~BBW (Multiple), Dining, ~MWG - a unique trip opens whole new vistas
It was just before 2:00 when the 727 landed at McCarren Field in Las Vegas. Amber marveled at the numerous hotels soaring into the sky in the midst of what appeared to be an oasis surrounded by desert She had flown before but never to Vegas and this was her first solo flight. Luckily there had been no sudden air pockets and she had napped comfortably most of the trip.
Dave Snyder met her at baggage claim as promised. She had her laptop as carry-on luggage so a single large suitcase was the only item to be picked up. It took about thirty minutes but by 3:00 they were headed into town.
“I really appreciate the help on short notice – could I suggest a late lunch while we review what’s been going on?”
“Fine by me.” Amber replied. “They didn’t serve meals on the flight.”
“Yes, with today’s fuel prices the airlines are cutting wherever they can,” Dave noted. “Any particular food preference?”
“Any place reasonably quiet with good food is fine with me”
“Got it – definitely no casino dining then,” Dave grinned. “Those places are nothing but noise! You probably wouldn’t care for the smoke either. There’s an IHOP just up the road a bit – it should be fairly light by this time in the afternoon”
“The place of coffee by the pitcher and four types of syrup on every table,” Amber replied.
“Ah – you’re familiar with the chain then?”
“Oh sure – our family has been there many times. You can get breakfast with pancakes 24/7 but they have other stuff too. I think I'm getting hungry just by our talking about it!”
“Well, I haven’t had much today either,” Dave said as they eased into the parking lot. “Let’s get to it!”
Amber looked over the menu carefully, but was drawn to her traditional favorite, the chicken fried steak breakfast, a three egg feast that also included three pancakes. When Dave opted for the big steak omelet, which comes with hash browns and pancakes she decided to go with the entree plus pancakes tradition even though it was mid-afternoon.
“Good idea,” Dave commented. “We won’t be getting a chance for supper until late.”
He then got down to business, outlining the work that had already been done to set up the booth and what needed to be completed. Everything had to be in position for the next morning. He also had to familiarize Amber with what she would be doing.
“You key job,” he explained, “is to hand out materials, collect business cards and safeguard the equipment when most of the reps are in meetings. You also get to be a go-for for the team – which means basically running errands.”
“Go-for this, go for that – basically get my exercise,” Amber commented. “That’s actually a good thing.”
“Right. Of course it doesn’t hurt if you familiarize yourself with the other vendors and note anything you find interesting. You should also read what we’re passing out if you can. Just remember you can always fall back on Todd and I if you get backed into a corner.”
“Todd?”
“Todd James – he’s down from Seattle. Sorry, I forgot that you’ve not likely to have met him. We normally have three people on a team for a meeting this size. By the way, thanks for bringing your laptop – is it loaded with our Prospect Manager?”
“No, but I know how to download it if needed and have the password codes to access the database in my head. I work with it from the inside. I take it you want that?”
“Yes – the Mandalay Bay has DSL, so it shouldn’t take you long. By the way, they also have late evening room service. The prices are up there but its OK to use it so that you can multi task. Other evenings Todd and I tend to sample other places in Vegas – you’re welcome to join us.”
“We’ll talk about that – see how tired I am at the end of the day, “ Amber replied, wondering what places Dave had in mind.
The IHOP entrees arrived. Both Dave and Amber polished off their meals while chatting about Vegas and its culture. They then went to the hotel and got her checked in. By 5:00 they were in the Conference Center where they spent about four hours with Todd perfecting everything for the next day.
Amber was astonished at the size of the place, They seemed to be in a separate building from the gambling and towers with guest rooms. It seemed like they had walked several blocks from the registration desk to where the meetings were being held. The sprawling hotel was like a city unto itself!
Around 10:00 she logged on and began downloading the program. She then ordered crusted salmon from room service, which came with salad, vegetables and baked potato. Dessert was Creme Brule. It all arrived as the download finished and she ate it contentedly before retiring.
CHAPTER 4 – THE CONVENTION
The convention began with a 7:30 buffet breakfast – several styles of eggs, potatoes, fruit, melons, meats, waffles and pastries. Amber, wanting make a good impression, was on time. She loaded a generous plate and took it to the booth. Todd dropped by and, seeing everything was OK wandered off. A hotel porter took her finished plate. She dutifully began passing out materials to a few people who stopped by – the scheduled first vendor time didn’t begin until 8:30.
