AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Absinthe Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular

Coming Events Listings – We’ve created a new site just for listing specific events at events.accessvegas.com. We’ll always be adding to it and linking the events in each newsletter:

• Super Bowl Las Vegas 2012
• Valentine’s Day Las Vegas 2012
• Mardi Gras Las Vegas 2012
• March Madness Las Vegas 2012
• Spring Break Las Vegas 2012

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Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

No rest for the wicked as I’m dealing with 2011 accounting, 2012 budgeting (it may surprise you that I actually do the boring “running the business” work) and we’re also prepping to add video previews to every hotel and shows page of AccessVegas.Com (long overdue).

We’re also prepping for a major site enhancements (new look and feel that is more usable) and some other very cool things we’re keeping under our hat. So without further ado, we’ll jump right in this week.

Legionnaires Death – You may have seen news that a Luxor guest recently died from Legionnaires Disease. Last year, an outbreak affected a number of guests at Aria as well. I don’t want to play this down. I myself had a very serious respiratory illness just about a year ago that nearly killed me.

However, I want to put something in perspective: Nearly 40 million people visit Las Vegas per year. Your odds of contracting and being affected by Legionnaires Disease while on vacation here are right around 0.0000002%. Certainly not a number that should scare one from traveling.

Cab Drivers At It Again – Although isolated, recent reports note complaints against cab companies regarding drivers who are not only complaining when they don’t feel they were tipped enough, but actually locking the cab doors and not allowing customers to leave the vehicle until they pony up the an amount that the driver feels he deserves.

I end up taking a cab a few times per year and while I haven’t had this happen to me, I have gotten long-hauled. And, the sob stories about how slow the night is. O,r cab drivers telling me that I’m their last ride of the night and they were hoping to catch a fare to a strip club (where they get huge kickbacks for dropping off customers). But this is simply ridiculous. Here’s what I’m doing about it:

Enter this phone number into your cell phone: 702-668-4000. This is the number for the Nevada Taxicab Authority here in Las Vegas. (On the very rare chance you are detained by actually being locked into a cab, call 911 first and and report that you’ve been kidnapped). Should you get long-hauled or have any other problem with a cabbie, call it the Taxicab Authority (TA) number.  You’ll see the driver’s demeanor change so fast, you won’t believe it.

On the occasions I’ve been long-hauled and threated to call the TA, I’ve had drivers’ faces turn white as a ghost. Even if you don’t want to confront a cabbie, make a note of the taxi company name and cab number once you are out, and call them once he drives off. They take complaints very seriously.

Some other selected information about cabs in Las Vegas courtesy of the Taxicab Authority:

• Passengers utilizing a credit card for payment will be charge a $3.00 fee over and above the meter charge. Not all cabs accept credit cards, so ask.
• Las Vegas taxicab drivers cannot pick up passengers off of the street (flag or hailed ride). In the tourism areas, pickup is only at cab stands (every hotel has one).
• Taxicab passengers can only be charged the amount shown on the taxi meter.
• Taxicab fares must be paid in U.S. currency.
• All passengers must wear a seat belt while in a taxicab.
• The maximum number of passengers permitted in a Las Vegas taxicab (sedan style) is five.
• Use of the I-215 tunnel from McCarran airport is NEVER the shortest route to ANY Las Vegas Strip hotel.
• Taxicab drivers must obey the passenger’s directions as it relates to route taken.
• Taxicab passengers CANNOT be charged for the loading/unloading or transporting of their luggage.
• Tips or gratuities to taxi drivers in Las Vegas are optional and NOT required.
• “Long Hauling” occurs when a taxi driver takes the least direct route without the passenger’s permission.
• Las Vegas taxicab drivers are not permitted to divert a passenger from their original destination.
• Nevada Taxicab Authority enforcement personnel are on duty 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year.

Airport To Strip/Downtown On The Cheap – A relatively new bus line designed to take people from Summerlin (Northwest Las Vegas) to the airport has spawned an opportunity for the budget traveler (especially if alone and no one to share a cab ride with). The Westcliff Express departs the airport and goes straight to The Strip at Tropicana (where if needed, you can catch the ever-present double-decker Deuce bus to any other Strip location). Stay on the express and the route jumps on the freeway for a very quick ride to downtown, cutting right through Fremont Street.

Fare is $2 if you don’t need to use The Deuce, and $5 if you do need to make that transfer. IE, you can ride from the airport to MGM, NY NY, Trop, Hooters, Excalibur or all the way to Fremont Street for $2. (If changing to the Deuce, alert your driver so he can help you get the right ticket, and drop you off closest to The Strip). Route Map

Dream Team Divas – During March Madness of 2010, we shot some footage downtown of the various free entertainment which included the Dream Team Divas (seen in the second half of this YouTube video): Las Vegas Free Entertainment: Dancing Bartenders, Fan Halen, Dream Team Sexy Divas Shows

We we’re just contacted by American’s Got Talent who saw the video and are looking for the dance group. Unfortunately, we have no contact information on them. If you (or someone you know) is associated with the dance group, please contact us at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

P.S. Some moron actually voted the video a “dislike” (obviously someone who hates life, as many of you find Fremont Street at night lots of fun). If you have a minute, go check out the video, click the “Thumbs Up” to give it a like, and comment if you wish. If you enjoy that sort of thing, we’ll do more videos on both The Strip and downtown as the weather gets nice!

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Tacos and Tequila To Spice Up Valentine’s Day With Special Prix Fixe Menu – To celebrate El Dia Del Amor, Chef Saul Ortiz has created a special Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu for couples to share on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at Tacos & Tequila (T&T) inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. Priced at $29 per person, the menu features delicious appetizers, a choice between three entrées and a delectable dessert sampler.

• Full story/details/info: Tacos and Tequila To Spice Up Valentine’s Day

Qua Baths and Spa At Caesars Palace To Revitalize Spa Experience With Innovative Aura-Soma Color Therapy Series – The award-winning Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace will bring a new dimension of therapy to the spa industry with the launch of the AURA-SOMA® series. AURA-SOMA combines massage and aromatherapy with the natural healing powers of color and light, a trend that was predicted as one of the Top 10 2012 Global Spa Trends by SpaFinder.

• Full story/details/info: Qua Baths and Spa At Caesars Palace

Rediscover The RMS Titanic One Artifact at a Time – Artifact Feature: American Steamboat Playing Cards – As the centennial of the tragic sinking approaches, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition invites guests to learn more about the recovered artifacts of the “Ship of Dreams.” Soon to be sold at auction with almost 5,000 additional artifacts valued at $189 million, these American steamboat playing cards are from a pack of 52 found among the personal property of passenger Howard A. Irwin and can be found inside Luxor Hotel and Casino.

• Full story/details/info: Rediscover The RMS Titanic One Artifact at a Time

Angel Management Group And Hakkasan Ltd. Partner To Launch Fine-Dining And Nightlife Concept At MGM – Las Vegas Entertainment and Nightlife Group Joins Michelin-Starred Luxury Dining Brand to Debut Highly Anticipated Restaurant and Nightclub in December 2012. Leading entertainment and nightlife company Angel Management Group (AMG) and Hakkasan Ltd., a prestigious global restaurant brand, announced today a partnership to launch a Michelin-starred luxury-dining brand combined with a lavish new nightclub at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

• Full story/details/info: Angel Management Group And Hakkasan Ltd. Partner To Launch Fine-Dining and Nightlife

Miracle Mile Shops Turns its fountain red for American Heart month – This February, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino turns its fountain red in honor of American Heart Month. All change collected from the fountain will be donated to the American Heart Association, as part of the center’s Caring, Giving, Changing community campaign.

• Full story/details/info: Miracle Mile Shops Turns its fountain red

Score A Win During March Madness At LBS Burger – Basketball Fans with ‘Dead’ Sports Book Ticket will Receive Free Beer – LBS Burger Joint at Red Rock Casino Resort will feature a slam dunk special for basketball fans sulking in the sorrows of a losing team, offering one free draft beer to patrons who present a ‘dead’ sports book ticket during March Madness, from Tuesday, March 13, until Monday, April 2.

• Full story/details/info: Score A Win During March Madness At LBS Burger

Catch ‘The Big Game’ and eat like a king at InsertCoin(s) Videolounge Gamebar – Watch “The Big Game” at InsertCoin(s) Videolounge Gamebar and take advantage of amazing drink specials and food from Slidin’ Thru. Beer buckets, gourmet sliders from Slidin’ Thru and Stoli Vodka drink specials make for the perfect Sunday afternoon viewing.

• Full story/details/info: Catch ‘The Big Game’ and eat like a king at InsertCoin(s) Videolounge Gamebar

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Skywalk Odyssey Grand Canyon Tour – Your direct helicopter flight to the Grand Canyon Skywalk departs from the Las Vegas Strip. Experience a bird’s eye view of the Grand Canyon, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Strip on your flight. Upon landing at the Grand Canyon, get ready to witness a true engineering marvel.

Click To Book Skywalk Odyssey
Grand Canyon Tour Now!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Just got back from your wonderful city, we were there right before Christmas. (Ed. note: We’re a bit backlogged on email here). Here are some notes from our vacation:

Bellagio and Venetian were decorated beautifully for the holidays, didn’t see much in the way of decorations at other casinos/hotels.

Two excellent restaurants that I tried for the first time were Hash House A Go Go and Border Grill. They were both great!! The Hash House that we ate at was in the Imperial Palace, and Border Grill is in Mandalay Bay.

We stayed at the Flamingo, in an old room. It was clean but in need of some repair. Loved the location and the price we paid. Used Southwest airlines, no problems, but pay the extra $10 to get an early boarding!

Saw Marc Savard’s Comedy Hypnosis show for the second time, it is hilarious. A little crazy at the end, but funny.

Rented a car from Dollar with pick up and drop off at the airport, everything was fast and without problems. They seem to have it down to a science.

Friends were married at La Bella chapel in the Hilton. Very nice, great people! The minister was excellent, and so was the photographer.

A couple of honorable mentions. La Salsa Cantina still very good food. In and out Burger good fast food. Bellagio fountains magnificent as always. Love the Fremont Experience, but they have to change it, it has been the same for a while now. The new and improved Plaza was very nicely redone!!

Thanks for letting me share,

Gary from Ingleside, Illinois

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I really enjoy your newsletter and read it when it comes out. My questions concerns the road closures behind the Flamingo, Imperial Palace and Harrah’s, I typically stay at either the Flamingo or Harrah’s as the access to and from the hotels in the back of the property makes things quite convenient. Do you have any idea if the closures are permanent? I can’t seem to find any info other than that they are closed.

Thanks again,

Stephen Chiyka

 

Ted Responds:

Fortunately, we had to go over and check out the Tuscany the next evening (probably still a best kept secret). Audrie is still open behind Flamingo, Harrah’s and IP from Flamingo Rd. on back. But the connector roads to Koval are closed. Long term, Harrah’s wants to build their arena back there and they are already planing the Ferris wheel in that area as well. Plus, the alley between O’Sheas and Flamingo is being permanently closed for project Linq. So unquestionably we’re eventually losing some of the great “behind The Strip” access.

While I’m at it, we continued to be very impressed with The Tuscany. True suites, live music in their lobby lounge every night but Monday, free wi-fi in their lobby, lobby lounge, and patio by the pool, well appointed casino, decent restaurants (plus just across the street from Restaurant Row) and some amazingly low weekday rates. Only 1/2 mile from The Strip (which is the distance from Venetian to Bellagio).

On a side note, one of the things I’m looking forward to once we get into our paid subscriber program is to be able to answer more questions like this. We were lucky to be in the area this time, but I’d like to be staffed so that we can do continual reports and updates regarding any construction affecting visitors, special short-cuts (whether you are in a car or on foot), parking garage and valet secrets, and much more. Speaking of…

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Angry Caller – Below in our contact section, we note that we actually do read each email and listen to each call comment. Most of you have been very understanding and supportive of our pending move to a paid subscribership model, and we thank you for that. This is not directed at you. (Feel free to skip right on down the the More section if that is you).

However, a recent caller left a message noting their displeasure on the proposed membership fee and predicted that what happened to Netflix will happen to us. Since others may feel that way (and since we often have people who tune out, then start reading the couple of months before their next trip who need to get in the loop), here is my response:

1. Obviously, this person is a reader who enjoys all of the information. Otherwise, why would they care? I don’t happen to watch the Lifetime cable network. If they went to an HBO format (paid subscription base), I wouldn’t subscribe nor would care. So the reality is that this gentleman wants me and my small staff to continue work like crazy on the newsletter and ignore the major upgrades needed at our flagship AccessVegas.com just so he can keep getting all the info.

   Guess what: I’d like to walk into my favorite restaurant and eat the food free all the time. But just as the restaurant has staffing and budget constraints, so do we. And with the growth of both the site and newsletter, we simply can’t maintain both at present staffing levels.

2. We WILL be maintaining a free version of the newsletter. Absolutely. But, it will be a bit more stripped down (no insider info from my nearly 20 years of covering this market, and we’ll only guarantee to answer questions from paid subscribers as it does take time and research in many cases) and it will have more advertising. The paid edition will have all the content, very little advertising, and (over time) helpful bonus features available to paid members only.

   This is really no different than your choices to watch a movie on TV. For a small fee, you can pay to subscribe to HBO and/or buy a movie pay-per-view and see the entire film relatively shortly after release, uncut and unedited.  Or, you can wait until the film comes out on network television and watch it absolutely free, but with some of the key parts edited/censored, cuts for time, and constantly interrupted by commercials.

3. Netflix abruptly raised subscriber prices by a pretty noticeable chunk of change. Yes, it cost them subscribers. We’re in a totally different boat. Right now, we make exactly $0.00 off of subscribers. If we (for some reason) lost 20% of our subscribers, we’d still be making exactly (um, let me do the math here…) $0.00 from our subscribers.

   On the flip side: If only 1875 subscribers come over to the paid subscription model, I can hire another full-time employee. If we get 3000 subscribers, I an additionally hire a couple of part-timers to help the new full-time person. Which will allow us to bring members so much more of the information that they ask for.

   Let me give you an example: We frequently get emails that say I’ll be in town such and such week, I like XYZ kind of music, is anything like that playing in any of the casino lounges or party bars (Margaritaville, Carnival Court, etc.). Wouldn’t it be great if we had a way for paid members to search by type of music, location, or time of day and even had links to YouTube clips of the bands or acts in your category so you could tell whether it is worth going over to see them?

   If you aren’t into live music, simply extrapolate this concept over to what you are into. I’d love to do stuff like that. Kill to do it. We just need the staffing. And frankly, I’d rather do some amazing things for a few thousand people who are willing to help us out by subscribing then do it for 50,000 people that don’t think we’re worth $2 a month.

Thanks For Your Support!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• Phantom closing at the Venetian on Sept. 2: ‘We’ve had a triumphant run’

  ‘Phantom of the Opera’ epitaph: We did well to survive six years

  Book Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Las Vegas Tickets Now

• MÖTLEY CRÜE Bassist Says Las Vegas Show ‘Is Coming Together Fast’ (with video)

  Book Motley Crue Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Celine Dion show a slick, fresh celebration of live musicianship

  Book Celine Dion Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Tebow and friends enjoy Cirque’s ‘O’

  Book ‘O’ by Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Style and jokes make impressionist Gordie Brown’s show unique

  Book Gordie Brown Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Marriage Can Be Murder – Dinner Detectives

  Book Marriage Can Be Murder Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Thousands Flock to Las Vegas for Chinese New Year (with video) (with video)
• NHL Awards return to Las Vegas in 2012 (with video) (with video)
• Bettors Flood Las Vegas Sportsbooks for NFL Championships (with video) (with video)
• Could Vegas sports books lose with Giants Super Bowl win? (with video) (with video)
• Sportsbooks prepare for Super Bowl (with video) (with video)
• Southwest Airlines Celebrates 30 Years, McCarran Looks to the Future (with video) (with video)
• Lingerie Football League sheds ‘Bimbo Bowl” image (with video) (with video)
• Proposed expansion at Vegas ski resort will mean big changes (with video) (with video)
• Bridal Expo means big business for vendors (with video) (with video)
• KISS tribute bands compete in Vegas ‘KISS Off’ (with video) (with video)
• Celebrate Love with Valentine’s Day Wedding and Romance Packages at Paris Las Vegas
• Fantasy Celebrates The Holiday Of Love At LAX Nightclub Saturday, February 11
• Las Vegas Weekly Shares Top Five Romantic Restaurant Destinations On The Strip In Time For Valentine’s Day
• Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ and Beer Will Rock Hearts Out This Valentine’s Day
• ROCKHOUSE To Bring Back ‘Spring Broke’ – College Students can Party Hard without Breaking the Bank
• Cabo Wabo Cantina Celebrates Super Sunday With The Super Sexy Benchwarmer Girls
• Georges St-Pierre and Brittney Palmer To Appear At Las Vegas Fight Shop at Miracle Mile Shops
• Rockhouse to show its sweet side on ‘random acts of kindness’ day – Give Away a Drink for Every Drink Bought
• Station Casinos’ February Free House Entertainment
• The Vegas Sin on a Roll – Lingerie Football League
• Palazzo’s Way Of The Dragon? Bring The Fire
• Oscar Goodman, Part 2: Ex-mayor talks city of Las Vegas and his legacy
• Las Vegas airport tops 41M passengers in 2011
• 20 New Things in Downtown Las Vegas
• 2012 shaping up to be a big year for conventions, trade shows in Las Vegas
• Discovering Zine Noodles Dim Sum at Palazzo
• The Circus Circus Video Arcade? Just As Strange As Circus Circus
• Shrewd, smaller Vegas resorts show that innovating, renovating can do wonders
• From showgirl to showcase: Terry Ritter’s art sets the scene at McCarran’s new terminal
• Is Karaoke The New Dueling Pianos in Las Vegas?
• Las Vegas among best destinations for bargain shoppers
• Las Vegas oddsmaker sets early line for Super Bowl, and crosses his fingers
• Taxation imbalance helps Las Vegas compete for Chinese New Year’s traffic
• Ex-Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman is writing a tell-all about hot run in a wild town
• Las Vegas unemployment rose in December
• Las Vegas looking forward to big crowds, big money for Chinese New Year
• Baccarat overtakes Blackjack as the biggest lure in American casinos with up to $100,000 being wagered per hand
• Question About Bellagio’s Gardens? They Have An App… No, A Human For That
• Move over Brentwood, ‘Marbs’ and Ibiza because the only REAL way is Las Vegas
• Strip casinos post 9 percent gain in gaming win
• The Man Behind Gingrich’s Money
• The Chuck Jones Experience
• City’s online auction site offers bargain prices
• Hakkasan Las Vegas to replace Studio 54 at MGM Grand
• Panama’s Copa Airlines adds Vegas route
• State improves but Vegas jobless rate hits 12.7 percent
• Skate for free in honor of National Skating Month
• Double Helix’s mission uncertain with confusing menu and odd service
• McCarran airport shuffle to revive closed Concourse D
• Pro Bowl a party, so it should move to Las Vegas
• New Palms chief bullish on casino’s prospects
• Broadway in casinos still shows signs of life
• Major auto trade show drives Las Vegas visitation for November
• Low snowpack signals water crisis at Lake Mead
• Las Vegas economy inching up from bottom rankings
• Super Bowl bettors eager to be propositioned
• Experience Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck creator’s life at Circus Circus
• ‘Vegas Magic Theatre’ offers close-up tricks by variety of performers
• Las Vegas mayor talks Obama and D.C. trip
• Bellagio’s Hyde adds variety to club scene
• 2011 another awful year for foreclosures in Nevada and Las Vegas

Comments(0)

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Absinthe

Coming Events Listings – We’ve created a new site just for listing specific events at events.accessvegas.com. We’ll always be adding to it and linking the events in each newsletter:

• Super Bowl Las Vegas 2012
• Mardi Gras Las Vegas 2012
• Valentine’s Day Las Vegas 2012

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Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – After a couple of chilly days and scattered showers, we’re looking at 70 degrees F through Friday and 60′s for the weekend. The weather service predicted above-average temps for this time of year, and they haven’t disappointed.

So Long Phantom – After an amazingly long run, Phantom – The Las Vegas spectacular is coming to a close on Labor Day weekend (first weekend of September). If you’ve always pondered checking it out (or want to see the Las Vegas version one more time), the clock is ticking.

