
-The plan: not enough of one. The "go to bar, drink, go to another bar, drink, repeat ad nauseum" plan of Vegas trips is frankly getting old. I was actually finding myself feeling bored on Monday, the last full day. I felt OK physically but I didn't want to just bar hop again for the whole day which is all I could think of doing. I think on future trips I need to strike more of a balance of having free time and also working in a show or a concert or something to get me out of the routine (yes, Vegas has become routine). I don't do 4-day benders here at home and it's not really a valid model for a vacation in Vegas either.
-The people: This was one of the real downers of this trip. I'm not THE biggest party starter in the world but man, I met some dour and boring bartenders and service folks on this trip. I guess I understand it, these people serving idiot tourists all year have to get de-sensitized to us but man would it hurt you to be a little engaging? Not just flash me a fake smile, serve my drink then go complain about your job to your co-workers for an hour while I stare into space? As always the Cosmo is usually the exception to the rule but almost everywhere else I went I was bored senseless. I'm not asking to be entertained, sometimes I WANT quiet but at least make an effort. Then of course the strip walkers were their usual slow, annoying, fat idiot selves, but I'm used to that at this point and would expect nothing else. I've taken to cabbing whenever possible on the strip now resort to resort so it was as minimal as possible. Girls? Hah. Outside of a couple hookers trying to pick me up I was Mr Invisible as usual.
-The flight out: JetBlue ALMOST redeemed themselves for the flight in fiasco by being on time, not overstuffed and actually getting me home ahead of schedule. So huge for me on that last day not to be sitting around for hours while I'm just so damn ready to be home.
-So, the trip: about a 5/10. Just nothing to remember or be excited about repeating. It was OK, nothing awful, just too routine and that's not why I do these trips; I don't want to break my rut by flying to a rut in another state. The solution? Right now I don't know. Right now I'd say I take my Xmas trip that's already locked down then...take a break? Maybe the comp gods have taken away my status for next year for a reason. Maybe I DON'T schedule a March trip next year. Maybe I go some damn where else or take a roadtrip or go up and see my mom (ugh) or something. As of now I'm a little burned. For sure I won't do another trip until after Xmas, then I guess I'll see how that one goes and play it by ear. For sure there will be more planning involved on a trip next year, build it around a show or a festival or something to get me out of the bar to bar to bar rut I'm in there now.
Right now...I'm kinda done with Vegas.
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