PHOENIX - SPRING TRAINING
My buddy and I headed to Twin Peaks for drinks and dinner in Phoenix after landing! It was nice to see indoor dining available and restaurants at near capacity since California was still shutdown thanks to the idiot Governor.
To commemorate the start of Spring Training 2021, I am enjoying a Jefferson Reserve Old Fashioned!
The bar at our hotel was even open when we arrived! Screw California's idiot Governor! People outside California were getting their lives back to normal as the "sheep" of California suffered.
I was excited to use the gym at the hotel also since the gyms were closed in California. Again, screw the idiot Governor of California. That fool wanted people to work out in the cold or heat outdoors only!
This Doubletree hotel in Chandler had the usual cookies which was not available for many months during the "pandemic." Yay! The Doubletree Cookie is amazing!
Instead of the usual "grab and go" crap a lot of the west coast hotel operators were doing, this Doubletree had a hot breakfast buffet. It was free for us since I am a Diamond guest.
Rudy's BBQ was across the street from our hotel so we had to go get some delicious Texas style BBQ! Indoor dining is the only way to go!
Meats are sold my the 1/2 pound at Rudy's. I got lean briskey and smoked turkey. The sides were delicios too! I love Blue Bell Ice Cream too!
I love Big Oil, and Rudy's has lots of old gas station signage in the restaurant. Sweet Texas Crude, Baby! I hate the "green freaks" who are against fossil fuels!
The Phoenix area has a chain of drive through coffee booths called Bikini Beans where the baristas wear bikinis. It was a cold day for Phoenix so our barista had to cover up a little. LOL.
We got a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for the hotel room so we could keep our buzz going.
We went to the A's at Reds game at the Goodyear Ballpark that evening. This was my first ever night game during Spring Training.
Crowd capacities were limited this year for Spring Training. Most seats were sold in pods of 2-6, and the addtional seats in the row were blocked off with zip ties.
I got a whiskey drink in the souvenir Red's mason jar. That evening was super cold and rainy towards the end of the game. I gave the mason jar to my dad since he got his phd in Ohio.
I needed some food to soak up all the alcohol from this first day of Spring Training so we went to Portillo's for their Italian Beef sandwiches!
We went to Mill Street in Tempe after dinner to go party with the ASU students! The bars and clubs were open with most people not masking!
I was so happy to see college students partying and enjoying their college experience! We have to return to our normal lives now! Time to stop living in fear!
My buddy and I took full advantage of the indoor dining in the Phoenix area! We are enjoying lunch here at Oregano's in Surprise. Recall the idiot Governor of California for denying us indoor dining!
Texas Rangers Spring Training was back! I had to get our tickets through a reseller since the capacity was limited for this game too.
I got goosebumps during the anthem! This was amazing to be able to watch baseball live again after the pandemic crap last year. I stand proudly for our anthem too!
Masks were not enforced for the most part at this game. The hosts just wanted everyone to enjoy themselves! I already got my first vaccine before coming on this trip so I was good!
These were not our usual seats were closer to homeplate and in the shade, but I was just happy to be there!
It was such a beautiful day for baseball! Although it was sunny, it was not too hot!
I probably spent the most ever on souvenirs this time since I wanted to get stuff for Joy and my nephew, Aakash, also.
Our new Japanese pitcher, Arihara, is walking off the field after a solid start.
The Rangers won! We watched the pitchers in the bull pen as "God Blessed Texas" was being played loudly to signify our win!
My buddy wanted to go to Bikini Beans again for a refreshing beverage so we went to Peoria. The girls were wearing their bikinis today since it was warmer!
We went to Mastro's Ocean Club in Scottsdale for dinner on Sunday night.
We do Spring Training right with fine dining at night usually! I enjoyed my cocktail as well as the seared ahi tuna appetizer.
I got the special which was a branzino.
The bars were hopping in Scottsdale too! I guess because it was the weekend before St. Patty's Day too! Party on! Time to get our lives back to the "old normal."
We went to Top Golf in Gilbert on Monday morning since we did not have a game to attend that day. Top Golf is always a fun way to spend some time!
I am pretty good at Top Golf even though I suck at the real thing. LOL. I discovered Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey here! It was so good! My buddy ordered me a double after I tried it at the bar.
The Shake Shack required masks for some odd reason. So, they gave me one to wear when I ordered my lunch. Stupid NY liberal chain! LOL.
After lunch, we went to Bikini Beans in Mesa and just chilled on those two empty chairs and enjoyed our beverages and the "eye candy." There is nothing wrong with such activities. LOL.
On Monday night, we enjoyed another fine dining experience at SumoMaya in Scottsdale. This is a Latin and Japanese fusion restaurant.
