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Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet
#1

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

I recently got back a trip to Vegas. I went in mostly blind, with a vague idea of the hottest clubs, plus some tips from Christian McQueen and it was definitely a learning experience. Apparently summer is a low period for Vegas, aside from the holiday weekends (memorial and labor day weekends).

Getting in: If you're in LA, you can get to Vegas for ~$50-60 round trip by bus. LA yuppies think buses are for broke minorities, but there's a new generation of coach busing companies that offer a comfortable, convenient ride. Look for Boltbus or Megabus. American Lion, LuxBus (waste of money IMO), and others. Here's a Groupon for one for $35 http://www.groupon.com/deals/las-vegas-express-5 . Didn't use that company, so I can't comment on it.

When you book a bus ticket, make an account with the respective company. You'll get priority seating and frequent rider benefits, i.e. free tickets when you get enough full price rides. You can also drive in, but it'll be pricier after you account for everything. Flights run about $100-200 I hear.

Total estimated cost: $60 (about what I paid)

Where To Stay: I stayed at the Trump. Very nice hotel, fairly close to Wynn and Encore, but a little ways from the rest of the strip. The hotel had a free shuttle that ran until midnight, to Wynn and Caesar's Palace, which was super handy for going out to eat and getting to clubs. Never more than a few minute wait for it, definitely a great hotel perk. Overall though, the hotel was very family and couple oriented and I would not stay there again. If you want a premium hotel at a great price, Trump is impossible to beat though - I suspect it's cheaper because it has no casino.

As others have said, the Cosmopolitan was packed with girls running every which way inside.

Definitely look into booking with Priceline Name Your Own Price - I saved about $30-50 a night per room using NYOP, depending on how you slice it. NYOP requires that you prepay for your hotel with no option for a refund, so buyer beware. I may not use NYOP for my next visit though, if I want to stay at a specific hotel. If you pick the North Strip area five star option for NYOP, you'll almost assuredly get the Trump, and the other options, Wynn and Encore, are even better. If you want to know how much NYOP will cost without completing the transaction, use a debit card with a limit too low to complete the transaction (otherwise your card gets charged automatically if your bid is high enough).

Hotwire and Priceline Express deals are little less opaque, as in you can sometimes suss out which hotel the deal is for, so give those a look too. Those are prepaid, nonrefundable as well so do your research before booking it.

For my next Vegas visit, my wing and I thought it would be a good idea to pick a hotel with a great nightclub and a good pool party, and stay at that hotel all day more or less, to avoid all the cabbing and logistics headaches.

Candidates for my next stay include Encore/Wynn, MGM Grand, The Cromwell and SLS which has yet to open. All of these, if my research is right, have great clubs and pool parties in the same spot. It might be a little sentimental, but I feel like a hotel is one thing not to scrimp on, if the right opportunity comes along. Also you may get your cover comped or other privileges if you're staying in the hotel hosting the club you're attending. I've heard from the general public that the Hard Rock is a party hotel, but the more seasoned voices seem to suggest it's trashy and undesirable.

I booked my own room, but I think I could have managed with splitting a room with my wing. I'd rather make more visits to Vegas with a split room than fewer visits with my own room.

Estimated Cost: if you're splitting a room on a weekend, $70-150 a night.

But hotel prices vary a lot among days of the week, time of the year, holiday weekend, and other factors, so don't look for a hard number. My attitude is find the right hotel whatever it is, and split the room with your wing.

Clubs: I hit up two clubs, Marquee and XS, both clubs that I had heard were top tier in Vegas.

Evidently, buying tickets to the clubs beforehand is the best way to go. You'll usually get put in a tickets line, and the tickets are pricier at the door. Unless you have a vagina, or have lots of vaginas with you, or a solid hookup, go the presale route if you know where you're going to go. Cover is about $20-40 this route. I also recommend getting to venues at 10 PM or so, to give yourself more time to work the crowd. I've never been one to think I'm cool if I arrive later and then deal with line hassles. It's not difficult to show up early if you plan for it.

