I’ve been absolute shite about keeping this up to date but I’ve got an update that I think needs sharing somewhere off the ‘social’ media’.
I’m headed to Vegas tomorrow for CES. This will be my third year attending but this year is a little different: I’ve joined the Canadian Delegation to represent SAIT (and Alberta/Canada) at the show on behalf of Applied Research. Myself and Emerson Burns (see our Bios here) will be at the show and at the Canadian Pavillion manning a booth for a bit of time. I’ve embedded a map below in case anyone might be interested. Blue pin, top left is where we’ll be for a couple days during the show.
The combination of fear and exhilaration is astounding; something that I’ve seen innate value in for the past two years finally becoming something we might use as a vehicle into more potential projects.
I hope I don’t fuck this up, I hope that we can derive some real value out of this and that it turns into something we contribute to on an annual basis. I hope this is something that I can build off of and develop new streams of potential project partners, close to home and abroad.
Don’t expect a ‘Facebook dump’ of selfies and activities while we’re away; I think my boss wants to hedge a bit and see how this trade mission goes before announcing our participation to stakeholders that might look down their nose at two ARIS employees being sent to Nevada simply because of the location without considering the value of the mission. Though when the weekend starts and the pressure has lessened you might get a couple of photos posted of Emerson and I blowing off some steam.
Stop for a beer (Sin City Stout and Weissbier are AWESOME)
Shop at Sephora
Wander through the Cosmo to check out potential dinner locations
Get a bus to the Towne Square Shopping mall
Visit the Sugar Land shop to buy candy (mmmm candy corn)
Watch a movie (Mary Poppins Returns)
Go for dinner at the Yard House. Amazing Jambalaya and Sly loved the Nashville Chicken)
Attend Xmas Santa and Snow event! Great fun!
Get bus back to the Strip
Stop at Walgreens for more water and snacks
Return back to the hotel
Provide wife with Netflix on the TV
Head downstairs to gamble a bit and make MGM appreciate my loyalty
Back upstairs to record the day, listen to some videos and have some relaxation time.
This was a perfect day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Though we’re not really planning anything, a visit to the North Outlet Shoppes and a late lunch at Pizza Rock are on the agenda. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to spend some time at a table if I can find something for Sly to get up to.
Spent a good part of the day working interspersed with Vegas-type activities: eating, gambling and (not) being entertained.
The Excalibur buffet is barely adequate. If you can stand boring staples like scrambled eggs, cold French toast and stale bread you’ll be able to find something to fill your belly. It won’t win any awards and we my last resort simply because I had resort credit (geddit?) left over. If you have other options take advantage of them.
I then played some craps and Blackjack for an hour or two. I’ve found myself lucky at craps lately winning or breaking even on most of my sessions. It’s a complicated game but almost completely luck based. It’s really about choosing the best of the many bets available and sticking with them.
Blackjack didn’t go so well and I’m down all week, at least in my normal haunts. Wednesday I walked up to a $5 table at the Freemont Hotel and Casino and walked away about $100 up. So weird but really has to with the variance a player will meet depending on what unit he’s playing. At $5 units, I was up around 20 units. If I’d been playing $25 units and been up 20 units that would have been a win of $500. Crazy.
The rest of the afternoon was chill: some gambling, some breaks with food and coffee and then I needed to decide how I was going to end my time in Vegas. Had to be old school! Great meal, some gambling and a show!
I got cleaned up and put on the suit. If I was going to do it, I was going to do it right! Decided I’d be best served by visiting The Orleans so I made my way over there. Upon arrival, I checked Open Table for a reservation at The Prime Rib Loft. This was not a cheap meal but I really wanted to celebrate on my last night and the place definitely rocked it.
They sat me at a table all by my lonesome, pulling the table out slightly so I could slide into the back. I had an Old Fashioned made with a very kind Buillet bourbon. Ordered the four cheese onion soup (really good, cheese was very rich) 14 oz prime rib Gambler’s cut (of course!) with a loaded baked potato and a salad. Wow, what a meal! I took my time and enjoyed the sounds of the casino below along with the ambient sounds of the restaurant.
Prime Rib!
After the meal was complete, I decided I would see a movie at the theatre attached to the casino. Hell Fest (what a masterpiece. of shit) started at 2300 so I had an hour or so to play before heading up. Bought in for $100 at one of the craps tables and played, slow and easy, until I had to go up. Walked away from the table with $175 and realized that paid for my meal, not to mention any comps that might go along with my play.
Headed up to the theatre and almost fell asleep during one of the worst movies I’ve seen in some time. Just don’t bother, you’ll only disappoint yourself.
Movie let out just before 0100 and got a bus back to my hotel, to pack my shit and get ready for the flights home.
This was a great trip: I got a chance to do a bunch of things that I’ve not done before and explore more of the city. So much is changing in Vegas that I’m wondering if, in the very near future, what I enjoy about it won’t overcome the things that are changing: poor gambling conditions, resort fees, lack of value on the strip. That last one’s been changing for a decade so I’m not sure there’s a chance to turn it around yet.
No matter. I’ll continue these trips until something else comes along that might allow me to explore and do things that I can’t do here.
Today was a split between doing work (actual work) for half the day and then heading downtown for the rest of the day. In fact I’m still here, enjoying a couple old fashioneds in the container park before heading back to Freemont to catch one of the night shows.
I played some BJ at the Freemont casino at a 5$ table for 30 minutes and came out ahead. Then off to Pizza Rock for dinner. A wander up the road to the container park for some drinks. Great day.
Since I didn’t post any pictures today I’ll just create an album.
Already started my day with a cool shower, hot shave and a not terrible buffet at the Excalibur. I say not terrible because it was free and the food filled the hole in my stomach.
I’m at the Town Center, which is an outdoor mall of higher quality. I wouldn’t normally shop here and today is no exception. I’m attending a screening of Fahrenheit 11/9, the new documentary by Michael Moore. It’s done very poorly almost everywhere so I’m trying to catch it while it’s still in theatres. I almost feel bad supporting the movie but the topic is interesting to me. I might share how I felt about it later.
After the movie, I’ll probably take the bus down to the southern outlet mall and pick up some shoes and other odds and ends that appear to be cheaper down here.
