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Access Vegas Insider Vibe – December 19, 2007

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! Christmas is in the air, New Years Eve is getting close, and this newsletter is jammed with amazing info and photos. Let’s get started!

New Years Eve, New Years Eve, New Years Eve, New Years Eve…

The fireworks are set, the concerts ready to roll, and the nightclubs all trying to top each other. The theme is “The Best Is Yet To Come” and the fireworks show will reach from the MGM Grand to The Stratosphere with an display lasting more than eight minutes! (As always, sustained winds at the top of the hotels could put a damper on the display, but so far it has always gone off).

We have an extended listing of New Years Eve events running down the side of the newsletter this week or you can go direct to http://www.accessvegas.com/new-years-eve-2007

Bellagio’s Holiday Display is attracting droves of visitors and features some new twists not seen in years past:

Click on either of the above photos to enjoy the entire amazing holiday photo set for a taste of the season from Las Vegas. Don’t forget to spread the Christmas cheer: All photos in our Bellagio Gardens Christmas 2007 can be sent as a free E-Card. Send friends and family members some holiday E-Cards on us!

We say goodbye and a big Thank You to Celine Dion. Her five year run just wrapped up at Caesars, lasting far longer than originally anticipated. 3 million people saw the 717 shows. Whether you love or loathe her, no one can deny the amazing track record (4000 seats nightly) for a single headliner in the modern Las Vegas era.

What’s more, she adopted Las Vegas as her “hometown” and was very active in the community with charity and other events. She even occasionally was spotted shopping at the Henderson Walmart (closest to her Lake Las Vegas home)! If you missed her here, we do have tickets various dates of her pending tour: Celine Dion World Tour Tickets

Bette Midler is Celine’s replacement, and everyone will be watching to see how she does. Elton John will also be playing his selected Ceasars dates. Here are related links:

Hannah Montana Hits Las Vegas – With Las Vegas now having more than two million residents, Miley “Hanna Montana” Cyrus’ two tour dates here sold out in a matter of minutes. A third date was added, and sold out immediately. If your kids are old enough to visit and young enough to enjoy Hanna Montana (and you understand that sold-out concert resale tickets are going to be a bit expensive), you can check out Hanna Montana Las Vegas Concert Tickets

Vegas On TV – The Las Vegas Bowl (Tickets) airs on ESPN at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on December 22, 2007 with BYU looking for revenge over a struggling UCLA team. Again this year, NBC’s Holiday On Ice airs on Christmas Day (check local NBC listings). The event was taped a couple of weeks ago at The Orleans.

Goodbye Sweet Louie – Checkmates singer Marvin “Sweet Louie” Smith passed away last week while performing aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean. If you have visited Las Vegas for more than a few times, you probably saw The Checkmates performing somewhere. It would be easier to list the places they didn’t play over the decades!

The past few years they alternated between The Sahara, Casino Montelago (Lake Las Vegas) and Arizona Charlies East. Sweet Louie was fond of saying that every night was a Saturday night when they were performing, and I saw them light up more than one casino lounge over the years. Video, photos and other info is still online at http://www.thecheckmates.com

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

UFC Fight Night Live From The Pearl At The Palms Casino Resort – The UFC and Spike TV will return to The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday, January 23 for the first UFC Fight Night of 2008,(Tickets) featuring a welterweight battle between Mike Swick and Josh Burkman. “Mike Swick and Josh Burkman, two tough veterans of The Ultimate Fighter will be facing each other for the first UFC Fight Night of 2008,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Swick is dropping down to 170 pounds for this fight. He has always had speed and power, so this will be an exciting new look at him in a lighter weight class. Burkman is a great wrestler, and he brings it every time he fights. This will be an explosive main event and real test for both fighters.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Orleans Arena Hosts Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Classic – The Orleans Arena will host the third round and championship round of the sixth annual Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Classic college basketball tournament. The competing teams are Iowa State, Purdue, Alabama, Missouri State, UT Pan American, Wofford, Bethune Cookman and Texas Southern. Click to Read The Full Story …

Lance Burton & Friends Entertain At Zelzah Shrine Temple Christmas Party For Kids – Lance Burton (Tickets) finished up “The Vanishing Birdcage” at the Zelzah Shrine Temple for over 300 children on Sunday, Dec. 9. The Shriners invited the children’s families for a Sunday brunch and their annual show. This tradition began with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in the early 1950s. Special Guest Star Michael Goudeau entertained at the show for The Shriners’ clients. The comedy-juggler Goudau has performed with Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo since it opened in 1996. Gabriella Versace sang a couple of Christmas songs and comedian Magician Fielding West also performed his act at the event.