Finally, well after 8:00, Dave showed up. She had been, he explained, on a teleconference call and Todd was schmoozing a prospect. Perhaps not realizing Amber had already eaten he suggested that she get something from the buffet line before it closed – he could handle the booth until 9:00. “You’ll have plenty of time babysitting the materials all day –its best to fill-up now!"
Amber had already had a piece of cantaloupe, scrambled eggs with cheese, a blueberry muffin and a meat patty. But the wafting aroma of the mini-waffles and the thoughts of the potatoes O’Brien and melons she had had to pass by beckoned and she decided to act on Dave’s offer. She loaded a plate with two mini-waffles, three melon slices, two chicken tenders and a healthy scoop of O’Brien potatoes.
“This is all so incredible and delicious,” she thought.
She ate her second plate of breakfast slowly, reading company materials. After 9:00 another vendor rep came by with his plate and they chatted amicably about Vegas and Nevada history. She learned about Howard Hughes and his buying of casinos, airlines and gold claim rights, the construction of Hoover Dam and the town’s history. Then came the break and she worked with Dave and Todd.
At lunch Dave had a hotel employee give her what was being served in an adjacent room – salad, bread, chicken with boiled potatoes, asparagus and a luscious raspberry brandy cake slice. Amber remarked to a busboy how good the cake was and he smiled, then brought her an extra piece someone else hadn’t eaten.
During the afternoon break Dave asked how he had enjoyed her “rubber chicken circuit” lunch.
“Actually to me as a first-timer it was good,” she replied, not mentioning the extra dessert.
“Don’t worry, he replied. “Tonight if you like you’ll find out what real dining is like. Ever hear of Tony Roma’s?”
“Sounds Italian” she said.
“It is - but more as well – is it a go?”
“Sure,” Amber smiled.
Now Tony Roma’s is one of the more famous chains – with 230 locations in seventeen countries, all quite elegant. But at nineteen Amber didn’t really know that. Her idea of fine dining was something like the Olive Garden. Famous for ribs, Roma’s also does steak and seafood.
Letting Dave order for her she first had a Caesar salad consisting of fresh Romaine lettuce tossed in Caesar dressing and topped with grated Romano cheese, and croûtons.. This was followed by the famous ribs (a must for the first timer, Dave said) and two sides: toasted garlic seared green beans with corn fritter casserole. She ate slowly, keeping Dave interested by what she’d learned earlier in the day, and as a result still had room for dessert. It was apple crisp a la mode.
Amber did not have room for two breakfast plates the next day, but did have a good sized mix of eggs, pancakes and fruit. Lunch was buffet style lasagna and salad, again brought to her by a porter. During the afternoon Dave announced that he had tickets for the resident live show at the Mandalay Bay: Mama Mia. However, since it was the early performance it would mean supper from room service.
Amber was excited. She had never seen a Broadway-caliber production play before. The performance did not disappoint, but by 10:00 she was definitely hungry. She ordered a medium pizza and a chocolate ice cream sundae to her room. “Wow! This is living like royalty” she thought.
Wednesday’s breakfast buffet was a carbon copy of the two before. This time Amber tried the soups, which were superb. She had two bowls, along with a large serving of eggs, two pieces of Danish and some melons. Then she went back for some pancakes.
This was the final day, so there was no formal lunch, but she, Dave and Todd ate in one of the hotel restaurants after checking out. She had a large chicken pot pie while Dave had a pastrami sandwich and Todd a double cheeseburger.
On their way out Amber espied the restaurant’s candy display, including a giant two pound Cadbury’s chocolate bar.
“I should get one of those for my sister” she remarked to Dave, “she’d love it!”
“Let it be my treat,” Dave said, and bought it on the spot..
Later that night Amber arrived home after another safe flight. Carolyn wasn't at thee airport, but she shared the excitement of her trip with her parents over supper at a Bob Evans restaurant. She eventually presented Carolyn with the giant candy bar, then proceeded to tell her all about the trip. Carolyn listened patiently and then said “sounds great! Now – let me tell you what happened this past Monday!”
