Coming Soon and News Items

Hi Vegas fans,

You'll soon notice some new features on the website. I'm still testing some javascript to make some groovy things work (this is a fancy way of saying I ain't done coding yet), but be on the lookout for these new features:

• An Itinerary Creator: you choose from a list of items, and voila, you'll see my suggestions for an itinerary automatically! Pretty nifty, eh?
  
• Scavenger Hunt: Want to win a free prize? All you have to do is find some stuff on the website, then submit your answers. One winner will be chosen at random per month. You like free stuff, right?
  
• Gambling Information: This is long overdue and will include some tips and humor from my long-time friend and fellow Vegas aficionado, Steve Reed. You'll read, you'll enjoy, you'll save a few shekels. No big whoop.

I hope to have at least some of these changes done by the end of this week. Then, I plan to revisit the tables on the website to update some of the changes that are constantly taking place in Vegas (new shows, current shows changing venues, price differences, etc.). Whew!

Vegas News:

Two Vegas items that caught my attention this week.

1. Part of the Stimulus Package includes an idea that I would love, but it is drawing fire because it costs a few gazillion dollars.

The idea? A train from Anaheim (CA) to Vegas. I like to visit California during my longer trips to Sin City, but the deal usually involves me getting up early and driving to LA, with Steve nodding off in the front seat and my wife stretched out in the back seat reading Vogue or snoozing.

We drive back that same night. Steve takes the wheel and I tell bad jokes, try to find a good satellite radio station, and get slap-happy silly from little sleep. My wife stretches out in the back seat and reads Vogue or snoozes.

I know there are buses and planes to California, but they do not suit my needs. I might do a bullet-train if it didn't take too long and didn't cost too much. OK taxpayers, you can throw stuff at me now.

2. The Palms is opening up a cool art-house type movie venue. I like me some artsy movies (although I don't know I'd see flicks while in Vegas!), but this is pretty cool, especially for locals.

That's all for this week, folks. Remember the golden rule... go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,

Mike

Wow

Good morning Vegas fans,

It's Thursday, and I'm a day late for the usual entry for my blog. Why, you ask? I've been swamped since answering last Thursday's Question of the Day on the Las Vegas Advisor. I had 44 people fill out a form for a free itinerary! Yowza. I am just about caught up, and I plan on finishing the last 6 tonight.

Thanks to you all for your comments and questions. There have been a lot of visitors to the site, and a lot of great feedback on a number of my initiatives. Please continue to visit and comment, ask questions, rant, joke, criticize, etc. I'm always happy to hear what your thoughts are on my thoughts on Vegas.

I will probably answer another Question of the Day again soon, so I'll keep you posted. In the mean time, I have a lot to do on the website. It won't go through another facelift (well, not now, anyway), but it will get some updates and some new stuff. That's all I'm saying for now, so you'll just have to keep on a-visitin'.

In other news... I received these two links from a co-worker and Vegas fan, so I thought I'd share them with you:

• Casinos are warned about card counting and the iPhone
• Oscar Goodman says President Obama should apologize for Vegas statement

That's it for this week, folks. I'll have more news n' notes soon. For now, remember my most important rule. Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,
Mike

New... stuff!!

Hi Vegas fans,

A few new items to discuss this week. First, I'm very happy that I will be a guest expert again to answer tomorrow's Las Vegas Advisor Question of the Day. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Once it is on their site tomorrow, I will get a lot of hits on my site, and it will certainly keep me busy for a while. I'm ready!

Second, you probably heard that Amazon is releasing a new Kindle (version 2). The good news is that even if you have a copy of Simplifying Las Vegas and purchase a new Kindle, you can download it to your new device with no problem. I'm excited about the new version, and I can't wait to see it. I have not ordered one yet, but my one of my co-workers has, and I'm sure I'll test his out before buying one of my own. It looks very slick, though.

And... I'm really thinking about the possibilities of another trip to Vegas in August. As soon as we figure out how much money we're getting back from our taxes, I'll know for sure. Wish me luck!

Have a great week.

Viva,
Mike

Great deals to Vegas

If you are looking to book a trip to Las Vegas this year, you're in luck. Hotels and travel sites are offering promotions/discounts to get you there, and the further you book in advance, the more money you can save.

For example, Treasure Island (TI) is running a promotion where you can save 15% (7-30 days in advance) to 30% (> 90 days in advance) if you book from them directly. You can even book your flight and rental car (if applicable) directly from the TI site.

