Wizard's Venetian Review
January 18th, 2011 at 5:41:56 PM
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I just finished my Venetian review. This is my first review in almost a year and probably my longest. The first where a two-night stay was entirely devoted to the review. These things take a while to write up and format too. Any comments, pro or con? In particular, anything you feel is factually incorrect?
I'd also like to draw your attention to this picture. Can anybody help with a translation? I think it is in Latin, but I'm not sure.
I'd also like to draw your attention to this picture. Can anybody help with a translation? I think it is in Latin, but I'm not sure.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 18th, 2011 at 6:23:08 PM
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Haven't been there in years, it stinks so bad I feel like retching, and thats not good. It smells like the old urinal cakes they used about 30 years ago in bar restrooms. Gag...
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 6:25:42 PM
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Quote: EvenBobHaven't been there in years, it stinks so bad I feel like retching, and thats not good. It smells like the old urinal cakes they used about 30 years ago in bar restrooms. Gag...
You can see I commented on the smell in the casino portion of the review. As I wrote, the smell doesn't bother me much. I welcome other comments.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 18th, 2011 at 6:27:06 PM
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My Latin is pretty stale, but I can offer a few clues:
"Venehar" is a subjunctive form of "come" (as in, "veni, vidi, vici"). Pasquale Cicconia was Doge of Venice from 1585-1595. "Venehar" is a subjunctive of the Latin verb "venere" (to come). The date given is 1591. This could have been a commemorative plaque of some sort, possibly referring to the Doge's annual symbolic marriage ceremony of Venice with the sea, or the erection of a major public building or structure.
'Urbis conditat" means "city built". The date is a strange way of writing "1119" (it would usually be, "MCXIX"). Also, the city was founded many centuries before that---the inscription could refer to the modern limits and enclosures of the city, as Venice was rising to commercial and military prominence about that time.
"Curantibus" is usually meant as "those who care for others". This reference is often made to the Good Samaritan. If I had to guess, I would say that the names in smaller letters below "curantibus" would be a list of donors or benefactors of the event that was being celebrated, or of the building that the original of this plaque was attached to.
UPDATE: The Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal was finished in 1591 (see above). Does the Venetian feature a replica of this bridge (I think it does!) and if so, is this replica plaque on it?
"Venehar" is a subjunctive form of "come" (as in, "veni, vidi, vici"). Pasquale Cicconia was Doge of Venice from 1585-1595. "Venehar" is a subjunctive of the Latin verb "venere" (to come). The date given is 1591. This could have been a commemorative plaque of some sort, possibly referring to the Doge's annual symbolic marriage ceremony of Venice with the sea, or the erection of a major public building or structure.
'Urbis conditat" means "city built". The date is a strange way of writing "1119" (it would usually be, "MCXIX"). Also, the city was founded many centuries before that---the inscription could refer to the modern limits and enclosures of the city, as Venice was rising to commercial and military prominence about that time.
"Curantibus" is usually meant as "those who care for others". This reference is often made to the Good Samaritan. If I had to guess, I would say that the names in smaller letters below "curantibus" would be a list of donors or benefactors of the event that was being celebrated, or of the building that the original of this plaque was attached to.
UPDATE: The Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal was finished in 1591 (see above). Does the Venetian feature a replica of this bridge (I think it does!) and if so, is this replica plaque on it?
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 18th, 2011 at 6:27:41 PM
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I can't add too much since it's been close to five years since I was there. That whole banned for life thing is a pain in the ass!
EvenBob: "Look America, I have a tiny wee-wee, can anybody
help me?"
January 18th, 2011 at 6:30:33 PM
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Quote: mkl654321My Latin is pretty stale,
You looked it up, in other words.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 6:33:43 PM
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Very nice review - seems to hit on all the high points that I remember about that complex. Plus you threw in the interesting tidbit that you were a supervisor at a janitorial company. The smell only gets to me sometimes. It reminds me of vanilla hand lotion for some reason.
I'd heard that the parking garage was a nightmare compared to others, so I've never ventured in it, I've always parked elsewhere (Harrah's or Wynn) and walked there. Only complaints I've seen people say is that the rooms at Venetian are starting to show their age. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?
As for the Pai Gow dealers, surprisingly I have not had that many curt dealers since I started playing - I'm starting to think that they're happy to see someone else playing Pai gow besides the regular demographic. Just curious, what was the end result of your gambling, win or loss?
-B
I'd heard that the parking garage was a nightmare compared to others, so I've never ventured in it, I've always parked elsewhere (Harrah's or Wynn) and walked there. Only complaints I've seen people say is that the rooms at Venetian are starting to show their age. Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?
As for the Pai Gow dealers, surprisingly I have not had that many curt dealers since I started playing - I'm starting to think that they're happy to see someone else playing Pai gow besides the regular demographic. Just curious, what was the end result of your gambling, win or loss?
-B
January 18th, 2011 at 6:33:45 PM
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I would just like to comment that my own experiences with Pai Gow dealers at the Venetian have been very pleasant. I have always found them to be both friendly and professional. They seem supportive when I win and sympathetic when I lose. I've had the pit boss spend considerable time at the table, playing a vacant hand and making imaginary wagers against me and/or the dealer. I often slow roll my tiles so the dealer can watch my hand develop along with me; I've found that when I do this at the Venetian, the dealer will usually do the same in return.
