Las Vegas

[Drunk Monk]

you get the honor of helping to dispose of andy's body.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Andy had it coming; he was a jerk.

[Drunk Monk]

...LB took this pic. As he was the groom, I had to abide.

[Drunk Monk]

I'm standing in the Venetian lobby, waiting for Dan to come downstairs. There's this Italian accordion player that is always there and this time he is accompanied by a short older Italian guy in a suit that looks like he just walked off the set of the Godfather. He is portly, balding and homely. He is accompanied by this stunning statuesque blonde in a shimmering sexy golden evening gown (it's morning, of course). The song is some traditional Italian ballad that I don't recognize. The singer totally nails it on an operatic magnitude. His crescendo is resounding in the marble dome of the lobby. All of us bystanders applaud heartily. And then it hits me, what the Venetian is all about. It's painfully obvious. It's Vegas mafia.

[El Dingo]

I concede DOOM photo of the year to DM.

I can take a shot in McCovey Cove anytime. DM with Vegas showgirls is unique.

I'm pretty sure. But then again...

[Drunk Monk]

The year's not over yet. Perhaps one of the brotherhood will still deliver a pic in a kayak w/showgirls and kick both our asses.

Hey, I made a funny. ED...premature... get it?

[cranefly]

I used to watch this game show called Concentration.
The board consisted of all these blocks, with images on the other side. Contestants would pick two of the numbered blocks, striving for a match. The game rewarded those with really good memories. I wasn't very good at it at all.

But when I look at DM's photo with the charming ladies, I'm picking up interference from another photo of DM with that same demented introspective look, bookended by charming ladies as well, only in that one DM is bald and wearing a saffron robe.

Am I imagining this?

[cranefly]

Lady Cranefly received the following email:

Congratulations! You have been selected for a follow-up appointment at an upcoming Jeopardy! contestant search for the Las Vegas area, exclusively for those who successfully passed the online test. This is the next step in becoming a Jeopardy! contestant. We have reserved the following appointment for you:

When: Monday, June 23rd

Time: 11:30 am

Where: Las Vegas, NV

I've searched all my spam folders for a similar congrats but just can't seem to find mine.
Anyway, we may both be headed to Vegas in late June.

[El Dingo]

It's probably legit in the sense of "we choose contestants that can make it to Vegas".

By 'legit' I mean they have screeners all over the country. Perhaps EVERYONE who enters is invited to Vegas (like a timeshare offer), but they are really appraised for a Jeopardy appearance. If they pass the 'test' they move on to the next level (prob in L.A.) if not, they leave some $ in Vegas.

[Drunk Monk]

Ironic that my last post on this thread was Legbone’s nuptials, especially after this: http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/s...5#pid72205

I didn’t ttt this thread for my last Vegas trip for LiB: http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/s...p?tid=4216

I’ll likely post about tomorrow’s trip here: http://brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/s...1#pid70711

[Drunk Monk]

Vegas is like that little worrisome skin tag on your cheek that blooms in full on Elephant man. I remember when D00M went and we could just walk up and down the strip, taking advantage of all the freebees, free beer, free hot dog, free tix to women's wrasslin, and make a day of it. Now you can't walk 10 ft without it costing another $20. Everything was so expensive, crowded, and in 100 degree heat. The night before I left I was looking at a cup of JD and half bottle of gatorade zero trying to decide which would make a better nitecap.

However, Stacy had a trick up her sleeve. Four aces - she surprised me with Sylvia Marx, Dina (my evil twin), Raz (former director of Rock Med now going by 'the unworthy one') and Leigh (Raz's partner and our friend from when Stacy was in the book biz and Leigh was with DownThere press). 

After this http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...9#pid72299 and this http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...0#pid72300 

I AM STILL SPINNING!