Holiday Season Computer Wallpaper – One of the big questions the past few weeks has been What happened to all the great computer wallpaper you used to make available? We’re in the process of revamping and expanding that area of AccessVegas.com. In the meantime, a couple of great wallpapers to hold you over and help out the holiday spirit.

Click on the photo of your choice to view full size and see computer wallpaper simple instructions to make the selected photo your desktop wallpaper:

Atrium at Sam’s Town Hotel Casino decorated for Christmas. The atrium features free laser light and water show. At 2:00 PM, 6:00 PM., 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM daily all year.

Bikini Greetings from the Crazy Girls (Ticket Link) at Riviera Las Vegas.

2 Million And Still Going Strong Mamma Mia! To Record Its 2 Millionth Guest At Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino – After breaking every rule on the Las Vegas Strip, MAMMA MIA! (Tickets) raises the bar again as it prepares to welcome its 2 millionth guest at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Thursday, December 13, 2007. Based on the songs of ABBA, MAMMA MIA! continues to be the longest-running and most successful full-scale Broadway musical to ever hit Las Vegas. Currently in its fifth year, MAMMA MIA! sets the precedent for Broadway musicals in Las Vegas. Click to Read The Full Story …

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

December 19, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – December 12, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! Some of you may notice the absence of my photo from this column. As we continue to grow, this newsletter is becoming a collaboration of so many great people, and we have even more writers coming on board in January. I’m the boss and have decided that removing my mug is a great way to reflect the efforts of many and free up more space. Co’mon… looking at Vegas photos is a lot more fun than looking at me!

Christmas is in the air, and next week we’ll be publishing photos of the current holiday display at the Bellagio. For those staying downtown, huge Christmas tree down there should be lit by the time you get this, and all of the hotels are decked out for the season. If you are going to be here on Christmas Day, you’ll find most all of the restaurants and buffets with a special holiday menu.

Our MySpace Is Up… Get Locked In As Our Friend! – We grabbed MySpace.com/AccessVegas a long time ago. But let’s face it… MySpace used to be mostly full of people under 21. We market only to people who can enjoy all that is Las Vegas.

Times have changed, everyone is using MySpace, and we’ve cranked up our MySpace page. This isn’t just about being our Friend. We’ll be doing special giveaways and bulletins just to our MySpace friends, plus more frequent updates about all that is AccessVegas.com.

Not into MySpace? Have no fear. We are going to continue to publish this newsletter. In fact, we have recently increased publication from 3 times a month to weekly! But if you want to hook up with us on MySpace, don’t delay. Put in an invite request right now at MySpace.com/AccessVegas

More Vegas Photos, More Often! – Regular readers know we have increased the number of photos we are posting just for our loyal readers! We know that many of you visit on a regular basis. Sometimes a few times a year, for others once every year or two. Las Vegas changes so fast, that we continue to bring you looks at everything new plus many of the tried and true scenes. New to our photo gallery:

Evel Knievel’s Last Ride – Unfortunately, this column has read like the obituary section the past few weeks with the passing of legendary Las Vegas locals Robert Goulet and Kevin Dubrow. We unfortunately add Evel Knievel to that list. Most will associate him to Las Vegas with his jump over the fountains of Caesars Palace. What few remember is that he lived in the Maxim hotel (now Westin Casuarina) here in Las Vegas for a number of years in the early 90’s around the time I first moved to town. He did TV commercials and public appearances for them.

This past Monday, Caesars Palace had the actual Triumph motorcycle used in the jump on display:

I had a happenstance meeting with him in my hometown of Portland, Oregon in the mid-80’s. I was working my way through college at Greyhound Bus Lines and he came in to pick up a package from Butte, Montana. Unfortunately, we had no cell phone cameras back then. That would have been a photo nice to have about now. When I was a kid, we all wanted to be Evel Knievel.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Simon At Palms Place Debuts At New Palms Place Hotel, Condo & Spa – Culinary genius and famed restaurateur Kerry Simon has announced that he will open his latest epicurean paradise, Simon at Palms Place at the new Palms Place Hotel, Condo & Spa. The Rock & Roll chef, who has catered to the stars for almost two decades, will bring his style of cutting-edge, globally inspired fare to the eagerly anticipated new property. Specializing in sushi, steak and seafood with more than 8,400 square feet of dining space, Simon at Palms Place will be a hip, edgy and delectable new dining destination unlike any other in Las Vegas. Click to Read The Full Story …