Marquee: Has a semicircle dance floor in front of the DJ, surrounded by tables with aisles cutting through them. The indoors are surprisingly cool despite being packed with bodies. It gets loud and I'm more of a talker, so I spent little time inside. I macked outside, and kissed a few girls here, but no bangs. The crowd was actually weak - definitely some stunners, but a lot of low class, ugly people. All you needed to get in was a few dollars, no face control or anything. My wing noticed that too. LA is a lot more segmented, where many people at a given venue come from a similar background - here, it was a very broad mix.

Not as many cute white down girls as I'd like. Try posting up next to the outdoor clothing shop, it did me some good. Otherwise, it's lined with tables and cabanas - you want a spot where you can post up and reel girls into your orbit without other guys flowing through and crimping your frame. I paid $50 to get in, after about a half an hour wait. There was a hip hop dance area too, but not as popping as inside.

XS - Physically, the venue is amazing. McQueen is effusive about the bones of the place (http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-27760.html ), and I share his enthusiasm. Fuck, I even heard Frank Sinatra singing on the way into the club. Between my vodka red bull pregame and my natty suit, I felt like a G just walking around this spot and strolling up to girls eyefucking me - my wing and I got way more eyefucked in Vegas than in LA. Sounds a little toolish, but that's how it felt. There are tons of girls just sitting along the path everywhere, very easy to stop and mack.

[Image: xs-nightclub-4.jpg]

[Image: xs-nightclub.jpg]

[Image: 2_610_XS_Nightclub_Pool_Barbara_Kraft.jpg]

There's a large pool in the middle of it all, with a gambling peninsula in the middle, with intricate, pretty walkways surrounding the perimeter of the pool, and even second floor cabanas above it all. The indoor section felt much bigger than at Marquee. I got in within a few minutes, thanks to an early arrival (10:30 PM) and my prepurchased tickets.

As for the patrons, they too were an improvement over Marquee. A lot less trashy, a better kept crowd. Rather Asian - I'd guess 50% or more. Still, lots of white girls due to sheer volume. My wing and I as the night wore on, wondered why the girls were seemingly so prude, and why we saw almost no one hooking up. Turns out, we had spent almost all our time outside, and the real party girls were inside, on the dance floor. No self-respecting raver chick is cavorting outside while a world famous DJ is playing inside. When my wing went in towards the end of the night, he grinded with several girls and got opened easily, although didn't get the bang with any (I don't think his game was at issue, more just a timing momentum thing perhaps). So wherever you go, definitely give the dance floor a good hard look, even if you wouldn't in your hometown (I often don't).

At XS, I actually met up with a girl I met the previous night. I invested a lot of time in her only to find she was not down to come home with me. I kept approaching after that, but I apparently hunted in the wrong section.

Pool Parties: I meant to go but didn't make it to any, just lounged at the Trump pool for a bit which was fruitless (not many girls around).

Getting around Vegas It's hot, so unless stuff is close, cabs are your first choice. If you're dressed comfortably and not in a time crunch, walking around the heart of the strip works just fine too. When I left the club Saturday night, there was a huge line at the cab stand. I didn't have a girl then, but if I did, I'd wonder how the line would affect my chances of pulling. Another reason to mack at your own hotel.

Estimated Cost: $10-15 per cab ride.

Eating: I love buffets and Vegas definitely delivers on that score. I ate enough that I was fine with eating one meal a day. The heat in the summer at least pacified my appetite. Go hit your hotel's gym, and then roll up to the buffet and eat a ton - go easy on the sweets though, and leave some time between the buffet and the clubbing.

The buffets were at dinner for $40 a pop, but you can go during lunch and get them for $20-30 instead. Bring some meal replacement protein bars along if you get hungry later.

Estimated Cost: $25 a day. You can go cheaper than that, but I like good buffets.

Suggested venues: Wynn, Wicked Spoon @ Cosmopolitan, Caesar's Palace, Bellagio (haven't been to all of these, but they're the most highly touted).

Drinks: Bring your own liquor and mixers, and pregame. I didn't bring a flask, but I easily could have and none would have been the wiser. I only bought two drinks in Vegas, and one was for a girl (total cost - $30). But I don't drink that much to begin with, so most guys even on a budget will spend more.

