Friday Vegas

People that live in Vegas don't drive on The Strip because it is always packed except in the wee hours of the morning. I have to be on campus really early on Friday mornings, and so I enjoy taking The Strip to see what's going on. Recently, a place I stayed at a lot as a kid, The Stardust, shut down. (I like the space theme and it was close to Circus Circus another kid fav) I have to admit it was sad to see it without it's windows in preparation for it probably to me imploded.

I've met people that have worked in Vegas during the mob times and wax poetic about how they were treated as people and not as numbers like the now corporations do. This always astounds me because they are basically saying, sure they were thieves and murders, but they were soooo polite! What?? Because Lefty and Junior Big Nose tip their hats on the way out to bury a body in the desert, they are supposed to be great guys. Historians, economists etc all agree that Vegas was dying because it couldn't grow because no on wanted to invest in precarious business situations. When Wall Street started to invest, the face of Vegas changed and now it's bigger than ever. But though I love seeing the new resorts, I still get a bit *misty* to see the old ones go.

Another structure you can see through, but because it is going up. The Palazzo will be the tallest resort on The Strip.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Vegas... or so I thought. I had just picked up 11th row tickets for $25 to see The Producers (starring David Hasselhoff!) and was driving home when my car died on the freeway. This particular freeway is a 4 lane job, but people use the right side breakdown lane to drive even faster than the average 85mph on this stretch. Luckily AAA came fast.

I was torn between going with my car to the garage which is far from house or hoofing it to the local quilt shop that has yarn to kill time until WHN could get to me. Instead, remembering I was in Vegas, I got the tow truck driving to drop me off at the closest casino where I drank margaritas, played video bj at the bar, and then saw a movie (yes most movie theaters here are in a casino.)

BTW, here is a tip that I am so used to now, that when Shelby was here I forgot to tell her. If you are playing any game in the casino you will be comped drinks. The standard is a $1-$2 tip for each drink. If you tip on the higher end you will see the waitress (I've only see one cocktail dude) But what if you just want to get hammered without worrying about dropping cash at a table or in a machine while you wait? The cheapest way to get smashed is to sit at a Keno bar. The bets are low, the games stretch out... you don't have to play every round. You could probably even sit there holding the keno crayon and still get served.

While I was there they had a slot tournament. Basically people stand at a bank of slots and press the spin button (no one uses the arms anymore) repeatedly as quickly as possible. Whoever does the best at the end wins a prize.

Waiting to start.

GO! I decided the perfect person for the up and down motion in this tournament would be a teenage boy.

I did OK, didn't lose any money and my movie ticket ended up free, but for those that do get out of control with their gambling, and desperately go to the casino ATMs, hopefully will read this sign:

I lost my knitting project so no progress there. We are going car shopping this weekend. Ug, I forgot what that experience is like. I guess because I have to buy a car versus feel like it, is also affecting it. I know I want a hatchback. That's it.