Southwest Vacation 2006

on 10/13/06 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

You can't sleep well on a plane. You can sleep fitfully. That's what I did for a good portion of our Baltimore to Albuquerque flight.

Albuquerque's airport is unusual because there are no rental car counters. A rental shuttle, which serves all the companies, takes you to what looks like the rent-a-car mall.

Everything was quick and easy.

I asked the agent for a car with satellite radio. He said "maybe," there weren't many cars around. As it turned out, I was fine. Most of the cars had XM.

I ended up with a white Impala with a gigantic trunk.

With Casey Kasem on the radio with a classic American Top-40, we set out finding the hotel. It wasn't too much of a problem. Only one u-turn! Even Google can't get everything right.

We're on the 7th floor, and the fun begins in the morning.

You have on idea how tired I am right now.

Comments (3)

The Balloons Fly

on 10/13/06 9:47 AM | Permalink

13 Oct '06, 9.46am EDT
Originally uploaded by Geoff Fox.

More to come. This is from my cellphone, taken in Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, NM. The mass ascension Friday morning was beautiful.

Full Day And The Glowdeo

on 10/13/06 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After the morning balloon session, Helaine and I returned to the hotel for a while. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta has distinct morning and evening sessions (with separate admissions).

After a brief nap it was off to the tramway which climbs Sandia Peak. Only one problem. Everyone else in Albuquerque had the same idea. The Friday afternoon wait was two hours! Helaine wasn't going to take the tram to the top anyway, so we left.

Even from the base of the tramway, over 6,000 feet above sea level, the view was excellent.

Next destination was Old Town Albuquerque, a picturesque area of artsy stores and native craftsmen. We walked around for a while and Helaine found something for Stef.

The Fox Family Secrecy Act of 2006 prevents me from disclosing what she got.

By the way, parking near Old Town is interesting. The parking lot has a series of boxes at one end. Each box has a slot where you put your money for parking. I slipped two dollars in the space marked 122.

We ended up overstaying our time, but got no ticket. I suspect it's not heavily enforced. In fact, it sound like my money went all the way to the bottom, not my individual 'cash cubby.'

Old Town is conveniently located next to Albuquerque's museums. Helaine asked if I wanted to go to the Natural History Museum? I would have, had I not spied a small building, previously used for something else. It was the National Atomic Museum.

The signs outside made it look a little off center and not afraid to poke a little fun of itself. Was this a real museum or a sly museum takeoff?

The first thing I noticed inside was a collection of slide rules. I stopped to gape. This was my kind of place. Before calculators, I was a slide rule expert.

In the history of atomic energy, New Mexico stands tall. Remember, there's a lot of space here... lots of room to do things you don't want found out. Our first atomic test was held not far from Albuquerque.

We paid our admission, walked in, and quickly walked into the theater where a movie was about to start; "Ten Seconds That Changed The World."

Narrated by Richard Basehart and produced by the legendary David L. Wolper, this was a collection of grainy black and white footage which traced the real history of the atomic age, all the way to Hiroshima.

It seemed like it was originally cut for TV with distinct fades to black for commercial inserts. Whatever the case, it was fascinating. It was jam packed with historical film I'd never seen before - really good stuff from the 40s.

As we left, Helaine said, "That was worth the price of admission." It was.

We only spent a few more minutes in the museum before heading back to the hotel and then the park-n-ride bus to Balloon Fiesta Park. There sure is a lot more traffic on a Friday evening than a pre-dawn Friday morning.

It was still light out as we approached the park. A dozen or so balloons floated about the area. The real action was shaping up on the field.

The Sun went down. The balloons lit up. The was a "Glowdeo."

Tethered balloons were kept inflated enough to float up, while their attached baskets sat on the ground. Lit from the inside, the balloons glowed in the fading twilight.

I can't imagine there's anything else like this anywhere. There were dozens... maybe hundreds of balloons. Most of the time, each was dark, sometimes illuminated by neighboring balloons. The scene was constantly changing and since the balloons were all cheek to jowel, walking a few feet changed the perspective.