Click Photo To See All Shark Reef Photos

Go Deep Behind-the-Scenes at Shark Reef Aquarium – In addition to more than 2,000 exhibits, Shark Reef Aquarium now offers a 30-minute, behind-the-scenes guided tour. Guests 13 years of age and older are invited to learn about the facility’s chilling predators and the place they call home. This in-depth, fully guided tour explores the wonderful worlds of water filtration, saltwater-making, food preparation, SCUBA diving and animal care. Visitors will see what it takes to operate a 1.6 million gallon aquarium in the middle of the desert. Tours are available every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 with the purchase of an admission.

Spa for the Holidays – Fall into a luxurious spa experience this season with treatments designed to evoke the warmth of the holidays. Don’t delay — these indulgent services are available for a limited time.

  • Warm yourself from the outside in with a Hot Spiced Rum Stone Massage at BATHHOUSE inside THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. This cozy treatment combines traditional stone massage with essential oils of cinnamon, clove and arnica.
  • Guests of WET — The Spa & Salon at TI are invited to indulge in a Tea Party or enjoy a Double Shot of two salon favorites — a manicure and pedicure. Tea Party features the soothing elements of green tea while Double Shot offers the stimulating effects of coffee. During the service, guests enjoy complimentary tea cookies, coffee cake and a beverage befitting the experience.
  • At Spa Bellagio, guests are invited to purify with pumpkin or relax with cranberry. A Purifying Pumpkin Facial energizes the skin with a delectable blend of botanicals, while cranberry lovers can choose between an exfoliating Cranberry Vichy Shower, Cranberry Hydrotherapy Bath or Cranberry Relaxation Massage.
  • Visitors of MGM Grand Spa can enjoy a luxurious Cocoa Mud Massage — a sinful cocoa mud body wrap followed by a heavenly massage with creamy Swiss chocolate body butter.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos: – Scott Misener submitted this beautiful photo of Las Vegas at night:

Everyone I show this picture to, cannot believe it yet they want one. It is a sliced brisket sandwich from the Carnegie Deli located at the Mirage. I was there in December 2006. This is a great sandwich, and its almost impossible to eat it all. Almost. Everything in Vegas is Great!John Hewitt
Dallas, TXá

Here is a pic we took of the rotating statue (taken in May ’07) inside Harrah’s casino. We thought it was a hidden gem of kitsch.Betty Suydamá

Excuse me but what is the problem with a cabbie making a referral fee for recommending a particular business? or as you call them “fat kickbacks”? Seems rather hypocritical for a website owner who recommends specific businesses for affiliate referrals to be whining about a cabbie recommending some strip club who will pay him a single referral fee. BTW, would it be better to take a customer to a dead club where the girls are not since the girls follow the guys and that is where the cabbies drop off? It would be the ultimate rip-off to take a customer to places that do not pay referrals. Taking a customer to a dead club is allowing them to be ripped off. There is not a damn thing wrong with a cabbie making a referral, nothing. They pay because our advertising makes them tons more money, simple.

As to this business about longhauling, again, way overblown and little more than another attempt to blame a cabbie for every rip-off a typical visitor is exposed to when staying here. Cabbies are not responsible for $200 to $800 rooms, $100 to $200 show tickets, $35 buffets, $8 beers, $5 waters, $65 limo fees, $5 monorail rides, $2 bag handling charges by airlines, $10 fees to clean a shirt or $25 bottles of $10 wine. Stop blaming the cab driver for a town designed to screw every visitor who exits a plane at McCarran. Do some cabbies longhaul, sure but if you understood how a cabbie is paid you would see how silly and overblown that issue is. The ongoing road construction in this town alone makes longhauling a must or we sit and the meters run, which is cheaper? the longer route 9 out of 10 times. We get paid to move butts not take one butt for a tour.

Next time you want to spout off about the evil cabbie do some research. Understand who owns the cabs and sets the rates. Understand cabbies do not get overtime (most work 60 hours a week) or any other Labor perk most Americans take for granted. We are exempt commissioned sales people according to Federal and State Laws. What the hell do you care if I make an extra $40 to take some guys to a kickass club on a Friday night? A club which will RIP them OFF for an average of 4 bills each. This club cannot pay me a marketing fee of 10%?

