2010 Vegas Year in Review

Happy New Year's, Vegas fans!

As I look back on 2010, I have a lot of good Vegas memories and some scars to remind me that Sin City is one tough town. Here are some of my favorite highlights from this past year, in no particular order:

• CityCenter: This is one groovy, high-end property with art sculptures, swanky bars & restaurants, Viva Elvis Cirque show, and a dark casino. Good times.
• Birthday Blowout Bash: I turned a milestone age this year, and I celebrated with family and friends in Las Vegas. The first night of my trip, I had a few cocktails at Bill's Gamblin' Hall and then... well, the rest is somewhat fuzzy. I do recall having to call my wife to help me find my way back to the room. Good times.
• Cosmopolitan: The new property, not the drink. I have not been there yet (if you have, let us know what you think!), but it looks nice and I plan to go there on my next trip.
• Increased visitation: While gambling revenue has not rebounded quite yet, there are more and more people visiting Las Vegas these days. Slow but steady increases are good news after a few years of negative numbers.
• Harrah's becomes Caesars Entertainment: Meh. Let's see what happens.
• Might as well Jump at the Stratosphere: A new attraction at the Strat temps visitors to jump off the building. I think they strap a bungee cord or parachute to you or something.
• Gillies at TI offers mechanical bull: You can ride it, or you can watch cowgirls wearing little more than their boots on it. Ah, I love legitimate theater.
  
• Simplifying Las Vegas new website, 2011 electronic book versions available on Kindle, Nook and as a Flipbook: Gotta plug SLV. It's been a great year, thanks to you all!

I'm looking forward to 2011. My New Year's resolution is to continue providing great content, fun, and news to readers.

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous 2011!
Viva,
Mike

Relax and Enjoy

Happy Holidays, Vegas fans!

I hope you are enjoying a nice, relaxing break from reality over this holiday season. I am traveling (though for once not to Vegas) and visiting with family. As much as I love what I do, it's nice to get away from it all. There's really nothing like taking your mind off.... wait, what was I saying? See, I'm really relaxed!

When you are out there spending your holiday gift cards, don't forget to go green. If you have spending money at Barnes and Noble, consider a Nook. If you have some cash to burn at Amazon, think about a Kindle. These are great ways of reading lots of stuff and not carrying around a ton of weight. eBook sales have increased significantly this year, which is great news for us self-publishers.

Regardless of how you are spending your gift cards and spending your holidays, enjoy them! And don't forget how nice it feels to be doing something different, something out of the ordinary. The same is true for your trips to Vegas. I'm planning one for April now, after nixing the idea of planning one for February. I need a break, and Vegas is the great escape. I can hang on till April. I think. Remember to enjoy yourself and that you deserve a vacation. And where better to spend it than Las Vegas?

Thanks for your support. Enjoy your week,
Mike

Electronic Holiday Gifts

Hi Vegas fans,

I've been in this spot before, and I'm wondering how many of you have, too. It's December 23rd (or 24th), and I haven't finished shopping. There's that one person on the list that I can't seem to figure out what to buy. I don't mean "the perfect gift" either. I mean a nice gift that won't break my bank but will be a thoughtful present.

It's got to be one that's easy to buy - after all I don't want to be stuck in traffic or wandering the cold streets all night. I've got eggnog to drink! And when it's this late in the year, you can't really shop online unless you want to pay a zillion dollars in shipping. Ouch.

How about this? Try an electronic gift. I always like to give (and receive) iTunes or e-books. They're environmentally friendly, they're easy to buy on the spot with no shipping costs, and the recipient will always be able to use them. If you're in the market for an e-book, and the person you are buying for is a Vegas nut like you, please consider my book. If you purchase any flavor (Kindle, Nook, PDF or Flipbook) of my book by December 31, I will send you a luggage tag for free as a token of my appreciation. All you have to do is e-mail me with the date you purchased the book and they type of book you bought. It's a win-win, so give it some thought.

Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday season!

Viva,

Mike

Wish List

Hi Vegas aficionados,

As the holidays approach, it's time again for me to present my Wish List. My list contains things for Las Vegas because, after all, I'm pretty fortunate and I don't need a thing. Well, maybe a Vegas-themed Snuggie, but little else.

Las Vegas needs a few things, and I mean besides increased visitation, higher gaming revenue, a brighter job market and improvements in the housing market. Those are all obvious, and when the economy picks up, most of those things will turn around. So here's my Wish List for Las Vegas in no particular order:

1. Rain. Sure is dry in the desert. Vegas needs some steady rain, not the flash flood type of downpour. The outlook is not good, but we can ask, can't we?

2. Prosperity for Cosmopolitan. Last year, I asked Santa for CityCenter to open with great fanfare and to thrive for years to come. They are struggling a bit, but I think in the long run they will be profitable and travelers will see how much fun this place is and how fantastic an idea CityCenter is. Cosmo, it's your turn as the newest kid on the block. Knock 'em dead.

3. A continued trend of fun, entertainment, amazing food, escape, great pools, and general wackiness. Las Vegas has always provided that for travelers, and as long as that's the case, I'll continue to go back. I think for Las Vegas, it comes naturally. Here's to you, Sin City!

Here are some other personal Wish List items (again, in no particular order):
1. Removal of the BCS. No one needs this stupid football system when a playoff would work nicely. Wouldn't make my football tickets pay off any differently, but it would make for a more interesting season.

2. Better gaming rules on the Strip. With Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah's) and the Mirage owning a majority of properties, the average Joe doesn't have many choices. We need more table games, better rules, and a good number of low-minimum options. Please (see? I asked nicely!).

3. Finally, for you - my family, friends, and readers - I wish the happiest of holidays. May your Wish Lists all be fulfilled. May you spend time with the ones you love. May you enjoy every minute of it. Thank you for your continued support. Thanks for making Simplifying part of your lives. It's a blast for me, and I hope it is for you, too.

Viva,
Mike

'Tis the Season

Hi Vegas fans,

It'll be here before you know it. That's right, bowl season is upon us. Oh and the holidays, of course. But college football is another good reason to celebrate, especially if you're a gambler. I love watching college sports even more than pro sports these days, with the exception of baseball (lose the aluminum bats, fellas).

College football is such a treat, and it comes and goes way too quickly. Of course, some of that has to do with the stupid BCS. Someone please tackle these morons who are running this catastrophe. It's a sad day when a few suits pocket money from sponsors instead of giving fans what they really want: a small playoff system. That's all we ask, really!

In any event, I'm sure I'll watch a bunch of bowls. It's way too early for lines on most games yet, but here are some early Mike predictions:

• My beloved Virginia Tech Hokies beat Stanford with a late field goal
• Maryland over East Carolina by 10
• Kansas State over Syracuse by 14 at Yankee Stadium
• Kentucky upset Pittsburgh by 2 points
• Nevada tears apart Boston College by 21
• Auburn beats Oregon in the National Championship by 4 points

You heard it here first. If you make some money off of any of these bets, you can thank me by purchasing my book. If you lose a lot of money, this site is for entertainment purposes only.

Here's one bet you can't lose. In February, Lingerie Bowl VIII is coming to Las Vegas. Unbenownst to my wife and my buddy Steve, I am seriously considering attending this event on Feb 6th. Steve, if you are reading this, see if you can clear your schedule for this very important sporting event.

Stay tuned...
Viva,
Mike