Estimated Cost: $5-50 a night.

Second tier clubs - I see some people on the forum recommending these for actually closing girls, and avoiding the prestige ho's that don't put out. I didn't go to any second tier clubs so I can't comment on that, but I'd love to hear the opinions of others on that. Would also love to hear about local lounges that are solid.

All in all, you can do Vegas without too much compromise for about $150-200 a day, and less if you go during the week. I'd have been in that ballpark I think if I had split a room.

I'm not looking to put in the last word on anything, just recounting my experiences.
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#2

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

+1 for that. Data sheets that are tailored to particular budgets are really useful and this was great.
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#3

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Excellent info Basil. Heading there for 6 nights in September so this was well timed.
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#4

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Style: Also, I rolled suited up, no tie. McQueen recommended as much. I like wearing a suit sometimes, if I'm in a good mood it boosts my state higher and gives me a little edge. I always like to stick out a little one way or another. If you like to rock a nice suit, if a suit gives you a little swagger in your step, wear one. If you dislike suits (and you shouldn't), you won't have a problem without one.

Wingman: If you're lining up at the door without prepurchased tickets, there's a chance you'll get turned away if you're in a big wolfpack of dudes. When I got to Marquee, there was a group of six or so dorky white guys who were turned away entirely, while my wing and I got in without issue - we were also a lot cooler and better looking. Maybe the bouncers will push those man groups to buy tables and fuck off otherwise.

If you're looking to save money and your health, going with a single wing works. You can operate without a table, and you won't get into dick waving contests over alcohol. Then again, if you just want to have fun with your boys, that's an option too, it will just require a table to do it properly. As with normal nightlife, prepare to separate from your wing often - if neither of you is pulling, split a cab of course. Stay in touch about who's using the room if you're splitting it.

I read on JackColton.com that on weekends Vegas clubs don't have a particular following, and that who shows up is pretty random. That counters my experience with Marquee and XS. I would not return to Marquee. I would consider going to XS again, or to another Encore property. I'd like to check out some other spots before XS though. I wonder if Encore's location keeps the trashier people away.

Screening: I also realized the importance of screening here. You don't have the luxury of meeting a girl next week for a date, so you want to establish quickly if she's down. I kiss quickly, but even that is not a great assurance - it is good for some extra winnowing. I haven't figured out a solid strategy for this yet.

Rant: There really is little reason to drive to Vegas, IMO, unless you're driving in or out at the dead of night. If I were in power, I would figure out some toll scheme for drivers, or build a dedicated high speed bus lane. Apparently there are frequent traffic jams on the roads between LA and Vegas. Busing is getting more popular, but everyone I mentioned it to was still a little surprised that I bused (and I have a car).
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#5

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Great assessment.

When I was in Vegas for work last October, I started perusing rooms off of kayak.com last minute as I stayed off strip closer to my convention site. Saw some deals on Kayak.com that were offering Wynn/Encore rooms for $139.00-179.00 last minute. Thinking I would not be able to get off my late night shift, I didn't even bother getting a room....which then changed because I was finally released around 10:30.

I will also say it's best to buy advanced tickets for XS online.

A) It's cheaper
B) Avoid lines so long as you're not with huge male packs.
C) My debit card actually got compromised because I paid ticket cover on site and then tried closing my drink tab later on with same card. Luckily had cash and my credit cards with me...but this is all the more incentive to buy in advance if you don't want to cancel a card & wait for replacement to come in later on.

Least those were my most recent experiences.
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#6

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Presales are definitely the way to go. However id say if youre missing the pool parties and not gambling, youre not getting the full vegas experience. Ive gone multiple times with small budgets but usually got lucky in poker. I always made sure to spend everything i had.
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#7

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Awesome data sheet Basil!

One thing struck me as a little odd...

Quote: (07-21-2014 12:38 AM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  

LA yuppies think buses are for broke minorities

I thought Latinos were the majority in Los Angeles..?

I looked it up.. It's true.

Latinos make up 57% of the population of the city of Los Angeles.

Whites are a "minority".

So, when you say "minorities"..

...Don't you actually mean "majorities" ?

-----

sorry for the derail..