When booking a package deal, I also always look at the following sites when comparing prices:

• Expedia
• Travelocity
• Sidestep
• Airline sites (if you can fly Southwest, you'll get a pretty darn good deal)

So if you thinking about your summer vacation, start planning now because who knows when these prices will start to rise.

If you find an extraordinary deal, comment here on the blog, or email me and I'll post it for you.

Viva,
Mike

Back from Vegas...

Hi Vegas fans,

Well, the four-day stint in Vegas is now a memory. I had a great time, even though the hungry blackjack and craps tables put me a few dollars down. It was well worth it. My friends also had fun, and as usual fared better than I did! I am like a cash register for them when it comes to gambling.

A few notes and observations:

- Harrah's properties are making life difficult for low-limit blackjack players. You can't find a $5 table with good rules (i.e. 3:2 blackjack). Keep raising those prices and paying out 6:5 on blackjack, Harrah's, and see where your customers go...

- There are still a few places on the Strip and beyond where you play low-limit blackjack with good rules. We played at Excalibur and the Stratosphere. The Strat is my favorite place to play these days. It's a little far North (and it you don't want to say it's on "The Strip" that's true, technically, but hey it's close enough). But, consider this: the atmosphere is fine (albeit a little smokey), the table games have low limits, the dealers are good (most of em), and the cocktail waitresses are very nice and bring me my rum & cokes at a reasonable rate (yes, I do tip them). I really like this place and highly recommend playing there!

- I was surprised to see a very crowded Golden Nugget downtown on Sunday night. They also only had $10 blackjack, but they typically do have $5 tables. This was also a fun place to play, but the spacing is not great (hard to get in and out of pits), and some dealers leave a little to be desired. Recommendation: smile. I know your job is not fun and standing on your feet all day is a pain, but you'll find that a lot of guests will be happy to chat with you and not be annoying if you have some fun with it.

- We stayed at the Flamingo. On the plus side, the lobby, shops, and casino were all very nice, clean and accessible. At first it felt a little like a labyrinth, but after a short time we got very used to the layout and had an easy time getting from place to place. My favorite part of the Flamingo was the Wildlife Habitat. Saturday morning, I strolled out to see the beautiful pink Flamingos, pheasants, ducks, swans, and more. And the koi were huge! The setting is quite relaxing, especially if you've been in a noisy casino for a while. There's a good deal of shade, and there are a few nice waterfalls in the area. This is a really great spot and I highly recommend it.

Ok - now for a few complaints. The hotel room was nice enough, but nothing special. I don't expect a lot when staying in a room in Vegas. As most people will note, how much time do you actually spend in the room? Very little. But there are a few things you have to do, assuming you will be around other people. That's right - shower. Ours was sub-par; the water pressure was low, probably because the water shot out of the spout and the shower head at the same time. Even with a great deal of pulling on the diverter knob thingie, I couldn't get it to work right.

And, Monday morning, I noticed we had no shampoo. I guess the maids confiscated what was left in our bottle and forgot to give us a new bottle. At least I hope they forgot and were not trying to use it as currency. Sheesh. As it was close to checkout time, I just didn't want to deal with it, so I didn't call down to the front desk or complain. But these are the basic things you expect a hotel to get right.

- As usual, I reserved an economy car but they were all out. So, I got a minivan. That's right. We cruised down the Strip with the hottest car a soccer mom could ever want. Trouble is, none of us are soccer moms. The last I checked, anyway. Usually I don't mind a bigger car in Vegas, but this was a Town & Country the size of a large town... or small country. And yes, I'm used to driving a smaller car and can't park a large one worth a damn. But this thing was really a beast. At least it had an iPod jack and we were able to listen to tunes the whole time.

- The most fun/nerve-racking part of the trip was betting on and watching our beloved Va Tech Hokies vs. the Miami Hurricanes in men's basketball. We had just come off a huge win vs. then #1 Wake Forest, and we were 6.5 underdogs at Miami. The game was back-and-forth and went into overtime, which just about killed us. Fortunately, the Hokies pulled it out in OT by 4 points. We all breathed a sigh of relief and high-fived to victory!

- We saw Ka at MGM Grand. It was elaborate. The acrobatics were very good. The story was confusing. I like my shows a little less cerebral, but that may just be me...

Well... I guess I'm sad now that the trip has come and gone. Back to my real job and real life, which is much less exciting than doubling-down on 11 with a dealer 10 showing, only to get an ace, but then watching the dealer bust to win $10. Yep, that happened... maybe once, and maybe I lost most of my double-downs, but ya can't win if you don't gamble. So, go to Vegas. That's what I do...