Las Vegas cabbies do not own their own cabs. We cannot even lease a cab. We have absolutely no equity stake in the business. Most have no retirement and most work all the Holidays with absolutely no extra compensation.

Las Vegas cabbies move this town. We do over 20 million trips per month, 250 million trips a year. We move 45 million tourists around. We do it because we are hands down the best value even if the rates were double what they are now.

Columns like yours are nothing more than arrogant racially based assaults on working people. You have not a clue about what you are even speaking about.

BTW per State law it against the law to stage a Limo at a Hotel. There is no such thing as un unsolicitated Limo hire. Next time you are at WYNN for example, see if you can see limos staged. Bet you do and guess what, Wynn rents Executive Limo the space. That is completely illegal but does Taxicab Authority do anything about it? Guess who then gets to cherry pick a cabline for those “strip club rides”. Hint, the doorman and limo drivers who already make a killing steal our rides and spilt the “fat kickbacks”. Course most of them are white so no biggy to people like you I guess. Instead bag-on those losers driving cab.

Stephen Brown
Taxidriver Las Vegas, NV

I certainly welcome the opportunity to respond to this letter publicly:

——————–

Dear Mr. Brown,

  • A significant number of the advertisements we run are paid placement. Others are for commission. This keeps our newsletter free. However, I am proud to say that we have never steered someone toward a show or attraction based on advertising or commission. In fact, when I send someone to do a show review, I have but one set of instructions: Review the show in such a manner that people who may enjoy it will understand what they may like about it, and those who wouldn’t be as interested are so informed as well.In cases where sales are commission-based, we make the same small commission whether you buy a ticket to Jubilee or Folies Bergere. Whether you book a room at Bellagio or Venetian. In this issue, we are running photos of Shark Reef taken at our expense for something we get no advertising fee or commission. We are about covering Las Vegas, and simply hope that our readers will patronize our advertisers and use our booking links if they appreciate our information.Cab drivers have been well known over the years to practice strong diversion tactics. This practice has been well documented. Yes, I am well aware that limo drivers also get fees from various venues for delivering passengers. Here’s the difference: The doorman and limo drivers are asking people ahead of time if they want to go to such and such club.

    Side Note: I have no problem with commissions or fees for generating business. This is a free market economy. I do have issues with a hard-sell to a captive audience.

  • I’m not sure what $100 show tickets have to do with cab drivers long-hauling tourists. If this is such a rare practice, why was it highlighted at the top of a USA Today travel chat article about Las Vegas in addition to many numerous local articles.People choose to pay $200 for a hotel room or $25 for a bottle of wine. People do not choose to be long-hauled. Even if someone is staying in a $300 a night room, that is no justification bilking them illegally on their cab ride.
  • I’d take up your work hours, pay and conditions with your employer. Or, find other work. You do not have the right to divert or long-haul passengers just because you feel you are underpaid.
  • Moving 45 million people around each year doesn’t make you the best value. In fact, Las Vegas has some of the very highest cab fares in the nation! Reference:

    You claimed that cabs would be a value at double the rates. Co’mon… you can’t be serious!

  • I’m at a complete loss how questioning the ethics of cab drivers is a “racially based assault.” I didn’t realize that all cab drivers were of one color or race. Once you figure out what race all local cab drivers are, I’d go picket the Review-Journal for their “racist” articles about local cab service. Their circulation is still a bit larger than this newsletter.

——————–

So, there you have it. Las Vegas cabdrivers who think that the fares they charge are a bargain, and how feel it is OK to bilk you on the assumption you are spending a few extra bucks for an upscale room or a nice bottle of wine during your stay.

Kind of makes you want to take an airport shuttle to your hotel next time, doesn’t it? Many of them are owned by the same companies that put cabs on the street, but at least a shuttle is flat-rate.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

December 12, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – December 05, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Ted is taking some time off this week to mourn the loss of his step-grandfather. Enjoy these reports prepared by Amy and Mark:

The entire United States has seen some unbelievable weather and Las Vegas was no exception. No, we didn’t get the hurricane force winds and damage that stuck Oregon and Washington, nor the extreme cold and snow that is gripping most of the country. What we got was something rarely ever seen in Las Vegas: Rain with very low lying clouds bordering on fog on November 30, 2007.

You may say “so what” if you live in an area prone to rain or fog. What makes it different in Las Vegas? We’ll tell you what: The mega-volts of lights shimmering through the fog as massive hotels vanish into the sky. However, we won’t just tell you. Some of us were out that night and we have an amazing, exclusive photo set that is a must see:


The slight orange glow in the middle of the background? Wynn Las Vegas (barely seen from The Venetian)!


