Steve's Everything Las Vegas » Newsletter

Everything Las Vegas: Issue # 713

MrVegas98 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:25:45 +0000

November 20th, 2009

CityCenter Web Site Brings Groundbreaking Destination to Life.

An evolutionary destination designed to transform Las Vegas at its core, CityCenter will be unveiled to the world this December. Yet now, weeks before the groundbreaking project opens its doors to the public, people everywhere can sample some of the energy and sophistication of CityCenter without ever leaving their chairs. Just launched, CityCenter’s new Web site, www.citycenter.com, takes visitors on an interactive cinematic journey, allowing them to discover virtually why CityCenter is destined to forever change the face of the Las Vegas Strip.

CityCenter is an unparalleled urban development brought to life by eight world-renowned architects. Much more than a collection of resorts and residences in the center of the Las Vegas Strip, CityCenter will be a community – a welcoming environment for people to gather, relax and enjoy. Great pedestrian corridors, dynamic public spaces, authentic richness and diversity of experiences will evoke the energy of the world’s most exciting places. Highly innovative and inviting, CityCenter’s newly launched site epitomizes the very essence of this extraordinary resort destination.

“Through cutting-edge technology, this new site provides the best online experience for our guests,” said Bobby Baldwin, CityCenter’s president and CEO. “Travelers planning a trip to Las Vegas can visit the site and within moments understand why CityCenter will be the destination of choice on the Las Vegas Strip.”

From the moment visitors enter the site they have the opportunity to craft their own journey. Just as within CityCenter itself, intrigue awaits around every corner, enticing guests to delve deeper into the project, learning and experiencing along the way. Moving the mouse over the various resort images makes options come alive, while the click of a button pulls viewers into CityCenter via cinematic flythroughs. Full-motion 3-D video treats visitors to a compelling visual tour, providing the sensation of actually being in the center of the city.

“The quality of CityCenter, with its range of amenities, the acclaim of those who helped bring it to life and the ambitious cultural and ecological accomplishments demanded an unconventional approach,” said John Schadler, managing partner of SK+G, the Web site’s designer.

Once stopped on the image of a particular resort, a simple click provides users with general information, a link to the hotel’s individual Web site, and additional options, including a video exploration highlighting the unique character of each resort and the amenities available.

Functional layouts make navigation user-friendly, with no need to back-button click to continue exploration. Dedicated links take visitors to information regarding CityCenter’s unprecedented public Fine Art Collection and the award-winning architects behind the project. Also easily accessible via a dedicated link are details on the development’s commitment to sustainability. Upon opening, CityCenter will be one of the world’s largest green developments, having already earned several Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certifications.

A unique directory allows users to search by category – from dining and spa to entertainment, accommodations and shopping – to discover more about the vast array of offerings available throughout the destination and help guests plan their visit in advance.

With the same ease, visitors looking to simply book their vacation at a CityCenter resort get immediate access to reservations from every page of the site.

“In developing this Web site, we focused on establishing an immersive, first-person perspective that puts the entire collection of CityCenter’s brands at the visitor’s fingertips,” Schadler said. “We utilized full-motion 3-D elements as the basis of navigation to draw visitors in while providing an enhanced sense of both scale and detail. The goal is to intrigue guests by giving them a quick taste of the CityCenter experience and its rich list of offerings.”

Michigan resident is youngest to win World Series of Poker Main Event.
21-year-old champ couldn’t watch as final card was played.

By HOWARD STUTZ/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

All Joe Cada ever really wanted to do was play poker.

Today, at age 21, the Shelby Township, Mich., resident is waking up in a suite at the Rio, sitting at the top of the game, the youngest player to ever win the Main Event in the World Series of Poker.

Cada outlasted Maryland logger Darvin Moon in a nearly three-hour heads-up match early Tuesday morning to win the tournament’s $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold ‘em world championship.

The victory earned Cada more than $8.5 million, a prize he will split 50-50 with two Detroit-area gamblers who bankrolled his entry into the World Series of Poker. Cada didn’t mind sharing the winnings.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/michigan-resident-is-youngest-to-win-world-series-of-poker-main-event-69740937.html

Joe Cada cherishes moment as poker’s youngest world champ.
BY: Case Keefer/Las Vegas Sun.

For Joe Cada, this was always about the bracelet.

Becoming the youngest player in the history of the World Series of Poker — Cada just turned 21 this year — to win the Main Event was great. But staging the most remarkable comeback — he had less than 1 percent of the chips with seven players remaining — in Main Event history was a bonus.

Even the $8.5 million prize was nice, but not as important as the bracelet. So when World Series of Poker commissioner Jeffrey Pollack handed the bracelet to Cada after he beat Darvin Moon heads-up in the early morning hours Tuesday at the Rio, he froze in the moment.

“My breath is still kind of out of me,” Cada said. “It hasn’t hit me yet.”

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/10/cada-cherishes-moment/

$5.1 million later, life goes on for Darvin Moon.
BY: Case Keefer/Las Vegas Sun.

Darvin Moon’s immediate plans after finishing second in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event involved kicking back in his hotel room at the Rio.

It won’t be long, however, until the self-employed logger and new millionaire is back in the woods of western Maryland.

“I’ve got to be back to work Friday,” Moon said. “I’ve got a piece of timber I’ve got to buy.”

As Moon has said all along, he will not change his lifestyle now that he has won $5.1 million. In fact, he’s not even going to make any purchases.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/10/life-goes-moon

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Every Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Suncoast’s showroom, Las Vegas talent shows up for the “Hit Parade.” Admission is free.

Every Friday from 4-10 p.m. at the Emerald Island Casino, 120 Market St., the “Real” Meal Deal: for $14.99 with a players card: jumbo shrimp cocktail, filet mignon and lobster tail, served with soup or salad, choice of potato, vegetable d’jour and a hot fudge brownie with fresh whipped cream.

Caesars Palace has reportedly booked Asian megastar Rain at the Colosseum theater on Dec. 24-25. The South Korean-born star, whose real name is Jeong Ji-hoon, will star in James McTeigue’s new film, “Ninja Assassin,” set for release Nov. 25. Rain is one of the first Asian pop singing stars who has a large fan base beyond Asia.

Play one hour of table games at Ellis Island and receive an entree in the restaurant. Play for two hours and you will receive two entrees — and there is no limit to the number of entrees you can earn. You must be a Passport Players Club member to participate.

Bette Midler is parting company with the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, wrapping a two-year contract with AEG Live on Jan. 31. That leaves Cher as the lone anchor tenant next year, but her dates can’t be spread out because of the cost of putting up and taking down the massive, two-story stage.

The Motown revue “Hitzville” moves into the V Theater on Dec. 19, sharing quarters with mentalist Gerry McCambridge and Sin City Comedy.

There have been rumblings that Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte checked out Cirque’s “Viva Elvis” show last week and called for some major changes. Alan Feldman, MGM Mirage senior vice president of public affairs, said he attended a rehearsal with Laliberte last week, “and he was far from upset.”

“Rock Star the Tribute” was set to open Wednesday in the Riviera’s former “La Cage” venue, most recently used by Charo and Andrew Dice Clay. It previously had brief runs in Steve Wyrick’s theater and the Harmon Theater.

The “Legends”-style format puts rotating impersonators of Joan Jett, Ozzy Osbourne and the like in front of a house band that includes Tony Montana, who was part of “Monster Circus” at the Las Vegas Hilton earlier this year.

Cirque du Soleil’s “Viva Elvis” is scheduled for ticketed previews at Aria Dec. 18 through Jan. 28, all discounted 25 percent.

The base prices, before tax and service fees, are $99, $125, $150 and $175. The top price is more than “Love” or “Criss Angel: ‘Believe’,” breaking a Cirque tradition of not pricing its newest title higher.

From Dec. 1 to Dec. 12, Flamingo headliner George Wallace is giving away a free ticket to his show to guests who bring two or more new, unwrapped toys.

The ticket can be redeemed anytime from the night of the donation through Saturday, Dec. 19. Donations can be dropped off between 6-10 p.m. in the designated donation box located to the right of the showroom near the Donny & Marie Osmond kiosk at the Flamingo hotel. Donations are accepted Tuesday through Saturday. All donations will benefit HELP of Southern Nevada.

The World Chess Championship will be held at the Riviera, Dec. 1-13, 2009. This will be a historic event because for the first time in history, anyone in the world will be eligible to participate in the competition to determine a challenger to play the defending WCF World Chess Champion in a title match. For information, contact the World Chess Federation, Inc., call 702-418-4687 or e-mail: wcfworldchesschampion@yahoo.com.

Comedy-magician and afternoon Strip headliner Mac King, who was interviewed on CBS’s “Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood” on Nov. 1, will be celebrating his 10-year anniversary at Harrah’s Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas City Council today approved over $80,000 in additional funding to help keep the downtown Mob Museum project moving forward. So far, it’s still on track for an opening date about a year from now in the historic federal office building and post office building at 300 Stewart.

If you can’t bear the anticipation until the official opening of CityCenter next month, you can get a sneak peak inside courtesy of a slideshow in today’s Las Vegas Sun.

Popular Motown tribute Hitzville The Show debuts at its new home in the V Theater this evening. It was formerly at the Harmon Theatre before leaving town to go on tour.

Bring Toy to Hilton for 2-for-1 Buffet: Bring an unwrapped toy for the Salvation Army to the players club at the Las Vegas Hilton, plus this email, and receive a 2-for-1 buffet coupon. This offer runs through Dec. 21.

On December 2 M Resort will take possession of the nation’s tallest Christmas tree. It’s expected that the 109-foot White Fir will take up to a week to decorate, prior to the official tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. on December 12, when hot chocolate, carolers, Christmas cookies, and other festivities will be laid on. The tree will be located outside at the Villagio del Sole piazza.

This weekend saw the return of the Candlelight Wedding Chapel, which in its previous incarnation married celebrities including Bette Midler, Michael Caine, Whoopi Goldberg, and Barry White. Formerly located on the Strip just north of the Riviera Hotel, the Chapel originally opened in 1966 and was one of only two free-standing wedding chapels on the Strip at that time. It closed in 2003 to wake way for the Fontainebleau project and was threatened with demolition until a local philanthropist purchased it and donated the building to Clark County. The chapel was relocated to the Clark County Museum in Henderson (1830 S. Boulder Hwy), where it’s been restored and an historical exhibit added inside.

A escalator carrying guests at Caesars Palace malfunctioned yesterday afternoon, resulting in twelve people being taken to hospital. All were later released and returned to the hotel. No further information about the nature of their injuries or the cause of the accident has been forthcoming as yet.

The Fountains Brunch at Jasmine debuts today at Bellagio. It’s $45, but it sounds distinctly high-end.

Las Vegas has made another “10 Great Places” list in USA Today. This one is “10 Great Places for Famous Photography,” with nods going to the Bellagio fountains and Mirage volcano.

The Palms has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a Gaming Control Board complaint relating to the mismanagement of two poker tournaments in 2007, as reported in today’s Las Vegas Review-Journal. The events were managed by third parties and merely hosted by the off-Strip casino, but the GCB found them, as the licensee, ulitimately responsible to oversee the running of these tournaments. In one instance, a charity event for the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada run by operators Michael Eakman & Associates, the charity did not receive its share of the proceeds until four months after the event. In the other, the United States Poker League held a tournament in October 2007 and failed to pay the winners their complete winnings, instead offering half cash and the other half in post-dated checks totaling $450,416, 22 of which bounced.

The Palms made good and paid the tournament prizes in full, but the GCB contended that the property had an obligation to ensure the prizes were paid at the time.

Three neon signs — from the Silver Slipper, Binion’s Horseshoe, and Bow & Arrow Motel – will be will be lit at sundown this evening along the downtown stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard recently officially designated as a National Scenic Byway. Parking’s available at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center parking lot on Las Vegas Boulevard north of U.S. 95.

Society Cafe Encore, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South, has introduced a “Triple B” menu — burgers, barbecue and beer. Served beginning at 5 p.m. daily, it includes such dishes as a barbecued pulled-pork roll with Virginia slaw, a truffle patty melt and a Kobe burger with crispy rock shrimp.

The Canyon Ranch SpaClubs at The Venetian and Palazzo have updated their menus. Among the specialty dishes is a “Healthy Elvis,” a grilled peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich.

Attention Ladies! Terrible’s is running a free “Ladies’ Fridays” slot tournament from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Total prize money is $1,500 with a $750 first prize. Tournament results will be posted the following Saturday, and winners must pick up their checks that day.

Country superstar George Strait returns to the MGM Grand Garden arena Feb. 6, with Reba McEntire. Tickets are $73.50, $99.75 and $125 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets.

Hussong’s Cantina & Taqueria will be opening soon at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place.

DOUG ELFMAN: Diddy Casino? Maybe someday.

Celebrities like to do business in Vegas. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has thought about opening a strip club here. Eva Longoria Parker becomes the latest famous restaurateur when her CityCenter eatery opens. But Sean “Diddy” Combs is thinking bigger.

I asked him if he’d like to start any businesses in Vegas.

“I would love to own a casino one day,” but it’ll have to wait, he told me Saturday over burger sliders at club Risqué (Paris Las Vegas). At the moment, he says, “I don’t want to get my plate too full.”

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Dinner show doubles up.
Finally, producers with optimism! “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding” will double its number of weekly performances come Dec. 15 when it moves down the hall, from Planet Hollywood to the V Theater in the adjacent mall.

In fact, they’ll be up there with Blue Man Group and David Copperfield in their audacity: two shows a night, seven days per week — at least for December.

“Other shows close (around Christmas), so we get busier,” co-producer Raphael Berko explains.

However, his dinner show also seats fewer customers than most, and the seating capacity will be even lower than the 300 in the current casino mezzanine.

The move lets Berko and co-producer Jeff Gitlin cut costs for their interactive dinner comedy and have unlimited access to a previously unused space inside the V Theater.

“Tony” moved to Planet Hollywood in February after audience counts dropped at the Rio. But the curtained-off mezzanine often is reclaimed for casino events, and “Tony” has competed with “Peepshow” for Planet Hollywood marketing funds that shrunk in the face of mounting debt.
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/dinner-show-doubles-up-69836587.html

Upcoming Las Vegas Entertainment.

Superstar rockers Bon Jovi enliven the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 6. Tickets are $59.95, $99.50, $175 and $225 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at Ticketmaster outlets.

Country singer Brad Paisley plays the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Feb. 20, with Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore. Tickets are $60.75 and $81.75 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets.

Country cuss Trace Adkins headlines The Pearl at The Palms on Dec. 9. Tickets are $45, $55 and $65 and go on sale at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Pearl box office, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Popster Lady Gaga has added a second show at The Pearl on Dec. 17, with Kid Cudi and Semi-Precious Weapons. Tickets are $100 and $125 and go on sale at 2 p.m. Saturday at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Pop rockers Maroon 5 hit The Pearl on Dec. 31. Tickets are $125, $150 and $200 and go on sale at noon Saturday at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets.
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/bon-jovi-coming-to-mgm-grand-69949952.html

HEIDI’S PICKS: By Heidi Knapp Rinella/LVRJ

BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE
Town Square, 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 914-9145

Brio looks a lot more like a Tuscan manse than an outlet of a restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio, but that’s just part of its appeal. It manages to deliver the familiar with a slightly innovative edge, as in the garganelli carbonara with not only the customary bacon and Parmesan but also grilled chicken and fresh spinach leaves, bruschetta Caprese that blends the best of both dishes, a somewhat-too-subtle artichoke-and-herb-crusted pork chop, a trio of creme brulee and a lovely soup of the day, creme of morel. (9/5/08)
Overall: A- $$

MONTANA MEAT CO.
6371 Centennial Center Blvd. (also at 9135 S. Durango Drive); 396-7615

We were impressed with the 16-ounce rib-eye in Montana Meat’s signature pepper marinade not because it was a great steak — it was more of a good steak — but because it was priced at $18.95, when other places around town were charging twice that for similar quality. A starter of flavorful tiny lamb chops, moist bacon-wrapped scallops with a sprightly orange-mango chutney, macadamia-crusted Alaskan halibut and some really good sourdough bread were all likewise worthy of note. (8/22/08)
Overall: B+ $$

ORIGIN INDIA
4480 Paradise Road; 734-6342

I loved the service, atmosphere — even the ease of access and parking — at Origin India, but especially the food, of which we sampled the Dahi Ke Kebab (shrimp in garlic sauce), Lhasooni Jhinga (deep-fried patties of yogurt cheese), Murg Lehsooni Kebab (tandoori chicken with garlic), Gosht Dahiwala (lamb cooked with yogurt and a cashew sauce) and, for dessert, a carrot cigar. (10/6/06)
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/eats-of-the-week-69949932.html

SHOW REVIEW: ‘Legends in Concert’
Jackson tribute’s resonance a windfall for resurgent ‘Legends’

BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ

This is never “it” in Las Vegas.

The Michael Jackson concert movie will run its course, but Michael Jackson is destined to be on the Strip as long as “Legends in Concert” is.

Look at Elvis. Long before the King was on Cirque du Soleil’s radar, “Legends” brought down the Imperial Palace curtain to “Viva Las Vegas” every night since 1983.

Now it’s a safe bet that Michael will join Elvis as the second permanent segment in the show’s otherwise modular format, which rotates different impersonators every three months or so.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/legends-in-concertjackson-tributes-resonance-a-windfall-for-resurgent-legends-69949947.html

SHOW REVIEW: Energetic Tomlin’s act more than mere nostalgia
By MIKE WEATHERFORD/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Lily Tomlin slips in and out of her comedic characters at the turn of a phrase. But it didn’t seem to be part of the act when, no sooner had she climbed into her oversized Edith Ann chair, she climbed back out again and headed for some bottled water.

“I thought the desert would be the perfect place for my dry wit,” she joked. Soon, Tomlin clambered back into the big prop from “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and instantly turned 6 years old again.