The Executive Respiratory Business Specialist is ready for some sushi!
To detox from all the drinking this trip, I only got bottled water for my beverage at SumoMaya.
The inside of SumoMaya was really cool with this fake tree that looks so real! The music was very happening also.
The negiri was super fresh!
I think this is the best sushi that I have ever had! The Latin influenced roll was amazing with the taste of lime and cilantro with the fresh hamachi!
We had lunch at the Wrigley Mansion, a private club with two restaurants on Tuesday. The valet was waiting for us at the top.
The mansion was stunning as one entered the main lobby.
The soon to be Medical Specialist for a major biotech company is getting ready for a gourmet lunch. Spoiler alert! I did not announce my leaving Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals at the time of publishing this page.
The salted butter complemented the bread service.
This drink is called "Under The Cherry Moon" and features Traverse City Whiskey American Cherry Edition as the base. I loved it a lot!
I got the seared diver scallops on a bed of pepita risotto with charred brussel sprout leaves.
We shared the roasted root vegetables. They were yummy!
We enjoyed the views from the table, and the dining room was so tastefully decorated too. It was a throwback to the era that the mansion was built.
We were able to tour the mansion that was built by the gum tycoon, William Wrigley.
They had their own telephone exchange in the mansion also.
The views from the Wrigley Mansion were amazing!
My buddy took a lot of photos of me climbing down the stair case like the paparazzi would take of celebrities or politicians. LOL.
Southwest had a new modified beverage service starting when we flew back home. A limited selection of sodas were now available instead of just water. There was no alcohol yet :(
LAS VEGAS - MARCH MADNESS
My wife is ready to party for March Madness! We had a group of about twelve folks who came down to Vegas to party too!
They had a shot station set up at McCarren Airport in Las Vegas when we landed so I got a shot of Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey to get things started for March Madness!
We stayed at Vdara this time which is an all suites property next to Aria at City Center.
Our suite had a little basketball for March Madness in the room! There was also an app to do live betting while in Nevada!
Our suite was spacious!
I liked the kitchenette and dining room when entering the suite. We did not cook there however. LOL.
Our view from the suite was cool. The Raiders Stadium is in the background.
The Vdara pool was nice. I enjoyed the super warm water when I went swimming.
We joined some of our friends in the Aria Sports Book to watch the March Madness games and have drinks.
For dinner, a few of us went to Catch. My friend knows the Executive Chef so he arranged a special table for us.
We had a lot of great food at Catch including these oysters. The truffled sashimi with caviar is in the other plate.
I ordered a Meatpacker Manhattan. The waiter served in a stainless steel flask that the restaurant let me keep compliments of the Executive Chef.
We got the Hit Me dessert and the donut wheel. The Hit Me has a Klondike on top which is "hit" by one of the guests to drip the melted ice cream all over the brownie and cake.
This was our group of friends prior to us paying our $1,200 dinner tab! LOL.
We took a SUV limo to Circa after dinner to party on Fremont Street.
No masks were required in the limo. LOL. The whole mask thing was not as enforced this time in Vegas.
We decided to go to the Whiskey Licker Up and Down Bar at Binion's.
We loved the revolving bar at the Whiskey Licker. It was a trick when one is buzzed!
Our friend Courtney got us Vegas Bombs! Yay!
We met up with some more friends and walked to almost the shady part of downtown Las Vegas to find this historic dive bar which closed 20 minutes before we got there. Boo!
The El Cortez is a historic hotel in downtown.
Our group ended up at the Legacy Club at Circa for more drinks! The views from the rooftop lounge are awesome! Masks were not required up there! Yay!
We had a private all day table with TV at Salt & Ivy the next day to watch March Madness games and drink (eat also).
Our table fit six guests, and we had our own large TV to keep an eye on the games.
I ordered bottomless mimosas like my two buddies who were already at the table.
I loved the pancakes at Salt & Ivy when I got them last July so I ordered them again!
My buddy ordered us a round of Don Julio 1942 shots. I thought I was going to throw up that early in the morning with tequila, but it was so smooth!
Our waitress kept our bottomless mimosas flowing!
I left the table after breakfast to place some bets.
I needed a shaken espresso from Starbucks so I went back to Vdara afterwards. Moreover, I needed a nap since we got back at 2:30 in the morning the night before!
My punishment for leaving the table and taking a nap was this pint of Fireball. LOL. No, I did not drink it all.
I got a lobster roll for lunch at Salt & Ivy to soak up the alcohol. We had a $1,200 minimum for that table for the day!
That night, we went to Morimoto for dinner at MGM Grand.
Morimoto is an "Iron Chef."
The sushi bar was super cool!
