[b-ball23]

Hey Fellas,

I will be in Vegas at the end of this month for two nights (couldn't do three unfortunately). I'm trying to make the most of these nights since I don't have a lot of time! We'll be staying on the strip and getting a table at 1OAK on a Saturday night. I've heard 1OAK has nowhere to sit so I'm hoping to use that to my advantage.

I've read a couple of the previous Vegas threads on here and it seems like the aggressive approach with lots of kino escalation is the way to go wherever you are in Vegas.

I have Friday afternoon, Friday night, and Saturday afternoon all free. Any suggestions on shit to do during these times? I'm pretty much open to anything.

I haven't been to Vegas in awhile so any quick thoughts on how to maximize my time there (especially with no pool parties!) would be much appreciated!

[Drazen]

Go to Lavo brunch on Saturday afternoon if you can afford it. Talent and ratios are insane, it's like if you're a guy and inside you are preselected. It's basically all tables though. Alternative is ghostbar day club, but it's off strip, I've never been but it seems like a viable daytime option.

Work the bars at the Cosmo and eat all your meals there, the place with the hottest girls for sure. Resist the temptation to "walk the strip". There are absolutely no people of any value whatsoever walking on the strip or touring around hotels. The only exception is people drinking at the "mardi gras" type places but the quality is very low and people are rather fluid and move quickly.

1OAk is second tier but that's not a bad thing at all. The bottle rats won't be as experienced, it'll be easier to use the table to your advantage. On Friday night I'd go to XS so you can experience the top of the top for Vegas. Buy presale tickets on wantickets and show up early to not wait in line. Since it may be cold, you may want to consider Hakkasan since its indoors. They also have two music rooms, main room with house music and a side room with hip hop music. You can also go to a strip club, I recommend the Spearmint Rhino. Its not my thing so much any more, but if you have the temptation to not be a "sucker" in there and are able to pull then its an option.

[lowbudgetballer]

(01-10-2014 02:11 AM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

On Friday night I'd go to XS so you can experience the top of the top for Vegas. Buy presale tickets on wantickets and show up early to not wait in line. Since it may be cold, you may want to consider Hakkasan since its indoors.

The doors leading outside have been closed for awhile, although they will sell you table service outside near the dj, at least on a busy night. That's always a bummer, as I have special spot I like to sit down at right upon entry. Cold is Vegas is no problem for this displaced East Coaster.

lowbudgetballer

[Drazen]

I hear marquee built a cool outdoor dome. I've never liked the vibe in there for some reason though.

[lowbudgetballer]

(01-10-2014 03:16 AM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

I hear marquee built a cool outdoor dome. I've never liked the vibe in there for some reason though.

I heard Marquee was rough. I was going to see Gareth Emery once, but got stuck in a traffic jam in a parking structure.

lowbudgetballer

[TheChi]

This is sound advice. The chandelier bar at the Cosmo is great for picking up girls. You can also walk over to Aria (connected through that shopping center thingy) and find some talent there. I noticed a lot of FOB Asian girls at Aria, so if you want to go hit on the daughter of some millionaire from Shanghai Aria is a good spot. There's also a really good Thai and Tapas restaurant there.

If you're going to XS (and I highly recommend you do), then head to the Wynn/Encore early and make a night of it. Besides Cosmo, that's the only place worth prowling for top tier talent. Have dinner at Sinatra with your boys, classy experience. Then go roam around the casino floor and the walkway in front of that one deli restaurant. You can also definitely chat up the girls in line for both XS and Surrender.

Have fun!

(01-10-2014 02:11 AM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

Go to Lavo brunch on Saturday afternoon if you can afford it. Talent and ratios are insane, it's like if you're a guy and inside you are preselected. It's basically all tables though. Alternative is ghostbar day club, but it's off strip, I've never been but it seems like a viable daytime option.

Work the bars at the Cosmo and eat all your meals there, the place with the hottest girls for sure. Resist the temptation to "walk the strip". There are absolutely no people of any value whatsoever walking on the strip or touring around hotels. The only exception is people drinking at the "mardi gras" type places but the quality is very low and people are rather fluid and move quickly.