This is just very curious to me..?
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#8

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Ha yes, you are correct Giovonny. But people think in national terms - eg, Hispanics are often called "Under represented minorities" in the college admissions world.
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#9

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

"Screening: I also realized the importance of screening here. You don't have the luxury of meeting a girl next week for a date, so you want to establish quickly if she's down. I kiss quickly, but even that is not a great assurance - it is good for some extra winnowing. I haven't figured out a solid strategy for this yet."

Interested to know more here. Is it just about being more aggressive flirty toward the end of the night? you dont want to try and close too early as the chances of them leaving with you is low.

My thoughts were more... go have fun... be the life of the party (as per McQueens general advice) and then look to close with a move to either gambling or the after party somewhere. I am thinking more of an afterparty say at Rhino... go there get some strippers grinding on your girl to get them further up the horny chain... take em back to your hotel.
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#10

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Quote: (07-21-2014 08:02 PM)AussieGoneSolo Wrote:  

"Screening: I also realized the importance of screening here. You don't have the luxury of meeting a girl next week for a date, so you want to establish quickly if she's down. I kiss quickly, but even that is not a great assurance - it is good for some extra winnowing. I haven't figured out a solid strategy for this yet."

Interested to know more here. Is it just about being more aggressive flirty toward the end of the night? you dont want to try and close too early as the chances of them leaving with you is low.

My thoughts were more... go have fun... be the life of the party (as per McQueens general advice) and then look to close with a move to either gambling or the after party somewhere. I am thinking more of an afterparty say at Rhino... go there get some strippers grinding on your girl to get them further up the horny chain... take em back to your hotel.

Well the girl I was with was reuniting with her friends from all around the country, and had flown in. That precious reunion of sorts can make it hard to separate her from the pack. You're probably better off with a chick who rolled with a pack of friends that she sees on the regular, where there's less urgency to stay together. Or an older chick who's gotten over clingy female friendships. This girl had also intimated doing some freaky sexual stuff in her past, so I thought she'd be DTF.

I made an amateur mistake of just baldly inviting her to come back with me, instead of making some phony excuse. I like to be direct about that kind of thing, but I'll go indirect (let's go play craps) if that's what it takes.

Also, for the LA players, a lot of girls in Vegas are from LA. One of the hotter girls I talked to texted me today. It was fucking weird, because this chick proceeded to ignore me at the club after some time, and I was posted up in her vicinity for an hour or so... and then she texts me days later. So I was wrong before - you don't have to gun for the same night lay, if she lives in LA. She was also there with a big mixed group of her friends from her hometown - it's possible that she didn't want to be seen dallying with a stranger in front of all her friends... still could've said something though. See what happens with that one - I'm betting it's a flake.
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#11

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

I also liked XS more than Marquee when I went recently (a few months ago). At Marquee you have to play bottle service game, because there is a lot of competition on the dancefloor. The outside pool area was a total sausage fest.

XS was better to work, with more space to breathe and roam. The outside pool area here was also shite, too many mixed groups. Inside there were plenty of open targets but I missed the diversity that was a feature on my other Vegas trip. Latinas had taken over, too many Brazilians and Mexicans. There was a lack of white, European girls. Nonetheless I was able to pull a girl back to my room at XS (of course she was latin american), and fucked her.
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#12

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

I think the takeaway is not to be too quick and not too "direct".

I was thinking at the high level... pipeline a few during the night... make out, physical signs to determine who is DTF

then look for the indirect close - ie after party/gamble.
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#13

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

I just came back from Vegas. It felt very different than the past few years for some reason. The crowds were a little off versus the previous summers. The large packs of girls busting loose were not as common, they were smaller packs of girls who seemed to crutch on each other. Maybe it was a dead weekend, but Basil mentioned that his weekend seemed off-peak as well, which is certainly not my past experiences. Perhaps because "wedding season" is wrapping up, there are less bachelorette parties but honestly, past summers I've never had this problem.

I don't think I can recommend 2nd tier clubs anymore, they have started letting everyone and the kitchen sink. If you can't or don't want to go to the 1st tier (XS, Hak), I'd go to "1b level" clubs like Surrender and maybe Light (this place isn't that good anymore). Places like 1Oak and Tao were absolutely beat and previously hopping spots were relatively dead.