I decided to leave my tripod in the car and take my monopod. The monopod provides plenty of support, but not the rock solid steadiness you'd get from a tripod.

In a perfect world, the tripod would have been a better choice. With a few hundred thousand of our closest friends it would have been a significantly more cumbersome one.

To make up for the monopod's shortcomings and the fact that the gas jets on the balloons were constantly going on and off, I overshot. Sometimes I shot 4,5,6 snaps of the same thing, hoping one would work.

I also kept the shutter very slow, having it open for a quarter second at times. That kind of setting almost guarantees some blur, but most of my shots are very sharp.

As the "Glowdeo" came to an end, we grabbed some tasty junk food and waited for the fireworks... but this was the end of a very long day. About two thirds through the fireworks I turned to Helaine and said, "Let's head to the bus."

We caught the spectacular display at the end from the bus stop, but there was little strength left between us to get excited. As the only event of the day the fireworks would haev been great, but we were well into sensory overload.

In the morning we fly... or at least we're scheduled to fly in a balloon. The forecast has a chance for showers and lots of clouds. It's iffy, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Helaine's never flown in wicker before. It's a great experience. I'm really looking forward to it.

Blogger's note: This is my 2,000th blog entry.

Comments (1)

We're Floating

on 10/14/06 10:33 AM | Permalink

14 Oct '06, 10.33am EDT
Originally uploaded by Geoff Fox.

Though I'm typing this text from the hotel, the photo was sent through my cellphone while cruising at around 1,500 feet over Albuquerque.

We are bushed! This is the part of the vacation when I get behind in my postings. I've got photos from last night and today to get online.

Here's the important part - We flew. It was great, even though it wasn't really sunny. And, we landed on a street!

More later from Albuquerque.

Dinner At Buca Di Beppo

on 10/14/06 9:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We wanted dinner. We were tired. We wanted to stay close to the hotel.

Helaine and I walked through the parking lot to Buca di Beppo. Who knew it was a chain? Well, you probably. We went in as innocents.

As soon as we entered, I thought to myself, I've been here before? Buca di Beppo is the spitting image of a restaurant my friend Howard favors on Ventura Blvd. somewhere in the San Fernando Valley.

In fact if I find out this chain was 'inspired' by Howard's restaurant, I won't be surprised.

We walked through the kitchen, past a table where some lucky customers ate to one of many different dining areas. Though each is different, they're all meant to be over-the-top Italian. It's not a put down, but an homage.

One small room contains a solitary round table, big enough for a family. The center of the table rotates, so you can pass things back and forth. Since it's too large to use the middle, that portion of the table has been taken up by a bust of Pope John Paul II.

We shared shrimp scampi, which was very good. Truth is, the decor was more fun.

We leave in the morning for a very long drive to Kayenta, AZ. Google says it's 332 miles, most of which is off the Interstate.

Comments (2)

The Strange Drive to Kayenta

on 10/15/06 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The guide books say 332 miles from Albuquerque to Kayenta, Arizona. What they fail to mention is the trip also crosses millions of years in scenery. At one point, Helaine asked me to look out for dinosaurs.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I couldn't sleep last night. When I can't sleep, Helaine can't sleep. We were in the car and heading west by 5:50 AM MDT.

There were scattered showers overnight in Albuquerque. It was still dark and spitting as we merged onto I-40. The speed limit is 65 mph in urban areas, but as soon as we left civilization (in this case a perfectly apt characterization) it went to 75 mph.

I've got a lead foot, but since I found the majority of cars doing the speed limit, I set the cruise control at 80 mph and hoped for the best.

Other than an Indian casino and a few truck stops (one at the Indian casino) there was nothing - 130 miles of nothing - until we got to Gallup.

Gallup, New Mexico is one of those places you see and say, "Why?" It is a nondescript little outpost with the normal collection of gas stations and franchise food joints.