My wife and I are enjoying our Morimoto experience so far here!
My buddy and I are enjoying our Japanese whisky!
The three girls behind us are also part of our group. We had seperate reservations since we were not sure if the stupid Covid restrictions were still in place.
The sushi was very fresh!
I ordered a 3 ounce serving of A5 Wagyu beef. It was $35/oz. The meat had amazing marbeling.
I wonder if my buddy is dreaming of that cute hostess here. LOL. One has to love Vegas for the eye candy!
The restaurant was packed. I guess this pandemic thing is over now? It is time to get our lives back to NORMAL!
A relatively inexpensive meal for us for Las Vegas standards. This was only the amount for Joy and I.
We wanted to try Egg Slut the next morning, but the line was too long. So, we went to Holstein's. Joy and I split the grilled chicken and waffles. It was pretty good!
I got a parfait also at Holstein's.
For lunch, we went to Eataly at the Park MGM. This Italian food court has lots of food stations, but there is also a sit down restaurant.
I ordered a diet Italian cola drink. It was not that good since the sweetner might have expired.
This beet salad with fresh mozzarella was amazing!
For dinner, we went to the other location for Lotus of Siam. This was where the Roy's was located before in Las Vegas when my brother and I ate there many years ago!
Chef Chutima's James Beard Award is displayed in the entrance. Anthony Bourdain made her restaurant famous.
My brother and mother joined us for dinner too. My parents flew in that day to see my nephew, Aakash since his birthday was the following week.
Joy and I loved Lotus of Siam once again!
The next morning we saw this cute little rascal!
We took a birthday picture with the soon to be three year old! He likes Paw Patrol a lot!
I got him "Trent Techron" back in December when I went to San Diego. My mission is to make sure he does not become a liberal snowflake who is "green." Let's hear it for Big Oil!
After returning to Sacramento, we were happy to see that indoor dining was back! My buddy and I celebrated National Chip & Dip Day at Twin Peaks to commerate this happy occasion. LOL.
I wanted to detox after Phoenix and Vegas, but I ended up getting a Screwball shot! We got the $5 chips and assorted dip deal too!
My wife and I had an indoor date night too at Oshima Sushi the next day after Twin Peaks! We are not giving in to the stupid liberals and eating outdoors!
I ended up doing a Japanese whisky flight at Oshima so my detox was still in question! LOL.
My buddy and I headed to Twin Peaks for drinks and dinner in Phoenix after landing! It was nice to see indoor dining available and restaurants at near capacity since California was still shutdown thanks to the idiot Governor.
To commemorate the start of Spring Training 2021, I am enjoying a Jefferson Reserve Old Fashioned!
The bar at our hotel was even open when we arrived! Screw California's idiot Governor! People outside California were getting their lives back to normal as the "sheep" of California suffered.
I was excited to use the gym at the hotel also since the gyms were closed in California. Again, screw the idiot Governor of California. That fool wanted people to work out in the cold or heat outdoors only!
This Doubletree hotel in Chandler had the usual cookies which was not available for many months during the "pandemic." Yay! The Doubletree Cookie is amazing!
Instead of the usual "grab and go" crap a lot of the west coast hotel operators were doing, this Doubletree had a hot breakfast buffet. It was free for us since I am a Diamond guest.
Rudy's BBQ was across the street from our hotel so we had to go get some delicious Texas style BBQ! Indoor dining is the only way to go!
Meats are sold my the 1/2 pound at Rudy's. I got lean briskey and smoked turkey. The sides were delicios too! I love Blue Bell Ice Cream too!
I love Big Oil, and Rudy's has lots of old gas station signage in the restaurant. Sweet Texas Crude, Baby! I hate the "green freaks" who are against fossil fuels!
The Phoenix area has a chain of drive through coffee booths called Bikini Beans where the baristas wear bikinis. It was a cold day for Phoenix so our barista had to cover up a little. LOL.
We got a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for the hotel room so we could keep our buzz going.
We went to the A's at Reds game at the Goodyear Ballpark that evening. This was my first ever night game during Spring Training.
Crowd capacities were limited this year for Spring Training. Most seats were sold in pods of 2-6, and the addtional seats in the row were blocked off with zip ties.
I got a whiskey drink in the souvenir Red's mason jar. That evening was super cold and rainy towards the end of the game. I gave the mason jar to my dad since he got his phd in Ohio.
I needed some food to soak up all the alcohol from this first day of Spring Training so we went to Portillo's for their Italian Beef sandwiches!
We went to Mill Street in Tempe after dinner to go party with the ASU students! The bars and clubs were open with most people not masking!
I was so happy to see college students partying and enjoying their college experience! We have to return to our normal lives now! Time to stop living in fear!