Some of you are thinking “I can see it in another city”… but not this version. The theatre was constructed specifically for the show with some special effects that you simply won’t find anywhere else. And most likely never again after Labor Day. We’d like to thank Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular for being a longstanding advertiser on AccessVegas.com and in our newsletter. Please support us by using the ticket graphic in the right sidebar to find out more about the show or to purchase tickets.

The D? – A couple of months ago, we were the first to come to you with the inside scoop on the second floor renovation plans for Fitzgeralds downtown. Rumor is now floating around that the hotel’s new name will become “The D” (presumably standing for downtown). Unfortunately, we can’t yet get a confirmation on that yet but we’ll keep an eye on it. Doesn’t exactly roll of my tongue, but what do I know?

Fitzgeralds was recently purchased by the owners of the Golden Gate, and they plan to renovate the casinos and all rooms. On the down side, they have already started to raise beverage prices and we can’t help but thinking the end of some of the Fitz’s amazing food specials ($1.99 breakfast, $9.99 full order of ribs with all trimmings and salad, etc) might have seen their day. On a related note:

Bye, Bye World Famous $1.99 Shrimp Cocktail – The Golden Gate has closed their deli to accommodate their expansion. While they are still serving the shrimp cocktail in their Dupar’s restaurant 24/7, guess what: The price has been quietly raised to $2.99. This is NOT the only change. The recipe of the cocktail sauce has been altered! It is less sweet and much more spicy. Not “hot sauce” spicy but certainly plenty of tang.

I don’t mind spicy food, but there was something special about the ketchup-based recipe that they’ve used for as long as I can remember. That special taste that is so embedded in many, many of our memories with having the shrimp at Golden Gate. A couple times a month, I’ll actually crave it and go down and enjoy it! I can deal with the $2.99 — it is still a bargain — but bring back the sauce that we all know and love!

Interstate 11 On Track, Hopefully – When the interstate highway system was built, Phoenix and Las Vegas were towns of relatively modest size. And hence, connected by a dangerous two lane highway even into the most recent years. Arizona only recently completed four-laning Kingman to Hoover Dam (and Nevada is finishing up the same our our side as we speak). Cranking it up to Interstate standards would require four lanes of divided the entire way and controlled access (overpass and on/off ramps) at intersections, which are few and far between most of the way. We’ll keep you posted.

Don’t Text In Your Car Here – Nevada has joined the list of states not allowing texting while driving. If you get ticketed, you’re out $50 (plus I assume court costs which can run into the hundreds). Hands-free devices are allowed. I don’t even touch my phone when driving in the resort corridor. It takes enough work to watch for other drivers who are sight-seeing and pedestrians who don’t understand “Don’t Walk” signs (like they have to hurry to the next hotel before it closes or something).

Least Delayed Airport – According to Travel + Leisure, Las Vegas had the fewest number of airline flight cancellations in 2011. This was followed by Phoenix, Portland (OR), Salt Lake City, and Seattle. Pretty impressive when you figure that McCarran Airport is the 7′th busiest in the nation! Five worst? La Guardia, Newark, O’Hare, Washington-Reagan, and Boston. Simple reason? The top 5 (all in the west) simply don’t get the snowstorms and the wide-open spaces between major cities don’t get as clogged up with air traffic.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Internationally Acclaimed Chef Gordon Ramsay to Open First Las Vegas Restaurant – Gordon Ramsay Steak – at Paris Las Vegas – Paris Las Vegas is pleased to announce internationally-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay will open his first Las Vegas restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Steak, in the spring of 2012 in the heart of the picturesque resort. The new restaurant will replace Les Artistes Steakhouse. Michelin Star Chef Gordon Ramsay, known not only for his refined cuisine, but also his TV personality on several hit programs including ”Hell’s Kitchen,” ”MasterChef” and ”Kitchen Nightmares,” has generated world-wide attention and entertained viewers on six continents.

• Full story/details/info: Internationally Acclaimed Chef Gordon Ramsay to Open First Las Vegas Restaurant

Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace to Offer Innovative In-Room Guest Technology – Exclusive web application and multimedia hub put guests in control – Octavius Tower, the sixth hotel tower at Caesars Palace, opened Jan. 2, 2012, raised the industry standard with an innovative technology package. The exclusive Octavius Tower web application and in-room technology features create a unique, interactive and high-touch service experience for hotel guests, unlike any other on the Las Vegas Strip.

• Full story/details/info: Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace to Offer Innovative In-Room Guest Technology

PBR Invites Wine Lovers To Get Uncorked For National Wine Day Plus Drink Specials – Wine aficionados can unwind and celebrate their favorite beverage at PBR Rock Bar & Grill in honor of National Wine Day on Saturday, Feb. 18, with half-priced bottles of wine from 3 until 6 p.m. The popular Strip-side eatery features an array of wine selections including everything from Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir.

• Full story/details/info: PBR Invites Wine Lovers To Get Uncorked For National Wine Day

Cabo Wabo Cantina Celebrates Two Years In Las Vegas With Week Long Bash -Celebrate Sammy’s Two Years on the Strip January 23 Through 29 – After two years of not being able to drive 55, Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina will celebrate its birthday with a week-long extravaganza. Starting Monday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 29, the popular Mexican restaurant and bar will offer guests food and drink specials, live entertainment and plenty of prizes, including an autographed guitar from Sammy Hagar himself.

• Full story/details/info: Cabo Wabo Cantina Celebrates Two Years

Fantasy Celebrates Valentine’s Day By Teaming Up With Tacos and Tequila And Rice and Company – Patrons Can Purchase Dinner for Two and Show Tickets Package Throughout February – Love is in the air this February as The Strip’s hottest adult-revue FANTASY partners with Tacos & Tequila (T&T) and Rice & Company offering couples dinner and show packages at Luxor Hotel and Casino. Valid February 1 – 29, patrons purchasing the “Get a Heart On” package will receive a full night of entertainment with a prix fixe menu at either restaurant, two tickets to FANTASY and a 2012 Ultimate FANTASY calendar. The “Get a Heart On” package includes:

• Full story/details/info: Fantasy Celebrates Valentine’s Day
• Buy Tickets Now: Fantasy

Cabo Wabo Cantina Hosts Karaoke – Valentine’s Day Edition – Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Jimmy Z and Brandy Beavers – Cabo Wabo Cantina inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino is ready to rock out this Valentine’s Day. The bodacious Brandy Beavers will accelerate heartbeats as she teams up with Jimmy Z to host a very special lover’s edition of “Star Search Celebrity Karaoke” on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

• Full story/details/info: Cabo Wabo Cantina Hosts Karaoke

Colorist To The Stars Michael Boychuck To Offer Lavish ‘Valentine’s Day Package’ At His World-Renowned Salons – Leading beauty expert and colorist to the stars, Michael Boychuck, will offer an indulgent ‘Valentine’s Day Package’ at his salons in honor of the most passionate holiday of the year. ”It doesn’t matter whether my clients are celebrating with someone special or having a fun night out with their single friends, Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year that ladies want to look their best,” says the hair extraordinaire.

• Full story/details/info: Colorist To The Stars Michael Boychuck To Offer Lavish Valentine’s Day Package

Cuddle Up With A Cocktail And A Loved One At RHUMBAR This Valentine’s Day – Enjoy Specialty Cocktails Under the Warmth of a Snuggie at RHUMBAR – Nothing gets lovers in the mood like curling up together with a warm cocktail to enjoy a classic romantic movie. This Valentine’s Day, RHUMBAR at The Mirage will showcase love stories on the patio while guests sip weather inspired concoctions and cuddle with their Valentine under a specially made RHUMBAR Snuggie®. Tuesday, Feb. 14, the stylish cocktail lounge will transform into a Valentine’s Day themed wonderland for a special holiday experience. Patrons will enjoy classic romantic movies such as ”Casablanca,” ”Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and others, while they cuddle up under RHUMBAR Snuggies®.

• Full story/details/info: Cuddle Up With A Cocktail And A Loved One At RHUMBAR

Spice Up Relaxation with Romance this Valentine’s Day at Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas Resort Spas – Celebrate the romantic holiday with sweet, sultry and single’s treatments this Valentine’s Day at Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts. Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace will offer sweet treat facials and sensual couples’ massages. For those solos, Rio Spa & Salon at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will be celebrating Singles Awareness Day with its take on anti-Valentine’s treatments including a makeover for revenge. Spa by Mandara at Paris Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will offer lavish romance and luxury couples’ treatments in private suites.

• Full story/details/info: Spice Up Relaxation with Romance this Valentine’s Day

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Grand Canyon Western Territory Tour – Experience the thrill of the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, on a flight with Maverick Airlines. Fly in Maverick style on a Beechcraft 1900D aircraft to Grand Canyon West as you enjoy spectacular views along Eagle Point. At the Indian Village you will receive a brief introduction to the Hualapai Indian legends and culture, and then proceed to Guano Point, where you’ll observe a breathtaking view of the canyon.

Click To Book Grand Canyon
Western Territory Tour Now!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

MGM closing the lion habitat is sad and foolish. I know the single reason I go to MGM is to see the lions but with them going away, there is absolutely no reason to walk in and spend any time there. It seems that MGM is buying into the new Las Vegas myth they have created with their City Center monstrosity, that people only care about how fancy places are. If they want to make their swiftly alienated customers happy, move them to their sister property Circus Circus, where they would fit right in with the circus theme.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that MGM is sacrificing their other properties uniqueness to keep City Centers carcass breathing. That place is an answer to a question that was never asked, and no amount of public cheering is going to turn it into a place that people want to go to. I hope I’m wrong, but I can see them closing the shark tank at Mandalay Bay, the Secret Garden at Mirage and completely sterilizing their other properties, just to give the appearance that City Center is where everyone should go.

It didn’t surprise me that Viva Elvis didn’t make it, as an Elvis fan I can tell you I was very unhappy with the way they changed his music. If they wanted a hit, they should have brought in Elvis the Concert, instead of letting acrobats jump around to music that was changed to the point that it became something completely different.

When I read about them wanting to implode the Harmon, my only reaction is why stop there?

Jerry

 

Ted Responds:

Tell us how you really feel, Jerry! I’m a bit dubious myself on the effort to monetize every square foot of every hotel property these days. One of the joys of walking into The Mirage used to be the tiger habit. Now we’re seeing the iconic lions go. Certainly Circus would have been a great place to incorporate them (and been an added draw to the property).

19% of Las Vegas visitors were first-timers last year. One could certainly argue that maybe most had seen the lions so they were no longer a draw. BUT, let’s remember that you must visit Las Vegas multiple times before you come close to seeing 1/2 of what there is to do and see. Something like that gets on someone’s “to do” list that they may not knock off on their first visit, but gets them into the MGM (often for the first time) on subsequent visits.

You certainly aren’t alone in disliking CityCenter. Famed casino designer Paul Steelman (Harrah’s Atlantic City, Foxwoods, Beau Rivage, Hard Rock Biloxi, etc) took an indirect pot-shot at it in an interview with UNLV Gaming Studies saying (and I paraphrase) “You don’t design a gaming resort to look like the building that people go to work in”. Those who stay at CityCenter love it. But the icy cold steel blue look certainly is on contrast with the whites, oranges, golds, and browns of the rest of The Strip. This leads many to find if foreboding and something they are not willing to take the hike to see.

Ted Newkirk
CEO, Managing Editor
AccessVegas.com

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I’ve seen a few stories about certain casino owners making huge political contributions related to the presidential election. I’d be curious to know which casinos and casino owners have made such contributions, and to which candidates or political action committee.

Would it be possible to compile such a list and include it in a future newsletter? I don’t expect that the coverage I’m seeing is comprehensive. I’ll bet a lot of your readers would steer their business toward certain properties and away from others if they knew some of their money was funneling to candidates they oppose.

Scott from Dimondale, MI

 

Ted Responds:

Venetian/Pallazo owner Sheldon Adelson made big nes by donating $5 million to a Political Action Committee which helped Newt Gingrich win South Carolina, and his wife has just kicked in another 45 to the campaign. If Newt continues to do well, word is that more will be coming. The Adelson’s are long-time friends of Gingrich and are both very pro-Israel.

After the last election, we also had reader interest in this topic and I covered which side of the political aisle the heads of the major gaming companies tend to donate to in my blog post Why Did All The Las Vegas Casinos Support Harry Reid Last Election?

Of interesting note: Democrats hold a 50,000 voter edge over Republicans, but that is half of what the edge was on 2008. A fair amount of conjecture exists as to why, but here is what I’m seeing: Construction workers (most of them union and registered Democrats) have had to pack up and leave in light of the fact that virtually no new construction is on the horizon.

On the flip side, entrepreneurs (the kind who can make money and run their business from just about anywhere there is internet and FedEx) and who tend to be anti-tax and anti-regulation have been choosing to relocate here from less business friendly states, and small business hiring for 2012 is actually looking up here because of it.

Will it flip Nevada from Blue to Red? Not likely in the new future. The Culinary union still represents a high percentage of hotel/casino employees. The union seems to have a very strong influence over who they vote for.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR from the Big Apple! To refresh your memory, a number of years ago, we communicated back and forth after I took exception to your comment about New Year’s Eve in New York.

I have to remark about your comments with the New Years Eve in New York this issue. Although only 17 blocks are closed off, there are many restaurants, hotels and office buildings facing the “ball drop” which allow people in for the festivities — so they need to be counted in addition to the brave hearts on the street.

What you never mentioned was the hours of live entertainment by major stars that are performing on a raised platform in the middle of the crowd. This year, because of Dick Clark’s record breaking anniversary, the show began several hours before midnight.

I watched it all — and thought New York did a hell of a job entertaining everyone who braved the hours waiting in the street. Fortunately, the weather was quite nice which was a tremendous bonus. Lady Gaga, Pit Bull, etc. put on amazing performances and did not disappoint the crowd.

I truly think each city has its own personality and everyone makes a choice as to where they want to be that night.

I love your newsletter (fyi — I’m moving to LV this year — hopefully by the end of August).

My best advice is hype Las Vegas while not dissing other cities and how they celebrate.

Best regards and warm wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year.

Shelli from New York

 

Ted Responds:

This was regarding the remarks I made in our New Years issue about comparing the New York City celebration to the Las Vegas event.

First of all, please note that I wasn’t dissing New York. If that were my goal, I’d say the kind of stuff that people from Boston say about New York! (Sounds like a Super Bowl to me… talk about two cities who don’t like each other). Example: Someone commented to me that the London fireworks are better than ours. They may be. That’s not a knock on Las Vegas as a city.

No question, New York has the major performers out performing for the public (and primarily the TV cameras… I guarantee you that 80% of the attendees couldn’t see the stages). Las Vegas has a slew of major performers, but they were ticked events inside. The Stevie Wonder show at Marquee was shown on The Strip, displayed on the Cosmopolitan’s huge LED marquee.

Since I do promote Las Vegas tourism and will stick to my comparisons:

• Here, you are allowed to roam the four miles of The Strip (sans the incredible congestion center Strip) starting at 6 PM, making it a 7 hour street party. In New York, you are penned up.
• Here, there are porta potties. I heard from numerous sources that once you are in the pens in Times Square, you are not allowed out again even to use the bathroom.
• New York? Liquor not allowed. Las Vegas? You can buy it on the street.
• Ball Drop? 60 seconds in one spot. Fireworks show? Over 8 1/2 minutes stretching 3.5 miles.

I’m still extremely dubious on the million-plus number New York claims. Lets say that 250,000 people are in buildings surrounding Times Square. (a stretch, but they are tall buildings). That would leave just under 45,000 PER BLOCK in each of the 17 blocks they close off. That’s a big baseball stadium full of people crammed into each and every city block. I’m just not seeing it!

Here in Las Vegas, we noted 314,000 visitors occupying right around 150,000 hotel rooms (a very plausible number as the high new years rates invite multiple people to share rooms). Las Vegas and New York have had a friendly competition for a number of years now regarding which is the better place to do New Years Eve. I’m just asking New York to be honest about the numbers like we are!

At the end of the day, if one of the great New Years Eve celebrations is on your bucket list, I’m obviously going to suggest and promote Las Vegas. If we have a reader who has done both celebrations, I’d be more than happy to hear the comparison.

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We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee Discusses Las Vegas Residency(with video)Book Motley Crue Las Vegas Tickets Now
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• Las Vegas Spas and Makeovers
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• 10 Best Las Vegas Sports Events – And Where To Watch Them
• Memphis Championship Barbecue
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• Vegas Topless Club Pushes For ‘Adult-Only’ Pool
• First Look: KJ Chinese Restaurant at Rio Vegas
• The Chuck Jones Experience Opens at Circus Circus Las Vegas
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• Gambling makes up smallest chunk ever of casino revenue
• New owners of Atrium say property will reopen in 18 months or less
• Las Vegas office market ended year with higher vacancies
• Hooters Hotel and Casino likely to be sold in February
• Unveiling Downtown’s Mysterious Lady Sylvia Bar and Lounge
• Clueless About Placing a Sports Bet? We’re Here to Help
• A Guide to The Types of Bets You Can Make in Sportsbooks
• The Chuck Jones Experience Is Open For Rabbit Season
• What does the story of Carole Lombard say to us today?
• Fiery Flames, Live Music, And Lion Dances, Oh My: Year of the Dragon Roars Onto The Strip
• Oscar Goodman, Part 1: Ex-mayor talks speakeasy, nuptials, downtown
• Le Thai earns its hype not just for its East Fremont address, but the quality of its cuisine
• Restaurant Week coming early to Las Vegas
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• Madame Tussauds welcomes Justin Bieber wax figure
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• Oscar Goodman’s signature steakhouse opens at the Plaza
• JVLV Holdings’ plan to purchase Mob Experience approved
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• Longtime headliners shine for locals, tourists in off-Strip venues
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• Crispy crust becomes quest for D’Amore’s Famous Pizza
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• Downtown emerging as epicenter for performing, cultural, visual arts
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• 2011 ended with lower Las Vegas home prices
• Las Vegas home sales set record
• Luxe Lofts sale leads condo market revival

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

 

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Absinthe Peepshow

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! I for one am certainly thankful that winter seems to be over. December is the coldest month of the year (and the least fun as it gets dark so early). 104 F (our average high for July and August) doesn’t phase me. Lows around freezing? That’s an issue. Sunshine has been plentiful and sunsets have had a spectacular pink hue lately.

Fremont Street “North” – Zappos.com head honcho Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) is on a single-handed mission to completely finish reviving downtown Las Vegas. Granted, the momentum was already there with the revitalization of East Fremont Street (aka Fremont East), a new performing arts center, new Golden Nugget tower, and complete overhauls of the El Cortez, Gold Spike, and Plaza.

Buried in a recent story about how he’d like to buy the 51′s (our AAA minor league baseball team) was an interesting note about improving the infrastructure of the current stadium which sits just 7 blocks north of Fremont Street (about the same distance as Plaza to El Cortez). This could encourage people to walk from downtown to the stadium (actually walking on Las Vegas Blvd. North) just as people now walk the Fremont East area.

This area is already called the Culture Corridor as it is home to the Las Vegas Library , the Las Vegas Natural History Museum , the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company , Lied Discovery Children’s Museum , The Neon Museum , the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort and State Historic Park. Of course, it is also home to some boarded up buildings and a few empty lots. I’m not suggesting that this is all going to happen overnight. It was upwards of a decade ago that you heard me predicting the renaissance that we’ve now seen downtown.

He’d also really be in a position to boost baseball attendance among younger people, making attending a game a “happening” thing to do. How? Simple: Give any unsold tickets to the 1000+ employees which will be working downtown when Zappos finishing moving their headquarters.

Mark my words: I believe some of the greatest increase in housing values in the next few years will be in the general downtown area (within 2 miles of the downtown core). These houses built in the 50′s are often going for under $60k, making them super-affordable to the young Zappos employees and others who are now loving downtown and will crave living close to both work and all of the cool new hangouts.

