St Louis. I had same question and then went back to the original post.

See, now you can razz me! Thanks.

Like I said, we are alike. Sorry to insult you.

Who among us has not bet KK into trup QQ?

If so, throw the first chip.

GoGoGoGo OP.

May Lord Variance be on your side.

I'm in for the Seinfeld refrrences


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Ok i will get to the trip report shortly. Got home from Vegas in the middle of the night and had to get my son to soccer game hours later. I planned on live reporting but i was avoiding my phone as work decided i wasn’t on vacation and called every morning at 6am to say hello. I had a few words with my analysts today. That is, after i tried to identify what all had been stolen from my car.

Here are a couple quick photos to start







I was so excited to try Sadelles. I had been to Cafe Bellagio many times, and it wAs always dependable. But the hotel needed a fresh change, and a NY name place should do it. See that photo of breakfast? It’s good to see the menu hasn’t changed! And apparently the staff. And the food looks the same. Hmm.

The sign says Sadelles, and they do now stay open late, and serve a broad lunch menu, but breakfast was a dud! Eggs were ok. Same with bacon. The bagel was spot on. The hash brown smash pad was a definite fail.

Sadelles: 6/10, because i badly needed coffee and Starbucks was too far away.


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One quick note. I went to Sadelles at 8am. There was no one in line. that’s a bad sign


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I wish this was my bankroll! But, alas, i took half of one of these to start and most all of it is gone. It was a rough trip highlighted by near misses and eventually one bad play.


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First morning in town i was exhausted from travel and headed to the pool at Bellagio to swim a few laps and wAke up after breakfast. I’ve never had to wait past 9am to check in, but the Gold desk was preparing me for a long wait this time. She gave me keys, but no room, and said enjoy my day and they would text me when my room was ready. Problem ensuing, i needed to leave by noon or so for golf at Bali hai.

noon arrives, no room for me. Time to grab my bags form the bellman and get dressed in the bathroom. I hate dong this but i was lugging all my stuff to Bali hai.

I get to Bali hai and the first three people i see are luffing in bags to change clothes. Lol

On the first hole, you get a decent view of the new Raider’s stadium. It looks like it will be very nice! I love the shade of steel they are using. Actually, from the renderings it looks cool, but right now it’s just a shell.



I par the first hole, and we are off!


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Bali Hai is a wide open resort course, surrounded by an interstate on one side, a parking lot off the back and a quiet little international airport on the back nine. That said, it plays well to the eye, and they keep it in great shape. Also, they still have Parmates out there so it can get cringeworthy watching the old guys hit on the young girls.

I played really well on the front, and shot 40. I was ecstatic with this score for the first round of the year, in the wind. A guy in our grouping had putting mirrors or some crap out on the practice green beforehand, and it was fun to see the “club pro” in “Fowler” get up from head to toe have a horrible day.




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hole 9 is a short par three and the pro was on the tee box offering Vegas style gambling. Bet on your shot, and if you miss the green, you get your bet in credit in the pro shop. Hold the green, and you get double.

I wAs going to buy a shirt, and i asked how much the bet was. He says whatever you want, the last guy who tried bet $25. Huh? I want a shirt, screw $25.

I hand him $100 and say it’s one shirt, or two. And then he gives me shot advice. Note to future post: this next piece of advice is short on the expertise we got at Shadow Creek.

He says the card says 157. Everyone is coming up short or way long. Really? They aren’t all going right in the hole?

I ask what distance he thinks it’s playing. He says right at it hit 150. I tell him 150 puts me on the sidewalk back left of the green.

I grab an 8 iron, Choke way down and aim 10 yards right of the pin. Play a slight draw. Hit the green dead center, and watch it roll all the way left, right past the pin, and stop four yards from the edge.

I turn to him and ask, you aren’t giving me free credits today are you?

He gave at least one, and left with his sign for the club house.




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The back nine for some reason seemed way more wind affected than the front. I think a few holes play higher into open air, or along the outside, but it was noticeable. Yes, after in the day, but it felt the terrain and hole direction played a role.

13 is a par four, up hill, playing 458 on the card. Dead into the wind. I hit one of my best drives of the day, and I’m still 210 from the pin. ouch. The last time i played this hole i hit three wood, then six iron into the green. Today, i pull three wood again (except from 210 out!) and choke down, put it back in my stance, and fire away. Far left side of the green, and I’m the only one in the group who gets a par, and gets to play it as a par four.

18 is in the opposite direction. 468 yards. And downhill a bit. It’s a pretty hole, with a large sand trap down the right side. And the water doesn’t come into play for 350 yards.

Here is my view, from my drive.



375 yards!!! Payback for 13. I grab an 80 yard 56 degree wedge, and it’s playing 93 yards. Birdie?!?!

No, this time let’s put it in the fake sand, all crushed rock bunker, right under the lip.

Par?!?! Nah, let’s crush it off the rocks, hit the lip, and send it past the pin 10 feet. Then a brutal attempt at a par putt. Say hello to bogie.


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Enjoying your golf tales.