My buddy and I took full advantage of the indoor dining in the Phoenix area! We are enjoying lunch here at Oregano's in Surprise. Recall the idiot Governor of California for denying us indoor dining!
Texas Rangers Spring Training was back! I had to get our tickets through a reseller since the capacity was limited for this game too.
I got goosebumps during the anthem! This was amazing to be able to watch baseball live again after the pandemic crap last year. I stand proudly for our anthem too!
Masks were not enforced for the most part at this game. The hosts just wanted everyone to enjoy themselves! I already got my first vaccine before coming on this trip so I was good!
These were not our usual seats were closer to homeplate and in the shade, but I was just happy to be there!
It was such a beautiful day for baseball! Although it was sunny, it was not too hot!
I probably spent the most ever on souvenirs this time since I wanted to get stuff for Joy and my nephew, Aakash, also.
Our new Japanese pitcher, Arihara, is walking off the field after a solid start.
The Rangers won! We watched the pitchers in the bull pen as "God Blessed Texas" was being played loudly to signify our win!
My buddy wanted to go to Bikini Beans again for a refreshing beverage so we went to Peoria. The girls were wearing their bikinis today since it was warmer!
We went to Mastro's Ocean Club in Scottsdale for dinner on Sunday night.
We do Spring Training right with fine dining at night usually! I enjoyed my cocktail as well as the seared ahi tuna appetizer.
I got the special which was a branzino.
The bars were hopping in Scottsdale too! I guess because it was the weekend before St. Patty's Day too! Party on! Time to get our lives back to the "old normal."
We went to Top Golf in Gilbert on Monday morning since we did not have a game to attend that day. Top Golf is always a fun way to spend some time!
I am pretty good at Top Golf even though I suck at the real thing. LOL. I discovered Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey here! It was so good! My buddy ordered me a double after I tried it at the bar.
The Shake Shack required masks for some odd reason. So, they gave me one to wear when I ordered my lunch. Stupid NY liberal chain! LOL.
After lunch, we went to Bikini Beans in Mesa and just chilled on those two empty chairs and enjoyed our beverages and the "eye candy." There is nothing wrong with such activities. LOL.
On Monday night, we enjoyed another fine dining experience at SumoMaya in Scottsdale. This is a Latin and Japanese fusion restaurant.
The Executive Respiratory Business Specialist is ready for some sushi!
To detox from all the drinking this trip, I only got bottled water for my beverage at SumoMaya.
The inside of SumoMaya was really cool with this fake tree that looks so real! The music was very happening also.
The negiri was super fresh!
I think this is the best sushi that I have ever had! The Latin influenced roll was amazing with the taste of lime and cilantro with the fresh hamachi!
We had lunch at the Wrigley Mansion, a private club with two restaurants on Tuesday. The valet was waiting for us at the top.
The mansion was stunning as one entered the main lobby.
The soon to be Medical Specialist for a major biotech company is getting ready for a gourmet lunch. Spoiler alert! I did not announce my leaving Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals at the time of publishing this page.
The salted butter complemented the bread service.
This drink is called "Under The Cherry Moon" and features Traverse City Whiskey American Cherry Edition as the base. I loved it a lot!
I got the seared diver scallops on a bed of pepita risotto with charred brussel sprout leaves.
We shared the roasted root vegetables. They were yummy!
We enjoyed the views from the table, and the dining room was so tastefully decorated too. It was a throwback to the era that the mansion was built.
We were able to tour the mansion that was built by the gum tycoon, William Wrigley.
They had their own telephone exchange in the mansion also.
The views from the Wrigley Mansion were amazing!
My buddy took a lot of photos of me climbing down the stair case like the paparazzi would take of celebrities or politicians. LOL.
Southwest had a new modified beverage service starting when we flew back home. A limited selection of sodas were now available instead of just water. There was no alcohol yet :(
LAS VEGAS - MARCH MADNESS
My wife is ready to party for March Madness! We had a group of about twelve folks who came down to Vegas to party too!
They had a shot station set up at McCarren Airport in Las Vegas when we landed so I got a shot of Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey to get things started for March Madness!
We stayed at Vdara this time which is an all suites property next to Aria at City Center.
Our suite had a little basketball for March Madness in the room! There was also an app to do live betting while in Nevada!
Our suite was spacious!
I liked the kitchenette and dining room when entering the suite. We did not cook there however. LOL.
Our view from the suite was cool. The Raiders Stadium is in the background.
The Vdara pool was nice. I enjoyed the super warm water when I went swimming.
We joined some of our friends in the Aria Sports Book to watch the March Madness games and have drinks.
For dinner, a few of us went to Catch. My friend knows the Executive Chef so he arranged a special table for us.