I'm not sure, everything seems different, I've said it in the other thread I think we only have 2 more years of Vegas as it is currently. Its like when the "hot club" in town starts letting everyone in and then it starts getting lame. Maybe it'll change on my next visit, but it wasn't the same, it had a very "midwest spring break" vibe to it.
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#14

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Here are some budget tips from me.
Getting there: I always fly. I used to drive (probably over 70 times over the years), which sucks. If one of my friends is driving, I MAY ride with them provided they don't leave on peak hours. The main rule with driving is never be the fastest car you can see. Never had a problem with cops/speeding and I usually go between 85-99mph the entire way (I never go triple digits b/c I hear its a bigger ticket?). If you do drive, eat at the Mad Greek in Baker. Great food and milkshakes.

You have to leave LA before 2pm on Friday or else you'll be stuck in traffic forever. If you're coming from the Valley take Pearblossom Highway which cuts across so you don't need to go through San Bernardino. My flights are never more than $200 because I book ahead of time, I usually do a Friday-Monday AM flight, usually Southwest or Spirit Airlines (very restrictive on carry on, but I pack really light).

If you do fly, you'll usually see a long as cab line, maybe 100+ people if you get in on a Friday night. Never ever let them take the freeway to the hotel, always take Paradise Road (you can stop off at the CVS across from the Hard Rock Hotel for cheap drinks and snacks to stock up on). The cab drivers will usually try to tell you about road construction or ask "its ok if I take freeway?" Always say no. I had to pay like $20+ tip just to get to the damned Mandalay Bay from the airport and its one of the closer hotels to there.

If you have time to burn you can also take an airport shuttle. I usually don't take them unless I get there early and don't have to get to my hotel super fast. Its $15.50 round trip, they take you on a shared bus and then on the way home you call the number and set up a pickup time and you only have to tip $1 or $2. If you are staying at a far hotel you are looking at $20-25 in cab fare each way ($30-35 if you let them take the freeway to the strip).

Stay: To me, it doesn't really matter, most of the hotels are ideally situated on the strip to at least a few venues. Choose the cheapest place, then book your nightlife around those areas (keep the logistics good). I usually just price shop on Kayak, then book directly on the hotel's website, just like the cancellation features, etc. I used to pre-pay on Yahoo Travel, which wasn't bad either. My brother does Priceline and Kayak and there are several websites (Better Bidding) which shoes the likelihood of what hotels you will get. I stayed in the Treasure Island for about $100 a night (plus $25 resort fee). Be cool with the reservation agent, I was able to get a nice strip view room without having to do a $20 trick.

Clubs: Covered elsewhere. Just be sure to pre-drink, the prices of beers at every club I went to was $10, even for cheap bud lights, even at 2nd tier clubs. Another option is to go to lounges that have 2:1 coupons, I know Lily at Bellagio has them and so does a few of the bars at the Aria like the Gold Lounge and the other one in the center. Some have all you can drink deals for $35-50. The cheapest option of course is to get a bottle of vodka and drink in the room. For some reason we always get beers but we hardly ever drink them in the room.

Eat:
The cheapest/best deal I go to is the Grand Luxe Cafe in the Venetian or Palazzo. Most dishes are cheap (under $15) and decent tasting. Right now, the cheapest Steak and Eggs (Vegas Classic) on the strip is in Harrah's Coffee shop. I personally like the version at the Bellagio Cafe the best though. I usually alternate with eating cheap (little fast food joints in the hotels) and balling it out. I like to eat well in Vegas.
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#15

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Maybe it'll change on my next visit, but it wasn't the same, it had a very "midwest spring break" vibe to it.

