ROAD TRIP TURNING STONE, ARKELL MUSEUM, RIVERS CASINO

 

This is a fairly long trip report covering a visit to the Arkell art museum with some photographs, an overnight at Turning Stone casino and a quickstop at Rivers Casino Schenectady. Sections have a label, so skim to your interests.

Arkell was having a free day and a book sale. It is just an hour from Turning Stone, so I made an overnight road trip of it.

I got the opening time wrong and arrived with an hour to wait, so I went into town, stopped at a diner and sat at the counter.

In small NY towns diners are generally friendly places. I just had cherry pie and coffee. Both were good. The coffee was very good.

Good place to hide from

Across the street was a closed coffee place, but I think I got the better deal.

Two seats away sat Don, a fellow of my age with a Vietnam vet's hat.

He leaned over and showed me his new bass lure as a way of starting a conversation. The lure was a little artificial Duck.

“It's almost too pretty to put in the water,” he remarked.

So, it was a perfect conversation for me.

He told me how he caught bass in the river and took them to some Amish who for some of the fish would skin and fillet them.

He said others caught carp in the Mohawk river and got as much as $25 a fish from Hasidic Jews in a community nearby.

He'd had a boat, sold it, wanted to buy it back, but was rebuffed by the new owner. So, he just fished from shore.

We talked about catching nightcrawlers as kids and selling them for a penny a piece.

We both had fished flounder off Long Island and were very happy with the taste of that fish.

When Don left he picked up the $3.75, my bill for coffee and pie. Nice guy. Already I'm getting comped and I'm not even gambling yet.

ARKELL ART MUSEUM

At noon I went to the art museum.  It was free and had a book sale.  For $7 I bought five large art books.  I rarely buy books anymore because I have so much in my library I'll never read.  However, art books are full of art and reading can be just a short bit on pieces that delight me.

Already I've read about and seen a photo of a bull headed harp from Ur.

Here were my finds:

The Visual Arts: A History  (must be a textbook) ( had bull headed harp information)

Michelangelo

Albany Institute of History and Art  (ironic to get this one in Canajoharie)

Winslow Homer

The Graphic Work of M.C. Escher.

I also got a six CD set of interviews by Alan Chartok of Pete Seegar.  I listened to one and it was just great.  50 cents for all six in the set.  And a 2 CD set of  The Carpenters.

a free bag of free cheez-its and a free water to go, and I took off for the hotel.

PHOTOS OF ART AT THE ARKELL

I wanted to revisit the Winslow Homer.  It is rare that all seven are displayed at the same time.  They often lend them to Homer exhibits.  

I enjoyed them.  My favorites were:

I also liked:

I like that it was discovered after being forgotten.

Peter will like this one:

 

TURNING STONE GAMBLING

I switched two years ago from limit to no limit.  The limit games were drying up.  Turning Stone dropped its 2=4 where the rake made it impossible to make and money, but on weekends had a 3-6.  This game was ideal, and I'll go again just to catch it.

Half the table were regulars;  a third the table were very bad players.  There was a lot of action.

After a few hours, the game broke and I left down $27.

My best hand was A-K of spades with two spades on the flop.  I checked and a woman bet.  I called and caught the spade on the turn.  I checked, she bet, I raised.  I bet out on the river.   She called.

I did not see her hand.  She was unhappy.

One fellow took lots of people's money by catching full houses on the river.  I wanted his cards.  

He did not get any money for a high hand, however.  They give $250 every half hour for the highest hand in the room.  To qualify the hand must be a full house or better and two cards have to play.  I never got on the board.

It used to be that they rarely had a 3-6 game and then it was old man regulars who were as tight as they come.  The 2-4 attracted the inexperienced, but the rake overcame the ability to leave with profit.  Now the inexperienced add action to the 3-6 and build pots.  It really is entirely different.

They do not comp alcohol, but they have a long list of comped drinks.  I chose orange and it was huge.  Very nice.