We had a lot of great food at Catch including these oysters. The truffled sashimi with caviar is in the other plate.
I ordered a Meatpacker Manhattan. The waiter served in a stainless steel flask that the restaurant let me keep compliments of the Executive Chef.
We got the Hit Me dessert and the donut wheel. The Hit Me has a Klondike on top which is "hit" by one of the guests to drip the melted ice cream all over the brownie and cake.
This was our group of friends prior to us paying our $1,200 dinner tab! LOL.
We took a SUV limo to Circa after dinner to party on Fremont Street.
No masks were required in the limo. LOL. The whole mask thing was not as enforced this time in Vegas.
We decided to go to the Whiskey Licker Up and Down Bar at Binion's.
We loved the revolving bar at the Whiskey Licker. It was a trick when one is buzzed!
Our friend Courtney got us Vegas Bombs! Yay!
We met up with some more friends and walked to almost the shady part of downtown Las Vegas to find this historic dive bar which closed 20 minutes before we got there. Boo!
The El Cortez is a historic hotel in downtown.
Our group ended up at the Legacy Club at Circa for more drinks! The views from the rooftop lounge are awesome! Masks were not required up there! Yay!
We had a private all day table with TV at Salt & Ivy the next day to watch March Madness games and drink (eat also).
Our table fit six guests, and we had our own large TV to keep an eye on the games.
I ordered bottomless mimosas like my two buddies who were already at the table.
I loved the pancakes at Salt & Ivy when I got them last July so I ordered them again!
My buddy ordered us a round of Don Julio 1942 shots. I thought I was going to throw up that early in the morning with tequila, but it was so smooth!
Our waitress kept our bottomless mimosas flowing!
I left the table after breakfast to place some bets.
I needed a shaken espresso from Starbucks so I went back to Vdara afterwards. Moreover, I needed a nap since we got back at 2:30 in the morning the night before!
My punishment for leaving the table and taking a nap was this pint of Fireball. LOL. No, I did not drink it all.
I got a lobster roll for lunch at Salt & Ivy to soak up the alcohol. We had a $1,200 minimum for that table for the day!
That night, we went to Morimoto for dinner at MGM Grand.
Morimoto is an "Iron Chef."
The sushi bar was super cool!
My wife and I are enjoying our Morimoto experience so far here!
My buddy and I are enjoying our Japanese whisky!
The three girls behind us are also part of our group. We had seperate reservations since we were not sure if the stupid Covid restrictions were still in place.
The sushi was very fresh!
I ordered a 3 ounce serving of A5 Wagyu beef. It was $35/oz. The meat had amazing marbeling.
I wonder if my buddy is dreaming of that cute hostess here. LOL. One has to love Vegas for the eye candy!
The restaurant was packed. I guess this pandemic thing is over now? It is time to get our lives back to NORMAL!
A relatively inexpensive meal for us for Las Vegas standards. This was only the amount for Joy and I.
We wanted to try Egg Slut the next morning, but the line was too long. So, we went to Holstein's. Joy and I split the grilled chicken and waffles. It was pretty good!
I got a parfait also at Holstein's.
For lunch, we went to Eataly at the Park MGM. This Italian food court has lots of food stations, but there is also a sit down restaurant.
I ordered a diet Italian cola drink. It was not that good since the sweetner might have expired.
This beet salad with fresh mozzarella was amazing!
For dinner, we went to the other location for Lotus of Siam. This was where the Roy's was located before in Las Vegas when my brother and I ate there many years ago!
Chef Chutima's James Beard Award is displayed in the entrance. Anthony Bourdain made her restaurant famous.
My brother and mother joined us for dinner too. My parents flew in that day to see my nephew, Aakash since his birthday was the following week.
Joy and I loved Lotus of Siam once again!
The next morning we saw this cute little rascal!
We took a birthday picture with the soon to be three year old! He likes Paw Patrol a lot!
I got him "Trent Techron" back in December when I went to San Diego. My mission is to make sure he does not become a liberal snowflake who is "green." Let's hear it for Big Oil!
After returning to Sacramento, we were happy to see that indoor dining was back! My buddy and I celebrated National Chip & Dip Day at Twin Peaks to commerate this happy occasion. LOL.
I wanted to detox after Phoenix and Vegas, but I ended up getting a Screwball shot! We got the $5 chips and assorted dip deal too!
My wife and I had an indoor date night too at Oshima Sushi the next day after Twin Peaks! We are not giving in to the stupid liberals and eating outdoors!
I ended up doing a Japanese whisky flight at Oshima so my detox was still in question! LOL.
