5,4,3,2,1…..It is that time again!

The idea of what to do on New Year’s Eve might be crossing your mind.  It has certianly crossed mine.  It seems like you have to make your plans pretty early here in Vegas if you want to do anything.  New Year’s in Vegas is always a good time.  But, the strip is always closed so if you are local you should definitely get a hotel room that night close to your party destination.  Also, consider the long cab  lines so walking is alot easier.  It is also a fun experience just people watching down the strip.

If you are looking for a good service to take you home after having a cocktail or two you should look into a company called “Designated Drivers.” They take you home and also have someone to follow with your car.  So, you are safely getting home and not having to pick up your car in the morning. 

Now that you know how your getting home maybe you need to know where to go before that.  Among your many different clubs here in Las Vegas.  Many of them are offering bottleservice and package deals for the evening.  Unfortunatley, you must plan ahead, or plan on wandering the strip the whole evening.  You could check out the opening of a new venue at the Ballagio called, Bank.  It is a new venue that is in the club Light location.  Those tables are starting at around $8,000 for four people.  I can see why they are calling it “Bank.”  Don’t worry you can still go to your old favorites but expect there to be a steeper price tag. 

This must not be your first Rodeo

You know it’s that time of year you can feel it in the air.  Is it Christimas?  No, It’s just the Rodeo.  There is a nip in the air, the smell of horses, and the clanking of spurrs.  Not to mention the suggestive selling of Jack Daniels Spirits.  You can see this if you are a UNLV student because their Jack Daniels giant tent is beautifully located at the Thomas and Mack Parking Lot.  Besides all of this fun for us “City Slickers” it really isn’t that bad if you are into that kind of thing. 

However, we are always thankful for the tourism especially this time of year.  As a local here when the weather gets nip people don’t tip.  Alot of the tourism slows because of the holidays.  I have to say I enjoy seeing the friendly faces of the cowboys.  Nothing is nicer than a southern gentlemen. 

If you aren’t so much into the Rodeo maybe the Cowboy Christmas is more your speed.  You can get custom made boots and lots of arts and crafts.  I don’t care who you are, you need some boots in your closet!  You can also find it during the National Finals Rodeo Located at the Thomas and Mack Center at the UNLV campus.

There are whales in Vegas!

So if you think you left the casino feeling a little jipped after losing a couple hundred on the poker tables or the slots, that is just the beginning. They didn’t build these palaces in the desert on making people win. If you ever heard of the “whales” they belong to an elite group of gambler who spend an upwards of 250,000 in a single weekend. These types of casino guests require a special type of treatment.

The idea behind the host is that when you blow all of your money on the rouollette wheel or craps tables he can soothe the pain through lavish VIP treatment. The special treatment can include, but not limited to; free rooms, meals, spa visits etc. This is all in an effort for the gambler to feel like they got something out of the whole experience. This special treatment also can keep your guest coming back to your hotel on their next visit, and not down the street.

There are special events hosted throughout the year where only the people who spend over six figures can attend. This is just the beginning of what they can get in a single weekend. The casino doesn’t want to lose their whales, so the host will do whatever it takes to keep the whales from swimming away.

The bigger the whale, the more lengths your VIP host will go to pleasing them and making them keep coming back to their casino. In the interview that I have posted you can hear a better explanation of what it is like to be a VIP host. My interview contains a few stories that explain the outlandish requests of some of these VIP clients that frequent the casinos.

Interview with a Las Vegas VIP host

“Can I walk around with this drink?”

I often hear the question, “Can we walk around with these drinks?” Well, most often the answer is yes, once you put it in a plastic cup. As you take your first walk down the Las Vegas strip you will definitely see lots of people embibing in a little alcohol consumption. This ranges from person to person. You have many choices in beverage from a champagne flute to the infamous “yard” found at Sammy Buffet’s Margaritaville.

The answer to the question is an obvious yes, once you witness all that partake in this tourist activity. However, is it legal….well that’s another story. If you attend the required TAM (techniques in Alcohol Mangagement) classes required to serve alcohol in Las Vegas you learn otherwise.

The Law states that you can drink outside the respected casino that you purchased it from. Since you can’t tell which property begins and the next one ends this makes it impossible to inforce. So, instead of making vegas a city of rules instead of sins, this is one law where the metro police simply turn their heads.

Are the showgirls just for show?

The lure of the beautiful Las Vegas showgirl continues to entertain all who come to our great city. So, who are these girls anyway? Are they in shows, do they dance, and what is the purpose?

On your trip to Vegas it is very likely that you will spot many showgirls in an array of colors. Red, green, and yellow, and even peacock blue. Most likely you won’t see these showgirls on a stage but more often spotted at a convention hawking some type of product.

Typically tourists don’t understand what these girls are meant to be and they are assumed to be members of another type of industry. But, the Las Vegas showgirl originated as a stage show performer and regimented dancer. They are a part of Las Vegas’ rich history of entertainment. Many of the original stage shows originated in Paris, France (not to be confused with the Paris casino) such as Moulin Rouge and Follies Bergere.

Traditionally, you would have witnessed the Las Vegas showgirl in a stage show such as Follies Bergere. Which still plays nightly at the Flamingo hotel and Casino. Today the showgirl is more of a character or a piece of old Las Vegas’ colorful past. Not unlike Disneyland someone is playing a role here in Vegas.