This MGM Grand stint is the spry 70-year-old comedian’s first time ever to perform on the Strip. Maybe her wit was too dry, but more likely it’s because Las Vegas would have clouded — and been clouded by — a career that’s fused traditional stand-up comedy with theater.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/energetic-tomlins-act-more-than-mere-nostalgia-70095362.html

New Year’s fireworks return to Strip roofs.
2008 show fizzled at ground level.

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

New Year’s Eve visitors to the Strip and pyrotechnic gazers from around the valley received good news Friday — they might actually be able to see the fireworks show this year.

The annual fireworks show will return to the rooftops of seven hotels along the three-mile stretch of the Strip that is the focus of visitors to the area and television specials around the world that night, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and co-sponsor Las Vegas Events announced Friday.

“What we demonstrated by putting it on the ground last year is how bad a show it is on the ground and how great a show it is on the rooftops,” said Pat Chrisenson of Las Vegas Events. “There’s no comparison.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/new-years-fireworks-returns-to-strip-roofs-70095377.html

NORM: CityCenter seeks presidential visit.

President Barack Obama may be getting a personal tour soon of the $8.5 billion CityCenter, a project with the jobs-creating impact of the Hoover Dam.

“I have no doubt he will be here,” said Jim Murren, chairman and chief executive officer of gaming giant MGM Mirage.

“We’ve been working it,” Murren said, adding that Nevada’s congressional delegation is involved in the effort “to encourage him to visit our community and see firsthand what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/citycenter-seeks-presidential-visit-70134617.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Days of markups coming to end?

If everything is on sale, maybe the starting price is too high?

You won’t get a discount for Garth Brooks. For all other shows in town, look around. If you didn’t know they all have deals, I just told you.

If you can’t pay less money for hotter tickets such as Terry Fator, you can at least get a room combo or a better seat: “Free upgrade to VIP seating!” is a ubiquitous come-on now.

Some alliances are specific. Blue Man Group offers “red zone seating” through Allegiant Air. “The Lion King” e-mails discount offers to people who signed up for Disneyland promotions.

LEGENDARY LAS VEGAS HEADLINERS: RUSTY WARREN: Life of the Party.
Recordings, live shows celebrated changing attitudes toward sex.

By STEPHEN MICHAEL SHEARER
SPECIAL TO THE REVIEW-JOURNAL

The “Golden Age of Las Vegas” embraced the late 1950s and ’60s, filling it with gaudy lights, excitement, entertainment, booze, broads, and a sexual electricity and sense of danger that will never be repeated.

The Las Vegas Strip was “owned” by Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack — Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford — who ruled the night life.

The culture as a whole was changing, too, in ways that benefited Las Vegas. Nowhere was that more evident than in the increased sexual liberation of men and women.

Few people could appreciate the transformation as much as Rusty Warren, the flame-red-haired, stand-up comedienne whose early career spanned an age when sex was barely spoken about in polite society. Known primarily for her party records, it seems Rusty Warren and Las Vegas were made for each other.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/life-of-the-party-70134517.html

M RESORT TO WELCOME NATION’S TALLEST CHRISTMAS TREE ON DEC. 12.

The M Resort Spa Casino, the newest resort to open in Las Vegas, and recent Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Award Winner, will welcome the nation’s tallest Christmas Tree, a 109-foot White Fir on December 12. The Christmas Tree is expected to wow throngs of spectators with its towering display of lights and ornaments this holiday season.

The tree will be placed in the M Resort’s Villaggio Del Sole Outdoor Entertainment and Events Piazza on December 2. It is expected to take up to a week to decorate with thousands of lights and ornaments. The M Resort will host a special Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, December 12 at 5 p.m. Hot chocolate, carolers, Christmas cookies and more will be available in the resort’s piazza.

Open just eight months, the M Resort is the newest resort destination in Las Vegas. With just 390 rooms and suites, the boutique resort caters to both Las Vegas residents and out-of-town guests. It is the first property travelers from Southern California encounter when driving in to Las Vegas.

“We want travelers to choose Las Vegas for the holidays. We’re happy that the M Resort can add to the destination’s offerings by bringing the nation’s tallest Christmas tree to our backyard. It will be an amazing sight to see and we’re hoping it spreads a bit of holiday cheer around the country,” said Anthony A. Marnell III, Chairman & CEO, M Resort.

Visitors to the M Resort can expect to not only see a majestic Christmas Tree, but whimsical décor, entertainment for the entire family, seasonal holiday menus and special promotions throughout the month of December. The resort is offering a special Fa La La package for the holidays with rates starting at $110 night and a $75 dining credit. Guests can call 1-877-673-7678 and mention Group Code HMFALA9 or visit themresort.com to book.

Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens Welcomes Winter with Shimmering Wonderland.

Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens will welcome winter with a spectacular holiday display rich in nostalgia and filled with picture-perfect botanical creations December 6 through January 2, 2010. Among other charming holiday tableaus, visitors will discover flying reindeer made of pecans and a living holiday card bestowing season’s tidings. In the center of it all, a spectacular holiday tree will send gazes soaring while musical sounds of the season will evoke fond memories of home.

A polar bear family, adorned with coats of white carnations, will tug on the heartstrings of visitors young and old. The delightful trio, set in a wintry clearing, will be seen enjoying a moment of family togetherness. The baby bear will frolic playfully on his back while mama and papa bear watch with affection. The topiary bears’ “fur,” made of 34,000 white carnations, will be carefully hand-applied by Bellagio horticulturists and kept fresh by a specially designed water drip system.

Just steps away, eight reindeer will be captured in mid-flight as they guide a present-filled, red-lacquer sleigh into a snowy sky. Each majestic reindeer will be made of 110 pounds of whole pecans and will wear a brilliant collar of cranberry-red, dried botanicals. The reindeer will appear to soar over a giant, living holiday card comprised of thousands of blooming florals.

The inspiring centerpiece of this beautiful exhibit will be a stately 42-foot Shasta Fir ablaze in thousands of twinkling lights and encircled by oversized holiday ornaments that will appear to float in mid-air. Standing at attention around the majestic holiday tree’s base will be four grand toy soldiers, each a commanding 15 feet tall.

Nearby, a 7-foot-tall, custom-sculpted rocking horse will stand in the midst of a whimsical rail display featuring a working Bellagio-emblazoned train, all calling to mind gifts of yesteryear. In another corner of this elaborate wintry display, visitors will discover a flower-clad snowman surrounded by giant 13-foot-tall peppermint sticks.

Guests are invited to enjoy the delights of this winter wonderland from December 6 through January 2, 2010.

Mario Barth At The Mirage and King Ink Opens In Las Vegas.

Tattoo mogul Mario Barth partners with The Mirage and The Light Group as Las Vegas’ new triple threat. Barth has created Mario Barth at The Mirage, an exclusive lifestyle tattoo studio, interactive lounge and bar room. The baroque inspired venue is set to open its doors the first quarter of 2010.

The 4,000 square foot venue is strewn with marble flooring, lavish fabrics, extravagant chandeliers and chairs fit for a king. The traditional elaborate décor will be balanced with a rock ‘n’ roll edge including glass skulls which will adorn the bar.

The tattooing portion of the venue, also known as King Ink, is operated by Mario Barth and his top rate team. King Ink will only have state-of-the-art equipment and the finest tattoo artists available. For the first time in Las Vegas, tattoo enthusiasts will be given the chance to book an appointment with world-renowned tattoo artist and CEO Mario Barth himself, skipping the typical two-year wait list.

Guests of Mario Barth at The Mirage will enjoy a high-tech interactive lounge and hot spot nightly as well as relax and sip champagne on the outdoor patio. The lounge and bar room will be managed by Las Vegas’ own The Light Group.

“We’re excited to have partnered with Mario Barth on this new venture which will continue to change the face of Vegas’ nightlife scene,” said Andy Masi, partner and CEO of The Light Group. Mario Barth at The Mirage will be one of the most highly anticipated openings in Las Vegas this winter and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

As the first of its kind, Mario Barth at The Mirage and King Ink will encapsulate cutting-edge tattoo fashion and lifestyle.

Scott Sibella, president and COO of The Mirage said, “Introducing Mario into The Mirage family is an absolute privilege for us. His energy, proven track record and reputation around the globe make this new venture a sure-fire hit.”

“Marriage Can Be Murder” Offers New Twist on Dinner Show For the Holidays.

Las Vegas’ hit interactive comedy dinner show, “Marriage Can Be Murder,” is taking its show on the road this holiday season. Aside from their nightly performances at the Fitz Casino & Hotel Showroom, the cast will now perform private shows for office and holiday parties.

The interactive format of “Marriage Can Be Murder” makes it the perfect choice for private parties. Co-creators Eric and Jayne Post re-write the show for each private client and incorporate people from their office or group. “The fun thing with private shows is to have it be about them and one of their people,” said Eric Post. “We have the flexibility and creativity to make something work for the client and help them to put on a great holiday party.”

Besides tailoring the show to the audience, more changes can be expected to the regular show as well. “I don’t want to give away too much information about the new show, but be on the look out for special guest appearances this holiday season,” said Eric Post. Don’t be surprised to see an elf or two and maybe some reindeer incorporated into the show.

Party packages vary. Private parties of 100 people or more start at $3,000 and can be held at the Fitz Casino & hotel or a location of the clients choosing. Smaller parties can opt to host their party at the Showroom inside the Fitz. To schedule a private party, call the Marriage Can Be Murder Party Hotline at (702) 222-9777. Book by November 13 to include a limited edition Marriage Can Be Murder holiday t-shirt for each of your guests at no additional charge.

“Marriage Can Be Murder” can be seen seven nights a week at 6:30 p.m. with seating beginning at 6 p.m. inside the Showroom at Fitz Casino & Hotel in fabulous downtown Las Vegas. “Marriage Can Be Murder” dinner show package is $54.95 per person and includes one non-alcoholic drink and tip. A VIP package is available for $69.95 and features premium seating, a souvenir t-shirt, one complimentary well cocktail, domestic beer or wine and tip. Special Nevada resident pricing is $44.95 and includes one non-alcoholic drink, and tip. Prices do not include LET and service/ticket fee. Tickets can be purchased by calling (702) 388-2111 or by visiting www.marriagecanbemurder.com.

Fitz is located at 301 Fremont Street and anchors the east end of the world-famous Fremont Street Experience. The hotel features 638 rooms and offers a variety of dining options including Don B’s Steakhouse, the new Courtyard Grill & Buffet, McDonalds and a Krispy Kreme store. The casino features approximately 945 slots, 32 table games, race and sports book, poker room, keno lounge, two bars and a variety of live entertainment. For additional information, visit www.fitzgeraldslasvegas.com or call (702) 388-2400.

“Marriage Can Be Murder” is an interactive award-winning dinner show that is a comedy, murder mystery and dinner show experience all rolled into one solid performance. The four-dimensional theater concept was created more than 20 years ago by husband and wife team Eric and Jayne Post and has been seen by more than 250,000 audience members in the past 10 years. Fore more information, visit www.marriagecanbemurder.com.

M RESORT SPA CASINO RECEIVES 2010 FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE FOUR STAR AWARD.

The M Resort Spa Casino, the newest resort to open in Las Vegas, was just announced as the recipient of the prestigious 2010 Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Award. Open just eight months, the $1 billion M Resort successfully opened on time and under budget on March 1, 2009.

“This is a true testament to the hard work of our team members. They have embraced our commitment to consistently provide the very best service, atmosphere and experience to our guests. To receive this award within our first year of operation is a huge accomplishment for us,” said Anthony A. Marnell III, Chairman and CEO, the M Resort.

The M Resort is the product of a collaboration between Anthony A. Marnell III, Chairman and CEO of the M Resort and his father, architect Tony Marnell, Chairman of Marnell Corrao Associates, the premier construction and development company responsible for notable projects throughout Las Vegas including Wynn, Treasure Island, the Mirage, Caesars Palace and the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Since 1976, the Marnell family name has been synonymous with architectural vision, quality and integrity. The Marnells set the standard for casino-resorts worldwide with the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, which became the benchmark for many innovations in Las Vegas and throughout the world that are still widely used today. The M Resort includes both architectural innovation as well as the Marnell brand of hospitality.

The 390 room boutique resort caters to both Las Vegas residents and out-of-town guests. It is the first property travelers from Southern California encounter when driving in to Las Vegas.

“Our resort is really a hybrid property catering to both locals and tourists; the atmosphere is a mix of Los Angeles, Scottsdale and New York – with a bit of Las Vegas thrown in. The M has a lot of offer and exceptional service is at the top of the list,” said Marnell.

Phantom Celebrates 1500 Performances at The Venetian.
From: www.accessvegas.com

The Las Vegas Spectacular “PHANTOM” hits another milestone as the show celebrated 1,500 spectacular performances on Friday, October 30. The Las Vegas production of the worldwide favorite is enjoying enduring success that few other Las Vegas productions have achieved.

After three and a half years of haunting The Venetian, Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular continues to prove it is an audience favorite among locals and tourists alike. Phantom has established a position at the forefront of Las Vegas entertainment.

After 1,500 performances…

“The Phantom,” has spent 1,500 hours in the make-up chair, equating to over 62 days.

The delicate ingénue “Christine Daaé” has had a total of 16,500 costume changes to date.

Mr. Ubaldo Piangi has belted out 3,000 high Cs, the ultimate note for any tenor.

More than 5,703 hours have been spent maintaining the other star of the show, the one-ton, 15-foot tall, 16-foot wide chandelier.

The crew has executed 21,000 elaborate set changes, creating 13 separate locations on stage each night.

Nightly, “Christine Daaé” shares two kisses with “The Phantom” and three with the charming “Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny,” amounting to 7,500 kisses since opening night.

This lavish production of The Phantom of the Opera thrills audiences eight times a week at The Venetian. >From the moment you enter the magnificent custom-built theatre you are immersed in the storied Paris Opera House and become part of The Phantom’s world. Featuring every beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber song from the original, spectacular sets, new effects, and a breathtaking chandelier experience, Phantom is an only-in-Vegas experience.

Phantom performs at The Venetian Resort – Hotel – Casino on Monday and Saturday at 7 & 9:30 pm and Tuesday – Friday at 7 p.m. (dark Sunday).

New face of Monte Carlo includes all the faces of Caliendo.
BY: John Katsliomentes/Las Vegas Sun

Maybe those of us in Las Vegas remember where they were when Monte Carlo’s roof caught fire, the images of flames and smoke billowing out of the hotel and charring much of its familiar rooftop sign. But the hotel’s newest headliner Frank Caliendo does not recall that day much at all.

“I really couldn’t tell you,” the comic impressionist said last night after the gala premiere of his new show at the Lance Burton Theater. Not that Caliendo was uncaring or even willfully ignorant. It’s just that the fire on Jan. 25, 2008, was before he’d entered into any serious discussions with any resort about playing Vegas. But over time, he’d talked to a few friends in the industry — especially fellow impressionist Dana Carvey — about moving from Phoenix to Vegas. He had trepidation, mostly because of the economy, but Carvey told him to dive in anyway.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2009/nov/14/new-face-monte-carlo-includes-all-faces-caliendo/

Harrah’s LEGENDS IN CONCERT Announces Holiday Show Dates.

The world’s longest running celebrity tribute show, “Legends in Concert” will bring the spirit of the season to the Strip, with the return of the holiday version of the dazzling production starting Nov. 27 at Harrah’s Las Vegas.

The seasonal version of the 90-minute spectacular will showcase superstar impersonators of past and present, singing the chart-topping hits that launched their celebrity characters into superstardom, as well as a few heart-warming Christmas classics. Dolly Parton will dish out Hard Candy Christmas, Michael Jackson will belt out Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jerry Lee Lewis will rattle off a rendition Run Run Rudolph, Tina Turner will tear it up with a cover of Springsteen’s Merry Christmas Baby, and Elvis will croon a heart-felt Blue Christmas. Bette Midler will drop by on select dates as an addition to the cast and entertain with her wonderful rendition of White Christmas. The show concludes nightly with an upbeat cast finale to The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

The “Legends in Concert” holiday show is a full-scale live production, backed with a live band, ten talented back-up singers and dancers and an extensive multi-media presentation. 2009 marks the third year “Legends in Concert” will present the holiday version of the show.

Tickets for the Legends holiday show are on sale now for $69.00 and $59.00. For reservations, call (702) 369-5111, (800) 392-9002 or visit www.harrahs.com. The show performs nightly – contact box office for show times.

Fremont Street Experience Welcomes Rodeo Fans for the 23rd Annual Downtown Hoedown.

Fremont Street Experience is going country for the annual kickoff party for the National Finals Rodeo on Wednesday, December 2. The event highlights major country-music entertainment with free live concerts on two stages at Fremont Street Experience.

The 23rd Annual Downtown Hoedown brings a boot-scootin’ entertainment lineup to Fremont Street with top country music talents Gloriana, Jonathan Singleton, The Lost Trailers and Emerson Drive. The performance schedule is as follows: Gloriana, 6:30-8 pm, 1st Street Stage; Jonathan Singleton, 6:30-8 pm, 3rd Street Stage; The Lost Trailers, 9-10:30 pm, 1st Street Stage; Emerson Drive, 9-10:30 pm, 3rd Street Stage.

In addition to the Dec. 2 kickoff event with country music headliners, Fremont Street experience will present free country music concerts Dec. 3-12 on the 1st Street Stage, 8-11 p.m. nightly.

Amid the soaring four-part harmonies and electric stage presence, it’s clear that Gloriana represents an exciting new and vibrant force in country music. The group–Tom Gossin, Mike Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Cheyenne Kimball–consists of four uniquely talented and enthusiastic young musicians joining forces to create a fresh, one-of-a-kind sound that reflects the best of today’s Nashville. The group released their debut single, “Wild at Heart” in February 2009, which became a Top 20 hit on the BillBoard Hot Country Songs chart. Since then, the group’s self-titled album, Gloriana, has featured major singles including “The Way it Goes” and “How Far Do You Wanna Go?”