Can you explain this to me please,

A guy in our grouping had putting mirrors or some crap out on the practice green beforehand, and it was fun to see the “club pro” in “Fowler” get up from head to toe have a horrible day.

Someone in his group took himself/golf way too seriously including setting up devices to aid practice in the warm up area and dressing in bold colors like a popular golf pro.

Yes, now I see it,, haha

Loving this TR.

Never heard of that bet against the pro thing. Fun idea.

So the correct play is know exactly what you want to buy and the cost, and bet half that amount. Either you get it for 50%, or you still purchase it anyways.

This guy was dressed in Puma from head to toe, all black with a white belt. He thought he was Rickie Fowler. When i pulled up to the putting green, he had this mirrored putting aid, with tees attached to it, to help fix his stroke and line up putts. This was something you might use in your living room, not on a real course. I hate to say he looked like a douche, but let’s say he was the least approachable of the four in our group. And he took it way too seriously.

On 13 tee box, straight into the wind, he waited forever as he predicted a downturn in the wind. Now a weatherman, I’m shocked he didn’t pull out a wind gauge. I will look online for a picture of the contraption he had, it was a ridiculous addition to the practice green.

Oh, he also raced up to his buddy before a shot and laid a club down to show how out of sync the guys syncs was. Really? The guy who is beating you on every hole? Ok Hank Haney!


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Exactly. I got there early an knew exactly what the shirts i wanted cost just by chance. When i told the guy i wanted to bet $100, he cringed. I think they thought this was a $25-30 gig, but i wanted a shirt anyway, and two would be a bonus.


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I have a room! Four comped nights with fountain view. Last time i stayed on this floor as well. This must be where they hide all the freeloaders. I love Bellagio for a few reasons. The location on the Strip makes it easy to get to various places, and the distance it’s set back from the Strip keeps the riff raff out, because it’s a hike to come inside. Walking the Strip this trip was more depressing than usual. I saw way more families out late, way more parents stoned and drunk with kids in tow.

I will always love Vegas, but i love it on my terms. I want to escape all the work crap (yeah, they found me anyway) and stresses of life. My favorite trips involve my wife, but coming alone or with guys allows me to crash and watch hours of games, or golf and not feel like i need to hurry back.

Bellagio has a great pool area. I didnt do Cypress this trip, because my days were broken up by golf or March Madness. But the regular pool worked just fine.


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First night’s dinner was at the bar at Nobu, as i headed to Caesar’s to upgrade to Diamond using my Gold Mlife card. I tend to eat the same things here every trip, and this was no different. Please excuse the mid meal shots, as i was so hungry i started eating before i grabbed my phone.



Yellow tail jalapeño 9/10

It’s a signature for a reason and the citrus sauce really makes this dish. Always fresh. And i got two hot jalapeños which is always a bonus



shi****o peppers 8/10
I love these! Love finding the hot ones. This batch seemed more heavily sauced than those i remember, but it’s hard to complain about a standby dish at a great restaurant.



Ok now I’m slacking. I apparently ate two rolls before i remembered to snap a pic.

Yellowtail jalapeño roll 9/10

I almost liked this one better. I love rice, these are easier for me and my poor chop stick action as well.

Now, i also had two grapefruit on the rocks drinks.

8/10 these would have been right at home on a craft cocktail list, so they get a high score

The couples next to me on both sides were in for a convention, and the dichotomous tone of conversations were striking

Couple #1 were married and trying tasting menu, never been there before. They were sweet and new to their industry (real estate) and had big wide open dreams.

Number two was a business meal, with two married (not to each other) vendors working the convention. The insurance guy trying to wow the software lady. Not romantically, just wanted to be important.

I liked her. She was great and laughed at all my jokes. Him, i know him. Not personally, but his type. Years on the road can ruin a man. They start becoming who they want to be in their mind, even as the misery is written on their face

He big timed the whole meal, and ordered all the miso cods and flaming wagyu he could find. He didn’t care what it tasted like, he wanted to look cool.

Man, after golf, and now this take down, maybe I’m getting old and cynical?

The best part, he asked the bartender for a Japanese IPA. Of which they had two. One had two names.

He says,” that sounds heavy” huh? Just because he said a Japanese name how on earth would the name signify heaviness in the beer? It became our running joke.

The lady offered me part of her dish, as she was overwhelmed by he food at this point. I told her, it just sounds heavy, i stick with one word foods.

The culmination was the bill, where he realized she was payingfor half, and his sugar daddy big timing didn’t impress. It impressed me though, as the bartender let me pick between mine, and theirs, for swiping for points!!! My bill was $200. I ate well, i left satisfied.

Theirs? $800! And i will be swiping over there me bartender.


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That looks almost like the view I had last trip, and mine was free as well, so you are on to something!

You sir, are truly a legend.

Getting to swipe for $800 meal / points. Sick!!!

So which casino/corps swipe for points on things other than gaming? I have a friend who is pretty sure he got MLife comped room (not in Vegas) solely due to a very high end meal. I thought only gaming was involved.

So MLife properties swipe for points?
What about:
Wynn?
Venetian?
Total Rewards?