Week 19: This Ain’t Your Momma’s Bingo

B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, and BinGLO was its nameo...wait what? Yup, I’m talking about Kozmik BinGLO, Sycuan Casino’s twist on your typical bingo night.

When anyone brings up playing bingo at a casino, I envision little old retired ladies spending away their pension dollars and double fisting their markers (aka daubers) on a table full of paper game boards. One day in the far away future, I figured that I may become one of those sweet little old ladies. I had never played bingo at a casino, so what the heck, I should go check it out and see what my future will look like.

Well, let me tell you -- Sycuan’s version of Saturday night bingo is definitely not your momma’s bingo. For one, Kozmik BinGLO starts at 11:00 pm (yes pm)! Now I haven’t started my evenings that late until way before B.C. (that’s before children). So obviously, in preparation I took a nap, at least I think I did. I can’t even remember, I’m getting senile already. Once awaken and ready, I pick up my friends Gigi and Dawn and we head on over to Sycuan, which is a good 45 minute drive away. And since it’s dark and I’ve never driven there even in the daytime, once off the freeway I couldn’t tell where we were heading. Time for my nighttime driving glasses. Feeling old again.

When we arrived at Sycuan at 10:30, and after comedic errors in trying to find a parking spot, I thought we had plenty of time. I was wrong. Little did I know that Kozmik BinGLO is very popular in the east county of San Diego, and this would end up being a sell out night. When we got there, lines to purchase your game cards were wrapped around the slots, and seats in the bingo hall were nowhere to be found. Luckily, my friend Rosey arrived earlier and found us four seats in the back row of the non-smoking section (one thing I hate about casinos is walking through cigarette smoke).

Oh, did I mention this was a special themed BinGLO night? Yup, it was a Mardi Gras celebration. Not only do people dress up with glow in the dark necklaces, clothing, and bunny ears, but add your Mardi Gras beads, hats and masks, and it’s the making of one heck of a party! They have a DJ playing club music, people walking around on stilts, ladies lifting their shirts (not me...you need to throw beads my way for that). And let’s call us the Back Row Divas, because soon enough we’re all getting up in the space behind our seats and start moving to line dance sequences, making sure we’re in sync and wearing that we’re too cool straight face. There’s plenty of dudes around too, but as usual, the ladies start the fun.

To continue reading, go to: http://jemmasamala.com/2014/04/04/week-19-this-aint-your-mommas-bingo/