Five Best – Lots of “Best Of 2011″ coming out lately. This week, we’re sharing a list courtesy of David and Alicia Ivy from the show Pub Crawl:

• Best Nachos (Tie) – Volcano Nachos at Margaritaville (Flamingo Hotel) and Irish Nachos at McMullan’s Irish Pub (4650 W Tropicana Ave)
• Best Casino Bar – Vesper (Cosmopolitan Hotel)
• Best Restaurant Bar – Bootlegger (7700 Las Vegas Blvd South)
• Best Place To Spend 5 Hours – Nine Fine Irishmen (New York, New York Hotel)
• Best Pizza – Due Forni Pizza and Wine (3555 S Town Center Dr)
• Best Dive Bar – Cheers (UNLV at Harmon)

Midnight Hockey – A couple times per year, the Las Vegas Wranglers (our local minor league hockey team) plays at midnight. The most recent outing, they drew over 4500 people! They are doing it again on the night of Feb. 19 (tickets). If you’re a hockey fan and want a unique experience, you might want to check it out. Las Vegas is a great place to live if you are a night owl or super-early riser. With all the overlapping shifts at the hotels, casinos, and nightclubs, there’s usually something interesting happening somewhere!

Coming Events Listings – We’ve created a new site just for listing specific events at events.accessvegas.com. We’ll always be adding to it and linking the events in each newsletter:

• Super Bowl Las Vegas 2012
• Mardi Gras Las Vegas 2012
• Valentine’s Day Las Vegas 2012

Better Treatment For International Visitors – This June, international flight arrivals will move to McCarran’s Terminal 3, leaving the terrible,e dated, cramped Terminal 2 behind. It has been ironic that those who fly the furthest always had the worst entry to our fair city. Terminal 3 will feature seven gates for international arrivals, a large and modern customs area, and some fine dining for those with time to kill. (No one really wants to eat fast food before a 12 hour flight).

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Take A Piece Of Peepshow Home With The New Holly Madison Meet and Greet Package – PEEPSHOW, Las Vegas’ highly-stylized striptease spectacular, is offering guests an exclusive Holly Madison souvenir with the new meet & greet upgrade. Priced at $100 per person, the ticket upgrade is available as an add-on to a ticket purchase in any price level and takes place following single show nights and after the late show on two-show nights.

• Full story/details/info: Take A Piece Of Peepshow Home With The New Holly Madison Meet and Greet Package
• Buy Tickets Now: Peepshow

George Wallace Honors Active Military Through Free Show Tickets – George Wallace, headliner in the “I Be Thinkin’” show at the Flamingo welcomes all active United States military members with a valid military ID to come see his show for free throughout 2012. Military members will each receive one free ticket to see “The new Mr. Vegas” in return for the support and dedication they have given the country.

• Full story/details/info: George Wallace Honors Active Military Through Free Show Tickets
• Buy Tickets Now: George Wallace

KISS By Monster Mini Golf to Open March 15, 2012 – ‘These Boots Are Made For Rockin!’ Featuring The Beautiful Dancers from MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris – KISS by Monster Mini Golf has announced the official opening date March 15, 2012 in Las Vegas. The venue’s grand opening corresponds with the anniversary of the original KISS Destroyer Album, which was released on March 15, 1976. In honor of the official opening announcement for KISS By Monster Mini Golf, the MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris dancers seductively pose in the authentic Destroyer KISS boots that are touring Las Vegas.

• Full story/details/info: KISS By Monster Mini Golf to Open March 15, 2012
• Buy Tickets Now: Crazy Horse Paris

Jimmy Z’s ‘Star Search Celebrity Karaoke’ Hits Cabo Wabo Cantina – Cue the spotlight and classic hits as Cabo Wabo Cantina inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino plays host to Jimmy Z’s “Star Search Celebrity Karaoke” every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 p.m. to midnight. Locals and tourists alike are encouraged to come in and release their inner rock-star by singing along to timeless covers, forgotten gems and everything in between.

• Full story/details/info: Jimmy Z’s ‘Star Search Celebrity Karaoke’ Hits Cabo Wabo Cantina

Public House To Bring Contemporary Tavern To The Grand Canal Shoppes At The Venetian – With a vast beer selection and generous portions, the new Public House, located on Restaurant Row in The Venetian, a The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian lease, has all of the makings of a traditional tavern. But what makes this contemporary adaptation stand out is the exceptional fare by corporate executive chef, Anthony Meidenbauer, hard-to-find cask beer selections, Nevada’s first certified beer cicerone and, a comfortable, hip atmosphere reminiscent of a Prohibition-era speakeasy that celebrates the classic tavern through the lens of modern design.

• Full story/details/info: Public House To Bring Contemporary Tavern

Spread The Love This Valentine’s Day At Rice and Company – Luxor’s Asian Bistro Sparks Romance with ‘Naughty and Spice’ Roll – Love is in the air at Rice & Company this Valentine’s Day as Executive Chef Danny Chen introduces the new mouthwatering sushi creation “Naughty & Spice” now being served at the celebrated contemporary Asian Bistro at Luxor Hotel and Casino. Hearts will melt for this themed specialty roll which is stuffed with crunchy shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and juicy mango then topped with salmon and avocado. A true sweet for the sweetheart, sliced strawberries and a spicy strawberry sauce envelop Chen’s decadent invention creating a tantalizing mixture of sugar and spice. A special treat for all lovers, this tempting roll is priced at $16.

• Full story/details/info: Spread The Love This Valentine’s Day At Rice and Company

Comme Ca To Offer Romantic Dining Experience With Special Prix Fixe Menu On Valentine’s Day – Comme Ça, brought to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas by celebrity chef David Myers, will feature an exquisite Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner in celebration of the most romantic night of the year on Tuesday, February 14. The acclaimed brasserie will be the ideal destination for couples to celebrate their love as they share an intimate meal while enjoying the breathtaking views from Comme Ça, with the Eiffel Tower and the lights of the Las Vegas Strip as its backdrop.

• Full story/details/info: Comme Ca To Offer Romantic Dining Experience

Hearty American Comfort Food Classics Get Struck By Cupid’s Arrow For Valentine’s Day At PBR Rock Bar And Grill – Forget the fancy, schmancy dinners, over-priced flowers and cheesy, heart-shaped candy boxes and celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart PBR-style. PBR Rock Bar & Grill will offer the ultimate date night for couples who want to commemorate the holiday in a rockin’ way with hearty American comfort food, drink specials and bull riding on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Lovebirds can start their night with romantic, two-for-one bull rides on the daunting mechanical bull and make a toast to their love with two-for-one glasses of Champagne.

• Full story/details/info: Hearty American Comfort Food Classics Get Struck By Cupid’s Arrow

The Barrymore To Offer Romantic Valentine’s Day Experience With Three Course Prix Fixe Menu – This Valentine’s Day, The Barrymore inside The Royal Resort will provide guests with an unforgettably romantic evening. In celebration of the most loving day of the year, the acclaimed new restaurant will offer a sweetheart inspired prix fixe dinner sure to please all lovebirds.

• Full story/details/info: The Barrymore To Offer Romantic Valentine’s Day Experience

Rhumbar To Host Playoff Tailgate Parties On The Patio With Food And Drink Specials – Big Game Sunday is not for the weak-hearted. Hours of training go into the big day for both players and fans. RHUMBAR inside The Mirage will help football fanatics train for their Big Game tailgate throughout the month of January with weekly playoff tailgate parties on the patio.

• Full story/details/info: Rhumbar To Host Playoff Tailgate Parties

RHUMBAR Offers Tailgate Package For The Biggest Game Of The Year – Enjoy the Big Game at RHUMBAR’s Patio Tailgate Party – It doesn’t get much better than bundling up, drinking beer, eating food off the grill and watching football, and guests at RHUMBAR inside The Mirage will be doing just that this big tailgate Sunday. Fans will throw on their favorite football attire to celebrate the biggest game of the year on RHUMBAR’s patio on Sunday, Feb. 5.

• Full story/details/info: RHUMBAR Offers Tailgate Package For The Biggest Game Of The Year

Mesa Grill Presented with Award for Top Donor During 2011 Restaurant Week – Bobby Flay’s restaurant at Caesars Palace recognized for great community service – On Thursday, Dec. 15, Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace was awarded the top Gold Plate donor for the fifth annual Las Vegas Restaurant Week. For a two week period that started Aug. 29, locals and tourists had the opportunity to dine at some of Caesars Entertainment’s most popular restaurants while also helping to end hunger in Southern Nevada.

• Full story/details/info: Mesa Grill Presented with Award for Top Donor During 2011 Restaurant Week

Golden Nugget Enchants Guests with Second Annual Masquerade Ball – Golden Nugget Las Vegas is creating the perfect blend of fantasy and mystery with their second annual Mardi Gras themed Masquerade Ball held in Gold Diggers, Saturday, Feb. 18 beginning at 8 p.m.

• Full story/details/info: Golden Nugget Enchants Guests with Second Annual Masquerade Ball

Rich Flavors and Extraordinary Cuisine Showcased in ARIA’S February Signature Tasting Menus – ARIA Resort & Casino presents exciting new February Signature Tasting menus at three of its specialty restaurants. The spectacular culinary offerings, made with rich, seasonal produce and exceptional seafood and steak, highlight masterfully created dishes by the talented chefs at ARIA.

• Full story/details/info: Rich Flavors and Extraordinary Cuisine Showcased

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Indian Territory Grand Canyon Tour – Landing tour with champagne, beverages and a light snack! This exciting tour begins by flying over the beautiful Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, the world famous Hoover dam and Fortification Hill, an extinct volcano. View the breathtaking scenery and wildlife of the southwest along the way.

Click To Book Indian Territory Grand Canyon Tour Now!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

No Members Mania this week. I know, I know… it is a favorite part of every newsletter and I really enjoy the interaction. We had some major prep work for our pending expansion (Reno, Laughlin, Biloxi, New Orleans, Atlantic City and a dedicated nightlife site with the bar and lounge info you’ve all been requesting forever).

Thanks for your understanding. We’re a small outfit doing our best!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• Thrills, spills, maybe ills

  Book Absinthe Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Vegas ‘Phantom’ show to end Venetian run in September

  Book Phantom Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Happy Blue Year

  Book Blue Man Group Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Cirque du Soleil’s high-flying ‘Ka’ continues to change to stay fresh

  Book KA by Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Comedy-Magician Mac King Launches New eBook Mac King’s Magic in a Minute Mysteries – Available on Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble NOOK

  Book Mac King Comedy Magic Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Fatone returns as host of Vegas’ ‘Price Is Right’

  Book The Price Is Right Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Enormous Dragon Arrives at Palazzo for Chinese New Year (with video)
• $54.3 million on the line in jackpot dispute
• Cabo Wabo Cantina To Host Super Sunday Bash
• Catch ‘Big Game 2012′ Action At PBR
• Celebrate Super Sunday Funday With LBS Burger Joint
• Don’t ‘Meat’ Significant Others At LBS Burger Joint This Valentine’s Day
• Get your ‘heart’ on at Rockhouse – The Not-So-Serious Valentine’s Day at the Ultra-Dive Bar
• Hard Rock Hotel Celebrates Super Sunday with Game Day Food Deals and Sports Viewing at Blitzed and The Joint, February 5
• Rockhouse To Host Super Sunday XLVI Celebration
• Score A Touchdown At ‘Sexy Sunday’ Big Game Viewing Party At Crazy Horse III
• The Luckiest Anyone Has Ever Gotten For $1
• Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure Announces Las Vegas Grand Opening
• Mint 400 Has New Owners, Promoter, and Norm Johnson returns
• Chapel of the Flowers wins two Las Vegas Wedding Awards
• ‘Pawn Stars’ Guys Get ‘Tonight Show’ Treatment
• MGM lions, like other free attractions, posed dilemma
• Paris Las Vegas Bids Adieu to Les Artistes Steakhouse
• Would You Zip Across A Canyon At 65 MPH?
• TSA defends Las Vegas cupcake confiscation
• M Resort Spa Casino One Reason to Leave the Vegas Strip!
• Happy Birthday, Elvis: A look at his deep ties to Las Vegas
• Bar and restaurant scene leads downtown renaissance
• Las Vegas home prices remain in decline, report says
• DiNizio’s ‘Confessions of a Rock Star’ honest, original
• Rush Tower was part of an expansion project at the Golden Nugget
• Businesses find sweet spot in economy with dessert
• Atomic museum’s perspective draws national attention to Nevada
• Nevada State Museum enhances Springs Preserve
• Sleigh bells ring in Mount Charleston winter wonderland
• Freddy Krueger arrested by Officer Krueger
• Economic development in action at First Friday
• Effort to ban animals on Las Vegas Strip faces hurdles
• NHL’s first outdoor game was icy blast at Caesars
• Oscar Goodman’s glow infuses Beef, Booze, Broads
• Old Homestead Steak House offers fresh take on classic

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Absinthe Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – And a very Happy New Year as we welcome in 2012. 2011 was a turnaround year for Las Vegas tourism. We got The Plaza back, the new Tropicana, and Cosmo completed their first full year. We did lose The Sahara but their owner is swearing up and down that they are getting ready to remodel it.

We fell just short of the all-time visitor volume record of 39.2 million (hitting an even 39 million). We’ll have no problem busting through that this coming year barring anything completely crazy happening.

New Years Eve saw 314,000 people flock to town. Room occupancy hit 98% despite the fact that obnoxiously high rates were the norm. The recovering economy and New Years Eve falling on a Saturday night sure didn’t hurt. Neither did the stretch of warm weather we’ve been happening. Temps at midnight were in the low 40′s with no wind but if you’re in the middle of the crowds, it feels much warmer. This past week saw unusually warm temps near the 70′s.

Blink And You’ll Miss It – Regular readers know that I mock the New York City celebration every year (when compared to ours). I was actually at home under the weather this year (I’ll live… Las Vegas happens 365 days per years) which provided me the opportunity to view the New York City ball drop. Almost. At 9 PM our time, I was switching back and forth between Fox News (ball drop), CNN (ball drop), and ESPN (which was hosting a daredevil jump by a couple of Evel Knievel wannabes). I flipped over to ESPN just for a few seconds to watch the wind-up to the jump and literally missed the ball drop.

So let me get this straight: People come from all over the world to Times Square many, many hours early so they can be put in pens (like cattle) to view a 60 second ball drop. Are you kidding me?!? You wanna talk about a cure for insomnia…

By the way, New York claims that over a million people attend the ball drop. Guess what: Reports I read note that only 17 blocks around Times Square are shut down for the event. Which makes that million number a blatant lie. You simply can’t fit a million people into 17 closed off blocks.

Side Note: Every year I hear from a few unhappy New Yorkers about all of this. Hey, if you want to explain he logistics of getting a million people into 17 blocks worth of street space, I’m all ears. I know what the 250,000 on The Strip look like and they pretty much fill up 3 miles of boulevard.

I digress…

Fortunately, at 10 PM our time, both KLAS and KSNV kicked in to their extensive local coverage. If you read my blog post (last issue) about New Years Eve tips or followed us on Twitter that night, you knew that KLAS actually streamed the entire coverage and both stations put on a network quality show.

I’m in utter shock why the LVCVA (Visitors Authority) here doesn’t partner with one of them and a cable network and broadcast our celebration to the nation. Sure, the time difference would be a factor (we’re three hours behind the East Coast, two hours behind Central Time), but you’d still have a fair amount of people curious enough to watch in many parts of the country.

Don’t take my word for it. Check out the entire 9 minute video at New Year’s Fireworks Over Las Vegas Strip – Complete Video

Lion King Record – Looks like many of you took our advice to see The Lion King before it closed here in Las Vegas. The show grossed $1,369,460 in the final week at Mandalay Bay, a theatre record. (It didn’t hurt that Las Vegas is getting more busy than ever and the week between Christmas and New Years is a heavy family week here). We want to thank all of you who went to see The Lion King during their run. They were a long-time sponsor and when you support the sponsors we list in this newsletter, you help us keep our lights on and Nevadan’s employed! Speaking of…

Membership Update – We’ve received numerous questions from readers wondering when we are going to our membership model ($23.95 per year). Probably in another 6 weeks or so. We want to make sure it works correctly and has no glitches or problems. Something we’ve decided to do is offering a money-back guarantee. At the end of your first year, if you don’t think the information we provide (plus some of the expanded Las Vegas savings info and features we’ll be able to start providing members with the new revenue) was worth it, we’ll issue a full refund.

Tale Of Two Cities – We’ll hear from a reader who said they visited and Las Vegas was somewhat dead, then hear from one who visited a week later and marveled at how busy it was. Here’s what most people forget: Las Vegas is a very different place depending on time of year, day of the week, and even time of day!

If you usually visit on the weekdays, the weekend Las Vegas will be a bit foreign to you (more crowds, harder partying). If you are a daytime person who is in bed by midnight here, you’d be amazed at how vastly different things are a 1 PM as opposed to 1 AM. Fremont Street can be especially varied as daytimes feature an older crowd who are there to gamble. But once the sun goes down and the free entertainment starts, the party crowd takes over. Especially the nice weather months (March – October).

Why The Hilton Name Change – Both the Atlantic City and Las Vegas Hilton hotels have had to cease using the Hilton name. Evidently, their franchise agreements were not renewed by the Hilton Corporation for reasons that weren’t disclosed. An article in the November issue of Travel and Leisure magazine seemed to point out the reason why: Hilton is working to reinvent the brand with hundreds of new hotels (many of a more boutique nature) and shedding the stodgy image that a property like the Las Vegas Hilton carries.

Don’t Text In Your Car Here – Nevada has joined the list of states not allowing texting while driving. If you get ticketed, you’re out $50 (plus I assume court costs which can run into the hundreds). Hands-free devices are allowed. I don’t even touch my phone when driving in the resort corridor. It takes enough work to watch for other drivers who are sight-seeing and pedestrians who don’t understand “Don’t Walk” signs (like they have to hurry to the next hotel before it closes or something).

No Skyline Change For Now – The condemned (and never opened) Harmon tower — next to Cosmopolitan — won’t be coming down in the near future. The demolition hearing isn’t until March. It will take all that time to get the finger-pointing taken care of, have a judge decide who is at fault, and decide if it really isn’t fixable.

Super Bowl – Right around this time of year, we start to get the “What is happening for Super Bowl?” questions. Information on various events has already started coming in and we’ll list it starting next week. However, don’t hold your breath on info for the hotel parties. For some crazy reason, they get us that info about three days before kickoff which leaves us no time to include it here (although we will get it on Twitter this year). Don’t forget, you can catch the breaking news and deals that don’t make deadline here by joining the nearly 13,000 people that follow us at http://twitter.com/AccessVegas

Welcome Absinthe – We’d like to welcome a new sponsor to AccessVegas.com and this newsletter: Absinthe! I honestly can’t remember a show that has opened here to as much acclaim and buzz. The show is simply out-of-control and performed just feet away from the audience. Imagine a Cirque show run by a wealthy, smarmy, profane sideshow barker (The Gazillionaire) and then let your imagination run wild. This show is on the profane side at times, so avoid if you have sensitive ears.

Right now, they are offering $20 off if you book at this special link: Absinthe Las Vegas $20 Off Tickets

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Bellagio Completes $70 Million Room Remodel – AAA Five Diamond Resort Enhances Experience With More Than 2,500 Redesigned Deluxe Guest Rooms – Bellagio (click link to book) has completed the remodel of all 2,568 rooms in its main tower offering guests a fresh, elegant collection of newly redesigned deluxe accommodations. Each of the three distinct color palettes now available at Bellagio further enhances the AAA Five Diamond guest experience at one of the world’s most iconic resorts.

• Full story/details/info: Bellagio Completes $70 Million Room Remodel

35 Steaks + Martinis Honors the Birthday of Music Legend, Elvis Presley at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Jan. 8-14 With Special Free Desert – Home to some of the world’s most priceless music memorabilia and rock and roll memories, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas honors the King himself, Elvis Presley, who would have celebrated his 77th birthday on January 8, 2012. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino celebrates Elvis with unique taste, sight and sound offerings available at 35 Steaks + Martinis at 5 p.m. nightly Sunday, Jan. 8 through Saturday, Jan. 14. Photo Credit: Erik Kabik/Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

• Full story/details/info: 35 Steaks + Martinis Honors the Birthday of Music Legend, Elvis Presley

Learn The Art Of Seduction This Valentine’s Day At Night School 4 Girls – Ladies looking to heat up their love lives this Valentine’s Day can learn the art of seduction from real Las Vegas showgirls at Excalibur Hotel & Casino’s interactive class Night School 4 Girls. With signature burlesque and pole dance moves like the “hair flip,” “Marilyn,” “booty roll up” and “cowgirl,” ladies will learn the skills it takes to ensure that all of the luck in Vegas isn’t only found on the casino floor. In addition to learning new, sexy moves, students will be taught the basics of partying Las Vegas style from the ultimate party girl Laura Croft.