The casino itself has some places where we can fill up coffee or soda ourselves.  But no cups the size of this organge juice.

The next day I played 1-2 NL and I played it very, very badly.  I knew I was not right to play, but I wanted at least to get a sense of the game there.  It was tight.  Actually, there were often more chips in the 3-6 limit the day before than in this game.  So, I'll go back perhaps to stay on a Friday night and play both days.

The 3-6 limit was a happier crowd.  The NL old guys on Monday were only friendly to the folks they knew.  They seemed to have little sense of humor.  I was slow to say I would chop and the guy to my left was surly and did not warm up.  

"I was lost for a bit, sorry"  I said.

"Did you find yourself?"

"Yes...... under the couch"

He was not amused.

Later he bet out of turn ahead of me.

"I guess sometimes we all get a little lost," I remarked.

Again he was arrogantly not amused.  

He was often absent from the table.  Perhaps he thought he was building up poker comps, but the dealers take us out of the system when we leave and put us back in when we come back.  $1 an hour, but they ain't paying for bathroom breaks.  

I like that.  Keeps a full table.

In the old days a guy would, come and play one hand every half hour, and in doing that for a day, collect lots of comps.

The video poker paytables were a good bit lower than Rivers.  I played 8-5 JOB in quarters and then found this nickel three play with multipliers that I just loved.  It was good fun, but I did not pay close enough attention and could not find it again.  I hit a royal in spades on one line, but with no multipliers working.  Still nice.

The second day I was tired and could not find that nickel game.  I played a bit and then decided to go home, but the drive refreshed me, and I took a break at Rivers casino on the way home.  

I left Turning Stone down $92 for the overnight, and I hit Aces without a decent kicker and quad 3's with kicker.  I played with it for a while, but when I got a good streak, I left for home up $200.

So, for this road trip I came home up $102.

I figured out that if I had the exact same hands on DDB at Turning Stone, I would have been paid $7 less.  Differences in pay tables add up.

THE DRIVING

Until I got my new GPS that is not connected to the phone or the car, I did not drive much because I needed to have the directions spoken to me and the system with phone was erratic.  

Having two is just great.  It talks to me, and some of the information on one is not on the other. The phone connected one reminded me of speed traps ahead. The other one does not do that.  

I do have to type in the addresses, but over time I'll save my favorites.  Now I just bring the destination up on my phone and then use the information to set the destination on the other GPS.  One cool thing is that it eliminates letters as I type if there are no roads with those particular letters so the keyboard is easier.  

I love the voice I picked.  Only one thing is odd.  She will say to turn "on   to" and then the road.

So going home she says, "Turn on   to Second Dyke road."   I always say that there is but one; however, she doesn't listen.

So, for the first time in a few years I am capable of driving a safe road trip.  And I'm thrilled.

The Cross Trek is grand.  Great lights for blind spots.  Automatic slowdown if the Cruise is set faster than the car ahead.  So I can set the cruise for 70 and generally drive that speed.  But if some slower fellow gets in front of me, it will slow down if I stay behind him.  Saves a good deal of breaking.

The police were everywhere on the Thruway going home.  And they were on the route after exit 24 where the limit drops to  55.  I got a ticket there once.  In 1982.

HOTEL TURNING STONE INN

I arrived at the Inn at 2PM, but the room was not ready. They had sold out the night before and were behind. I left my bags and checked in.  I did not get back until about 10 PM when I found they had brought my bags to the room.

I did not have supper, so munched on some potato chips.

The room 522 was nicer than the Micro Hotel near Mohegan.  But I don't think they renovated it while it was closed for covid.  It had a refrigerator, but it was too loud to sleep with.  The people next door could be heard through the thin walls.  There was a fine table for my computer and the bed was good, but I'm rarely fussy.

Ice was nearby.  It was on the first floor, amusingly called room 522, and at the end of the hall.  

I did not sleep well.

