New Photo on Simplifying Las Vegas Home Page

Hi Vegas gurus,

I hope you enjoy the new photo on the home page of Simplifying Las Vegas. It was submitted by John Babis and is a really beautiful shot of the Strip taken from Mandalay Bay. If you have taken a snapshot of the Strip, a digital depiction of downtown, or an outstanding outskirts photo, feel free to submit them to me to put on my home page.

Or, if you don't want your picture donning my home page, feel free to submit it to my Flickr group, which has over 475 members and over 6,300 photos! In any event, I hope you share them. I love seeing great pictures of Vegas!

Viva,
Mike

Of Robberies and Working Girls

Hi Vegas fans,

It's been a high profile week for Las Vegas. The two main stories were very eye-catching:

1. Harry Reid suggests that the time has come for legal prostitution to go in Nevada. He has little support in his efforts, especially from other legislators who mention that Nevada has bigger fish to fry, such as the economy and education. The Las Vegas Review Journal reported the response from working girls and others interested in the topic. Their main argument is that illegal prostitution in places like Las Vegas is dangerous, and street girls have a high disease rate.

Statistics confirm these statements. Remember, when you are in Las Vegas (Clark County), prostitution is illegal and "what happens here stays here" could mean that you get: 1) arrested 2) your money stolen and/or 3) HIV. Better to play it safe in Vegas by either forgoing sex and just visiting a strip club or going across the county border to a legal brothel - there are some famous ones about 60 miles from Las Vegas in Pahrump.

2. Two men were arrested in association with the Rio robbery, according to the Las Vegas Sun, but the armed robber is still at large. The story goes something like this: Steven Gao (gunman not yet apprehended) owes Edward Land $15k, Land drives Gao to the Rio, Gao steals chips from a Pai Gow table, Gao takes off in Hiroyuki Yamaguchi's cab, who also knew Gao was going to rob the joint. Police have recovered about $17k in chips from Land's home. Land and Yamaguchi have been placed under arrest.

These types of plots almost never work. You have to be an evil genius to plan a casino heist, and even then you'll probably get caught. I mean, look at Ocean's 11. If you recall, they had a great idea, it took 11 of them, and they still needed a lot of luck to pull it off. If you haven't seen Ocean's 12, then I'm going to spoil some plot for you. They got caught. Terry Benedict (played by Andy Garcia) finds the 11 robbers and makes them pay.

Ok I know what you're thinking... what about Ocean's 13? True, that one worked, but I don't buy it. Look, Willy Bank (Al Pacino) knew who robbed him because Ocean (George Clooney) confronted him at the end of the movie. Robbery is like kidnapping: the only way it works is if you don't know who the perpetrators are.

My take? Whether it's a fun fictional movie or the scary, seedy real world, crime doesn't pay. I'm sticking to $5 blackjack and craps to try to win my fortune.

Viva,
Mike

Rio Robbery

Hi Vegas fans,

The Rio was robbed in a similar fashion to December's Bellagio robbery. Except that this robber only took $32k in chips. So, if some dude in a ski mask asks you to cash in a few large chips at the Rio or any other Harrah's property, do yourself a favor and decline.

Here's hoping your weekend is fun and robbery-free.

Viva,

Mike

Win February's Free Gift - There's Still Time!

Hi Vegas fans,

You have a few more days to throw your hat in the ring to win a cool prize from Simplifying Las Vegas. All you have to do is try your hand at an easy trivia game (you can find all of the answers on the website). You don't have to buy anything or even download anything to play. It's all free, all for fun. And I only collect your e-mail address so that I can contact you when you win. It's that easy! This is, after all, Simplifying Las Vegas, and you know my motto...

Go to Vegas. It's that simple.™

Viva,
Mike

Legalized Online Gambling?

Hi Vegas fans,

Since 2006, online gaming has been illegal. Now that the economy is in a downturn, the government is looking for more ways to make some money, and the online gambling bug is biting. There are, of course, plenty of opponents to this idea. They fear corruption, crime and addiction. All good points.

However, if the government is prepared for these problems, it has a better chance of controlling it. If they eventually decide to legalize gambling, they must set aside money for problems and be sure to have experts help handle them. If the government does nothing, then illegal gaming will continue with all of its inherent problems, and the fed will lose out on some serious revenue potential. There is always a trade off with gaming.

If online gaming does become legal, what does this mean for Vegas? Will visitation go down as people forgo keno for keyboards? Probably not. My guess is that people will continue to visit Vegas for the experience, which you can't get on a computer monitor. They may supplement their trips with online gaming, but for travelers, there's nothing like going to Vegas.

Viva,
Mike

Valentine's Day

Hi Vegas lovers,

Don't forget today is Valentine's Day. Give that special someone in your life an extra hug. Even if it's your dog or cat. Hopefully it's a little less fuzzy than that.

Here's another idea. Book a romantic getaway to Vegas for the two of you. Yes, just the two of you. You deserve it. And Vegas is a great place for lovebirds. Try Paris - go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and look out over the city. You can see the Bellagio fountain show from there, too, which is another romantic site.

Go see a show together. Any of the Cirque shows are great for couples - from the daring and sexy Zuamanity at NY NY to the visually stunning Ka at MGM Grand to the Beatles Love at Mirage.

Rekindle your zest for each other. Vegas has a lot of options in this category, from the mild (like the Sirens at TI) to the medium (Peepshow at Planet Hollywood) to the wild (let's just say if you can dream it, Vegas can make it happen... for the right price).

Whatever you do today, I hope you enjoy love, whether you are with someone special or just doing something nice for yourself.