That describes much of my experience there perfectly last year. Almost everybody I met was from some "flyover" state (not counting the innumerable Australians). I distinctly remember these middle-aged white women from South Dakota and despite apparently being from there, they were among the most tanned people I talked to. I didn't realize South Dakota was such a great beach destination.
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#16

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Drazen:
I was also there this weekend and the way I saw it was that although hotels like Wynn and Cosmopolitan had decent volume, the talent and the bachelorette parties seemed lighter than usual. MGM Grand/Hakkasan was packed and there was talent and bachelorette parties all over the place. There were also more trashy people than usual in the MGM Grand. I'm willing to bet that you didn't spend very much time at the MGM Grand, because if you had, you should have been more than pleased with what you saw.
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#17

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

My small contribution is that I do like buffets and for those of you who are big eaters and like to eat often look into the 24 hour buffet pass. Trust me you won't go hungry.

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." And the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

Women and children can be careless, but not men - Don Corleone

Great RVF Comments | Where Evil Resides | How to upload, etc. | New Members Read This 1 | New Members Read This 2
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#18

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Quote: (07-28-2014 10:20 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

Drazen:
I was also there this weekend and the way I saw it was that although hotels like Wynn and Cosmopolitan had decent volume, the talent and the bachelorette parties seemed lighter than usual. MGM Grand/Hakkasan was packed and there was talent and bachelorette parties all over the place. There were also more trashy people than usual in the MGM Grand. I'm willing to bet that you didn't spend very much time at the MGM Grand, because if you had, you should have been more than pleased with what you saw.

I went to Cosmo on Friday and the best talent was upstairs in the bar on the second floor. The Bond Bar was dead and the downstairs Chandelier bar was pretty weak. There are always girls here so I was down with that.

I went to Beacher's Madhouse in MGM and the talent was really good in there as are the ratios. It was all tables in there though but I think I'm going to go there next time. The vibe and crowd was pretty good, lots of good looking white girls partying it up.

I walked by Hakkasan which had Calvin Harris one of the nights and the lines looked really bad and after the shitshow I had with Tiesto (so crowded that you can barely move anywhere), I don't know if I want to go there again for a major headliner as it was WAY too packed (Presales were also $95). I also had pre-sale for Wet Republic on Saturday but with the overcast weather and I was a bit hungover, so I skipped it. The storm also cancelled my plans to hit up XS Nightswim last night as well.

There were a lot of african americans in town due to various basketball camps, so maybe the clubs had adjusted their vibes for that, who knows. It was a lot more than I usually see. The other weird thing I saw was more couples going to the clubs together.

Another theory I have is that it was Tommorrowland and most of the major DJs were out of the country for that. I mean Deaudmau5, Skrillex and Calvin Harris were in Vegas, but many of the other usual headliners weren't so maybe those DJ groupie type girls skipped this weekend.
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#19

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Quote: (07-28-2014 10:32 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

My small contribution is that I do like buffets and for those of you who are big eaters and like to eat often look into the 24 hour buffet pass. Trust me you won't go hungry.

I'm a real fan of the all-you-can-eat Sushi bars off the strip. Places like Goyemon and Sushi Koma. They do all these rolls and sides you can order (you order off the menu) and the quality is pretty good and they also have other non-sushi side dishes. If you're a fan of tons of seafood in bags with cajun spices there is "Hot and Juicy Crawfish" off Spring Mountain in the Chinatown as well as a location of The Boiling Crab.

I actually had the best burger I've ever eaten over the weekend at Delmonico's in the Venetian. Foie Gras burger with black truffle mayo, it was an off menu item and was $35 but it was the best damned burger I've ever put in my mouth.
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#20

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Quote: (07-28-2014 10:40 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

Quote: (07-28-2014 10:20 PM)Merenguero Wrote:  

Drazen:
I was also there this weekend and the way I saw it was that although hotels like Wynn and Cosmopolitan had decent volume, the talent and the bachelorette parties seemed lighter than usual. MGM Grand/Hakkasan was packed and there was talent and bachelorette parties all over the place. There were also more trashy people than usual in the MGM Grand. I'm willing to bet that you didn't spend very much time at the MGM Grand, because if you had, you should have been more than pleased with what you saw.

I went to Cosmo on Friday and the best talent was upstairs in the bar on the second floor. The Bond Bar was dead and the downstairs Chandelier bar was pretty weak. There are always girls here so I was down with that.