Jonathan Singleton’s gritty guitars and blues-saturated vocal attack draw heavily from the American center of soul, while the stories and lyrical craft are pure Music City. With his self-titled debut album, he offers a collection that ranges from the jagged, lonesome “Lover,” through some country-simple explorations of love’s ups and downs in “Paradise” and “Good Guys,” to the near-five-minute southern rock jam “Storms” that concludes the disc. Singleton’s success is all the more interesting and promising given his years of hard work and focus on the music instead of the dream.

The Lost Trailers established their group in 2000 when members Ryder Lee, Manny Medina, Andrew Nielson, Stokes Nielson and Jeff Potter came together with their undying passion for country music. They made their debut performing at Willie Nelson’s annual Fourth of July picnic performing to thousands which catapulted their success. Since that day, The Lost Trailers have staked claim on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with singles “Call Me Crazy” and “Why Me?” Their fifth album, Holler Back, was released in August 2008, producing a Top Ten country hit in its title track and a Top 20 in “How ‘Bout You Don’t”.

Emerson Drive’s success grew out of a dream that began in the group’s hometown of Grande Prairie, Alberta with band members Brad Mates, Danick Dupelle, Mike Melancon, Dale Wallace and David Pichette. A selfless camaraderie has kept them united through the years, and a tireless work ethic continues to make them one of country’s busiest bands. Non-stop touring (their old bus recently passed the one-million mile mark) has won them fan loyalty that has been a key to their longevity. Their success over the years includes numerous Grammy Award nominations and a streak of hit singles including their first Number One single, “Moments.”

The Downtown Hoedown kicks off at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, December 2. All are invited to mosey on downtown and enjoy the feel-good sounds of country music among the iconic neon lights of the Fremont Street Experience. All concerts are free and open to the public and parking is available at the Fremont Street Experience parking garage located on the corner of Carson and 4th Streets.

Downtown Hoedown is produced by Fremont Street Experience in conjunction with Las Vegas Events. Sponsors include Jack Daniel’s and Blue Moon. For more information on Downtown Hoedown and other Fremont Street Experience events, visit www.vegasexperience.com.

Michael Gaughan draws hall of fame recognition.
Casino owner honored by American Gaming Association.
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY/LVRJ

Longtime casino owner Michael Gaughan was inducted into the American Gaming Association Hall Of Fame on Wednesday for his four decades of leadership in the gaming industry.

Gaughan joins his father, El Cortez founder Jackie Gaughan, in the hall. They are the third father-son team to be inducted, joining Sam and Bill Boyd and Benny and Jack Binion.

In a speech that lasted less than 21/2 minutes, Gaughan thanked his family, friends and business partners.

“I’ll tell you what my dad always said when they honored him,” Gaughan said. “Nice to see you all here and thanks for coming.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/michael-gaughan-draws-hall-of-fame-recognition-70448592.html

Ticket price rise not going away. By Jason Bracelin/LVRJ.

First things first, I’m not siding with Gordon Gecko.

We all know the dude’s trademark line — “Greed is good!” — as voiced by Michael Douglas’ character in Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street.” I’m not really buying it, even if it may seem that way at first.

The issue on hand here is a familiar one: exorbitant concert ticket prices.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/ticket-price-rise-not-going-away-70448677.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Union bashes Newton on Web.

Hey, isn’t it our job to pick on Wayne Newton’s singing?

But everyone’s a critic, and the Las Vegas Musicians Union is letting people judge sound snippets of Newton live in concert on a new Web site, Wayne NewtonSadFacts.info.

The Web site takes a high-tech approach to “leafletting” in the union’s three-year-old dispute with Newton over rehearsal pay, even as the site avoids specifics of the dispute. The Las Vegas union, Local 369, placed Newton on an “unfair” list with its parent union, the American Federation of Musicians. The singer has been performing at the Tropicana with nonunion musicians.

Stripper-mobile will roll again, owner says.
BY: Joe Schoenmann/Las Vegas Sun

The world has not seen the last of the Las Vegas stripper-mobile, the truck’s owner says.

Fred Robertson, owner of Always Rolling Ads, only quit hauling exotic dancers up and down the Strip last week because the nude clubs that had leased the advertising vehicle decided they didn’t want to take on county commissioners. The commissioners had cited not just complaints from offended onlookers but concerns about safety — the dancers were “unsecured” in the back of the truck, and rubbernecking motorists might drive their cars into pedestrians or other vehicles.

Attorney Jay Brown, representing the clubs, one located in Las Vegas and the other in Clark County, said they decided to have the truck parked for the remainder of its lease because they wanted to be “good citizens.”

More here:
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/19/stripper-mobile-will-roll-again-owner-says/

CityCenter Web Site Brings Groundbreaking Destination to Life.

With the same ease, visitors looking to simply book their vacation at a CityCenter resort get immediate access to reservations from every page of the site.

The Mirage Turns 20 BY Rick Garman.

It is difficult to overestimate the impact The Mirage has had on Las Vegas. Since its opening 20 years ago next week, the city has been reinvented, almost literally from the ground up, and a lot of it can be traced back to this hotel. Las Vegas of the 1980s was a bit of a wasteland. The government launched a big push in the 1970s to get the mob out of the city. Ultimately they were successful, but when the mafia left the casino business they took all of their money with them and development in Vegas came to a virtual standstill.

The last hotels of any major significance to open in Las Vegas were Caesars Palace in 1966 and Circus Circus in the early 1970s. Sure, there were some new names and some remodeling in the 1980s, most notably after the devastating fire in 1981 at the MGM Grand (now Bally’s). But for the most part, it was status quo on The Strip, with the decades old hotels and casinos just growing older, rotting in the sun.

Vegas became a bit of a punch line; the last stop for has-been entertainers and a pit-stop for tourists looking for cheap thrills.

Then along came Steve Wynn. After parlaying a small bankroll into a big bank account with his successful Downtown hotel The Golden Nugget, Wynn was ready to move to The Strip. But his vision for his next project was unlike anything that Vegas, or the world, had ever seen.

At a project cost of over $600 million, The Mirage would be the most expensive hotel ever built at that point. With more than 3,000 rooms it would be the largest hotel on earth. And with a host of luxury amenities including high-end rooms, expensive restaurants, and high-priced shows it would be several rungs on the price ladder above what anyone was paying to stay, eat, or be entertained in Las Vegas.

It was a huge gamble, financed mostly with junk bonds, and at the time many looked at the project as being folly, destined for failure. Remember at that time, rooms, meals, and shows were practically given away in an effort to get people into the casino. But Wynn believed that if you give the public something worth paying for, they will. And he was right.

When it opened on November 22, 1989 the effect was literally traffic stopping as cars on The Strip came to a halt to watch the volcano in front of the place erupt. Visitors goggled at the indoor rain forest and giant aquarium behind the check-in desk and dolphin habitat out back. Guests were practically giddy at the level of service and amenities in the rooms and throughout the property. Superstar chefs were born at the restaurants. Siegfried and Roy eschewed the showgirls and brought big-time spectacle to the showrooms.

The opening of The Mirage garnered attention from around the globe and visitors flocked to Vegas to see it and then kept flocking to the city to see what came next. Excalibur; Luxor; Treasure Island; MGM Grand; Bellagio; New York-New York; The Venetian… the list goes on and on. To say that none of these hotels would have existed without The Mirage is perhaps too hyperbolic, but certainly some of them wouldn’t have and most of them wouldn’t have been the successes they were if The Mirage hadn’t paved the way.

And it absolutely changed the dynamic of Las Vegas. Almost overnight, the city went from ticky-tacky to over-the-top luxury. The companies that created these palaces to excess opened up new revenue streams, to the point where now the hotels, restaurants, shows, and shopping generate more money than the casinos do.

Some may say that’s a bad thing. Vegas used to be a place where the Average Joe could afford to get away from it all but over the last 20 years that has changed. Now it’s a playground for the wealthy, or at least those that are willing to spend money like they are wealthy. Until the economy went south and room rates started coming down, the Average Joe was relegated to places like Downtown or Boulder Highway.

True, there are lots of things to dislike about modern Vegas but there is also a lot to love. The spectacle, the silliness, the attention to detail, the luxury, the fine food, the world-class entertainment, and simply the outrageous fortune of imagining that anything is possible in this place… a lot of that is thanks to a little place called The Mirage.

Happy 20th Anniversary!
http://vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm

A Cut Above. BY Rick Garman

Wolfgang Puck’s Cut steakhouse at the Palazzo has quickly gained a reputation as being one of the finest of its breed in the entire city. I haven’t had a chance to eat there yet, but I did get an opportunity to eat at the original Cut in Beverly Hills a couple of weeks ago, a restaurant that is widely considered to be one of the best in LA and in the country. I can report that the hype for the LA restaurant is definitely deserved and by all accounts the LV restaurant is just as good, so you may want to consider it for your next trip to Vegas. I had a 16 ounce bone in filet, Illinois corn fed beef aged 21 days and then grilled over hard wood and charcoal, topped with blue cheese and caramelized onions. At 16 ounces it sounds bigger than it really was (a good chunk of the weight came from the bone) but it was still an enormous cut of beef and it was so good, so flavorful, and so tender that I polished it off as if I just returned from being lost in the forest, subsisting for weeks on berries and leaves.

Don’t miss the mac and cheese side dish, a recipe that reportedly took two years to perfect and it shows.

The prices are nothing short of shocking, both in LA and in Vegas. The ala carte Illinois beef starts in the $50 range and goes up from there, dry aged Nebraska beef starts at $60, American Wagyu is in the $70 and up range, and the Japanese Kobe is going to set you back about $25 an ounce. Add in the $12 sides, the $10 toppings, the $2 sauces, and your appetizers, drinks, and tax and there is virtually no way that you can get out of here for less than $100 per person unless all you have is a big hunk of meat and wash it down with tap water.

But steaks on The Strip are expensive. It’s virtually impossible to find one for less than $50 ala carte that is worth talking about, so if you’re going to pay that much money, what’s an extra $10 for a truly fantastic steak?
http://vegas4visitors.com

Vegas4Visitors Weekly Awards by Rick Garman

The Diamonds are a Las Vegas Resort’s Best Friend Award of the Week goes to the eight Las Vegas hotels that received the coveted 5-Diamond Award from AAA including The Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas, Encore Las Vegas, Palazzo, The Venetian, Bellagio, Skylofts at MGM Grand, The Four Seasons, and Wynn Las Vegas. Bestowed only on those hotels and resorts that reach the pinnacle of luxury and service, less than 200 such designations were given out to hotels in the US this year. The I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues Award of the Week goes to the BB King Blues club, now open at The Mirage. The casual restaurant and entertainment venue is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining with a menu that is heavy on the southern specialties (gumbo, catfish, BBQ, po-boys, and more). A live blues band performs nightly.

The Really East Las Vegas Award of the Week goes to Ohio, where voters in the state approved a measure to allow full casino gambling in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo. The company that is angling to buy the Fontainebleau on The Strip, Penn National Gaming, will run two of the casinos.

The I’d Like a Cosmo Please Award of the Week goes to Deutsch Bank, the current, and apparently future owners of the under-construction Cosmopolitan resort on The Strip. The bank acquired the place after its developers defaulted on a loan and have been trying to sell it ever since, while funding the construction process. Now they have filed an application to for a casino license so they can open it in September 2010.

Lucky 7: The 7 Best Bathrooms in Las Vegas. BY Rick Garman

I’ve never really understood the need for a hotel room to have a bathroom so massive that you could park Deuce bus inside. I use the bathroom for, well, bathroom things and if I’m going to luxuriate in my room I’d rather do it in the big fluffy bed, preferably while eating chocolate covered strawberries and watching TV on the 42” flat screen. Having said that, I do understand that bigger is better, especially if you are traveling with a companion or twelve, and I like nice things as much as the next guy. With that in mind, here are my picks for the 7 Best Bathrooms in Las Vegas (in alphabetical order):

Caesars Palace
It’s all about which tower you get here, but bathrooms in the newer Augustus Tower are the best of the bunch; massive affairs with whirlpool tubs, a separate shower, skin-pampering amenities, and more marble than they used to build most statues of Roman emperors.

Eastside Cannery
As you read through the rest of this list, you may find it surprising to find this out of the way, relatively economy focused hotel on it. But the bathrooms here are fantastic, with soaking tubs under windows that can allow you to enjoy your bubble bath and a view.

Encore Las Vegas/Wynn Las Vegas
It should come as no surprise that the hotel rooms that are often the most expensive in Vegas have some of the most opulent bathrooms in town. Modern without being sterile, huge to the point of creating echoes, and packed with every convenience you need, these are the kind of bathrooms that you’ll wish you had in your house.

Red Rock Resort
Take all the good stuff at all of the other upscale resorts in town and throw in a slew of interesting design and décor touches and you have the bathrooms at Red Rock. Check out the leather on the walls, the gorgeously designed basin sinks, and the so soft you’ll want to put them in your suitcase bath mats.

Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas
There is nothing about this hotel that is not spectacular, and the bathrooms in the club-level suites are no exception. Bordering on palatial in both size and accoutrement, they give new meaning to the term “rest rooms.”

THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
Although just as big and finely appointed as some of the others on this list, the bathrooms here are more understated both in terms of design and decadence, which I actually really like. There’s something nice about not feeling like you have to get dressed up to use the john.

The Venetian/Palazzo
The bathrooms at Palazzo are nearly identical to those at big sister The Venetian, which is a good thing because they have won awards. Yes, there are actual awards for things like bathrooms. Go figure. But justly deserved, because these places are fit for a king with elegant and modern touches combining into one gigantic package that is bigger my first apartment.

Slots at expo promise flashy future with 3-D graphics, video game feel.

By HOWARD STUTZ
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Slot machine manufacturers didn’t hold back at the Global Gaming Expo.
Games with high-definition animated characters and 3-D graphics, touch-screen technology and Xbox-type or similar video game features were on display in the booths of the major slot machine makers.

Slot machines built around familiar themes and popular culture took up a large chunk of G2E’s 258,000 square feet of exhibit space inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

International Game Technology highlighted a slot machine based on the television series “Sex and the City” while WMS Industries displayed a game based on the movie trilogy, “Lord of the Rings.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/slots-at-expo-promise-flashy-future-with-3-d-graphics-video-game-feel-70605022.html

SHOW REVIEW: Frank Caliendo.

Caliendo walks line between offering fresh, standard impressions. BY Mike Weatherford/LVRJ.

Impressionists tend to bill themselves as men of “1,000 Voices” or variations thereof. Frank Caliendo would need a big billboard to fit, “Man of A Dozen Voices He Does Really Well.”

Caliendo, a likable guy’s guy who gained a national profile through “MADtv” and NFL pregame sketches, works hard to walk a narrow bridge over two traps.

On one side? Standard bits that make some people roll their eyes at the mere thought of an impressionist: “Not Christopher Walken again.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/frank-caliendo-70605062.html

HEIDI’S PICKS: HEIDI’S PICKS EATS OF THE WEEK. BY Heidi Knapp Rinella/LVRJ.

B&B RISTORANTE

The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 266-9977

This is clearly not your parents’ Italian restaurant; ueberchef Mario Batali and partner Joe Bastianich forgo the Sinatra for the screamin’ guitar and breathe fresh air into their fare, such as a roasted beet salad, prosciutto San Daniele Riserva, orechiette with sweet sausage and rapini, grilled lamb chop with eggplant, roasted cherry tomatoes and a limoncello and poppy seed torta. (9/28/07)
Overall: A- $$$$

PIN KAOW

1972 N. Rainbow Blvd. (also at 7835 S. Rainbow Blvd. and 9530 S. Eastern Ave.); 638-2746

We did Pin Kaow at lunch, when $6.95 would get you a special that included soup, egg rolls and wontons, plus entree. We had a Thai beef salad and a pork curry and both were delightful — though no more so than the decor, in which the prodigious use of wood and flowers has helped the restaurant transcend its strip-center location. (11/13/09)
Overall: B $

THE STERLING BRUNCH

Bally’s Steakhouse, Bally’s, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 967-7999

We thought the food at the venerable Sterling Brunch was as good as ever but were more than a little turned off by the clumsily engineered seating system differentiating high-rollers from those who are not. But if you like roasted half-lobsters, lobster bisque, pepper-and-mint-crusted rack of lamb, desserts, salads, fruits and pastries, you’ll likely feel right at home. (5/8/09)

Overall: A if you’re a high roller, B- if you’re not $$$$
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-eats-of-the-week-70605117.html

Let The Games Begin. BY E.C. Gladstone/Las Vegas Magazine.

Where to watch? Well, you can find a bar with a TV practically anywhere, and virtually every casino has some kind of sports book. Certain places are favored by serious bettors, while others are more casual environments for those who want to socialize, stretch out, have a bite and a beer. This being Vegas, several spots up and down the Strip have taken the experience of watching sports to new levels, with private areas, plush seating, gourmet food, massive screens and more. Others invite all comers, with amazing beer and hot dog specials, contests and promotions. And then there are more intimate restaurants and lounges that offer an even more social setting, each with its own special selling points. So whether you’re looking for football, basketball, soccer or another sport, here are some of our favorite spots to watch.

Perhaps the most plush sports spot Vegas offers, Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo is built around a luxurious, bleacher-style lounge facing a 9-by-16-foot screen (with betting kiosks below). But that’s not the only “wow” in this 24,000-square-foot space with more than 100 HD monitors – there’s also an elegant Strip-side patio, several private luxury boxes with Wii gaming and pool tables and gourmet tailgate fare by Emeril Lagasse (don’t miss the shrimp po’boys).

You can’t miss the action at any spot in New York-New York’s ESPN Zone – 130 screens guarantee that. But the prime position would be the Zone Thrones front and center in front of the Screening Room’s two 14-foot monitors, rolling trivia and score displays. The horseshoe booths with private 24-channel touchscreens are also a great place to gather with some grub. (Try the baby-back ribs.)