We slid into Denny's where everything I thought of Gallup was dashed. The staff couldn't have been nicer, friendlier or more attentive. Could I take a sip of coffee before the waitress came back to freshen it?

Denny's is located on US 491, though signs said it was formerly US 666! When you name a road 666, it says something about you. I'm thinking you don't want to screw with these people.

We cut across New Mexico on two and four lane roads, into Arizona and then north on US 191.

What began as rolling scrubby hills in Gallup, led to a pine forest and then a succession of rocky vistas.

Every once in a while we'd pass a small community, often with cows or horses lazing along the side of, or in the middle of, the road. What was surprising is, often the cattle were on the road side of a fence, not the other way around!

We continue north as the scenery turned weird. I'm not sure how to describe it, but some of what we saw looked prehistoric. Imagine rugged rock monoliths draped in a primordial soup of clouds.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

After the Eagles game (priorities are priorities) we head to Monument Valley for sunset and more photos.

Comments (1)

On To Monument Valley

on 10/15/06 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Our base of operations is now Kayenta, Arizona. It's a quiet, dusty town with two traffic lights. Kayenta is entirely within the Navajo Nation and the statistics I saw show over 95% of the people who live here are Native American¹.

We left the hotel and drove north a bit over 20 miles. It didn't take long to see the monolithic rock formations that make Monument Valley what it is.

Before I left, when I mentioned I was going to Monument Valley, most folks shrugged. They recognize the pictures or remembered where all the Road Runner cartoons were set. They didn't know the name.

Monument Valley isn't a National Park. Being on Navajo land it is a Tribal Park and for that reason probably gets short shrift as far as publicity is concerned. That it's far away from everything doesn't help either.

From AZCentral:

Monument Valley's towers, which range in height from 400 to 1,000 feet, are made of De Chelly sandstone, which is 215 million years old, with a base of organ rock shale. The towers are the remnants of mesas, or flat-topped mountains. Mesas erode first into buttes like the Elephant, which typically are as high as they are wide, then into slender spires like the Three Sisters.

The valley's earlier inhabitants included the Anasazi who also built Mesa Verde, and archaeologists have recorded more than 100 ancient Anasazi sites and ruins in the valley dating before 1300, when the ancient tribe abandoned the area. Navajos have herded sheep and other livestock in the area for generations.

The valley was added to the Navajo Reservation in 1984, and the tribal park was established in 1958. Harry Goulding and his wife, Mike, founded the trading post in 1924.

It's possible to take guided tours. We decided to go it alone instead in our rented Impala. The 18 mile Valley Road is all dirt. It is rutted, puddled, potholed and jarring. Trust me - you've never been on a road like this.

It is not to be driven by the faint of heart.

I'll let the photos speak for themself.

¹ - Any public reference I have seen here has eschewed Native American for the less politically correct Indian. I'm really not sure which way to go.

From Monument Valley

Comments (2)

Zion National Park Quick Cellphone Snap

on 10/16/06 7:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

16 Oct '06, 7.13pm EDT
Originally uploaded by Geoff Fox.

We are now at Zion - more later.

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One Day - Two Destinations

on 10/16/06 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We started the morning in Kayenta, Arizona, just outside Monument Valley. I'm sure the people of the Monument Valley Region are very nice, but I wish Kayenta was more respectful of the natural beauty that surrounds it. There are no nice photos to be taken in Kayenta, because the scenery is interrupted at every vantage.

We headed out of Kayenta, west through Northern Arizona toward Page, home of Antelope Canyon, our first destination of the day. As has been the case since Gallup, NM, we were on two lane blacktop with 65 mph speed limits.

This is an Interstate free zone!

From time-to-time I wanted to pass the car in front of me. That meant waiting for a clear spot, hoping Helaine would cover her eyes, running it up to 85 mph, and swinging into the oncoming lane.

There aren't a whole bunch of places to do that in Connecticut. Actually, there aren't a whole lot of places to do that anywhere. It's a lost art. Thankfully, everyone keeps their headlights on day and night.