Pictures to follow soon on my Flickr group. Oh, also don't forget your chance to win a free bag tag. Saturday is the January deadline.

Until next time.
Viva,
Mike

I'm so there!

Friday morning I depart for Las Vegas at 7:20 am (yes I owe my wife big time for taking me to the airport early in the morning). I can't express how much I'm looking forward to this trip, how much I need a vacation.

Aside from the usual (gambling, partying, etc.), here's some of the stuff on my agenda:

• Check out Encore, Steve Wynn's new toy. Looks plush, so I'll probably touch some stuff I'm not 'sposda. I've heard that there's some cool memorabilia outside of the Sinatra restaurant, so I'm gonna try to get a few pictures of it.


• Check out the Palazzo. I went there last year when it had just opened, so it wasn't really fleshed out yet. This is another place that's too rich for my blood (and other parts of me), so I'll be a poser, take some pictures, and gawk at the pretty people with money.


• Visit Fremont East at night. Las year, I took some groovy pictures of this hip district, which is located very near the Fremont Street Experience. But I want to take it all in at night and maybe visit a bar or two. Or three. You get the idea.

We're staying at the Flamingo, so I'll have to let you know what I think of it. And I don't know if the birds will be out there (it'll be pretty cold during my stay), but if they are, I'll take some pictures of them.

And speaking of pictures... my Flickr group has grown a great deal. Check it out when you get a chance, there's tons of fab pictures on it.

I'm curious to see all the changes in Las Vegas. What's the skinny on new construction? How crazy is traffic now? How has the economic downturn changes things? Will we get good table games (probably not at Harrah's properties, from what I understand)? So much to explore, and so little time!

Wish me luck.
Viva,
Mike

Folies Bergere to Close

Hi Vegas fans,

I usually don't make a point of posting a blog about a show closing, but I thought this was kind of sad news and wanted to take a moment to discuss it. Since 1959, Folies Bergere has graced the Tropicana on the Las Vegas Strip. Because of the economy, the show will fold in March. Folies was produced in-house at the Trop, so it will not be showing anywhere else.

I saw Folies several years ago, and I'm glad I did. You'll see reviews of the show, and some people will say Folies was way past its prime, that it's a good thing it's closing, that it's about time. Not me. Now don't get the wrong impression. I'm a big fan of the new shows in Vegas, and I'm not one of those people who's convinced that Las Vegas was better off during the Rat Pack era than the Wynn era. But I liked Folies.

I remember it vividly...

In 2002, my girlfriend (now wife, Martha) had never been to Las Vegas, and I had not been in several years. I booked our stay at the MGM Grand, and we had such a great time in Vegas! One night we decided to take in Folies. Martha wanted to see classic Vegas, although she was a little hesitant about seeing a topless show. But, she agreed to go... when in Rome, you know.

We sat at one of those long tables they position at the front of the stage. Our seats were at the very front of the table, practically touching the stage. We chatted very briefly with the couple who sat across from us, and then the show started.

We really enjoyed it. The numbers were fast, vivid, fun, and unique. For one set, the showgirls sat on large swings that swooped across the stage. They seemed to swing dangerously close to my head, although I'm sure those high heels cleared me by a safe distance. Some of the feathers from their boas flew off as they swung, and I joked with Martha that they were tickling my nose. She was worried that I was going to have to marry one of them - if they got any closer on those swings, I would probably become intimately involved with them. 

About half way through the show, they brought on the comic relief, typical of the classic Vegas experience. Wally Eastwood - Fast Wally. I'll never forget him. He juggled (really fast, not your typical juggling act), told a few jokes, and played the piano with bouncing balls (targeted as a hoax on YouTube because the piano is apparently pre-recored, but who cares? It looked real enough and was still fun to watch). Great entertainment. What more could you ask for?

I typically stay away from musicals and big number type shows. They're just not my thing. But there was something about Folies that I really liked. Can't exactly explain it, but I think it has more to do with my memory of our time in Vegas than the actual show. 

These days, Las Vegas hotels focus a lot on providing big, all-inclusive experiences in a one-stop-shop. They want to provide top-notch entertainment at a reasonable price for the consumer without costing them a lot of overhead. That means that your favorite show, slot machine, club... or casino may not be there next week.

So it's particularly impressive that Folies has been a Vegas mainstay for 50 years. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to do so if you're in Vegas before March. You won't be disappointed. 

It isn't big. It isn't extreme. It isn't built in a theater with high-tech acoustics. It is just good, fun entertainment. And I'll miss it when it's gone...

Viva,

Mike