scott sitner-June 2019
I call it pre summer because it is actually not stifling hot. I am typing this sitting at a table at a not open bar at Caesars Palace at 8 am, it is about 85, the hottest morning so far, and will be 105 today But the last few days have been almost temperate. 95-98, no humidity, breeze. I won’t say perfect, but really for here this time of year as close to it. I am also quickly becoming a fan of the 6:00 am spirit flights. In the past month or so I have taken them to New York, Florida and now here. The flights are always on time, almost always early, the planes are fine no matter what anyone says, and this time I was at the hotel at 730 am. Which on a short trip is great so you have the whole day. So a hats off to @spirit and spirit.com for not being anywhere close to what people actual think of them. And without bags it was less than $300 round trip( pack efficiently….)
Staying at the Mirage because well, I like it here, it’s just upscale enough without being stupid and pretentious, and I got offered three free nights. Of course that doesn’t save that much as I still need to do silly things like eat, but notwithstanding why not? I also have learned that a well placed fifty dollar bill works wonder. For twenty they sort of look at you and pretend they will do something, like when the car sales man goes back to “talk to their manager”. But a fifty seems to work. I got upgraded to a sort of ridiculous one bedroom penthouse suite. Just slightly smaller than my house, but better appointed.
The picture don’t even show all of it, full bar, and a bathroom that had three extra rooms. I guess the room for the toilet is important but what do I know? The view is great, 30th floor. Very nice of them to do it, I know that I am not anyone special, I won’t kid myself, I mean I bribed someone for this, but so what? It is a nice extra to a trip. The downside is had to wait until 3 pm for the room, almost like clock work at 3 pm. Had a nice lunch outside by the pool and spent an hour talking to a couple who live 20 minutes form me at home? Odd.
How to kill a day with no room? walk a long way, had breakfast at the coffee shop at Caesars. 23 dollars for the All America, which I guess means really expensive all american eggs and 8 for orange juice. In its defense the orange juice did taste like oranges. Walked a lot, finally was able to check in to room, un pack and sat by the pool for awhile. Some will take offense, but man are we an out of shape society…..and what’s with all the tats? I mean when you are 76 in florida and by the pool, maybe that giant eagle and prayer won’t seem like such a good idea when it is sagging….
Anyway, on to food…because as anyone who knows me knows that’s sort of what I like. Ended up at Gordon Ramsey’s Pub at Caesars Palace for dinner on Sunday. Not really sure why, just seemed like something different, I don’t mind his shows, never cared about the restaurants. I will say though that for what it was it was good. Ended up being just two of us, I had curry butter chicken, which is in fact a traditional english pub dish and a scotch egg. The egg, eh. It’s a deep fried hard boiled egg with spicy mustard, fine, but probably didn’t need it. The chicken was very good, and the chopped salad was great. It’s a little cheesy, sort of like watching the television shows. lots of fake english stuff, but decent enough meal, and the service was great. At this point, up for 22 hours, I was done.
MONDAY
Ah, another day of sun. With the stupid time change, I was up at 530 am and downstairs actually doing some work at 615 am. The starbucks at the hotel was not good, how do you mess up hot chocolate? Played some more penny slots, won 4 dollars, pretty big morning. Ended up having real breakfast at the Mirage coffee shop which is surprisingly really good. Great potatoes and pancakes good for my diabetes……just don’t tell.
Went for a long walk after, ended up at of all places the Flamingo, whereI had not been since the early nineties. They have animals….
Sort of a nice little respite. It’s a little heavy on the time share upsells there, I got cornered thee times, but said no. Flamingos everywhere too…
Walked around a bit then as time to just sit by the pool again.. Really nice, lots of shade, nice servers, good food.
Spent the afternoon after the pool just sort of wandering, ended up eating another diabetic friendly snack
Had dinner at Raos at Caesars. For anyone who has heard of this, it is an outpost of the same in East Harlem. The one where i am told and read that you can pretty much never get in unless you know someone or are a celebrity. It’s been around for a hundred plus years, like Lugers. I figured I had never been, I assume the food is similar so why not. It’s a little contrived, like I guess everything here, but I will say the meatballs were spectacular, like promised. Our sever did his best to pretend he cared that as funny. I had a pork chop and my dining companion ad crab carbonara that was a fat laden as it sounds, but was great. People were having fun, it was loud and not actually that expensive. It may not become anyone’s go to italian place, but for a slice of a place I cannot other ever go, it was pretty tasty. I actually ate a pork chop of the non kosher variety. Not really sure why……but it was good.
Watched the end of the basketball game. There really is not much better than watching an important game in Las Vegas. tons of people, screaming, was fun. Then home, bed time.
LAST DAY
So much time to kill but also not ready to leave. Took a walk first thing this morning and saw a policeman roust a drunk guy, always amusing. Kept offering him water and telling him he could not sit where he was even though he as just dozing. No one minded that I was sitting there too writing, but taking up the same space…….lots more walking, went over to the Venetian, forgot how massive it was, love the hotel no the shops so much, cramped and claustrophobic, but good to see.
Went back and saw the dolphin exhibit at the Mirage. Actually really cool. The dolphins are well taken care of, eat well, and live double the life they would have in the wild. They play, eat and live. Saw the Seigfried and Roy exhibit, weir to see them knowing that their own tiger basically ate one of them….Really just sort of spent the day hanging. I got asked to go to the Lisa Vanderplump bar at Caesars, guess I am supposed to know who this is but I don’t, all I can say is there were a lot fo very happy looking women with a lot of somewhat perplexed men drinking $17 drinks and pretending to care a little. It wasn’t awful, just seemed to be a showcase for someone who is famous for being someone, who I guess also likes dogs. $60 dollars later I was done.
Rested and airport. All in all, it’s a great time to go, especially not on a weekend. It’s crowded but not totally nuts, you can get into places like Raos, and walk the streets and enjoy without being totally thrown into a massive pile of people. If you haven’t been go, there are worse places to be…
A world to be seen..... 