Thurs. + Cache Creek = FAIL! Fri. + bingo = WIN!
This past Thursday, I went on another bus junket to Cache Creek Indian casino for the day. The last time I went there was August 2007, when I organized a "girls' day out" with 4 friends: beckerbuns (Becky S.), sjkat27 (Katheryn), Becky R. and Lisa M. You can click here to see the very funny & fun (and yummy!) photos from that trip!
Unlike that trip, this time wasn't as much fun. The fantastic, mind-boggling international buffet we all loved is now CLOSED on Thursdays plus one other day, I think Wednesday. That was really disappointing. :( Also, not only did I win nothing during the bingo games played on the bus, but I also actually LOST money in the casino, which was a contrast to the other month's bus trip to Jackson Rancheria, where I actually MADE money! But it was still a fun trip and a nice change of pace nonetheless. :)
This is me on the bus, not NOT from last week! *chuckle* Someone took this pic of me the other month on the Jackson Rancheria trip, and gave me the pic last week on the way to Cache Creek. I was eating my breakfast on the bus, which included Snapple raspberry iced tea for an energy boost! But no, they didn't pay me to say that! ;D
It was a little overcast that morning. Here is a rainbow I saw from the bus window (sorry about the reflections). It was NOT as dark outside as it looks; the bus windows are tinted.
We played several bingo games on the bus. I won NONE of them, even though I had a card with my fave bingo number, O-72. And I even had that number in a corner, which comes in handy when playing 4 corners. But alas, I won nothing. *sigh*
Due to the humongous international buffet being closed, I had to find food elsewhere. I ended up having lunch in this cafe-type place that served five types of Asian-influenced food: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino. I got an order of pot stickers on a little salad bed, garnished with candied ginger strips. YUM! I photographed part of the menu (on the wall) because I thought it was weird that the price point was based on 8. I don't think I've EVER been somewhere where the prices ended with 8 -- have you? (EDIT: thank you, spitgirl for reminding me that 8 is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. Duh! *blush* I can't believe I forgot that!)
This is "Coyote Moon", one of the video slots I played. I really liked the Southwestern/Native American themed graphics. The howling coyote sound effects were cool too (the coyote was like a "wild" symbol on the reels).
This is the intro screen for "Ms. Clara T", a mystical-themed slot I have played in the past and was happy to find again, because I always seem to have good luck with it. Plus I like its music/sound effects, and its many cool, interactive features.
Here is one of the many winning combinations I got on this machine.
I also won a bunch of bonus spins, in which the reels spin on their own and I racked up extra credits each time any winning combination came up. VERY catchy music plays during the bonus spins; I was actually dancing in my seat! *giggle*
Here's a slot machine that actually has REELS that spin, rather than a digital screen. How quaint, eh? ;)
Every 2 hours, there was an "Avalanche of Cash" sweepstakes drawing from this big barrel. Cache Creek club members got free entries into it. Those of us on the bus trip were able to be present for the noon and 2 p.m. drawings. None of us won, but it was still exciting to watch. If I'd won something, you can be sure I would have jumped up and screamed!!!!
Before leaving the casino, I went to the coffee bar/mini bakery and bought this drink, called a Mocha Javalanche, and a chocolate chip muffin. This drink was the closest they had to a Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino. It was tasty and refreshing, but not nearly as good as a JCF! heh
As we left th Capay Valley area, in which Cache Creek is located, I snapped this pic. I wanted to capture the rural look of the area, so I'm very pleased with how this turned out. :)
This past Friday night, the day after Cache Creek, was the November game of the Bingo Belles. I hosted this time, my first after several months of other people hosting. I don't know if it was good karma because I hosted, or some type of rebound effect to make up for my disappointments (of the food and financial type!) at Cache Creek, but I ended up once... twice... three times a winner! *cue music* Not only did I get a $10 El Pollo Loco gift card (it's been years since I went to that crazy chicken place!) and a $10 Longs gift card (my fave drug store), but I also won the blackout pot at the end of the night! :D And now here are a few photos:
Well, we didn't actually have a Thanksgiving theme; it's just that this was our November bingo game. heh Here's the usual shot of the gift pile.
The first table shot: Coleen, Ina, Margaret, Jenny and Lisa M.
The same shot, minus Coleen and plus Scary Shari! We all missed the other Bingo Belles: beckerbuns (Becky S.), sjkat27 (Katheryn), Becky R. and Jeri. Hopefully we'll see you gals next month!!
