AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

In This Issue: Cirque du Elvis, Scintas Start Sahara, Fab Four Review, Awards Shows, Vegas' Top Chef Tips, Local Stations Stream, Readers Questions Answered, more ....

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Newkirk's Notes - comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! With Cirque du Soleil's "Love" show about to launch , we thought is would be a good time to review the Fab Four, a long-running Beatles tribute show. In honor of The Scinta's move to The Sahara, we dug up live TV performance from our archives. Plus summer cooking and grilling tips from Vegas' hottest chefs. This and much, much more in this issue. Read on!

Cirque du Elvis - Cirque du Soleil has indeed confirmed that they are working on an Elvis based show. Don't get in to much of a rush to buy tickets: The show isn't scheduled to open until 2008, and then only as a touring Cirque show. Which should have it fine-tuned and probably hitting Las Vegas right about the time That MGM's Project CityCenter opens.

With their Beatles-themed "Love" show on the verge of opening at The Mirage and this proposed Elvis-themed show, Cirque du Soleil is making a smart move to keep public interest. As spectacular as their shows are, themed Cirque shows could reach a saturation point. But combine their style with well-loved music icons, and you have surefire hits!

Awards Shows - This past week saw the Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast life from the MGM Grand and Thursday night's taping of VH1 Rock Honors show paying tribute to Queen, Judas Priest, Kiss and Def Leppard (airs May 31 on VH1). Las Vegas hosts numerous nationally televised music award shows throughout the year and these are ticketed events that the general public can attend. As always, stay subscribed to this newsletter and we'll always let you know about coming entertainment.

Current Giveaways!

• Win Tickets To American Storm Male Review

Best Seats For Sports - You know we have Vegas tickets, but did you know we also have great, premium seats for a variety of sports events all over the United States? Check out our selection for yourself: NBA Playoffs (Dallas, Phoenix, Miami, Detroit), Baseball, NFL 2006, College Football, Auto Racing and Boxing.

Podcast should return next week. I've been training new hires and covering for staff vacations.

Enjoy This Issue!

See the Grand Canyon in a Jet Helicopter! For years Maverick Helicopters has been providing a true VIP Helicopter experience of the Grand Canyon. We do things a little different than any other helicopter Company. We give you an adventure of a lifetime and not just another tour of the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas Strip tours plus Helicopter Weddings also available!

Fab Four Beatles Tribute

Reviewed May, 2006
by Phil Arnold

So you are going to see a show by a band impersonating the Beatles. What do you suppose the show is going to be like? I figured it would be some guys in wigs who would play a few songs and well, that would be it.

The Fab Four is better than that. Let's get too it. The best thing about the Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band is their sound. They sound like the Beatles, and they do a great job of playing the Beatles music. Listening to this show was like watching and listening to a musical autobiography. Click to Read Complete Review

Spark Up the Grill -- Summertime Cooking Tips From Las Vegas! The weather heats up, mouth-watering scents waft through the air and you can almost taste the steaks cooking in the neighbor's yard. Time to spark up the grill! But don't just toss a chunk of beef on the barbecue; take some advice from the expert chefs of MGM MIRAGE. They'll have you grilling like a pro and ready to host a backyard barbecue in no time. Here's just a sampling:

Chef Michael Mina - Michael Mina Bellagio, Nobhill and Seablue at MGM Grand

Tips on grilling fish:

Do:

• Always use a grill basket like the kind sold in specialty kitchen equipment shops. The basket is Teflon coated, which will ensure your fish doesn't stick, and clamps together at the handle to hold the fish in place and allow easy flipping. Using a fish basket is the most important thing you can do to grill fish successfully.
• Work over a hot grill - white coals are ideal.
• Use fish with skin on. There's nothing better than crispy-skinned fish. The skin of most fish is perfectly edible and becomes crisp and delicious when grilled over a very hot grill. The skin also protects the meat from overcooking. It's fine to grill and eat the skin of all snappers, bass, salmon, halibut, and cod. Take the skin off of grouper, monkfish, skate and a few others. If in doubt, ask your fish monger.
• Cook the fish about 7 minutes per inch of thickness. Flip the fish halfway through the cooking time.
• Let the fish rest after it comes off the grill. The fish should rest three minutes for each inch of thickness. Resting allows the inside to continue cooking while the temperature evens out. Resting also allows the fish to reabsorb some of its juices, making it seem moister.
• Throw wood chips or herbs directly on the fire to flavor the smoke. You can buy smoking chips at any grocery store, or try throwing bunches of rosemary, thyme, basil, sage or any other herb right on the coals to subtly perfume the fish with their flavor. In the Mediterranean it is traditional to throw dried fennel fronds and branches right on the fire while the fish cooks. These can be gathered from almost any backyard in California, or purchased at some specialty food purveyors.

Don't:

• Try to put the fish directly on the grill grate, unless you have a lot of experience grilling fish -- it's likely to stick and break apart when you try to flip or remove it.
• Let the grill flare up or let open flames come in contact with the fish, this will cause a burnt oil taste and leave smudge marks all over your catch.
• Use old fish. Always buy the freshest fish you can afford. Nothing will make more of a difference in the outcome of your barbecue than using fresh fish. Some tips for identifying fresh fish: the smell, fresh fish will smell clean and like the ocean, not fishy; on most species the eyes will be clear if the fish is fresh; press the sides of the fish -- it will feel firm not mushy if it is fresh; the gills should be bright red, nut faded; slime, slime is a good thing, fish have a natural coating of slime when they are very fresh that disappears rapidly as they age.
• Use an excessive amount of oil on the fish, this will cause the grill to flare up and smudge your fish.