Practically every casino has a sports book, but some are just a little more swank than others. At Bellagio, the lounge area resembles a hip club, while The Mirage’s bar, lounge and California Pizza Kitchen are all open to the book’s huge screens and scoreboards, with Carnegie Deli, BLT Burger and Rhumbar close by. Mandalay Bay’s sports book is another solid choice – the big screens easily viewable from the roomy lounge, where you can get Canter’s Deli sandwiches (priced under $10) served to your table. The poker room is adjacent, too.

We’d be remiss not to mention three of the most iconic sports books in town, too. At Caesars Palace, it’s right in the middle of the casino floor, so you don’t have to stop playing to keep your eyes on things. Bally’s has recently refurbished its sports book, with a big, no-fuss bar area and VIP section. And the Las Vegas Hilton’s famous Superbook (more than 20 giant screens, including one measuring 16-by-20 foot) is so popular that the property hosts a spillover party every Sunday in the Hilton Theater with 11 giant screens, contests, cheap hot dogs and beer and cheer girls.

So whichever team you’re cheering for, pick one of these viewing spots and you’re sure to feel like a winner.

Looking for something more intimate? You could always rent one of the cool private skyboxes at MGM Grand’s sports book. Or consider some of the smaller spots with big TVs and fun atmosphere: The Sports Pit and Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill (Harrah’s), Le Burger Brasserie Sports Grille (Paris), McFadden’s (Rio), even sexy Simon at Palms Place, with food specials such as prime steak nachos on Monday nights.

Off -Strip, Red Rock Resort has a plush sports lounge with great views of multiple jumbo screens, as well as Budweiser and hot dog specials during games, a deli and Stations Casinos’ betting by PC and phone technology. Other places with good Sunday/Monday events include South Point (amazing drink specials), Sam’s Town and Suncoast. Downtown, we like the stylish sports book at Golden Nugget and the spacious setup at the Plaza.

http://lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html

From: “Report on Vegas.com”

Sammy Hagar Visits Cabo Wabo Cantina.

The Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar, paid a visit to his newly-opened Las Vegas restaurant and nightlife experience, Cabo Wabo Cantina at the Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, on Saturday, November 14. Hagar delivered his official seal of approval before getting up on top of the bar to toast the energetic crowd with his signature Waborita margarita. Hagar and his wife stayed to dine at the Cantina where they sampled a variety of sizzling items including Cabo Wabo’s signature fajitas, nachos and guacamole.

Cabo Wabo Cantina serves up a flavorful blend of Tex-Mex and coastal Mexican cuisine with contemporary flare, specializing in savory fajitas and killer margaritas. Hagar’s Vegas Cantina is his second location, off the success of his flagship Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The hard rockin’ dining and nightlife experience combines a high energy atmosphere with live music, great food and a vivacious outdoor patio, where it is never uncommon to rub elbows with the rock ‘n’ roll great himself, or catch him in a live jam-out session on stage.

Little Budda Has New Offerings.

Little Buddha Restaurant, Sushi Bar & Lounge, featuring Asian fusion cuisine and traditional Chinese fare with French influence.

New Taste of Buddha Prix Fix menu to include Appetizers such as Miso Soup, Hot and Sour Soup, Sunomono Salad & Chuka Salad. 2nd Course choices of Baby Green House Salad, Spicy Lettuce Wraps, Kurobuta Pork Potstickers & Chicken Spring Rolls. Wine Pairing with the 2nd course is an 05’ Scarbolo Pinot Grigio. Entrée choices of Angry Roasted “Jidori” Chicken, Slow Braised “Kobe Beef Short Ribs”, Seared Day Boat Scallops & Assortment of Sushi & Sashimi. Wine pairing with Entrée is an 07’ Luzano Verdicchio Del Castelli DI Jesi or an 08’ Rubico Lacrima Di Morro D’alba. Dessert Choices of Assortment of Mochi or Pistachio Crème Brulee.

Hooters Introduces The Mad Onion.

Beginning November 24th, Hooters Casino Hotel will take 24 hour dining to delightfully maddening new levels as it introduces the Mad Onion Fine Food & Spirits. Formerly named Dan Marino’s 24 Hour Dining, this pleasing restaurant delivers 24 hour dining in a casual atmosphere, marrying delicious signature dishes with incredibly value driven pricing.

You will find a delectable array of breakfast, lunch and dinner items on the menu. This venue will offer a daily breakfast buffet (starting at $9.95) that is sure to satisfy the hardies of appetites. This is in addition to an assortment of breakfast items that available 24/7. The menu will also feature three great dinners for only $9.95. These dinners consist of a Prime Rib Dinner, BBQ Brisket Dinner and a Chicken & Ribs Dinner. All three are available 24 hours a day. The menu will also have such signature dishes as The Ultimate Onion Appetizer and The Mad Onion Burger. This new venue will also satisfy those with a late night cravings. They will serve Hooters wings for only 25 cents each from midnight to 6:00 a.m.

Monti-Licious from Report On Vegas.com

The big announcement in Las Vegas, of course, is that the Cirque de Soleil Viva Elvis! will soon arrive at the City Center. I met Elvis in person twice, and he was wonderful to other entertainers. When I opened at the Red Velvet Nightclub in West Hollywood, no one ever understood my act, but Elvis came two different times to catch the show. As I’ve written before in this column, at the time of his death in 1977, I was recording at the Record Plant. It was my third album with the late Gary Keldram, and Bette Midler was in the next studio cutting one of her albums. She came out crying, “Elvis is gone! Elvis is gone!” Glancing at Bette, I said, “I’ve got to go back to my recording.”

My mother once told me that if you have nothing nice to say about someone then don’t say anything at all. But in this case, and after keeping quiet for the last four years, I will let you know that Bette Midler and I have crossed paths several times over the last 40 years. Ron Delsenor, the producer and promoter who at one time was also my producer, became Bette’s producer for her shows and concerts on Broadway. Long before Bette appeared on the Tonight Show, I was the one that Johnny called. I was the main attraction. So when Bette arrived in Las Vegas, I sent her flowers and gifts to welcome her and to reconnect with her after so many years. There was never a thank you, never a phone call, never an acknowledgement from Bette. Sometimes, not always but sometimes, that’s how it is in showbiz. I try to be considerate and I always take to heart those people who are icons in the world of entertainment. Now that Bette is leaving, I can say goodbye, so long, have a good trip. The Divine Miss M is departing Las Vegas while the Divine Mr. Monti is staying in Las Vegas.

An item that’s certainly created a lot of talk surrounds the price of tickets for the upcoming Bon Jovi event at the MGM Grand Arena. My question is how can the young fans of Bon Jovi afford such prices? Reportedly the front row seats will go for more than $2,100. Even more surprising, the tickets will be sold in multiples of two. No single seats will be sold.

The Venetian graciously hosted the arrival of wounded veterans and their guests for a recent fabulous Las Vegas getaway. This is an outstanding effort spearheaded by Sheldon Addelson and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation together with American Airlines, Thanks-USA and Blue Man Group. The Wounded Warrior Project has fast become a favorite for all Americans.

It was no surprise when it was announced that both the Venetian and the Palazzo recently received the AAA Five Diamond Award for 2010. This was the first time the Palazzo had received this noted tribute and the third time for the Venetian. The prize is based on overall guest experience among other things. Congratulations to the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and the employees of the Venetian and the Palazzo, who make this award possible by creating a fabulous Las Vegas experience for our returning heroes.

Dick Feeney’s production of The Rat Pack downtown at the Plaza has become a mainstay, even though the show faced a lawsuit from Buddy Hackett’s son, Sandy. Reportedly, Dick Feeney paid off Sandy boy with $40,000. Now we hear that Mr. Hackett is opening his OWN Rat Pack show, where he’ll be playing the part of Joey Bishop! This version is supposed to open at the Sahara. Does Las Vegas, or anywhere else for that matter, have room for two Rat Packs? The original show with the Rat Pack theme was in the Congo Room at the Sahara and starred David Cassidy with Bobby Caldwell as Sinatra. It was a wonderful production.

Cirque Du Soleil just keeps growing and growing and growing. Every corner and every major hotel/casino seems to feature a Cirque show. City Center will be the newest to feature a Cirque show named Viva Elvis. Yes, it’s a tribute to the life and music of The King. After hearing all the comments from the Cirque show Love which is at the Mirage and features the music from the Beatles, Viva Elvis will be another hit!
The Season of Cirque Du Soleil is offering a special break to Nevada residents. Purchase one ticket at regular price and Nevada residents will have the chance to purchase the second ticket for $25. This is a first and it offers a great opportunity to catch several of the Cirque shows currently in Las Vegas.

Everything Las Vegas Issue # 712

MrVegas98 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:48:10 +0000

November 6th, 2009

Bette Midler’s residency at Caesars Palace to end Jan. 31.
BY: John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Sun

Bette Midler’s run as headliner at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace ends Jan. 31, the hotel and AEG Live announced today. Her engagement began Feb. 20, 2008, and she has swapped stints with Cher during that run.

“What a fabulous two years this has been, and I thank AEG and Caesars Palace for the best partnership a showgirl could imagine. Who knows? These legs have had such a great run in the desert — it may be time to haul them to places with more humidity and fewer slot machines. But first I need to finish recording my album of the sexiest new love songs that only a showgirl could sing,” Midler was quoted in the statement issued this morning.

“Bette is one of the most talented, hard-working professionals in the business, and we would have loved for her to stay longer,” said John Meglen, co-CEO and president of AEG Live/Concerts West. “All of us at AEG Live thank Bette and the entire cast, crew and staff for a great two-year run at The Colosseum.”

“Like every one of her performances, the approaching finale of Bette’s two-year engagement leaves us applauding for more,” said Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace. “Bette always will have a home at Caesars Palace.”
http://www.lasvegassun.com/

WORLD SERIES OF POKER: November Nine.
Phil Ivey sitting in seventh as Main Event resumes, but he is first on other players’ minds.

By HOWARD STUTZ
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Eric Buchman likes his position going into the final table Saturday at the World Series of Poker’s Main Event.

The 29-year-old New York poker professional is second in chips, about 24.1 million behind Maryland logger Darvin Moon and 4.9 million ahead of Wall Street investment banker Steve Begleiter.

It’s the player sitting in seventh place that worries him.

Phil Ivey, considered to be one of the best poker players in the world, is lurking. The seven-time World Series of Poker individual event bracelet winner — including two victories this year — is short-stacked with 9.8 million in chips.

But that doesn’t matter to his opponents.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/november-nine.html

World Series of Poker Main Event – The Final Table Lineup
http://www.lvrj.com/business/world-series-of-poker-main-event—the-final-table-68202467.html

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Comedy icon Shecky Green, who got raves when he returned to Las Vegas in May after a long absence, is back in January. He’ll be at South Point on January 8-9-10.

Monte Carlo and Excalibur are offering deals for the National Finals Rodeo (Dec. 3-12). Excalibur rooms start at $36 per night, plus taxes; Monte Carlo, $55.95. Information: www.montecarlo.com or call 866-934-1242; Excalibur reservations: (800) 937-7777 or www.excalibur.com

More details are coming out on the planned location of the Strip-based Las Vegas Mob Exhibition. It will be housed in a Capo’s restaurant which will open in an undisclosed venue in the first half of 2010. Jay Bloom, managing partner of the exhibition, made the partnership announcement Saturday.

Cirque du Soleil is extending a locals offer through the end of February and making it good for all six titles: Buy one ticket at full price, get the second for $25, plus tax and fees. You can find details at cirquedusoleil.com/locals

Showbiz insiders are in shock over the surprise split between Flamingo star Marie Osmond and Karl Engemann, her veteran manager of 35 years, even more so over the stunning claims and counter claims now flying in a series of lawsuits that have surfaced over the past few days.

Dancing With the Stars runner-up Mario Lopez, who recently celebrated turning 36 here at the Bank in the Bellagio, will again serve as master of ceremonies for the live Jan. 30 Miss America Pageant here at Planet Hollywood. Mario hosted the pageant in 2007 and last year. This year’s pageant will feature 53 contestants, including Miss District of Columbia, Miss Virgin Islands and Miss Puerto Rico, who returns after a 50-year absence from the event.

After eight years, Josette’s Bistro will close Nov. 21, and owner chef Josette LeBlond will move her crew downtown to open the Las Vegas Rocks Cafe on Fremont Street by Dec. 1. Josette’s Bistro opened in September 2002 when the vivacious French chef converted a sterile Jitters location into a cozy, authentic French restaurant featuring fine wines and live entertainment. In the past year, her cooking show La Cuisine has filmed 13 episodes from the bistro and will move downtown to continue shooting. At the cafe, Josette has created a new menu that’s being tested at Josette’s Bistro. Menu items include The Bugsy Burger, The Louie Primavera Pasta, Lake Mead Dip, Charo’s Chili and Casino Chip Nachos.

Caesars Palace headliner Bette Midler, who announced Thursday that she’s ending her two-year run Jan. 31, didn’t score many PR points during her stay. “She refused to support our community,” Alicia Jacobs, KVBC-TV, Channel 3, entertainment reporter, said on the air Thursday. Examples cited by Jacobs included Midler’s lack of cooperation in helping to promote Nevada Ballet.

Marche Bacchus French Bistro and Wine Shop has added a menu created by new chef Jean Paul Labadie, a longtime Emeril Lagasse lieutenant. Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt’s lakeside wine-and-dine nightspot is at 2620 Regatta Drive in the Lakeside Center in the Desert Shores community. Reservations recommended: (702) 804-8008.

LBS: A Burger Joint at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., is celebrating its one-year anniversary with lower menu prices and new menu items. Burgers now start at $8.75, and new items include ahi tuna sliders, a California chicken salad and Firecracker Fried Shrimp.

Pop changeling Lady Gaga lights up The Pearl at the Palms on Dec. 18. Tickets are $100 and $125 and go on sale at noon Saturday at The Pearl box office, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Mirage headliner Terry Fator has debuted new versions of his beloved puppets Winston, The Impersonating Turtle, and Emma Taylor in his show.

The two puppets have been made over by design, fabrication and production company Puppet Heap. Winston and Emma, among others, helped Fator get his start on “America’s Got Talent.” Show tickets range from $59 to $129, call 702-792-7777 or 800-963-9634.

Strip House at Planet Hollywood is offering the “America’s Got Talent Live!” package that includes a dinner featuring signature menu items for $55 paired with any price level ticket to the show hosted by Jerry Springer. Offered through Dec. 13, the dinner must be redeemed between 5 and 6:30 p.m., call 702-785-5000.

The Golden Nugget downtown will open its new 500-room Rush Tower to the public on Nov. 20. The $150 million expansion, which includes a new restaurant, three retail shops and a casino floor expansion, will bring the property’s total room count to 2,417 making it the largest downtown. The resort is also spending $1 million to build a new entrance at First Street and Carson Avenue.

Comedian Lily Tomlin will be performing in Las Vegas for the first time in her career at the MGM Grand from Nov. 10-18. The show performs at 8 p.m and tickets are priced from $58.50-$80.50.

The much-anticipated new live-music venue at the Mirage opens tomorrow. B.B. King’s Blues Club seats 558 and will feature four bars, a stage, and a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends.

Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar is set to open Nov. 13 with a Rock ‘n Roll party. You can reserve a table for the grand opening weekend by calling 702/220-PETE (7383) or by visiting http://www.petesduelingpianobar.com/.

Las Vegas-based airline Allegiant Air is offering a free flight promotion through Nov. 18: Purchase one air/hotel package with Allegiant by Nov. 18, 2009 and the second person flies free.

Last month M Resort axed breakfast from its buffet; now Silverton has discontinued breakfast during the week. They still serve brunch from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

PEEPSHOW CHANGES. By Norm Clarke/LVRJ

Colleague Mike Weatherford reports that Planet Hollywood’s topless revue “Peepshow” is cutting back.

Aubrey O’Day, the co-lead with Holly Madison, won’t be renewed when the pop star’s limited run ends in December, Weatherford said in a posting on “Vegas Voices,” the R-J’s blog site.

Director Jerry Mitchell “agrees we can get a pretty terrific person locally to play that role,” co-producer Scott Zeiger says of the “Peep Diva” part played by Spice Girl Mel B. when the show first opened.

Madison will continue to be the show’s marquee draw, and producers have high hopes for an E! series, tentatively titled “Planet Holly.”

“If the pilot resonates and ends up getting picked up the way we think, something like that could change the show,” Zeiger said.

He confirmed he will be talking to the Actors Equity union about a January break for “Peepshow,” similar to Cirque du Soleil’s annual extended vacations.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/agassi-book-fails-to-discuss-rogers-67906497.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Book reveals Gans’ grudge.

In a recent issue of Wired magazine, author Nicholas Thompson writes of the “Dead Hand.” It’s a Russian weapons system — still operational, he claims — that could fire back on the United States even after the Soviets had been hit with a nuclear strike.

I thought of the phrase after reading Chapter 34 of Danny Gans’ posthumous autobiography, “The Voices in My Head” (published by Las Vegas Review-Journal sibling company Stephens Press).

Though I’m not named, co-author R.G. Ryan confirms the chapter is devoted to me. “He didn’t want to call you out by name. Danny, if he was anything, he was a very sensitive guy.”

You can read the actual book excerpts and detailed rebuttal in the Vegas Voice blog today. But in a nutshell:

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/book-reveals-gans-grudge.html

NORM: Cirque neon will be flashing ‘Viva Elvis’.

Cirque du Soleil will make official today what ticket broker sites have been banking on for months: The name of the Elvis show at CityCenter will be “Viva Elvis.”

Cirque, I hear, is still shooting for previews to open Dec. 16, which is the opening night of Aria, the hotel tower where the 1,800-seat Elvis theater will be housed.

An announcement is expected soon on when tickets will be available.

The date of the premiere has not yet been announced, but there’s speculation it could be as soon as Jan. 8, which would have been The King’s 75th birthday.

Type “Viva Elvis” into Internet search engines, and a handful of glitzy ticket broker sites show up bearing the title. The rogue sites encourage Elvis fans to buy their tickets early. One site says tickets could cost upwards of $190.