As we sped west, we passed through a bunch of little towns... actually, more like settlements of a few houses. The speed limit would drop to 55 mph for a hundred yards or so and then back to 65 mph. Next.

What kind of life do people have here? We were curious in an anthropological way. Is it a life to be loved, or do kids wait for the day they can escape?

Forty miles from Page, and driving parallel to its single track, electrified railroad, we got our first glimpse of the gigantic Navajo Generation Station. Two of its three stacks were blowing something white skyward.

I'm hoping it was steam, though I doubt it. There were separate cooling towers for that.

As we got closer, and the sheer size of the plant became apparent, Helaine started singing, "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong."

Whatever I said about Kayenta goes doubly for Page. I know we need to generate electricity. I wish there was a less invasive way. After all, this huge power plant also needs huge transmission lines to take the power away.

We were in Page to visit Antelope Canyon. It is a slot canyon. Don't worry, until recently I didn't know what that meant either.

This area of the country gets little rain. What they do get isn't spread through the seasons, but falls in brief deluges which often cause flash flooding.

Over the eons, a flooded stream, Antelope Wash, found its way to the Colorado River by boring through a hillside. That channel is the slot canyon we visited.

Because it's carved through sandstone, the walls have smooth curves and a layered look. At certain times of the year (not now) sunlight streams through to the canyon floor as beams of light.

It was unlike anything Helaine or I had ever seen before - beautiful, mystical, spiritual.

We signed up for a tour at the entrance to the Navajo Park which contained the canyon. The operation of the tour company was rinky dink. However, our guide Carol was amazing.

She knew all about the canyon and, after all these tours, was a camera expert. She spent lots of time showing people where and how to get great shots, even with little point and shoot cameras.

Carol's expertise will be felt when returning tourists look at their photos and find her masterpieces.

We left Antelope Canyon, headed over the Colorado River at Glen Canyon Dam and into Utah. I believe I'm entitled to another wife at this point.

The road settled into a low area flanked by white monolithic rocks, We were in Glen Canyon.

I know Grand Canyon is larger, deeper and more well known. However, you usually see The Grand Canyon from the top looking down. Here, we were in the middle of the broad flood plain. The rock faces towered over us. I have never felt smaller nor more inconsequential.

As with the trip to Page, the roads were good. From time-to-time we'd round a sharp bend or go down the side of a mountain steep enough to warrant a sign listing the grade (6% was our personal best).

Helaine isn't comfortable with heights. This was not her ideal routing.

We made a left onto Route 9 in Mt. Carmel, Utah and headed into Zion National Park. Of all the scenery we've seen so far, this is the prettiest... the most awesome.

The park road is a narrow two lane affair - definitely not good for 65 mph! It is also the first 'redtop' road I've ever seen. I don't know why it's red. I'll try and find out more tomorrow.

The road dipped and curved and hugged the side of steep mountains. As treacherous as the road is, there are two places which must be worse, because two tunnels are bored through mountainsides.

At the second tunnel there was construction, which set us back twenty minutes. It also allowed us twenty minutes to soak in the scenery.

We're staying in Springdale, Utah tonight. Everything that was wrong with Kayenta and Page is absent here. This is a spectacular little town, with shops, restaurants, galleries and a free shuttle bus system!

I've only been here a few hours, but I'm loving Zion National Park and Springdale.

Tomorrow we're going to take the shuttle to the park for a little exploring before hopping in the car and heading southwest to Las Vegas.

Comments (2)

Las Vegas Arrival

on 10/17/06 3:52 PM | Permalink

17 Oct '06, 3.51pm EDT
Originally uploaded by Geoff Fox.

Pictures and details from Zion National Park later.

We have arrived in Las Vegas. This photo is specifically so my friend Rick can eat his heart out.

Our room is lovely, but there's an incessant buzzing. An engineer is on the way.

Viva And All That Stuff

on 10/17/06 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Helaine packed before we had breakfast at the hotel. We like Springdale and like the Best Western there. I usually associate Best Western with a lesser class of hotel. It's not true here.

