These and other questions you’ll ponder as you enjoy Le Rêve, a beautifully conceived presentation of a dream at Wynn.

Set in an extraordinary circular theater surrounding a pool of water,
Le Rêve opens with a lady in a red dress falling asleep on a bed. Immediately
the audience is submerged in her elaborate dreams — whether they’re romantic, comedic or spiritual, they’re always evocative.

A brilliant red hue, a recurring element throughout the meditation, is found on caps, shoes and costumes as well as in the lighting. The intensity builds and wanes. The pool’s depth changes within seconds to accommodate the mood. Passions and intrigue run deep; frivolity skips across the shallow surface.

At times every inch of the intimate theater is filled, from birds flying overhead to dozens of beautiful images suspended from the ceiling to
the breathtaking action in or on the water. The audience is overwhelmed with emotional cues and everything seems equally important in the impressionistic landscape. Other times, the attention is riveted on one profound character or action.

As much aerial adventure as aquatic spectacle, Le Rêve is the creation of Cirque du Soleil visionary Franco Dragone. Acrobats and dancers interpret the majestic music; divers and swimmers precisely time their splashes to the rhythm. Performers display glorious athleticism and a graceful balance as they spin and swing, fall and fly.
The ambitious performance can be enjoyed on any level, literally and figuratively.

Down low in the theater, the audience is enveloped as part of the show. In the middle rows, the theatrics mesmerize from high above and deep below. Higher up, in the plush seats of the VIP Indulgence section, audience members take it all in, sipping on champagne and enjoying chocolate-covered strawberries. Individual monitors allow the view of an underwater camera to help fulfill a budding curiosity about how it’s all put together.

As memorable images of rain, snow, trees, fountains, planets and even the Sistine Chapel are vividly presented, interpretation of the dreamscape can be as varied as the number of eyes, ears and souls in the audience.

Consider universal questions of love and loneliness, hope and despair, and life as a spiritual journey.

Dipping into an infinite well of human creativity, Le Rêve prolongs that fleeting moment between consciousness and slumber, where reality is blissfully confused with fantasy.

Le Rêve
Where: Wynn
When: 7 & 9:30 p.m. Mon., Thurs. & Sun.; 8:30 p.m. Fri.; 8 & 10:30 p.m. Sat.
Cost: $108.90 and up
http://lvshowbiz.com/

Behind The Neon Lights Of Vegas.

By: Crisn Carney/Las Vegas magazine

You came to the desert to eat, to gamble and to see a show or two. Bravo to you, that’s what Las Vegas is all about. But beneath the obvious, hidden under the neon glow, are little-known facts, places and oddities.

What’s in a Name?
Las Vegas is the Entertainment Capital of the World, but it didn’t start off that way. The piece of desert was named sometime in the 1800s by the Spanish, who used the spot as a watering post along the Old Spanish Trail that connected Los Angeles with Santa Fe, N.M.. The name translates as The Meadows. They came for the water, hidden underground in artesian wells.

Agua Fresca
It all started with the water, and water still dominates Sin City. Everywhere you look, there is water. Pools reflect sun off beauties at Wynn and Caesars Palace and cool down hard bodies at the Hard Rock. One of the most magnificent expressions of man’s power over water is the Bellagio fountains, which gets most of its water not from Lake Mead, but from the same artesian wells that drew the Spaniards so long ago.

Let There be Light
Water may be rare in Vegas, but light certainly isn’t. There’s the scorching sun that can top 121 degrees in summer. After sunset, 15,000 miles of neon tubing brighten the Strip and downtown. Most impressive of all is the 30.2 billion lumens light cannon atop the Luxor. To give some context, a good projection TV clocks in at 1,000 lumens. Luxor’s beam is so bright it can be seen from the airspace above L.A.

Big, Big Buildings
Where else in the world can you see a pyramid, the Eiffel Tower, a Roman palace, the canals of Venice and the tallest free-standing building west of the Mississippi, all without getting out of your cab? Nowhere. Where the originals were built to celebrate dead kings, living emperors and a revolution, Vegas built them to house revolving restaurants and beds to rest your head before the debauchery begins anew.

Beds, Beds and More Beds
Vegas has lots of beds. The city boasts 15 of the 20 largest hotels on the planet and more than 124,000 rooms. And the king of the jungle is MGM Grand, with a whopping 5,690 rooms and growing. It is the second-largest hotel in the world and is so huge that the linen department washes 15,000 sets of sheets a day.

What Kinda Shop is This?
Vegas is legendary for shopping. Among the normal and extraordinary are a few stores that just make you say, “Huh?” M&M’s World clearly lands in this category. As does the Barry Manilow store at the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can give your rendition of Manilow’s top hits to entrance your friends. Or accentuate your feminine side with a wig from Serge’s Showgirl Wigs.