Viva,
Mike

Steve Darci and the Las Vegas Hilton

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Friday that Steve Darci, the magician who had a show at the Las Vegas Hilton, passed away Friday after a battle with colon cancer. His website, and the Las Vegas Hilton's website, do not mention anything about his death.

I send my sympathy to his family and fans. I respect and admire his optimism to the end and wish that he could have won his fight against the disease.

I don't know what the protocol is for things like this, and I don't know how long you have to wait to respond, but I wish the Hilton would release a statement or put something in their news ticker or somewhere on their site out of respect for Steve Darci. I know this is a tricky and difficult issue for the Hilton, especially considering that the hotel is in a competitive entertainment industry. They are supposed to only report happy news and promote fun and excitement, not death. Take into consideration that the unwritten rule that "no one dies in a casino." Death is never an easy topic for a hotel/casino.

However, I remember when Roy Horn was attacked by a white tiger during his famous show with Sigfried in October 2003. The giant marque at the Mirage displayed well-wishes and prayers for the entertainer for 6 months after the incident.

The Hilton is undergoing changes. For a while now, they have been trying to update their style from a mature Barry Manilow to a hip new upscale joint, catering more to a younger crowd. I wish them well - I've stayed there in the past and may visit them again soon. It's a good place for gambling and hanging out.

They could take a moment, however, to pause and reflect on the life of one of the performers that worked hard to entertain its guests.

Viva,
Mike

The Myth of "Touristy"

Hi Vegas fans,

I read a very good article in the New York Times today about a travel writer's first visit to Las Vegas. Matt Gross describes the path most travel writers try to take when they visit new cities: the "locals" route. This is a decidedly different method than the majority of people take: the "tourist" route.

Living in Charleston for many years has taught me the difference. When you live in a city that people visit frequently, there is some sort of "code" that we all have to follow. Residents shall not go to places that the tourists go, and tourists search out all the things that the locals do. I'm not really sure why. For one thing, I can tell you that many a Charlestonian enjoys when family visits so that they can go to the downtown historic section of the city and "play tourist" in their own town.

My point is this: the touristy parts of a city and the locals only corners are all part of the puzzle. In Las Vegas, the Strip and Fremont Street are fun and fantastic. So are Four Kegs and the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas and M Resort. There's no shame in liking the "touristy" parts of town, whether you are a tourist or a life-long resident.

I think Gross puts it quite nicely when he describes his transition from the outskirts to Las Vegas Boulevard:

The 'real' Las Vegas I’d been exploring was a diversion from another, just as real version: the Sin City of the Strip, the crowds, the resorts, the gambling.

Absolutely.

Viva,

Mike

The Big Game!

Hi Vegas (and especially football) fans,

A few Super Bowl XLV happy thoughts for you all before kickoff:

• May your beer glasses be full
• May the commercials make you laugh, but not enough to spew beer out of your nose
• May your favorite team win
• May the point spread be in your favor, or the under/over be just right
• May you have fun with your friends, family, and anyone else you can get to help you yell at the stupid quarterback who can't seem to make up his mind when to throw the dang ball and... (well, you know what I mean)
• Lastly, may you enjoy the game safely, and please use a designated driver or call a cab if you enjoy it too much.

From the Las Vegas Advisor, the final line on the game "has the Packers favored by 2.5 in most places, though 3s can be found. The total is available from 44.5 to 45.5." I'm sticking with my original prediction: Steelers by a touchdown.

Viva,
Mike

It Takes All Kinds

Hi Vegas fans,

I learned recently that the Digiscrap-apalooza conference will be in Vegas at the Riviera the same time that Steve and I will be there. In case you don't know (and I didn't), this is for scrap book fanatics. Not exactly something we would get excited about, but it got me thinking.

There's this Big Game this weekend (Super Bowl XLV), and although Vegas will be packed with football fans this weekend, it's not everyone's cup o' joe. It takes all kinds.

People go to Vegas for all different kinds of reasons, but it seems clear to me that it's a great gathering place, whether you are watching a sporting event, having a reunion, getting married... I could go on. Bottom line: when people think of "fun" and more specifically "over-the-top fun," Vegas often comes to mind. Viva Digiscrap-apalooza.

So whether you are watching the game in Vegas this weekend or at home or at a bar or at a friend's house, or whether you are knitting or baby-sitting or doing a crossword puzzle, whether you have never been to Vegas or whether you are going for you 100th time, remember my motto: Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Enjoy your weekend.

Viva,

Mike

Classic Las Vegas

Hi Vegas aficionados,

Steve and I will be staying at the Riviera on our next trip. We've stayed there a few times, including on our very first trip back circa 1992. What a blast - we were just kids then, really. We really didn't know what to expect, but we had fun playing $2 blackjack and craps, even at the high-end places like Caesars and the Mirage. Back then, Caesars was a great place to gamble. Lots of tables, bonuses for things like 6-7-8 blackjack (not a side bet, a bonus!). Those days are gone.

My favorite venue was the Stardust. Even back then, it was kind of old and starting to show its age. But the blackjack tables were a blast, and the dealers were friendly. Above is a picture of me with one - her name was Penny and she was really funny. Great dealer.

Las Vegas still has some awesome, professional dealers, even if the bonus deals are long gone. That's one of the reasons I still enjoy visiting Las Vegas. The dealers really make the experience worthwhile. Well, the dealers and the cocktail waitresses.

The good news is that if you come across one that you don't like, you can just switch tables. Who needs Grumpy the Dealer? I've added some more ideas on blackjack tables and dealers on the Gaming tab, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, too. So please feel free to post some comments about good and bad experiences at the tables in Las Vegas.

Viva,

Mike