Tag: Mohegan Sun

They Take Photos, Don’t They?

It used to be when people would say hello I’d sign something, How many people are going to keep a Geoff Fox autographed napkin?

I was off work today. Rachel asked if she could swap to attend a wedding. Helaine and I took the opportunity to head to Mohegan Sun to play in a poker tournament.

I like going to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun because I like playing cards, I eat well and I get to see so many people who work there and know me.

You want me to lie? I love meeting people, saying hi, shaking hands. This is what I was born to do and I embrace it.

It used to be when people would say hello I’d sign something, How many people are going to keep a Geoff Fox autographed napkin?

Now I whip out my cellphone!

I think this works better. Snap. Email. It’s on its way before we part company!

Maybe I’m too much of a hugger?

Blogger’s note: I know the rules at the casinos. That’s why I always ask if they’d like a photo, never the other way around. I’m a big boy. I can tell when someone who meets me has watched for a long time. I’m just trying to be nice to people who’ve trusted me for years. – Geoff

A Night At The Sun

The players were too anxious to play–loose. I stayed very tight and waited to pick my spot.

“We’ll spend the night at Mohegan Sun, OK?” Helaine was letting me in on her plans for last night. This conversation took place a few weeks ago. My Cousin Melissa was coming to Connecticut. Melissa is Cousin Michael’s wife and Helaine’s defacto sister.

I headed out last night after the 11 O’clock news to meet them in Uncasville.

Mohegan Sun is 45 miles and 45 minutes from Hartford down Route 2. If there’s a darker more desolate divided highway in Connecticut it can’t be by much!

I met Helaine around 12:20, put my stuff upstairs and headed to the Poker Room. Poker is at the far end of this gigantic casino. It might as well have its own area code!

Considering it was after midnight on a weeknight the place was hopping. I bought some chips and sat down at a $1/$2 table.

By the time Helaine and Melissa came to fetch me it was around 3:00 AM. I had more money than I started with. I had also realized how much I miss being able to play poker on a nightly basis over the Internet.

I love playing poker. The table at Mohegan Sun was fun. The players were too anxious to play–loose. I stayed very tight and waited to pick my spot.

We spent the night then went for breakfast (OK, early lunch) at the buffet.

Years ago we ate at the buffet and were disappointed. No more. It’s been rebuilt and is comparable to the Mirage Buffet in Las Vegas. That’s good company to be in.

Quick turnaround. I’m already back at work.

Our Dinner On Bobby Flay

I’ll let Helaine describe him, because she’s a Food Network habitue: “A little taller, younger looking and better looking than I expected.”

If you’ve ever been to a casino and signed up for their player’s program you’ve gotten offers. The idea is to get you back in the door where your wallet can be shared.

Hey–that’s their business. This is not a state secret I’m revealing.

Last Wednesday Helaine got an email offer from Mohegan Sun. It was for an event Saturday. Usually these come out far ahead.

Wednesday for Saturday means they were scrambling. Maybe they were forced to lower their criteria. Whatever the reason we were invited to Bar Americain for food, some giveaways and a chance to see Bobby Flay who is feverishly promoting his new book.

“Are you going to tell him you think he’s pompous?” Helaine asked as we mulled attending. I’m a little sensitive in this regard. I promised to be nice.

Helaine registered around 6:00 PM and got two wrist bands. We returned at 8:00 PM to find a short line and a sign on the door. “Closed for private event.” That was us.

Mohegan Sun is a beautiful facility and this is an equally beautiful restaurant. The bar was open and the waitstaff was roaming the room with trays of appetizers. There was a pretty icy display of seafood salads and immense shrimp. At two carving stations chefs sliced the most tender fillet I’ve ever tasted! They also dished out a fried chicken that was moist, tender and showed no internal signs of having ever been near oil.

I watched Bobby move back-and-forth from the brightly lit kitchen into the restaurant. He smiled and stopped to take photos. If he was the guy I perceived from TV it wasn’t in evidence last night.

I’ll let Helaine describe him, because she’s a Food Network habitue: “A little taller, younger looking and better looking than I expected.”

We left stuffed. The food was VERY tasty.

After the fact I got a look at the regular menu. As you might imagine it’s not cheap, but for an occasion I’d go back in a heartbeat.

This is my third Bobby Flay meal. Maybe it’s time I began to value him for his food and not his persona.

Dinner At Tuscany

We sat where we could look directly into the kitchen.

Having casinos in Connecticut brings us some very nice restaurants. We had dinner tonight at Todd English’s Tuscany at Mohegan Sun.

Yum.

We sat where we could look directly into the kitchen.

A Day At The Sun

Mohegan Sun is one of two casinos ‘in’ Connecticut. ‘In’ is in quotes because these are sovereign nations–a term I don’t totally understand.

“I can’t believe it’s just over a day since we left.” That was Helaine referring to our whirlwind trip to Mohegan Sun. It was for an occasion, but I’m sworn to secrecy. Let’s leave it at that!

Mohegan Sun is one of two casinos ‘in’ Connecticut. ‘In’ is in quotes because these are sovereign nations–a term I don’t totally understand. It is a spectacular complex with two immense casinos, shopping, upscale restaurants, a large arena and giant hotel.

Before casinos Eastern Connecticut was the quiet part of the state. It was the section of Connecticut most like the rest of New England. Now the two casinos are the economic engine which powers the area.

By the time we’d driven the 65 miles to Uncasville we were hungry! First stop Bobby’s Burger Palace. In this case Bobby is Bobby Flay, celebrity chef. I’m not a fan of his persona, but I love his cooking.

I had a Chicago Burger with fries and a vanilla bean malted. Oh–it was ‘crunchified’ meaning potato chips were embedded in the burger. The taste was excellent especially the malted. I can’t remember the last malted I had.

This was going to be a one-meal-per-day trip!

I wandered over to the poker room. For years Mohegan Sun had gone without poker, but it’s back and the room is big. Later this month the Sun will host a large televised tournament. It’s a lot too rich for my blood with a $5,000 buy-in for the main event (though most qualify by winning smaller satellite tournaments).

I played three separate sessions Saturday and Sunday at $1/$2 no limit Hold ‘Em tables. I am not a big money player. I lost in one session and won the other two times. My profit was a little under a hundred dollars.

Helaine had gone online for tickets to a comedy show. We headed to the Cabaret Theater where the Treehouse Comedy Club is now booking comedians.

The format for shows like this is always the same with three comics: a headliner, featured act and the emcee. In this case that meant Richie Byrne, Tina Giorgi and Bob Dibuono.

Three for three! We laughed a lot. Helaine and I agree Tina Giorgi (a former schoolteacher) was our favorite of the night, though Richie Byrne (who does the audience warm-up for the Dr. Oz Show) finished very strong.

Our single meal today was brunch at Caesar and Pompeii. We’ve eaten there before, both brunch and for dinner. The brunch buffet was very good with lots of seafood, lamb chops and a dessert table that would make you fat just looking at it! Unfortunately, there’s no longer dinner at Caesar and Pompeii and even the Sunday brunch disappears Mother’s Day.

The best part of the trip was going with Helaine! We had a great time together. Even after twenty six years she’s a helluva date.

[pro-player]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_relvpL-meE[/pro-player]