I should note that I go out of my way to play Pai Gow alone. I would imagine that a table full of sophisticated asian players would probably result in less personality from the dealer.
The casino where I found the Pai Gow dealers to be particularly stuffy was Bellagio. I don't hold this against them, as it really seems that they are trained this way and it is supposed to be part of the appeal of the casino. I find myself going a little further here to try to get a reaction, sort of like the guards at Buckingham Palace.
I should note that I go out of my way to play Pai Gow alone. I would imagine that a table full of sophisticated asian players would probably result in less personality from the dealer.
The casino where I found the Pai Gow dealers to be particularly stuffy was Bellagio. I don't hold this against them, as it really seems that they are trained this way and it is supposed to be part of the appeal of the casino. I find myself going a little further here to try to get a reaction, sort of like the guards at Buckingham Palace.
January 18th, 2011 at 6:33:47 PM
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Quote: WizardYou can see I commented on the smell in the casino portion of the review. As I wrote, the smell doesn't bother me much. I welcome other comments.
I see you wrote about the parking. The valet there is the worst in Vegas, its a joke. You have to walk as far to get to the valet as you do to the parking garage, and then wait 20min for your car on a Wed afternoon. No thanks.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 6:36:06 PM
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Quote: PapaChubbyI should note that I go out of my way to play Pai Gow alone. I would imagine that a table full of sophisticated asian players would probably result in less personality from the dealer.
PapaChubby -
Do you manage to stay one on one with the dealer when you play? Everytime I've attempted to do this at an empty table, within 2-3 hands, I've got 3-4 people starting to play with me. I'm starting to wonder if it's another Asian superstition that you shouldn't play by yourself at the tile table.
-B
January 18th, 2011 at 6:37:16 PM
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I think there's a typo on the third line. Two, actually.
It shoudl read "Vrbis Conditae," which means the year when the city was founded. This was the reference used by the Romans in their dating. They started counting time from the founding of Rome, as we now count starting at the alleged birth of Christ. So it either means the year when Venice was founded, or the year the plaque was made as related to the founding of Rome.
The year makes no sense as written.
Minor trivia. In which movie are the dates given using the phrase "year of the City"?
It shoudl read "Vrbis Conditae," which means the year when the city was founded. This was the reference used by the Romans in their dating. They started counting time from the founding of Rome, as we now count starting at the alleged birth of Christ. So it either means the year when Venice was founded, or the year the plaque was made as related to the founding of Rome.
The year makes no sense as written.
Minor trivia. In which movie are the dates given using the phrase "year of the City"?
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
January 18th, 2011 at 6:43:15 PM
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Quote: toastcmuPapaChubby -
Do you manage to stay one on one with the dealer when you play? Everytime I've attempted to do this at an empty table, within 2-3 hands, I've got 3-4 people starting to play with me. I'm starting to wonder if it's another Asian superstition that you shouldn't play by yourself at the tile table.
-B
Yes, I've definitely noticed the same thing that you have. I was wondering if a white guy at the table is supposed to be a good omen.
Now that I think about it, it seems like its typically lower-end properties where I've encountered this the most. Rio and Harrah's come to mind. I've been able to play solo for extended periods at Venetian, Bellagio, Paris and Aria.
One matter of perspective: when they join me at the table, at least I don't feel as if I'm an unwelcome invader of their game. They're invading MY game.
January 18th, 2011 at 6:43:38 PM
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As you said, you don't play poker, but the Venetian poker room deserves mention as probably the best poker room in town. They deal mostly 1/3 and 2/5 NL, but they have 4/8 limit as well, along with some bigger games. The room is huge--there are about 45 tables in the main area, and dozens more in the tournament/expansion area.
The chairs are very comfortable, and the drink service is the best I've ever seen. (The cocktail waitresses are all 10s.) They have a separate players' card to track comps earned only at poker, and they use an at-the-table swipe-in and swipe-out system. They also use the computerized podium system, so players are seated quickly and efficiently (and this REALLY contrasts with several other Strip poker rooms, such as the Bellagio).
During "tournament time" (May-July), the V hosts a very popular tournament of its own, the "Deep Stack Extravaganza". It features buyins in the $330-$550 range, and a very good structure. The tourney generates a huge amount of side action.
I play there because these days, you need good game selection to make any money. Even when it's slow, there are 15 or 20 tables going, so you can hop around until you find a table full of players who play even worse than you do :)
The chairs are very comfortable, and the drink service is the best I've ever seen. (The cocktail waitresses are all 10s.) They have a separate players' card to track comps earned only at poker, and they use an at-the-table swipe-in and swipe-out system. They also use the computerized podium system, so players are seated quickly and efficiently (and this REALLY contrasts with several other Strip poker rooms, such as the Bellagio).
During "tournament time" (May-July), the V hosts a very popular tournament of its own, the "Deep Stack Extravaganza". It features buyins in the $330-$550 range, and a very good structure. The tourney generates a huge amount of side action.
I play there because these days, you need good game selection to make any money. Even when it's slow, there are 15 or 20 tables going, so you can hop around until you find a table full of players who play even worse than you do :)
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 18th, 2011 at 6:45:31 PM
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Quote: EvenBobYou looked it up, in other words.
