Return of the......meh

By request, I've kept quiet about recent plans, from a security perspective. Ever since we were robbed a few years ago, I've been asked not to post too much prior to trips about heading out of town or being away.

It's probably a good explanation for why I will NEVER join foursquare.

Anyway, I just returned from a week-long vacation to Las Vegas, Arizona, and Los Angeles, to see friends, family, cows, and holes in the ground.

I left for Las Vegas last week, but remarkably played only two sessions of poker. The first was a cash game at the Venetian, where the first hand dealt was the hammer and the last hand was my Queens full of tens going down to QUAD QUEENS. The second was the WSOP Circuit event on Friday where I stole, got called by the BB, got all the chips in with two pair and only three cards to dodge, and watched one of the three outs hit to kill me.

As a matter of fact, the only gambling area which was good to me was the sportsbook, where I hit two of three bets for Atlanta teams. The one I did not win ended up as a no-hitter.

(BTW, dear Hawks, when you open up a 23-point lead, please do not try to give it all back as you almost did against Milwaukee Saturday, OK?)

We went to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, which destroyed my feet for the rest of the trip but was absolutely breathtaking in its views, and gut-busting for watching New York drivers try to navigate dirt roads with cows walking alongside/in the road.

I got to see the Wynn Las Vegas for the first time. Very impressive and elegant layout.

I stayed at the Palazzo/Venetian, which was extremely nice (and comped) but had a registration desk staffed with monkeys trying to screw a football.

I got to see the Palms for the first time, and was mildly impressed with it as well, but in a far different way than the Wynn.

I went to Los Angeles and Hollywood for the first time, and got to meet two of my nephews for the first time ever.

I also got a picture with Bumblebee, over which my son will flip out.

Overall, quite a good trip - and now I'm back at work - twelve hours after my flight touched down.

I think I need a vacation.

Vegas Recap I

I'm a little delayed on putting this up, but I think my memory is still in pretty good shape to begin putting all of this down.

This trip, unlike previous Vegas sojourns, begins with me rolling out of bed and going to work. Exciting, huh?

I was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 9:15 PM on a Delta flight. I was trying to see if flights were available to go standby on an earlier flight, but it was not to be. I spent the day slugging through work, running one meeting and sending off several proposals, before heading home for dinner. Since my flight was not until 9, I had time to go home and enjoy dinner with the family before heading to the airport.

We got to Hartsfield around 7:45, which would normally be more than enough time to make it to the gate. I kissed everyone goodbye and headed to the plane.

As soon as I made it through security - in record time - I got a text from Delta indicating a delay for my flight.

Booooooo.

I wasn't able to connect via wireless, so I hung out in the sports bar to watch the NBA draft. I managed to catch the first Hawks pick before finally boarding my plane at 10:30 PM.

We made up some time and got to Las Vegas in just under four hours. I got off the plane around 11:30, and made it to the Imperial Palace around midnight. Really, it was about 3 AM Eastern time.

In most cases, that's bedtime.

Not in Vegas, baby.

Time to go to the Rio. I got there at 1 AM after I was not able to connect to the group which was heading for the Gold Coast for bowling.

I was, though, able to book a good live cash session at the Rio for the next two hours.

After standing up, in the black for about $100, I started walking out to the cab stand. I was "fortunate" to walk past a hooker twice who kept trying to flag me down. The first time, I was walking the wrong way, so I guess when I went by the second time she thought I was a potential mark - I think I walked so fast to the cab stand that I left skid marks.

I hopped in a cab back to the IP and went upstairs. I looked at the clock - 3:40 AM - and decided I really wasn't that tired yet.

I wasn't sure at this point if I was going to play in WSOP #51, so I decided to walk to the Venetian and get some information about their Deep Stack Extravaganza which was taking place simultaneously.

I got my Club Grazie card, the DSE information, and decided I would sit for a little while. I sat at a 1-2 NLHE table for a little bit before switching to the 4-8 Mixed Game populated mostly of dealers from other casinos.

Yep, 4-8 of Omaha 8/b, Razz, Stud, Stud 8/b, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Crazy Pineapple at what is now 7 AM Eastern time.

Based on the picture to the right, it went OK.

I left up another $100 after about two more hours. By this point, the sun was starting to break, and I finally grabbed dinner (!) at the McDonald's on the strip with a Sausage McMuffin. I finally hit the hay around 7 AM Pacific time for a few hours, before the bulk of the trip was to begin and, hopefully, it would all go as well as the first two sessions at the Rio and Venetian.

To be continued...

Another day, another blogger WSOP cash

First, Sprstoner took 3rd in a $2500 NL Hold Em donkament (Event 13) for a score of over 200,000.

Then, CK cashed in a $2500 Omaha 8/b and Stud 8/b scoopament (Event 25), coming in 39th for a $4500 payout.

Today, it's LJ/pvanharibo's turn, as she's been in or near the lead of the $1500 HORSE (Event 31) which is down to the last two tables. Coverage available here - though I'm sure someone is tweeting it all anyway, so go show some blogger love if you can. (Update: She went out 10th for about 19K. Damn fine job.)

Maybe this will be the year a whole bunch of us make some big coin in the WSOP - halfway though, we're holding up pretty well.