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The Perils of Paulie - An Irregular Blog
Paulie_D:
Extracted from a Trip Report/ Blog entry from November 2009.
Sidebar: My friend Jim Lynott, whom some of you might know had been considering a roadtrip between Los Angeles and Las Vegas for some time. The route would be a little circuitous to take in some of the lesser known gambling spots along the way. We were joined, once again, by my brother Pete,
Las Vegas: 17th November 2009
"Spotting The Duke"
Still breathing...just!
I rise at my now customary time of noon. OK, I mis-spoke, I head out around noon after spending a couple of hours dossing around in the room make the most of the opportunity to lie in. The tablets seem to be working, I'm certainly coughing less than before and I'm getting some extended periods of sleep rather than the couple of hours at a time before popping a lung that was the previous case.
Whatever, I'll try not to mention this cough anymore, it's probably annoying you as much as it is me. I grab a frappacino from Starbucks and people watch on Fremont Street for a while. There is an international firefighters convention type thingy going on at the moment and they're holding some sort of assault course competition right on the street. It's pretty cool to watch.
Feeling the need for food...and beer, I stroll down to Hennessey's which is on LV Boulevard which divides the Fremont Street you all probably know from the East Fremont district. The E. Fremont area is trying to clean up its image along with the rest of downtown. I must try and get down there tomorrow.
"Why tomorrow?" I hear you ask...well it's weird, I'd eaten my food, had just a couple (really) of Stellas when I found myself practically falling asleep at the bar. Can't blame this one on the time-zone change and I thought I was good for the day...Guess not.
So, I trudge back to the GN and crash out for a few hours.
Later that evening, feeling much better, I eschew the offer of the buffet from Pete in favour of poker. I ensconce myself in Seat 6 at the 2/4 table where I can see the board without straining my eyes...sheesh, it's dark in the GN's poker room, it doesn't make it easy to peek at your hole cards.
Fortunately, the play is just as bad as you might expect and in little more than 2 hours, I've doubled my buy-in and I'm very comfortable. The Duke of Fremont Street puts in an appearance at the $1/$2 No Limit game buying in for $50,000.
Look him up, he"s a fascinating character
The Duke didn't stay long that I can tell, he's certainly distinctive. On this occasion he"s wearing a cowboy hat and poncho a la Eastwood.
Anyway, I'm doing alright before some muppet takes a piece out of me with his 4 kicker to his King against my AKs which I'd bet, raised and re-raised on every street on a King high board.
Only $60 up so around midnight, I end my Tuesday, except to write up this for youse lot.
Oh, and someone hit a Royal on my table tonight too...that"s two in two days
Sidebar: Unfortunately, that"s it...I don"t seem to have written up the last day but from what I can recall at this late date I didn"t do much other than hang out in the Poker Room making a few bucks here and there.
Downtown is definitely worth your time if you"ve done the whole "Strip" thing.
Hope you enjoyed it even with the downbeat end section but being that ill really but a crimp in some plans
Paulie
Paulie_D:
APAT Coventry: Friday, 25th March 2011.
"The Flesh Was Willing But The Spirit Was Missing"
The first APAT live event of Season 5 is in Coventry at the lovely G Casino at the Ricoh Arena and I left work at lunchtime to head up for the drive to my hotel, the Holiday Inn M6, Jct2. It sound like such an attractive name..conjuring up leafy glades and the like.or perhaps not.
Regardless, I made good time and the trip was uneventful with the exception of the very end. As I was about to turn into the hotel slip road as was forced into a slight detour as someone cut me up on the inside. Annoying, but it proved to be serendipitous as I was forced to drive past The Mount Pleasant, a Greene King/Hungry Horse pub just a couple of hundred yards up the road from the hotel. I'd forgotten about it from the previous trip to Coventry and this was a handy reminder of a place to eat.
Once I'd gotten back round the couple of roundabouts to the hotel I arrived bang on 3pm.
I'd gotten a very good rate of £39 a night for Friday and Saturday but I got a little bonus, of sorts when I checked in. The young lady on the reception desk went through all the normal procedures and said "Yes, Mr Davis, we have you for two night's Bed and Breakfast". Hmm, I don't remember booking that.I normally don't bother with booking breakfast as its usually overpriced and, equally normally, I not usually awake and/or compos mentis enough to be up a ready to eat by the time they've stopped serving.
Whatever, I thanked her and went off to the room. I unpacked and unlimbered the IT kit and checked my copy of the reservation and sure enough I'd booked at an even more advantageous rate than I'd thought. I suspected that it would be wasted though.
I recharged the phone and decided to get something to eat as my stomach was crying out for it. I drove over to The Mount Pleasant, ordered a pint (or two) and a plate of meat and chips. It's a decent enough place with reasonable prices and pleasant (sorry) service.
Replete, I drove over to the G Casino arriving about 5pm (as I recall). As I'm coming down the escalator I see Glen Laming has already arrived but he's the only face I know. Having said that there weren't many people about, early for a Friday I suppose.
Deciding that I should pace myself (as I have to drive back to hotel tonight), I settle on a cup of tea rather than diving headlong into the alcohol. As it turns out I'd somehow managed to miss the presence of Craig MacGuinness.although how I have no idea.but he'd brought company in the forms of Ray(?) and Cath.both of whom were at similar volumes to Craig which, if I had to guess, would be around 13.
The casino opened a cash table for us and much against my usual preferences I sat down. I'd already decided to give the £15 chip chucking comp that was on tonight, primarily because it was self dealt. As it turns out this was a good idea on two fronts, firstly because there were allegations of deck rigging and cardsharping from what I heard third hand.
Secondly, because I made a pretty good profit (for me) ending about £70 up from a £50 buy-in. That went straight in the skyrocket.
The cash game filled up but other APATers had started arriving, Jack Prime for one, and since I was the only APAT left in the game, I took my profit and headed back to the bar area.
Des and Sian arrived and I think I saw him buy a round but keep it to yourselves; he doesn't want that information getting out.
Now look.don't get me wrong, it was a grand night and all, and even though I only had a modicum of beer to stay under the limit (well mostly, Officer) there was something missing. The group was more subdued than normal..oh, Craig was as boisterous as ever and we had a good laugh, but still.it niggled at me for a long time before I twigged what it was.
Yes, Ger.it was you. Without you there, it just wasn't the same. There as no-one driving the conversation to its normal extremes, no-one starting the rounds of shots of black sambuca or Jaegermeister, no-one suggesting trips to "gentlemen"s clubs"...
JUST.NOT.THE.SAME.
Don't do it again.
Eventually, I went back on the hot beverages before heading off to the hotel, around midnight I think and since Glen was also staying there, I gave him a lift. Glen stayed outside for a pre-bed ciggy so I wished him a good night and headed into my room.
Frankly, even though I hadn't overindulged, I was dead tired and crashed without any of my usual pottering around.
duke3016:
Last one I miss promise.......
AAroddersAA:
Nice write up again Paulie, do like reading your overviews. Congrats on another gold medal as well.
Paulie_D:
--- Quote from: AAroddersAA on March 29, 2011, 17:32:28 PM ---
Nice write up again Paulie, do like reading your overviews. Congrats on another gold medal as well.
--- End quote ---
No medals for the side events....gyped I tell you!
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