I'm tired of you saying shit like that, and from now on, I'm going to be reporting you to the Wizard.
If you can't contribute to the thread in any meaningful way, why open your yap at all?
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 18th, 2011 at 6:53:25 PM
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Quote: mkl654321I'm tired of you saying shit like that, and from now on, I'm going to be reporting you to the Wizard.
Why is it embarrassing to look something up? With a high IQ and the internet, you can be the smartest person in the world. Kind of.. I look stuff up all the time, I've forgotten half of what I used to know.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 6:54:52 PM
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The last several times I have been to Vegas I've stayed at the Venetian or the Palazzo because I got the best offers from them. The comment about the rooms showing their age is very true at the Venetian. Almost without fail there are a few problems with the room, such as noisy plumbing, lights not working, no power in elctrical sockets, etc.
I like the casino though. What mkl was saying is true, their poker room is very nice, but all the pros in town know this so it seems to me a much tougher room than others in Vegas. There is also a Grand Lux cafe in both the Venetian and Palazzo and I love that restaurant! Nice scenery on the weekends and through the week for that matter. Can get real busy with the conventions close by.
I like the casino though. What mkl was saying is true, their poker room is very nice, but all the pros in town know this so it seems to me a much tougher room than others in Vegas. There is also a Grand Lux cafe in both the Venetian and Palazzo and I love that restaurant! Nice scenery on the weekends and through the week for that matter. Can get real busy with the conventions close by.
January 18th, 2011 at 6:59:37 PM
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Quote: EvenBobWhy is it embarrassing to look something up? With a high IQ and the internet, you can be the smartest person in the world. Kind of.. I look stuff up all the time, I've forgotten half of what I used to know.
Do I have to explain this to you? I guess I do. I said that "my Latin is rusty". Therefore, I translated what I could from what I remembered, not what I "looked up"--if I had done that, as a matter of fact, I probably would have been able to offer a better translation.
Of course, you're being disingenuous. You were using my post as an opportunity to make a snide remark about my intelligence for ABOUT THE FIVE HUNDREDTH TIME. in fact, in this post, above, you made such a remark for the 501st time. WE GET IT, BOB. You don't think I'm as smart as, supposedly, I say I am. That's what you think. Point noted. Said and recorded. We hear you and understand you. No need to repeat.
Have I gotten through to you? Probably not.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 18th, 2011 at 7:05:21 PM
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Quote: mkl654321You don't think I'm as smart as, supposedly, I say I am.
Dude, you're the one that announced you had a 190 IQ and then stood behind it. What did you think would happen, back slaps and accolades? For whatever reason, you have to be the smartest person here. You're selling and I ain't buying, how do you like them apples.. (a little jibe from 'Good Will Hunting')
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 7:06:10 PM
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I'm not a strip guy but did go to the Venetian in October to see Blue Man Group...good show, and afterwards my g/f and I walked out by one of the fountains near the strip and I proposed (no jokes guys lol).
Wiz, did you start your gambling career at Los Alamitos race track? My high school buddy and I used to go there late on Saturday nights and wait for them to open the gates so we could go in and bet the last two races....good times!
Wiz, did you start your gambling career at Los Alamitos race track? My high school buddy and I used to go there late on Saturday nights and wait for them to open the gates so we could go in and bet the last two races....good times!
January 18th, 2011 at 7:11:05 PM
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Quote: EvenBobDude, you're the one that announced you had a 190 IQ and then stood behind it. What did you think would happen, back slaps and accolades? For whatever reason, you have to be the smartest person here. You're selling and I ain't buying, how do you like them apples.. (a little jibe from 'Good Will Hunting')
You're like a dog with a bone, Bob. I said, we GET it. You don't need to post a snide remark about my intelligence after EVERY SINGLE ONE of my posts.
But for what it's worth, I would bet everything I own, laying 10-1 odds, that I'm smarter than YOU. (And how many dozen times have you watched that movie? Talk about obsessions...) How could we prove that? Your posts prove it.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 18th, 2011 at 7:17:42 PM
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Quote: mkl654321Y
But for what it's worth, I would bet everything I own, laying 10-1 odds, that I'm smarter than YOU.
I tell that to my dog every day and he acts like he doesn't care. But I know the truth, and I know that deep down, it really really bothers him.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 7:27:12 PM
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Regarding the trivia question the WoO quizzes waitresses about, I got the old "jeopardy" feeling of having it on the tip of my tongue but requiring actually hearing the answer for it to burst forth in my own brain.
The wikipedia entry was one of those, when I got to it, had an awful first sentence, which no doubt results from vandalism. Perhaps someone at Los Alamitos High School? couldnt resist altering it to this?:
"The [mythical creature] is awesome."
Actually there is evidence it is other high schools. Those inclusions make an awful article. I have attempted to help the first sentence, always interesting to see if such stands.
edits
The wikipedia entry was one of those, when I got to it, had an awful first sentence, which no doubt results from vandalism. Perhaps someone at Los Alamitos High School? couldnt resist altering it to this?:
"The [mythical creature] is awesome."