• Full story/details/info: Learn The Art Of Seduction This Valentine’s Day At Night School 4 Girls
• Buy Tickets Now: Night School 4 Girls

PBR Rock Bar and Grill To Offer Hat Bender Cocktail Special In Honor Of National Hat Day – PBR Rock Bar & Grill at Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will offer a can’t miss, one-day deal in honor of National Hat Day on Sunday, Jan. 15. Revelers will be tipping their hats as the popular eatery will offer its Hat Bender signature cocktail for a special price of $10 from 3 to 6 p.m. Originally priced at $12, the Hat Bender is a refreshingly sweet mix of Smirnoff Citrus Vodka shaken with watermelon juice and lemonade. The Hat Bender special joins of slew of other great drink specials part PBR Rock Bar’s daily happy hour including $5 Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey drinks and Jager Bombs; 2-for-1 well drinks and $3 domestic draft beers.

• Full story/details/info: PBR To Offer Hat Bender Cocktail Special

Fantasy Kicks Off 2012 With Soolin As January ‘Showgirl Of The Month’ – Steaming up the New Year is Soolin, FANTASY’s January “Showgirl of the Month.” The sexy, adult revue at Luxor Hotel and Casino recognizes one of its stars each month in conjunction with its 2012 “Ultimate FANTASY” calendar. When Soolin is not on stage entertaining sold-out audiences, the Northern California beauty loves to keep her life low key. She likes to relax at home and is a dog lover who enjoys taking her Pomeranian- Chihuahua mix, Chip, to the dog park.

• Full story/details/info: Fantasy Kicks Off 2012 With Soolin As January ‘Showgirl Of The Month’
• Buy Tickets Now: Fantasy

Joey Fatone Returns To Host ”The Price Is Right Live” Stage Show At Bally’s Las Vegas Jan. 11 – April 8 – “The Price is Right Live” Stage Show at Bally’s Las Vegas (click to book) welcomes back special celebrity host, Joey Fatone, for an exclusive engagement Jan. 11 – April 8. The show, from FremantleMedia, producers of “American Idol” and “The Price Is Right” TV shows, features such fan-favorite games as “Plinko,” “Cliff Hanger,” “The Big Wheel” and, of course, “Showcase Showdown.” Fatone will enlist audience members to play for a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.

• Full story/details/info: Joey Fatone Returns To Host ”The Price Is Right Live”

RHUMBAR Offers Cigar And Cocktail Pairing In Time For CES And AVN – Signature Cocktail and Mirage Toro Cigar Pairing Available in January – RHUMBAR, the stylish cocktail lounge at The Mirage, is making an offer convention goers can’t refuse. Throughout the month of January, cocktail lovers and cigar aficionados will enjoy one of RHUMBAR’s signature cocktails paired with a premium Mirage Toro cigar for only $20.

• Full story/details/info: RHUMBAR Offers Cigar And Cocktail Pairing In Time For CES And AVN

The Venetian And The Palazzo Celebrate The Year Of The Dragon In Grand Style – Décor, food & beverage offerings and customary dragon dance to celebrate Chinese New Year – In honor of the most celebrated sign of the Chinese Zodiac, The Venetian and The Palazzo are commemorating the prosperous holiday in an over-the-top fashion. Beginning with a ceremonial dragon dance at 1 p.m. on Jan. 23, the Chinese New Year celebrations include lavish feng shui-inspired décor, auspicious dish offerings and festive cocktails.

• Full story/details/info: The Venetian And The Palazzo Celebrate The Year Of The Dragon

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Wind Dancer Sunset Landing Tour – Landing tour with Hors d’oeuvres on the Canyon Floor. Birds eye view of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Get a close look at the extinct volcano Fortification Hill. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Descend deep into the Grand Canyon and land on the Hualapai Indian territory on the canyon floor for a champagne toast, beverages and hors d’ oeuvres in the heart of this spectacular wonder of the world.

Click To Book Wind Dancer Sunset Landing Tour Now!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

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Hi, we have been going to Las Vegas for over 35 years.

This year, we wanted to go to Las Vegas from Jan 15 to Jan 22, 2012. We were looking at going to see Celine Dion.

We booked the flight, then the Vdara. We later learned the Vdara wanted to charge a resort fee. We are not aware of ever paying any resort fees previously and in many situations we were provided with many extra benefits and sometimes free rooms.

The travel Agent called the Vdara to see if they would waive the resort fee as my wife and I do not make use of any of the facilities and never have with any of the hotels we have stayed in Las Vegas.

They would not waive the fees. Therefore, I canceled the trip and am booking Hawaii. I will not pay for something I do not use or do not believe is fair.

Just thought I would let you know as I have been reading your material for many years and you have helped me out in the past.

Regards,

Norm

 

Ted Responds:

The following properties do not charge resort fees at last check:

Bally’s, Bills, Caesars, Cosmo, Harrah’s, Flaminigo, Manderin, Paris, IP, Planet Hollywood, and most major downtown hotels.

This isn’t a Vegas issue. Quite a few (upwards of 30, too many to list) Hawaii resorts also charge resort fees. Some to the tune of $25-30 per night. Hopefully, you’ll end up at one that does not, but you might want to check.

I’m no fan of resort fees, but they are becoming par-for-the-course. Your best way to fight back is to only patronize properties which don’t impose them. As you are passionate about this issue, you may also wish to contact your Senator or House Member and ask them to look into whether these fees are misleading or not.

PS Hey, you read our newsletter. I’m sure you know more about Vegas than your travel agent does. Consider booking at AccessVegas.com instead. We have the best places and rock bottom rates in conjunction with our hotel partners!

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Follow Up: Norm just emailed me to let me know they were changing their plans and will indeed be vacationing in Las Vegas!

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Regarding the possibility of putting strip clubs in casinos, you said “Let’s keep the strip clubs over in the industrial area behind the hotels where they belong.”

Here’s my idea; Let’s put the ultra clubs over in the industrial area behind the hotels where they belong!!!

I (and a lot of other Vegas visitors I know) are sick of the way the casinos are focusing on the drunken, obnoxious, rude, rowdy, 20 something douche bags who take over the casinos either at night, or by day at the pools. Don’t the casinos want us gamblers anymore???

No comps, no drink service, no decent payouts, no respect!!! Vegas was built by us but we have been forgotten by the corporations who now run their little casino monopolies.

I would much rather have a strip club which only attracts men who will come and go without much notice, than an ultra club that is completely the opposite!

Thanks for letting me rant!!! love your newsletter!

Candace Winters
(Vegas visitor 4 – 6 times a year since 1994)

 

Ted Responds:

No question that this issue has been coming to a head. When Steve Wynn spent nearly $70 million to build the Encore Beach Club, the complaints about “douchebags” and Jersey Shore (the reality show) types overrunning the property has become a serious issue among those who are there for the upscale gambling experience. One wonders if it played (even a little bit) into the decision to close the five star, five diamond Alex French restaurant at Wynn. The clubbers spend all day at the pool, nap in the evening, spend all night in the clubs, then nap in the morning. They aren’t sitting down to a 2 hour, $200 meal.

The clubbers and pool party goers are extremely lucrative. They pay steep admission fees, drink lots of $14 drinks (with 30 cents worth of booze in it), and pay many hundreds/thousands of dollars for “bottle service” (where a $30 retail bottle of liquor is purchased for $400 and way up to insure that the guests get a private table). However, is it so lucrative that the properties don’t mind scaring off good gamblers? That seems to still be in question.

Cosmopolitan is proving an interesting study. They opened wanting to attract (in their words) the “curious class”. And to a point they have. Guests love their mixology bars, restaurants, and the club Marquee is a huge hit. The problem? This “curious class” isn’t at all curious about gambling! Which is having a significant impact on their bottom line. So much so, that they just hired an experienced Las Vegas hotel executive away from another property to help turn that situation around.

At the end of the day, you have to vote with your feet and play elsewhere. Which I know can be a very difficult concept if you are a comped gambler somewhere. They know you. They send you all those great offers. Other casinos may not.

My advice for people in those shoes? On your next trip, do half of your gambling at your usual place and do half of it at a “douche free” property that you enjoy (obviously using a players card so your play is tracked). Your normal property is unlikely to decrease your offers based on less play for just one trip, and you may be surprised at the offers you start to get from the new property you tried out.

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We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• New Jersey Regulators Green Light Strip Clubs in Casinos (with video)
• Vegas museum given national designation (with video)
• Flyboard Water Jet-Pak Debuts at Lake Las Vegas (with video)
• MGM closing lion habitat to visitors’ dismay (with video)
• Ugly sweaters reign at Orleans Arena (with video)
• Vegas council approves long-term parking plan (with video)
• Small Business on the Strip Forced to Close (with video)
• Nevada Brothel endorses Ron Paul (with video)
• Dolphin training can’t help but bring out the kid in you (with video)
• Miracle Mile Shops Las Vegas January Events, Promotions, Deals
• Eldorado Casino Celebrating 50th Anniversary with Yearlong Promotions
• MMA Star Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture Hosts Charity Poker Tournament at the Golden Nugget – ‘Operation All In’ to raise money for Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation
• Rockhouse Forgets New Year’s Resolutions – Ditch the Resolution and Drink Cheap on Tuesday, Jan. 17
• Station Casinos’ January Free house entertainment
• More access planned for fans at Vegas NASCAR race
• Las Vegas Hilton Takes Down Sign
• No Longer a Hilton: Las Vegas Casino Changes Name
• Las Vegas ranks among drunkest cities in America
• Madame Tussauds offers free admission on Elvis’ birthday
• ‘Le Rêve – The Dream’ offering locals special
• Vegas council to hear plans on improving downtown parking
• Laps for Charity Puts Your Car on the Speedway
• Vegas nuclear history museum adds ‘National’ label
• No longer a Hilton: Las Vegas casino loses brand
• Bellagio completes $70M room remodeling
• ‘Casino,’ ‘Wiseguy’ author to host film at Mob Museum
• ‘King of Accordions’ lends name to Primm restaurant
• Another Jump in Passengers Through McCarran in November
• Hilton no more: Las Vegas Hotel and Casino debuts Tuesday
• Homeslice – Our NYC-born writer tries to find his new favorite pizza — and comes close with Dom DeMarco’s and Due Forni
• Can foreign tourists help the US economy?
• Would You Zip[line] Across A Canyon At 65 MPH?
• Nevada sits right at the bottom and it’s a long way back
• Neon Museum In Vegas Heading Toward 2012 Opening
• Man Finds $10K in Las Vegas Airport, Hunts Down Owner
• Vegas airport passenger traffic up 3.9 percent
• Vegas visitor numbers surge for 20 straight months
• Las Vegas Home Prices, Sales Both on the Rise
• Neon Museum visitors center to be finished in May
• The Overture of Symphony Park
• 2011: The Year on a Plate – The Top 10 dishes you should not miss
• Auto Collections at Imperial Palace Gets Some Superstar Wheels
• Electric Daisy Carnival, other music fests highlight busy year
• Favorite restaurants exit, new spots emerge and food trucks roll
• Caesars brings big names, Cirque brings ‘Immortal’ in 2011
• 2011: Economic pain persists, but signs of relief emerge
• Jackson mom eyes MJ impersonators
• Check out ‘The Ant’ in Mob Museum’s ‘black book’ when it opens in February
• Variety highlights menu at Fremont Mediterranean Cafe
• Hyde Bellagio Lounge will opened New Year’s Day
• Through turns and trends, official helps Forum Shops thrive
• Las Vegas Design Center seeks wider audience
• Orleans horseplayer turns $2 wager into cool $315,119
• Nonstop Las Vegas-to-Paris flights return in spring
• Strip returns to normal after ‘orderly’ year-end bash
• Las Vegas Housing Market Attracts Asian Investors
• Las Vegas home prices remain in decline, report says
• Las Vegas new home sales slipped in November
• Lenders’ short sales may rise

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Jersey Boys The Lion King Peepshow

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – We want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and pleasant whatever-you-are-celebrating. Normally, we have a new photo from the Bellagio Gardens holiday display in the newsletter leading up to the 25′th, but we’ve been so busy, I haven’t even been over to see it this year! Rest assured, I have Christmas music playing in my office here.

This will be the final issue of 2011. With many reading at work (and not at work many days until the end of the year), this issue could be read at any time over the next 10 days.

The Lion King Comes To A Close – We’d like to thank The Lion King for being a long-time sponsor and helping us keep the lights on around here. It had a fantastic run in a town where shows can be fleeting. Some fun facts they sent us over:

When THE LION KING at Mandalay Bay ends…

• The cast will have performed a total of 1,078 performances.
• 1.4 million guests will have seen the show.
• The cast will have participated in 2,000 rehearsals.
• Makeup will have gone through 34,000 makeup remover wipes.
• Scar will have spent more than 800 hours in the makeup chair.
• Wardrobe will have spent 500 hours fitting cast members.
• 17,000 hours will have been spent in the puppet workshop repairing and maintaining puppets.
• Rafiki will have climbed Pride Rock more than 2,000 times and walked nearly 6,400 miles up and down since the first show.
• Timon and Pumbaa will have said Hakuna Matata more than 38,000 times.

Las Vegas New Years Eve Fireworks Info and Insider Party Tips – We published this last year, but we’ve updated it including a recent news video. You can check it out and http://x.co/bxm1 and make sure to repost the link elsewhere if you find it helpful (or feel that others will)!

Coupons – We occasionally get asked if we put out a coupon book. Not at this time. Las Vegas if full of so many deals (we publish ones we find, and tweet those that don’t make deadline) and the problem with coupons is the time burn you spend chasing them. We recently noted that (on average) your time in Las Vegas is costing you over $15 per waking hour. Is it worth going out of your way for a $5-10 coupon (if that) on something that you otherwise probably wouldn’t have thought about seeing or doing?

As previously noted, we do plan to do an amazing job of aggregating all the deals and specials out there once we go to a paid subscriber model (which will allow us to hire someone for that daunting task). No coupons needed!

Don’t Believe It – Men’s Health just ranked Las Vegas as the 10′th “saddest” city in America. (St. Petersburg, FL worst, Honolulu was best). There of the big factors used were unemployment, use of antidepressants, and suicides. No question that people in Florida and Nevada are more “pilled up” than the norm. Doctors are quick to write scripts. Also, with the number of visitors and new residents (who find out that living here isn’t the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow), we’re going to have higher suicide numbers. On a related note…

Another “Great” Showing – Las Vegas ranks 136′th (out of 143 cities) for having the worst credit! Why I won’t toss that into the “blame the recession” basket? Las Vegan’s have always had terrible credit (as a whole). When I bought my first condo in 1995, I was told “Wow, you have really good credit. That is unusual here”. The average Las Vegan who uses credit owes just under $25,000. Best credit cities? Wausau-WI, Minneapolis-MN, and Madison-WI. Interestingly enough, all cities within 300 miles of each other.

Condo City – The median price of a condo in Las Vegas is a paltry $50,000. This will generally get you around 1000 sq. ft. and two bedrooms, two bathrooms in a decent area. (If you want to go high-rise on/near The Strip or downtown, you’ll looking at low six figures for a smaller one bedroom). Bring your wallet for the cheaper places. Getting a mortgage loan for a place under $50k is almost unheard of and about 90% of the closings are cash sales.

International Traffic WAY Up – October saw a 31% increase in international traffic to McCarran (Las Vegas) airport. As usual, no surprise to me. This year, the percentage of visitors to AccessVegas.com from outside the U.S. has gone up from 25% to 29%.

We know it is a hassle flying such long distances and having to deal with security and immigration. We appreciate you reading and appreciate your patronage. Overall traffic to the airport was up 5%. Among the domestic cities showing big gains sending visitors here? My hometown of Portland, OR. All visitor numbers continue to climb.

I’m Shocked! (Not) – The company that blew up The Frontier (across from Wynn) has announced they are scrapping plans to build a hotel there. As it is, the name of the property was going to be The Plaza (as in the New York City hotel). That alone shows how brainless these people were. Las Vegas already has a Plaza and at the time plans were originally announced, the downtown Plaza wasn’t a property you’d want a high-end hotel confused with. The Frontier was a dump in its latter years, but it was a fun dump. And much preferable to empty real estate with will stay that way for years to come.

Strip Clubs In Casinos – Yet another topic which I couldn’t address before as it would have gotten stuck in email filters. Rumblings have been heating up again about the option of putting strip clubs inside casino resorts. Casinos hate to see their customers walk out the door, and all that time and money spend at off-strip strip clubs adds up to money not spent on site.

I believe this is a bad idea all around. A significant amount of Vegas visitorship comes from “conservative” middle America. They (perhaps this is you) will have a few drinks and cut loose and perhaps aren’t a prude. But putting the “Sin City” image over the top may take the playful nature of the image one notch too far. Also, we have to think of our convention traffic. Does the wife really want the husband running off to a hotel that has a strip club in it? Let’s keep the strip clubs over in the industrial area behind the hotels where they belong.

The Las Vegas Line – When you read a sports page or watch sports programs here in the US, you’ll hear them say “Las Vegas likes Team A by 6 points over Team B”. Believe it or not, no one here in town sits down and figures out how much a team will win by. The betting line is actually determined by the betting public. For any given game, the sports books want to get an absolutely even amount of money bet of both sides. They want to see (for example) one million dollars bet on Team A and one million on Team B. Because they make you bet $11 to win $10, they simply want to sit back and give the losers’ money to the winners, pocketing that extra $1 on each $10 bet.

To get an even amount of money on each side, they set the line (which team is favored and by how much) to a point that will draw bets on both sides. If one team is perceived by the public to be better, the line will reflect that to get people betting on the underdog. Bet the “dog” on a game where the point spread is 6, and you automatically get 6 points added to that team’s score at the end of the game (for betting purposes… whether you “win” or not). Bet the favorite, and you need to subtract 6 points from your teams score at the end of the game.

Using our original example, if Team A wins by 3 points, they may win the game, but the bets on Team B are actually the winning bets. Because although they lost by 3, they got to add those 6 points on for betting purposes.

A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis – This darkly funny novel describes Wendy Sinclair’s spin-crazy life in Las Vegas after she impulsively decides to not return to Houston following a bizarre girls’ weekend in 2005. I’m a guy, so can’t say it is my cup of tea. But some of our female readers may want to check it out for their Vegas fix. Click over to A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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PBR Rock Bar And Grill Introduces Savory New Menu Selections – Known for an extensive drink menu and an endless array of hearty American comfort food, PBR Rock Bar & Grill announces the introduction of several highly anticipated new menu items which include cocktails, breakfasts, appetizers, entrees and desserts that are sure to leave your mouth watering for more. The wide variety of new menu additions include sweet potato tater tots, a hearty chili cheeseburger and bloomin’ onion sliders served inside an onion ring with sautéed onions, Swiss cheese, bacon and tomato on a warm onion roll.

• Full story/details/info: PBR Introduces Savory New Menu Selections

Ring in the New Year at Miracle Mile Shops With Food and Drink Deals – Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31) and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on New Year’s Day (Sunday, Jan. 1).

• Full story/details/info: New Year at Miracle Mile Shops With Food and Drink Deals

The Venetian and The Palazzo Give Back to HELP of Southern Nevada – In the true spirit of the season, Team Members from The Venetian and The Palazzo adopted 55 families through HELP of Southern Nevada’s Adopt-A-Family program and donated more than 35 bikes. Please see attached photos of the Team Members with all of the donated gifts.

• Full story/details/info: The Venetian and The Palazzo Give Back to HELP

Old Homestead Steakhouse’s Annabelle the Cow is now Welcoming Guests at Caesars Palace – Annabelle, Old Homestead Steakhouse’s celebrity cow, has completed her cross-country journey and was unveiled this morning at the new Old Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars Palace. During her trek, the iconic brown and white cow visited several major U.S. landmarks including Times Square, the St. Louis Arch, the Lincoln Memorial, Mt. Rushmore and the Alamo. She also found time to visit her family in Nebraska on the farm where she grew up and do a little shopping in Chicago. Before being placed at the entrance of Old Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars Palace, she made one last stop at the ”Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. Photo (L to R) Greg Sherry, Gary Selesner and Marc Sherry in front of Old Homestead Steakhouse.