The folks next door talked and sometimes loudly until well after midnight.  I used the ear mufflers while I was on computer, but don't like to sleep with them.  I was awake for no reason at 4:30.

Breakfast was fine.  I had oatmeal and made a waffle in one of those flip machines.

It was reasonable at $85 total and I did not have the obligation of playing poker for 4 hours.  I used to sleep for $25 in the back of my van at The Landing Campground, but it was a 20 minute drive and I'm hesitant doing that in the dark.

EMERALD CAFE AT TURNING STONE

I wanted to use up any comps or points, and I was hungry for lunch. I had $8 to use so it only cost me $6 for a chicken wrap with French fries and a huge dill pickle.  

I generally don't eat dill pickles because of the salt, so that was a real treat, very good, like the pickles of my childhood.

The sandwich was delightful.  They brought me extra blue cheese in a good-sized cup.  It was all small bits of tasty things.  l had one for lunch and the other for supper later when I went home.  I asked for crispy fries, but rarely does anyone know what that means, or care.  At home I put them in the deep frier with peanut oil and had them my way.

I've seen this one in art books, but did not remember seeing it in person.

NOTES ON MELATONIN

I use melatonin to help get asleep.  Recently, I read it might cause daytime drowsiness the next day.  I skipped it this trip.  I think I may need to abandon it.

Acoss the street from the diner was this coffee place, but it was not open on Sunday.

THE CLARK MUSEUM BRIEFLY

 I drove up to the Clark, using the new GPS.  I did not like the route it gave me winding through all those back roads and next time I'll just get to 43 and from there it is a straight shot right to the museum.  I came home that way.  

There were three bus loads of school children, but they were not unruly or loud.

I tired easily again.  I just don't seem to have good stamina.  Still, it was a fine visit and I interacted with many of my favorites.

I usually don't get excited over the dishes and silver, but I loved this Worcester porcelain.

  Perhaps I loved these because they have color.

Of the Four Seasons which I visit every time, I best like Spring, perhaps because it has a dove.

******

ITHACA AND MEETUP WITH FRIENDS FROM UB CLASS OF 1967/68

We came out two days ago.  It seemed a long journey and left us tired, but here were Debbie, Mike, Dawn, Robin Bobbie, and so we had a good visit.

Elizabeth skipped supper at the Antler's.  Too bad.  I think it was the best food we have had.  I had a great prime rib, others had lobster rolls.  Everyone liked everything.  The green beans were said to be very good, and they were undercooked crisp, but I just can't get too excited about green beans, ever.

Elizabeth would come when we went to supper again.

We did not go to Moosewood Restaurant, although we had liked the recipes in their cookbooks.  Robin and Bobbie reported it was crowded as was the Mall and the Cornell Campus.

I lost interest in Cornell when Robin told the story of his interview for entrance in which were forced on him courses in language he did not want, especially Latin.  I suspect that had I been in an interview, I'd have not entered.  Then, of course, all these dear friends would not have been known, and I would have not been at home with my Dad for the last three years of his life.

I slept straight through the first night, probably because I had no diuretics in my system.  

In the morning we paid for a breakfast at the Hotel Marriott where we all stayed.  It was good, but fairly simple and cost extra.

We went to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, enjoyed the displays and took a long hike (getting a bit lost) in the Sapsucker Woods (photos below)  It is the farthest I have walked in a long, long while.  I did take my little three legged folding chair and rest a couple times.  Still, it was a good walk for me, and I'm delighted to have done it.

Then we ate at the Ithaca Bakery, and it was okay, but nothing special and had loud music.  It took a long while to get a few panini sandwiches.

We went to see the Ithaca Falls and it is my favorite Falls now.  I loved it.  I even could walk to the base of it and have my photo taken by some very pretty Asian girls. 

I just loved the Falls.  It is my favorite now, even over Niagara Falls.

I brought home a rock to use as a card protector in poker.