In mid-September, Vegas Confidential revealed that the main Elvis role will be played by Leo Days, a former Elvis impersonator who grew up in Michigan.

There will be a young Elvis as well as members of his family portrayed at various ages. Many will have speaking parts, a rarity in Cirque shows.

Vincent Paterson, who will be directing his first Cirque show, directed and choreographed Michael Jackson’s “Bad” tour and Madonna’s “Blond Ambition” tour. Paterson also conceived of and wrote “Viva Elvis.”
http://www.lvrj.com/news/Cirque-neon-will-be-flashing-Viva-Elvis-69266357.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Hackett brings own Rat Pack to Sahara.

Sandy Hackett says his late father, Buddy, once turned down a chance to be Frank Sinatra’s opening act in Las Vegas.

Asked why, he explained, “I’d rather be competing with him.” Sure enough, Hackett’s name shows up on another Las Vegas marquee in the movie “Ocean’s Eleven.”

Sandy cites this as one reason for opening his own Rat Pack tribute, instead of waiting for the courts to sort out back-and-forth litigation with Dick Feeney, his former partner in “The Rat Pack Is Back” at the Plaza.

Another reason? “How long do you think I could sit on the sidelines? I need to go back to work.” So on Nov. 19, he plans to launch “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” at the Sahara, sharing a second-floor venue with The Comedy Stop.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/hackett-brings-own-rat-pack-to-sahara-69268682.html

New Year’s Eve lineup in Las Vegas: Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Shwayze.

Pure Management Group announce NYE performers at LAX, Pure, Christian Audiger nightclubs. BY Melissa Arseniuk/Las Vegas Sun.

Halloween is barely behind us, Thanksgiving has yet to happen, and the holidays are still a ways off but Vegas has its eyes set on New Year’s Eve.

Pure Management Group earlier today announced their line-up for what is always the biggest party night of the year.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/02/black-eyed-peas-50-cent-shwayze-play-new-years-eve/

Wayne Newton: The story, but not the sound.
The only thing fans will enjoy about this show is the memories it evokes.

BY: Joe Brown/Las Vegas Sun

I had been warned that Wayne Newton can’t sing anymore. Apparently it’s been common knowledge for years that his voice is shot.

But nothing could have prepared me for the ghastly noises that came out of the Las Vegas icon Wednesday night. Newton can barely speak, let alone sing.

It sounded like the Vegas Chainsaw Massacre.

“Once Before I Go,” Newton’s uneven new show at the Tropicana, purports to be a stroll with Newton through 50 years of memories as an entertainer on the Strip.

More from The Las Vegas Sun here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/02/story-not-sound/

Beyonce to return to the Wynn alternating with Garth Brooks?
BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun

Hotel tycoon Steve Wynn has been discussing Beyonce’s return to his Encore Theater at the Wynn to alternate with country singer Garth Brooks’ appearances there over the next five years! Steve and Beyonce’s father, Matthew Knowles, who serves as her manager, have talked about a regular series of short-run appearances modeled after Garth’s contract.

Meantime, before that deal is signed, sealed and delivered, Beyonce’s last concert here at the Wynn will be seen and heard on CD and DVD just before Thanksgiving. Industry insiders are suggesting that the Nov. 23 release might coincide with an announcement by Steve about her return to his Las Vegas property.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/robin-leachs-las-vegas-celebrity-watch/2009/nov/03/beyonce-return-wynn-alternating-garth-brooks/

Former Platters Lead Singer Sonny Turner Returns to the Suncoast Showroom December 4-6.

Legendary vocalist Sonny Turner, former lead singer of The Platters, brings his signature style back to the Suncoast Showroom, December 4, 5 and 6.

Turner burst onto the national music scene in 1959, when he was chosen from among 100 prospects to replace The Platters’ original lead singer Tony Williams. Starting at the young age of 19, Turner toured the world with The Platters and gained popularity as the new sound of the group, with such hits as “I Love You 1000 Times,” “With This Ring” and “Washed Ashore.” He also re-recorded the group’s major hits including “Only You,” “The Great Pretender” and “The Magic Touch.”

In 1970, Turner left The Platters to pursue a solo career that brought him international fame. In doing so, he established his own fan base and following. Turner later lent his voice to such films as “Nutty Professor II” starring Eddie Murphy, and “Hearts in Atlantis” starring Anthony Hopkins.

A native of West Virginia, Turner and his family moved to Cleveland when he was a child. Turner first followed in his father’s footsteps as a boxer, becoming a Golden Gloves fighter before leaving the sport to pursue a singing career. Gigs at amateur shows and local clubs led to a recording contract for Turner’s group, the Metrotones, and set the stage for his future success with The Platters.

In 2005, Turner received The Lifetime Excellence in Entertainment Award in Las Vegas. He was also inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame and The Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America for his musical contributions to The Platters. Along with Herb Reed, bass singer and founder of The Platters, Turner is one of just two surviving members of the sensation that became one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Turner continues to keep the music alive through concert appearances around the world.

Tickets are now available at $19.95, plus tax. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 702.636.7075 or visiting www.suncoastcasino.com

Mystic Falls Park at Sam’s Town Transforms into a Winter Wonderland November 26.

Mystic Falls Park, located inside Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, has always been a wonder to behold. Beginning November 26 and running thru January 2, the Western pioneer world will be transformed into a fantasy winter wonderland experience.

Upon entering Mystic Falls, guests will be greeted with festive garland streams, whimsical snow covered lampposts and more than 50 glimmering trees adorned in lights. A dazzling 30-foot professionally decorated Christmas tree is sure to amaze and inspire holiday cheer.

As the holiday show begins, three new polar bear scenes and a river scene with two fishing polar bears come to life in their snowy surroundings. Like in the Western snowy mountains, snow floats from the sky capping the waterfall and mountain range. All the while, light images and shooting water dance to traditional holiday music including “Frosty the Snowman,” “Let It Snow” and “The Nutcracker,” placing guests in the middle of a true winter wonderland experience in the heart of the Boulder Strip.

“This winter wonderland transformation has occurred every year for 15 years,” said Mike Garms, Sam’s Town Las Vegas’ Vice President and General Manager. “The combination of music, sparkling holiday lights, animated animals and the light show are sure to make this a magical experience for visitors and locals alike.”

The 15 minute free winter show will take place at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.

Show Review: Defemding The Caveman. By Sarah Harris.
www.accessvegas.com

“Defending The Caveman” is by far one of the funniest shows on the Las Vegas Strip. The fun starts even before the show! Stroll on into the showroom and you’ll be greeted by a caveman and a cavewoman, who will pose for pictures with you. “Defending the Caveman,” a one-man show performed by Kevin Burke, is about the inherent differences between the sexes and how we relate to one another. The show was conceived and written by comedian Rob Becker and has been performed across the country and is now being performed across the world. We’re lucky to have it here in Vegas permanently. “Defending the Caveman” holds the record for the longest running solo show on Broadway.

According to Burke, there are so many basic and primitive differences between men and women that we speak different languages, have different customs, and at times live in different worlds. Separate worlds in fact. And there’s a physical reason. While women have brains that allow us to multi-task – it’s no joke – our corpus callosums works differently. While messages go back and forth between both sides of our brains, this doesn’t occur as much in the brains of men. As a result, men can only focus on one thing at a time.

Kevin Burke takes us back to cavemen times when we had more defined roles. Men were the hunters and women were the gatherers. As a result, we had different jobs and purposes. While modern society has mixed things up a bit in our roles, we relate to each other differently. We relate to each other (men to women, women to men) in what we know and how we’d like the other person to relate to us. This is where the confusion comes in, as well as the comedy in this hilarious show. The first thing that women do when they get together, is compliment each other on how we look. Men, in Burke’s book, insult their friends upon getting together as terms of endearment. The mistake that most couples make in today’s world is thinking that when we marry that we form one gender, instead of facing the inevitable – that there are two.

Burke’s analogy of the Caveman trying to tell us something about men and women is brilliant and quite true. The way he conveys it is truly funny and entertaining. He invites us to take a look at children. Women when they’re little girls will play house, which consists of pretending to do chores. Young girls, he also observes, enjoy playing jump rope. It doesn’t occur to a girl to tie someone up with that rope.“Defending the Caveman” lets us laugh at ourselves about the ways men and women fight, and ultimately love each other. Do yourself a favor – whether you’re visiting Las Vegas or if you live here – go see

“Defending the Caveman” at Excalibur. It’s a gem of a show.
http://www.las-vegas-shows-reviews.com/defending-the-caveman-a-hilarious-look-at-the-genders/2009/09/20/

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The Platters, Coasters & the Marvelettes: $15 off admission
The Sopranos Last Supper: $10 off admission
Titanic The Artifact Exhibition: $5 off admission
Tix4Tonight: $2 off service fee for half-priced tickets
Tony & Tina’s Wedding: $15-$30 off admission
Tony & Tina’s Wedding: 2-for-1 VIP tickets
Vegas Wedding Chapel: $50 off any ceremony
Vinnie Favorito Comedy Show: $10 off admission
Voices with Lani Misalucha: $10 off admission
X Burlesque: $10 off admission
Xtreme Magic starring Dirk Arthur: 2-for-1 admission

Chuck Rounds’ Las Vegas Entertainment News. November 2009.

Providing that each of you has survived Halloween in Las Vegas, it’s the Holiday Season!! In spite of the economy, it is a Great time to be in Las Vegas–good cheer and good weather are abounding throughout the city. Convention business is bustling with several monster conventions coming into town that have a couple of hundred thousand attendees. Holiday shows are starting to appear all over the city, and Christmas lights are being added to the neon. Thanksgiving has become a major event in town. Many people are taking advantage of the long weekend and spending in extra time in Vegas, and most restaurants have Thanksgiving offerings and specials, which will rival even the finest of home cooked meals. Las Vegas wants your business and has a lot of offer. Many of the Hotels are offering outrageous deals for you to come and stay here. November is one of the best months of the year.

Tickets for the first five weekends of Garth Brooks’ concerts at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas have sold out. Tickets for his 20 confirmed concert performances went on sale on Saturday, October 24 at 8 a.m. and were completely sold by 1 p.m. The Wynn Las Vegas Web sites and phones were inundated with traffic for concert tickets the resort phone lines were able to accommodate 141,934 calls before the system reached maximum capacity and callers received a busy signal. Over the course of the morning, the Web site received more than 5.4 million page views with up to 40,000 people waiting in an online queue at any given time. Every effort was made to ensure the systems were operating at peak and processes will be examined to ensure improved performance when future concerts are placed on sale. Future Garth Brooks concert dates will be announced soon. Wynn will not tolerate unauthorized selling of concert tickets and the strict ticketing rules and policies will be enforced to the fullest extent. This will include ongoing audits to examine purchaser records and information which may result in automatic cancellation of confirmed purchases if a violation of policy is discovered.

Formed in Hawaii and perfected in showrooms throughout Las Vegas and the Islands, Society of Seven brings its lively variety show to the Gold Coast Showroom for an extended run beginning November 6. They are joined by season three American Idol finalist, Jasmine Trias. Society of Seven, the famed Hawaiian-bred group, offers an energetic variety show that combines comedy sketches, celebrity impersonations, dance and live music performances, including popular standards, Top 40 and Broadway.

The popular Las Vegas entertainer and “Concert King” of the Philippines, Martin Nievera, returns to the Suncoast Showroom for a weekend of solo performances November 13, 14 and 15. Nievera has dazzled crowds with his diverse repertoire, including his signature “On the Right Track,” Broadway medleys and his swing renditions of Michael Jackson songs. His performances at the Suncoast will showcase his distinct talents, and he plans to raise awareness about the devastation in the Philippines caused by Super Typhoon Ondoy. Earlier this year, Nievera twice shared the Suncoast Showroom stage with fellow entertainers Clint Holmes, Susan Anton and Domenick Allen in Vocal Soup-blending solo performances, duets and group numbers, and rekindling the Las Vegas tradition of entertainers coming together in an “anything can happen” atmosphere.

The longest running concert event on the Las Vegas Strip with more than 3,100 shows performed, moves to the state-of-the-art, $34 million Wyrick Theater complex. The show, which has wowed audiences for more than 10 years, combines three legendary rock and roll groups singing the hits that made them famous. The Cornell Gunter Coasters, known as the Clown Princes of Rock ‘N Roll, kick off the show with their high energy style and hit songs including “Yakkity Yak,” “Love Potion #9″ and “Charlie Brown.” The world-famous Platters, combining class, grace and more than 50 years of hits takes the stage with their timeless songs like “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “Only You” and “The Great Pretender.” The marvelous Marvelettes, who had the first hit for Motown, round out the show with their precision signature choreography and hits like “Please Mr. Postman,” “Don’t Mess With Bill,” “Beechwood 45789″ and “Playboy.”

Audience favorites from the fifth season of the popular television program So You Think You Can Dance will appear live on stage at the Orleans Arena for a one-night-only event, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the So You Think You Can Dance Tour 2009. Ade Obayomi, Brandon Bryant, Evan Kasprzak, Janette Manrara, Jason Glover, Kayla Radomski, Kupono Aweau, Melissa Sandvig, Randi Evans, and America’s Favorite Dancer Jeanine Mason are the Top 10 Finalists from the hit television show, performing the hottest routines from the program, as well as original pieces created specifically for the national tour*. The dancers and their routines encompass several dance genres and styles including Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Ballroom, Tango, Broadway and Salsa, among others.

Barry Manilow’s record-setting five-year engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton will conclude on December 30, 2009. Barry Manilow began his long-term engagement with the Las Vegas Hilton in February, 2005 with “Manilow: Music and Passion.” His current show, “ULTIMATE MANILOW: The Hits,” debuted in July of 2008. By the end of the year Manilow will have performed well over 300 shows, to nearly 450,000 people with gross ticket sales of more than $70 million. “ULTIMATE MANILOW: The Hits” is packed with chart-topping music spanning his spectacular career, and gives fans an opportunity to enjoy decades of Manilow’s music and his amazing showmanship.

Opportunity Village…”The Magical Forest” opens November 21st. The Enchanted Carousel, the Forest Express Trains, live music, sweet treats, lavishly decorated trees, whimsical displays, millions of lights and visits with Santa Claus provide people of all ages with a winter wonderland each night during the holiday season. This season hold a truly magical surprise with new exciting attractions and an expanded Magical Forest that Las Vegas has never seen before. Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and interesting. Once thought by society to be unemployable and unimportant in the community, people with severe disabilities are engaged, active residents who contribute to our society. Through Opportunity Village’s programs and services, hundreds of people with disabilities are learning vocational skills and being placed in jobs throughout the community.

November is a huge time for entertainment…I mean HUGE!!

The second week in November has:

Jo Dee Messina
Mandalay Bay Nov 9

All Time Low w/ We the Kings, Hey Monday & the Friday Night Boys
Mandalay Bay Nov 10

Lily Tomlin
MGM Grand Nov 10 – 18

Foreigner
Buffalo Bill’s Nov 11

Indian National Finals Rodeo
South Point Casino Nov 11 – 15

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits
Hard Rock Hotel Nov 11 – 22

Leonard Cohen
Caesars Palace Nov 12

Neil Sedaka
Orleans Hotel Nov 12 – 15

John Fogerty
Buffalo Bill’s Nov 13

Las Vegas Mixed Martial Arts
Las Vegas Hilton Nov 13

Martin Nievera
Suncoast Hotel Nov 13 – 15

Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Nov 13 – 14

Sha Na Na
South Point Nov 13 – 15

Stryper
Santa Fe Station Nov 13

Terri Clark
Silverton Hotel Nov 13

Aviation Nation
Nellis Air Force Base Nov 14 – 15

BJ Thomas
Cannery Casino Nov 14

Chelsea Handler
Caesars Palace Nov 14

Las Vegas Gun & Knife Show
Cashman Center Nov 14 – 15

Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto
MGM Grand Nov 14

Norm Macdonald
Mandalay Bay Nov 14

So You Think You Can Dance
Orleans Hotel Nov 14

The Buckinghams
Fiesta Rancho Nov 14

The Gin Blossoms
Silverton Hotel Nov 14

WoWoWee with WoWoWillie
Orleans Hotel Nov 15

Week number three brings:

2009 Senior Softball Winter Worlds
Multiple Sports Venues Nov 17 – 22
United Football League Championship Game
Sam Boyd Stadium Nov 17

Dethklok w/ Mastodon and High on Fire
Mandalay Bay Nov 18

WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting)
Palms Casino Nov 18 – 19

Café Tacuba 20th Anniversary Tour
Manalay Bay Nov 19

Cher
Caesars Palace Nov 19 – 29

David Copperfield
MGM Grand Nov 19 – Dec 2

Asleep at the Wheel
Silverton Hotel Nov 20

Bill Medley w/ Darrin & McKenna Medley
South Point Casino Nov 20 – 22

Brandon Bennett
Suncoast Hotel Nov 20 – 22

Darryl Worley
Green Valley Ranch Nov 20

Four Tops
Orleans Hotel Nov 20 – 22

Hollywood Undead and Atreyu w/ Escape the Fate and the Sleeping
Mandalay Bay Nov 20

Julio Iglesias
Las Vegas Hilton Nov 20 – 21

Kenny G
Buffalo Bill’s Nov 20

Lewis Black
Mirage Nov 20 – 21

Snowjam Ski & Snowboard Show
Cashman Center Nov 20 – 22

The Four Tops
Orleans Hotel Nov 20 – 22

The Limit – Led Zeppelin IV In It’s Entirety
Cannery Casino Nov 20

Davy Jones
Silverton Hotel Nov 21

Hiroshima
Santa Fe Station Nov 21

James Darren
Cannery Casino Nov 21

La 5a Estacion
Mandalay Bay Nov 21

Maxxis Endurocross
Orleans Hotel Nov 21

Maxxis Endurocross Finals
Orleans Hotel Nov 21

Nashville Unplugged
Green Valley Ranch Nov 21 Free

Raphael Saadiq
Mandalay Bay Nov 21

Sahra Musique
MGM Grand Nov 21

Ultimate Fighting Championship 106
Mandalay Bay Nov 21

KEM
Las Vegas Hilton Nov 22

Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament
Orleans Hotel Nov 23 – 25

