Liberace Museum to Close

According to the Las Vegas Advisor, the Liberace Museum will close in October after being in business for 31 years. This is really a shame. It is a wonderful exhibit, and if you get a chance, please go see it.

You don't have to be a Liberace fan to enjoy it. There is a lot of memorabilia, cool cars, pianos and plenty of jumpsuits. It's kitch to the 10th degree, and it's a nice break from the over-stimulation on the Strip. The people who work there are very knowledgeable and friendly. I will miss it.

Just as I miss Elvis-o-Ramma. I know that in Vegas the only constant is change, but usually it's a casino that gets imploded so that a newer one can take its place. When museums and galleries close due to lack of interest or financial troubles, it's a little harder to swallow.

I've always said Las Vegas is so much more than gambling. I like to support the shows, attractions, and other fun stuff that goes on outside the casino. There's plenty to do. I hope that's always the case, and I'll keep supporting these other ventures as long as I go to Vegas. I can't wait to see Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form in a few weeks.

And I'm not a person who constantly says "this isn't the Vegas I remember anymore" or "Vegas ain't what it used to be" - after all, that's the point. Keep it fresh, keep it fun, keep it exciting. But there's always room for familiarity, and I hope that there are more events and places that stay open and continue to change rather than close. I hope.

Viva,
Mike

Works of Art

Hi Vegas fans,

I noticed that the Bellagio has some fantastic art in their Fine Art Gallery. The Bellagio has the only art museum left on the Strip. There used to be some great ones - the Venetian had the Guggenheim Hermitage, the Wynn had some of Steve's personal collection, for example. But now, the Strip just has the Bellagio. I would love to see more art presence on the Strip, but it just hasn't proven profitable for the casinos.

Downtown has some hip places, like the Arts Factory, which is not only home to cool art but is also a bar and bistro. The whole downtown art scene is pretty happening, including First Fridays, which is a fun festival every first Friday of the month. Very cool.

So art is definitely alive in Vegas. And I love it. Along those lines, I wanted to add my own little art contribution to Vegas. About 18 years ago, I took a picture of a 1965 Corvette outside of Caesars Palace. Back then, Caesars wasn't owned by Harrah's. So it was fun. My buddy Steve and I used to play $2 blackjack there, and they had lots of tables. They even had these cool little extras, like if you got a five-card blackjack, you'd get paid extra. Or if you had three sevens, or six-seven-eight, you'd get a bonus. Without even placing a side bet! Unheard of today. It's a different world.

But, I digress. I hope you enjoy my picture on the home page of the site (it's a little grainy... I had to scan it in. The good old days meant developing photos, not downloading them via USB cable to your computer!).

Viva,

Mike

p.s. Fill out the trivia contest by Friday and win a luggage tag!!!