I went to Beacher's Madhouse in MGM and the talent was really good in there as are the ratios. It was all tables in there though but I think I'm going to go there next time. The vibe and crowd was pretty good, lots of good looking white girls partying it up.

I walked by Hakkasan which had Calvin Harris one of the nights and the lines looked really bad and after the shitshow I had with Tiesto (so crowded that you can barely move anywhere), I don't know if I want to go there again for a major headliner as it was WAY too packed (Presales were also $95). I also had pre-sale for Wet Republic on Saturday but with the overcast weather and I was a bit hungover, so I skipped it. The storm also cancelled my plans to hit up XS Nightswim last night as well.

There were a lot of african americans in town due to various basketball camps, so maybe the clubs had adjusted their vibes for that, who knows. It was a lot more than I usually see. The other weird thing I saw was more couples going to the clubs together.

We very likely crossed paths at the Cosmopolitan on Friday. I checked out all the same places you mentioned on the same night,, but I wasn't feeling very well because I spent Thursday night and most of the day on Friday at some lady's house and never slept. I ended up just going to the Secret pizza place which had about an hour and a half wait.
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#21

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Quote: (07-28-2014 09:35 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

I just came back from Vegas. It felt very different than the past few years for some reason. The crowds were a little off versus the previous summers. The large packs of girls busting loose were not as common, they were smaller packs of girls who seemed to crutch on each other. Maybe it was a dead weekend, but Basil mentioned that his weekend seemed off-peak as well, which is certainly not my past experiences. Perhaps because "wedding season" is wrapping up, there are less bachelorette parties but honestly, past summers I've never had this problem.

I don't think I can recommend 2nd tier clubs anymore, they have started letting everyone and the kitchen sink. If you can't or don't want to go to the 1st tier (XS, Hak), I'd go to "1b level" clubs like Surrender and maybe Light (this place isn't that good anymore). Places like 1Oak and Tao were absolutely beat and previously hopping spots were relatively dead.

I'm not sure, everything seems different, I've said it in the other thread I think we only have 2 more years of Vegas as it is currently. Its like when the "hot club" in town starts letting everyone in and then it starts getting lame. Maybe it'll change on my next visit, but it wasn't the same, it had a very "midwest spring break" vibe to it.

I hear you but don't forget that Vegas is on a lot of foreigner's radar screens and it's often a big part of their West Coast tour so I think those people will still keep coming in droves.

When I was at XS and Light earlier this year it seemed that every other girl I opened was foreign (maybe I just target them now?))) including Korean, Japanese, German, English and of course Russians (last group makes sense given that Russia is on vacation the first 10 days of Jan). XS had tons of girls from Canada it seemed (along with tons of Asians). I was there after New Year's though.

It will depend on the club you're at I guess...no doubt that clearly the bulk of the people are from the US. Maybe there are less and less of the LA crowd going given the still fairly shitty economy?

At some point I would think that the continued lack of real full-time job growth combined with wage pressures will start to affect the fly-over people too. Real worry is that we're headed back into recession (if not already there) even despite the government massaging the data....prices are up across the board in the US and everyone is feeling it. That has to continue to affect Vegas a bit, as does the legalization of gaming in certain states. Still, there's nothing like Vegas.

Quote: (07-28-2014 09:54 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

The cheapest/best deal I go to is the Grand Luxe Cafe in the Venetian or Palazzo. Most dishes are cheap (under $15) and decent tasting.

I will second this advice - really love that buffet brunch there and go every time I'm in Vegas. Great food and tons to choose from. It was even better a few years ago when they served fresh-squeezed OJ but last time I went they just had the Tropicana bottled variety [Image: sad.gif]

Also, although I don't like the gaming scene or general vibe at the Venetian or Palazzo (seems way more corporate and older to me at least) the rooms are frigging huge and amazing, esp the suites at the Palazzo. Think I got a room for like $130 per night during the week and felt like I was living in a castle - rooms are huge and even have a 'sunken' living room area when you can chill and watch TV - perfect for after-partying.

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#22

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Honestly to me vegas is a hard sell.

I was born and raised in vegas and i'm seeing the chances of getting laid go down. Mcqueen is probably going to slap my nuts for this but this has been my experience.

