Just in this afternoon and right now I am kinda beat as it has been a long travel day. This is my covid vaccine celebration trip. I booked in early Feb right after I got my first shot. I gotta tell you after 14 months in the basement watching Netflix I am really excited about this trip. Plus the weather here is perfect after a long crappy, cold, snowy Chicago winter. If you are familiar with my past TR's this one won't be much different. Lots of food pics and my trials and tribulation playing the pokerz.



I am staying at The Cosmopolitan. Rates were way lower everywhere else but I chose Cosmo for a reason. I really do like the hotel but the clientele is pretty douche. I hope that doesn't make me a douche? But my main reason was the terrace. I like my mornings in the sun reading and listening to music. But back in Feb pool capacities were limited with masks required. To tell you the truth I'm not sure they still aren't? Anyway I wanted an escape clause just in case the pool rules suck and a nice sunny terrace will do that for me. The view is okay.



After unpacking I needed food bad as I hadn't eaten in over 12 hours. As always my first meal was the spicy cashew chicken at Cheesecake factory. This might be my favorite meal on the planet. The rub was I had to wait 40 minutes for a table. This 50% capacity deal is gonna put a wrench in my eating habits although I did plan ahead and have dinner reservation for both Thursday and Friday. After that I guess I wing it?



The spicky chicken was outstanding as always. For dessert I had the cinnabon swirl cheesecake and it too was outstanding. But for as hungry as I was I didn't quite finish either chicken or the cheesecake. CCF gives mammoth portions..



After dinner I headed for Caesars poker room. I wasn't really feeling it and the game sorta sucked but I played for about and hour and half and won big. +$26. I am pretty tired and still have some organizing to do in the room. But I will be here for 7 days (I usually only come for 4 or 5) so there will be plenty of time to play too much

<3 the Cosmo rooms. Having a balcony is awesome. Have a great trip!

+1

It has to be good walking/running weather in Vegas. Have fun!

Looking forward to more, mrb! Have a nice stay.

Slept like crap last night which is typical. It always takes me a day or two to get used to a new bed and pillows. So I was up early and took my morning hike. First I just wandered around Cosmo for a while. Then I headed to the Bellagio conservatory which is always worth a look. It seemed less impressive than usual but still worth seeing.





Bellagio had one each of 1-2 and 2-5 going both with short lists. Then I headed to Aria. They also had one each 1-3 and 2-5 with no list. Then I went over to Planet Hollywood and they had no games going. I like Cosmo as a poker destination because you are surrounded by these 3 rooms.

Then I hit The Henry at Cosmo for breakfast. One of my Vegas food traditions is eggs benedict first breakfast in town. Henry is a solid breakfast joint and the eggs were outstanding.



Gonna head down to the pool at 8am opening. They have a big sign at the entrance that says masks must be worn at all times except when eating or drinking I will be bringing a big bottle of water which I will at least feign drinking from at all times. If things seem too strict I will just hand on the balcony.

I like The Henry as well. I got an article in my news feed yesterday that STK is reopening brunch starting this weekend with lobster or pork belly benedict (or other steak options, obviously). It might be worth a look.

Your TRs are always a good read. GL

Good luck! How have you found the poker experience with masks and plexiglass?

Hit the pool for a couple hours and it was beautiful out there. Despite signs stating masks MUST be worn nobody was wearing masks so that was good. I am not a big fan of the pool chairs though and find the chair on the terrace much more comfortable so I will likely spend more time there. But the boulevard pool is really nice. Not sure about the other one?

This is where I spent my time



The main part



And from above



After sunning I dicked around for a while before heading to the Venetian. I went there because that was where I had a dinner reservation for tonight. I played for a couple of hours in a great game but I was totally card dead and just couldn't get anything going in a real laggy fishy game. By dinner time I was down $19.

The past few trips Yardbird at the Venetian has become one of my favorite must have dinners in Vegas. I got what I always get there. The fried chicken and skillet cornbread. Both are outstanding. I hadn't eaten since those eggs benedict so I was really hungry.





On my way back towards Cosmo I went to Flamingo and the poker room was packed with quite a list so I kept moving. I went to Bally's and ther were only 2 games going with seats available so I grabbed one. This was a really crappy game and I made a couple of questionable plays but still totally card dead. When the game finally broke I was down $129. So the poker so far this trip has been lackluster but I hope to turn that around with the weekend coming.

Totally exhausted I just decided to go back to the room to chill and hopefully get a good nights sleep. I'll be back at it tomorrow probably at Aria or Bellagio. I plan to play the 11am Wynn $300 tourney on Saturday.

I really hate masks I have had more time in a mask in the past two days than the past year prior to this trip. They never bothered me to pop one on for 20-30 minutes to buy groceries or something but extended wear is a drag.

I actually like the plexiglass. Mainly because there are a lot of fat ass slobs at poker tables who inevitably encroach into your personal space. It makes sitting at the table more comfortable but being 8 handed can account for that as well. But even at 8 handed with no plexiglass some guy will spread himself out too much.

Masks are the f**king nut low! And that rule about wearing it at the pool seems silly, given there is no mandatory mask mandate out on the strip.

GL at the tables!

Thanks for your thoughts. When this pandemic started I said I wouldn't play live again until no mask required. Now that my second vaccination is near, I'm getting the otch but now sure how enjoyable it will be.