This is not a trick photo. The fog behind the Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular adorned tower is all natural, with the new Venetian Palazzo Tower vanishing into the clouds in the background.

These rare photos are amazing. Check them all out in our Fog and Rain on Las Vegas Strip November 2007 Photo Gallery

Speaking of Palazzo, the opening date has been moved back a week to December 28, 2007 with an “official” grand opening in mid-January. If you haven’t been on The Strip for a while or just enjoy catching up on what some of the hotel construction looks like, check out our Palazzo Las Vegas Construction Photos to get a sneak peak at what is looking to be an amazing new resort.

Only a couple more weeks to see Celine here in town. Literally. The demand has driven ticket prices up, but this is the last time to see what has been a unique and amazing show of the kind we may never see again. While Celine is going on tour, a concert tour probably won’t come close to matching the Cirque-style show in a custom venue that was all specifically designed around her music. Check out Celine Dion Las Vegas Tickets before they (and she) are gone.

One quick reminder: The week before Christmas is one of the least expensive and least crowded times to be in Las Vegas, and the city if full of the Christmas spirit. Get your shopping done early and sneak away from it all for a few days. Still not sure? Check out these awesome photos of the Bellagio Gardens Christmas Display 2006 and then visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals for some of the best rates anywhere.

Ted will return next week.

Enjoy this issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

America’s Kitchen Sweetheart Rachael Ray Visits Miracle Mile Shops – Culinary guru and television talk show host Rachael Ray will personalize her newly released cookbook and greet fans at Sur la Table inside Miracle Mile Shops from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, December 11. Ray, known for her innovative and entertaining cooking techniques, will visit Sur la Table to meet fans and autograph copies of her latest cookbook, Just In Time! Cooking enthusiasts must have a ticket to gain access to Ray’s cookbook signing and meet and greet. Click to Read The Full Story …

Sam’s Town Creates Holiday Wonderland – Tradition Returns To Mystic Falls, This Time With Snow – This holiday season it will be snowing inside the Mystic Falls Indoor Park at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall. The park will be transformed with tree-lined walkways covered in lights and holiday decorations throughout. The shimmering centerpiece of this celebration is the Winter Wonderland Spectacular, a new show that takes guests on a magical journey through the sights and sounds of the season. With special lighting, dazzling water ballet, lasers and other special effects, this fanciful collage of festive scenes will awaken the holiday spirit. Click to Read The Full Story …

What A Bright Time, It’s The Right Time For Bright Lights On Ice To Shine At The Fremont Street Experience – The legendary Fremont Street Experience is taking holiday magic to amazing new heights when it hosts a live ice skating show, Bright Lights on Ice, December 11-22. The seasonal spectacular will feature an ensemble cast of professional figure skaters and gymnasts in a truly unique combination of winter athleticism and artistry, right on the outdoor promenade of Fremont Street. Amidst the illusion of falling snow, the skaters of Bright Lights on Ice will perform graceful solos, breathtaking lifts and alluring spins from the iced platform of the 3rd Street stage while trampoline acrobats defy gravity from the ground below. Click to Read The Full Story …

Hawaiian Tropic Zone Heats Up The Las Vegas Strip At Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino – After enjoying culinary success at the world’s first Hawaiian Tropic Zone in New York City, powerhouse restaurateur Dennis Riese, of Riese Restaurant fame, and Adam Hock, co-owner of PURE nightclub in Las Vegas, have decided to bring glitz and entertainment back into fine dining in Las Vegas. Located at the 50-yard line of the Las Vegas Strip, Hawaiian Tropic Zone will boast a sexy modern dÚcor, multi-tiered dining room, mouth-watering menu items, cat-walk stage for nightly entertainment, full bar and a two-story waterfall. Click to Read The Full Story …

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

December 5, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – November 28, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! We usually like to start the newsletter on a happy note, but the past couple of weeks have brought us the death of two long-time Las Vegas locals from completely opposite sides of the musical spectrum. We recently reported on the loss of Robert Goulet, and this past week Quiet Riot’s Kevin Dubrow passed away at the age of 52 inside his east Las Vegas home. I didn’t know him personally, although we had numerous mutual acquaintances. His band kick-started what became the “hair metal” craze of the 1980’s that led to the popularity of bands like Bon Jovi and Motley Crue.