Luck Ain’t no Accident
Vegas has many visitors from Asia, and for a time, the city couldn’t avoid unlucky omens. The MGM’s emerald façade was a turnoff to Asian visitors who consider the color unlucky, as was the 80-foot lion at the entrance. It was demolished. But Vegas learned its lesson well. Wynn has no elevator floors that start with the number 4, deemed unlucky in many Asian cultures.

So avoid bad luck, search out the oasis and slip between the crisp sheets. Just never lose your sense of wonder about the most exciting city in the world.

Las Vegas Top Ten Values-October 2007 from The Las Vegas Advisor

1. Shrimp Cocktail - Golden Gate - 11 am-2 am - 99¢

The Golden Gate Casino downtown has been serving its cold-water Bay-shrimp cocktail since 1959. It’s been 99¢ for the past 15 years. It comes in a tulip cocktail glass with lemon, crackers, and a tangy homemade sauce. It’s served at the Deli in the back of the casino.

2. Sign-Up Promotion - Arizona Charlie's Boulder - Daily - $100 Rebate

And we’re replacing the players club sign-up bonus at Stratosphere with the sign-up bonus at Arizona Charlie’s. The Stratosphere deal (escalating freebies for play, including $100 in bounce-back cash) is still good, but the Charlie’s deal is better. New members who lose between $5 and $100 on their first day of play can swipe their card at the players club kiosk when done playing, and the kiosk prints out a ticket that states the loss amount. Take the ticket to the players club booth, where the club card is loaded with the amount of the loss. Now you have to play through that once on a machine of choice and whatever’s left can be cashed out. This last step is new and takes away the element of complete risklessness (you can lose a little on the play-through of the giveback), but it’s still pretty close to a $100 free-shot, with a very high upside. Another way to think about it (if you’re happy enough just to increase your play time) is that you get to take a second shot with your losses. Either way, it’s strong. Just remember to stop playing and get your rebate after you’ve lost the first hundred.

3. Beer - Casino Royale - Daily - $1

We’ve replaced the $1.25 beers at Slots A Fun with $1 Michelobs at the center-Strip Casino Royale. This is a 24/7 deal and the bar staff is ultra pleasant about doling ’em out (it’s not uncommon to encounter a staff that’s resentful of this type of deal). You can also get two flavors of frozen margaritas for a buck apiece. Bottom line, though: Beers for $1 are better than beers for $1.25.

4. Steak & Eggs - Arizona Charlie's Decatur - 24 hours - $2.99

 Like the steak special at the Gold Coast, the classic round-the-clock steak & eggs special served 24/7 at both Arizona Charlie’s has been available for more than 10 years, but the price has been raised only once, from $2.49 to $2.99. Note that the coffee shop at Decatur is extremely popular with locals, so there’s often a line to get in. Check the counter, which often has a seat or two. And while you’re there, take a $100 slot or video poker free-shot on the house.

5. The Comedy Stop - Tropicana - Daily - $19.95

 The Comedy Stop at the Tropicana stays in the Top Ten, based on a recent visit that proved it an even better value than we thought.

6. Steak Dinner - Gold Coast - 24 hours - $10.95

After revisiting the venerable complete steak dinner at the Gold Coast for our "Classics" round-up, we decided that this 24-hour 16-ounce T-bone, which comes with five sides and a glass of beer, is just too good not to be included. Though it's gone up in price over the years (it started a decade or so ago at $5.99), the rest of Las Vegas's prices have since passed it, so it's now a Top Tenner again.

7. Hot Dog - Suncoast - 11 am-5 pm - 75¢

The 75¢ all-beef hot dog available from a vendor cart in the sports book at Suncoast replaces the 75¢ all-beef hot dog available from a vendor cart in the sports book at South Point. They’re the same price. They’re available the same hours. And they come with the same kraut and onions at no extra charge. So why Suncoast and not South Point? Because following another time-honored Top Ten tradition, ties go to the coupon. What that means is that Suncoast participates in the LVA coupon program while South Point doesn’t. So by going to Suncoast you get the added benefit of being able to play your $5 matchplay from the POV while there. It’s a good and fair tie-breaker that also serves to support those who support us.

8. Breakfast Special - 4 Locations - 12 am-11 am - $1.49

New to the Top Ten this month is a $1.49 breakfast special served from midnight to 11 am at the newly designated “Wild” Station casinos. At $1.49 for two eggs, two bacon or sausage, hash browns, and toast, this is the best breakfast we’ve seen hereabouts in a while(d). The previous deal at WWW, which flirted with a listing, was $1.99 and ran from 11 to 11. This one’s nearly equal on the hours and better on the price, plus it’s available in four locations.

