Tuesday, June 30, 2009

A few notes...

Vegas fans,
They say you can't get somethin' for nothin'. Well, I'm here to tell ya that ain't true. If you want to win something for free, you have a very, very good chance if you are reading this today.

It's the last day to win a free luggage tag, so if you have about two minutes, fill out the scavenger hunt online (3 questions, very easy) for your chance to win. If you don't win, there's always next month! More news and notes tomorrow...
Viva,
Mike

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Oh Yeah...

Don't forget that there's still 5 days left to try to win the June Simplifying Las Vegas prize. Just fill out the scavenger hunt, and if your name is drawn you'll win a very snazzy luggage tag. It's free. It's easy. It'll take you about 2 minutes. It'll make your friends go "wow!"

Viva,
Mike

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Countdown

Widget
As I get closer to my August trip, I'm checking Vegas websites every day, updating my own, and thinking about all the fun stuff I want to do when I get there. Sometimes it seems like I'll never get there.

Friends have been asking me "how long till your next trip?" And I tell them it's about two months away. But because I am impatient and want to know the exact number of days, I downloaded a countdown widget that I placed on my i-Google page. I may put this on the site, too, just for fun.

Coming Soon
Speaking of the website, I'm hoping to add a Gambling tab soon. Don't know exactly what'll be on it, but it will include some fun stuff and guest writers. Stay tuned...

Viva,
Mike

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Hangover

Hi Vegas Fans,

Saw The Hangover this weekend with my lovely wife, Martha. You probably know the basic plot - guys decide to go to Vegas for a bachelor party and wake up the next day with problems. It's a funny movie, but I probably enjoyed it so much because of all the Vegas stuff. I don't want to give any of the funniest parts of the movie away, so all I can say is go see it and enjoy it.

It made me think about wild times in Sin City. I can think of some stuff I've done in Vegas that I don't usually do anywhere else, but I can't say that I get too crazy. In fact, watching The Hangover probably made me more cautious because I don't want to end up in the kinds of messes the 4 guys in the movie did!

And as I approach the big 4-0 (next April, when I'll be planning a huge b-day bash in Vegas), I wonder about how crazy I am now as opposed to when I was younger. In some ways, I'm more tame, but then there's something about Vegas (I dunno... gambling, drinking, feasting and so on) that brings out the nut in me. If I didn't have this outlet to blow off a little steam now and then, I'd probably bottle it up and go super batty. And nobody wants that.

So for me, it's like opening the valve on the pressure cooker ever-so-slightly every 6-12 months. It's too dangerous to keep it bottled up, and yet you can get burned if you let it out too fast too often. Balance is not a word typically used in Vegas, but it's a good idea, whether you are thinking about money, partying, driving, or whatever. Just make sure you (or someone you trust) can keep your head on somewhat straight so that you don't wind up in jail, broke (worse), dead (even worse) or all of the above (aaaiiieee!) in one weekend.

Above all, have fun the next time you... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,
Mike

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

All kinds of stuff...

Danny Gans Death Ruled an Accident

Coroner Mike Murphy ruled Danny Gans' death an accident, caused by medication he was taking for chronic pain.

Mike Tyson Marries in Vegas

The third time may prove to be the charm for former boxing champ Mike Tyson. He married Lakiha Spicer at La Bella Wedding Chapel. It seems a little odd, given that his daughter died only two weeks ago in a bizarre accident. However, the owner of the chapel noted that the couple lookedvery happy and looked very much in love. I wonder if it was tempting for Mike to go over to the MGM Grand and mix it up for a few rounds with a contender.

And finally...

Yes, I updated the site! You'll notice a new look to the pages, navigation tabs, and the tables. I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to drop me an email or comment on the blog and lemme know what you think... I put a lot of hard work into it, and I like it. For now.

Viva,
Mike

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Vegas Planning Time

Trip Plans are Solid!

It's my favorite time of year. I like to call it, "yeah, that's right, I'm planning a trip to Vegas again, baby." Of course, that's a little bit of a long title, and as I'm always planning a trip to Vegas (either in my mind, or like now, literally) it's kind of silly to name it at all.

We're looking at a late August, Sun-Thurs trip, with a possible side trip. Rates are good right now, but we're looking to maximize our discounts. We're staying at the Flamingo, which does not offer me as much as a package deal savings as somewhere like the Strat (or Circus Circus if I really wanted to go on the cheap), but the 'Mingo has its advantages, such as:

  • mid-Strip location
  • reasonable room rates
  • clean, comfy rooms (although nothing really special)
  • simple navigation (hotel-casino-parking garage easily accessible)
  • tasty Flamingos (just kidding, but wouldn't it be a hoot if you asked for one in the cafe that faces the bird sanctuary?)

For Real This Time

I'm very, very close to putting the finishing touches on the website redesign. Here's a taste. It's much cleaner, and I'm pretty happy with it. For now. I plan to finish the last few tabs this week and put it up there by the weekend. But if you are tooling around now, let me know what you think of the design thus far. As much work as this has been, it's been fun, too, to see a project come together.

I'll have new pictures for the site, too, in August when I.... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,

Mike