Kevin was the co-host of the KOMP radio morning show here for a year in the mid-90’s. The show did well, and co-host Craig Williams noted that there were talks of national syndication. However, it was well known that Dubrow wasn’t fond of the early mornings required and went back to re-form Quiet Riot on the hopes that his genre would make a come-back.á Grunge music pretty much skipped Las Vegas (only a fool is going to wear flannel in the summer) and Las Vegas was still very much a hard-rocking town through the 90’s leading people like Dubrow and Motley Crue singer Vince Neil to move here permanently during that time.

Neil has kept himself in the local spotlight at various events around town plus the opening of his Vince Neil Ink tattoo shop. Dubrow seemed to keep a lower profile, focused on Quiet Riot’s touring and was somewhat settled down for a number of years (until recently) with local radio and TV personality Lark Williams (who was credited for helping Dubrow get clean and sober). Cause of the death is not yet known.

I often receive emails like this one: Hello, we are coming to Vegas and would like to know which casinos you would recommend for more winnings. Thank you.

Over the years, slots at “local’s” casinos tend to be the loosest, followed by downtown with The Strip being the worst. When it comes to table games, it all depends on the variations in the specific rules. Any blackjack game paying 6:5 for a blackjack is worst than one paying 3:2 (7.5:5). Single zero roulette is better than double zero roulette. Craps with higher odds limits are better.

Here’s the bottom line: Unless you are coming here once or twice a month and want to take a few hundred hours to learn the nuances of perfect play for all table games (plus video poker), anything can happen anywhere on one trip. Play where you feel lucky and where things seem to be going well. No matter where you are playing, if you get on a cold streak, stop for a while. Take a walk, have a drink, get something to eat. Then try another casino and give your luck an chance to come back.

This Sunday (December 2, 2007) marks the running of the third annual Las Vegas Marathon. In an interesting twist, Blue Man Group is going to do a performance along the route for spectators and participants. The location is supposed to be secret, but the word “downtown” seemed to sneak out. The marathon starts at Mandalay Bay at 6 AM and heads north to downtown, so if you hear a lot of racket about 6:30 AM downtown, you’ll know what is up. If 6 AM is too early for your taste, Blue Man Group is well worth the regular ticket: Blue Man Group Tickets

As some of you have heard, The Royal White Tiger Habitat at The Mirage has closed to make way for a restaurant called BLT Burger. The restaurant is going to be run by some famous chef from New York and opens this spring. The bummer? No more tigers to look at when you enter The Mirage. The good news, you can still see them (and the rest of the animals) at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat (click for pictures). If you’ve never visited the Secret Garden, it is worth the price of admission and I’d plan to see it soon. The land it sits on is probably too valuable to leave undeveloped.

Bruce Springsteen doesn’t have a Las Vegas date set, but it seems like he’s playing just about everywhere else and we have great tickets. Check out Bruce Springsteen Tickets

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

The Gold Coast Partners With “The World’s Largest Honky Tonk” To Host National Finals Tonight – The Gold Coast Showroom will be transformed into Billy Bob’s Texas Las Vegas Outpost from December 6 – 15, hosting the ultimate rodeo after-party. Adding to the excitement, eight-time World Champion and Hall of Fame Cowboy Don Gay along with TV Host Dan Miller will host the nightly National Finals Tonight, a wrap-up of each day’s rodeo events. They will be talking all things rodeo, featuring interviews with riders and a variety of rodeo celebrities. (National Final’s Rodeo Tickets). Click to Read The Full Story … Beyonce Returns To Las Vegas To Perform At The Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, December 30 – Superstar and cultural icon BEYONCE is set to return to Las Vegas to celebrate New Years Eve Weekend. (Tickets) BEYONCE will appear at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, Dec. 30 and the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Music World/Columbia Records recently released BEYONCE’s B’DAY Deluxe Edition, an expanded two-disc edition of the pop icon’s best-selling Grammy-winning solo album. The first single from the album, “Beautiful Liar,” an irresistible Latin/pop anthem of feminine empowerment, entered the Billboard Hot Digital Songs and Hot Digital Tracks charts at No. 1. Click to Read The Full Story …