Unless you go to a club and have bottle service the chances of you getting laid are in the bottom 5%. If you have average looks and do not stand out from the crowd you will not really pull any girls above a 5. I go out at least 3 times a week and it seems to be getting harder to talk to women as time goes on. I have been to XS for a midnight swim with Skrillex. Bad ratio of girls and they are standoffish. I honestly did about 15 approaches. I got one makeout but even that was not enough to close the deal.

I have been to every single club in this city more than 5 times and I can safely say that unless you are at the top of your game, it is almost impossible to pull in the tourist club area. Yes, you do get lucky but it is rare and the ROI is not worth it.

So dayclubs......... Encore beach, Marquee, Rehab, Daylight, Wet republic, Bare... Are very pretentious. Unless you have a bed or a cabana the chances of getting laid are slim but better than in night game. Its easier to spit game since you don't have music blaring at your ears but girls have their bitch shields way up since they are already in bathing suits. A chair at Bare can go up to 50$. A daybed at Wet republic can cost you an arm and a leg. On days where there are good dj's such as calvin harris or tiesto you're looking at a 100$ cover for guys, 50$ cover for girls.

Locals have been going to downtown area but that is getting saturated real quick. I usually hang out at goldspike, Vanguard, Downtown Cocktail room. The advantage of downtown is that the music is not as loud. Some places play better music than the mainstream EDM. You have areas you can actually talk to women. bitch shields are lower. If they are locals you have a shot at meeting up again instead of having them fly out of town the next night.

As far as restaurants, well there s a whole data sheet I can go into.
But yes if you're going for sushi, I would suggest off the strip. They have all you can eat for about 21$
Studio B buffet at M Resort is pretty good. Long drive though.
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#23

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

For sushi offstrip, I'd recommend Katana (across from the Hard Rock Hotel on Paradise) and Yama, which is on Flamingo. Both have all you can eat - good but not excellent quality and reasonable prices. Another offstrip good spot for girls and food (at the bar, eating tapas) I've found to be Firefly. They have an issue with food safety but honestly never had any problems there, and I've been there a few dozen times. They've moved to a more spacious location, also on Paradise I believe, above Flamingo, not terribly far from Encore/Wynn. They used to a half priced happy hour and tapas menu and that was a super reasonable way to eat a good dinner, lots of variety, and a ton of girls go to Firefly.

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Strip away judeo-christian ethics ingraining sex is dirty/bad & the idea we're taking advantage of these girls disintegrates. Once you've lost that ethical quandary (which it isn't outside religion) then they've no reason to play the victim, you've no reason to feel the rogue. The interaction is to their benefit.
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#24

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Great to hear other views, especially from more seasoned Vegas goers. I actually seemed to meet mostly girls from greater LA - I get the sense that the trendy white crowd that live in places like Weho and Santa Monica don't go to Vegas as frequently as the various ethnics living with their parents in the SGV and such and OC white girls. This may be compounded in the low season.

I'm a big buffet fan, bigger than anyone I know - just have to add that if you like meat, LA's Korean BBQs are a better proposition, as well as Big Wok in Manhattan Beach.
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#25

Las Vegas, Summer 2014, Macking On A Moderate Budget Data Sheet

Yeah, most of the LA girls I meet are from Orange County, Long Beach or the 909. Lots of asian girls from the San Gabriel Valley as well, sometimes college students. I usually make fun of them for living out in 909 when I'm talking to them, works well. The Santa Monica type girls go in huge packs of 15-20 and spend most of the time taking selfies for social media proof. The reason you don't see them that often is that they are often directly funneled to the bottle service area via promoters. They are strictly Bottle Rats and have the experience and the knowledge to get to those high-roller areas in the club.

I also meet a lot of Canadians, Arizona and midwest girls, which are usually the easiest targets. I really haven't met that many foreigners, personally when I'm there. Maybe I'm not seeking them out as much though.

As for all you can eat meat, Texas de Brazil is a Brazilian Chuscurria chain they have in Vegas amongst other places, I liked it much better than Fogo de Chao. Best steak in town for me is the Tomahawk steak at Del Frisco's Double Eagle (off the strip).
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