Let it ride!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My sister and I decided to go non-traditional this year and headed to the Horseshoe Casino that opened a few months back here in Cleveland. It opened in the space where my beloved Higbee’s Department Store used to be. We all have our own holiday traditions and included in mine every year was a trip to Higbee’s.

As most stores do, they decorated to the nines at the holidays and I envisioned myself back in the 40’s (my favorite era), lunching with the ladies and shopping for little Jimmy’s new fire engine. Yes….I KNOW there was no little Jimmy and all of my friends were at work but it was MY fantasy so shut it.

Heading to Horseshoe was a way to experience the glitz and glamour of the grand department store only with, you know, poker tables and slot machines. I came with my camera in hand, ready to snap up shots of how they had married some traditional features with the newness of a casino. I excitedly got my camera out and headed toward a security guard.
 

“Can I take pictures inside?”

“Well, yes and no”.

I gave him one of these.

 

He went on to explain.

 

“You can take pictures but there are a few exceptions. You can’t take any picture of the tables. If you want to take pictures of the slots, you can’t take pictures of anyone other than your friend/family playing that machine. You can’t take pictures of other patrons. If you want to take pictures of the chandeliers or other fixtures, you have to point your camera straight up. You can’t take a photo straight ahead from the top of the steps if you want to get an overview shot of the floor….”
 

I think he kept talking but by then I had put my camera back in purse, thanked him and walked away. But I wanted to share some of the interior with you, so I found these online.

 

 

 

It was surprisingly busy for Thanksgiving day but I’m sure that, as mine and Lisa’s life circumstances had changed, everyone had a different reason for being there. Some were actually there with their families and others just wanted to get away from their families.
 

I’m not much of gambler so I cut myself off at $100, which on this day seemed to have happened way sooner than I had hoped. Lisa did a little better than me and when I started feeling lucky, I picked the machines that she would play and I’ll be damned if she didn’t win each time. She had particular luck playing this Dean Martin machine.

 We played it because he’s Dino’s namesake and because I LOVE Dean Martin. Every time you won something, it played a Dean Martin song and we danced around like turkeys. Get it? Turkeys?
 

Like I said, I didn’t fare too well but I’m saving this credit for the next time we go.

 Maybe Christmas day?