Larry The Cable Guy Performs At The Orleans Arena- “Eat, Drink And Be Larry,” On Dec. 15th – The man who coined the catchphrases “Git-R-Done” and “Lord, I Apologize,” is coming to the Orleans Arena. Dan Whitney, better known as Larry the Cable Guy, has proven to be one of the most successful comics of his era and will be spouting his country wisdoms at the Orleans Arena on December 15, 2007 at 9 p.m. (Tickets) Larry’s one-liner filled act earned him appearances on “Evening at The Improv,” “Comic Strip Live” and the nationally syndicated “Bob and Tom Show.” His success with radio continued when he became a regular on “Jeff Foxworthy’s Country Countdown.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Merry Christmas Las Vegas Being Taped For Local And National Television – The producers of the award-winning weekly television show, Entertainment Las Vegas Style, presents the 22nd Annual “Merry Christmas Las Vegas” a joyful program of seasonal song and laughter. “Merry Christmas Las Vegas” is presented as a Christmas gift from the headliners of the Entertainment Capital of the World, in support of the children known as “Helen Joy’s Young Entertainers” through the Youth Foundation for the Performing Arts. “Helen Joy’s Young Entertainers” and Entertainment Ambassador “Tony Sacca” have once again been invited to perform at the White House on Saturday, December 8, at 7:00 pm, representing the City of Las Vegas. Click to Read The Full Story …

Goodman Meets With ‘Little Legends’ – Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman met with the “Little Legends” cast in his office Thursday, where the performers invited him to their grand opening show Tuesday at the Harmon Theater inside Krave nightclub. (Tickets) “Little Legends” performers Abdoul and Adam Kone, Terra Jole and her boyfriend, who impersonates Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee take a photo with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman on Thursday at his office. Click to Read The Full Story …

Roy’s Is Filling All The Good Boys And Girls Glasses This Holiday With Roy’s Chocolate-Peppermint Kiss Cocktail – Making the holiday season bright, Roy’s is offering a Chocolate-Peppermint Kiss cocktail to sweeten even the grumpiest holiday-goer. Combining all the magical spirit of the holidays in a sweet concoction, Roy’s drizzles heavenly Godiva chocolate liqueur to the bottom of a glass and then mixes in CrÞme de Cacao, Peppermint Schnapps and Mt. Gay Vanilla Rum for a decadently divine, chocolate libation. This season be sure to spoil those who have been nice and even those who have been naughty with the below recipe.

Roy’s Chocolate-Peppermint Kiss

  • 1.5 oz of CrÞme de Cacao
  • .75 oz Peppermint Schnapps
  • .75 Mt. Gay Vanilla Rum
  • .5 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
  • Splash of water

Method: Shake the first three liqueurs vigorously with ice. Then drizzle the chocolate into the chilled Martini glass (chocolate should be drizzled only on one side of martini glass). Slowly sink the .5 oz of Godiva chocolate liqueur onto bottom of the glass and garnish with a York Peppermint Patty. Visit Roy’s in Summerlin 8701 W. Charleston Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89117. Click to Read The Full Story …

It’s Time To Start Planning For The Holidays At The Magical Forest – Hundreds of trees frosted with millions of lights, incredible holiday displays, a ride on one of our two “Forest Express” passenger trains, a spin on an antique carousel, a windswept trip down the Alpine Slide, a visit to Santa, and finished off with a heaping holiday dose of hot cocoa and funnel cakes, the Las Vegas holiday classic, The Magical Forest, opens its doors to holiday revelers Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd through December 30th. Every year The Magical Forest reinvents itself with something new just around the next turn on the Forest path, and this year is no exception. Click to Read The Full Story …

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:

Hello, We are in Vegas 3 to 4 times a year and really enjoy all of it. Here are some pictures we have taken over the years. Hope to see some of them in your newsletter.

Jack & Caroline
Pinellas Park, Florida





Hint: Click on all photos above to see more.

Dear Ted:I visit Vegas 2 to 3 times a year and this is the first year that I will be there on New Year’s Eve. I am trying to find out what options are available for celebrating the new year in Vegas. Can you tell me how to find out what the hotels on the strip are offering for New Year’s Eve? Do they normally have dinner/party packages available for the evening? What about bands, dancing, etc? Are you going to be publishing this in an upcoming newsletter? Thanks for any help you can offer.Julie in Ohio

Ted Responds:

We’ve been adding them to our concert/event calendar to the right side of this page, plus we have pulled together a comprehensive list of everything we have (to date) at http://www.accessvegas.com/new-years-eve-2007. Please understand that it seems like the hotels would be making these plans and letting us know months in advance (especially for a huge date people plan ahead for). But realistically, most New Year’s Eve info only starts to roll into us starting late November each year. Hope this helps!