1OAk is second tier but that's not a bad thing at all. The bottle rats won't be as experienced, it'll be easier to use the table to your advantage. On Friday night I'd go to XS so you can experience the top of the top for Vegas. Buy presale tickets on wantickets and show up early to not wait in line. Since it may be cold, you may want to consider Hakkasan since its indoors. They also have two music rooms, main room with house music and a side room with hip hop music. You can also go to a strip club, I recommend the Spearmint Rhino. Its not my thing so much any more, but if you have the temptation to not be a "sucker" in there and are able to pull then its an option.

[b-ball23]

Thanks guys, this is exactly what I was looking for. Any idea how much Lavo runs per person? I can imagine that after everyone eats, people start leaving their tables to party more. Could be interesting.

Appreciate the comments on the Cosmo and Aria as well. I have some free time Friday afternoon so I will probably head over to one or both of those places. Any particular bar/section of Aria? Thai food would be great too.

"Resist the temptation to walk the strip." - Thanks, I was wondering about that...no need to waste my time then.

It sounds like I should really check out XS on Friday night. I've never heard of wantickets but I looked up XS for the weekend I'll be there and it's running $30 a pop. Seems pretty reasonable all considering. How early would you suggest getting there?

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes, should be awesome.

[mbare]

After some research on here for a trip I took there in late Dec, mainly pulling from McQueen and Gmanifesto, this is a short list of top places that served me well in the end.

Daygame:
Forum shops in Caesars.

Eating:
Joes Stone Crab in Caesars-I really enjoyed the food there, and great service.

Bars/clubs:
XS
Hakkasan
The Bank-I went here on a Sunday and pulled from it. I thought it had great logistics. Not sure about Fri and Sat.

Strip Clubs:
Spearmint Rhino-go after 4am

Late night eats and further gaming:
Peppermill
Parasol

[lowbudgetballer]

Unless 1 Oak is featuring A-trak, it's a little too urban for me. I never got table service. You and I are utterly different demos.

However, any restaurant in Aria/Cosmo will be great. Try Milos, Comme Ca, Michael Mina's Fish Company, or Julian Serrano. They probably won't have happy hours Friday or Saturday, but it's a suggestion.

Anywhere in Caesar's will be good, and the forum shops will be full of hot chix. I'm not a hard drinker by any means, but the gambling cocktails in both Aria and Caesar's are great.

lowbudgetballer

[b-ball23]

FYI, I didn't book the 1 Oak club - my buddies did. Haha.

[Drazen]

(01-10-2014 03:41 PM)b-ball23 Wrote:  

Thanks guys, this is exactly what I was looking for. Any idea how much Lavo runs per person? I can imagine that after everyone eats, people start leaving their tables to party more. Could be interesting.

Appreciate the comments on the Cosmo and Aria as well. I have some free time Friday afternoon so I will probably head over to one or both of those places. Any particular bar/section of Aria? Thai food would be great too.

"Resist the temptation to walk the strip." - Thanks, I was wondering about that...no need to waste my time then.

It sounds like I should really check out XS on Friday night. I've never heard of wantickets but I looked up XS for the weekend I'll be there and it's running $30 a pop. Seems pretty reasonable all considering. How early would you suggest getting there?

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes, should be awesome.

Lavo Brunch really depends on how busy the weekend is. Generally its a minimum of $150 per person for food/beverage, but we ended up spending over $400 each because we kind of went wild. Bottles are cheaper, $275-300, about half the price of nightlife but we were getting seafood towers, champagne, etc. People party at the tables, stand on chairs, etc. Basically it starts at 2pm, and every hour the curtains get closed further and further until its a dark neon party i there. Just call a host and ask, but watch out, the table next to us had a $1000 minimum and they jacked it up at the last minute for them I think to like $3000.

It is expensive, its not for everyone, but I had a good time. Like I said if you want just general admission, Ghost Bar Day Club is the other option. I guess Marquee Day Club MAY be open as well, so that may be a good option too.

As for getting in, if you show up before 11 or 11:30pm, you shouldn't wait more than a few minutes. The club is less crowded, you can post up at the bar for a sec and drink a few $15 cocktails before it gets crowded and crazy. Even if you get bottles most of the hosts want you to show up early anyway.