(Click here for next Chapter)
Amber and Carolyn - Chap 3 & 4
A tale of two sisters and their friends
by The Observer
(Click here for prior Chapter)
A tale of two sisters and their friends
by The Observer
(Click here for prior Chapter)
It was just before 2:00 when the 727 landed at McCarren Field in Las Vegas. Amber marveled at the numerous hotels soaring into the sky in the midst of what appeared to be an oasis surrounded by desert She had flown before but never to Vegas and this was her first solo flight. Luckily there had been no sudden air pockets and she had napped comfortably most of the trip.
Dave Snyder met her at baggage claim as promised. She had her laptop as carry-on luggage so a single large suitcase was the only item to be picked up. It took about thirty minutes but by 3:00 they were headed into town.
“I really appreciate the help on short notice – could I suggest a late lunch while we review what’s been going on?”
“Fine by me.” Amber replied. “They didn’t serve meals on the flight.”
“Yes, with today’s fuel prices the airlines are cutting wherever they can,” Dave noted. “Any particular food preference?”
“Any place reasonably quiet with good food is fine with me”
“Got it – definitely no casino dining then,” Dave grinned. “Those places are nothing but noise! You probably wouldn’t care for the smoke either. There’s an IHOP just up the road a bit – it should be fairly light by this time in the afternoon”
“The place of coffee by the pitcher and four types of syrup on every table,” Amber replied.
“Ah – you’re familiar with the chain then?”
“Oh sure – our family has been there many times. You can get breakfast with pancakes 24/7 but they have other stuff too. I think I'm getting hungry just by our talking about it!”
“Well, I haven’t had much today either,” Dave said as they eased into the parking lot. “Let’s get to it!”
Amber looked over the menu carefully, but was drawn to her traditional favorite, the chicken fried steak breakfast, a three egg feast that also included three pancakes. When Dave opted for the big steak omelet, which comes with hash browns and pancakes she decided to go with the entree plus pancakes tradition even though it was mid-afternoon.
“Good idea,” Dave commented. “We won’t be getting a chance for supper until late.”
He then got down to business, outlining the work that had already been done to set up the booth and what needed to be completed. Everything had to be in position for the next morning. He also had to familiarize Amber with what she would be doing.
“You key job,” he explained, “is to hand out materials, collect business cards and safeguard the equipment when most of the reps are in meetings. You also get to be a go-for for the team – which means basically running errands.”
“Go-for this, go for that – basically get my exercise,” Amber commented. “That’s actually a good thing.”
“Right. Of course it doesn’t hurt if you familiarize yourself with the other vendors and note anything you find interesting. You should also read what we’re passing out if you can. Just remember you can always fall back on Todd and I if you get backed into a corner.”
“Todd?”
“Todd James – he’s down from Seattle. Sorry, I forgot that you’ve not likely to have met him. We normally have three people on a team for a meeting this size. By the way, thanks for bringing your laptop – is it loaded with our Prospect Manager?”
“No, but I know how to download it if needed and have the password codes to access the database in my head. I work with it from the inside. I take it you want that?”
“Yes – the Mandalay Bay has DSL, so it shouldn’t take you long. By the way, they also have late evening room service. The prices are up there but its OK to use it so that you can multi task. Other evenings Todd and I tend to sample other places in Vegas – you’re welcome to join us.”
“We’ll talk about that – see how tired I am at the end of the day, “ Amber replied, wondering what places Dave had in mind.
The IHOP entrees arrived. Both Dave and Amber polished off their meals while chatting about Vegas and its culture. They then went to the hotel and got her checked in. By 5:00 they were in the Conference Center where they spent about four hours with Todd perfecting everything for the next day.
Amber was astonished at the size of the place, They seemed to be in a separate building from the gambling and towers with guest rooms. It seemed like they had walked several blocks from the registration desk to where the meetings were being held. The sprawling hotel was like a city unto itself!
Around 10:00 she logged on and began downloading the program. She then ordered crusted salmon from room service, which came with salad, vegetables and baked potato. Dessert was Creme Brule. It all arrived as the download finished and she ate it contentedly before retiring.
CHAPTER 4 – THE CONVENTION
The convention began with a 7:30 buffet breakfast – several styles of eggs, potatoes, fruit, melons, meats, waffles and pastries. Amber, wanting make a good impression, was on time. She loaded a generous plate and took it to the booth. Todd dropped by and, seeing everything was OK wandered off. A hotel porter took her finished plate. She dutifully began passing out materials to a few people who stopped by – the scheduled first vendor time didn’t begin until 8:30.