• Full story/details/info: Old Homestead Steakhouse’s Annabelle the Cow

Miracle Mile Shops Launches 2012 Caring, Giving, Changing Campaign With Fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals – Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino aims to raise more than $100,000 over the course of a year during its Caring, Giving, Changing campaign, which kicks off in January with a fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The year of Caring, Giving, Changing begins on January 1 with a month-long fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. All change tossed into Miracle Mile Shops’ fountain as well as the center’s indoor rainstorm will be donated to the children’s charity, which is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children at its 170 member hospitals in North America.

• Full story/details/info: Miracle Mile Shops Launches Fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Like And Tweet – Enjoy our information? Share it with your friends and followers (Click to Like or Tweet, hover over the share button for Email A Friend menu):

 

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Maverick Helicopter Wind Dancer Air and Landing Tour – Landing tour with a Continental breakfast or Hors d’oeuvres on the Canyon Floor. Birds eye view of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Get a close look at the extinct volcano Fortification Hill. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Descend deep into the Grand Canyon and land on the Hualapai Indian territory on the canyon floor for a champagne toast, beverages and hors d’ oeuvres in the heart of this spectacular wonder of the world.

Click To Book Maverick Helicopter Wind Dancer Air and Landing Tour Now!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Both Members Mania and What We’re Watching (two very popular segments) will return in 2012. With the attention of most focused on family, friends, and the holidays, we’ve decided to keep this issue more brief than most.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• Brad Garrett closes out at the Trop, focuses his ample energy on MGM Grand

  Book Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Show & Tell – Q&A with Tracey Gittins of ‘Fantasy’

  Book Fantasy Las Vegas Tickets Now

• High-tech Strip shows usher in demand for specialized support workers

  Book KA by Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Holiday travel to increase this season (with video)
• Security tighter at airport during holiday season (with video)
• Groundbreaking begins for Neon Museum (with video)
• Cabo Wabo Celebrates With Bachelorette Party Specials – VIP Food, Drink and Entertainment Packages Starting at $25
• PBR Rock Bar and Grill Offers Dining Discount For Consumer Electronics Show Attendees
• First Friday Las Vegas Announces Changes for Winter 2012 – updated winter hours, new location of Fremont East fair
• The Stores Hermes, OMEGA, and Breguet Are Now Open at Bellagio
• Nevada leads nation in out-of-state transplants
• Study confirms role of home flippers in Nevada housing price collapse
• Real estate report shows strong sales and weak prices
• Casino owners rank high on support for gay, transgender rights
• Bellagio fountains learn new dances
• Pac-12 ponders moving tournament to Las Vegas
• Las Vegas keeps raising the bar on restaurants, attractions
• Gather around the oven – Rising pastry chef Chris Herrin’s Bread & Butter is more than just a bakery — it’s a neighborhood meeting point
• Record Attendance at WinterFest
• Cosmopolitan opens first ever pop-up wedding chapel
• Sierra resorts wait for snow as Christmas nears
• What doesn’t kill you … Chicago Hot Dog
• Franks ‘n’ frills – Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs is the Burger Bar of wieners, but in a simpler setting
• Extra holiday gift: Drop reported in Vegas gas prices
• Studio 54 keeping doors open until February
• Around the world – With its fusions of Korean, Mexican and other cuisines, KoMex achieves a tasty multiculturalism
• The South rises again – Hidden gem Gritz Cafe makes a splash with its often delicious soul food.
• Nevada is not a low-tax state
• Indoor farmers market planned in Las Vegas
• How used soap, shampoo from Las Vegas hotels can save lives
• Romney $10,000 challenge to Perry would have been ‘routine’ in Las Vegas sportsbook (with video)
• New flights at McCarran International Airport are drawing attention
• Zion in winter offers much more solitude
• Strip hotels lure the biggest stars for New Year’s Eve
• MGM Resorts pursue deal for Pac-12 tourney
• From Fergie to Snooki to Britney, celebs earn top dollars for Las Vegas New Year’s Eve appearances
• Studio director keeps artists happy, hits coming
• Tebow exceeds really long odds
• Pawn Star Shop’s patrons doing better
• How monorail’s fate might have been different
• Penguins, polar bears add holiday dash to Strip resorts’ decor
• Nevada going on five years as foreclosure capital of U.S.
• NFL still hard to figure out for bettors
• Tasty loaves at Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina good enough to make the angels sing
• Cosmopolitan boss calls first year good, aims higher
• Business surges at Miracle Mile Shops
• The best tastes of CityCenter in Las Vegas
• A pizza primer – Our food expert breaks down the perfect pie
• Does Boxing Need Sin City?
• Best of Vegas: Restaurants
• Why sin is no longer enough for Las Vegas
• Deals make fine dining affordable in Las Vegas
• Hotel Review: The Encore in Las Vegas

Comments(0)

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Jersey Boys The Lion King Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – We’re inching toward Winter Solstice (Dec. 22) and I’m looking forward to the days starting to get longer again. The fact that Las Vegas is sunny just about every day means nothing when the sun goes down so early! As we get toward the end of the year here, the news cycle has slowed down a little bit. The next couple of issues will be “kitchen sink” issues (everything but the kitchen sink). A mish-mash of news and thoughts that haven’t made previous issues, but should be interesting to most nonetheless.

New Years Eve – Next week, we’ll have all the details but expect business as usual with a nearly 9 minute fireworks show going off from The Tropicana to The Stratosphere. (Be warned that no hotels between Venetian and Strat will have displays). Let’s hope for better weather than last year when midnight temps were slightly below freezing. I’m getting too old for that! Tip for locals: One of the best “up close” views of the show is from the top of Palace Station parking garage. They close off the top floor and welcome everyone up for the look-see.

Celebrating All The Holidays – We know that Las Vegas goes “boom” in a big way for New Years Eve. Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day also result in big weekends. The LVCVA (Convention and Visitors Authority) is now suggesting turning more special event days into “Vegas Holidays”. As usual, the LVCVA is just sobering up and way behind what is actually already happening. I’ve been screaming about this for years!

Halloween has morphed into a Vegas Holiday with the nightclubs really stoking that fire. Cinco De Mayo has turned into a pretty big celebration. Not because of the LVCVA, but because of various casinos and bars doing events. Check out this video of Harrah’s 2010 Cinco de Mayo outdoor celebration. I’m completely floored that we don’t do Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday here. Are you kidding me?!?!? We could out-do New Orleans (and The Strip doesn’t smell like urine). Better late then never. More events for our visitors!

All Drinks $2 – Once again this year, the South Point is serving all drinks at their casino bars for $2 through December 24. I know that some of you gasp in horror at the thought of leaving The Strip, but this is quite the excuse to see how the locals eat, drink, and play at one of the city’s newer properties. (South Point is known for loose slots and good payback on video poker). They have a shuttle (schedule) for $8 round trip or the 6 mile cab fare will run you about $15 each way.

Tour Helicopter Crash – I like to focus on the good news and fun involving Las Vegas. However, I’d be remiss in mentioning the helicopter crash that took the lives of two couples and the pilot. One of the couples was celebrating their 25′th wedding anniversary, the other were newlyweds, and the pilot himself was a newlywed. Without singling out any particular tour companies (including the one involved in this horrible accident), let me note that when it comes to tours, you often get what you pay for.

We’ve been happily associate with a certain helicopter company (which I won’t name in this instance because this isn’t about capitalizing on tragedy) for well over a decade now. They are pretty much the most expensive. They also fly some of the newest equipment and can afford some of the best pilots. Guess what: They have an amazing safety record.

This extends to other aspects of your visit as well. The 1/2 price ticket booths are very popular. But keep a couple things in mind: At any given time, any show can end up for sale that day. Even the top shows rarely sell out every seat, every night. BUT… some shows end up there day in and day out, and with good reason. They aren’t great shows. And since you’re the last one to buy tickets, guess where you’ll be sitting? Don’t get me wrong, if you just want to kill 90 minutes (shows are often cheaper than gambling), what the heck. But if you want good seats to the better shows, go ahead and book well in advance.

The Defenders – For those who blinked and missed the Jim Belushi/Jerry O’Connell Vegas-based show called The Defenders, Netflix is streaming all 13 episodes.

Special Christmas Menus – Similar to Thanksgiving, many of the restaurants in the hotels will be featuring a special holiday menu (in addition to their regular menu). If spending Christmas here in town (many families do), you might inquire with the restaurants that catch your eye to check options for Christmas dining, reservations, etc. ASAP upon your arrival.

Like And Tweet – Enjoy our information? Share it with your friends and followers (Click to Like or Tweet, hover over the share button for Email A Friend menu):

 

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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The Venetian and the Palazzo Las Vegas First-Ever Winter in Venice Holiday Celebration Continues – The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas are hosting Winter in Venice, the first true celebration of the winter season on the Las Vegas Strip. Winter in Venice is the ultimate destination for an unforgettable holiday experience through Jan. 8. The whimsical festivities features an enchanting ice skating rink above The Venetian’s picturesque outdoor Grand Canal, welcoming skaters to make figure-eights or glide hand-in-hand with loved ones. Surrounded by snowflakes, strung overhead holiday lights and an awe-inspiring 65-foot LED holiday tree sitting atop the Doge’s Palace fountain, guests are entertained by strolling candy cane stilt walkers, puppets, jugglers and magicians.

• Full story/details/info: Winter in Venice Holiday Celebration Continues

The Return of Upscale Living in Downtown Las Vegas with The Ogden – Renovations to Streamline Tower Reveal Premium High-Rise – Located in the heart of Las Vegas’ flourishing arts and entertainment district, The Ogden offers an unparalleled experience with front-row seats to the downtown revitalization effort along with an alternative solution for residents that prefer a chic lifestyle paired with a convenient leasing option. The new Ogden will offers contemporary living without the long-term commitment.

• Full story/details/info: The Return of Upscale Living with The Ogden

Cabo Wabo Ups The Ante With Sammy Hagar’s ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ Dollar Nachos – Cabo Wabo Introduces its Most Extreme Menu Item – Everyone knows the Red Rocker can’t drive 55, so Cabo Wabo has decided to up the ante with its newest extreme dish, Sammy Hagar’s ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ Dollar Nachos. This colossal appetizer includes Cabo Wabo’s signature tortilla chips piled high with 20 tasty toppings, available for $55. And because the Red Rocker is certain that this dish will take an entire army to finish, he invites guests to take his ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ Dollar Nacho challenge. Cabo Wabo threw just about everything in the kitchen, minus the sink, into this massive mound of nacho goodness.

• Sammy Hagar’s ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ Dollar Nachos

The Village Lake Las Vegas Kicks off the Holidays with Skating on The Lake – Bringing back an annual tradition with the world-famous floating ice rink – It wouldn’t be the Holiday season without a spin around one of Las Vegas’ most celebrated attractions. The one-of-a-kind floating ice rink has become a quintessential Vegas winter experience among locals and tourists alike. Guests bundle up and head to this destination attraction to skate on the unique platform that holds up to 75 skaters at one time with the picturesque back drop of The Village Lake Las Vegas.

• Full story/details/info: The Village Lake Las Vegas Kicks off the Holidays with Skating

The Mirage Nurtures Nature – Offers Yogis One-of-a-Kind Yoga Class With Dolphin Views – The Spa at The Mirage is taking downward-facing dog to the dolphins with a new, one-of-a-kind class, Yoga Among the Dolphins, offered in a serene, underwater viewing area within Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. ”Guests from all over the world cherish the dolphins at The Mirage,” said The Mirage Spa Director Stephanie Doud. ”When I looked at adding yoga to our spa menu, it only made sense to take advantage of the property’s exotic, wondrous dolphin world and the atmosphere of relaxation provided by the animals.”

• Full story/details/info: The Mirage Nurtures Nature

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Maverick Helicopter Combo Adventure with River Rafting Tour – Our Wind Dancer Flight with an added thrill of rafting the Colorado River through Black Canyon. An adventure of a lifetime! You will begin your day with complimentary hotel pick-up and your jet helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon. Your pilot will bring you back to the Boulder City Airport to be greeted by the river rafter team for a motorized 10-mile float.

Click To Book Maverick Helicopter Combo Adventure with River Rafting Tour Now!

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What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

• Motley Crue Residency At The Hard Rock – In 2012, the world’s most notorious rock band will take on the world’s most notorious city for the first ever hard rock residency in Las Vegas. Enjoy this ”barely safe for work” preview.
• Book Tickets Now: Motley Crue
• Historic Railroad Trail At Lake Mead National Recreation Area – The historic railroad trail was a railroad right of way originally used to haul equipment and materials for the construction of Hoover Dam. The railroad was decommissioned in 1961 after the last power generator was installed in the dam. The trail is 3.7 miles one way and goes from the trailhead near the Lake Mead NRA Alan Bible Visitor Center to the Hoover Dam visitor parking structure.
• Pahrump Valley Winery – Not far from the strip is Nevada’s most award winning winery, Pahrump Valley Winery. You heard me right, our neighbors out at Pahrump are growing their own grapes and turning them into award winning wines. And if that isn’t enough for you to make an easy hour drive, well, you can also stroll their beautiful grounds and grab a bite to eat at their gourmet restaurant Symphony’s, named after their Gold Medal winning wine of the same name.
• Las Vegas in Kodachrome c.1962 – 16mm Kodachrome home movies from a group of Chicago Police officers and their wives while they visit Las Vegas in the early 1960s. The opening sequence takes place in a bus with long curved plexiglass windows (which makes for easy viewing of the Nevada / Arizona country) and is perfectly clear and in focus – incredible stuff.

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Note From Ted: This week (only) we’ll be featuring some of the feedback toward our decision to move to a paid subscriber newsletter model. Should you wish to chime in, you can use the contact information at the end of this segment. You know that I’m always transparent in addressing reader thoughts and concerns.

Next week, we return to the normal format for this section with lots of reader reports, tips, and questions answered!

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We will be so sorry to lose this e-mail from you. Being retired and on a fixed income, and everything still going up, we cannot pay for anything that is not essential. I do save a bit for vacations, etc., and hope to visit once in a while. Just have to watch our pennies to do so. Perhaps we are two of your oldest subscribers as we have been long time readers. Good articles!!.

We thank you for a great newsletter and appreciate all the news about one of our favorite towns. Good luck in your new venture. Will miss you!!

Kay G

 

Ted Responds:

Thanks for the note. The bottom line is that we can’t continue to publish with the current scope for free at the expense of properly maintaining and upgrading our website, which is capable of reaching far more people.

Just as you would not want to work for free, I certainly can’t ask my small crew to put in extra hours off the clock to maintain both the site and the newsletter. Nor can I do it all by myself.

I crunched some numbers: Let’s say that the average cost of a Las Vegas vacation is $1000 a couple just for room, air, and food. Let’s say that it is a four day, three night stay which comes to around 60 waking hours here. That right there is $16.67 per waking HOUR while you are here. Just to be here.

If our information just saves you 1.5 hours of otherwise wasted or wandering time (because you know what is going on), it has paid for itself. Add to that deals we scour the web for that you can take advantage of on your trip, and you’ve more than covered the modest fee we’ll be asking.

Add into that the hours and hours that someone would spend trying to look up and find all this info on their own, and a couple of bucks a month to save all those hours turns into something that actually saves you, not something that costs you.

I appreciate that you may not be able to spare $2 per month for what we do. I respect that and thank you for being a long-time reader. Understanding that the economy is bad, I purposely kept the price as low as possible. To put it in perspective, another long time Las Vegas newsletter (which I have immense respect for) only publishes monthly and charges upwards of $40 per year.

But the simple economics are to cut way back on the information in the newsletter (an option I don’t find acceptable), or to ask readers who find it of value to help us out with $1.99 per month.

Thanks for your feedback,

Ted Newkirk
CEO, Managing Editor
AccessVegas.com

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Your newsletter indicates that you are start charging in a few weeks. I can not find where to sign up. Help!!

On another note, I’ve returned from a trip mid November, stayed at the Aria. Used the $20.00 upgrade move and got a wonderful room. Two suggestion when staying there. One, request a room near the elevators, I need a pack mule for supplies to get from the elevator to my room. Two, be careful in the showers, the floor are polished smooth and of course, get them wet, they get slippery.

I have trouble using the electronic to operate the TV but that was probably my fault.

I agree with one of your readers in that they need to install a moving sidewalk to get the general public into the casino. And also for the guests for the Aria that want to go out and wander the Strip.

Dennis Hall

 

Ted Responds:

We’re still getting everything prepped. Don’t worry, we’ll provide plenty of advance notice. I’m so excited about the great, new things we’ll be able to do in 2012 once we’re able to better staff our little operation here! I can’t count the number of great ideas we come up with that we just don’t have the manpower to implement.

We have to keep most of them under our hat, but one is video: The internet is flooded with Vegas video, but 95% of it is unprofessionally produced and you have to sift through so many videos to (for example) find a good walk-through of a hotel room or an attraction you may want to know more about. If you find the “official” video for something, it is usually a 60 second advertisement that does not help much.

We’d love to shoot a series of 3-4 minute videos covering much of what Las Vegas has to offer, well produced, no BS. This would be invaluable to our members, as you could take a nice overview of something from the comfort of your home, and then decide whether it is up your alley. As opposed to coming here, trying it, and maybe finding it wasn’t for you (which wastes your time and money). As you can imagine, that takes time my present crew simply does not have.

Another example: Las Vegas is flooded with deals. I don’t mean a couple of ongoing steak specials. I mean happy hours, limited time prix fixe meals, much more. We’ve had endless requests to make a part of the site featuring all of this and we simply don’t have the resources to do so (it requires so much research to stay on top of it all as deals change weekly and even daily). Once we’re able to increase staffing, we’d like to keep this updated information in (what will be) our members area. That alone will save everybody the cost of the yearly subscription!

Thanks for the feedback on Aria. I agree and we’ve suggested in the past that in really big properties like Aria and MGM, the rooms can be quite a hike if you are don’t get put near the elevator banks. You aren’t the first to struggle with the Aria features. Cutting edge, but perhaps they should come with an operations manual!

We’ll keep an eye on what CityCenter does once The Harmon comes down. They’ll have a second chance to make the property more friendly to those walking The Strip.

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Love your newsletter and don’t mind helping out with the paid subscription. This route certainly makes sense. How will it work? Will you send out e-mails to let us know the new newsletter is off and running with the address to which the check should be sent? Just want to know so that I won’t be left out or miss the info. Thanks again for this helpful newsletter and your attention to detail.

Edith

 

Ted Responds:

We’ll have numerous payment options including the ability to send in a check. We’re in the process of working it all out.

Thanks in advance for the support. With everyone pitching in just a little bit, we believe that we’ll be able to produce the most amazing resource out there for Las Vegas visitors!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• In ‘Immortal,’ ‘The Giving Tree’ has been taken away, but expect Jamie King to stay

  Book Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Mystere makeover going from A to Zed

  Book Mystere Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Rick Faugno’s Body and Soul Offers $15 Holiday Special Through January 1

  Book Body and Soul Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

  Book Legends In Concert Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Las Vegas marathon experience: Weddings, crazy costumes, ‘hard liquor’ (with video)
• Report shows Vegas housing market still struggling
• Our Annual Cowboy Makeover
• IndyCar will not race in Las Vegas next season
• How Las Vegas became the epicenter of the housing crisis
• Stratosphere Tower ups the ante for even the most daring thrill-seekers
• Comme Ca simple menu filled with delicious, reasonably priced choices
• Las Vegas sports books also favor LSU and Alabama over Oklahoma State
• Area water park to open Memorial Day
• Things to do Off the Las Vegas Strip
• The Buffets of Las Vegas
• Las Vegas has its very own bucket list
• 8 Things You Might Not Have Known About Las Vegas
• The Atomic Testing Museum Las Vegas, Nevada

Comments(0)

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows The Lion King Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Jersey Boys

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – I’d like to personally apologize if you visited over the weekend into the early week. Temperatures struggled to make it to 50 degrees F and we had numerous overnight lows below freezing. If you are a regular reader, you know that I’ve reminded everybody over the past few months that our average Dec. and Jan. low temps are 57 (for both months). Fortunately, we’re pretty much getting back to those numbers. And, that the actual temperature can easily be 10+ degrees of average.