My mom happened to come downstairs, so I asked if she'd take a pic with everyone in it, and here it is: Coleen, Ina, me, Margaret, Jenny and Lisa (Lisa, is your neck okay? LOL!)
Unlike that trip, this time wasn't as much fun. The fantastic, mind-boggling international buffet we all loved is now CLOSED on Thursdays plus one other day, I think Wednesday. That was really disappointing. :( Also, not only did I win nothing during the bingo games played on the bus, but I also actually LOST money in the casino, which was a contrast to the other month's bus trip to Jackson Rancheria, where I actually MADE money! But it was still a fun trip and a nice change of pace nonetheless. :)
This is me on the bus, not NOT from last week! *chuckle* Someone took this pic of me the other month on the Jackson Rancheria trip, and gave me the pic last week on the way to Cache Creek. I was eating my breakfast on the bus, which included Snapple raspberry iced tea for an energy boost! But no, they didn't pay me to say that! ;D
It was a little overcast that morning. Here is a rainbow I saw from the bus window (sorry about the reflections). It was NOT as dark outside as it looks; the bus windows are tinted.
We played several bingo games on the bus. I won NONE of them, even though I had a card with my fave bingo number, O-72. And I even had that number in a corner, which comes in handy when playing 4 corners. But alas, I won nothing. *sigh*
Due to the humongous international buffet being closed, I had to find food elsewhere. I ended up having lunch in this cafe-type place that served five types of Asian-influenced food: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino. I got an order of pot stickers on a little salad bed, garnished with candied ginger strips. YUM! I photographed part of the menu (on the wall) because I thought it was weird that the price point was based on 8. I don't think I've EVER been somewhere where the prices ended with 8 -- have you? (EDIT: thank you, spitgirl for reminding me that 8 is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. Duh! *blush* I can't believe I forgot that!)
This is "Coyote Moon", one of the video slots I played. I really liked the Southwestern/Native American themed graphics. The howling coyote sound effects were cool too (the coyote was like a "wild" symbol on the reels).
This is the intro screen for "Ms. Clara T", a mystical-themed slot I have played in the past and was happy to find again, because I always seem to have good luck with it. Plus I like its music/sound effects, and its many cool, interactive features.
Here is one of the many winning combinations I got on this machine.
I also won a bunch of bonus spins, in which the reels spin on their own and I racked up extra credits each time any winning combination came up. VERY catchy music plays during the bonus spins; I was actually dancing in my seat! *giggle*
Here's a slot machine that actually has REELS that spin, rather than a digital screen. How quaint, eh? ;)
Every 2 hours, there was an "Avalanche of Cash" sweepstakes drawing from this big barrel. Cache Creek club members got free entries into it. Those of us on the bus trip were able to be present for the noon and 2 p.m. drawings. None of us won, but it was still exciting to watch. If I'd won something, you can be sure I would have jumped up and screamed!!!!
Before leaving the casino, I went to the coffee bar/mini bakery and bought this drink, called a Mocha Javalanche, and a chocolate chip muffin. This drink was the closest they had to a Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino. It was tasty and refreshing, but not nearly as good as a JCF! heh
As we left th Capay Valley area, in which Cache Creek is located, I snapped this pic. I wanted to capture the rural look of the area, so I'm very pleased with how this turned out. :)
This past Friday night, the day after Cache Creek, was the November game of the Bingo Belles. I hosted this time, my first after several months of other people hosting. I don't know if it was good karma because I hosted, or some type of rebound effect to make up for my disappointments (of the food and financial type!) at Cache Creek, but I ended up once... twice... three times a winner! *cue music* Not only did I get a $10 El Pollo Loco gift card (it's been years since I went to that crazy chicken place!) and a $10 Longs gift card (my fave drug store), but I also won the blackout pot at the end of the night! :D And now here are a few photos:
Well, we didn't actually have a Thanksgiving theme; it's just that this was our November bingo game. heh Here's the usual shot of the gift pile.
The first table shot: Coleen, Ina, Margaret, Jenny and Lisa M.
The same shot, minus Coleen and plus Scary Shari! We all missed the other Bingo Belles: beckerbuns (Becky S.), sjkat27 (Katheryn), Becky R. and Jeri. Hopefully we'll see you gals next month!!
My mom happened to come downstairs, so I asked if she'd take a pic with everyone in it, and here it is: Coleen, Ina, me, Margaret, Jenny and Lisa (Lisa, is your neck okay? LOL!)