Finally, well after 8:00, Dave showed up. She had been, he explained, on a teleconference call and Todd was schmoozing a prospect. Perhaps not realizing Amber had already eaten he suggested that she get something from the buffet line before it closed – he could handle the booth until 9:00. “You’ll have plenty of time babysitting the materials all day –its best to fill-up now!"
Amber had already had a piece of cantaloupe, scrambled eggs with cheese, a blueberry muffin and a meat patty. But the wafting aroma of the mini-waffles and the thoughts of the potatoes O’Brien and melons she had had to pass by beckoned and she decided to act on Dave’s offer. She loaded a plate with two mini-waffles, three melon slices, two chicken tenders and a healthy scoop of O’Brien potatoes.
“This is all so incredible and delicious,” she thought.
She ate her second plate of breakfast slowly, reading company materials. After 9:00 another vendor rep came by with his plate and they chatted amicably about Vegas and Nevada history. She learned about Howard Hughes and his buying of casinos, airlines and gold claim rights, the construction of Hoover Dam and the town’s history. Then came the break and she worked with Dave and Todd.
At lunch Dave had a hotel employee give her what was being served in an adjacent room – salad, bread, chicken with boiled potatoes, asparagus and a luscious raspberry brandy cake slice. Amber remarked to a busboy how good the cake was and he smiled, then brought her an extra piece someone else hadn’t eaten.
During the afternoon break Dave asked how he had enjoyed her “rubber chicken circuit” lunch.
“Actually to me as a first-timer it was good,” she replied, not mentioning the extra dessert.
“Don’t worry, he replied. “Tonight if you like you’ll find out what real dining is like. Ever hear of Tony Roma’s?”
“Sounds Italian” she said.
“It is - but more as well – is it a go?”
“Sure,” Amber smiled.
Now Tony Roma’s is one of the more famous chains – with 230 locations in seventeen countries, all quite elegant. But at nineteen Amber didn’t really know that. Her idea of fine dining was something like the Olive Garden. Famous for ribs, Roma’s also does steak and seafood.
Letting Dave order for her she first had a Caesar salad consisting of fresh Romaine lettuce tossed in Caesar dressing and topped with grated Romano cheese, and croûtons.. This was followed by the famous ribs (a must for the first timer, Dave said) and two sides: toasted garlic seared green beans with corn fritter casserole. She ate slowly, keeping Dave interested by what she’d learned earlier in the day, and as a result still had room for dessert. It was apple crisp a la mode.
Amber did not have room for two breakfast plates the next day, but did have a good sized mix of eggs, pancakes and fruit. Lunch was buffet style lasagna and salad, again brought to her by a porter. During the afternoon Dave announced that he had tickets for the resident live show at the Mandalay Bay: Mama Mia. However, since it was the early performance it would mean supper from room service.
Amber was excited. She had never seen a Broadway-caliber production play before. The performance did not disappoint, but by 10:00 she was definitely hungry. She ordered a medium pizza and a chocolate ice cream sundae to her room. “Wow! This is living like royalty” she thought.
Wednesday’s breakfast buffet was a carbon copy of the two before. This time Amber tried the soups, which were superb. She had two bowls, along with a large serving of eggs, two pieces of Danish and some melons. Then she went back for some pancakes.
This was the final day, so there was no formal lunch, but she, Dave and Todd ate in one of the hotel restaurants after checking out. She had a large chicken pot pie while Dave had a pastrami sandwich and Todd a double cheeseburger.
On their way out Amber espied the restaurant’s candy display, including a giant two pound Cadbury’s chocolate bar.
“I should get one of those for my sister” she remarked to Dave, “she’d love it!”
“Let it be my treat,” Dave said, and bought it on the spot..
Later that night Amber arrived home after another safe flight. Carolyn wasn't at thee airport, but she shared the excitement of her trip with her parents over supper at a Bob Evans restaurant. She eventually presented Carolyn with the giant candy bar, then proceeded to tell her all about the trip. Carolyn listened patiently and then said “sounds great! Now – let me tell you what happened this past Monday!”
(Click here for next Chapter)