At the foot of the Falls fish gather and I talked to a fly fisherman hoping for a trout or salmon.  He had caught a perch and rock bass.  If I go again, I'll bring my fishing gear.

We stayed in from the shopping trip Bobbie and Robin took.  I did not get a nap, but a nice long swim in the pool.  Just as I was getting out, Eliz joined me.  It was a nice pool.  Small.  Needed a good vacuum for sand.  Also the jacuzzi was broken, but I still liked swimming in it very well.

Before supper we did some more lounge chatting and Elizabeth offered cheese and crackers while Bobbie offered a maple syrup brand drink.  

Later we ate at the Culinary Institute.  Good food, but it made me have indigestion all night, and the next day I did not eat anything for 24 hours.

We talked a while in the lounge. 

Neither Elizabeth or I slept well and were tired when we woke.  We went to breakfast, but skipped eating, just talking to the gang.  

I signed y published poems in past years edition of  Robin's Bluff and Vine.

Then Eliz and I went to have the tire looked at, choosing not the Midas place, but a Goodyear dealer Trombley Tire & Auto Tire Store in Ithaca | Goodyear Tires

They gave us great service and took the screw out of one tire and patched that one and another that was leaking.  Great place; all done in a couple hours.

Then we went back and visited with Robin and Bobbie until we could do an early check-in at the Embassy Motel.  Instead of the over $300 Marriott would have charged us for this last night, we paid a total of $124 and the breakfast was free.  It is a downscale motel, but comfortable for my tastes and needs if too downscale for Elizabeth.

It allowed us to spend all of Friday in Ithaca and get a good rest before driving back.  What used to be fairly easy drives seem to exhaust us nowadays.

We took a nap and are went to the Antler's just down the street for supper.  This time the special was BBQ and Elizabeth and I had a chicken.  The BBQ sauce is vinegar based, my favorite.

We had fried green tomatoes.  The best I ever had, all done with goat cheese and shrimp.  I'm going to try the recipe.

We had a long talk with Robin and Bobbie at the restaurant, finishing outside.  Good stuff.  We had trouble remembering where I first really met Bobbie.  It was when she joined us at Ristaurant Paradiso on Central and Robin in Albany (now a Mexican joint) with Janice and others a long, long time ago.

No more stomach issues, but I ate light to be sure, and I took half of the chicken home. Robin had the gumbo, but I was not impressed.  Bobbie had glazed salmon, and it looked tasty, and she had chicken with me.

So that was the meetup.  Good fun and fine old memories.  We were especially delighted that Dawn could join us, as she was not sure she could.

We stopped at a large local produce and found the wonderful Concord Grapes as well as some gourds, tomatoes, corn and other tasty bits.  The corn there was the kind my mother best liked, smaller kernels and a mild taste.  It cooked well in the new Instapot, the first I have used that.  I had the tomatoes in an open-faced tomato sandwich the first morning home, and they were tasty.  As we were coming in the yard, Neighbor Jack was walking out, having brought us more tomatoes (some green for the next recipe) and assorted hot peppers.  

We had come up my favorite I-88, but we went home 13 and then 20 and finally the Thruway.  13 was a fine route with fenced pasture full of cows and horses, even on full of long horns, quite a sight. On 20 I could not find the old cheese store I remembered, but Quack's Diner is still open.  We did not stop to eat, just snacked and drove on.  

We did not have much traffic and were home in good time even with the wandering in back country roads.

PHOTOS

Here are shots from the Antler's Restaurant, that ended up as our favorite spot to eat.   

This is the Currier and Ives

tHE PHOTO WAS NOT TOO GOOD, BUT IT SHOWS THE FRAME.   HERE IS THE FAMOUS CURRIER AND IVES PRINT CALLED "BROOK TROUT FISHING"

IN FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT IS A HUGE METAL SCULPTURE OF A MOOSE.

On our second visit with Bobbie and Robin, we sat next to this outside after supper until the bugs started to come at sundown.