Actually there is evidence it is other high schools. Those inclusions make an awful article. I have attempted to help the first sentence, always interesting to see if such stands.
edits
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
January 18th, 2011 at 7:39:09 PM
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My wife and I have stayed at the Venetian/Palazzo every year since being married there (on the canal, in a gondola) in 2002. I can generally agree with the Wizard's updated review. The casino scent never bothered me (though I admit I have a poor sense of smell). Personally we didn't care for Blue Man Group but throught Jersey Boys was outstanding (and we're not particularly fans of early 1960's music). YMMV. Regarding dealers, I play BJ and the dealers I've had have always been pleasant: some more talkative than others, but never surly. Regarding employees in general, with the exception of one trip a few years ago the employees (custodial, housekeeping, food, etc.) have been universally pleasant and helpful. I believe the one time exception was due to some personnel/business changes that included layoffs: no one was rude but it was more business-like and not as cheerful. The "$25 trick" at check-in worked for upgrades with us.
FWIW the hotel renovations gave us an opportunity to buy some of the furniture through one of the Vegas furniture brokers: our master bedroom has all the "original" Venetian furnishings (paintings, night stands, makeup table, TV armoir, even the drapes).
My only disappointment with the property is the lack of casino hosts for our level of play. We used to have one but they changed the staff and now we have to go through the Grazie club for everything. Offers have been getting progressively stingier over the past few years, despite our level of play increasing.
FWIW the hotel renovations gave us an opportunity to buy some of the furniture through one of the Vegas furniture brokers: our master bedroom has all the "original" Venetian furnishings (paintings, night stands, makeup table, TV armoir, even the drapes).
My only disappointment with the property is the lack of casino hosts for our level of play. We used to have one but they changed the staff and now we have to go through the Grazie club for everything. Offers have been getting progressively stingier over the past few years, despite our level of play increasing.
January 18th, 2011 at 7:46:25 PM
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Quote: WizardI just finished my Venetian review. This is my first review in almost a year and probably my longest. The first where a two-night stay was entirely devoted to the review. These things take a while to write up and format too. Any comments, pro or con? In particular, anything you feel is factually incorrect?
I'd also like to draw your attention to this picture. Can anybody help with a translation? I think it is in Latin, but I'm not sure.
Well, "Ciconia" is "Stork" (hence the bird image)...
The epigraph is an imitation of the ones on the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy. On the one in Italy, it describes the date construction was completed (1591). However, I don't think the one at the Venetian is exactly the same.
From the Venicewiki website:
"Two large arches unite at the center of the rows of shops. Sull'archivolto sud, le figure scolpite dell'Angelo Gabriele da un lato, della Vergine dall'altro nell'atto di ricevere il celeste messaggio, con la Colomba tra i due, ricordano la leggendaria data di fondazione di Venezia, avvenuta, secondo antica tradizione, il 25 marzo, festa dell'Annunciazione, dell'anno 421. Sull'archivolto south, the figures carved on one side of the Angel Gabriel, the Virgin, the other in the act to receive the heavenly message, with the Dove between them, reminiscent of the legendary founding date of Venice, which took place according to ancient tradition, March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, in the year 421. La data è richiamata, insieme a quella di costruzione del ponte, nell'epigrafe scolpita sui quattro piedritti. The date is mentioned, along with the construction of the bridge, the epigraph carved on the four piers.
« Pascale Ciconia Vene tiarum Duce - anno Cristi MDXCI Vrbis conditae MCLXX - curantibus Aloysio Georgio Proc. - M. "Pascale Ciconia Veins tiarum Duce - Cristi years MDXCI Vrbis Conditae MCLXX - curantibus Aloysio Proc Georgio - M. Barbaro Eq. Barbaro Eq. et Proc. - Jacobo Foscareno Eq. et Proc - Jacobo Foscareno Eq. et Proc. » et Proc. » "
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
January 18th, 2011 at 7:48:07 PM
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Quote: odiousgambitRegarding the trivia question the WoO quizzes waitresses about, I got the old "jeopardy" feeling of having it on the tip of my tongue but requiring actually hearing the answer for it to burst forth in my own brain.
For some reason I thought "Chimera" when i saw the picture. Technically I may be right, but I did know the right answer exactly as you decribed it.
During all my trips to vegas I've strolled through the Venetian. I love the Renaissance Italy look of the hotel and the shops. I even like the canals, though, to me, the actual gondoal rides seem a bit silly. Anyway, I've never stopepd to gamble or even to get a player card. I did walk throuh the casino once and failed to notice any peculiar smell.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
January 18th, 2011 at 8:06:00 PM
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My wife and I visited the Venetian during Thanksgiving weekend just to see the public spaces. I must admit I enjoy the themed hotels; they add to the over-the- toppedness of the town. As to the interiors, WOW. We walked along the 'Grand Canal' to St Marks Square, that is one big room! But I noticed something; there's no St Marks Cathedral in St Marks Square! In Venice, one end of the square is dominated by a huge Byzantine cathedral with four bigger than life bronze horses on its facade. In the Venetian, that building is missing from the "horizon" that surrounds the interior of St Marks Square. Thinking on it, I realized I'd never seen any representation of Notre Dame in Paris Las Vegas. One has to wonder if the RC church weighed in with the builders when they were designing the interiors of the two properties.Quote: WizardYou can see I commented on the smell in the casino portion of the review. As I wrote, the smell doesn't bother me much. I welcome other comments.