Working Pretty Well – Posting the newsletter online (instead of delivering it in email) is a nice step forward. So many more are enjoy it because it doesn’t get caught in spam filters. Additionally, the look and feel stays intact for ease of reading. Even more importantly, I don’t have to kill myself trying to censor it. We have to use words like strip (as in Las Vegas Strip), casinos, gambling, poker, topless (as in shows) and similar. And those are some of the exact words which spam filters use to keep email from getting to you.

Sahara Officially Renamed – A Bloomberg interview with Sahara owner Sam Nazarian indicates that he will be changing the name of the property to SLS Las Vegas and the property will be remade as a trendy, boutique hotel. Which (as I’ve stated before) won’t work in that location in a million years. In related news…

Fon-Tain-Blu-(Goes-Boom)? – The Fontainebleau (spelled phonetically in the blurb title) is seeing quite a bit of hard hat action lately. As exclusively reported by Scott Whitney on Living in Las Vegas #133, discovery is being done to figure out whether it is cheaper to implode the building or take it apart and sell the steel. However, given the resurgence of the Las Vegas economy and solid projections of visitor growth over the next few years, I have to think that finishing the property is still an option.

I have mixed emotions. The building is very out-of-place for the location, boring looking, and and way too tall. Having said that, demolition would be a black eye on Las Vegas at a time things have really turned around. As always, we’ll keep you posted! Speaking of Las Vegas turning around…

You Don’t Say – Analysts are noting modest revenue increases for Las Vegas tourism in 2012 on the heels of gains in the past few months. We didn’t need analysts to figure this out. How about you walk around downtown or The Strip and look with you own eyes. Las Vegas is jammed again!

Biggest growth for 2012 will be in the affluent traveler segment. For those of you complaining that Las Vegas is becoming just for the rich (completely not true, and we give examples of room and food bargains on a regular basis), certainly the segment catering to the wealthier visitor will increase. Look for every steepening rates at places like Wynn/Encore, Venetian/Palazzo, CityCenter, and even Bellagio.

Regardless of the level of your accommodations, prices are on the rise. If you are even thinking about a 2012 Vegas vacation, I’d strongly suggest clicking over to visit our friends at i4Vegas Discount Hotel Reservations and enter some dates looking to lock something up. Waiting will only bring higher prices.

Many of you saw an article titled Is Nevada recovering? Depends on who you ask in your local papers. Considering that the article was written by someone from out-of-state, they actually did a pretty good job of nailing it. If you are on tourism, you’re probably doing fine. The sector is starting to return to normal. For those in construction, forget about it. Years will go by before the foreclosure housing is absorbed (prompting new home construction), no resorts are on the drawing board, and we have a glut of commercial space.

Thank You Steve Wynn – According to a recent published report, it was Steve Wynn who at a routine meeting with Clark County (Las Vegas) Sheriff Doug Gillespie brought up the issue of how intimidating the pornslappers (adult escort service handbill distributors) were to visitors. Gillespie and the companies who do the “handbilling” have evidently come to an agreement.

Police won’t harass the pornslappers (who are protected under their right to free speech) if the distributors agree to doing things like not slapping the cards (which makes a noise and gets people’s attention), not shoving them in people’s faces, cleaning up after themselves and similar. We’ll see how this is going. As I’ve always noted, the best advice is to literally ignore them. Treat them like they don’t exist.

50/50 – Las Vegas is now attracting just as many female visitors as male. This is a sharp cry from when I first moved here in 1993 and Vegas was a “boys vacation” town. Lots more things for girls to do to get in trouble then there was back then…

Take A Ride On The Wild Side – Motley Crue is slated to do 12 dates at the Hard Rock during the months of February. This is an experiment to see if a hard rock act can make a residency work in Las Vegas a la Celine Dion. This won’t be a typical Motley concert date (which are pretty theatrical to begin with). They promise to use the fact that they’ll be in one spot (they don’t have to break the show down each night) to add all kinds of twists and turns to the show. Tickets are now available: Motley Crue Las Vegas Tickets

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Holly Madison Celebrated her Birthday at Chateau Nightclub and Gardens – The gorgeous Holly Madison wowed the crowd on the red carpet as she celebrated her 32nd birthday at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens inside Paris Las Vegas, Saturday night. The Las Vegas ”PEEPSHOW” star dazzled in a gold sparkle dress by Versace for H&M collection and red sparkle Christian Louboutin stilettos with gold spikes. Photo Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage

• Full story/details/info: Holly Madison Celebrated Birthday at Chateau
• Buy Tickets Now: PEEPSHOW

Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino Announces Gingerbread Houses Display – It’s Holiday time at the Historic Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino. And, as part of the year- long 80th birthday celebration, they are bringing back a tradition from the 1800′s with the artistry of Gingerbread Houses.

• Full story/details/info: Railroad Pass Announces Gingerbread Houses Display

The Hard Rock Store Supports The Salvation Army – Donate And Win! – ‘Tis the season for giving and The Hard Rock Store inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino supports The Salvation Army of Southern Nevada by encouraging guests to make donations between now and the end of the year. Suitable items include non-perishable food and cold weather attire.

• Full story/details/info: Hard Rock Store Supports Salvation Army

The Waterfall, Atrium and Gardens Of The Palazzo Transform Into A Majestic Winter Utopia – Guests are invited to enjoy one of the resorts’ festive Winter in Venice cocktails – As part of The Venetian and The Palazzo’s (click link to book) inaugural Winter in Venice celebration, the resorts’ horticulture team put the finishing touches on its unique winter displays in the resort’s Waterfall, Atrium & Gardens this morning. Guests are invited to enjoy one of the resorts’ festive Winter in Venice cocktails while enjoying the distinctive scenery including the popular Gondolier Blanco served at The Venetian and The Palazzo’s bars and lounges.

• Full story/details/info: Palazzo Transforms Into A Majestic Winter Utopia – Guests are invited to enjoy one of the resorts’ festive Winter in Venice cocktails (includes drink recipe)

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Dream Catcher Sunset Grand Canyon Tour – Landing tour with beverages, snacks and Extra Flight Time in the Grand Canyon! Experience the journey of a lifetime. Your journey begins with a flight out of Las Vegas to Hidden Valley to see the arches. Continue your journey to the Valley of Fire, were you will see red rock formations and some of the most remote, desolate, and fascinating desert landscape.

Click To Book Dream Catcher Sunset Grand Canyon Tour Now!

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What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

• Las Vegas Cashes In on Reality Television – Las Vegas is famous for its glitz and glamor. The vibrant city oozes sex appeal. Increasingly, the characters on reality television programs set in Las Vegas provide fascinating scripts not even Hollywood could create. From the young, wild and hot on the E! Channel’s ”Holly’s World”, to big spenders indulging at the Hard Rock’s Rehab pool party, to oddballs getting locked up on Tru TV’s ”Las Vegas Jailhouse”, it all adds up to free promotion for the entertainment capital of the world. Read More…
• Las Vegas’ Over-the-Top Bathrooms – Any self-respecting traveler knows the importance of finding a clean public bathroom. It’s a place not only to take care of “‘business,” but a place to regroup and take a break from the masses. But in Las Vegas some public bathrooms are giving new meaning to the term royal flush. From over-the-top decor, to wall art that keeps customers lingering (maybe a bit too long) –even free language lessons, a trip to the bathroom can be as exciting as hitting the jack pot. Read more…
• Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat – Living in Las Vegas certainly has many perks… one being the amazing access you get to activities usually planned for vacation trips. One great example that we’ve come across is the Dolphin Habitat at Mirage. Eight magical Atlantic bottlenose dolphins just waiting for you to join them as a “trainer for a day…” You’ll get to feed the dolphins, learn to train the dolphins, and dine with the dolphins.
• Red Rock Canyon Time Lapse Scenic Drive – Last week, we presented the Red Rock Casino to Blue Diamond time lapse drive. Now see what happens when you take the ultra-scenic Red Rock Canyon loop. A fast drive though the 12.5 mile narrow road of Red Rock Canyon Park just outside of Las Vegas.

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I live in South Florida and visit Vegas every year, sometimes twice. If they build a huge casino complex in Miami it would not change my visiting Vegas. I don’t come to Vegas for the gambling but for the shows, restaurants and fun. The gambling in second. Before I moved to FL (2 years ago) I lived in MD and seldom went to Atlantic City. Not a fun place. No matter how many casinos/resorts they build in the country there is still only one Vegas!!!

Doris Osborne

 

Ted Responds:

A recent pretty lengthy article in our newspaper was examining this, and the consensus agrees with you. The Miami developers are quoting crazy numbers when they refer to the visitors they’ll steal from Las Vegas. The same point as yours was also made: Las Vegas isn’t just about gambling. It is the excitement of the entire destination!

Don’t get me wrong: People from the east will take the shorter flight for a quick Miami vacation that involves gambling. But most likely not as a replacement to their Vegas trips.

Unless or until Miami or Cuba builds their own version of the Las Vegas strip with miles of gaming resorts, single casinos in various locals a round the country just wet people’s appetite for Las Vegas. I hate to sound like a broken record, but we’re on pace to tie the record for visitors this year and pass it next year. That’s not exactly a sign that other gaming destinations are keeping people away!

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Just back from a two-night, three-day stay in Vegas, our first trip to Sin City in two years. We stayed at MGM Grand. No room matching our reservation for non-smoking and one king-size bed was ready upon our arrival, and my wife wasn’t feeling well after the flight, so we had to spend an hour in a bar waiting for a room (our paperwork, by the way, guaranteed our room by 3 p.m., but we didn’t get ours until 4 p.m.). After that, though, we had a great trip, with time poolside, a nice first-day hit at video poker, and an outing to Fremont Street.

My wife had never been to Fremont Street; I’d seen the same shows there a few times and would have skipped it myself. However, the new (to me) Fremont Street Experience shows (we saw the “American Pie” and “Tribute to Queen” shows, plus one more) were a pleasant surprise to me, so we both enjoyed the outing.

During our stay, we enjoyed fine meals at the Wolfgang Puck and Diego at MGM, and a nice lunch at an outdoor table at Trader Vic’s at Planet Hollywood. We thought we’d have a nice view of the Bellagio fountains there, but the view is better from the outdoor tables at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris.

We were very impressed by our first visit to Planet Hollywood. I’d never been impressed by the former Aladdin, but very much like what they’ve done with the place. I spent some time at the Planet Hollywood sports book and found it to be comfortable, with a nice variety of big TVs for football.

The only show we saw on this trip was “Zumanity”, which we thought was great. We hadn’t known about the comic relief in this show, and that really added to our enjoyment of the show. Maybe we just got lucky, but the audience members roped into the show were cooperative and funny…I imagine not everyone would be!

One final point about a merchant we’ve come to feel offers unique, beautiful jewelry at reasonable prices and with unmatched service: Bernard Passman’s black coral jewelry store at Venetian. On top of what I’ve just said, I can add that they stand by the quality of their jewelry without hesitation.

I enjoy the newsletter and look forward to each issue; I also look forward to returning to Vegas sooner next time, as our package at MGM included an airfare credit for our next trip!

Scott from Dimondale, MI

 

Ted Responds:

First of all, I need to note that we just found a bunch of great trip reports from 2008 that got orphaned in our system. This was one of them. Over time, we’ll be running those which are still relevant.

When you have issues with a property, I still highly recommend sending a polite but pointed snail mail to the hotel in question. I realize that complaining on social media is becoming more popular, but the ease of it often makes business more dismissive of it. For a long time I remember Wynn’s Twitter feed getting filled with complaints. And the response to each was “call us”. I mean… they can’t very well fix things over Twitter (or even Facebook). Do one better and write them and you might be surprised at how they’ll work to make it up to you!

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Membership Update – We’re a few weeks away from going to a paid subscriber model for the newsletter. Unquestionably, our information and advice improves your Las Vegas vacations. When you know what is happening, where the deals are, how not to get ripped off and similar, you maximize the time you have here (which doesn’t come cheap when you factor in air and hotel costs). The price will be less than $2 a month ($23.95 per year). That’s less than the price of a soda and candy bar at your local mini-mart.

Why this change when we’ve been free for so long? Simple: When I started in 1999, there really wasn’t that much Vegas news to sift through (and the newsletter was much shorter). Over the years, the time it takes to read all the papers, magazines, blogs, news feeds, press releases and similar and distill it all for you has grown intense.

AccessVegas.com has suffered because of our attention to the newsletter. (For example, we just finally got a mobile version going, something we should have done two years ago). While we keep the site updated, the look and usability if more 1997 (when we launched) then 2011. We can’t do a really great job at both the site and newsletter with present staffing, and the site is our flagship.

This left me with two options:

1. I could radically reduce the scope of the newsletter and quit writing my parts so I can work on the revitalization of Access Vegas. You can get generic Vegas news from a million places now (if you have a zillion hours of free time on your hands each week to sift through it all). But, your feedback indicates that the key reasons you read are for my sections and because we distill down to all the important info. Or…

2. We can ask everyone to pitch in a couple of lousy dollars per month and not only continue what we do, but expand on it with special “members only” features we’d like to add over the course of the next year. We’d like to better address many of the common questions you have (which takes research time). We have a killer idea for a specialized app that will save you tons while you are in town. It will be free to paid subscribers. (If you aren’t an app type of person, you’ll have access to the information online in a members area so you can print it out and bring it along, or surf it on your phone or iPad).

We’ll also promise a personal response when a paid subscriber writes us with a Vegas question, which we don’t have the staff to do now (especially on stuff that has to be researched). We have the connections to get the right answers on stuff we don’t know off the top of our head. But not always the time to do so.

Hence, we’re going with option #2. We love helping you guys out. We just need a little help from you to do it properly.

Thanks in advance for your support!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• ‘Jubilee’ is still going strong at Bally’s in Las Vegas

  Book Jubilee! Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Las Vegas markets itself as a place for ‘girlfriends’ getaways’

 

• Night School 4 Girls Rings In 2012 With $20.12 Ticket Offer

  Book Night School 4 Girls Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Cirque du Soleil came to town and has fit right in, providing only-in-Las Vegas entertainment

 

 

• Cirque du Soleil’s big shows exert big influence on the Strip

  Book Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• ‘Immortal’ is unlike any other Cirque du Soleil show

 

 

• Fans flock to Vegas for opening of Cirque du Soleil’s tribute to Michael Jackson

  Book Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Rockhouse To Celebrate Holiday Weekend With Sexy Santa Party
• Miracle Mile Shops Las Vegas December Promotions And Deals
• Old Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars Palace Unveils Cocktail Menu
• Designer Georg Roth to Host Trunk Show at Wynn with Special Performance by Country Singer Sean Patrick McGraw
• Rockhouse To Bring Back Its Second Chance Beer Pong Tournament
• Remodeled BCBGMAXAZRIA And Fast-Fashion Concept Lola Now Open Inside Miracle Mile Shops
• Tags Evolution Now Open At Miracle Mile Shops
• Rí Rá Las Vegas December Drink Specials
• Station Casinos December Free House Entertainment
• Texas de Brazil’s Happy Hour Specials Half-Off Bar Menu Town Square
• NASCAR Parade of Champions
• Observers question economic gauge that puts Nevada at bottom
• The Butter Group is reimagining 1 Oak New York for Las Vegas’ nightlife scene. Scott Sartiano lets us in.
• Don’t bet on the NFL falling in love with Las Vegas
• Las Vegas has become a great rodeo town – and it should stay that way well
• Inside Iconic Piero’s Italian Cuisine
• Nevada ranks last in nation in job opportunity
• NASCAR hopes to keep ceremony in Las Vegas
• Best hotels in Vegas – What are you in the mood for? The top places to stay in Sin City
• Vegas Two Ways: Naughty and Nice
• Vegas Diaries: Four dinners and a brunch…
• Vegas housing market shows no ‘glimmer of hope’
• NASCAR Stars Rumble on the Las Vegas Strip
• Ferraro’s food delicious but host’s rudeness leaves bad taste in the mouth
• Nevada ranks No. 36 on Forbes list of best states for business

 

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Jersey Boys The Lion King

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – I’m not going to lie. The weather sucks. Wednesday evening saw tropical storm gusts of wind, clouds and a healthy dose of rain. The same storm trashed Los Angeles. And… the 10 day forecast shows temps in the 50′s. At least sun returns for all of next week!

So Long, Western – At least for a while. The infamous Western Motel/Casino closes the doors in January after 41 years of service. Located on East Fremont Street (four blocks from the Fremont Street Experience), the renewal overtaking downtown hasn’t quite made it that far yet and the neighborhood is lacking in not just population, but population with disposable income. Despite the best efforts of Metro (Las Vegas police), that part of Fremont Street is still considered a bad neighborhood. The property has been grinding it out with super cheap food and drink, plus really low limit play and just isn’t currently economically viable.

I’m intimately familiar with the property from back in the 90′s. A downtown trip for me would include parking at The Plaza, full pay 9/6 Jacks or better video poker (also at The Plaza), drinking my way all the way up to the El Cortez for 25 cent craps, a walk to The Western for $1 blackjack, and then hitting Binion’s for the late night $1.99 complete steak dinner.

Don’t expect it to be closed forever. Downtown has been undergoing a gentrification and not just with condo towers, Zappos, and the Performing Arts Center. A couple of quaint old neighborhoods in that general area are also seeing revitalization as young professionals pick the homes up cheap and make them nice again. Downtown is becoming “cool” again. I expect to see a serious remodel of the property (including re-opening the lodging portion) by 2015 as the average income for the area rises people get more comfortable with their safety on East Fremont.

We’re In The Wrong Time Zone! I’ve been saying this for almost as long as I’ve been living here. In Las Vegas, it is pretty much completely dark by 5 PM for three months of the year. This item has come into the spotlight with an article by local writer David McGrath Schwartz: Is switching time zones a bright idea for Nevada? Wouldn’t it make sense to give our visitors an extra hour of light and warmth? Read my latest blog post Is Las Vegas In The Wrong Time Zone? and give us your comments!

Not The Best Month For Elvis – In two pieces of unrelated news (except for the Elvis theme)…

• Cirque’s Viva Elvis at Aria is closing next year. After recent announcements of retooling, they’ve decided to trash it. Elvis will leave Aria in 2012. We’ve actually had about a 90% good response rate from those of you who have seen the show. But similar to Cirque’s Beatle-themed Love show, it appealed more to Elvis fans and not so much to traditional Cirque fans. No news of a replacement yet, but they really need to make it a spectacular draw. People who stay at Aria (or just about anywhere in CityCenter) absolutely love it. Those who don’t seem to resoundingly note that it isn’t worth the hike for repeated visits.

  I myself am pretty surprised that they didn’t plan in some sort of tram or moving walkway to get people into CityCenter from The Strip. I’m sure that the intention was to get everybody walking through Crystals (the mall). But unless you are well into the top tax bracket, you could find Crystals more intimidating than fascinating and may set a negative mood for your Aria experience. Perhaps once they get rid of The Harmon, they can find a way to mitigate this issue.

• Elvis’ big Las Vegas run was at The International, which is now known as the Las Vegas Hilton. But not for long. Hilton Hotels decided to not renew the agreement to stick their name on the famed Las Vegas property. The hotel will temporarily be known as LVH (standing for Las Vegas Hotel, but no doubt a play on the soon-to-be former name). Odds are that once they figure out who owns the joint (the bankruptcy is in court), odds are the new owners will give it a permanent new name. They could go back and call it The International, but today there is some rule that you need to give hotels a trendy, unpronounceable name. We’ll let you know when we know.

American Chopper Live – I’ll be honest. I didn’t know this show was still on the air (as I watched it years ago). Paul Teutul, Senior and Paul Teutul, Junior are going up against both each other and infamous bike builder Jesse James in a competition airing live from the Hard Rock Las Vegas. Catch it Dec. 5 and 6 at 9 PM ET/PT on The Discovery Channel.

More Details About Fitzgerald’s – We’ve found out that the Vintage Vegas look Fitzgeralds will be giving their upstairs casino will feature a lot of wood and a darker atmosphere. Think old school steak house. They are also planning on wrapping the Vue Bar all the way around the front of the building (another great idea given the success of Golden Nugget’s Gold Diggers bar).

