My first stay at the Gold Coast Casino/Hotel in Las Vegas will probably be my last. The good: off strip location makes machines looser but it's close enough to walk to either the Rio or Palms for entertainment; complimentary shuttle bus to strip; the pool is open year round (outdoors!) for brave souls who want to swim when it's only 60 degrees outside; smaller size makes it easy to find someone even if you are directionally challenged. The bad: very limited number of eating choices -- or should I say GOOD eating choices; no spa; smaller size makes it possible to play practically every machine in the place the first four days you are there (3 days if you play as many hours a day as I do). The ugly: rooms are the equivalent of a Holiday Inn even the "upgraded" premiums (I'd hate to see what a Standard room looks like).
Our first day there Mickey didn't have to work so it was a full day of nothing to do but gamble and gamble I did (for about 12 hours straight!) but didn't hit a Royal Flush. Lots and lots of four of a kinds, but no Royal. The next day, Saturday, I had VIP tickets to a pre-game dinner with former NFLer Cliff Branch so we went to that and I also got us comp tickets to a comedy magic show that was a lot of fun. 12 more hours of gambling without a royal but I played bingo and won twice ($50 and $200) so it was a good day. Super Bowl Sunday we had lunch at a private VIP tailgate style party and I watched the Giants kick ass while sitting at a progressive VP machine where I again didn't hit a royal but lots and lots of four of a kinds kept my bankroll intact. Monday through Wednesday was more of the same: tens of thousands of hands of video poker, no royals!! Also some bingo and I ended up winning two more times ($67 and $375). The linked vp progressives at the bar machines never hit the whole time I was there but some of the other banks hit once or twice -- not by me :-(
Only other notable events was the morning I went in the hot tub in my underwear (forgot to pack my damn bathing suit!) and the night we attempted to eat at Ping Pang Pong which is a dim sum restaurant that we didn't understand. The hotel/casino itself definitely caters to the Asian community and PPP is fully staffed by Asians only -- most of whom don't speak English (surprisingly) and they don't seem to want whites there anyway. We walked out. This would be our second restaurant walk-out of the trip since this "trend" started at JFK airport on our departure day when we didn't pay for breakfast.
I was thrilled, as usual, to go to Vegas but would have had much more fun if I had a traveling companion who actually wanted to DO something....sorry, Mickey, you know I love you but you are a stick in the mud!
Saturday
Heading Back To Vegas
Once again I will be watching the Super Bowl from the gambling capital of the world! Mickey and I head to Las Vegas on Friday, February 3rd for a weeklong stay at the Gold Coast. This is the only Boyd property (not downtown) that we haven't stayed at and I am hoping that we get at least a Premium rather than Standard room. I've looked at the pictures and there seems to be quite a difference. Especially since I know I can have a lovely COMPED suite right across the street at the Rio! But I'm sure the machines are looser at Gold Coast so that is where I'll be playing.
I plan to make the most of this trip since it will probably be the last vacation I take for a while. I am starting a new job when I return and don't expect that I will be receiving any time off for the next year (unless, of course, I get fired or something). Mike and I already have a cruise planned for next January (Southern Caribbean and South America) which my new bosses don't know about! But even if I can pull that off, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to sneak in any other mini-vacations to Myrtle Beach, Reno or Las Vegas throughout the year. Or, will I???? Perhaps I should use my time in Vegas this week to play the big progressive slots rather than my usual video poker? If I hit one, I can say sayonara to a weekly paycheck and have my time back to myself!
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