At Cosmo, Jaleo (spanish food) is my favorite restaurant in Vegas. Great tapas and shit like that. Holsteins has solid burgers, good vibe and is right in front of Marquee's line so its always popping. If you like Steaks, STK is ok, but the crowd/scene is pretty dope, they have a DJ in there its a good jump off spot. Also a hidden pizza place on the 3rd floor, makes great pizza by the slices if you want to spend less than $10 on food.

[Drazen]

If I were you on Friday afternoon and weren't doing anything, I would take a nap so you can be rested and in the zone at night.

I'd also be primarily concerned with logistics. If you are in a decent hotel, go to the nightclubs in that hotel or the one immediately next door. This will trump almost everything. Like for 1Oak, you should be staying at the Mirage. This is not negotiable.

Oh yeah, at places like Senor Frogs, there's a bunch of midwestern types and mexican girls who don't know any better for the clubs. Its a pretty good place to pre-drink versus your hotel room, if you're staying in Treasure Island or across the street at the Venetian. Late afternoon/early evening is decent.

The last thing that MAY be good since its your first time is a "club crawl". Usually they go to absolutely shitty places and the quality of girls on your group may not be that great, but they'll take you to 3 or 4 clubs in a night, you'll have 4 different venues to try to extract from either from the group or people in the club itself. The ones I've been on there's a party bus that takes you from club to club. Runs about 50-70 bucks, starts really early like 930pm and goes until 2am or so. Its a good value and you don't have to think too much. If you're not getting bottles, I would recommend this.

[lowbudgetballer]

(01-10-2014 06:52 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

I'd also be primarily concerned with logistics. If you are in a decent hotel, go to the nightclubs in that hotel or the one immediately next door. This will trump almost everything. Like for 1Oak, you should be staying at the Mirage. This is not negotiable.

I believe this is generally understated. McQueen's stuff dealt with this. Potential candidates may very well not be willing to downgrade from, say, the Bellagio or the Palazzo to, say, Excalibur or the Quad. I loved McQueen's piece where the accountant was staying at the Luxor, and he was like, "The Luxor? Are you poor?". Treasure Island and even Casear's could be good choices. I personally stay at the Luxor a lot because of free rooms. One of the reasons I am the lowbudgetballer and not the Alpha Playboy.

Also, keep a bottle, mixer, and ice in your room, so you have a plausible reason to go back.

This one, orange or lemon, is good. it will make you look classy.


lowbudgetballer

[Drazen]

I've mentioned this before, but if I'm at the Venetian I'll say "let's grab something to eat at the Grand Lux". Usually there's a line there late at night. "I don't want to wait in line, lets just order room service upstairs". Done. Only really works once in a blue moon, but its in the arsenal.

[lowbudgetballer]

I like McQueen, replace any type of food with a parting shot!

lowbudgetballer

(01-10-2014 07:37 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

I've mentioned this before, but if I'm at the Venetian I'll say "let's grab something to eat at the Grand Lux". Usually there's a line there late at night. "I don't want to wait in line, lets just order room service upstairs". Done. Only really works once in a blue moon, but its in the arsenal.

[Drazen]

I'm going to add that. I need to get his nightclub bible.

[b-ball23]

Forgot to mention that I will be at the Venetian. Great tip with the bottle back in the room, duly noted!

I'm going to try to do XS on Friday night (no table) in combination with a table at 1Oak on Saturday night, but if that doesn't work out then Friday night could be some combo of Aria/Cosmo with maybe Spearmint Rhino thrown in. I'm assuming the 4 am suggestion is when they get off work?

[Drazen]

(01-10-2014 08:15 PM)b-ball23 Wrote:  

Forgot to mention that I will be at the Venetian. Great tip with the bottle back in the room, duly noted!

Good logistics from 1Oak as its across the street...sort of. You also have good logistics from Lavo Brunch as its in the adjoining hotel, connected by an internal walkway.

[Drazen]

(01-10-2014 08:15 PM)b-ball23 Wrote:  

I'm going to try to do XS on Friday night (no table) in combination with a table at 1Oak on Saturday night, but if that doesn't work out then Friday night could be some combo of Aria/Cosmo with maybe Spearmint Rhino thrown in. I'm assuming the 4 am suggestion is when they get off work?