The fourth week of the month (which includes Thanksgiving,) has:

Bill Cosby
Treasure Island – TI Nov 27

Circle of Love
Planet Hollywood Nov 27

David Spade Live
Venetian Resort Nov 27 – 29

Las Vegas Invitational NCAA Basketball Tournament
Orleans Hotel Nov 27 – 28

Motor Trend International Auto Show
Las Vegas Convention Center Nov 27 – 29

Papa Roach
Mandala Bay Nov 27

Patti LaBelle
Buffalo Bill’s Nov 27

The Kingston Trio
South Point Casino Nov 27 – 29

Dwight Yoakam
Buffalo Bill’s Nov 28

KISS: Alive 35
Palms Casino Nov 28

Notis Sfakianakis
Rio All-Suite Hotel Nov 28

Stevie Wonder
MGM Grand Nov 28

UNLV Football
Sam Boyd Stadium Nov 28

Vicente Fernandez
Mandalay Bay Nov 28

The Black Crowes
Mandalay Bay Nov 29

The last week in November, which includes the first weekend in December brings us:

Cher
Caesars Palace Dec 1 – 15

Bret Michaels
Buffalo Bill’s Dec 2

NASCAR Champions Week FanFest
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dec 2 FREE to $250

Bill Engvall
Treasure Island – TI Dec 3 – 4

Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational
Buffalo Bill’s Dec 3 – 6

Cowboy Christmas Gift Show 2009
Las Vegas Convention Center Dec 3 – 12 Free

Cowboy Marketplace Western Lifestyle Expo
Mandalay Bay Dec 3 – 12

Lonestar
Golden Nugget Dec 3

National Finals Rodeo
Thomas & Mack Center Dec 3 – 12

Rodney Carrington
MGM Grand Dec 3 – 12

The Cranberries
Palms Casino Dec 3

2009 NASCAR Awards Banquet
Wynn Las Vegas Dec 4

Brooks & Dunn
Las Vegas Hilton Dec 4 – 5

Clay Walker
Golden Nugget Dec 4 – 5

Equigames 2009
South Point Casino Dec 4

International Gem & Jewelry Show
Cashman Center Dec 4 – 6

Morrissey – The Swords Tour
Hard Rock Hotel Dec 4

Ray Price
Boulder Station Dec 4

Ron White
MGM Grand Dec 4 – 5

Sonny Turner “Former Lead Singer of the Platters”
Suncoast Hotel Dec 4 – 6

Tanya Tucker
Silverton Hotel Dec 4 – 5

The Fab – A Beatles Christmas
Cannery Casino Dec 4 – 5

Benny Binion’s World Famous Bucking Horse & Bull Sale
South Point Casino Dec 5 – 6

Boney James
Boulder Station Dec 5

Chickenfoot
Hard Rock Dec 5

Las Vegas Reptile Show
Cashman Center Dec 5 – 6

Metallica
Mandalay Bay Dec 5

Robin Williams
MGM Grand Dec 5

The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale
Palms Casino Dec 5

Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Orleans Hotel Dec 5

WCK Full Rules Muay Thai
Buffalo Bill’s Dec 5

Willie Nelson & Family w/ Asleep at the Wheel
Planet Hollywood Dec 5

Lee Greenwood’s Tennessee Christmas
Orleans Hotel Dec 6

Rock ‘n Roll Las Vegas Marathon
Las Vegas Strip Dec 6

The Lone Starlets
Golden Nugget Dec 6 – 9

For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: ( www.lvol.com ).

I Go Shows ( www.Igoshows.com ) is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.

HEIDI’S PICKS: BY Heidi Knapp Rinella/LVRJ

BOUCHON
Venezia Tower at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 414-6200

It still seems as incongruous among the Italianate trappings of the Venetian as on the day it opened, but Bouchon has worn very nicely, delivering French-bistro fare that’s as authentic as it gets. Notable were a charcuterie board, the Poulet Roti (roast chicken), Triute aux Amandes (trout almondine) and the silken-sin richness of the Mousse au Chocolate Noir, which requires no translation. (7/31/09)
Overall: A $$$

DONA MARIA TAMALES
910 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 382-6538 (also at 3205 N. Tenaya Way)

Dona Maria Tamales is the real deal; if you don’t believe us, just ask some of the fans gathered for the futbol games on satellite TV. Tamales wrapped in just-dense-enough masa harina are the specialty of the house and the cheese version had a filling that was just firm enough and had just enough peppers, its tender pork counterpart with just a bit of a kick; even the beans and rice are better than we normally encounter. And on a return visit, we’d be sure not to miss the queso fundido con chorizo. (7/14/09)
Overall: B+ $$

I LOVE SUSHI
11041 S. Eastern Ave.; 990-4055

I Love Sushi is one of a growing genre of sushi restaurants that are refining and re-defining the art to be more in keeping with American tastes. To that end there’s a heavy reliance on tuna and salmon, but we’re not complaining. We liked the Joe’s Special, Sex on the Beach, the I Love Sushi Special, the Lisa Hand Roll, the John Homes Roll and the Tornado. And a vanilla mochi for dessert. And there’s teriyaki, teppanyaki and yakisoba, in case sushi’s not your thing. (4/14/09)
Overall: A $$
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-eats-of-the-week-69359017.html

SHOW REVIEW: Wayne Newton. BY: Mike Weatherford.
Entertainer offers new tricks with autobiographical ‘Once Before I Go’

Newton is a unique figure in show business, and his new autobiographical showcase at the Tropicana reminds us why.

It’s titled “Once Before I Go,” and in it, old video clips reopen the door to ’60s and ’70s variety television. It was the end of the era, but only now is that so obvious.

Watching an aging and tired Dean Martin limp through an Al Jolson medley with the earnest young, feathery-haired (and powerfully singing!) Newton, you can see how some wishful parents might have thought a generational torch could be passed.

Vegas area adds three resorts to elite AAA list.
New additions bring number of Nevada properties on list to 13.

BY: Amanda Finnegan/Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas is home to three more AAA Five Diamond winners, AAA Travel announced today. Nevada and Florida tied by adding three properties to the list — more than any other state.

The latest additions include The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las Vegas, Encore Las Vegas and the Palazzo in the hotel category. Nevada now has eight Five Diamond properties, trailing only California and Florida.

Other resorts earning the coveted award are repeat winners. The list includes the Venetian, Bellagio, Skylofts at MGM Grand, Wynn Las Vegas and Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, an 11-time winner of the Five Diamond award.

The Bellagio has received the award for nine consecutive years while the Skylofts and Wynn Las Vegas both have won for the last four. The Venetian has made the list the last three years.

All of Nevada’s restaurants are repeat recipients of the Five Diamond award. The winners include Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace, Picasso and Le Cirque at Bellagio, Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand and Alex at Wynn Las Vegas.

November Nine in the hunt for $27 million in World Series of Poker.
BY Robin Leach/www.vegasdeluxe.com

At high noon tomorrow, nine card players will battle for the top prize of $8.5 million and split what’s left from the overall $27 million at the finals of the 40th Annual World Series of Poker. Either way, it’s not a bad payday! The showdown takes place at the Penn & Teller Theater in The Rio.

Seven of those men will be eliminated, and two will remain for Monday’s 10 p.m. head-to-head face-off to find the 2009 WSOP bracelet winner who will carry off with the $8.5 million in cash. Play at the table tomorrow will continue for as long as it takes to get down to the final two.

The runner-up receives $5.2 million, and the third-place finisher receives $3.5 million. From the fourth-place spot, the prize money eases down from $2.5 million to the $1.25 million that the first man ousted will win.

More here:
http://www.vegasdeluxe.com/blogs/luxe-life/2009/nov/06/november-nine-hunt-27-million-world-series-poker/

CityCenter Rooms Will Be High Tech. BY Rick Garman

When it opens next month, CityCenter will have some of the most advanced guestroom technology in the country at it’s Aria and Mandarin Oriental hotels, turning a simple hotel stay into something straight out of “The Jetsons.” As guests approach their room or suite, it will recognize if it is their first time in the room and “greet” them as they enter. Light will fill the room, the curtains automatically will part to showcase the city or mountain views, and the TV will turn on to display a list of automated controls for guests to personalize.

All rooms will feature one-touch control of features, including lighting, room temperature, television/video systems, music, wake-up calls, draperies and requests for services through a single, easy-to-use remote control. Each nightstand also will feature a seven-inch panel with touch-screen technology that navigates the same room settings as the remote. All settings will be remembered and incorporated every time a guest is in-room.

Having all guestroom devices on one network enables guests to select “scenes” matching their mood or preference, which modify all settings at once. For example, each room will feature a “good night” button next to the bed. With one touch, guests can turn off the lights, TV and/or music; shut the curtains; and turn on the privacy notification for the room. Similarly, guests can utilize the TV’s sleep mode to accomplish the same result on a timer.

One of the simplest, yet most exciting, features is the keyless lock system. All you have to do to get in the room is “flash” your key over the lock sensor at the door. Why is this exciting? Because they are insisting that the key cannot be demagnetized so no more worrying about having the thing too close to your credit cards or cell phone.

Each room will include a 42-inch LCD HDTV that allows guests to connect their laptop and enjoy a big-screen monitor; watch a variety of domestic and international channels in high-def; plug in video devices such as game consoles or cameras; control room automation; and enjoy their MP3 players.

The television also will serve as a communications center; when on, the TV will automatically display messages pertaining to new voicemails or package receipts and more.

Oh but they’re not stopping there. The TV will also replace the clock radio, with settings that can wake guests up gradually through controlled temperature, lighting, curtain opening and preferred music, all designed to delivering a subtle and more soothing wake-up experience than being blasted out of bed to whatever horrible radio station the person who stayed in the room before you was listening to.

All guestrooms will be networked with fiber offering one gigabit of bandwidth, delivering wireless Internet connectivity that will be up to eight times faster (128 kilobytes) than the average U.S. guestroom today.

All in-room devices also will be on the network, enabling the property to easily “communicate” with the room to perform special requests or maintenance. Whether a remote needs new batteries or a MiniBar needs replenishing, most needs can be identified and resolved before the guest is even aware.

But the high-tech stuff is not just for electronic thrills. CityCenter’s in-room technology will also offer a non-obtrusive and easy way to conserve precious resources such as energy and water.

Green settings on the room’s remote system will allow guests the opportunity to voluntarily “green their stay” by indicating their preferred light level, room temperature and frequency of linen and towel changes. Systems also can be programmed to automatically put a room into unoccupied status upon checkout – turning down or off the heating/cooling system, televisions, lights and any appliances.

The Mandarin Oriental is set to open December 4, 2009 and Aria will open on December 16, 2009.
http://vegas4visitors.com

Echelon Eschews Opening. BY Rick Garman

When Boyd Gaming announced plans to tear down The Stardust and build a $5 billion complex of hotels, casinos, and entertainment venues in its place, the grand opening date was set for early 2010. Echelon, as it was to be called, would’ve been the crown jewel in the company’s portfolio of properties that includes Downtown favorites like Main Street Station and The Fremont. But then a little thing called a global economic meltdown came along, two of the partners in the development went bankrupt, and the folks at Boyd decided that maybe it wasn’t the best time to open a $5 billion gamble in the hot Nevada desert. So they shuttered the construction site last year, leaving 87 acres of dirt, cranes, and the steel shells of what was to come.

When they did so, the party line wasn’t “we’re stopping entirely,” rather “we’re delaying for a little while.” Various date ranges were thrown around but most assumed the work would start again sometime in 2009.

Or maybe 2010.

Certainly no later than 2011.

I think you can see where this is going.

During a recent investors call, officials with Boyd Gaming announced they would not restart construction on Echelon for three to five years. For those of you still recovering from Halloween festivities that can’t possibly do math in your head, that means sometime between 2012 and 2014. And that’s just to get the work going again. It’ll take another two to three years beyond that to actually build the place.

What the place will be is also a big question mark. When originally announced, the property was going to have five hotels: a 2,300 room main hotel with a 140,000 square-foot casino; a 650 all-suite hotel; a Las Vegas branch of high-end Asian hotelier Shangri-La with 350 rooms; an 860 room Mondrian (a big name in Los Angeles); and a 550 room Delano. In addition there was going to be more than 30 restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and lounges; two theaters; and a 300,000 square-foot shopping mall.

However, the companies that were to contribute money and manage both the mall and the Mondrian and Delano hotels went bankrupt and now will not be part of Echelon when it finally opens.

That’s a problem, of course, but perhaps not as much of a problem as the fact that they started construction on a property with those things included. Many analysts believe that once Boyd is finally ready to get the project going again, they may need to radically alter what they have already put in the ground, which is only going to add more time to the project.

Do I hear 2020?

Further complicating matters is the money situation.

Boyd Gaming secured about $2 billion in credit for the project before the economy tanked. Now that money is sitting there burning a hole in their proverbial pocket and they seem eager to spend it. Boyd is lobbying hard to try to snap up several of the Stations Casinos out of bankruptcy, and if they are successful it means a big chunk of those billions will be gone. Whether or not they’ll be able to get those billions back from somewhere to be able to complete Echelon is a huge question mark.

So get used to seeing a big pile of dirt and a partially built hotel on the north end of The Strip. It’s going to be there for a long, long time.
http://vegas4visitors.com

Everything Las Vegas: Lucky Issue # 711

MrVegas98 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:55:49 +0000

October 30th, 2009.

Barry Manilow to debut at the Paris on Valentine’s Day.
By Robin Leach

It’s now definite — a lock, as they say in show business — that Barry Manilow will move to the Paris on the Strip right after his five-year contract with the Las Vegas Hilton ends in December.

The new deal has been signed, sealed and delivered, as they also say! Barry will open on Valentine’s Day to coincide with the release of his new album of love songs.

Here at Vegas DeLuxe, we were the first back to reveal back in the spring in a candid interview with Barry that he didn’t know if he would be renewing the Hilton contract, but he said if he didn’t, he definitely wanted to continue performing in Las Vegas. Over the months, we reported rumors as the Paris negotiations heated up that it would be Barry’s future home.

More here:
http://www.vegasdeluxe.com/blogs/luxe-life/2009/oct/27/barry-manilow-debut-paris-valentines-day/

NORM: Wynn to scalpers: Oh no you don’t.

Steve Wynn is vowing to scalp the scalpers.

With Garth Brooks tickets already going for as high as $700 on ticket broker Web sites in less than 24 hours after Saturday’s sellout of Brooks’ first five weeks — 20 performances — Wynn “has an action plan for the scalpers,” a Wynn Las Vegas spokeswoman said Sunday.

“We have a number of people mobilized to take the necessary steps to see that the scalper tickets are canceled,” said Jennifer Dunne, vice president of public relations and advertising for Wynn Resorts.

“We won’t stop until we succeed,” she said.

Brooks tickets went on sale at 8 a.m. Saturday and were sold out by 1 p.m. Theater capacity is about 1,500.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/wynn-to-scalpers-oh-no-you-dont-65968952.html

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Every Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Suncoast’s showroom, Las Vegas talent shows up for the “Hit Parade.” Admission is free.

Every Friday from 4-10 p.m. at the Emerald Island Casino, 120 Market St., the “Real” Meal Deal: for $14.99 with a players card: jumbo shrimp cocktail, filet mignon and lobster tail, served with soup or salad, choice of potato, vegetable d’jour and a hot fudge brownie with fresh whipped cream.

Hawaiian variety act Society of Seven moves into the little showroom at the Gold Coast on Nov. 6, with shows Fridays through Sundays. The veteran show band’s new female star is Jasmine Trias, the “American Idol” contestant who filled in when Lani Misalucha was on break from their previous revue at the Flamingo. Misalucha is now competition as the star of “Voices” at the Las Vegas Hilton.

On Monday, Cirque du Soleil surprised a Missouri couple attending “Mystere” with a return-trip prize package for being the company’s 30 millionth Las Vegas customer. Those kind of promotions aren’t unusual — you always wonder how they pin it down to which exact patron — but the numbers do give pause.

Daniel Boulud Brasserie to Close: The Las Vegas outpost of the star chef for whom it’s named will be closing in April of next year, when its five-year operating agreement with Wynn is up. No word yet on what will take its place.

We’re in the midst of making our monthly calls to every buffet and showroom in Las Vegas for the LVA newsletter and can confirm that the V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops has slashed the prices on all of its shows, with the exception of the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater and Amazed. Tickets for The Mentalist and Sin City Comedy are down by $20, while American Storm, Fab Four Live, Mesmerized, and V: The Ultimate Variety Show (which features Mario and Jenny, who recently made it to the latter rounds of “America’s Got Talent”) have all been cut by $10. We’ll bring you all the other news from showland in the November issue of LVA, which will be out next week.

The weekend edition of USA Today ran two Las Vegas entertainment notices. The first was a feature on the Garth Brooks deal at Encore, but there was also a small mention of Wayne Newton’s deal at the Trop.

Sandy Hackett is coming back with another “Rat Pack” reincarnation. After a falling out with the Plaza-based show, “The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey & Dean,” in which he played Joey Bishop, Hackett will open “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” next month at the Sahara, where his father, legendary funnyman Buddy Hackett, performed for years.

US Airways has announced that it will continue its downsizing with the elimination of a further 1,000 jobs by the middle of next year as it closes flight crew bases in three cities and cuts more flights, including nearly 30 more flights (half its current schedule) from its once-large Las Vegas hub.

Channel 8 Eyewitness News has just revealed that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has announced that the city’s entered into an agreement to plan a major arena for downtown Las Vegas. We’ll update you with details when we have more.

Anyone who purchased tickets for the first run of sold-out Garth Brooks shows faces some serious obstacles to actually attending the event. Those who bought tickets on October 24 was given a deadline of October 27 at 12 p.m. (PT) to supply the name of every guest in their party or risk immediate cancellation of their orders. Prior to the deadline, the resort was reaching buyers via phone calls and e-mail notices, which asked for the completion of an online ticket reservation verification form.

