Somewhat Reluctant, Slightly Pissed Off, Not Entirely Enthusiastic The Plan, August 2020.

A little over 2 weeks away from Vegas trip #2 of the year. Meh. 

I'm finding it hard to get really excited about this one, as I've detailed in prior posts. So what's needed is a plan, and an attitude adjustment. And also a plan to achieve an attitude adjustment. As a result, this is not a day by day plan post as per usual.

If the state of Vegas remains as it is by the time I arrive on the 22nd, I will have to go about finding my joy in different ways this time. No sitting at bars, which takes up about 70% of a normal Vegas trip for me. So how to spread that 7/10's of my normal trip out amongst the other things that will be available. Certainly there will be many, many appetizers. That being the case because in order for me to get my drink on, I will have to be seated in restaurants and lounges and be served food in order to be served alcohol.

So it follows that this will be a foodie trip. I always try to eat 5 steps above my sad diet at home while in Vegas, but now the quantity and frequency will pop. Currently I have three reservations for "splurge" meals on the books. One at Scarpetta at Cosmo on the 25th (Identity point purge), Yellowtail at Bellagio on the 23rd (Mlife point purge), and Delmonico at Venetian on the 26th. Two I booked to soak up all the points I have accumulated, the other because, well, I don't need a reason to book Delmonico (see pic above).

And that will be the only big meals I'm going to book, because I will probably end up eating a lot of little bites throughout the days if there are no bars. There won't be a need to go too large on big meals because I'll be getting myself fed all day, just to be able to get drunk. In some ways this might be good, as food intake has sometimes been a failing of mine on my Vegas days, it should help keep the overdrinking in check because I'll be constantly forced to be eating all day. Not a bad thing. Normally on these longer trips I might schedule a "cool down" day where I stick to beer and hydrate well. Probably not necessary this trip due to the above.

The other way I can get my drink on is by being served while sitting at slots or VP machines on the casino floor. This is where the cash save may come in handier than normal, because quite frankly I may have to do more gambling than I normally would to keep the liquor flowing. What this probably will mean is slowing my roll on slots and playing 7 trillion or so hands of VP. VP takes much longer to kill a hundy, and I will only have about $1K per day cash on hand, so factoring in some cabs that's really only $900. Slots may just not happen this time unless I can hit something on VP. The cash budget this time will likely be just those two things and the rest goes on the Mlife CC, also not a bad thing if I'm using it primarily or at least often in MGM resorts. Aria being back open will help that.

The above plan covers my days well, as there should be plenty of tables available in the daytime in a slower-than-normal Vegas to not have issues finding one. The rub will be the nights. Everyone and their retarded second cousin sucks up the available tables at night to stuff their holes. I may have to get creative and veer off of my normal nighttime spots to be able to be seated and eat (drink). 

It appears the Dorsey and Electra at V/P may come to my defense a bit on the nights though, as they are now doing small plates to be able to have the lounges open. I would normally be spending a lot of the 6 nights in one of those two places anyway; it will suck not to be able to sit and BS with the bartenders but it's something. Both spots have plenty of seating, especially earlier in the evening. I also may do what I've threatened to do for years at Dorsey, sit at a table and polish off one of their big golden pineapples full of booze by myself. Other than those 2 spots it may just be seek and destroy at night, find places that are not overrun by feeders to get seated. Maybe find a new spot or two. Also not a bad thing.

So that gets me to maybe 90% of a normal trip, soaked up by restaurants and lounges serving bites and more time at the VP machines. The other 10% might end up just being room time. I will absolutely be picking up a bottle or two of good qual vodka and some mixers on day one, and being in absolutely no hurry to get out of the room in the mornings. Take more relaxation time, watch some CNN, get a nap here and there, putter around in the room while getting a couple cocktails in me and getting a head start on the next day's hangover. I'll be in a beautiful room with a terrace and at least a passable view so why not take advantage of it for once instead of only being in the room to shower and sleep.

And that's the plan, and as much as possible, the attitude adjustment. I do often find myself in a rut in Vegas since I go so much, this one will force me off the normal routine and who knows, maybe I will be

able to find joy in the diversity for once. In no way can this trip, even if compromised, by worse than sitting on my ass in the hobbit hole for a week.

But Governor Sisolak, don't get it twisted, I want my fucking bars back BEFORE I go.