Additionally, they will run escalators from the street level outdoors to the second floor (a completely unnecessary idea given that their upstairs gaming area is usually busy anyway). Hopefully, those escalators will work more often than the ones of the Strip pedestrian flyovers do.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Your Ad Here!

Reach nearly 50,000 active and engaged Las Vegas visitors each week. Every single reader has signed up to get our newsletter at one of our Las Vegas websites. (We do not buy, rent, or sell email addresses).

Due to pending show closures and changes, we have space available for the first time in years. Because of our reasonable rates, it is sure to go quickly. Please contact us at AccessVegas@accessvegas.com today!

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Mean Mr. Grinch Out To Steal Christmas at Bellagio – Holiday treats large and small on display at Jean Philippe Patisserie – This Christmas, Mr. Grinch leaves his perch on Mount Crumpit to look for mischief at Bellagio’s Jean Philippe Patisserie. More than a month in the making, the infamous Dr. Seuss character was brought to life using 50 pounds of chocolate and 112 pounds of fondant.

• Full story/details/info: Mean Mr. Grinch Out To Steal Christmas at Bellagio

Hard Rock Hotel Spreads Holiday Cheer with Festive Fare and Cocktails – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino gets in the holiday spirit and invites guests to celebrate the season with limited-time menus at the entertainment destination’s popular restaurants – 35 Steaks + Martinis, Johnny Smalls, Pink Taco, LTO Pizza & More and Mr. Lucky’s Cafe. Special food offerings are available on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24 and Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino sweetens the season with a little sugar and spice by offering the Santa’s Helper Martini as well as the Drunken Elf on Tuesday, Dec. 13 through Christmas, Sunday, Dec. 25.

• Full story/details/info: Hard Rock Hotel Spreads Holiday Cheer with Festive Fare and Cocktails

Fantasy Closes 2011 With Amber As December’s Showgirl Of The Month – Heating up December is Amber, FANTASY’s ”Showgirl of the Month.” The sexy, adult revue at Luxor recognizes one of its stars each month in conjunction with its 2011 calendar. This gorgeous, red-headed Dallas native grew up idolizing the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders before becoming one herself. In addition to dancing, Amber loves to travel and discover new adventures. She traveled north to Alaska to climb a glacier, south to Bora Bora to swim with sharks and has flown across the globe to skydive in New Zealand.

• Full story/details/info: Fantasy Closes 2011 With Amber As December’s Showgirl Of The Month
• Buy Tickets Now: FANTASY

Wolfgang Puck’s Lupo Debuts New Menu In Honor Of Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour At Mandalay Bay – To celebrate the arrival of ”Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour” by Cirque du Soleil, Wolfgang Puck’s Lupo will offer a new pre and post-theatre menu, in addition to its a la carte menu. Available all evening on show nights, guests will have a choice between a three-course menu for $55 per person and a four-course menu for $75 per person (not including beverage, tax and gratuity).

• Full story/details/info: Wolfgang Puck’s Lupo Debuts New Menu
• Buy Tickets Now: Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil

Flamingo To Reveal More Than 2,300 Fresh New Rooms – Stylish FAB rooms on-sale now, first guest arrivals January 2, 2012 – Flamingo has announced plans to refurbish 2,307 hotel rooms transforming the resort’s standard rooms into stylish and contemporary accommodations. The all-new FAB rooms are on-sale now for guest arrivals beginning January 2, 2012.

• Full story/details/info: Flamingo Reveals More Than 2,300 Fresh New Rooms

McFadden’s Hosts December Birthday Blowout – December Birthdays Drink Free – No one wants to party alone on their birthday, that’s why McFadden’s at the Rio (click link to book) will throw a giant merriment celebration for all December birthdays on Saturday, Dec. 17. The Irish party bar will dedicate the night to those born in December with a joyous birthday blowout.

• Full story/details/info: McFadden’s Hosts December Birthday Blowout

Tropicana Presents iCandy Burlesque – A Unique Entertainment And Gaming Experience – Sexy New Experience Spotlights Beautiful Dancers, Singers, Unique Performances And Stunning Costumes – Tropicana presents iCandy Burlesque, a one-of-a- kind, sexy new experience which will take audiences on a wild ride with talented performances, heart-pounding music and stunning costumes.

• Full story/details/info: Tropicana Presents iCandy Burlesque

Free Cocktail Walk and Holiday Fireworks Show This Weekend at MonteLago Christmas Village at Lake Las Vegas – MonteLago Christmas Village at Lake Las Vegas kicks-off a big Holiday Celebration this weekend with a free specialty holiday cocktail tasting for adults along with Carolers, Santa, Ice Skating and a Fireworks show. On Friday, Dec. 2nd, from 5-9 pm, the restaurants of MonteLago Christmas Village will provide free tastings of their very special holiday cocktails that have been custom-created just for the ”Spirits of Christmas” Cocktail Walk.

• Full story/details/info: Free Cocktail Walk and Holiday Fireworks Show This Weekend

McFadden’s Celebrates Santa’s List Day with Naughty and Nice Drink Specials – He’s making a list, and checking it twice and McFadden’s at The Rio is going to find out who is naughty or nice. Sunday, Dec. 4, the rowdy Irish hot spot will celebrate Santa’s List Day with drink specials for patrons from each side of Mr. Claus’ list. In honor of this pre-holiday celebration, McFadden’s is offering drink specials to correspond with partygoer’s behavior from the past year. Disobedient patrons who check in under the naughty list will receive $20 bottomless beers throughout the evening. Guests who claim to be on the nice list will enjoy $4 well drinks from 10 p.m. until close. Plus, all guests, both naughty and nice, will receive $5 bombs.

• Full story/details/info: McFadden’s Celebrates Santa’s List Day

First Food and Bar Hosts A Month Of Holiday Themed Activities And Winter Traditions At Venetian And Palazzo – Food And Drink Specials, Children’s Activities And More Surround Winter In Venice – Known for their creative, fun and approachable-for-all menu and special events, the team at FIRST Food & Bar announces a month of celebration for the holidays, including food and drink specials, kids activities and holiday traditions! The celebration will take place during The Venetian and The Palazzo’s Winter in Venice which now runs through Jan. 8 featuring 49 days of holiday festivities throughout both resorts.

• Full story/details/info: First Food and Bar Hosts A Month Of Holiday Themed Activities And Winter Traditions

Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Transforms into Shimmering Winter Wonderland on Dec. 2 – Transforming into a magical winter wonderland, Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens unveils its spectacular holiday display, rich in tradition and filled with picture-perfect botanical creations, on Dec 2. In the center of it all, a magnificent holiday tree will stand tall sending gazes soaring while musical sounds and seasonal colors evoke the holiday spirit.

• Full story/details/info: Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Transforms into Winter Wonderland

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Canyon Dream Air and Land Tour – A 40-minute flight to the Grand Canyon South Rim aboard a Beechcraft 1900D aircraft starts your ultimate adventure. Upon landing, your excursion will begin with a seat on our state-of-the-art ECO-Star helicopter for an amazing 25-minute breathtaking helicopter experience over the Grand Canyon.

Click To Book Canyon Dream Air and Land Tour Now!

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What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

• Sirens of TI – Chances are you’re one of the ten million people who have seen Sirens of TI or maybe you’ve just simply driven past it… it’s the acrobatic water show at the front entrance of Treasure Island Hotel and Casino… but this video crew was granted access for this rare behind the scenes look at a day in the life of those fearless pirates at TI… preparing to put on a great show for you!
• Dining At The Heart Attack Grill – When visiting Las Vegas, if you are prepared to gamble with your health as well as your hard earned cash, there’s no better place than the Heart Attack Grill. Choose between the triple or quadruple bypass burger. If you manage to eat it all, one of the charming ‘nurses’ will assist you when you leave the premises.
• Fig and Pomegranate Highball – Wynn Las Vegas mixologist Patricia Richards shows us how to shake up our holidays with a festive Fall cocktail. Stir up a little taste of Vegas at your holiday party!

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Just come back from Vegas yesterday after spending 10 days there. This was 5th time over the last few years.

Had an excellent time BUT was plagued by time share reps to the point where they was running after us ( husband and I). I tried everything from politely saying no to ignoring them . Nothing worked!!!!!! They were more of a nuisance than the sex card workers. Can you give advice please for when we come again.

We stayed at the Hilton Paradise Road. The taxi that took us back to the airport charged over 20 dollars and did not by any means go the quickest way.He turned onto the strip at Circus Circus and went the whole length of the strip!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Refused to tip him saying he had not chosen the quickest route. He then got very abusive. Can I ask for your advice about this 20 dollars, we usually pay 15 dollars.

Love Access Vegas!

Angela M.

Ted Responds:

Great letter and something that needs to be addressed. Yes, you were long-hauled. I went ahead and wrote and entire blog post about what to do when this happens to you. You can fight back (and it only takes a few minutes of your time). You don’t have to put up with the abuse. And you’ll often not only get your satisfaction but the taxi ride will end up being free.

I’ll also address the timeshare peddler issue.

Click to read my post Las Vegas Taxi Took Me The Wrong Way To Airport, What To Do?

In fact, this is information that every single Las Vegas visitor should read. If you belong to other Las Vegas groups, forums, or just tweet about your love of Vegas, you can use the short URL http://x.co/bL1t to link to the post.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• MGM Resorts International Partners With PRCA For The 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Dec 1-10

  Book National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Crazy Girls gets a boost in time for 25th anniversary

  Book Crazy Girls Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Madame Tussauds Offers Las Vegas Locals Half-Price Tickets Through Feb. 29

  Book Madame Tussaud’s Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Menopause the Musical Celebrates 2,500 Performances in Las Vegas

  Book Menopause The Musical Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Like magic, Thomas and tigers are back at the Tropicana

  Book The Magic & Tigers of Rick Thomas Las Vegas Tickets Now

• Even conservationists not worried about water park being a drain (with video)
• Las Vegas homes empty as owners walk away (with video)
• Chinese Restaurant KJ Kitchen Opens Sister Location at Rio – New venue offers dim sum lunch option in addition to nightly chef’s specials with fresh seafood selection
• Learn To Make Holiday Sweets And Treats With Pastry Chef Kenny Magana From Postrio Bar and Grill At The Venetian
• El Cortez Hosts Holiday Gift Drive Benefiting Ronald McDonald House – $10 free play with new gift donations worth $5 or more
• InsertCoin(s) Videolounge Gamebar celebrates Happy Hour with unbelievable drink specials
• Rí Rá Las Vegas December Drink Specials
• 11 Free Things in Las Vegas to Be Thankful For
• The business of partying – What works and what doesn’t in Las Vegas’ club scene
• Nongaming Las Vegas spa hotel offers first-class relaxation
• Seeking Hyde – An L.A. insider gives us a peek at what might be in store at Hyde Bellagio
• Red Rock Canyon – Escape from the Las Vegas Strip
• The case for free casino wifi
• Sneak a peek at some of the hottest new stores in town
• Vegas airport bets on Asia-bound fliers and airlines
• The Las Vegas Convention Center to Provide Free Wi-Fi in Public Areas
• You Bet Your Life: Giving thanks Las Vegas style
• Viva Las Vegas! Spending a day with Pete Rose, Elvis and a boxer
• Vegas-area park hits its own jackpot – dinosaur tracks
• The Meating Place – Brazilian churrasco arrives by the skewerful at Fogo de Chão’s Las Vegas installation
• Las Vegas pitches airlines and travelers as new gate to Asia, but expert says it won’t be hub
• Casino is looking for a few good ‘broads’
• Convention surge drives up Las Vegas tourism in September
• Venetian and Palazzo offer holiday sparkle with Venice festival
• Talk gets steamy as county officials discuss strip club’s pool plans
• Group wants to make Las Vegas hub for fashion designers
• Prince Harry parties royally in Las Vegas
• Flamingo begins remodeling most of its 3,500 rooms
• Linemakers examines how sports book odds setters operate
• Celebrating 20 years – Opportunity Village’s Magical Forest set to light the holidays
• Tryst getting party plans in place for New Year’s Eve
• Blindsided bunny dealers plan to fight
• Las Vegas Convention Center exterior to get makeover
• Star DJs and pretty people make for two top clubs
• Visitors and shoppers get around with express bus service
• Trendy salon and spa treatments plentiful in Vegas
• Revamped local ski resort opens for season
• Women call the shots behind and on the bar at Coyote Ugly
• Vegas Vacation Tips: 5 Tips For First Timers
• How to spend $100k in Vegas: Drop a year’s worth of cash in Sin City — without gambling
• Top-10 Las Vegas trip fouls
• Free Things to Do in Las Vegas
• Golf, gaming and girls – Drumming up the ideal golf ‘mancation’ in Las Vegas

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Jersey Boys The Lion King Peepshow

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Happy Thanksgiving to all of our U.S. readers. To the approximately 30% of our readers outside our country, have a turkey sandwich and find something to be thankful for. I’m thankful that we’ve avoided any nasty cold snaps this fall and will be flirting with 70 degrees at the beginning of next week.

Contrary to popular opinion, Thanksgiving is actually one of the most busy times of the year here. Some come for the four day weekend (and truckloads of sports wagering). Others come because it is a great place to gather far-flung family.

Let’s face it: The town you grew up in may be nice for a couple of days, but you are climbing the wall by Saturday (after Thanksgiving). In Las Vegas, everybody can do what they like and you can still get together for certain meals and activities with your extended family. And… virtually every single restaurant at every hotel (including the buffets) puts on a Thanksgiving feast. Something to keep in mind for next year!

No New Hotels, But You Still Keep Visiting – It has been a pretty slow week (and a slow year) for Las Vegas news compared to the boom times when new hotel announcements and openings regularly fueled Las Vegas interest. And yet we’re on pace to tie the 2007 record for visitor numbers. (Side Note: Am I the only one noticing that? It seems like no one else is making a big deal out of it but at the end of the day, that is pretty amazing statistic given the economy).

I think this harkens back to something I’ve always noted: When first-time visitors write and ask what they should do and see, I simply tell them that if they came here for two months, they wouldn’t be able to do and see everything. Enjoy yourself, since you’ll most likely be back. Many times. Think about it: If you had two months in Las Vegas and an unlimited budget, you’d have to treat it like a full-time job to attempt to do everything you’d want to do and see. All of those shows, all of the great restaurants, activities and sight-seeing, visiting every single hotel… it is mind-boggling.

Then, let’s get into tours. I’m always amazed when frequent visitors go I don’t need to see the Grand Canyon. I saw it from the plane flying in. Um… that is like going to an art gallery to see a masterpiece, viewing it from all the way across the room, and being satisfied. You don’t know how jaw-dropping it is until you stand on the edge of it.

Same with Hoover Dam, which is a stunning work of art and on a scale/size/scope that is mind-bending. I could go on and on (Red Rock Canyon, Valley Of Fire, Death Valley, Zion, “wild west” equestrian and dude ranchs, off-road adventures you name it). Just go look at our tours page and scroll and scroll and scroll. In fact, if the numb-brains over at the Convention Authority sobered up long enough to have some good ideas, they’d build a ad campaign just around how scenic our area is.

If you are a regular visitor who has never gotten your behind away from the touristy areas, let me suggest a simple and inexpensive itinerary to help you get your feet wet:

Rent a car for the day. Trust me, it is cheaper than playing the machines. Many hotels have car rental desks. I know that Hertz at The Flamingo actually keeps their rental fleet in the Flamingo parking garage (and you don’t have to pay the airport rental lot taxes). Head out to Red Rock Canyon and enjoy the 13 mile scenic loop at the state park. Doing this in the mid-late morning will provide the sun angle that really brings these colorful mountains to life.

Continue on around the Highway 159 loop to Bonnie Springs Old Nevada. Purported to be an actual stop on the old Spanish Trail, this rustic but working wild west  is a fun respite the whiz-bang of The Strip.

By now, you are probably hungry. And you’ve always wanted to visit the M Resort after all the great things you’ve heard about. Kill two birds with one stone by having the lunch buffet at The M. It always garners raves, and you’ll be amazed at how nice an off-Strip property can be.

Continue on to Hoover Dam. There isn’t much to say about this that hasn’t been said. Historical structure, featured in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials. Take the full tour that takes you into the bowels of the dam. There is truly nothing like it, from the sheer technical complexity to the retro-cool 1930′s architecture.

One of the most memorable parts for me? Walking through a tunnel that leads you to the very face of the dam, high above the Colorado River. Someone posted that segment (of their tour) on YouTube here: Inside Hoover Dam (Tunnel). Finally, if my directions are confusing, I mapped the entire trip described above on Google Maps.

Last Chance To See The Lion King – After a great run, the Las Vegas’ The Lion King show comes to an end at the end of the year. This spectacle is great for adults and kids alike. You can get tickets direct through their site by clicking on The Lion King graphic in the right sidebar.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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Octavius Tower At Caesars Palace Brings 450 New Jobs To Las Vegas Market – Caesars Palace has announced it will hire a total of 450 employees with the opening of Octavius Tower on January 2, 2012. The resort’s sixth hotel tower will yield 3,960 total accommodations, bringing hundreds of new jobs to the Las Vegas market.

• Full story/details/info: Octavius Tower At Caesars Palace Brings 450 New Jobs To Las Vegas Market

Joe Montana Visits Memorabilia International at Miracle Mile Shops Dec. 3 – Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana will visit Memorabilia International inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for a live autograph signing from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.

• Full story/details/info: Joe Montana Visits Memorabilia International at Miracle Mile Shops Dec. 3

Marlon, Jackie and Tito Jackson to Appear at Michael Jackson Fan Fest in Las Vegas on December 4 – The first ever Estate-authorized Michael Jackson Fan Fest will now offer visitors a more in-depth look into Michael Jackson’s life, featuring an opportunity to meet three of Michael Jackson’s brothers, Marlon, Jackie and Tito Jackson, for one day only. The three brothers will be at Fan Fest on Sunday, December 4, beginning at noon for an exclusive Q & A session for fans at the exhibition.

• Full story/details/info: Michael Jackson Fan Fest in Las Vegas on December 4
• Buy Tickets Now: Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil

Legends In Concert At Harrah’s Las Vegas – Tribute Artist Show Announces Holiday Lineup – Legends in Concert at Harrah’s Las Vegas offers holiday-themed performances Nov. 25 – Dec. 25 with special acts Toby Keith, Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson and Whoopi Goldberg as emcee. Guests can expect holiday favorites from this legendary lineup including ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,’ ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and an impressive grand finale. Featuring live re-creations of superstars of yesterday and today, backed by a live rockin’ band and the Legends singers and dancers, Legends in Concert is a one-of-a-kind experience.

• Full story/details/info: Legends In Concert At Harrah’s Las Vegas – Tribute Artist Show Announces Holiday Lineup
• Buy Tickets Now: Legends In Concert

Rockhouse Parties For National Finals Rodeo – Rockhouse Offers NFR Promotions December 1-10 – National Finals Rodeo is back and so is Rockhouse Bar & Nightclub’s 10-day party. With the fans in town, the ultra-dive bar will rock the rodeo welcoming NFR fans from across the nation. From Thursday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Dec. 10, a ticket stub will not only get the cowboy devotees some rowdy rodeo fun, but also complimentary entry and $5 shots.

• Full story/details/info: Rockhouse Parties For National Finals Rodeo
• Buy Tickets Now: National Finals Rodeo

Sammy Hagar Dines at his Cabo Wabo Cantina at Miracle Mile Shops – The Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar, enjoyed lunch at his Cabo Wabo Cantina (www.CaboWaboCantina.com) at the Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on November 16th with his wife and friends. The table of eight munched on several savory selections including ceviche, lobster enchiladas and lobster taquitos. The energetic group enjoyed the crisp afternoon on the patio for more than two hours, people watching and sipping on refreshing ice teas.

• Full story/details/info: Sammy Hagar Dines at his Cabo Wabo Cantina at Miracle Mile Shops

The Mirage Reveals innovative new cocktail program now being served throughout the Resort – The Mirage recently unveiled an exciting beverage program featuring 30 intriguing cocktails. Careful thought went into each distinctive new drink resulting in stimulating flavor combinations, remarkable twists on old favorites and inventive garnishes which add striking detail to each libation.