[Drunk Monk]

After checking out Shakedown Vegas & Dead Forever, we made it for Alexxa's, a restaurant at the Paris where we were staying, and I look up and there's Syl and Dina, grinning like cats who just stole your cheese. Needless to say, I was knocked out. We had lunch and drinks - I had a dish of poached eggs, wild mushrooms and seasoned polenta that was scrumptious, and almost $30. Then we went up to our room where we were met by another surprise - Raz & Leigh. Raz made laminates, which was really sweet. I was so good to be reunited with everyone. We'd all been to Vegas together for the Dead in various different crews under Raz. 

Dina had a ticket package for like two weeks from now with her partner and another good friend so she skipped the show. Raz & Leigh did too. The had dinner in the Eiffel tower. Syl invested in a ticket and wound up in the same row as us by chance. The three of us headed to the sphere...

[Drunk Monk]

We grabbed a cab to the Sphere, even though it wasn't that far. It was hot and we were short on time. The venue was efficient about getting all 18600 of us in and given that it's new, it's pristine. I treated myself to a shot of their well whiskey (JD).

Dm smuggled some shrooms on the flight by sealing them in lion's mane capsules. It was a mini micro dose, but by request. Dm prepped 4 capsules, originally 2 each, but Mrs. Dm generously split hers with Mrs. LB, and alone they were too micro to have any effect. DM took 2 which was just enough to get a little tingle. But in the end, it didn't matter. The Sphere was such a trip that psychedelics would've been icing. They weren't missed. At the very least, DM was pleased he could still smuggle some shrooms (although he did get nervous when his daypack spent extra time going through TSA).

After the show, we stumbled back to the Paris with the deadhead horde. Syl was amused by the puddle of nitrous snakes, but it was nothing in comparison to what I saw at Phish and Dead & Co last year. Raz and Dina were still running amuck on Fremont street, but it had been a long day (we all got up early to catch out flights) so we three decided to turn in. 

The next day, Dina would regale us with tales of drunken Raz and some casino where all the dealers were women dancers in fishnets. Dina won big on a penny slot - over $400. 

It was one more Saturday night...

[Drunk Monk]

On Sunday, we had breakfast at the Bellagio with Syl & Dina. Then I wanted to see Meow Wolf, so Stacy and I walked 2 brutal miles off the strip in the blistering heat. We crossed a hwy overpass that was full of trash and we couldn't tell if it was blood stains or ketchup. Went past a major dispensary and a porn shop, both the size of large warehouses. We arrived at Area 51 just in time.

Area 51 is like where all the Burners keep their props when not on the playa. It's filled with wild psychedelic art. There are several zones and bars. I was focused on Meow Wolf, but Stacy was put off by the Omega Mart entrance (which is a big supermarket spoof) and the $70 entrance fee. She decided to just hang out while I spent about two hours in there. 

Meow Wolf is like the Exploratorium but instead of being about science, it's about art. There's a strong Burning Man vibe. Each room has a different installation. There's a binding storyline - if you buy into a special card that unlocks a maze and the story (but that was another $5 I think and I was already smarting from the $70). The story was something about the Omega Mart being a portal to a dimension where some experiment mutated - I didn't engage that at all. There's a series of catwalks going to three levels of chambers. Every chamber had trippy lights and displays. There was a laser organ that you could play by breaking the beams. There was a strobe room that nearly gave me a seizure and I had to struggle to escape. There was a bejeweled skeleton, lots of infinity mirrors, several stations where you could interact with programs and such, secret passages (every hatch led somewhere - it was meant to be engaged). There was a funky bar where I grabbed a cocktail made from whiskey and cleaning fluid (sprayed into the drink from a mock windex bottle). 

I thoroughly enjoyed Meow Wolf, but having seen it, I doubt I'd do it again. Too pricey. I might do a different one as the themes vary from location to location. It was fun, trippy fun. 

Area 51 has another complex called Wink World which I've had recommended by friends after seeing Meow Wolf. I don't know if I'll get back there but I'd check that out. It's supposed to be cheaper.

[Drunk Monk]

The Eagles is the next Sphere residency?

Weak.