Money Matters in Vegas

Hi Vegas fans,

A few updates:

Inexpensive

The Las Vegas Advisor has a great deal on the Cirque Zumanity show for Mondays in July - check it out!

Crazy Expensive

For those of you who are more interested in big ticket items than low ticket prices, the LVA also posted this tidbit this week... "A Swarovski-crystal-encrusted glove worn by Michael Jackson fetched $192,000 at the Julien's Live auction that took place at Planet Hollywood over the weekend." Wow, that's a lot of Billie Jeans!

And I saved the best for last...

FREE

That's right. Nada. Nuthin'! That's the price you pay for surfing all of the great stuff on the Simplifying Las Vegas website. In addition to reader polls, trivia, and a free itinerary, you'll also see a great new feature coming soon. I don't want to give it away completely, but let me just say that you'll want to check out the site every day for something fun.

I hope you enjoy it. As always, I'm open to suggestions, comments and stories about your trips to Vegas.

Viva,

Mike

Practice makes perfect

Hi Vegas fans,

I've been gearing up for my next trip to the Strip. Although I've been playing blackjack for many years, I still like to set up my card shuffler, six decks, chips and play some hands at home. (This also means turning on some tunes and drinking a few beers. Just comes with the territory.) Now I know basic strategy, and when I forget a specific hand (do I split 2s against a dealer 2?) I look at my strategy card. But it's still good to run through the hands and try to see when I make money, when I lose money, etc. And I don't count cards, but if I did, this is where I'd practice that, too.

It's like everything else in Vegas. If you go into it with at least a basic understanding of what's what, you will have a good time and won't be surprised when you get there. Fine tune your Vegas experience by reading a good travel guide (I humbly suggest Simplifying Las Vegas), visit some websites (including SLV again, please), and watch some specials (the Travel Channel often has some good Vegas tidbits). Even if you've been there before, it's always good to brush up on your Vegas knowledge. Fun, too!

Viva,

Mike

Tropicana - Props to The Trop

Hi Vegas fans,

For years I have enjoyed gambling at the smaller, less fancy-shmancy places on the Strip. This includes the Tropicana. But when it first opened in 1957 as the 12th hotel on the Strip, the Trop was quite the exclusive property. The front of the joint boasted a unique, tulip-shaped fountain. Like the Flamingo and the Desert Inn, the Trop was classy in those days.

Fast-forward fifty years. The Trop fell on hard times, and mismanagement kept it from retaining its glory. The rooms got dingy, the carpets looked threadbare, and the once-dignified diamond-in-the rough was just... well, just rough. Folies Bergere closed, and all that remained of original class was the Tiffany ceiling in the casino. It was constantly on the Strip's list of "next to be imploded and archived on YouTube."

But, recent events have helped change the Trop's tune. New management is giving it a major Miami-beach themed upgrade, expected to be complete in 2011. The casino is going high-tech; gamblers will be able to place bets from their seats in the Sports Book with new eDeck devices. Even their website got a face lift.

I'll continue to gamble there. Why? Not because it will be the cool place on the Strip. Not because it will attract new fans with hip shows, fancy restaurants or a happening club. Those things are all great, but I like the Trop for the same reasons I like the Stratosphere and other "small" places: low-minimum games, easy parking, simple casino navigation, laid-back atmosphere, and strong drinks a-plenty. Makes it easy to stay there a while.

So, best wishes to the "newest" casino on the Strip. I like your style!

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!!!

Site's Done! Sort of...

Hi Vegas fans,

By now, you've seen the new Simplifying Las Vegas website. Whew. Lots of work, and I still have to fix some minor details, and I want to update a little of this, a little of that. And then I'll tweak it some more.

That's the thing about a website. It's a living thing, constantly changing. But for now I'm taking a step back and enjoy it. For now.

And I'm happy to report that I'm ready to take my next trip to the Strip. Four days in September. Oh yeah, I'm already looking forward to it.

More later...
Viva,
Mike

Almost there with the new website

Hi Vegas fans,

The new website is almost complete. I have a few details to figure out, then I will bring it live, probably this weekend or Monday night. I'm very excited! It has a new, fresh look and some new features. And at the same time, I still have the familiar stuff that you know and love.

The site is a great place to explore, see/contribute great Vegas pictures, learn more about Vegas and gambling, and throw in your two cents about all things Vegas. And the site really complements the whole Simplifying idea, as expressed in my travel guides -- Vegas is about having fun on your terms, not someone else's. Don't just read forums that tell you which restaurants they like, which shows are good, etc.

Now I can tell you what I like. That's easy. But, more importantly, if you tell me what kinds of stuff you like to do, I can give you a list of items that you can choose from and then decide for yourself. In Vegas, there's always more than one of anything, and any guide book that points you in one direction is either uninformed, being paid to tell you what to do, or has not done the comprehensive research that I've done (and continue to do) for Simplifying. It's that simple.

People who have the knowledge of what's out there and then decide for themselves what they want to do always have a great time. If you strictly rely on some other source, you may be disappointed. And so the Simplifying site and travel guide present you with the best guidance of all - your options. The rest is up to you. Remember, no one can have fun for you.

Anyway, enough rambling! I will keep you updated on the site and my upcoming trip in September.

Viva,
Mike

News n' Notes

Hi Vegas Fanatics,

A few quick notes. I can't stay long because I'm working hard on a new and improved website. So I guess that's the biggest news item I have this week! It's really coming along, and as long as I can figure out how to switch over my domain, it should be ready in about 2 weeks. I hope

I also wanted to mention that I have a new poll and have received a few votes. Be sure to check it out. Don't forget to leave a comment or email me if you want a chance to win a free t-shirt.

And, the Flickr group continues to grow. There are new pictures every day (over 4,000 of 'em), and there are 350 members!

Thanks for your continue support... I really enjoy writing about Vegas and building the site. Don't forget that you can purchase a copy of SLV either via PDF or download a copy to your Kindle.

Viva,
Mike