July 9, 2003 Archives

A few months ago, while we were still in Connecticut, Helaine ordered our tickets to see Carrot Top. With the alignment of the MGM, Mirage, Treasure Island, etc., it's now easier to physically get show tickets without leaving your hotel. So, we got our tickets for tonight's show yesterday.

This is unusual but Helaine was willing to pose for pictures... twice.

Helaine had also received a pretty good invitation from MGM Grand. Come and stay, get $75 in chips and $75 in food credit. But, the trick was, you had to stay. Tonight, she convinced the person in charge of the chips that staying at Mirage was good enough. The food folks didn't agree. Still, we were at MGM with $75 in chips... and I quickly turned that into $100 in cash.

Dinner was at their coffee shop. Very nice. Helaine had a grilled ham and cheese. I had a cheeseburger. $23 for the two of us, plus $5 for Ignacio.

The MGM is immense, and to me, a little confusing and impersonal. I'm sure it gets a little more understandable if you stay there. And, it being MGM, there are lions.

Helaine wanted to see what had happened to the theater that had housed Rick Springfield in EFX. The entrance is now hidden by one of the false walls they use to hide empty stores at the mall. The EFX slot machines are still there. I wonder if anyone has realized?

Driving around MGM, it has always seemed to me that this complex was designed by people who did architecture at studios. It has that kind of feel. A bit inappropriate and sterile. And, there are speed bumps everywhere. I hate speed bumps.

Carrot Top was great. He is very funny. Works almost entirely with props and sound cues. He has to be very precise and tight to really hit the sound properly and preserve his comedic timing. He carries it off well. Helaine said he appeared shirtless at the end of the act to show off his body, which he obviously works hard to get in shape. I know he looks like a skinny dweeb on TV, but he is really cut.

On the way back to Mirage, Helaine suggested I take a photo of the Harmon street sign, because Steffie has some sort of affection for Harmon. Fine. I've photographed everything else. Why not?

Finally, from the what are they thinking department... there just isn't enough sub-$5 prime rib in the world to get me into the San Remo. Honest.

Went back downstairs and played some poker. Didn't do well.
Helaine played blackjack. She did very well.

While I was visiting Helaine's table the talk turned to food available in the high stakes Baccarat room, which we weren't in. I guess it's quite the feast. And, we also talked about the hookers around the bar which is in the core of the casino. I went and looked. You know what, they're there... or there are a lot of single female guests dressed like hookers.

Went to bed around 3:00 am