THE CULINARY SCHOOL RESTAURANT

I liked the meal, but it did not like me.  This is the last I would eat for 24 hours, but not the last of the meal reminding me of richness.

DEBBIE WITH HER CREME BRULEE

THE ITHACA FALLS

I'm contemplating life and such in the photo below.

MIKE AND DAWN

BOBBIE AND ROBIN

ON THE TRAIL AT THE CORNELL LAB ORNITHOLOGY

NICE OF THE LAB TO LEND US GLASSES

ON THE TRAIL.  NO BIRDS OF NOTE  We just all talk too much for birds.

STOPPING ON THE WAY HOME FOR CONCORD GRAPES AND OTHER TASTY BITS

RIVERS TRIPS IN 2022

8/17/22

Well, I had my faced mushed into the felt this trip to Rivers, losing $365 for a yearly poker score of plus $276.

I did win $40 at VP JOB with another straight flush and a couple quads.

But that still put me down $325.

I started at a new table. Good players, but no bullies so the poker games were in my bankroll range.

In one large pot I should have called my opponents river bet of $36, but it is still unclear what he held. She showed a queen and later said he had an Ace to a buddy, but I put him on at least two pair. I had pocket kings. I would have beat A-Q.

Another hand I flopped a straight only to have it beat by a full house. There my opponent missed a bet. He had a full house, 6's full of 2's and waited for the river. A third deuce fell and so I knew I was beat by anything he would have called with, so I folded.

Other than that, it was just a draining. I think I played okay. Just bad cards this time.

I enjoyed the friendly banter.

But it is my worst loss this year.

I came home at 4PM which put me in early rush hour, but the driving was really not bad. I knew I could not wait until 7 with no more money I wanted to put at risk. Riccitello's is closed on Tuesday, or I would have assuaged my losses with cavatelli.

Instead, I took advantage of shop rite's $9 a pound lobster sale this week and added a bag of little neck clams. I stopped at a local veggie stand and got four ears of this very small corn at 25 cents an ear. And Elizabeth and I enjoyed a fine evening on the deck with lobster supper

8/11/22

Well, Elizabeth went off to take a friend for a birthday dinner. So, I went off to Rivers.

The timing was right because I wanted to test the hypothesis that softer players play   around 4PM.  That was not the case this time.

Then again I joined an active game, not a new game.  

New games usually are my favorite.  Less money to overwhelm, and usually a mix of player skill levels.

The game I joined was terrible.  Betting was high and heavy, and one fellow with about a thousand dollars was just bullying. He acted two players after me.  That was not where I wanted him.

8/4/22

 Elizabeth had a gathering of her book club here at the house, and so I had to vacate the property.  

Rivers seemed a good refuge.  This is my second trip since coming back from  Florida.

I can't find the other trip.  There too I broke even on the VP, but I lost $130 when I went "all-in" with Ace high flush on the turn only to have 4-10 offsuit call me and score a 4 for a river full house.  The pot was large.  My all-in bet was $91.  Oh, well.

I arrived on this trip about noon and was put at a newly starting table.  

This session was terrible.  Most of these players knew one another and how each played.  I just kept getting drained.  My one good hand was when I held A-A and my woman opponent held K-K.  She made a good push out bet and everyone ahead of me folded to me.  I made an all-in bet which was just a few dollars more than her bet.  Two more folded.  She called.

My Aces held up and that was a good pot, bringing me back from almost obscurity.

I got my payback when another fellow beat my pocket pair of queens with his pocket pair of Aces.

In the end I left $180 down and limped over to the DD Bonus VP, hoping I'd get a royal.

They have a full-pay pay table in one section.  It earns no points, but it a great deal.  I was up and down and played almost two hours, cashing out even.

No Aces or Royal, just a few good quads.

