Serve Me Some El Cortez Pie

Day 3 - Monday Oct 24 - Part 3

There is still something special about the El Cortez. Open since 1709, it, along with the Golden Gate which opened some 83 years previously, defines pre-historic Las Vegas gambling.

It's hard to imagine that in a time when the Vegas springs still flowed, wagon trains ambled through on long dusty treks through the mountains, stopping only to water their horses, the cowpokes would meet on this very spot to play a little video poker, and eat a slice or two of free pie, which is served from time to time at the El Cortez.

The only things that have been updated at the El Cortez (besides the obvious addition of hotel tower and horse parking structure) are the neon signs, with bulb changes in 1738, 1803, 1888, 1930 and 1972.

So we ambled over to play a little in the nook and see if any pie was being served.

Well, there were no miracle quads or royals on the dollar machines today. And no El Cortez pie. I lost one hundred and twenty of the United States currency the 'dollar'. And the Quad Queen broke even.

At Walgreen's I got the face shaving goo, and no snacks - our complimentary fridge at the Cal was already stocked with the emergency cheese sticks we'd brought from home. They were recovering nicely from the trip.

Next stop, the finest Video Poker bar in the Land, the Mikes Bar at the Four Queens. Like Caesars Palace, there's no apostrophe, because its named after the plethora of Mikes that work there.

Also, I didn't want to call it the Plethora of Mikes Bar.

I keep working with Mike to figure out what my signature cocktail should be.

"Mike, what would be in a drink called the Royal Flusher?"

"Something pink, fizzy, and frothy. With an umbrella and a sparkler," said Mike, confidently.

"Hmm. Not exactly what I had in mind."

"Well, what do you like?"

"I like Maker's Mark."

"OK, we could start with that. And add some soda."

"Mike, that drink already has a name."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It's called a Maker's and Soda."

We also tossed around ideas for a drink called a Four of a Kind. Like with four flavors of Ciroc all mixed together. But I think that drink already has a name too - the Beeejay.

The Quad Queen had some luck at the bar.

And I had some luck of my own, Jack, to go along with my Maker's rocks.

We had a good long play there before break for lunch at Chicago Brewing Company. I cashed out at $100 profit, and the Quad Queen broke even.

I lost $220 in the hunt for those Four Pointies with Kicker I sought. Or a Royal for that matter. But damn, the pizza was as delicious as always. Highly recommended.

Another almost when I took a flyer on dollars.

Here's one of Royal's Savvy Dining Tricks for you - you can order a custom Chicago B.C. pizza off the menu in Magnolia's, if you are coveting a disk, while the rest of your party is in the prime rib frame of mind.

Back at the Cal, we tried some 10-play. It blew chunks times ten. But the Assistant Slot Manager did drop by to introduce himself, and hang with The Flushie for a bit. A high stakes video poker player like Flushiepants has casino cred with the suits.

The Quad Queen bailed on her 10-play and played some Double Double next to me to keep me company. (The 10-play machines are not, as gamblers say, co-located.) Well damned if she didn't hit some things! She got three or four quads in a short period of time, and frosted the pokery gambling cake with Aces Kicker!

She was back in the game, and I was down and out. I wanted to grab a bit of downtime and a shower, and she craved more 10-play at Main Street.

We parted ways, she to her casino, and I to my shower.

Little did I know that I was in for an alarming experience.