As to the 'overwhelming' scent, I only noticed it in a few seperate areas, as though I was standing near a dispenser. It certainly wasn't pervasive through the public areas( to my nostrils, anyway).
"Win with a smile, lose with grace."
January 18th, 2011 at 8:13:00 PM
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Quote: PapaChubbyYes, I've definitely noticed the same thing that you have. I was wondering if a white guy at the table is supposed to be a good omen.
Now that I think about it, it seems like its typically lower-end properties where I've encountered this the most. Rio and Harrah's come to mind. I've been able to play solo for extended periods at Venetian, Bellagio, Paris and Aria.
One matter of perspective: when they join me at the table, at least I don't feel as if I'm an unwelcome invader of their game. They're invading MY game.
The same thing happens on the Pai Gow Poker tables here in MN. I play enough that I've gotten to know a couple of the guys well enough to ask about it. At least for them, it's superstition - but not in the way you're suggesting. What they told me is that they'll table hop if things run cold, but not to the extent that they'll unfreeze a table just to get a crack at new cards/tiles. You want to play alone, so you'll unfreeze a stale table and sit by yourself. They want to table hop, but they won't open a new table. In a way, you're facilitating their superstitious play:-)
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
January 18th, 2011 at 8:19:21 PM
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I stopped playing BJ about 2005 at the Venetian because of the arrogant dealers. I see the Wiz had the same problem. They act like they're doing you a favor just for being there, it gets to you after awhile.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 9:39:47 PM
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Good review, Mr. Wizard.
For me the highlight of the Venetian/Palazzo complex is the Grande Canal Shoppes, l and St. Mark's square.... absolutely beautiful. The casino's smell turns me right off and I couldn't see spending more than an hour in there without getting a headache. The casino to me is nothing special but the rest of the complex is very very nice.
We had Bouchon for an anniversary dinner about 5 - 6 years ago and I recall it was very good... a bit decadent as it should be, but very good. We've also eaten at the Trattoria Reggiano, and it was excellent for the money. I haven't taken the canal ride but plan to at some point.
For me the highlight of the Venetian/Palazzo complex is the Grande Canal Shoppes, l and St. Mark's square.... absolutely beautiful. The casino's smell turns me right off and I couldn't see spending more than an hour in there without getting a headache. The casino to me is nothing special but the rest of the complex is very very nice.
We had Bouchon for an anniversary dinner about 5 - 6 years ago and I recall it was very good... a bit decadent as it should be, but very good. We've also eaten at the Trattoria Reggiano, and it was excellent for the money. I haven't taken the canal ride but plan to at some point.
-----
You want the truth! You can't handle the truth!
January 18th, 2011 at 9:44:33 PM
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Quote: WizardI'd also like to draw your attention to this picture. Can anybody help with a translation? I think it is in Latin, but I'm not sure.
Here's a picture of the original in Venice, demonstrating that Mr. Adelson's stonemasons were ill-instructed:
from this site, which also lists the text directly. There are several misspellings in the Las Vegas rendition.
Also see this Flickr page which also lists the text.
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice."
-- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
January 18th, 2011 at 9:56:17 PM
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Great article, nice to have your reviews back.
You should apologize to those cocktail waitresses, though. The symbol of Venice is a winged lion, not a Griffin. A Griffin has an eagle's head.
You should apologize to those cocktail waitresses, though. The symbol of Venice is a winged lion, not a Griffin. A Griffin has an eagle's head.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
January 18th, 2011 at 9:59:02 PM
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Thanks for all the comments. Here are some brief replies:
JimMorrison: You can see I mention your altercation at Tao.
Parking garage: I warned about it. It isn't THAT bad, but still one of the worst in Vegas. I was tempted to recommend parking at the Palazzo, but stopped short. The Palazzo garage is great, but a long walk to the Venetian.
Valet: Never used it so can't comment on it.
My janitorial experience: Yes, I was a low-level manager at a janitorial company in Santa Barbara. That business is not so much about cleaning but the appearance of being clean. For example, there is stuff you can put on a smelly carpet stain to mask the odor, but it doesn't get to the root of the problem. It is a very competitive and labor intensive business, so you have to cut corners wherever you can. I could write a lot about it.
Pai gow dealers: Maybe I just had a bad sampling, but I really had just one crabby dealer after another. In the past I've had better luck there. I find the dealers at the Palazzo better, especially in pai gow. It seems like anywhere when I play one on one I get treated well. As soon as an Asian player sits down suddenly the temperature drops.
Players at the table: In any game, Asian players don't like playing alone. Look at baccarat. Most tables are either full or empty. Seldom will you see a single player. I tend to agree that Asian players think an empty table is cold, and if somebody is playing, then that player primed it.
Minor trivia: Logan's Run!
Poker: Maybe I'll play for a couple hours sometime soon to add to the review. I like how the poker "room" is right out in front. Most places hide poker a corner somewhere.
Los Alamitos Race Track: My high school was very close to it. You could hear the bugle call from the track on campus in the evenings. However, I have only been there once or twice. To this day I have never discovered a good angle in horse racing. One of my closest friends from junior high used to bet there on a regular basis in high school, and for pretty big money, but by then we had become estranged. He bragged a lot about big wins, but I think he wasn't offsetting his losses in telling such stories.