Yes, the room was nice. Yes the staff was friendly and helpful. OK, it's our third hotel in a row with bad water pressure and bad shower heads. No one's perfect.

What sets this place apart is how it's built for its locale. At the end of every hallway and beyond the lobby are outdoor areas for sitting and watching the mountains. The rest of the hotel just fits too.

We left for the bus stop and I started taking pictures. A nearby mountaintop, around 3,800 feet higher in elevation than the town, was snow covered! It is only mid-October.

We hopped the shuttle to the Zion National Park entrance, flashed the pass we'd bought yesterday as we passed through in our car, and hopped on the park shuttle.

Both the town and park's shuttle are paid for by the National Park Service. It's a great idea. The road through town and the road in the park (where virtually no other traffic is allowed) were uncongested. We never waited more than a few minutes for transportation.

Our driver in the park was Kristine. Since we had her coming and going, I can tell you she doesn't have an incredibly deep repertoire, but she was anxious to talk about the park, its sights and its history.

With the overnight rain the ground was a little soggy. Water flowed in many, though not all, the brooks and streams we saw. Low clouds hung over the mountains.

If this was our only day at Zion, I would have been upset. However, yesterday we saw how the mountains looked in bright sunshine. Today was a contrast, a more moody look.

We took the shuttle to Weeping Rock. This was our original fair weather plan. We wanted an easy hike which would give us a nice vantage. This trail ran about 1/2 mile, though at a significant incline.

We got off the bus and looked around. We were alone in a canyon with walls thousands of feet tall. It was majestic and humbling. I can't imagine how the first settlers, Native Americans and Caucasians, found their way here. I can understand why they loved its beauty.

I checked. No cell service. Sorry to ruin the moment.

We walked to the trail's end, at an overhang at the edge of a sheer rockface. Water from last night's rain came dripping from the overhang, and flowing in a few small, but long, waterfalls.

A few more pictures and we were back at the bus stop, waiting for Kristine (or someone like her). Helaine and I decided Zion National Park was the most beautiful of our stops.

Back at the hotel, Helaine checked at the front desk to make sure our directions toward Las Vegas were correct. The desk clerk told her to take the left at the first traffic light and then added, "It's 17 miles away."

We also got some traffic tips: They seriously enforce the speed limit in the next few towns. "They even ticket locals," he said. I heeded his warning as we headed out through the Hurricane Valley. It's tough to drive 40, 35 and even 20 mph in a school zone (where the kids were, after all, in class).

Moving away from Springdale, we still saw mountains alongside the road, but they just weren't up to Zion's standard. The bar had been set high.

We drove Route 9 through Virgin (of course we shot the sign) and Hurricane to I-15. Helaine hoped our time on twisty mountain roads was over. Not quite yet. There was still the Virgin River Gorge to transverse.

The speed limit went from 75 to 65 and finally 55 mph. There were yellow signs, signifying caution, everywhere. Steep grades - yes. Strong crosswinds - of course. Sharp curves - what then?

The mountains were bleached white, sharply formed and perilously close to the roadway. We crossed bridges marked "Virgin River" at least a half dozen times, maybe more.

Helaine gripped whatever she could find and hoped for the best. She helped me down the mountain pushing against the imaginary brake so many right seat drivers subconsciously use. Then, finally, we were out.

Utah gave way to Arizona and then Nevada. The highway settled down to a flat ribbon with desert wasteland on either side. Though Helaine was happy to be on a low straight surface, this was the most boring part of our drive.

We approached Las Vegas from the Downtown side, passed the Stratosphere Tower and got off at Spring Mountain.

We are here and ready to start this very different part of our adventure.

There is one problem. Our room buzzes! I've already sent for an engineer, but so far, no help has arrived and the buzz continues.

Let the buffets begin!

Comments (1)

About The Noise

on 10/17/06 9:47 PM | Permalink

While I was in the shower, two engineers came to our room to figure out the humming sound. Helaine says it took them about two seconds to know what it was.

"You're next to the electrical room."