Now normally I go up to treat myself to John Ricitello's for my supper, and I certainly thought I would do that, especially since the Savoy up near Turning Stone is closing, so that sort of old fashioned Italian restaurant is getting harder to find.  

But I just did not have enough appetite, and some days I just don't want to eat alone, even if the spot is a favorite and the food grand.

I won't drive home that early in rush hour traffic, so I checked to see about playing poker again.  After a few minutes, I again was at a new starting table.  

It was so much better.

There were some players who I did not think played very well.  One was to my right, had bought in for a good bit of money, and at first I was just happy to have what I expected would be good position on him.

My first hand was pocket Aces.  A decent bet put me head to head with this well funded fellow.  On the turn I had trips. I checked to see the river card as $300 is the high hand award, and four Aces is worth having.  Then I bet what I thought he would call, and he did.  

That one hand got me almost even for the day.  

The next hand I got A-10 suited, and by the river it had become two pair, so I took another good pot from the same fellow.  He was very unhappy.  Two hands we had played and his stack was greatly diminished.

He did not say, "Nice hand."

I liked the action at the table.  There were two and later three young guys who knew one another and they bantered with each other, so it was the tone of the kind of game I love, and a grand break from just a bunch of grumpy old men just talking the poker. 

I don't get into many conversations, because I wear a mask.  It isolates me talk.  I don't like that part.  I do like that it covers my tells.  

I did play at least one hand poorly, chasing a straight and calling my one opponent.  I did not catch.  He did not bet the river and only had A-K but I did not even have a pair to beat him.  

I liked showing because it gave the impression that I am not always as tight as I really am.

I did not like having lost the hand.

In the end it was a relaxed evening.  And when I left at just before 7PM I was $45 ahead for the day.

So since I started this move to no limit poker, in Florida, I am  ahead $470.  Not a bad score.

Some things about this poker room I love and some I do not.  We can't replenish chips from the dealer.  We have to go to the cage.  Next time I'll buy more than my usual $130 buy in and put the excess in my pocket.

I'm not a slot player, but I saw a guy not get signed into the poker because the time he spent at that table actually averaged back against his slot time and cost him comp money.  Seems a bit crazy to me.

The dealers are all good, keep the game going, are friendly and accommodating and often full of humor. The room itself is quiet with comfortable seats.  The dealers were remarking on the new felt tops which were easier for the dealers as the cards "popped".  I'm not certain what that means.

The casino floor by afternoon was very, very loud.  Next time I'll bring my noise reduction earphones.  There was on Irish slot turned up very high and overwhelming.

They have dropped the senior day of $55 rooms for those over 55.    Otherwise, I might stay and play two days in a row.

The RESTROOMS are close and easy to find.  They seem to have good security, which I would use were I to hit a large payout because there are a few seedy characters usually just outside the door.

I can't comment on slots as I never play them.  But for 55 and older who earn 55 points on a Wednesday, there are drawings for a few hundred dollars starting at 4PM.

I'm not impressed with the food.  I like the little Asian place, but it is a bit too table close for covid and not on my diet anyway.  The cafeteria has regular hamburger and fries sort of meals, and there is a dessert area with really rich looking cooking, cakes. etc.  Again, off my diet.

I can't beat John Ricitello's.  I spend $20 for a grand meal and portions are such that I take half home.  There are great homemade pies, but Ii

rarely indulge.

DRIVING

Driving is a great challenge for me.  It is better now as the Outback car has electronics for lane changes and such, but I am anxious.  As a result, I rarely drive anywhere.  

This new phone GPS route to the casino is so much better than the old one.  It avoids all the crazy ramps and such that have confused many of my guests and usually sent me in the wrong direction.  I developed my own route through the city, but now the GPS gets me there much easier than either of those.  

It even warned me of a speed trap.

And coming home, I was astounded at how little traffic was on the expressway.  I think rush hour has changed since the old days, so I just need to wait it out.  

And now I think the supper hour might be the best time to play poker.

So, all in all a good day of gambling.