You can conceivably walk back from XS to Venetian. Its not the ideal situation, but it beats the cab line at XS (you can do the skip the line deal as McQueen mentioned tipping the guy in front) as well.

Aria/Cosmo is logistically bad for you.

If I were you on Friday, I'd drink, eat and hang in the Cosmo/Aria between 7-10:30pm and see if you can't get anything started. Hop in a cab, then go to XS. If you don't pull from XS, then hit up the Rhino at 3am.

The alternative plan if you want to stay around the Venetian is to pre-drink at Senor Frogs in Treasure Island (its complete amateur hour but I've found girls there before and drinks are cheaper and girls get wasted. Its also across the street via a skybridge to the Venetian). Have a few drinks at Lavo's bar in their restaurant section (you can go for free, I've hooked up with cougars there in the past).

Hit up a few bars in the Wynn/Venetian (they usually aren't as lively and are a bit older, the best one I've found is the bars right outside of Surrender nightclub in Encore and the bar right in front of TRYST nightclub in Wynn) then go into XS.

[lowbudgetballer]

The alternative plan if you want to stay around the Venetian is to pre-drink at Senor Frogs in Treasure Island (its complete amateur hour but I've found girls there before and drinks are cheaper and girls get wasted. Its also across the street via a skybridge to the Venetian). Have a few drinks at Lavo's bar in their restaurant section (you can go for free, I've hooked up with cougars there in the past).

I've heard Senor Forg's can do the job on its own: something about girls in balloon hats. wink wink, nudge nudge

Hit up a few bars in the Wynn/Venetian (they usually aren't as lively and are a bit older, the best one I've found is the bars right outside of Surrender nightclub in Encore and the bar right in front of TRYST nightclub in Wynn) then go into XS.

Right outside the nightclub never hurt.

[b-ball23]

(01-10-2014 08:33 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

If I were you on Friday, I'd drink, eat and hang in the Cosmo/Aria between 7-10:30pm and see if you can't get anything started. Hop in a cab, then go to XS. If you don't pull from XS, then hit up the Rhino at 3am.

That sounds like a pretty damn good plan to me with Senor Forg's providing an interesting alternative haha.

[Drazen]

Also, there is a Walgreens connected to the Venetian, just outside of the hotel property. Its a good place to stock up on everything you need (water, chips, mixers, booze, etc). The prices are inflated a bit, but unless you want to spend time going off strip, its a lot easier. Its a very big Walgreens and you can get mostly anything in there.

Also, if possible, try to get in the MAIN TOWER of the Venetian. Do not go in the Venezia towers, its a logistical nightmare within the hotel itself. You have to take two elevators and its a maze going around there place. The main tower is one elevator down and you're in the middle of the casino right by the Grand Lux Cafe and the shops. The Venezia tower is located further by the hotel registration. Its an extra 10-15 minutes in walking just to get to the front entrance/exit of the Ventian.

If I were you, go call the Venetian, give them your reservation number and see where they are going to put you. Request the Venetian tower. If they don't let you over the phone, when you check in, slip the girl at the front desk $50 to see if she can get you in the Venetian Tower and an upgrade. I usually say something like "something on a high floor with a strip view" or "close to the elevator with a strip view".

[Drazen]

(01-10-2014 08:51 PM)b-ball23 Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 08:33 PM)PartyonBro Wrote:  

If I were you on Friday, I'd drink, eat and hang in the Cosmo/Aria between 7-10:30pm and see if you can't get anything started. Hop in a cab, then go to XS. If you don't pull from XS, then hit up the Rhino at 3am.

That sounds like a pretty damn good plan to me with Senor Forg's providing an interesting alternative haha.

Its total hit and miss. Its a place that's a 5 min walk from your room and can just leave if it sucks.

[lowbudgetballer]

Quote:

This one, orange or lemon, is good. it will make you look classy.

It's delicious, and it screams, "I'm willing to spend that extra $3 at Wal Mart".

lowbudgetballer

[paninaro]

As others have mentioned, I'd also recommend pre-gaming at one of those Senor Frogs-style places. Drinks are cheap, and people are friendly. You're not going to find top-shelf there (speaking of both the liquor and the women), but it's a great warm-up. Good and easy way to meet friendly people, just to get in the right mood.