The griffin: odious, I'm not sure what the you were trying to say.
Latin: Nice work mkl, math, and Ayecarumba! Thank you.
JimMorrison: You can see I mention your altercation at Tao.
Parking garage: I warned about it. It isn't THAT bad, but still one of the worst in Vegas. I was tempted to recommend parking at the Palazzo, but stopped short. The Palazzo garage is great, but a long walk to the Venetian.
Valet: Never used it so can't comment on it.
My janitorial experience: Yes, I was a low-level manager at a janitorial company in Santa Barbara. That business is not so much about cleaning but the appearance of being clean. For example, there is stuff you can put on a smelly carpet stain to mask the odor, but it doesn't get to the root of the problem. It is a very competitive and labor intensive business, so you have to cut corners wherever you can. I could write a lot about it.
Pai gow dealers: Maybe I just had a bad sampling, but I really had just one crabby dealer after another. In the past I've had better luck there. I find the dealers at the Palazzo better, especially in pai gow. It seems like anywhere when I play one on one I get treated well. As soon as an Asian player sits down suddenly the temperature drops.
Players at the table: In any game, Asian players don't like playing alone. Look at baccarat. Most tables are either full or empty. Seldom will you see a single player. I tend to agree that Asian players think an empty table is cold, and if somebody is playing, then that player primed it.
Minor trivia: Logan's Run!
Poker: Maybe I'll play for a couple hours sometime soon to add to the review. I like how the poker "room" is right out in front. Most places hide poker a corner somewhere.
Los Alamitos Race Track: My high school was very close to it. You could hear the bugle call from the track on campus in the evenings. However, I have only been there once or twice. To this day I have never discovered a good angle in horse racing. One of my closest friends from junior high used to bet there on a regular basis in high school, and for pretty big money, but by then we had become estranged. He bragged a lot about big wins, but I think he wasn't offsetting his losses in telling such stories.
The griffin: odious, I'm not sure what the you were trying to say.
Latin: Nice work mkl, math, and Ayecarumba! Thank you.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 18th, 2011 at 10:00:26 PM
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I find it quite sad that there are quite a few typos on the Venetian's sign.
-----
You want the truth! You can't handle the truth!
January 18th, 2011 at 10:13:13 PM
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Quote: WizardIt seems like anywhere when I play one on one I get treated well. As soon as an Asian player sits down suddenly the temperature drops.
Players at the table: In any game, Asian players don't like playing alone. Look at baccarat. Most tables are either full or empty. Seldom will you see a single player. I tend to agree that Asian players think an empty table is cold, and if somebody is playing, then that player primed it.
Don't get me started. I quit playing bac because of Asian players and I'm a damn good bac player, I've had them shut down tables on me because I had a winning streak going. I got so sick and tired of casinos ignoring the rules with Asian players and busting my chops over the slightest suggestion I was skirting a rule. And they over comped them too, it made me sick. I complained and complained and never got anywhere, they got away with murder. Asians don't like playing at empty tables because most of them use a 'follow the table strategy'. If they're favorite players are betting banker, they bet banker. Or if more than half the table is betting banker, ditto. Thats why they're such big losers, they always assume the next player knows more than they do. Its pretty funny actually, when one buffalo jumps off the cliff the others will loyally follow.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 18th, 2011 at 10:31:35 PM
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Bob, if all that is sincere...well how is one, ex ante, good at baccarat?
January 18th, 2011 at 10:34:11 PM
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Quote: toastcmuPapaChubby -
Do you manage to stay one on one with the dealer when you play? Everytime I've attempted to do this at an empty table, within 2-3 hands, I've got 3-4 people starting to play with me. I'm starting to wonder if it's another Asian superstition that you shouldn't play by yourself at the tile table.
-B
I don't know if this is a superstition as much as it is a typical tendency of people in general.
I used to be a night club DJ and it was amusing to watch the ebb and flow of the dance floor. Early in the night the floor is barren until enough people are in the room and enough of them really want to dance and enough of them have just the right amount of booze in their systems and then I pop on the latest hit and *boom*, the floor is packed. Once people see that someone else is on the floor they feel more comfortable getting out there too. No one wants to be the first (apart from the true extroverts, drunks or people who just really like to dance) and no one wants to be the last. As soon as people think that the floor is beginning to empty, they scoot for the safety of their bar or booth and within 20 seconds a busy dance floor can be empty. I used to think it was just the music selection and although that does play a part it is obvious that human nature and the "pack" mentality wins out more often than not.
I've often said to Supervisors in various casinos that they should pay me as a shill. I prefer to play alone no matter what the game but I can watch dealer stand over an empty table for an hour and within minutes of sitting down to play I am invariably surrounded by others. It happens at BJ and other games but it is most noticeable at games like Pai Gow Tiles and Baccarat where more Asians tend to play. Superstition? Possibly, but I think you'll see the same thing at most games. No one wants to be first. Except me I guess.
Happiness is underrated
January 18th, 2011 at 10:52:36 PM
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Quote: sunrise089Bob, if all that is sincere...well how is one, ex ante, good at baccarat?
