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                                          06.13.2019 Mine is just another scene*

  Hey Now! Y'all still hanging in there? I gotta admit it's gonna be hard to top yesterday. I slept in till 7:30. I actually got in 8 hours which is pretty gosh darn rare for a Vegas trip. We are doing a bit of traveling this morning. It's been a few trips since I set foot in Ellis Island so that's on my itinerary. I used to include E.I. every trip, it was more convenient since I was going over to Terrible's Sliver Sevens pretty much every day that Ziggy was working. Since he retired I don't get on the East side as often. They are expanding the old girl. There's already been a reconfiguration of the casino itself and out front they are putting in The Front Yard which actually should have been finished by now. But hey!- it's a family owned business for crying out loud. Unfortunately it takes away the most prized parking out front. So I find a spot over by the formerly Super 8. They bought that a few years ago and renovated. Let's look around.

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                                                            obligatory strip shots

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                                                               yet another faúx time lapse 

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                                                              I like the working water tank

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                                                            They still have a long way to go

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                                                            I actually know what that means

 In the real world I play Miss Utility. Those mean that those particular utilities aren't "in conflict" so they aren't within the footprint of the building. Cox, NVEnergy, etc. "We tag your world." I get paid for my graffiti.

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 So it really looks like a completely different place. The pit is over by the cafe. They moved the cashier and opened up part of the rear. New carpet and everything. It's still pretty darn dark in here, but I like it. Still feels like a locals haunt. They are opening some of the pit when I walk in. I immediately recognize the Pit Boss, Pete Berger. He's a very special Today's Local. Capitalized even. 

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                                    photo by RB                                     photo by Wayne Vandervort  

I wait till Pete is finished with his dealer and then I walk over to him. I congratulate him on his longevity in the casino industry. I recently read an article about him. Pete is very gracious and thanks me, shakes my hand. "I recently turned 91 you know." Wow. "I just keep showing up every day." Pete is truly a Vegas living (and working) legend. I remember playing BJ here years ago with Scratchy. I hadn't even learned basic strategy yet. I'm sure it was a 5. table. I was at third base and when it was obvious I wasn't sure how to play a hand, Pete would step in and tell me what to do. I always will remember that.

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 There's still quite a few older machines mixed in with the new bells and whistles models. I dredged up the newest old EI card before I left and I need to play a bit to activate one of the coupons. I try Jackpot Block Party and quickly blow thru 50. I walk over to the club.

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 Normally Richard from France is here, but today I am Ana's customer. I only brought the MRB book but cut out the ACG coupons and stashed them inside it. I ask her how many of them I could redeem at one time. "Bring them on!" 10. FSP, free t shirt, and 2-10. MP. "You are missing one!" I forgot the other ACG FSP coupon. Ana is great. I tell her that most other places will only let you cash out a single FSP and MP per day. "Not here." Thank you Ellis Island. Cheers Ana! She loads me up. The t shirts this time are pretty sweet too-

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                                             Last time they had these funky red ones.

 I play a kiosk game and won 5. That gives me 15., and I decide to try Ultra Stack Pandas. 2.50 maxi bet. Insert script plus coinage.

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 Well that was pretty Barney Fife. I didn't hit much of anything so pretty soon I ran low on credits and dropped my bet to .50. Of course that called for a video. Now I realize all of those fancy videos with their custom intros and big wins are a blast to watch and all-

                                                This ain't one of them. Right Jim???

                                 

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                                                               Na Zdrowie!

Nothing like a pint of Ellis Island Brewery's Root Beer. Fresh and tasty. Next up is one of those gigantic Buffalo Gold machines. Not the ones with the bench seats- they are the plaid massive ones. These are just gigantic. Low betting and high non-drinking. Nuttin' Honey.

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 I walked over by Metro Pizza  and spotted these old slants. I've never seen any that offered this type of slot along with VP. I dial up .05 denom at 4. maxi bet. Who knew Cleo came in a 3x3 version. It was brutal. That's enough slots for here. Time to do my MPs. The only thing open is a 5. BJ table, but the dealer still has the cards spread out on the felt. I hate to make her shuffle for a hit and run. Wait a minute- the roulette is open. I believe it was a 3. minimum. I hand Shelby my card along with both MPs and a twenty. I ask for nickels. Pete checks my card and hangs out a minute. Red  with an MP and 10.- Red 18. Even with an MP and 10.- Red 32. Then I play a nickel each on 19 and 24 solid.- Green 00. I color up and ask Shelby a question. This roulette table is right in front of the place where the infamous Ellis Island Karaoke takes place. Doesn't it get really, really loud every weeknight? She says "It's not that bad" but her expression tells me otherwise. Pete just shrugs. I bid them adieu and walk over to cash in my chips.

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                                                                    30. profit 

 Helps to offset my slot losses. But I had a great time fooling around here. Always worth a stop especially for the root beer. Continuing with the coupon run theme, I head Kujo for Flamingo and cross Las Vegas Blvd. once again. This time pointed toward home.

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 Whatever ends up happening to the Rio, I hope the Neon Boneyard ends up with the sign. Sucker is full on neon. Another Yesco no doubt.