I had planned back to
back fun trips to Spring Training in Phoenix and March Madness in Las
Vegas a few months ago since I have so much vacation at the European
pharmaceutical company that I work for. However, new developments
occured a few weeks before these trips. I was extended an offer
to join a leading biotech company as a Medical Specialist so I decided
to take that and resigned officially on the Monday that I was at Spring
Training. My boss allowed me to address the team on Tuesday while
I was in Phoenix to let my colleagues know, but some of them knew ahead
of time. It was a very emotional time for me as I loved my
company and appreciated all the PTO I got which allowed me to take so
many trips every year. However, with this new opportunity, I will
be making a significant amount more and have restricted stock units
(RSU) and stock options too. Joy and I can afford to fly out of
Sacramento weekly now if we want since I am taking such a big increase
in salary and bonus!
My buddy and I flew into Phoenix on Friday night for Spring Training. This time, we got unusually colder weather for the trip. After getting the car at the Budget Fast Break, we drove out to Twin Peaks for a quick dinner and a drink. The cute waitresses were nice to look at as we enjoyed our food. I was very impressed with how open Phoenix was compared to California. The restaurants had indoor dining, and it looked like they were not too restricted on the capacity. Masks were not needed to enter or move around in the restaurant also! Yay! As Queen says, "I Want To Break Free!" Our hotel was great too. The Doubletree in Chandler greeted us with the signature Doubletree cookie which was discontinued for some time during the pandemic. No masks were required to move around the hotel or use the gym too! I was so excited about being able to work out in the gym since gyms were closed back in California. I hate the California Governor so much. He is a big hypocrite and has shut down the state while enjoying the finer things in life himself. It is not right!
The next morning, we enjoyed the hot breakfast buffet at the hotel which was a nice change from the "grab and go" crap some Hilton properties were offering during the pandemic. As a Diamond member, I got the breakfasts for free for my buddy and I. Afterwards, we just chilled until lunch time when we went over to Rudy's BBQ for some authentic Texas BBQ. My buddy and I decided to go to Bikini Beans to get a drink after lunch, but the girl taking our order was covered up due to the cold. LOL. That night, we had our first game of this trip. Moreover, this was my first night game ever at Spring Training. I had to buy the tickets for both the games we attended through a reseller since the capacity for most ballparks in the Phoenix area for Spring Training was only 25%. We saw the A's play the Reds that night. It ended up being really cold and rainy so we were happy when the game ended. We got a quick bite at Portillo's before heading to Tempe to party with the ASU students. The bars and clubs around ASU were open for the most part. Masks were only required to enter or when ordering drinks at the bar. Otherwise, people were unmasked and partying like crazy! I love Arizona! Screw Gavin Newsom! College students need to be able to party and enjoy their experience instead of doing this virtual crap that the liberals want people to do.
We had to get up early the next morning since the Rangers game in Surprise was a day game. Before the game, we stopped at Oregano's for lunch. The Surprise Ballpark where the Rangers play was awesome. Masks were not enforced upon entry. I walked past the hosts, security, and police unmasked, and no one cared! Our seats were in the sun, but it was not too hot so we still enjoyed watching my Rangers beat up on the Rockies. We had our new Japanese pitcher, Arihara, on the mound. After buying a lot of Rangers gear and watching the win, we headed out to Peoria for more Bikini Beans fun. The girls were not covered up on this day! LOL. After chilling at the hotel and drinking some Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon, we left for dinner at the Ocean Club in Scottsdale. This fine dining establishment was great! I loved seeing all the nice cars including a Lambo and a Bentley in Scottsdale. That is a far cry from the degenerates who live in Sacramento. Joy and I are now in an income bracket where we can easily afford a $100,000 car! Yay!
The next day, we started out at Top Golf in Gilbert. While waiting for our berth, I got a Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey drink. It was so amazing! My buddy ended up ordering me a double when we were playing. We decided to do the Angry Birds game at Top Golf. After golf, we had lunch at Shake Shack before going to another Bikini Beans. We went to the Mesa location where there was a walk up bar where we could sit and talk to the bikini clad baristas as we drank our beverages and looked at the eye candy! LOL. For dinner, we went to SumoMaya in Scottsdale, which is another great restaurant. This Latin and Japanese fusion place was amazing! I think this is the best sushi that I ever had before!
On Tuesday, we had lunch reservations at the Wrigley Mansion which is high atop a hill overlooking the city of Phoenix. This mansion was built by the gum company tycoon William Wrigley. The mansion is now a private club, but diners at the restaurant get a one month membership included with the meal. It was an amazing house, but the culinary experience at Christopher's was out of this world. The views were out of this world too! I loved the specialty cocktail that I got before my main course of diver scallops. After a tour of the mansion, we had to head to the airport to finish out a great trip!