Transformer vibrations! That's permanent.

We have moved 5 doors down. Much quieter. No humming. Life is good.

On To Poker

on 10/18/06 12:52 AM | Permalink

We've been coming to Las Vegas a long time, and I've been playing poker here a long time. I used to think I was a good player, when I wasn't. Now I think I'm a good player again. We'll see.

I started this afternoon is a sit 'n go Hold'em tournament. Ten players, with two getting paid. When we got to three left, the remaining players made a deal. I finished third, but cashed out.

Tonight I played a larger tournament. The buy-in was similar, but now there were closer to 40 players involved.

I didn't do as well, going out in 12th place. Only five got paid.

Between this afternoon and evening I'm up $5 at poker... except I tipped the dealer $5 when I won... and tipped the cocktail waitresses another $3 for coffee and water.

My running 'poker only' total is +$5. The other $8 is my price for a good time. The casino that ran the games grossed $45. They're the big winner here.

By the way, my poker playing was very good with only one costly error.

It's Always Sunny In Las Vegas

on 10/19/06 4:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I like playing poker in Las Vegas. I won't lie. I don't come to gamble. I come to win. I don't always succeed, but that's my purpose.

The good news is, poker is available around the clock. In fact, if there's a downside to the poker explosion of the past few years, it's that every casino has poker, so there's a bit less action here at the Mirage.

From lv wednesday

There's no rush to play, so Helaine and I had breakfast at a little coffee shop on premises and went for a walk on the Strip. It wasn't quite 10:00 AM, but we stuck our heads into Caesars' Forum Shoppes.

Over the past few years I've watched this little collection of shops expand and expand again. It's pretty amazing now with nothing but high end stores selling at retail. For me, it's look but don't buy.

From lv wednesday

We then walked to Bellagio - a beautiful hotel. The Conservatory is decorated differently for all the seasons. Right now, it's a fall motif... not my favorite, though still colorful.

From lv wednesday

There is a new trend in Las Vegas. You've probably seen buses festooned with images so they're rolling billboards, though you can still see out the windows? They've got the same thing on hotels. The Flamingo's exterior is but one example.

We returned to Mirage and I sat down to play some cards. The table of nine had at least five locals playing, maybe more. It's like stepping up against major league pitching. I wanted the challenge.

I did very well - though I left with a bit less than my peak profit. Now I've made enough to buy into a larger tournament, if I so desire.

We ate dinner at the Stage Deli. It's just like the one in Manhattan, but without the surly help! I had a bowl of matzo ball soup and a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.

This evening we drove to the MGM Grand for Howie Mandel. Somehow, Helaine found exceptional tickets online before we left Connecticut. We were in the second row - great seats!

John Mendosa opened for Howie. He's also a comedian - very funny and very laid back.

Mendosa had a white button down shirt, not tucked in, over a pair of pants. I noted, in the longstanding tradition of Vegas comics, there was not a crease in the pants as he came out. He had stood since putting them on.

It's really a tradition - honest.

Howie came on and did around an hour. I have seen him on TV for years, but really didn't know that much about him. What impressed me the most was how bright and fast he is. Lots of his act was based on audience participation, and he was on top of his game.

So, if you're asking, Howie Mandel gets my recommendation.

Back at Mirage I decided to play some more poker before bed. I entered a $60 sit 'n go and was very lucky to survive for a 3-way deal. I was terribly shorty stacked, but still made a $25 profit.

So far, so good. The poker gods are smiling.

More tomorrow, but first, a drive down the Las Vegas Strip as seen by my cellphone's camcorder.

Comments (1)

The Sky Is Blue

on 10/20/06 11:47 AM | Permalink

Yes, I know Nevada can be excruciatingly hot during the summer, but right now, it's heaven. Temperatures have been in the 70s during the day with zero cloudiness!

What's not to like?

My poker playing continues my head's still above water. I decided to try the afternoon tournament at Caesars Palace.

When I first came to Las Vegas in 1975, Caesars is where I stayed. The original buildings are still there somewhere, but not in a form recognizable by me.

