As grubs is taking a much-needed break, I’ll see if I can fill in a little, blog-wise.
Last weekend I went to Lake Tahoe for the opening of the stateside Cabo Wabo Cantina. Unfortunately we were shacked up on the airport shuttle with a boatload of radio winners that won all-expenses paid to everything related to the Cabo Wabo opening. I have a “thing” about paying for something when I know someone else got a better deal. Worse, we kept being asked if we were with the radio winners.
Disappointingly, the Cantina was a mere bar you’d find in any major airport. There were a couple of plasmas slapped on the wall blaring Sammy Hagar (the owner of the cantina) and Van Halen featuring Sammy. The store selling memorabilia was stuffed with ugly shirts. Why oh why would Sammy decide to open his Cantina (popularized by his flagship Cabo San Lucas, Mexico cantina) in Lake Tahoe? One, it’s a helluva ride to get there, up a freakin’ mountain that still had snow on it, two, he can’t perform there - in fact for the concert kickoff for the opening, he had to perform across the street at a larger casino that could accommodate him and 1200 fans, three, the closest airport is 55 long ass miles away and although scenic and full of nature’s glory, we only had a short 24 hours to spend there and wanted to spend it playing poker and drinking.
So after visiting the Cantina we checked into the crappiest $100 a night hotel room I’d ever seen. Granted a cheap bottle of wine was provided, but it was chosen because the description of the hotel was
“next door to Harrah’s” which is where we really wanted to stay. Reason four: people in Tahoe lie, Harrah’s was 3 blocks away.
We ate and then stood in line for the evening’s performance (general admission). I’m not much of a Hagar fan so there isn’t too much to say about that topic. But I snuck out after an hour and 45 minutes because someone told me the show was going three hours long. And I hit the Pai Gow Table. Lost a quick hundred but didn’t know what on since I was a little blathered. I believe I was betting $20 a hand. Ten minutes later, the show was over and my friend Jeff and I headed for the poker room. Oh but Harrah’s doesn’t have a poker room, what the ? Reason five that Lake Tahoe is off my list. Across the street to Harvey’s.. I was afraid of what we’d find.
There were about 4 games going, $3/6, $4/8 and $15/30. I got on a $3/6 and Jeff joined me at the same table. I have no trouble whatsoever taking his money. He’s usually easy pickings. But incredibly lucky. I watched him rip through a guy’s full house with a straight flush. Then he had like three uncontested full houses in a row. Luck, luck, luck.. he’s the kind of guy that would’ve made that shot at point-four seconds left on the clock.
Before I had a chance to win my money back, he wanted to play some craps. Good timing anyway because by one am, the tables had dwindled to one lone $3/6 game filled with locals. Reason six: Tahoe people go to bed too early.
By five am, a grand down between the both of us, we called it a night. My dearie Doug had already unwillingly hit the hay (Cabo Wabo drowned his will in tequila). The next morning, we were flying outta there, readying for our next trip, Mexico – 24 hours later.
To be continued..
by grubette
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