Oh, dear, I’ve just filled in a questionnaire from The Stratosphere, after 2econd Friday’s stay at The STRAT. Hmmm, I believe the questionnaire is from when The Stratosphere opened (1996). One of the questions asks about what other Las Vegas hotels the responder likes to stay at. It offers The Mirage, Golden Nugget, and others. But then Monte Carlo. And no Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, or anything else built after 1996.
Last month’s Connection was a ripper. This month’s can’t claim the giddy heights of that, but it was still pretty darned good. Caesars Palace followed Harrah’s because of big business. Yes, one of the biggest businesses in Las Vegas. In 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment, bought Caesars. They then changed their name to Caesars Entertainment. This month’s 2econd Friday was at their flagship property.
Harrah’s followed The Cromwell because of what was surely the best Connection in quite some time. In fact, let me just go and check to see when there was something anywhere near as decent.
There was much excitement about this month’s 2econd Friday. Not least because of the fantastic connection Husband Downie had come up with for where 2econd Friday goes next month. The connection was actually an improvement on the original one. Regarding that original one, he’d even gone as far as booking Treasure Island, having thought of there surely being a good connection between there, and Barbury Coast (the original name of the resort which is now The Cromwell). Anyway, the actual connection is truly fantastic (in the creator’s mind, at least). It’s surely the best 2econd Friday connection in well over a year. Watch the YouTube video to hear the clue.
I thought I was going to have a nice pair of photos, of progress at Resorts World, from this August, and last August. But I’ve just gone to look in the Encore (where 2econd Friday was in that month) folder, but can’t see the photo I was hoping to see. Not to worry, let’s move on. Actually, let me just add (at a later date), that if you look at the photos on the blog entry from The Venetian, you'll see a good photo of where Resorts World progress was, then. And, let just add (at a slightly later date), the blog for Encore from August 2018 now does indeed have a photo of Resorts World progress from then.
With an opening date of 1906, Golden Gate is by far the oldest destination 2econd Friday will be staying at. In fact, it’s surely the oldest hotel in Las Vegas, by far. Would the next-oldest be El Cortez, which opened a whopping 35 years later. According to an article I read on the 10 oldest hotels of Las Vegas, yes it would be.
Zoe stayed here, in 2010, with her friend Gloria. Gloria was helping her with condo-shopping. Zoe said she’d got a fantastic room-rate. Did Gloria suggest this was the sort of place people come to die, and no one notices. Was it also here that Zoe had read a review mentioning a burger (just the burger, not the bun, or any of the “trimmings”) being found at the back of the wardrobe.
New York – New York opened on the 3rd of January, 1997; surely there will be a nice tune to be linked to, at the end of this piece. It was Number Eight, in the Definitive Dozen. It is the epitome of the Sim City architecture period on Las Vegas Strip. Thank-you, Stefan Al, for introducing me to this, and the other, architecture periods of The Strip, in your fantastic book, The Strip.
In May 2018, 2econd Friday was at Mandarin Oriental. The destination had been chosen by Ian, as part of his prize for being Year 1 Champion. The Year 1 Awards Ceremony took place at the wonderful restaurant, Twist, at Mandarin Oriental. In August 2018, Mandarin Oriental closed its doors. In September 2018, those same said doors re-opened, and the name above them was Waldorf Astoria. Hooray, a new Las Vegas resort 2econd Friday could visit, but the same wonderful restaurant, Twist.
There was an international jet-setting Special Guest, this month. Jane had flown in from England, as she’d heard such great things about the Flamingo Uncovered Tour. Jane is a resident of Berkeley, England. Alex Honnold was at Berkeley, University California. He lives in Las Vegas. Alex Camper suggested going to see the film, “Free Solo” (about Alex Honnold). Alex Camper (Special Guest of January 2019) used to reside in Berkeley, England; he knows Jane, but, not yet, the other Alex. Wow, where is this exciting paragraph, of seemingly connected people and places going?
Imagine staying at The Jockey Club. It’s certainly not somewhere Wife Camper and I had considered staying, before embarking on 2econd Friday. The location is top-notch, and surely half the rooms have a fantastic view out to the Bellagio fountains. Our room was on the other side of the building, and had a view, full of comedy value, out to a grey wall of Cosmopolitan. Ha, how we laughed.
There was a 2econd Friday first, this month. For the first time ever, the activity took place “off-site”. And what exceptional circumstance could’ve caused that? Well, it was the Grand Opening of an exhibition at Core Contemporary. And Zoe had a piece in said exhibition. Check out the piece, in a photo, below, for an opportunity to see some of what’s inside Zoe’s head.