Even after supplying the names of all guests in a group, ticket holders will face additional challenges on the day of the show. Every member of a party must present a valid photo ID that matches their reservation in order for tickets to be tendered. IDs will be checked a second time as the ticket holders enter Encore Theater for the performance. These measures are all aimed at thwarting ticket scalpers.

The previously announced indefinite postponement of completion on Boyd’s Echelon project has now been set at between three to five years. “Given the ongoing weak economic conditions, the significant new supply coming online, and a difficult capital-market environment for projects of this nature, resuming construction in the near term is not an option,” said CEO Keith Smith today.

There’s an interesting article in the Las Vegas Sun gaming writer Liz Benston about how Vegas casinos are employing social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their clientele and stay atuned to customer feedback, whether positive or otherwise.

Dos Caminos at the Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans a Day of the Dead brunch for 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Special menu items include a slow-roasted stew of goat and fall vegetables, French toast with Mexican cinnamon and chilaquiles verdes.

Harrah’s afternoon comedy-magic headliner, Mac King has been selected to perform at this year’s 53rd Annual “It’s Magic” event on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. The event highlights performances from the best illusionists in the world of magic and will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the legendary Magic Castle. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com.

Broadway show, “Jersey Boys,” the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, has a new award. The “Original Cast Recording” has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album won the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album in 2006 and continues to be a sales juggernaut.

The Mexican restaurant and bar Tacos & Tequila (T&T) located at the Luxor has started a Mariachi Brunch that takes place every Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The dining experience features a high-energy Mariachi band, two-for-one margaritas and “Bloody Marias,” and a variety of authentic menu selections. For information, call 702-262-5225.

Society Café Encore, the innovative American restaurant located inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, has been named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by “Esquire” magazine’s in the November 2009 issue. The eatery opens daily at 7 a.m. has signature dishes and guests start with fresh pretzel bread and house-made grainy mustard butter.

Attention all pizza lovers, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is introducing its popular coal-fired fare to Las Vegas. The Florida-based brand has emerged into Las Vegas and is taking Sin City by storm with its crispy, coal-fired pizza and oven-roasted chicken wings. “We are pleased and proud to launch the Anthony’s brand in Las Vegas,” said Anthony Bruno, founder and CEO of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. “We wanted to share our food with tourists and locals alike, making Las Vegas and Town Square an obvious location for our 18th restaurant. We also believe there is a void in the city for coal cooking, and we wanted to introduce this type of pizza to the Las Vegas community,” said Bruno. Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza attributes the success of its Florida locations to a combination of top-quality ingredients, authentic coal-burning ovens and personal service. Every pizza served at Anthony’s restaurants is cooked in a proprietary 800-degree, coal-burning oven that provides a “well done” flavor – the chain’s trademark.
http://reportonvegas.com

Psychic Comedian Kevin Burke is a very busy man. After finishing his performance in “Caveman” at The Excalibur he rushes over to The Firtz Hotel/Casino to do his stand-up comedy show., which has a 13 month anniversary in November. It takes alot of talent have 2 simulteous hit shows in this town, and Kevin has it. Catch either or both shows if you can-the laughs are worth it.

For weeks we’ve been talking about Norbert Aleman and his La Cage production that’s being re-invented. Jimmy Emmerson is supposed to be the newest star of this updated version. Jimmy is currently appearing in “Naked Boys Singing ”at the Onyx Theater and Commercial Center.

A new Korean restaurant “Ginseng” has opened at The Imperial Palace.

Mizuya Sushi/Saki has opened at Mandalay Bay.

Dragon Noodle Co. & Sushio Bar has opened at Monte Carlo. This place is distinguished by waitresses dressed as characters from Japanese anime cartoons.

Mandalay Bay ($35-$40 on Sundays), The Orleans ($21-$25 on Fridays) and even Circus, Circus ($20-$15 for children) are the latest casinos to add all-day buffets options.

A new burger chain from Denver plans to open 20 restaurants in Las Vegas.

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Three divas return to spotlight.

Three of Las Vegas’ more storied divas are back to work. And who knows? Maybe they could all work together.

“Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas” opened Sunday at the Imperial Palace as a 10 p.m. roommate to the vocal group Human Nature. Both shows are overseen by producer Adam Steck.

Marino even says it’s a “very strong probability” that his longtime “Boy-lesque” rival, Kenny Kerr, might join the cast by February. Kerr is back in town after working in Palm Springs, Calif., and has been doing late-night sets at De Stefano’s restaurant, 3430 E. Tropicana Ave.

The third diva isn’t a cross-dresser, but a puppet. Simply known as Madame, the former Vegas headliner — now under the guiding hand of Rick Skye — returns for a cabaret benefit at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Stage Door Theatre in Town Square shopping center. The $20 tickets help Aid for AIDS of Nevada.

NORM: Regis and Kelly taping at Encore.

Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa will be warming up Garth Brooks’ new home.

“Live! With Regis & Kelly” has scheduled a four-show visit Nov. 22-23 at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas. That’s less than three weeks before Brooks’ Dec. 11 debut in the same theater.

The TV co-hosts announced the tapings during Thursday’s show.

Look for Kelly to track down the wedding chapel where she and Mark Consuelo, then co-stars on “All My Children,” got hitched here on May 1, 1996. Like a lot of newlyweds who don’t remember where they got married in Vegas, she refers to it as the “Chapel of Cheese.”

They will tape at 11 a.m. Nov. 22, a Sunday, and again at 1:30 p.m. The next day, the tapings are again at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Ticket information is at https://register.go.com/regisandkelly/tickets/index.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/regis-and-kelly-taping-at-encore-65740892.html

Heidi’s Picks By Heidi Knapp Rinella.

GOLDEN STEER STEAK HOUSE
308 W. Sahara Ave.; 384-4470

This icon of Old Las Vegas turned 50 in 2008 but hasn’t faded a bit, with red-leather U-shaped booths and other decor clearly refreshed without losing any of its period charm. We stuck to the classics with a gin martini, shrimp cocktail, tomato salad, cream of corn, Chicken of the Angels, filet mignon and tableside Cherries Jubilee and were pleased with it all. (1/25/08)
Overall: A- $$$$

OFF THE STRIP
10670 Southern Highlands Parkway; 202-2448

We were a little dubious when a reader told us that Off the Strip had really good homemade meatloaf for $10 but sure enough they did, and we liked everything else about the place as well. That would include an appetizer special of thinly sliced beef rolled around asparagus, rigatoni Bolognese with a meatball, and the oh-please-I-can’t-stand-it homemade cheesecake. Oh, and especially the service. (10/16/09)
Overall: A $$

PANNA THAI
6015 S. Fort Apache Road; 823-2345

We were a little wary of the pineapple curry with pork since it’s so easy to go overly sweet with a dish like that but we needn’t have worried, as the fruit was offset by tomato chunks and a substantial kick in the coconut-and-red-curry-based sauce. We also liked the meltingly tender garlic short ribs and the beef Sa-Te (also known as satay), and the soothing, neutral-colored atmosphere that helps this neighborhood restaurant feel like anything but. (9/12/08)
Overall: A- $$

SWITCH
Encore, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 248-3463

The unique interiors of this restaurant — yes, interiors in the plural, because the walls and ceilings periodically switch among three permutations, which is very cool — are spectacular, but don’t overshadow superlative food and flawless service. We happily recommend the risotto with champagne and Parmesan, oysters on the half shell (three from the West, three from the East), seared Arctic char, organic free-range chicken, gratin Dauphinois, creamed spinach and chocolate crunch bar. (4/10/09)
Overall: A $$$$
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-65740777.html

LAX nightclub at Luxor among top spots to celebrity watch.

By John Przybys
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Every Las Vegas nightclub prides itself on the celebrities it attracts. But, even in this glittery universe, LAX at Luxor ranks as one of the most potent celebrity magnets in town.

During the past few months alone, the roster of celebs who have chosen to spend some of their precious partying time at LAX has included Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom, hosting several of their Los Angeles Lakers teammates, reality TV personality Kristin Cavallari, and even Emmanuel Lewis, star of the ’80s sitcom “Webster,” hosting a retro “Way Back Wednesday” event.

The 26,000-square-foot LAX, located at Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, celebrated its second birthday on Labor Day weekend. And while the club holds about 1,500 people, its design prevents LAX from feeling too big or too cavernous.

“The great thing about LAX is that it’s a large venue, but it’s not a box and it’s not claustrophobic,” says Michael Gilmartin of Pure Management Group.

More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/seeing-stars-65740772.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Madame making return to Vegas.

Some of the new stars of the Strip are Achmed the Dead Terrorist and Winston the Impersonating Turtle. It seems only fitting for Madame to stage a comeback.

Those old enough to know their disco-era camp surely remember the ribald puppet. A cross between Gloria Swanson and Phyllis Diller, Madame threw old-Hollywood savoir-faire into rimshot one-liners such as “I have very little to say about sex: ‘Yes,’ ‘When?’ and ‘Where?’ ”

The alter-ego of the late Wayland Flowers had her own syndicated sitcom, “Madame’s Place,” and headlined the Sahara and Sands in the early 1980s. Flowers had a house in Las Vegas during that era.

But Madame’s career came to a sad end.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/madame-making-return-to-vegas-65931332.html

T&T HAS THE DEADLIEST CURE FOR THE HALLOWEEN HANGOVER.

Recover from Halloween mayhem and celebrate El Dia de los Muertos – that’s The Day of the Dead for you gringos – at Tacos & Tequila (T&T) on Sunday, November 1. Take that morning walk-of-shame with pride and strut on over in last night’s costume – we won’t tell. T&T’s $1,000 Deadliest Dressed costume contest is the perfect excuse to still be wearing leftover Halloween attire. The fiesta will heat up from noon until 5 p.m. with killer brunch and drink specials and spooky entertainment.

Party-goers are invited to partake in the celebration of this ancient Mexican holiday to honor the departed with T&T’s Deadliest Dressed costume contest in which $1,000 will be awarded for the costume that best captures the Day of the Dead spirit. In addition T&T will be serving its red-hot Mariachi Brunch featuring flavorful dishes, $5 Dos Equis and two-for-one Bloody Marias and margaritas. T&T’s Dia de Los Muertos fiesta will also feature a photo booth and some lively entertainment including an airbrush tattoo artist and DJ Ernan spinning a spooky mix of rock, Latin and house beats.

T&T, the highly-stylized Mexican restaurant and bar with a fun, high-energy vibe and flavorful menu, is located inside the Luxor Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The 8,000-square-foot venue embodies Mexican culture intermixed with rock-n-roll flair with a flavorful menu created for Drive This Entertainment! by the talents of world-renowned restaurateur and chef Richard Sandoval. For more information contact T&T at 702.262.5225, or visit the web site at www.tacosandtequilalv.com

Society of Seven to Headline at Gold Coast Showroom.

Formed in Hawaii and perfected in showrooms throughout Las Vegas and the Islands, Society of Seven brings its lively variety show to the Gold Coast Showroom for an extended run beginning November 6. Joined by season three American Idol finalist Jasmine Trias, Society of Seven is scheduled to appear every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with two shows daily – 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Society of Seven, the famed Hawaiian-bred group, offers an energetic variety show that combines comedy sketches, celebrity impersonations, dance and live music performances, including popular standards, Top 40 and Broadway.

“We are thrilled to call Gold Coast home,” said Tony Ruivivar of Society of Seven. “This long-term engagement gives loyal fans who have supported us throughout the years, the opportunity to see us on a regular basis. Las Vegas is well-known among Hawaiians as the ‘Ninth Island,’ and we think our show is a great fit for the community.”

In what has been called an entertainment experience that rolls a classic Hollywood movie, Broadway show and Vegas spectacular into one, Society of Seven has been entertaining fans for more than 40 years. Having performed to more than 10 million fans, these seven elite performers and one American Idol finalist make this show a must-see.

Tickets go on sale Friday, October 30 starting from $29.95, plus tax. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 702.251.3574 or visiting www.goldcoastcasino.com.

Show Review: Blue Man Group.
By Erika Bayer-Polak. From www.accessvegas.com

It may not seem likely that a show which features three blue, mute men can provide not only live music, skillful comedy, more than a few tidbits of interesting information, and social commentary regarding contemporary issues, but it is true, and can be found in the Blue Man Group at The Venetian.

The show begins once you enter the theater, with the stylishly cool atmosphere and the sardonic yet humorous disclaimers. Before the Blue Men come out, the audience is instructed to follow a few verbal cues to get everyone in an appropriate state of mind. And, if you happen to be one of the rather late arrivals, you may end up blushing a bit.

One may well marvel at the visual and auditory aspects of the show. On top of that, the Blue Men are in fact talented percussionists and physical comedians. While there are plenty of shows that tout themselves as being family-friendly on the Strip, this is a rare gem that nearly anybody could enjoy, even if they are foreign-speaking tourists, seeing that the show is almost exclusively nonverbal.

The show is pure fun, marshmallows are made into art, messiness ensues – the first several rows are given ponchos to prevent their clothing from being splattered with paint, pudding or other such muddle – PVC tubes are turned into musical instruments, the chewing of cereal even becomes a three-part harmony. Audience participation is a necessity with such a performance, while only a couple of audience members are brought onto the stage, all audience members become involved at one point or another.

It proves difficult to describe a show with performers who don’t speak, yet at the same time, it’s easier than summarizing a tedious plot. Expect a lot of props, a moving sea of paper, curious blue men who may or may not be aliens, and sit back and enjoy, surely, you will have fun.

Show Review: Rick Thomas
By DW Grant from: www.accessvegas.com

Follow Magician Rick Thomas to the edge of his dreams just for the thrill of it. Its more fun than just another magic show. It’s a trip into a world of imagination and the very art of dreaming itself.

First there are white 500 pound tigers roaring across the stage, birds appearing as singles and doubling into pairs before your eyes, napkins turning into birds, and girls turning into tigers. It’s a classic show full of disappearing motorcycles, beautiful women being levitated and sawn in half, old silver ring tricks, and even some great card tricks. But wait, there’s more!

Suddenly the music comes up and Rick is ballroom dancing with his assistants. Wait, I thought Rick Thomas was just a magician? Well, why not dance since his mother and father spent their lives as dancers and Ballroom dance judges? Rick started his dance career at 5 and was twice crowned US Junior Ball Room champion. It’s a strange mix of two worlds, but somehow it works with the magic, like when he plops a blond wig on a microphone stand, levitates it, and waltzes ‘her’ around his dance floor.

Then he brings children into his dream world and on to the stage. A boy levitates a female assistance he has just hypnotized, and then is offered a DVD teaching him how to make is parents disappear. A little girl flies a table around the stage and then is told “The future belongs to those who believe in the strength of dreams.” Rick gives her a small round box to store the magic and her dreams in.

Oh yes, and don’t miss Rick’s “Amazing Shrinking Tiger” trick. It’s how magic should be done.

The show lasts more than a hour but really, like most great adventures, it’s over too soon. Rick tells me after the show, while greeting his guests, “The audience has to find out who I am in only an hour.” I think he accomplished that trick. Rick Thomas is a charming, classic and imaginative magician offering an original program well worth the time and the moderate price of admission demanded by the Hotel. His show is worthy of any Las Vegas theater and one you may not soon forget, especially in your dreams.

A year in, Criss Angel’s ‘Believe’ hasn’t changed much for the better.
BY: Joe Brown/Las Vegas Sun

It’s time for your annual checkup, Criss Angel.

Unbelievably, Angel’s “Believe” will hit the one-year mark on Saturday. After a blizzard of hype — $100 million investment! Ten-year contract! Criss + Holly 4Ever! — the show opened at the Luxor on Halloween night 2008 to a near-unanimous chorus of boos from reviewers, including yours truly.

I was curious about how Angel and Cirque du Soleil might have changed or improved their collaboration in the intervening year, so I bought tickets (including a second seat for just $25) for Wednesday’s 7 p.m. performance.

Mr. Angel, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.

“Believe” now seems a bizarre, stranded artifact of a moment when some people had too much money. The show has been streamlined a bit — no live musicians, fewer aerialists and dancers, less video wizardry — but it hasn’t been improved, only diminished. Not much has changed with the overall experience of “Believe”: I got it pretty much right the first time around.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/26/year-angels-believe-hasnt-changed-much-better/

Imperial Palace shakes it up with vintage Elvis memorabilia.
By John Katsilometes

During a night rife with oddities, selecting the weirdest moment was a challenge. But it had to be at The King’s Ransom exhibit at Imperial Palace, a new-to-Vegas display of Elvis Presley memorabilia, ranging from the mod, blue jacket he wore in “Spinout’ to the mod, blue bottle of Mylanta plucked from one of his medication-laden medicine cabinets. I cut a corner to take a look at one of the more fascinating displays, a collection of framed photos of Elvis meeting President Nixon in December 1970.

You get lost in these photos as you observe a clearly confused, glazed-over, glassy-eyed, acutely paranoid hostage of his own success.

But Elvis, conversely, looks relatively OK.

More here:
http://www.vegasdeluxe.com/news/2009/oct/21/imperial-palace-shakes-it-little-vintage-elvis-pre/

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Fast ticket sellout proves a few points.
To paraphrase the new Michael Jackson concert movie, “This is not it.”

That’s the message Wynn Las Vegas is trying to send in the wake of the ticketing flap over the Garth Brooks comeback concerts in December.

The Wynn folk stress that the first batch of concerts are only 20 of potentially 300 shows; that Brooks plans to do 60 a year for five years. And that’s if he sticks to the minimum deal.
“Wait. Come back. There’s going to be other opportunities,” says Wynn spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne.

But the instant sellout of Brooks’ first dates, and the casino’s unprecedented attempts to thwart scalpers, proves a few things.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/fast-ticket-sellout-proves-a-few-points-67156677.html

Wayne Newton& Once Before I Go premieres tonight at Tropicana. BY Robin Leach.