So, next time you spot a showgirl be nice. They aren’t hookers or strippers, they are just there to take a picture. Take it for what it is….”A show.” Whether it is on a stage or not.

Showgirls, originally uploaded by recgambler

Pamela and Rick Solomon Wed in Las Vegas over the weekend

Pamela Anderson marries in Las Vegas….again. According to public records Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame and Rick Solomon, a producer, obtained a marriage license at the Las Vegas courthouse this weekend October 9, 2007. I found out about this when an insider at STACK restraunt and lounge said that she came into the restaurant on friday night to pick out the menu for her wedding reception catering at the Palms Villas on Saturday.

She came into the restraunt casually dressed, wearing jean shorts and a green t-shirt. She looked relaxed. Rick was wearing jeans and a t-shirt as well. Pamela led the pack of her entourage as she walked about six feet in front of everyone. She has quite a strut to her petite 5 foot-tall-frame.

If you don’t remember Rick Solomon, he is the prince charming who produced, sold and starred in the famed Paris Hilton video tape. He was also married to Shannon Doherty of Beverly Hills 90210.

Pamela Anderson has been seen around Las Vegas lately because she is a headliner in the Hans Klok magic show, “The Beauty of Magic,” at Planet Hollywood. You can see her there performing illusions nightly. Pamela Anderson is the perfiect fit for Vegas. She seems to be everything that we Las Vegans are all about….extreme, glamour, glitter, exaggerated body parts.

I am sure it was a great party to say the least. Maybe the marriage is just another illusion performed by Pamela. Only time will tell. Maybe there will be a video.

Dinner with Cirque Du Soleil

As I was sitting down to dinner before my shift at my Casino job at the Mirage I was having a telephone conversation with a girlfriend from back home in the normal world, Texas. Well, compared to Vegas it is certainly more normal. As I was talking to her she asks me if the employee dining room is filled with people with glitter and sequins and feathers walking around in full showgirl regailia. I proceeded to answer no, it is a pretty standard employee dining. Just normal people in to eat and punch the clock. That is when I had noticed a few Cirque Du Soleil characters walk by me in half makeup getting ready for another nightly show.

 The Mirage is where the show LOVE is performed six nights a week. Not to mention the Jet nightclub dancers and cocktail waitresses dressed in lilttle to nothing. I realized this when I was walking through the dining area around 1 a.m. when they were getting ready to start their day, or night. This is also the moment when I realized that I don’t really notice these things anymore. My sense of normal is definitely altered. It is funny how these things can change.

We can certainly say Vegas is not “normal” and neither am I. Normal is boring. Vegas harbors such an eclectic mix of people. Kitchen workers, cocktail servers, and show performers. Everyone’s main goal remains the same, to keep people entertained and to have a good time. I think that we would consider that a mission accomplised.

Is there nothing to Nosh?

If you are looking for something to drink before your night of debauchery in Las Vegas.  STACK restraunt and lounge at the Mirage Hotel and Casino would be a fun alternative to the usual Vegas Buffet. Try their specialty cocktail the “Raspberry Sin,” it will keep you coming back for more.

You can also find a hot rock appetizer where you can grill marinated sirloin at your table on a hot rock. The menu also offers crab cakes, french fries, and even twice baked potatoes. When you are done eating and having cocktails try out Jet also located at the Mirage Hotel.

Along with unique menu items you may also see some unique people while dining at STACK.  STACK offers a private dining room specially made for the high profile clientelle who don’t want to be seen.  Leonardo DiCaprio, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connelly, and Sting to name a few.  Kevin Connelly frequents many of the Las Vegas venues.  He prefers to sit right in the lounge facing outward to the Casino.  Leonardo Dicaprio does the same thing.   Even president Clinton has been seen there. 

The Stack, originally uploaded by Sarah[Mascara].

 

Rock your ROX off

The latest and greatest rock and roll club in Las Vegas worth checking out has to be ROX club located at 5285 Dean Martin Dr. It’s headliners inlcude both local and out-of-state bands. They used to boast only classic rock on their sign but now they have punk rock, classic, and alternative.

 You can find new bands like “Juliette and the Licks” headlining at Rox. They are  actress Juliette Lewis’ new band from Los Angeles.  You might remember her from the movie, ”What’s Eating Gilber Grape” with Johnny Depp.  They also have a Karaoke night every monday if you are feel like taking to the stage.

There are not a whole lot of venues to see live original rock and roll bands in Vegas. A good place to go instead of your typical lounge club singers and covers of Prince. A great place to check out. Don’t forget to support local artists and their live music scenes.

Diablos Cantina

In case you haven’t heard. There big launch of Light group’s Diablos took place on the strip on September, 14.   This is coming from te people that brought you Jet nightclub, Fix restrant at the Ballagio, and STACK restraunt at Mirage.  You know that you are in the right spot when you see the towering she-devil that shoots fire.

It is located at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino. Be sure to check out their signature margarita’s that are sure to be famous. Diablos also offers patio seating that has an open ceiling so that you can see the starry vegas nights while downing your margaritas and munching on some chips and salsa.  This venue will offer Vegas an alternative to the club scene.  Some days you just don’t want to deal with the lines or the attitudes of the bouncers.

Good vs. Evil, originally uploaded by mailgirl333.