Under The Berkeley Skies-Day 14: Casino Time

Hello my dears, I’m currently sitting in the back seat of my uncles’ car on our way to San Diego, California. By we I mean: Uncle Eddie and Arturo, mom, and myself. By San Diego I mean to a casino in San Diego, we could care less about the zoo or Seaworld, San Diego is all about casinos baby! These folks are all about gambling, well my Tio and mom are, Eddie and I are in it for the Vodka and shopping. Unfortunately, we cannot do it simultaneously, something about drinking in public and it being against the law. Debbie downers!

The last time my uncles and I went to a casino was last year when I got back from Costa Rica and we left to Palm Springs for a few days. Oh lawd, did I get drunk with Eddie. I came back craving Grey Goose Sour Apple Martini’s and oh wow did I get my share. I woke up so sick in the morning and I was freezing poolside. Yes, in the middle of summer and in the dessert I was freezing! It was awesome!

I’m sure this trip will be memorable too! Looking forward to all the things I won’t be able to buy at the outlets. Sarcasm is my coping mechanism sometimes.

I just transferred $250 to my friend Sandra’s account because her dad is going to work on my car. I swear that car better give me five more years or at least get me laid. Hey, someone might think a Corolla is hot! 

So, momma can’t buy herself…much. Let’s face it, we all know I will most likely end up buying something. I know for sure not shoes, just bought me three pairs. What? I need them, apparently I need to start getting fancy with the shoes I wear. Hey, doctor’s orders! Since, I’m good at taking orders (not really, only when it’s to my benefit-usually only in the bedroom), I went ahead with the purchase.

At the end of the day it comes down to the following:

• I’m like Donna Summer, I work hard for my money-2 jobs to be exact. So why not spoil myself from time to time?
• Nobody buries the money with you when you die
• I said I was going to start saving in 2014. There’s always a loophole my dear!
• It’s my money and I’m a grown ass woman and I can do what I want with it, right? 

Moving along, today was a good day.  I spent time with my mom, we got mani’s and pedi’s together. That was her Christmas present to me, loved it. I had two guys working on me, one doing my toes and the other doing my hands. I must say I loved every second of it. They were so gentle and took their time, the one chap working on my toes was extra attentive with my ankle area when it was massage time.

I love how I always feel so feminine after I get a manicure. Believe it or not I have a ‘thing’ with my hands, I have extremely small hands and I’ve done everything from wearing a ring on every finger to french tips. But for now I’m loving the red gel, I swear I can’t think of gel without thinking about Anjelah Johnson and the Nail Salon bit

Then I met with my friend Theresa for lunch at her place, this girl always puts a smile on my face. To think that when I first met her, I didn’t like her. We both went to East Los Angeles College (ELAC) but it was not until we got to CAL that we became close. I’ll never forget the first time I met her, we were in a Lit class and we had to get into groups, our friend Johnny wanted us to form a group. So we sat together and I said hello to her, she replied with some attitude, “Oh hell no, I don’t need this shit!” I quickly got up and joined another group. Never again did I talk to her. Johnny was the only person that I knew from ELAC at Berkeley, Theresa  (also an English student), transferred the semester before. “Good for her!” was my reaction when Johnny told me that Theresa was on campus too. For two years I managed to stere away from her; until, her last semester there. We all ended up having to take the same Lit course, I asked Johnny to save me a spot because I was coming from the other side of campus. Of course, Johnny would save me a spot next to Theresa, “Oh great” was what I said under my breath as I made my way up to them. That my friends was the beginning of a love story, she and I ended up being great friends to the point that our friendship outlasted the one we both had with Johnny. We barely saw him that semester and we haven’t heard from him since graduation. We wish you well soy bean!

During lunch we talked about our friends and plans for the future. She will be moving back up to the bay area, which makes me extremely happy. We see nights of yummy food and wine tasting in Sonoma as we visit my friend Sandra in school. Have you ever had a friend that gets you, I mean really-really? Well, this is one of them. I have a few friends that know me so damn well it’s scary, but let’s just say that with this chick we would be the perfect lesbian couple IF we were lesbians. Love that chick!

I might be signing off soon, we should be arriving to the casino. Which is great because I’m starving, I hope we eat. You never know with these folks, they don’t get sleepy, hungry and their bladders seem to get bigger as they never use the restroom. At home my mom can barely stay up till 10 pm, but when she’s in casino mode she can stay up till 3 am with no problem. It’s ridiculous.

Valet parking always makes me feel like I’m arriving at a ball. That guy is cute, why is it that valet guys are cute? Got to go!

Hey folks this place is gorgeous and the people are so freakishly nice! I love it, the hospitality here totally beats Vegas! In case you missed it, I really do like this place.

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Casinos are such a trip to me though, the smoke, the velcro, running-suits, the old couples running from machine to machine, the different superstitions people have when gambling. I’ve seen everything from lining up their color coded trolls to people touching or rubbing the screens as the numbers and lights flash in front of them. The drunk guy yelling at the poor bartender about how he wants two Long Islands: “Why can’t I get two? Fine, this guy here will take the other one!” as he introduces himself to the poor guy that just sat down next to him. The best part of casinos is watching the older folks running from machine to machine, while hauling their oxygen tank, once they find a keeper, they sit back and light up a cigarette. Such a trip.

After vodka tonics I’m ready to knock out, we have some shopping to do tomorrow. I mean, oh who am I kidding I’ll let you know what I buy!

Good night lovers!