9. Buffet - Planet Hollywood - Daily - $13.99-$24.99

The Spice Market Buffet is back where it belongs (after a stint in a ballroom during the changeover from Aladdin to Planet Hollywood), so we’ve also put it back where it was in the Top Ten. Though we only tried the weekend brunch, we were impressed enough to replace the Mirage. The prices are still below most other gourmet spreads (Bellagio, Wynn, Paris), so for now, it’s our prime buffet pick.

10. MNF Parties - 3 Locations - Mondays - Free

Football is here, which means football parties will be the highlight of Monday nights through December. For the past several years, the parties at Boulder Station and Sam’s Town, both on Boulder Highway, have featured a free beer and hot dog (sometimes a hamburger) each, and this year both parties will be back for another season. Combine the two by running to the other at half-time and get a couple dogs and a couple beers, all gratis. Suncoast is added to the party line-up this year giving us a third location.

Diablo's Cantina gets gold star of originality.
By: Jeremy Pond/Las Vegas Review Journal

SHOW REVIEW: V — The Ultimate Variety Show

Tribute artist sings 'for my team, for God and for Ronnie Dunn'
By Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun

He loves his country
Marine who served in Desert Storm takes on new role, as Tim McGraw in Las Vegas tribute show.

Shark Reef Aquarium Celebrates Six Years of Hauntingly Good Fun.

Strange tales.
Weird Las Vegas takes readers on an eerie tour of Sin City.
By:JARRET KEENE/Las Vegas City Life

More Here:
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2007/09/13/ae/books/iq_16611534.txt

High Table Game Limits by Bill Burton

One of the biggest complaints I hear from players is that the minimum bet for the table games are high especially on the weekend and other busy times. Areas with only one or two casinos and even Atlantic City on a weekend all suffer from the lack of tables to accommodate the lower limit players.

From "The Vegas Eye"
http://www.thevegaseye.com/

Heating Up the Strip Latin Style.
The Light Group adds more sizzle to the Las Vegas Strip with its newest venture, Diablo’s Cantina, at Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. The 13,000-square-foot, multi-level entertainment complex is “Party Central” for those looking to let loose in a lively fiesta-like atmosphere. Diablo’s combines all the fanfare and charm of a Mexican coastal cantina with the excitement and vibe of a lively “people-watching” hot-spot. Mixing “Old World” style with modern technology, Diablo’s décor features vibrant colors with rustic tile and furniture as well as 10 large plasma screens throughout for sports and other entertainment options. A staff of sultry señoritas adds a touch of spice and excitement to Diablo’s Cantina while roaming tequila shot girls get the party started. The menu by Executive Chef Noé Alcalá—formerly of Pink Taco at Hard Rock Hotel—includes a cross between south-of-the-border favorites such as the Diablo’s Spiced Skirt Steak, Nachos, and Diablo’s Signature Three Layer Club Quesadilla. Diablo’s Cantina is open 7 days a week, 11am to midnight. Lounge Hours are Sunday – Wednesday 11am to 2am. Thurs. to Sat. 11am–3am. For menus and additional information, please visit www.diabloslv.com.

Beacher's Rock-Star grudge match challenge.

Stemming from the highly publicized scuffle between Kid Rock and Tommy Lee at the VMA's, Jeff Beacher, voted by Rolling Stone Magazine "The Best Showman on The Strip" has called out both of these strapping rock-stars and challenged them to settle their differences in the ring in a winner takes all battle. "We all know that they are fighting over Pam Anderson and what better way to settle their differences than to slug it out in the ring!"
 
"I thought it was the perfect opportunity to put these two Rock N Roll icons together in the ring. This feud has been going on for years," says Beacher, "I am speaking to their management teams to negotiate the fight. The winner will receive 1.5 million dollars. Winner takes all." Stating that he is willing to cancel his little person wrestling league M.U.F.F. Micro Unprofessional Fighting Federation for the evening and give these guys the ring for the night, Beacher seems determined to make this thing happen. If he gets the green light, the fight would take place on September 29, 2007 at 9pm, at Beacher's Madhouse in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.
 
"I have already spoken to a couple of the odds makers here in Vegas and Kid Rock would be the favorite, they are saying that Tommy Lee is just too old and beat up."
 
Beacher's Madhouse is a popular playground for young Hollywood  and mega celebrities alike. Paris and Nicky Hilton, , Jessica Simpson, Quentin Tarantino, Brittney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, John Stamos, Kelly and Jack Osbourne, Nick Lachey, Wilmer Valdaramma, and Jon Bon Jovi have all been guests at Jeff Beacher's Madhouse.