After getting back to Sacramento, I had one day to relax before we flew out to Las Vegas for our March Madness trip! We had a lot of friends going to this party! Joy and I flew in early on Thursday, and a buddy of ours who lived in Vegas picked us up. He dropped us off at Vdara where we were staying. Vdara is the all suite tower for Aria. Our suite was nice and large, and I thought the mini basketball in the room was cool. Vegas was packed for March Madness. It was so packed that the MGM Resorts did not have enough staff for the large crowds. We enjoyed dinner at Catch on our first night. My friend knows the Executive Chef so he arranged a special table for us and got us the VIP treatment. My buddies were super impressed with my hook up. Those of us who ordered the Meatpacker Manhattan got free stainless steel flasks too as a gift from the restaurant. Our bill was $1,200 that night, but the food was great! Joy and I loved Catch back in July last year so we highly recommended it to our friends. A total of six of us ate there that night. After dinner, we took a SUV limo to Fremont Street to party there. We went to the revolving bar at Binion's and had Vegas Bombs to start out the night. Afterwards, we had a scenic walking tour of downtown as we tried to find an old dive bar before ending up at the Legacy Club at Circa. Joy and I got back to Vdara around 2:30 in the morning.
The next day, we had a private all day table with TV at Salt & Ivy to watch the March Madness games. This table had a minimum charge of $1,200. We drank a lot that day! Our group started out with bottomless mimosas before getting Don Julio 1942. It was crazy! I was putting in my bets all day too. For dinner, we went to Morimoto at MGM Grand. Seven of us went over there that night. Joy and I loved the sushi, but the $105 three ounce serving of A5 Wagyu was a little overcooked since it was served on a sizzling platter. However, the rest of the food was delicious! Wait a minute! $105 for three ounces of meat! Yeah, it was expensive, but the Roys can afford it! Joy and I will be in a very rare income bracket come March 29, 2021. LOL. Not to say we are suffering now. Joy and I make a lot of money now too. I even had a consulting request come in while I was in Las Vegas. My normal consultation rate is $150-200 an hour, but this project was $100 for about 10-15 minutes of my time. LOL. Life is good for the Roys!
We had a fun Saturday with our friends too. Starting out at Cosmo for breakfast before going to Park MGM for lunch, we had a great day of dining. At night, one of my buddies joined my mother and brother for dinner at Lotus of Siam with Joy and me. This James Beard award winning restaurant was delicious as usual! We got to see my cute nephew too briefly that night after dinner.
The next day, we spent some time with my nephew before we had to fly back home to Las Vegas. I needed a week to detox and recover now as my current company said I can take the week off basicly with pay without taking any PTO since that is the norm in the pharmaceutical industry when one leaves.
My buddy and I flew into Phoenix on Friday night for Spring Training. This time, we got unusually colder weather for the trip. After getting the car at the Budget Fast Break, we drove out to Twin Peaks for a quick dinner and a drink. The cute waitresses were nice to look at as we enjoyed our food. I was very impressed with how open Phoenix was compared to California. The restaurants had indoor dining, and it looked like they were not too restricted on the capacity. Masks were not needed to enter or move around in the restaurant also! Yay! As Queen says, "I Want To Break Free!" Our hotel was great too. The Doubletree in Chandler greeted us with the signature Doubletree cookie which was discontinued for some time during the pandemic. No masks were required to move around the hotel or use the gym too! I was so excited about being able to work out in the gym since gyms were closed back in California. I hate the California Governor so much. He is a big hypocrite and has shut down the state while enjoying the finer things in life himself. It is not right!
The next morning, we enjoyed the hot breakfast buffet at the hotel which was a nice change from the "grab and go" crap some Hilton properties were offering during the pandemic. As a Diamond member, I got the breakfasts for free for my buddy and I. Afterwards, we just chilled until lunch time when we went over to Rudy's BBQ for some authentic Texas BBQ. My buddy and I decided to go to Bikini Beans to get a drink after lunch, but the girl taking our order was covered up due to the cold. LOL. That night, we had our first game of this trip. Moreover, this was my first night game ever at Spring Training. I had to buy the tickets for both the games we attended through a reseller since the capacity for most ballparks in the Phoenix area for Spring Training was only 25%. We saw the A's play the Reds that night. It ended up being really cold and rainy so we were happy when the game ended. We got a quick bite at Portillo's before heading to Tempe to party with the ASU students. The bars and clubs around ASU were open for the most part. Masks were only required to enter or when ordering drinks at the bar. Otherwise, people were unmasked and partying like crazy! I love Arizona! Screw Gavin Newsom! College students need to be able to party and enjoy their experience instead of doing this virtual crap that the liberals want people to do.