• Full story/details/info: The Mirage Reveals innovative new cocktail program now being served throughout the Resort

Former ‘Happiest Mayor in the World,’ Oscar Goodman, to star in new Las Vegas-based television show – Fresh off his appearance in the network television series, ”CSI: Las Vegas,” former mayor and Las Vegas icon, Oscar Goodman, is set to film the pilot for a new, Las Vegas-based courtroom show, ”Vegas Night Court with Oscar Goodman.” Filming for ”Vegas Night Court with Oscar Goodman” will take place inside the legendary Elvis Presley Showroom at the Las Vegas Hilton, beginning Friday, Nov. 18.

• Full story/details/info: Former ‘Happiest Mayor in the World,’ Oscar Goodman

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Grand Canyon Western Territory Tour – Birds eye view of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Get a close look at the extinct volcano Fortification Hill. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Descend deep into the Grand Canyon and land on the Hualapai Indian territory on the canyon floor for a champagne toast, beverages and hors d’ oeuvres in the heart of this spectacular wonder of the world.

Click To Book Wind Dancer Sunset Landing Tour Now!

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What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

• Nevada State Railroad Museum – The railroads here in Nevada played a very important part in Las Vegas’ history. You can head out to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City and ride the same tracks, and maybe even the same trains, that helped service the Hoover Dam project in the 1930s.
• Las Vegas Blvd At Night – A couple of weeks ago, we gave you a time-lapse of what it was like to drive from downtown all the way down The Strip in the daytime. Now see the reverse journey at night. This is as close as you are going to get without being here yourself. If you are missing the Vegas vibe, here it is!
• Caesars Palace Serendipity 3 Finlandia Cocktail – Bartenders from all over the world compete every year for the title of World’s Greatest Mixologist in the Finlandia World Cup. This year, Serendipity 3′s bartender, Raul Faria is in the running to represent the USA with his Finlandia Vodka cocktail the Spiced Trade.
• Red Rock Casino to Blue Diamond Rd Time Lapse Drive – Most of you visit and never see anything but The Strip and maybe downtown. Enjoy this time lapse video which takes you around the loop through some of the most spectacular scenery in our area. Notice how quickly one goes from being in the ‘city’ to rustic, mountainous wildlife areas. Non-stop, the entire drive takes about 1 hour, 15 minutes from The Strip, around, and back again. See a Google Map view of this route.

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Thanks for all the work you and your staff do through both your weekly newsletter and the accessvegas.com website in keeping everyone informed about what’s happening in Vegas! I’m always referring friends and family to the site when they tell me they’re planning a trip to Sin City.

I was in Vegas the first week of Oct and have to share with you and your readers how “top notch” the service industry is in Vegas. EVERYWHERE I went the service staff (valets, hosts/hostesses, waitstaff, restaurant/buffet staff, casino staff, hotel staff, etc) was so warm, friendly, courteous, conscientious, and professional! They made this “regular guy” feel like a VIP – which in turn made my vacation all the more pleasant!

I took your advice about spending time in Downtown to gamble – and had a great time! And I always use your list of Vegas Attractions (especially all the free attractions!) when planning my trips.

Sure hope one of those venture capitalists heed your suggestion about completing work on the dormant Fountain Bleu construction project!

Please keep up the good work!!

Rob S. from Toledo, OH

Ted Responds:

Glad you had a great trip. Fortunately, some of the poor customer service issues that were prevalent a couple years ago have been given proper attention. In a town with nearly 14% unemployment, there is no excuse for half-baked service. (Actually, there is never any excuse. But shouldn’t these people be happy to have jobs and grateful to every one of our visitors)?

Still plenty of rumor swirling that Fontainebleau is going to be dismantled. But I’m no longer so sure. The national recession is getting better, Vegas visitor numbers are around record levels, higher-end visitation is up (the group that F-bleau would be aimed at), and there will be a tipping point where finishing the property pencils out. But probably still not until a record 2012 is in the books. And even with financing, the hotel is largely unfinished inside so you’d still be talking about significant construction time. Plus, the investors are tied up in court playing the blame game and that could take a while to figure out.

If the economy still stays soft, I hear the price of steel would almost make it worth tearing down (as opposed to the cost of finishing the project).

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

• Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
• Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
• Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

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More Las Vegas News – Shows – Events

• Lion King balances adult artistry with kid-friendly plot
  
  Book The Lion King Las Vegas Tickets Now
• Peepshow Star Holly Madison To Celebrate Her Birthday At Chateau Nightclub & Gardens
  
  Book Peepshow Las Vegas Tickets Now
• Changes benefit ‘Absinthe,’ Recycled Percussion shows
  
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• The Rat Pack is Back! – Ain’t That A Kick In The Head
  
  Book The Rat Pack is Back! Las Vegas Tickets Now
• FANTASY Ladies Will Rock the Rodeo with a Special NFR Signing
  
  Book Fantasy Las Vegas Tickets Now
  
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• Ordering a Crown and Coke – Vegas Style (with video)
• Ethel M Chocolates Hosts Holiday Cactus Lighting (with video)
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• Nevada jobless rate stays at 13.4 percent in October (with video)
• Warm Up the Skin and Body with Wintery Spa Services at Canyon Ranch SpaClub
• November Menus at ARIA feature squash, Kobe beef, time-intensive cooking and family
• Miracle Mile Shops Welcomes Kafri De Mexco To The Center
• Rockhouse Gets ‘A-Head’ With Dollar Beers – Celebrate ‘Make Your Own Head Day’ with Draft Specials
• M Resort Spa Casino Is Awarded A 2012 Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rating For The Third Year In A Row
• Rio Spa & Salon To Host Toy Drive For Help Of Southern Nevada – Bring in a new toy or bike and receive spa discounts
• Get in the Spirit with the ‘MonteLago Christmas Village’ Holiday Celebration – The annual tree lighting ceremony kicks off ‘A One-of-a-Kind Holiday Experience’
• Celebrate With Holiday-Themed ‘Sip and Spa,’ Thursdays In December
• Splash Canyon Waterpark to Open Memorial Day 2012 in Las Vegas
• Texas de Brazil Brings Striking Flavors to Las Vegas with South American Wine Special Every Thursday
• Reliquary Water Sanctuary and Spa Gets into the Holiday Spirit with the Exclusive Candy Cane Ritual
• Las Vegas working on way to curb blight of foreclosure
• Buried Secrets of Las Vegas (video)
• Unintentional EyeCandy – Without meaning to, I somehow end up at Mandalay’s central bar—on more than one occasion
• Pro Takes On Wacky Las Vegas Wedding Myths
• Vegan field report: red velvet in Las Vegas
• Las Vegas airport wants you to start getting boozed up at the baggage claim liquor store
• 2011 may be worst year for new-home sales in Las Vegas
• How all those Las Vegas hotels wash all those bed sheets
• Las Vegas no longer No. 1 in foreclosures. Can it last?
• Western Hotel in downtown Las Vegas will close in January
• Las Vegas No Longer No. 1 in Foreclosures: Can It Last?
• In foreclosure-plagued Vegas, empty homes go to pot
• MGM Resorts says Las Vegas rebound continuing
• Dale Jarrett bringing race experience attraction to Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• Flamingo Ups the Ante With New Fab Rooms
• Charging for Wi-Fi bodes ill for The Cosmopolitan
• Las Vegas tourism industry continues to show signs of recovery
• One for the gringos – The suburbs are underserved in the Mexican dining department. Enter Mi Tierra.
• Town Square’s new gastropub somehow makes British food even blander than its reputation would suggest
• How a sports book fares can turn on a single play
• Palms completes 10 years of glitter
• Zappos backs technology library in downtown Las Vegas
• Smithereens singer mixes music, memories in ‘Confessions of a Rock Star’
• Royal [House Resort] treatment – Small casino strives for comeback
• Seems like only yesterday we weren’t so comfy with the mob
• American Fish matches fresh fish with best cooking method for tasty results
• Frankie Moreno jumping from lounges to showroom headliner at Stratosphere
• Town Square, Tivoli Village add stores as holiday shopping season nears
• Las Vegas small companies buck U.S. trend, add to staffs
• English’s at Town Square aims to put fresh spin on pub grub
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House, in business 22 years, closes doors
• Pawn Stars tops eclectic lineup of successful shows filmed here
• With new-home sales weak and financing difficult, local land sales decline
• Las Vegan finds fresh start recycling hotel soaps for needy people
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• Slow economy hasn’t slowed resort owners from renovating properties
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• Best of’ in Las Vegas
• We want candy: Vegas’ unspoken vice
• Greening the Las Vegas Strip – Resorts sprinkle sustainability in with sizzle, splash

Comments(0)

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

---

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials Las Vegas Hotels Las Vegas Shows Headliners and Concerts Local Business Directory Las Vegas Travel News Feed Access Vegas Twitter Feed Access Vegas Facebook Fan Page Las Vegas Photos

Featured Shows Jersey Boys The Lion King Peepshow Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! We’re on the eastern edge of our time zone (Pacific Time), which means the sun sets extra early. Especially as we get towards the end of the year. The good news? The Strip lights up earlier and you get more time in the neon glow. I always love the “golden hour” when the sun is just setting behind the mountains and The Strip starts to glow.

It is still warm enough to spend some quality time outdoors in the evening (with a light jacket) and virtually all of the outdoor restaurants and bars have heat lamps going to keep you toasty while you dine. Keep in mind that while we get plenty of sunshine, December and January temperatures average 57 degrees. And while it has been known to hit 70 on select winter days, the high has also been known to top out in the 40′s. Pack accordingly!

Wild Finish To World Series Of Poker – I’m not much of a baseball fan. Or a poker fan. But when it comes to the finals of either, I’m “all in” watching. Our congratulations go out to 22 year old Pius Heinz from Germany, who after a grueling 6.5 hours came storming back from a pretty serious deficit to win the the $8.7 million dollar prize. And major kudos to those of you who live on the east coast and stayed up until 3:30 AM Eastern to watch the final result live (technically a 15 minute delay to protect players hands).

A “Bad Beat” goes to the cocktail waitress at the locals casino that we were sitting and watching the event at. She wasn’t following it that night, and when she looked up at the TV, she recognized Heinz and noted that she and her friends had actually met him at a Halloween party just a couple of weeks ago and even had a picture with him on her Facebook page. She said “I should have given him my phone number!”

Circus Circus Adventuredome And Sirens Of TI – I guested via phone on the most recent episode of Living In Las Vegas (click to watch). Hosts Scott and Melissa Whitney did a great segment (with photos and video) on Adventuredome and then I came on and told you the special tips you need to know to fully see and enjoy the Treasure Island Pirate Show.

Strike In 2012? – Many of the union contracts with the major Strip hotels run out this coming June. Negotiations will be interesting to watch. During the last round, the economy was hot and my understanding is that the hotels generally gave the unions everything they wanted.

With a still soft economy and the gaming properties carrying crushing debt loads (combined with the extremely high local unemployment), it will be interesting to see how things go. Do the hotels hold a hard line and risk a strike? If so, how long do they hold out and what will it do to visitation and the visitor experience? How hard it is to hire and train a new hotel staff and what kind of rift would that create in our community? As always, we’ll keep you updated.

Party Like It’s 1998 – Las Vegas home prices have continued to slide. First, they had slid to 2004 levels. Then we heard 2000. Then 1999. Now at 1998 prices, that is nearly 60% off of the 2006 highs. The average Las Vegas home is selling for under $125,000 with no end to pending foreclosures. Investors are snapping them up. You can buy a home for as little as $60k, put a few thousand into fixing it up, and then rent it out for $1000 a month. Do the math on that! If you need a reference for a good Realtor or property management company, I know good ones. Use our contact info later in the newsletter.

Good Luck Miami – Those looking to develop a huge gaming/hotel/condo property (similar to CityCenter) in Miami are touting that they will siphon 1/3 of east coast residents who now visit Las Vegas, putting an approximately 4 million visitor dent in Sin City. No one is going to argue that the flight will be shorter and Miami does have the beach. However, Atlantis resort (a huge gaming resort) has been over in The Bahamas for decades without putting a dent in Las Vegas. If anything, Foxwoods (CT) style resorts just seem to fuel people’s desires to visit Las Vegas. Remember, we’re on track to tie the visitor numbers record this year. And probably smash it in 2012. Are these Miami developers the same people behind the Desert Xpress? Speaking of…

It Really Might Be A Train To Nowhere – The push to build the Desert Xpress high-speed train from Las Vegas to Victorville moves forward. However,  California is having problems finding the private side of the investment needed to build their grand high-speed rail plans. (Federal money will be involved, but bonds will be needed to cover much of the entire cost).

Why does this matter? The Desert Xpress is counting in connecting with the California lines to provide service the rest of the way from Victorville on through Palmdale and into Los Angeles. I’m all for getting people to Las Vegas quickly and easily. However, I’m not for building another “monorail” type failure. Just as the success of the Desert Xpress hinges on the Victorville connection, the success of the monorail hinged on an airport connection. How did that work out?

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Rick Ziegler

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Skip the airport taxi hassles and arrive at your hotel in style: Check out driver and limo service availability now!

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National Finals Tonight and Gary Leffew’s Legendary Buck’n Ball Anchor Boyd Gaming’s Entertainment Offerings During the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – December 1-10 – The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (click link to book) is one of the largest and most revered annual rodeos in the country. And once again, Boyd Gaming will be bringing the biggest names in rodeo and entertainment to its Las Vegas Valley properties during the 2011 WNFR, including the return of National Finals Tonight, and World Champion Bull Rider Gary Leffew’s Legendary Buck’n Ball at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino.

• Full story/details/info: National Finals Tonight and Gary Leffew’s Legendary Buck’n Ball
• Buy Tickets Now: National Finals Rodeo

Grammy-Nominated and platinum Recording Artist Jordin Sparks Will Kick Off Winter In Venice At The Venetian and the Palazzo – The ”American Idol” winner will perform live on the Las Vegas Strip on Nov. 21 – The Venetian and The Palazzo (click link to book) Las Vegas are thrilled to announce Grammy-nominated and platinum recording artist, Jordin Sparks, will perform live during the kick-off ceremony for Winter in Venice, the first true celebration of the holiday season on the Las Vegas Strip.

• Full story/details/info: Grammy-Nominated and platinum Recording Artist Jordin Sparks Will Kick Off Winter In Venice

Cabo Wabo Cantina Gives Thanks To Football on Black Friday – Celebrate Thanksgiving Weekend with Mexican Food, Football, Beer and Shopping – Cabo Wabo Cantina invites football fans to give thanks to the greatest sport on Earth and celebrate with cold beer, tasty Mexican food and tons of football. On Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 24, and Black Friday, Nov. 25, Sammy Hagar’s rockin’ cantina will be the best spot on the Strip to celebrate the nation’s November traditions.

• Full story/details/info: Cabo Wabo Cantina Gives Thanks To Football

Roll Into The Holiday Season At Rice And Company – ”Santa’s Roll” and ”Roll in the New Year” debut just in time for the season – Danny Chen, Executive Chef of the Far East Asian bistro Rice & Company (click link for more info), brings his Christmas spirit and New Year’s revelry this season with the introduction of his newest sushi creations, ”Santa’s Roll” and ”Roll in the New Year” at Luxor Hotel and Casino.

• Full story/details/info: Roll Into The Holiday Season At Rice And Company

Tweet Away Every Sunday Funday At Rockhouse For A Cheap Open Bar – Tweet your way to a great deal for Sunday Funday. All followers of their Twitter handle will receive an even cheaper open bar package from 9 p.m. to midnight.

• Full story/details/info: Tweet Away Every Sunday Funday At Rockhouse For A Cheap Open Bar

The Venetian And The Palazzo Welcome The Fourth Annual Carnival Of Cuisine Event On Dec. 10 – Culinary festival features renowned cuisine from over 15 celebrated restaurants – The Venetian and The Palazzo (click link to book) welcome the return of the hottest culinary event this fall with their fourth annual food festival, Carnival of Cuisine. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Palazzo Ballroom and will showcase award-winning cuisine available exclusively at restaurants of The Venetian and The Palazzo.

• Full story/details/info: The Venetian And The Palazzo Welcome The Fourth Annual Carnival Of Cuisine Event

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Indian Territory Grand Canyon Tour – Landing tour with champagne, beverages and a light snack! This exciting tour begins by flying over the beautiful Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, the world famous Hoover dam and Fortification Hill, an extinct volcano. View the breathtaking scenery and wildlife of the southwest along the way. Maverick Helicopters will descend and land in the Hualapai Indian Territory 3,500 feet into the Grand Canyon.

Click To Book Indian Territory
Grand Canyon Tour  Now!

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What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

• Vegas Lady Luck hotel becomes Downtown Grand – Downtown Grand isn’t the first name bestowed on the property at Stewart Avenue and Third Street, but owners are hoping it sticks. What was once Honest John’s, Park Plaza and, most recently, the Lady Luck will henceforth be known as Downtown Grand. The renaming came at a Thursday ceremony where the public watched a crane lift the historic Lady Luck neon sign from one of the property’s hotel towers. Read More…
• Los Angeles To Las Vegas – time lapsed – Many of you fly in. If you’ve ever wondered what it is like for the 60% of Vegas Visitors who drive in, enjoy this time-lapse video of a road trip from Los Angeles to Sin City.
• Backstage at Divas Las Vegas – By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard the name, Frank Marino. He is the longest running headliner EVER on the strip. He’s funny, talented, quick witted, and looks absolutely “fabulous” as Joan Rivers in his Bob Mackie gowns and Manolos… And recently, Frank allowed the crew backstage at his newest show, ”Divas Las Vegas.”
  Book Now and Save: Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas

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Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Great newsletter, thanks. If you decide to charge a fee, count me in.

Question, I’m coming to Las Vegas mid November and staying at the Aria for the first time. Other than trying the twenty dollar upgrade trick what floor or above should I request to get a decent room?

Ted Responds:

Thanks for the support. It will really help us to provide more in-depth info from tracking various specials to offering more in-depth hotel info. We plan to send someone to do a couple of days at every single hotel and take some sharp notes to better help people with questions like yours. Right now, we simply don’t have the budget for it.

Aria is tricky because it sits in the CityCenter complex and I honestly don’t know what sections of the property offer a better view. I do know that others have noted an issue getting a view because of how everything is boxed in there.

Everybody LOVES the rooms. All positive comments there since they have opened.

Keep these things in mind:

1. The club at Cosmo plays “thump thump” music that is audible in some Aria rooms into the very late night.

2. Walk from room to elevator can be long if your room is out toward the edges. (Sister property MGM gets the same complaint).

Don’t know if either of those are important, but doing the $20 trick don’t be scared to make a couple of moderate requests.

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My husband and I are planning a trip to Las Vegas . We have a time share that we visit every year. My husband recently had achilles tendon surgery and is in a special “boot” with no weight bearing. He is mostly in a wheelchair (non motorized) and crutches. The resort is no problem but we are wondering about handicap access on the strip, in the casinos and restaurants. Postponing the trip is possible with the typical airline penalty but I also have tickets to Rod Stewart. What do you suggest?

Thank you,

Nancy LaBelle

Ted Responds:

The Americans With Disabilities Act mandates that just about any business open to the public absolutely must be accessible to wheelchairs. Also, the business on The Strip want your business and realize that not everyone is mobile!

I would show up early for the concert, go to the box office, and note that one of your party isn’t mobile if he can’t maneuver through an auditorium on foot. They should be able to accommodate you, although it might be in a somewhat different part of the venue than your tickets are in. Do not fear: Wheelchair areas generally are not “bad seats”.

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I love receiving the newsletter and I know a lot of work goes into it and I really appreciate it.

I just returned from a 2 week visit to Sin City (stayed at the Flamingo-over 25 consecutive years) and the weather was great.

My question is a simple one. I heard that Lynyrd Skynyrd was opening a barbecue restaurant somewhere on the Las Vegas strip. Can you tell me where and when?

Thanks!!!!

Jeff Cohen

I need to note that Jeff’s letter came in a while ago. We’re doing our best to work though them.

For the “Simple Man who say “Gimme Three Steps” to the door, we indeed have info on the pending opening linked at Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ and Beer To Rock Las Vegas Strip With The South’s Best Barbecue, Rockin’ Bar Scene

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