206th st. Reunion & Paddleball

So last week we had a 206th st reunion up in Congers, it was a blast, saw a few friends that i haven't seen in, jeez, 25 years. ran into some friends i see every now and then. it was definitely like old home week with less hair, especially me and maybe  a lb or 2 more.  Somehow i let my self get talked into playing paddleball on a future weekend. You know when you are having fun you agree to most everything. The problem was i haven't played since i was like 17 yrs old.

Well that weekend was today. Met Anna, my neighbor, Laura Leigh, one of those i haven't seen in 25 yrs, and some dude i didn't know. All i envisioned was missing the ball, falling on my face, getting hurt, straining body parts i don't use or know that i even have.

you know what, it was fun. After the first game i  slowly got back to into playing shape, by the fourth game i was that 17 yr old kid, lots of hair, skinny, etc..  ok i really wasn't feeling that young but i definitely could have played 5 or 6 more games.

off to Dicks Sporting Goods to get a paddle and some balls.  no comments on that last line please...

Beer To Go

This is what i love about Vegas, beer in to go cups, walking around the mall with a beer in my hand, sweet...

Hard Rock Casino and Carlos Santana

so after a day of hanging out at the Venus Pool, drinking fruity drinks and beers, it was off to the Hard Rock Casino to eat and see Carlos Santana at the Joint. Sat around the sports book, drinking New Belgium Fat Tires, watching the Yankees and the Rangers. Then it was off to the Pink Taco for mexican food and margaritas and then to the Joint to see Devadip Carlos Santana who preceded to blister my brain with his guitar playing. it was a very good show, they played for more than 2 1/2 hours. After waiting a half an hour for a cab, it was off to the Mirage for some more Let It Ride Poker.

Venus Pool - The Adult Pool

Adult Pool

Caesars pool complex is crazy, there at least 6 pools throughout the pool area but the one pool that i was at three times was the Venus Pool, which is an adult only pool. It is really just a hangout space for the hotel to sell you bottle service liquor, expensive fru fru drinks and food. The place was very casual, no drama no preening, just people hanging out enjoying the day.

The gimmick here is that they have cabanas and day beds that you could reserve with a minimum of several $100's up to $1,000 based on day and time of day. I just hung out in the free lounge chairs and preceded to spend a ton of money on these expensive drinks and beers.

And yes, since this is an adult pool, i did go topless..

Downtown Vegas and PURE

So from the airport, back to hotel to change into nicer clothes and cabbed it down to Fremont Street, which is where the original casinos are, to Nick and Anthony's Steakhouse at the Golden Nugget.

Fremont Street Experience

They closed off Fremont Street years ago and put in this metal structure for 5 blocks that they show animated shows, on the hour every hour, from 8PM until....

We ate steaks and drank martinis at Nick and Anthonys, after dinner we walked and played at the Sam Boyds Fremont, Binions, and the 4 Queens. I found a beer store where i actually found an Alaskan Brewery White Ale to drink while walking around. This area gets very sketchy at late, late night.

Went back to Caesars, and bro, sis and myself went to the nightclub PURE, located in Caesars, and wound up in the VIP Room, drinking rum for hours.

View from the VIP Room at PURE

At 3:30AM we went across the street to the Flamingo to lose more money.

I am going to be hurting tomorrow.

Long Beach Cali

Aquarium

The Pacific

Queen Mary

up and out at 6:30am to the airport, cabbie tries to rip me off by telling me his speedometer is broken and the fair should be higher, as soon as the pen and paper came out, conversation ended. Long Beach Airport is very small, walk down stairs from the plane onto the tarmac before entering terminal which looks like a bunch of trailers butted together. Went to the aquarium, the Belmont Brewing Company for lunch and beers, kind of got lost and wound up sight seeing at the Port of Long Beach and then went to the Queen Mary to check it out before we headed back to the airport for a 5:30pm flight.

I finally got to Cali and saw the Pacific Ocean, very cool

Too Much Info

Boxers vs Briefs

i am a boxer brief type guy but in my frugality i bought briefs because you get more undies for your money. I wound up wearing them once and tossing them out. What the hay, i am living large in the Penthouse suite so i can afford to toss them, ha ha ha