It may well have been just two months of disciplined rehearsals, but it’s taken Wayne Newton 50 extraordinary years of Las Vegas show business to reach tonight’s premiere of his production Once Before I Go.

The 7 p.m. red carpet call at the Tropicana will be hosted by the casino resort’s chairman and CEO, Alex Yemenidjian, who is the godfather of Wayne’s 7-year-old daughter, as is Wayne to Alex’s children!

Expected there for the first-night celebrations will be many of Mr. Las Vegas’ former Dancing With the Stars professionals, including Cheryl Burke, Kym Johnson, Edyta Sliwinska and Alec Mazo, along with Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White, Cheetah Girls star Sabrina Bryan, actress Jennie Garth, entertainer Louis Prima Jr., actor-comedian Drew Carey and Strip performers including Peepshow’s Holly Madison, Carrot Top, Nathan Burton, Zowie Bowie, Frank Marino and cast members from Jersey Boys, Phantom — the Las Vegas Spectacular and Peepshow.

More here:
http://www.vegasdeluxe.com/blogs/luxe-life/2009/oct/28/wayne-newtons-emonce-i-goem-premieres-tonight-trop/

Team Divas.
Drag show exudes edgy appeal.

BY: Nina King/Las Vegas Magazine

When Frank Marino ended his 25-year run earlier this year as host of a female impersonator show, getting back onstage wasn’t on his radar. He was ready to retire, to take all the vacations that he’d given up over his long career and just really relax.

For a few weeks he did just that but discovered it was harder than he’d anticipated. He found himself preparing each day for his show that night and occasionally felt at a loss when the show didn’t have to go on. And when a friend reminded Marino of a closely held dream to have his own show, “It really hit home,” Marino said. It seemed as if the time could not be more perfect to make that dream come true. “I thought, ‘Let me give it a shot.’”

Marino took all the ideas that had curled around in his mind through the years and put them into the new show, Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas. His partner, Alex Schecter, and Adam Steck of SPI Entertainment joined him in making the production come to life. But it wasn’t only his own ideas that Marino considered. “Being in a drag show for 25 years, I heard what the people were saying to me; people are very verbal when they meet you after a show.” He took their advice to heart and combined his ideas with ideas from his new cast. “I wanted it to be a collaboration.”

Wanting a younger vibe, Marino included such contemporary characters as Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Beyoncé in the lineup – and six sexy male dancers. Two choreographers, Brad Barnes and Gary Thomas, were recruited to help produce numbers, resulting in a little racier, slightly risqué show. “I got the most talented group of six men I’ve ever seen perform in Las Vegas. It’s hip and modern and industrial,” Marino said.

“I can’t wait to sit on the side of the stage when I’m changing costumes and watch the numbers. Being that we let the kids have so much input in their numbers, they go out there with such pride in their numbers that it exudes from them and actually gives me energy as I go on.”

Marino, who specializes in the characters of Joan Rivers and his own femme fatale creation, acts as emcee of the show, and de facto fashion plate. As hostess with the mostess, he makes about 20 costume changes into gowns primarily designed by legend Bob Mackie, each with separate matching shoes.

Such favorites as Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli, Madonna, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Cher, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross are also present. Some cast members had worked with Marino in the past, but many are new.

And although some shows in Vegas have seen challenges in the last year, Marino sees the entertainment scene continuing to grow and evolve and Las Vegas rebounding quicker and sooner than people think from the economic crunch.

“I believe in Las Vegas and I believe in America. I don’t believe America is ready to close.” And neither is Frank Marino.

Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas
Where:Imperial Palace
Cost: $79 and up
When: 10 p.m. Sat.-Thurs.
http://lvshowbiz.com/

The Art of Change.
Entertainer makes even complex illusions seem like child’s play.

BY: Matt Kelemen/Las Vegas Magazine

Lance Burton is a master of many illusions. He makes people vanish, doves appear and candles levitate from the stage of the Lance Burton Theatre at the Monte Carlo. He can switch places with an assistant or teleport himself to another part of the room. He can make a Corvette fl y. He has cheated the hangman’s noose onstage and escaped from handcuff s just in time to jump from the path of a roller coaster. But the most unpredictable part of his act involves inviting children onstage.

“It’s always interesting. I’ve seen all kinds of things happen during that segment,” said Burton with a laugh. “That’s where the fun comes in.”

Most of the time they are so fascinated that they line up and breathlessly await his next trick. Burton’s fascination with magic was instilled in him at age 5 when a magician pulled coins from his ears at a holiday party. He was hooked, and grew up in Louisville, Ky., mastering the art of illusion. He headed west as an adult and was off ered an eight-week gig in Las Vegas performing in the Tropicana’s Folies Bergere. By 1996 he had gained enough prestige that the owners of the new Monte Carlo lured him with a 13-year contract and a $25 million venue built to his specifications.

Burton recently signed on for six more years and continues to perform to capacity crowds. He’s consumed by dreaming up, building, rehearsing and refining new illusions, never taking his audience for granted and always giving them their money’s worth in entertainment.

“I spend more time thinking about the guy who is in there to see my show with his wife or girlfriend, his mom or kids,” Burton said. “That’s the guy that I think about because if he comes with a family of four, that’s a pretty good chunk of change.”

And there aren’t many people who can make coins appear as if by magic.

Lance Burton
Where: Monte Carlo
When: 7 p.m. Tues.-Sat.
Cost: $66.50 and up
http://lvshowbiz.com

CityCenter Will Be the Greenest in Vegas. BY Rick Garman

No, I’m not talking about the color. It’s hard to get any more green hued than the MGM Grand. Instead, I’m talking about green as in environmentally friendly. CityCenter is racking up a host of the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications for its massive hotel, casino, and condo complex in Las Vegas. The certifications are given to buildings that are designed in such a way as to minimize the impact on the environment and provide models for sustainable development.

Among the notable achievements in the project are its own natural gas co-generation plant; water conversation technologies that will save as much as 60% of the normal usage for buildings like this; a fleet of limos powered by compressed natural gas; and slot machine bases that double as air conditioning units, allowing the cool air to rise instead of trying to force it down from the ceiling.

CityCenter is set to open in stages starting in early December with the main hotel-casino, Aria, opening on December 16.

New Year’s Eve Room Rate Report
BY: Rick Garman

For all of you out there who have wanted to go to Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve but haven’t been able to afford the sky-high prices that the hotels usually charge, there’s some good news. While the recession may be putting a crimp in your style, it’s also putting a crimp in hotel prices even for the busiest night of the year in Vegas. Now, that’s not to say that things are actually cheap. Rates at the hotels I checked are higher than normal but, in most cases, not significantly higher.

I checked about three dozen hotels in Las Vegas – not every hotel, but a good cross section of cheap to expensive, Strip to Downtown to neighborhood places. I looked at what I figured would be the typical stay – four nights checking in on Wednesday, December 30 and checking out on Sunday, January 2. So keep in mind that if you chop a day off on one end or another, the prices I have listed will be chopped accordingly. However, note that prices are different for each of the four days, with the highest rates on the 31st and 1st, so if you cut out the 30th or the 2nd, you might not be dropping the total bill by all that much.

I also took the lowest rate available, which means the most basic of room at each individual hotel. If you want something nicer or bigger, you’ll pay more.

Lastly, please note that these are just the rates and don’t include things like taxes, resort fees, booking fees, or anything else that will push these numbers higher.

Averaging less than $200 per night, the hotels with best on The Strip include Imperial Palace at $570 for the four nights; Stratosphere running about equal at $574; Excalibur just above it at $594; Luxor moving up the scale to $695; and then Ballys, Flamingo, Rio, and Monte Carlo all coming in within a buck or two of $790 for the four nights.

Get off The Strip and you can get even cheaper rooms. The Gold Coast is offering the four nights for $496; Sam’s Town is at $535; Suncoast a couple of bucks more at $540; Orleans at $580; Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas at $616; and Red Rock Resort at $780.

Moving up a step to the hotels that are keeping you under $250 a night you have Strip hotels like Treasure Island at $816; Planet Hollywood at $857: Mandalay Bay at $870; Harrah’s at $875; and MGM Grand and New York-New York both coming in at $960.

Off The Strip in this price range you’ll find Green Valley Ranch at $810 for the four nights.

Then we get into the category that we’ll call expensive to outrageous. These include Paris Las Vegas at $1020 for the four nights; Caesars Palace at $1175 for their really, really basic room; the new Aria at CityCenter at $1200 for four nights; Venetian and Palazzo both at $1276; Bellagio at $1400; and Wynn Las Vegas at $1450. The most expensive hotel I could find was Encore Las Vegas, which is offering the four nights at an average of $454 per night, or over $1800 total.

Many of the Downtown hotels are showing rooms as being sold out for at least one night during the period I checked. This includes Main Street Station, The California, and The Fremont.

Also showing a no vacancy sign is the new M Resort on the south side of town.

Many hotels are putting restrictions on December 31 check-ins and/or requiring a two-night minimum stay.

So the big question is, book now or wait? As I said there are some pretty good rates here. $870 for four nights at Mandalay Bay is a great deal. Ditto the $816 at Treasure Island.

But my gut is telling me that room rates will come down as we get closer to the holiday. I think if you wait until next month you’ll probably see some softening in prices.

However, for those who like to play it safe, you can always book one of these rates provided they allow you to cancel the reservation with no penalty. Once you have your room secured, keep checking the rates and if you find a better one and the hotel you booked or another, simply cancel your existing reservation and make a new one.

The best way to book these days is through the website of each individual hotel. You can get there by clicking on the hotel name in the paragraphs above, which will take you to the Vegas4Visitors.com page and then click on the “website” link just under the hotel’s street address and phone number.
http://vegas4visitors.com

Gambling 101
By Rick Garman

I know, most of you who read this column are probably very familiar with the ins and outs of casino gambling. Perhaps too familiar!

But every now and then I think it’s interesting to go back to basics so what follows are a few facts that you should keep in mind before heading in to any casino with cash in hand. Most of this is specific to Las Vegas but a lot of it applies to casino gambling anywhere in the US.

Most Las Vegas casinos are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

You must be 21 to even enter the gaming area much less play the games. If you look young, be sure to carry some form of identification such as a driver’s license or passport because casino personnel may ask you to prove you’re old enough to be there.

There are cameras, security, and undercover operatives that watch every square inch of the casino at all times. Don’t even think about trying to cheat – you’ll get caught and you will go to jail.

Be sure to pay attention to limits on table games, slots, and video poker. If you mess up and wind up betting more or less than you could’ve or should’ve the casino isn’t going to listen to a “but I didn’t mean to…”

Most casinos offer free or heavily discounted drinks to people playing the games including slot machines. Cocktail waitresses abound in most casinos but remember, they live off your tips so be generous, especially if the drink is free.

Most casinos offer free gaming lessons on the various card and table games. Check with the main casino cage or the guest services counter of any casino/hotel for schedules. These gaming lessons can be valuable in more ways than one. In addition to the knowledge you’ll acquire, many casinos offer discount coupon books to people who take the time to learn how to play the games.

Most casinos make it really easy to get money. Again, laws vary from state to state, but most have automated teller machines (ATM), check cashing, and systems to take cash advances from your credit cards. My recommendation is to leave your bank cards, credit cards, and check books at home and only bring as much money as you’re willing to lose – most of the time, you will.

There are several ways to get change and chips in a casino. Most have attendants walking around that can “break” large bills or there are change booths sprinkled throughout. Most also offer automatic bill “breakers” which will give you change for large bills. Gaming chips can be purchased at any table or the main cashier cage (ask an attendant where it is) and usually redeemed at the cashier cage only.
Always remember that gambling should not be looked at as a way to make money! Most of the time, you won’t. If you view the slots and table games as a form of entertainment you’ll have a much better time (and will probably lose less money).

Most casinos have gaming (slot/player) clubs where you earn points toward meals, shows, or rooms by gambling in their casino. You have to give away some of your personal information (like address and perhaps e-mail) but that junk mail you get can get you some deep discounts on future visits.

Most casinos will offer perks if you’re dropping a lot of money at their tables or slots. Make sure somebody sees you spending money and then casually ask if their show is any good or which restaurant is best. It’s not a guarantee but often they’ll give you discount coupons or freebies just to keep you happy and gambling.

Fright Night.
Clubs, casinos, other attractions undergo haunted makeovers for Halloween tricks, treats.

By Mike Weatherford
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

They’ve been working to be lurking.

“Am I ready to fire fog? … Can we get the supercreatures on please?” Jason Egan asks on his radio as he strolls the Circus Circus Adventuredome during its quick hour’s nightly conversion to Frightdome.

The sun fades through the pink translucent walls of the domed amusement park, and a giant mechanical reaper rises to overshadow the happy-faced kiddy train.

As the fog rolls in, the monsters come out — or in, really, since most of the 170 actors and crew have been reading or chatting after bloodying themselves in the staging tent just behind the dome.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/fright-night-67505972.html

HEIDI’S PICKS by Heidi Knapp Rinellas/LVRJ

COMPANY RESTAURANT AND PUB HOUSE
Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 262-4852

We think of Company’s fare as starter food — there’s no culinary ground broken here, and nothing that would shock the palate — but it’s well-prepared, kind of comforting food served by a friendly staff. Worth trying: the fried mashed-potato sticks, Pig & Peas Mac & Cheese, miso-glazed eggplant and roasted chicken breast. (10/23/09)
Overall: B $$

HAVANA GRILL
8878 S. Eastern Ave.; 932-9310

If you like Cuban food you’re no doubt familiar with the Florida Cafe, and this younger sister also showcases the cuisine at its best. We liked it all, which included tostones — twice-cooked green plantain — topped with Ropa Vieja, Picadillo and shrimp (no, not together), Lechon Asado, Vaca Frita, the stacked flan and tres leches dessert tower called Riquimbin — even good fresh Cuban bread, buttered and warmed in a press. (3/27/09)
Overall: A- $$

RAKU
5030 W. Spring Mountain Road; 367-3511

We have two words of advice if you go to Raku: agedashi tofu — or fried tofu to you and us. Forget all of the bad-tofu propaganda you’ve heard; this stuff is homemade, and when it’s fried it gets lightly crunchy on the outside but remains creamy within. In a bath of extra-smoky miso soup with dried seaweed, tiny mushroom caps and salmon roe, it’s da bomb. Also noteworthy: asparagus crispy tempura, crispy fried shrimp, beef tataki and brown-sugar bubbly pudding. (7/3/09)
Overall: A $$

TABLE 10
Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 607-6363

Emeril Lagasse works his magic again at Table 10, an affectionate nod to the table in his first New Orleans restaurant where planning for the restaurant was done and the staff gathered after the opening. It’s a cruise through the world’s best cuisines and one that’s well worth it, especially in the case of the marinated goat cheese, Tartare Trio, Pasta Jambalaya and Kurobuta pork loin. (9/19/08)
Overall: A $$$$
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-67506067.html

Brett’s Vegas Views by Jackie Brett.

THE LAS VEGAS ROCK AND ROLL GAMESHOW PREMIERS AT FOUR QUEENS

“The Las Vegas Rock and Roll Gameshow,” Las Vegas’ newest type of interactive show featuring live music, comedy and heavy audience interaction will play four premier dates at the Four Queens, Nov. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $14.95 AND $29.95, call 702-385-4011 between 3-10 p.m. on the day of the show.

Singer-songwriter Stevenson Brooks plays acoustic guitar and interacts with the audience, while Matthew Phillips, who has called Las Vegas home since 1991, is a professional host, with a background in comedy and improv. The show asks patrons to participate in games like “Name That Tune or Artist,” “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” “Sexiest Dance,” “Laz-y-oke,” “Keep the beat,” to win prizes such as free shots, Las Vegas souvenirs, 1 million Smurf Dollars, etc.

NOVEMBER WILL FEATURE VARIED EVENTSVince Neil’s 5th Annual “Off The Strip Poker Tournament” will be held at the Rio in the casino on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. to benefit the Skylar Neil Foundation. Players can register at the main casino cage starting at 4 p.m. on the day of the No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament. Participants will vie for a cash prize pool of $50,000. The tournament buy-in is $500 plus a $50 registration fee, and seating is limited to the first 200 entrants. A cocktail reception for players and celebrities will take place at 6 p.m., and a live charity auction will be held prior to play. A silent auction will be held throughout the event and give the public the chance to bid on a collection of music, sports and movie memorabilia.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, at noon, a host of top-ranked Major League Eaters (MLE), including No. 1-ranked Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, will meet at Martorano’s inside the Rio for the first Martorano’s Masters Meatball Eating Championship. The winner of the 10-minute contest will be distinguished as a world meatball-eating champion and take home the lion’s share of a $3,000 cash purse.

THE KING’S RANSOM MUSEUM EXHIBIT WILL OPEN AT IMPERIAL PALACE

The King’s Ransom Museum, an exhibit of Elvis Presley artifacts and priceless personal treasures, will open at the Imperial Palace on Oct. 21. The multi-million dollar collection will be on display in Las Vegas for the first time on the third floor in the Imperial Palace’s Royal Halls. The exhibit will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until April 2010. Admission will be $10, call 888-777-7664.

Objects being showcased will be from Elvis’ personal life and his acting and singing careers. Items will include: Elvis’ 1977 Lincoln Continental, clothing and wardrobe, jewelry, guns, badges, personal artifacts from Graceland and a lot more memorabilia.
PARIS LAS VEGAS PREPARES FOR 3RD ANNUAL WINE CELEBRATION

Paris Las Vegas has announced the return of the annual Beaujolais Nouveau celebration and uncorked a room package with tastings and special events for the ultimate wine enthusiast. As regulated by French law, Beaujolais Nouveau is released no sooner than the third Thursday in November – six weeks after the grapes are harvested, this wine is ready to drink. Huge celebrations take place worldwide at one minute after midnight to taste the latest wine of the harvest, with 65 million bottles to be consumed in the following months.

The Beaujolais Nouveau package is available Nov. 18 – 22 and can be booked online at www.parislasvegas.com/wine.