We had to get up early the next morning since the Rangers game in Surprise was a day game. Before the game, we stopped at Oregano's for lunch. The Surprise Ballpark where the Rangers play was awesome. Masks were not enforced upon entry. I walked past the hosts, security, and police unmasked, and no one cared! Our seats were in the sun, but it was not too hot so we still enjoyed watching my Rangers beat up on the Rockies. We had our new Japanese pitcher, Arihara, on the mound. After buying a lot of Rangers gear and watching the win, we headed out to Peoria for more Bikini Beans fun. The girls were not covered up on this day! LOL. After chilling at the hotel and drinking some Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon, we left for dinner at the Ocean Club in Scottsdale. This fine dining establishment was great! I loved seeing all the nice cars including a Lambo and a Bentley in Scottsdale. That is a far cry from the degenerates who live in Sacramento. Joy and I are now in an income bracket where we can easily afford a $100,000 car! Yay!
The next day, we started out at Top Golf in Gilbert. While waiting for our berth, I got a Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey drink. It was so amazing! My buddy ended up ordering me a double when we were playing. We decided to do the Angry Birds game at Top Golf. After golf, we had lunch at Shake Shack before going to another Bikini Beans. We went to the Mesa location where there was a walk up bar where we could sit and talk to the bikini clad baristas as we drank our beverages and looked at the eye candy! LOL. For dinner, we went to SumoMaya in Scottsdale, which is another great restaurant. This Latin and Japanese fusion place was amazing! I think this is the best sushi that I ever had before!
On Tuesday, we had lunch reservations at the Wrigley Mansion which is high atop a hill overlooking the city of Phoenix. This mansion was built by the gum company tycoon William Wrigley. The mansion is now a private club, but diners at the restaurant get a one month membership included with the meal. It was an amazing house, but the culinary experience at Christopher's was out of this world. The views were out of this world too! I loved the specialty cocktail that I got before my main course of diver scallops. After a tour of the mansion, we had to head to the airport to finish out a great trip!
After getting back to Sacramento, I had one day to relax before we flew out to Las Vegas for our March Madness trip! We had a lot of friends going to this party! Joy and I flew in early on Thursday, and a buddy of ours who lived in Vegas picked us up. He dropped us off at Vdara where we were staying. Vdara is the all suite tower for Aria. Our suite was nice and large, and I thought the mini basketball in the room was cool. Vegas was packed for March Madness. It was so packed that the MGM Resorts did not have enough staff for the large crowds. We enjoyed dinner at Catch on our first night. My friend knows the Executive Chef so he arranged a special table for us and got us the VIP treatment. My buddies were super impressed with my hook up. Those of us who ordered the Meatpacker Manhattan got free stainless steel flasks too as a gift from the restaurant. Our bill was $1,200 that night, but the food was great! Joy and I loved Catch back in July last year so we highly recommended it to our friends. A total of six of us ate there that night. After dinner, we took a SUV limo to Fremont Street to party there. We went to the revolving bar at Binion's and had Vegas Bombs to start out the night. Afterwards, we had a scenic walking tour of downtown as we tried to find an old dive bar before ending up at the Legacy Club at Circa. Joy and I got back to Vdara around 2:30 in the morning.
The next day, we had a private all day table with TV at Salt & Ivy to watch the March Madness games. This table had a minimum charge of $1,200. We drank a lot that day! Our group started out with bottomless mimosas before getting Don Julio 1942. It was crazy! I was putting in my bets all day too. For dinner, we went to Morimoto at MGM Grand. Seven of us went over there that night. Joy and I loved the sushi, but the $105 three ounce serving of A5 Wagyu was a little overcooked since it was served on a sizzling platter. However, the rest of the food was delicious! Wait a minute! $105 for three ounces of meat! Yeah, it was expensive, but the Roys can afford it! Joy and I will be in a very rare income bracket come March 29, 2021. LOL. Not to say we are suffering now. Joy and I make a lot of money now too. I even had a consulting request come in while I was in Las Vegas. My normal consultation rate is $150-200 an hour, but this project was $100 for about 10-15 minutes of my time. LOL. Life is good for the Roys!
We had a fun Saturday with our friends too. Starting out at Cosmo for breakfast before going to Park MGM for lunch, we had a great day of dining. At night, one of my buddies joined my mother and brother for dinner at Lotus of Siam with Joy and me. This James Beard award winning restaurant was delicious as usual! We got to see my cute nephew too briefly that night after dinner.
The next day, we spent some time with my nephew before we had to fly back home to Las Vegas. I needed a week to detox and recover now as my current company said I can take the week off basicly with pay without taking any PTO since that is the norm in the pharmaceutical industry when one leaves.