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Yeah, but it's a dry heat.

;p

Why would you ever need to go outside in Vegas anyway? Surely all the casinos have underground passages straight to the airport by now...

Years ago:

[somecomedian]I was playing Phoenix last week, it was 114° in the shade. Someone said "Yeah, but, that's a dry heat." Let me tell ya something, that's like getting hit by a city bus, and saying, "Oh, but it was a dry bus."[/somecomedian]

Silver lining:

No weather at all Saturday and Sunday.

Look at the night temperatures. Vegas is open 24/7, so you can sleep during the hot and party when it's cool.

Time has no meaning there. We went to some Rainforest restaurant for an early dinner with the kids a few years ago. Like most everything there, you had to walk through a casino to get to it, and there were people in the casino dressed (and behaving) like it was a late night out on the town, when it was only like 4:30. I don't know if they had been going since the night before or if they were just lost in time.

Just flew in from Vegas and are my arms tired. :D Actually, all of me is tired my lovely wife and I spent most of the day in bed and not in a good way. The flight was uneventful, security was pre-911 easy (I think I was pre-cleared but didn't apply or pay extra for the privilege), but the flight was crowded and hot.

So many pictures to post, but my personal highlights are.

1) On arrival, went to restaurant and for $10 had the biggest and best order of fish and chips I've ever eaten.

2) Hit the in-room SPA bath twice during my stay.

3) Used the outdoor poolside grill with a friend to cook dinner for our families.

4) Won over $500 in one sitting at slots bring our family vegas total to a $100-200 profit.

5) Went to see Zombie Burlesque, which was cheesy and awesome.

6) Reluctantly went to see Shania Twain. It wasn't terrible.

7) Bought a signed and mounted James Brown microphone.

8) Bought a signed and mounted DeSean Jackson photo.

9) Mrs. Levy got signed Phillies hat, shirt, and bat from Pete Rose, who sat next to her and chatted while signing all of the items. They took a picture themselves, but I don't see it on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pete-Rose-Hit-King/134564869941367

10) Went to three touristy restaurants, two mediocre and one Brazillian Rodizio that was a lot better than the previous two times we went (go early before the meat dries out).

11) Went to some off-strip restaurants that went from good to amazing. One place served candied bacon and tater tots smothered with cheese and Korean BBQ beef.

12) Went to 99 cent store and carried home about a dozen boxes of Kraft Chipotle Mac and Cheese (50 cents in store, $2 a box on Amazon).

13) Reacquainted ourselves with In-and-Out Burger and Hash House a Go Go.

14) Passed by Marie Callander pie store for about the 50th time on our Vegas trips but still did not go in. All I ever see on the east coast are the frozen meals and pies. I never knew where the restaurants are located.

Pictures to follow.

Glad it was a good trip, Rich. :thumb:

We got Pete Rose's autograph on a bat, hat, jersey, and photo. The jersey was a generic autograph, the bat was autographed to our family, the hat was autographed to our son, and the photo was autographed to our two grandsons.

Not really worth the price from any kind of investment perspective. He does a lot of these, and we did not consider the additional $25 'certificate of authenticity' worth buying. We got it because it is cool to have and something to show the grandchildren now that our 5-year-old is starting to go to Phillies games.

Totally cool, rich! Sounds like an awesome time. And...Pete Rose! :)

Best fish and chips I've ever had. The picture is after I had the chips and before I started on the fish. Enormous portion and incredible batter. I should have 'upgraded' to onion rings since they use the same tempura style batter for both.

Went to diner where they had candied bacon (sticks to your teeth but great taste) and the item in the picture, tater tots with cheese and Korean BBQ beef.

Went to chicken and ribs place on last full day. I sat in front of the grill and could feel the heat on my back.

Besides Pete Rose's autograph, picked up DeSean Jacksons autograph and a microphone allegedly autographed by James Brown.

Did not buy the $2.99 wine I found in the 99 cent store although I wonder if it's the same as this. What's a $20 bottle of Aussie wine doing selling for $3 in a discount store?

How did the wine taste?

If you put tartar sauce and ketchup on fish and chips, and not salt and malt vinegar, you are not qualified to judge fish and chips.

:p:

richlevy;901065 wrote:

... Did not buy the $2.99 wine I found in the 99 cent store although I wonder if it's the same as this. What's a $20 bottle of Aussie wine doing selling for $3 in a discount store?

Goose Chase is a second label of Celestial Bay winery. While I can't make out detailed information on the case boxes in your photo, the bottles on top of the case stacks look like white wine when you magnify them. The most recent white listed on their website under that label is a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. According to the producer, its peak drinking period was from the time of release - 2014. It appears the wines you saw are clearance priced to move before going downhill.

Undertoad;901074 wrote:

If you put tartar sauce and ketchup on fish and chips, and not salt and malt vinegar, you are not qualified to judge fish and chips.

:p:

Actually, if everyone felt that way, we'd all be eating french fries with mayonnaise, Belgian style. I do like malt vinegar but did not even consider asking for it for some reason.

We're getting the Pete Rose bat and shirt mounted. Even with the supposed %70 discount, the framing cost almost matched the cost of the items.

sexobon;901078 wrote:

Goose Chase is a second label of Celestial Bay winery. While I can't make out detailed information on the case boxes in your photo, the bottles on top of the case stacks look like white wine when you magnify them. The most recent white listed on their website under that label is a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon. According to the producer, its peak drinking period was from the time of release - 2014. It appears the wines you saw are clearance priced to move before going downhill.

Thanks for the information. It's too bad they don't have these stores anywhere near us. For that price I could buy enough to make a nice punch and float some citrus in it.

My family always put tartar sauce on home-cooked or restaurant battered fish.
You're battering and frying it anyway, it's hardly a nuanced taste.

Anything other than salt & vinegar (sore finger as our local Chinese pronounced it) on chips to eat in the street is an aberration though.
Gosh I wish I was by the seaside today.

Three times fried fries Flemish style (in Amsterdam, try saying that after a disco biscuit) are gorge with garlic mayo.