[Sparks]

As for golf, there is no contest given the timing of your trip. Vegas gets pretty cold in the winter so I'm not sure you could even play, and certainly not in the early morning. As for L.A., our only decision for playing golf in the winter is whether or not to wear shorts. Note though that we do get our 14 inches of rain generally during the winter months.

As for poker, boy, that's a tough call. I'm inclined to think, that when measured on a sort of hour for hour basis, you could probably get more "bang for your buck" in Los Angeles. It depends on several things of course, but the wait for getting in games in LV can get ridiculous. Not always, but it's something to remember when rolling out of bed at 2 pm, and getting to the card room at 4pm, and expecting to just walk in and sit down. Plus the whole scene of the city is just sensory overload, and I find it easy to get distracted by a multitude of things. So for pure, degenerate poker (like the previous poster noted) L.A. gets the nod. And don't forget, you don't have to get your comp ticket, or leave the poker room to eat! Just yell "service!" and order your food like you're Danny Devito in Get Shorty, i.e., you're rich, famous, and you can have the cook make you anything you like, however you like, THEN, have them bring it right to your seat on a nice little table, and charge you not a nickle. But be a good guy, and tip the waitress $3, and don't be a looser by sitting out while you eat -- chow and play at the same time!

Finally, although many don't agree, I happen to find the games in LV slightly softer than L.A. games. I have my theories as to why, but that's for another time.

And dude, if you come to L.A., you'll freak out at the Commerce. It's insane there. I think I went there one year, on Christmas Eve/morning, at 3 am, and there were like three 20's and two 40's going. It rocks.

I'd recommend the Bike second, and I also like Hawaiian Gardens. I think their food is the best of the three, plus all the guys in the VIP room play golf and gamble just as kind of a way of life. And they have the best plasma TV set up.

In the end, you have two great choices, L.A. or Vegas to play poker. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Sparks