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                                                                                                  Flysrb Visits His Money

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                                         05.15.2017 And at the fall of the night, this city's made of light* 

 Hey Now! 4:30. Cell phone rings. Then the voice mail. The ringtone is a screaming guitar. It's Monday. I get up to check it. It's one of my contractors from work. So I call Ray Ray. He's filling in for me. Business taken care of. So I go ahead and get up. It's Downtown day.

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                                                          Here comes the sun.

 Négro and I hit the I-10 and in short order we are pulling into the Main Street Station. It's also 52º and I'm in my standard gear, a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Brrrrr. They are still in the midst of road construction damn near everywhere around here. To FSE.

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               I cut through MSS and the California to stay out of the cold. Immediately I notice the changes at the Cali. Fancy!

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                                                          Checking on Derek Stevens progress.

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                           One of the first things to go was the G&G Fremont, replaced by a Food Truck. For now.

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                                                                       Pop Up BBQ

                                               I shiver stroll up Fremont on my way to the Fremont.

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                                                                 My favorite intersection.

 At the Fremont. I head straight for the Top Dollar machines I did so well on during last year's A Pirate Looks at 60 trip

                                                                       What's this?

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 A row of Buffalo Grand machines where my Top Dollar was. They must have just moved them here. Roll the Buffallloooo there Jimmmmy-

                                          

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                                                   A Whole Herd O' BPOE (Best People of Earth?)

  Profit! Take that Top Dollar. Mark informed me later that there actually are still Top Dollar machines at the Fremont. Just not where they used to be. I consult my vpfree2 and search out the old school Pick 'Em Poker machines by the Keno Lounge.

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                                                               Ab'Dull was in a tussle

 The Keno Lounge is the epitome of DT Vegas. Dirty, dingy, and covered with cigarette ashes. My cell phone rings. Ray Ray again. Perfect. Every time I'm DT somebody from work calls. Just make sure the boss knows I'm earning comp time here. Pick 'Em Poker cost $50. Part of today's debauchery includes an MRB/ACG coupon walk. I don't run. Over to the BConn. Club I pull out a buffet coupon and my Emerald, the Shiny Green Card. Arlene looks up my account and tells me that with my play this morning- 1800 pts.- I don't need a coupon. I never even think to ask for a buffet comp from the BConn. Club at the Orleans. Arlene hooks me up. The last time I've been to this buffet was way back on our Vegas '08 trip for the seafood Buffet. Read about that trip at your own risk. Amateur Hour. Rene served me well.

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It was a very basic buffet. Nothing but breakfast food. Even the Sam's Club Town has a better selection. I was not impressed. 

                                                                        

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                                                         The inevitable Lonely Diner Table

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                                 I left the coupon for someone else to use. In the Men's Room.

 Next stop was the Gift Shop. I asked the clerk- who's name was also Rene- if they had shot glasses. He picks up one that says Las Vegas. No Rene, I mean with the Fremont logo. "I don't know." Well, this place is really small. And you don't know? "I'm just filling in. I work at the California Gift Shop." We look around and Rene spots one. I'll take 2. Yet another thing I collect. Mark too. Time to boogie.

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 Downtown Grand. Maybe 15 people in the joint. At the slot club, Donna gets me a new card. She asks about my pin number. I never created one. The only other time I was here I played craps at some ungodly early hour. The Pit Boss made me a card. We took care of that, and she loaded my MRB $10. FSP. I played 8/5 BP and turned that into $10. profit. I cashed out the ticket and played a hand of BJ with the $10. MP. Lost. That's a push. I walked back to FSE and made my way to the FSE Offices on the 2nd floor.

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          Inside the office I asked the receptionist Adriana if Scott was in. "He comes in about 11 or 11:30." Thanks, I'll be back.

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 ElCo. Smelled it before I even opened the door. It was bad enough with the stale smoke, but much worse with the perfume trying to cover up the stale smoke. At Jackie's Club, I activated my MRB coupon and kiosked a spin. $10. FSP. The exhibit was interesting.

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Fun fact: A guy I used to work with named Dave Ruben. His Dad , Col. Bob Ruben, has been living in the Palomino area near here since 1980. His next door neighbors are the Gaughans. We toured his estate during our Buffalo Hunting in the Desert trip. I found a Top Dollar Premium. Downloaded the $10. FSP and a twenty. Shit,shit,shit. Nuttin'...Good...bye. Outta this stinker. 

