2014 Vegas :)

38 hours and counting

7 days and counting down!

Packing has started. This time next week I will be in Vegas enjoying my favorite city over the holiday weekend. Like a kid at Christmas... I can't wait, I can't wait, is it time to go yet? * sigh * 1 more week to go.

Caesars CET properties now charging resort fees

For several years I have praised Caesars CET properties formerly Harrah's for not charging those terrible hated resort fees. I regret to say that I can no longer make those statements touting their greatness. On several Las Vegas message boards this past week this has been the heavy topic of discussion. Word has it that Platinum and up members will not have to pay the fees on comped rooms but the rest of us will have to pay them, even if your room is comped. I have known for years that gambling in CET properties have lower pay scales than other casinos in Las Vegas but we have always willingly gambled and taken our chances because they gave us upscale free rooms w/o fees. I know losing my $$$ will not break the bank so to say at the CET Casinos but I will have to reconsider my choices. We make one seven day trip to Las Vegas per year staying in CET casinos for 2 - 4 nights. The closest Total Rewards Casino to my home is 3.5 hours away (there are other local nonCET casinos closer 1.25 - 2 hrs). I will never ever be able to become a Platinum Member to have that fee waived so sadly this likely will be my last year (we already had our reservation made before the March 1st deadline) to stay with the CET unless changes are made.

How to Get Around

We always rent a car when we visit Las Vegas but with the rising fees on rental cars this site is a wealth of information on how to get around for free if making a low budget trip. This shows ways to get off of the strip where better gambling opportunities await >>> How to Get Around - Free Shuttle Service

Resort Fees

When casinos first made these public I thought surely they won't last, but alas I believe they are here to stay. I hate resort fees! Here is a really great site for avoiding them, or at least knowing how much the fee is and what it includes. smartervegas.com resort fees page

What's On The Las Vegas Guide

Every time I visit Las Vegas I look for those free publications that offer dining and show coupons. Basically they are 90% advertising but I have on occasion used a coupon. I just recently became aware that they are now running in digital publication. It will be nice to be able to see the magazine before landing in Las Vegas What's On Digital and another Best of Las Vegas

Nevada Chicken Cafe

Nevada Chicken Cafe - 6155 W Sahara Ave # 1, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Hubby and I both enjoyed this meal. We paid for this meal with a Groupon (actually it was a free Groupon) to spend $20 on food. This is way off strip and you would have to have a rental car to go here but it was delish and might I say perfectally portioned. They cook the chicken outside and you can smell the aroma before you even get out of your car. I imagine that this helps with sales from those businesses near by. I would eat here everyday if I worked close by.

Hubby on the Fremont Street Zip line

My wonderful video taking abilities. Hubby on the zip line above Fremont Street. Was only $15 during the day, more expensive at night. I believe the weight limit was 250 lbs. I didn't go because I am not a fan of heights. Took 8 trips just to get me up on The Stratosphere deck.

Hash House A Go Go - Imperial Palace

We used a Restaurant.com 90 % off code to buy a $10 off $20 food purchase certificate for .50 cents (lunch). We have heard that it is homestyle food with large portions but obviously we had no idea what large meant. Hubby ordered the Hash House Quesadilla stuffed w/potatoes, jalapenos, eggs & tomato w/ chili cream for $12.95 while I ordered the Two egg breakfast any style, potatoes, fruit and biscuit for $7.95 covering our $20 and we each had a beverage. We had great service at this location. The total for the bill was $37 less the $10 total of $27 for the meal, beverages tax and prediscount tip included. The plates were huge! That is a normal size coffeee cup in the picture above and my hubby is a tall man with long arms. Once again more food than either of us could eat. We are planning a return visit to this restaurant but will split a dish and to avoid the $5 sharing fee will add a side of hash browns for $2.50. We were told of this tip by the hostess on our way out.

Lion King

The Lion King - tickets were bought months before the price increase for around $65 per ticket. I have seen a few shows in Vegas but nothing as long as this show. I understand that its a musical but it was too long (2 1/2 hours) for a Vegas show in my opinion. So long that it required an intermission, that may be okay in NYC but this is Vegas, we have something to do after the show. I am actually unsure why it took so long to tell the story of a cartoon that took 88 minutes beginning to end unless it was the obnoxious overly loud singing that went on and on. Hubby hated it! I was okay with it but seeing this show made me leery of "musicals" as big ticket shows. Maybe I am uncultured but this was not for us. I did however enjoy seeing the animal creatures come to life with human costumes. This show has ended it's run in Las Vegas.