Yeah, this is no way to live life although nobody wear them inside resuarants

Last night I was totally spent after a long day and crappy nights sleep. But I hit the pillow and was out for 9 hours straight. I feel much refreshed today. Got up did a little hike and ended up back at the Henry for breakfast. I had the Big Brioche French Toast and by big they mean BIG! This is an enormous amount of food. There has to be close to 3/4's of a loaf of bread in those two slices. I ate one slice and it seemed like too much But I love French Toast and suck at making it so always make sure to get some when on vacation.



Just sunning and reading on the terrace this morning and will clean up soon and go try to get in a poker game. I much prefer the balcony to the pool. You have your bathroom, your fridge, a more comfortable place to sit and access to your laptop so you can update trip reports

man, it's been ages since i had eggs benedict

Have you tried Bouchon for breakfast in the V? Amazing food without the enormous quantity. Also, the best coffee in LV.

Always love reading your TR's, try running better at poker!!!

Looks like you're sure eating well (:

Thanks. The food is all part of the allure for me but I can tell you tomorrow will be much lighter and much cheaper. Until this trip I had only been to a restaurant twice in the past 14 months and I am enjoying that part of it. But tonight was my last dinner reservation so I will be winging it from here on and like I said lighter and cheaper.

Just chilling in the room right now letting dinner digest before heading out for more poker. After and enjoyable morning on the balcony I cleaned up and headed to the Aria for some poker. I played for about 4 hours and the game was fantastic. Lots of huge pots and limpy fishy play. Unfortunately I was still extremely card dead but I did manage to lasso a couple of those big pots after getting ground down early. It was to the point where I had to get ready for dinner and cashed out +213. My chip porn is unimpressive but it's better than no chip porn This was pretty much my peak.



I had a dinner reservation set up for Gallaghers Steakhouse at the NYNY. I had always wanted to try it due to the allure of their meat display.



I got the porterhouse and garlic parmasian fries. Both were excellent. But service and ambiance paled to other LV steakhouse I have visited but the food was great.



Not that I needed I grabbed a piece of Milk Bar pie from the Milk Bar at Cosmo. This stuff is awesome. They used to call it Crack pie and that' better name because it is so addictive. Like I said tomorrow I eat lighter!



I think I will try Planet Hollywood tonight since I haven't played there yet and always had good times in that room.

Good gawd, by the time I get up in Vegas, the sun is right overhead.

Great read, thanks for sharing. Have fun.

Last night after dinner I went across the street to Planet Hollywood to play. Friday night and there were only a couple of games going and they all looked crappy. The one I got in sure was The plexiglass at PH is very haphazard. Some seats are very wide and some very narrow. I got the ver narrow and it sucked hard. I was only there for one hand though as the lady at the end of the table busted out and I moved there. It was a very wide At least 4 or 5 players filtered through the vary narrow seat as it is just too uncomfortable.

Anyway I played for a couple of hours still relatively card dead before the table broke. At that point I cashed out my $38 winner and came back to get some sleep. The game was pretty brutal though with little action.

Slept great again last night and am finally really comfortable with the bed and pillows. Plus my body clock has adjusted better than normal and I am not waking up at 4am but a more reasonable 5:30. Took a nice hour and a half stroll down the strip to get some early steps in. I have been getting 12-13 miles a day so far this trip. I wandered down to MGM to see if thewy had any poker going but they are on a reduced schedule 4pm-4am and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Looks like I won't be playing at MGM.

You would think with over a year to get the infrastructure just right Vegas would have everything running like clockwork. But nah.



I don't I have ever been here when more than 50% of these strip overpass escalators have been working.

I wander around to the stadium area and took some obligatory photos of the naked lady statue.



I really like walking the strip early before it is teeming with mobs of people. I like the desolation.



The plan for today is to chill on the balcony and get some sun until around 9:30. Then I will get cleaned up and start wandering down to the Wynn. I am going to play the 11am $300 tournament. Haven't eaten anything yet but plan to grab something on the way there closer to tourney time. It won't be photo worthy probably just some sort of fast food breakfast sandwich. With any luck I will be leatherassing it all day long and going deep to a cash. I really like tourneys and have generally done okay in them out here.

Me too

I work nights and 04:00 to 07:00 is probably my favorite time of day... The gangsters and hookers are usually asleep by then and the squares haven't gotten up yet, feels like you're the only person on earth

this all sounds like my kind of Vegas holiday - big American meals, mandatory french toast, poker and chilling.

Have fun!!! it seems I'll have to continue my London online living a while longer :-(

Well today hasn't gone to plan so far I busted out of the tourney early after about an hour. KK vs. AA doesn't work out so well when you don't spike another King. I pondered going straight to the Aria to play the 1:00 $140 but am planning on doing that Monday. So I headed to the Bellagio to try some cash. Played a little over 3 hours and it was another brutal run of cards. I may have played 4 or 5 hands total but it was enough to squeeze out a $23 winner. I have to start getting some premium hands sometime right? I am gonna try again tonight at the Aria.

The Wynn always has interesting lobby art.



All I had to eat was a nice healthy 300 calorie Subway andwich but after that Bellagio session I was really hungry so I decided to get another of my must have meals out of the way. Holsteins! The burgers are great but I really love their onion rings. They used to only some in one size but now they have large and small. I got the large and it was a mistake because I only ate half of them. I got the Nom Nom Burger and it was outstanding. I think I am done eating for the day



Last night when I returned to the Cosmo after playing at PH I had to show my room key to get in the building. I guess they are trying to keep the riff raff out? I knew they were doing this in the summer when LV was having a few issues but I didn't think they were still doing it. Then again the typical Vegas tourist right now seems be a notch or 3 below normal. Then again rates were so cheap when I booked this trip it has become ultra affordable.