Back then a parking lot sat between the hotel and Las Vegas Blvd. Over the years, more and more has been built in that space and every other space.

The poker room at Caesars is new, spacious and nicely furnished. More important for me, the structure of the poker tournament is excellent. You get a lot of chips and the blinds increase slowly. That benefits a more conservative player, like me.

I still lost my $130 buy-in, placing well back in the pack.

I headed back to the Mirage to nap. A 'wrong number' to my home phone, which is begin forwarded to my cell phone, woke me after 30 minutes. Nap over.

I called Helaine and found she had walked dow the block to the Bellagio. I headed out to meet her. In our opinion, Bellagio's buffet is the best on the Strip. We decided we'd have a buffet dinner there.

Meanwhile, it was early for dinner, so I sat down in Bellagio's poker room. It was jammed. Actually, it was too jammed!

The poker tables and seats are much too close together for my liking. The room is pretty with a beautiful ceiling, but I'm not on the ceiling. It just wasn't a particularly comfortable place to play.

I won back around $40. That was Bellagio's saving grace.

Our nighttime plans took us to the Flamingo Hotel for Second City. Second City is an improv comedy troupe. It is named for, and has its base in, Chicago.

The show was very good... very funny. The theater is fairly small, so even though we sat in the back, the sight lines and sound were good.

I know Second City claims to be improv, and maybe these routines were originally improvised, but there seemed to be very little improvising going on last night. I'm not disappointed, just puzzled.

Before bed, I decided to play some more poker. I found a table at the Mirage which was a miniature United Nations. There was a Chinese man, Laotian woman, and at least two other accents I didn't recognize. This at a table of nine players.

For the first time on this trip, I thought I played poorly and quickly dug a hole for myself. I was too interested in playing hands - that's bad. By the time I righted myself, a stack and a half of the chips in front of me had been distributed to other players.

I bore down and scraped back. I was getting closer to even, when I was dealt two Aces. This table was so aggressive, I was able to bet strongly at each stage of the game without scaring everyone away.

The Aces held against another player's Jacks, and I walked away up $29.

I continue to be ahead at the poker tables on this trip. I'm not up a lot. More importantly, I'm not down.

Chip Castle

on 10/21/06 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

21 Oct '06, 12.05am EDT PST
Originally uploaded by Geoff Fox.

I walked past this chip castle in the poker room. At least a few thousand dollars worth. The red chips are $5 and the blues $1. The plastic rack on the side holds 100 chips and he needed a bunch.

For those who commented, it was not mine. In fact, Friday was a terrible day to play poker... at least for me.

Comments (3)

A Trip Through Vegas

on 10/21/06 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Helaine and I took a trip through Las Vegas yesterday. I can't give you all the details, because there's a small gift for Steffie involved and it's still mostly a surprise.

From lv friday

In order to get it to Stef, we needed to find a Post Office. It's not on The Strip, though it is the Strip Branch. The closest Post Office is on a seedy little road called "Industrial."

Going there reminded me of the one Las Vegas truth that's usually swept under the rug - Las Vegas is built on vice. Sex on The Strip is mainly sanitized and under control (though I'll try and get a shot of the one incongruity that's most obvious later today or tomorrow). Drive a few blocks and you're in the Wild West.

From lv friday

Oh... in addition to sex, Vegas is built on Elvis. I don't want to forget that!

From lv friday

Comments (1)

Rubbing Players The Right Way

on 10/21/06 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

From lv friday

I almost forgot to post this. While I was playing the noon poker tournament at Caesars, I witnessed a first for me. A player requested a masseuse and received a massage, all while playing cards.

I don't know how much it cost, but it wasn't free.

Comments (1)

Home At Last

on 10/23/06 8:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We're home. This will be a very short entry.

Unfortunately, the trip ended with me having to call a doctor to the hotel! I'm feeling a little better, but not 100% yet.

A final entry tomorrow (probably).

Comments (2)

How The Vacation Ended - Briefly