The cards follows certain patterns at times and if you get in on the bottom of it, you can do OK for awhile. You need to know when it ends, though. and get the hell out. Once, on a Wed afternoon at the Riviera, I talked them into opening a mini-bac table and won 25 out of 30 hands, after which they promptly shut it down and were very rude about it. LOL! Same thing happened at an Indian casino once. Its just being in the right place at the right time. They shut that table down too, and stared at me a lot, I was the only player for about 2 hours. I won $450 and they were wondering who's idea it was to open the table on a Mon night.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 19th, 2011 at 2:32:33 AM
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>The casino scent never bothered me (though I admit I have a poor sense of smell).
Same here on each point. I never noticed it, but others seem to all the time. My companion never noticed it either.
>Personally we didn't care for Blue Man Group but throught Jersey Boys was outstanding
I never care for ANY of that stuff. I keep telling my companion I don't want to get dragged to shows ...
>Regarding dealers, I play BJ and the dealers I've had have always been pleasant: some more talkative than others, but never surly.
I'd rate the dealers rather highly. Even a few trainee dealers seemed to be real good. Even as I joined the tail-end of a craps lesson the second morning, the dealer/instructor recognized me from the previous night where my play was rather brief due to late check in and the effects of jet lag.
>Regarding employees in general, ... universally pleasant and helpful.
Yes. Even the shop clerks didn't insist on my presenting the coupon I had left in my room.
Did you get an overall impression of very high security levels? I did starting right at the entrance way, the checkin process, etc.
I encountered some mis-communication between dealers and a passing waitress but other than that, I'd say everything was well done and employees were attentive. As always, I'm annoyed by the twenty dollar trick that my companion insists I do and which I feel is useless and insulting.
>My only disappointment with the property is the lack of casino hosts for our level of play.
There has been a great deal of complaints recently about hosts and Club Grazie. Its clear that hosts have been stripped of much of the discretion they previously enjoyed. Its also clear The Venetian has tightened up what was previously an extremely generous policy toward peons such as my companion and I. One situation that previously existed was a good deal of variance between hosts with the younger hosts atleast appearing to be more generous. I think I'd have enjoyed those in-room beverage items more if I had known the hotel would pick up the tab for me. I didn't know I would be RFB at my level of play. Its disappointing to find out afterward. I loathed the miscommunication after I had checked out. I don't see why I was RFB, yet when I missed my flight and just needed a one-night room and early morning shuttle for the next morning's flight, they wanted several hundred for the room.
Same here on each point. I never noticed it, but others seem to all the time. My companion never noticed it either.
>Personally we didn't care for Blue Man Group but throught Jersey Boys was outstanding
I never care for ANY of that stuff. I keep telling my companion I don't want to get dragged to shows ...
>Regarding dealers, I play BJ and the dealers I've had have always been pleasant: some more talkative than others, but never surly.
I'd rate the dealers rather highly. Even a few trainee dealers seemed to be real good. Even as I joined the tail-end of a craps lesson the second morning, the dealer/instructor recognized me from the previous night where my play was rather brief due to late check in and the effects of jet lag.
>Regarding employees in general, ... universally pleasant and helpful.
Yes. Even the shop clerks didn't insist on my presenting the coupon I had left in my room.
Did you get an overall impression of very high security levels? I did starting right at the entrance way, the checkin process, etc.
I encountered some mis-communication between dealers and a passing waitress but other than that, I'd say everything was well done and employees were attentive. As always, I'm annoyed by the twenty dollar trick that my companion insists I do and which I feel is useless and insulting.
>My only disappointment with the property is the lack of casino hosts for our level of play.
There has been a great deal of complaints recently about hosts and Club Grazie. Its clear that hosts have been stripped of much of the discretion they previously enjoyed. Its also clear The Venetian has tightened up what was previously an extremely generous policy toward peons such as my companion and I. One situation that previously existed was a good deal of variance between hosts with the younger hosts atleast appearing to be more generous. I think I'd have enjoyed those in-room beverage items more if I had known the hotel would pick up the tab for me. I didn't know I would be RFB at my level of play. Its disappointing to find out afterward. I loathed the miscommunication after I had checked out. I don't see why I was RFB, yet when I missed my flight and just needed a one-night room and early morning shuttle for the next morning's flight, they wanted several hundred for the room.
January 19th, 2011 at 6:47:48 AM
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Quote: EvenBobThe cards follows certain patterns at times and if you get in on the bottom of it, you can do OK for awhile.
No comment.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 19th, 2011 at 6:54:57 AM
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Quote: FleaStiff...Did you get an overall impression of very high security levels? I did starting right at the entrance way, the checkin process, etc. ....
My experience with other Vegas hotels is limited so I can't make a direct comparison of security, but IMO they are certainly visible. Guard stands at elevator banks has actually increased over the years (when we first started visiting there was a guard stand at the 1st floor bank but just a card key at the 2nd floor bank. Something must have happened because they started a guard stand there too). Its common to see guards patrolling hotel hallways, pool deck, hotel lobby, etc.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:07:04 AM
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Quote: boymimboI find it quite sad that there are quite a few typos on the Venetian's sign.
I couldn't believe how they butchered the signs that were in French in the rooms in the Paris hotel, and that isn't a "dead language!" My high school French was learned a quarter of a century ago and I was cringing. I'll have to show the Venetian sign to my son who studies Latin and see if he notices the mistakes.
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.
Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:12:33 AM
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Nice comment.Quote: WizardNo comment.Quote: EvenBobThe cards follows certain patterns at times and if you get in on the bottom of it, you can do OK for awhile.
January 19th, 2011 at 7:21:32 AM
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Quote: WizardThe griffin: odious, I'm not sure what the you were trying to say.
It seems the correct answer, thanks teddys, is not "griffen" but "the winged lion of St. Mark". I hope you return to give those poor girls some money, they might have given you the right answer, at least guessing "winged lion"?, and you shot them down shamefully? [g]
As far as my comments on Griffen, ummm, sorry, one thing is the wikipedia article on that mythical beast was in the process of being vandalized as I was trying to fix it, and two edits were made simultaneously, which kicks them both out I guess. Turns out someone else corrected it first.
to see what I mean, you have to check out "histories." Keep clicking on "previous edit" to see what the high school kids were up to.
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
January 19th, 2011 at 7:51:15 AM
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Quote: WizardMinor trivia: Logan's Run!
Absolutely right! You win the honor of winning :) And pressumably of having seen one of the better science fiction movies.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
January 19th, 2011 at 11:16:55 AM
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I too love Venetian/Palazzo and hate resort fees but begrudgingly pay them. I think you have to ask for the daily paper if you actually want it delivered.
January 19th, 2011 at 11:29:08 AM
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Just got around to reading the review. I notice that you did not mention the restaurant that my wife and I visit each time we are in Las Vegas: Canaletto Las Vegas, located right on St. Mark's Square. We highly enjoy the Italian cuisine, the attentive service, and the outstanding environs, including the musical entertainment that goes on in the square. We introduced some friends to it when we were in town at the same time back in late 2006. We saw them recently, and they said they have returned to the restaurant several times since then and have taken other friends -- the favorable impression gets passed along.
One visit to Las Vegas several years ago, we were joined by my brother and his lady friend. They had recently returned from a visit to Italy, including some time in the real Venice. My brother said he was exceptionally surprised at how well they had recreated the Venetian atmosphere in Las Vegas. He noted the following differences the Vegas version has from the original: everything is smaller, the pedestrian passageways are not nearly so crowded, the place doesn't stink, you don't step in raw sewage going from place to place. I've never been to the real Venice, but from these contrasting comments, I have chosen to keep going back to Las Vegas and Canaletto instead.
One visit to Las Vegas several years ago, we were joined by my brother and his lady friend. They had recently returned from a visit to Italy, including some time in the real Venice. My brother said he was exceptionally surprised at how well they had recreated the Venetian atmosphere in Las Vegas. He noted the following differences the Vegas version has from the original: everything is smaller, the pedestrian passageways are not nearly so crowded, the place doesn't stink, you don't step in raw sewage going from place to place. I've never been to the real Venice, but from these contrasting comments, I have chosen to keep going back to Las Vegas and Canaletto instead.
January 19th, 2011 at 11:31:17 AM
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Quote: EvenBobYou looked it up, in other words.
Maybe so. Do you consider your contribution to be superior to his?
January 19th, 2011 at 11:41:42 AM
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Quote: dmMaybe so. Do you consider your contribution to be superior to his?
Well, my contribution was just a rambling essay of made-up assertions written by an unhappy, conflicted atheist who lives in a place where everybody's a liberal and the women don't shave their legs.
Oh, wait, that would be someone else talking...I'm starting to conflate EvenBob and JerryLogan...I wonder why that would be happening...
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
January 19th, 2011 at 12:09:43 PM
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I never paid much attention to the security level. It seems par for a nice Strip casino. It is normal in Vegas to have guards asking to see a key for the elevators, which they do. There is no guard to screen cars in the garage, as you see at some other properties, like the NYNY. The Venetian guards are dressed like in colorful European uniforms, so they don't seem so imposing. Still I saw two of them hauling somebody off to the back room once.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 19th, 2011 at 12:32:56 PM
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Just remembered a comment that I forgot to include in my earlier post about the Wizard's review.
With regard to the parking garage, the thing that always seems strange to me is the route you take once you are on foot. From the parking area, you walk to the elevator area, which has an appearance as if it could be part of the hotel/casino building. You take an elevator to level whatever (3, I think), which is indicated for the casino and Grand Canal Shops. But then when you get off the elevator, you walk back out into the parking garage with the cars!
From there, you hook a 200 degree left up a walkway (partially exposed to the outdoors, I think) and back into a building to find the stuff you were looking for. It always seems to me that the other side of the elevator foyer should be connected directly by a fully-enclosed walkway to the main building. I have seen many first-time visitors get completely lost when they come off the elevator, and I have felt disoriented myself.
With regard to the parking garage, the thing that always seems strange to me is the route you take once you are on foot. From the parking area, you walk to the elevator area, which has an appearance as if it could be part of the hotel/casino building. You take an elevator to level whatever (3, I think), which is indicated for the casino and Grand Canal Shops. But then when you get off the elevator, you walk back out into the parking garage with the cars!
From there, you hook a 200 degree left up a walkway (partially exposed to the outdoors, I think) and back into a building to find the stuff you were looking for. It always seems to me that the other side of the elevator foyer should be connected directly by a fully-enclosed walkway to the main building. I have seen many first-time visitors get completely lost when they come off the elevator, and I have felt disoriented myself.