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                          The murals everywhere are insane. Then I came across these guys. 

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                                                        ATTICA!!!!! ATTICA!!!!!!

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                                                 5.....4.....3....2....1....RED-then walk 

 Seems like there's always that one guy. Or in this case chick. Personally, I didn't come all the way to the Valley to get run over. 

                                                               Zoltar

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                                                       and his American cousin  

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                                                                Pappy

 Continuing on the the coupon walk. The D. $5. for 50 points up to a hundy. Janae loads up my card. How much does a point cost Janae? "I have no idea." I elevated to Vintage Vegas and scored an old $1.Top Dollar machine. Insert coin. Twenty. Repeat. Didn't hit shit. Not once. $20.x2=10 pts. $5. per point. Ouch. I switched to a .25 Top Dollar. Cost me $60. To earn 30 points. Absolutely not at this rate! 
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                                            No wonder Derrick can afford to give away these every week!

       4Q. Slot club puppy Maggie. I used another one o' them coupons for $10. FSP. I know exactly where I'm headed.

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                                              Insert cardage. Download. Play. SCORE!

 It's getting harder and harder to find these machines. They removed the last one from Sam's Club and the one at the ElCo was missing too. Mirage took theirs out. The Venitian/Palazzo is getting rid of theirs. Too hard to maintain is my guess. I saw not one red cap in any machine here at 4Q. Next I walk across to Binions. Gotta get that pic taken right? I mean really. I can't help myself. If I stayed DT one time it would be different right? Aw, who am I kiddin'? I'd go home with dozens. 

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                                                                Cheeeese. 

Slot club puppy here is Shirley. Shirl looks up my card. Or tries to. "When did you use this card last?" I'm not too sure I've ever used it. "We are gonna sign you up as a New Member." Gee- thanks Shirl! I got a shiny new card, and I kept the old one too. (Yepper...those too) A $10. free ace card and play $10. get $10. Plus the MRB $10. FSP. Score! Then Shirl says " Come back after earning xxx points and spin the wheel. Can't remember the amount. Having trouble finding FSP machines. I finally find an Historic Penny Triple Double Stars. Being the Savvy Gamboler that I am, thanks in part to Royal Flusher, if I play this right, it shouldn't cost me a dime. I download the $10. FSP and play it through. Max bet is $2.50. 25 lines @ .10 a line. Every spin is a winner. Whenever I'm playing near one of these machines I always yell out-"Hit the Button!!" The players always seem to just let it keep on dinginginging. After a 4 spins the promo light came on. So I  downloaded the other $10. I was never up much over $20, and when I got down to $10 I cashed out. BJ seed money. I cashed out that TITO and went in search of a likely table. They are ALL 6/5. Jeez. The bad gamboling is oozing in from the Strip and dripping here. So I buy into a $5. shoe game. But down my free ace card and 2 red chips. Full table. Dealer forgets to deal me a card. She goes to call over the pit boss. I tell her forget about it and act like my chips aren't down. She's not having that. Pit Boss asks if everyone likes their hands 3 guys fold, 3rd base stays. Hand if finished out. 3rd base wins. Everybody is Happy. Next hand, drew a 6 to her 10. With the Ace that's a soft 17. Hit and drew a 10. She turns over a 5 and draws a 10. Winner, winner! I collect my chips and cash them out. +$20. Back at the players club Pup Shirl does her thing and tells me to go over to the wheel and Pup Muriel will show me what's what. I do and she does. I won a prize. Any idea what I get there Muriel? " A pair of Cheap Sunglasses to go with your beard huuumm..huuumm..huuummm..hummm."

                                                             No thanks Muriel.

 

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                              So this dude is so intent on his cardboard artwork he doesn't even notice me. 

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 So it's about 11:30. I go up to the FSE offices again. I'm here to meet today's local, Scott Roeben . He rums the Vital Vegas Blog and Podcast. Well, he doesn't rum it- he runs it. But the man has been known to consume Captain Morgan's and Diet. I ask after Scott to Adriana. Scott comes out and  I introduce myself. He's charming. Doesn't even phase him when a complete stranger walks into his daytime gig. Okay, I had sent Scott an email, but still! I have been reading his blog for a couple of years and listening to the podcasts since they began. Scott is currently on his 51st episode. They are both filled with all of the latest scoops from anywhere in the Valley. He does great in depth interviews too. Excellent writing. We chat a bit about DT. I give him my background. And my website. Not easy to remember.