All Stage Pass

All Stage Pass for $99 see as many shows as you can in a 48 hour period. We purchased our All Stage Passes for $233, somewhere around $35 in fees for the two passes @ 2:35 pm. We managed to see 6 shows in the 48 hours as follows: 5-31 Matsuri @ 4pm, Absinthe @7:30pm and X-Burlesque @ 10pm (wanted to see George Wallace but he was on vacation) 6-1 The Price is Right @2:30pm, Defending the Caveman @7pm and The Improv @ 8:30pm, we could have taken in a 7th (Mac King @1 or 3pm or Nathan Burton @ 4pm) on 6-2 but didn't because we had seen both shows already. You can see a show after your purchase time, if you have the tickets before your pass expires. Show tickets can be obtained up to two hour before show time. This kept us on the strip running fron casino to casino box office, seeing a show or waiting to buy tickets to guarantee we could see the show. We found that we spent a lot in food cost for those 2 days because eats aren't cheap in the strip and very few places offer BOGO's. If you decide to buy the pass I would recommend having a plan in place before actually buying it as the clock starts ticking at the time you buy. None-the-less we are happy with our results for the All Stage Pass as this was out 10th trip to Las Vegas. If you have limited days or you are a first time or two visitor you may not want to invest in this package as it consumes a lot of you valuable Vegas time. Reviews to follow.

2012 The Improv & Defending the Caveman Show review

The Improv was basically three comedians doing a 20-30 minute set with your headliner, the most famous of the three, doing his set last. I really don't even remember who our comedians were but remember that the headliner was previously in a movie or two.I have seen a good many comedians over the last 10 years and there is no way to review a rotating comedian show other than to say in my opinion a good croud will improve a bad comedian. If the show isn't full the comedian will put forth less effort. Laugh but don't be rude with converstaion. As part of the All Stage Pass you are automatically given the back seats so that paying customers can get the front seats. We came in 5 minutes before show time and since the theater wasn't full we were seated upfront.

Defending the Caveman - is a FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY! one man show great for couples or anyone ever in a couple relationship. I laughed so much and so hard my stomach hurt. Hubby even liked the show. There are lots of BOGOs for this show if you don't buy The All Stage Pass. Go see it!

2011 The Price is Right Show review

The Price is Right - I have wanted to attend this show since it appeared at Bally's a number of years ago. Similar to the TV show, this show tries very hard to maximize as many patrons on stage as possible. You actually can win BIG prizes but we didn't have any BIG winners during our show (there is not a default {closest to the price} winner) and "The Car" was not an option the day we attended. You have to sign up at the box office and buy tickets and then you have to wait in another long line to register for the show and get your name tag. I never got called on stage but I did get drawn inbetween for 1000 Total Rewards Points worth about $10. Was an ok show to see with the All Stage Pass but I am glad that I didn't actually buy the tickets at full price. There is an option at the end of the show that you can pay a fee and have your picture taken with the host, model and the big wheel. Pictures are not allowed to be taken during the show.

2011 X-Burlesque & Matsuri Show review

X-Burlesque - Although I have never been to one myself, this show is basically an upscale strip club with assigned seating and no tips. There was a comedian that did a couple of sets inbetween the girls stage appearances.

Matsuri (Japanese for Festival) - was an action-packed, non-verbal production that showcased extreme athleticism through a series of unique variety acts, performing stunts ranging from the Human Jump Rope and Judo Tango to the Lion Dance and Foot Drums. I found this show super entertaining the entire show. Unfortunately this show has ended its run in Las Vegas. I am glad that I got to see it before it's final day.

2011 Absinth Show review

Absinthe - Wow! This is definitely an all adult show and not for those that are easily offended by the "F" word or sexual innuendo. Show is preformed in a hard sided round tent outside of Caesars. Best I can tell the auditorium seating is on a first come, closest seat basis but I believe that the booth seats (highest and most rear seating) must be extra or tip driven as they had reserved signs on them and the show we attended wasn't sold out and noone ever sat in those reserved seats. Some really talented circus type acts, adult theater and they don't mind if you take non flash photos or record the show. Be cautioned that if you are up front (we were not) there is a couple that preforms on roller skates on a very small stage. Scared me and I wasn't even close to them. Here is a great video NOT taken by me, I would embed but it would take too long click the link if interested Absinth Roller Skaters.

2011 win shots

37 Quads, even hit Quad A's with a kicker and 2 Straight flushes. 21 @ Orleans, 5 @ E. Cannery, 4 @ El Cortez, 3 @ Caesars, 2 @ Terribles, 1 each @ Bally's, Ellis Island, Flamingo and one at a bar near the AMC movie theater Rainbow Promenade. No Royals this trip but I did much better than last year with my daily average being 3-4 hours gambling per day. I came home on the plus side this year. :o)