Chef Brian Massie - FIX and STACK at Bellagio

Tips on grilling meat:

• Salt & peppering two days before will help break down sinew and add depth to thicker cuts of meat. Season and leave uncovered in fridge and air dry.
• Partial Brine - dipping cuts of meat in a brine solution is a great way to season meats and impart seasoning to the center of the meat.
• Full Brine -- another form of marinating. This style of marinating will allow the meat to retain its juices and not become dried out, also helps season the center of the steak or chop with add exterior flavor. Basic recipe: 1 gallon water, 1 cup salt, ½ cup sugar, 1 head of garlic, lime juice and peel of 1 lime, pepper corns, cinnamon stick.
• All meat should be at room temperature before grilling. This will help ensure even cooking throughout and will eliminate over-charring and raw centers.
• Bone-In vs. Bone-Out - protein will always look and taste better with the bone in rather than without. The end product will have a much richer and natural flavor. The bone also helps protect the meat from overcooking and charring. Any steak that has an attached bone will ultimately become a more tender product.

Live From Las Vegas: Many Local Radio Stations Now Have Internet Streams - Whether you are bored with your local stations, or you want to pick up on some of what life is like here in Las Vegas, a significant number of our local broadcast stations now stream online! Find your favorite formats and give them a listen:

For a complete list of local Las Vegas radio and TV stations, visit our Las Vegas Radio and TV Stations page. Print it out and bring it with you on your next visit!

Whole Lotta Movin' Goin' On - The Elvis statue, first installed at the Las Vegas Hilton on September 8, 1978, will soon be returning to a place of glory at the famed property. It was first installed at the entrance to the showroom, then moved to the front lobby. Last year, it was removed from the lobby during the first phrase of construction and renovation took place. Now, the statue will be dedicated in a new location in the near (very near) future.

Gambling Talk: Video Slots - Elvira, Mistress of the Dark - with Victor H. Royer. Based on the popular late-night television horror-show actress of the same name, this new video slot machine from IGT features an entire variety of "creepy" creatures and pays. This is a very distinctive slot machine and you will not be able to miss it when you see it. It is very tall, and has a statue of Elvira sitting seductively at the top of the machine. Click to Read Complete Article

Vegas Streaming Video Of The Week - The Scintas When it comes to Scintas, (say Shin-tahs), the only thing routine about this fantastic comedy / variety musical foursome is the way they draw capacity crowds wherever they appear. The Scinta's now appear at The Sahara. Enjoy this archived performance from New Year's Eve 2004. The Scintas Video: Broadband or Dial-Up

• Scintas Photos

• Scintas Info and Tickets

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: American Storm - From the same producers of the Internationally acclaimed Australia's Thunder From Down Under comes the newest male revue with a definitively All-American flair. Billed as America's Hottest Male Revue, the cast of American Storm is made up of the seven remaining finalists from the VH1 hit series StripSearch

• American Storm Photos

• American Storm Info and Tickets

Members Mania - We Love Our Readers!

Readers Write - Hey Ted, Always love the news letter. I have seen you answer questions in some issues. Was wondering if you could answer one for me.

I am planning on being in LV on Xmas and the week after, ....are the majority of shows dark for the holidays, or are there still many to choose from??

Thanks,

Robert from Carrollton, Texas

Ted Responds - The 10 days leading up to Christmas are the slowest of the year (usually with some pretty low room rates) and the crowds and lines are way down. The downside is that most of the shows do take that time off. Both to give their performers a break and because of the lower visitor numbers. If I recall correctly, the Bellagio sometimes even uses this time to shut down the fountains for maintenance.

However, Christmas is actually starting to be a pretty busy time as more and more families are using Las Vegas as their hub to meet up and celebrate the holiday. Following Christmas, everything gets back into high gear as New Year's Eve is only a week later.

Whether gunning for a cheap pre-Christmas room, or just to lock in a room for New Year's Eve, I generally suggest everyone get serious about booking their rooms now. The "secret" of pre-Christmas low rates starts to get out, drives up prices as we get later in the year. New Year's rates start high and only go up as the year goes along.

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Readers Rants, Raves, and Questions - Great reader questions and comments from our Access Vegas Message Boards. Help someone out or post your own comment or question!

• I am planing a trip to Vegas this coming Aug. with my cousin and mom. We are planing to go see the Chippendales. Any other suggestion on anything else that I need to see while we are there?

• Can I walk from Stratosphere to Sahara Monorail Station, and from there take the 108 to LV Premium Outlet?

• May 1-6 Circus Circus & Imperial Palace: I got 6 days on Alaska Air from Seattle that included a suite at Circus Circus for only $403 ...

Coming Hot Holidays - The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at I4Vegas Discount Las Vegas Reservations and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

• Father's Day June 16-18
• Independence Day June 30 - July 4 (4 day weekend)
• Labor Day September 1-4 (3 day weekend)
• Grandparents Day September 8-10
• Columbus Day October 6-9 (3 day weekend)
• Halloween October 31
• Veterans Day November 10-12 (3 day weekend - Friday off)
• Thanksgiving November 23-26 (4 day weekend)
• Christmas December 22-25 (3 day weekend - Christmas on Monday)
• New Year's Eve/Day December 29 - January 1 (3 day weekend - New Years on Monday)

Get A Pantene Sample On Us. You'll be on your way to great looking hair in no time! This and other Great Free Stuff, Bargains, and More on our AccessVegas.com Advertiser Deals page. Click there now!

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All contents copyright 2006 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

May 24, 2006 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

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