                                                                  flysrb.com

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                                                           yepper, it's dangerous...

 So I pluck a fly from my hat and hand it to him. I tie them myself and I explain how it's done. Deer hair, chicken feathers etc. Now he can remember it easier. A deer hair popper (fly)+s+RB . Easy, right Scott? What a kicked back gentleman. Scott really lets his personality shine through in his work. I felt like I knew him already. Scott is a very genuine nice guy.  Tell Pappy I said "Didgeridoo!"     

                                                      This dude stops me on the street-

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                                                               Say Cheese William! 

 "Hey Man, I'll give ya $5. for a Doobie."  Hey Now, not holding, just a Tourista. "Names William, just moved here from the O.C."  

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One last play that doesn't involve the coupon walk. GG has Epic Monopoly. It's very hard to find this game.  Kinda like Jackpot Station.   Yepper, it's still in the same old spot. I invest a twenty and insert coin.  I only had 1 bonus. It was worth $20.

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                                                      good to see the Cali left these alone!  

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                                               The Finest in Swine Brassware- The Boar's Head Bar

 Négro ushers us towards the Strip. More exciting construction work to negotiate. We bob and weave. Lot's of wind damage and repairs.

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  We turn onto W. Sahara Ave. I'm looking for the new Lucky Dragon. About all I know is that it's on the right., and that there's almost no signs. The first turn I make turns out to be a private condominium. I try the next one. Well, it runs between 2 buildings. And then I spot a sign in 3 languages. Some print at the bottom. Self Park -->  Even the spaces are small. Even the spaces were small. I take the stairs and walk out between the 2 buildings. Either one looks like a prospect. Then I spot the Lucky Dragons. Found it.

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 Very elegant. I felt very out of place. Partly due to it's size. Or severe lack of. Think postage stamp. I walk over to the cage to score a chip. I wouldn't dream of even approaching a table. The cashier was friendly. Her boss was a blonde haired blue eyed American. I said I was impressed with everything except the signage, She agreed and that she hears the same thing all of the time. Chip me. See ya. At least parking has been free today. Back to the Hacienda, I register for the VP Tourney and pick up my packet. Then it's Mardi Gras Time.

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                                                            not much to offer here

                                                      Buffalo of the $4. mode....Jim?????

                                     

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                                                                 snort snort snort

 Aloft I make show preps. Oh, forgot to tell y'all. We're goin' for the Titties tonight. Zumanity. I used MyVegas for a ticket and bought the other. Sweet Ti I saw the show a few  years ago during Sweet Ti & RB's Royal Vegas Vacation. That was crazy. Talk around is that they have changed the show up. As long as there are still Titties! We Négro our way to the NYNY self park. Eventually. Meanwhile I missed the turn and had to actually drive on the dreaded Strip. But we did get to drive down the new Park Avenue past the Park Theater and the T Mobile Arena to the NYNY self park. We received a ticket to park with the help of a friendly MGM Contract Hostess. It's around 7 p.m. and the show is at 7:30. Mark needs to get a gift for his daughter, Lanie. It needs to be a lion. He figures that the MGM might just have one. Ya think? So we make the long journey across the Great Divide. People. Into MGM Grand. People. More people. We stopped by security and asked the whereabouts of an MGM lion. Store. "Just keep on, and on walking straight" So we walked on. And on. .

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                                                                       Found it

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 Mark scored his goodies and we made the reverse trip. Mark stashed his Pride in Négro and we found the theater and got in line. The theater is rather small. So there really aren't any bad seats. The Strawberry Sisters led off the festivities passing out the berries and fun. By the time the show started there were plenty of Titties. The show is for the most part about the same. We enjoyed it. 

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                                                                      Titties 

 Mark stayed on the Strip and of course I came home. I played some at the Mardi Gras but didn't do much but earn points. Last Chance was some Buffalo. Nopper. Last Chance Café is Subway. Busy frillin' day y'all. All that was missing was my Sweet Ti.

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                             TOTALS: Fremont- 1800 pts. Orleans- 6425 pts.        280125 slot points.

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                                    05.16.2017 Time is money, money love

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                          05.14.2017 But what can I do? 'cause I'm stayin' in.

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                                                                     * Neon Lights, Kraftwerk