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 It's pushing 100º out here so I do the self park on the side of the Gold Coast. They are shooting a video so I kinda have to detour around them. It's a bit of a cluster getting to the casino from here anyway. You go up then down then up more than once. I checked my card in at the kiosk because with Boyd;s you just never know. There's no point multiplier here today. I mean I had an11x multiplier at one point or the other the last 3 days so I'm not complaining. Well, I am but... I have managed to get my BConned points over 200k. I booked to the Higher Limit and inserted coin into a Double Diamond. 1. denom 2. bet. Lost fitty. NEXT! Wheel of Fortune .25 denom. 1.25 bet. Even with the volume at it's lowest setting it's loud. It was singing at me Elizabeth. Everything but Fortune was to be had. Next! At this point I have 150. coin in. So I go back to the kiosk on a mission. Today is gift day here, and the Gold Coast 3 sister properties.    

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 Actually I printed out a coupon at the kiosk and walked over to where they were handing out these Sour Mash grilling aprons. Damn things must weigh a pound. It's made out of some kind of ballistic cloth. Probably kevlon. I walk from there to the BConned desk and turn in 2 coupons. Once again, I can't cash in 2 of the same kind of coupons- free slot play at the same time. 10. MP 10. FSP. I blow the 10. FSP on some VP and stop by an empty roulette table. I buy in for 10. and place it on red. Red 23-winner!!! I color up and toke a 5.

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                                                      Once again offsetting slot losses.

 On my way out, I take the self park elevator to the top floor. This is a great spot for ohotos. As I step out the pnly other people up here are 2 dudes who are sharing a doobie. It's pretty hot, so I shoot fast.

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                                                           You had to be there to tell.

 It's a hop and a skip from here to Orleans self park. I grab my swag and go aloft. I get cleaned up and prepare for the evenings sessions here. Hell, I haven't played here yet and it's almost 4 p.m. Cracked Glass Special for me and TDD for Sweet Ti yields a quick 200. loss. Over at the Wally shorties with Boney I try some short pay Boner Deluxe and set up S.T. on her 4 card keno. It's still set with her numbers on it which is nice. This is about all that I can scare up on this session.

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                                                        at least the 4OAK is full pay

 Hank is getting ready to end his shift and I mosey over to the banks of progressives. I see someone finally took down that B7's one.

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                                                               QH for a quick hit

 Mayhaps it's Mardi Gras season. The machine I like to play is pleasantly presently deserted. I accelerate the parley by starting at .50.

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                                                          parley up to dollahs-

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                                                 this all happened within 12 minutes.

 I notice people walking around with more of those aprons. I plum forgot that they are giving them away here too. So I cash out and hit the kiosk by the sportsbook. I print us out each one. I'm not sure if they will let me use Sweet Ti's without her being there. Hopefully Debroah is handing them out. Turns out Deborah is handing them out. Which means not only do I score 2 more aprons, I also get a hug out of the deal. Deborah always gives me a hug. She says she likes the way I smell. I wear patchouli oil. Yeah, I know. Just another O.G. Hippie. 

                                                      Back to the TDD and C.G.S.

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               Diversionary tactic time. I haven't been up to the bowling alley in quite a while. Let's go have a look around.

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  Those 4 upright VP machines in the bar are the only gaming available up here. I played some .50 9/6 TDB. Barely got any pairs. I'm ready to chew my arm off so it's to the buffet I go. This is one place that Emerald, the shiny green card comes in handy. There's a really long line to eat. But the Emerald line has 2 people. I try to put the charge on the room, but there's some kind of a problem doing that. Whatever, I use points. Maybe it's because it's Sweet Ti' comp and there isn't a credit card associated with the room. 

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                                                                       L.D.T.

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                                                            crepe semi-made to order 

 A couple of years back they gutted the place and rebuilt. I kinda liked it better before. It was easier to walk around the sitting area. So it turned out not to be the Lonely Diner Table after all. I was sitting beside a couple from L.A. The dude asked about the aprons that I'm still carrying around. He really liked them. I tell him the promotion ended at 7 p.m. I give him one to take home. I really don't need to be lugging 3 of these heavy things all the way back to VA on the plane. They are all smiles. I wish them luck and take my leave. Back to the NS area since it's Thursday evening and the casino has more than it's share of stinkin'. Hook us up on Texas Tea there Jimbo---

                                     

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                                                             it keeps you runnin'

 I'm strolling about looking for something different. I stumble across a bank of upright VP I've never noticed before. BDW with a progressive. .25 denom. The progressive is 1388. Insert coin and hope for the best.....

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 Well that was fun. I finally lost the hundy I started out with. One more thing to do before I call it a night. Make it Rain Jimmy!!!

                                  

 

        I gave back some of my profit today, but not too much. Still 2 more days of fun, excitement, and traveling yet to come y'all!!

                                                  Coin in: S.T - 1106              Tears: 203

                                                            RB:-6368                        775

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                                   06.14.2019 Get on down to paradise

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                        06.12.2019 You can go to extremes, with impossible schemes     

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                                                                               *Night Life, Ray Price