Hi Ted,I was wondering if you knew what happened to David Osborne. He used to play the piano at Cafe Lago at Caesar’s Palace. I was wondering if he was performing anywhere else in Vegas right now?I really enjoy your newsletter!

Jane Penny
Brady, Texas

Ted Responds:

I was able to contact David who got back to me with the following:

Hi Ted, I am still playing in Las Vegas, I moved to Bellagio after being at Caesars Palace for 12 years. I perform solo piano at the Petrosian 8pm-12:45 on Thursday’s, Friday’s and Saturday’s. I perform with a bass player at the Baccarat Bar from 8:45pm -1am on Sunday’s and Monday’s.

I have signed with Alkahest Artists and Attractions and travel with a bass player and a drummer, we are known as the David Osborne Trio. Here is some information on my upcoming performances.

á

  • Tuesday, January 8, 2008 1:30PM, South Florida Community College, Avon Park, Florida
  • Friday, March 28, 2008 8:00pm, Saturday, March 29, 2008 8:00pm, Center for Arts & Humanities, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Tuesday, April 8, 2008, Hawkeye Community College, Tama Hall Auditorium, Waterloo, Iowa

I also might add that ifá you can listen to most of David’s music at his David Osbourne Rhapsody Page

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

November 28, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – November 21, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! I’m still getting used to the end of Daylight Savings Time. The sunsets are amazing, but the sun is setting about 5 PM this time of year. This week, we are also dealing with the sudden end of “summer” weather. Long time Las Vegas residents will tell you that we always seem to have one definitive time in the fall and another in the spring where the temperature makes a sudden shift. This week started with highs near 80 and will end with highs near 60. Every spring, we seem to jump from the mid-60’s to the low 80’s over the course of just a few days in April (all temperatures Fahrenheit).

This is a special photo issue! Usually we post many of the great photos that readers send in, so this week it is our turn. We had Mark Jacobs out shooting photos of the aftermath of The Frontier implosion, over to The Bellagio for their Botanical Gardens Thanksgiving Display, and then to the new Planet Hollywood for the pre-opening of the Hawaiian Tropic Zone bikini bash! (Yes, he really gets paid to do this and no, we don’t have another similar position open right now). Links to all those great photo sets are later in the newsletter.

The L.A. Times did a solid, accurate update on how things are going with the Nevada smoking ban. The bottom line is that enforcement has been all but given up on. Bars have found creative ways around it, and a judge has ruled that violating the ban is only a civil matter. IE, the police aren’t going to do anything about it. This leaves a health department staff without the manpower to enforce the law responsible for trying to catch and deal with violators. The fine if you are caught? $100. The number of people fined to date? 0.

Because this story has generated so much reader feedback over the past year, we’ll continue to follow it. Those interested in the details can read the article Las Vegas bars working around Nevada smoking ban.

As this issue goes out, it is the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States and we hope all celebrating have an enjoyable time with family or friends. This would be a great time to tell everyone you know about this newsletter. If you are checking your email at someone else’s place or have a group of people over at yours, gather a few around and share some of the Bellagio Thanksgiving Season photos we feature later in the newsletter. If they are Las Vegas visitors (or just thinking about visiting), click on over to our newsletter website and get them signed up.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Ring In 2008 With The Biggest Concert In Vegas – Kanye West Live At The Pearl At The Palms – Following an amazing performance in the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West returns to the Palms Casino Resort to perform live on New Year’s Eve inside the Pearl Concert Theater. (Tickets) The evening with Mr. West will begin at 10:45 p.m. There is no doubt that Kanye West is one of most influential artists in hip-hop today. Click to Read The Full Story …

Dancing With The Stars Tour Performs At The Orleans Arena – Dancing with the Stars, ABC’s #1 rated unscripted show, is hitting the road this winter and bringing its most popular team of stars and professional dancers to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV on Sunday, December 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets) The third Dancing with the Stars tour will feature a cast of the show’s most popular competitors, combining established favorites from previous tours with newcomers from the show’s current season. Las Vegas audiences will be treated to an exciting new line-up of stars including season two winner and special guest star Drew Lachey with Cheryl Burke, Sabrina Bryan with Mark Ballas… Click to Read The Full Story …

Strip House Boasts The Sexiest Uniform In Fine Dining Thanks To World-Renowned Designer Kiki de Montparnasse – Strip House, along with luxury lingerie designer Kiki de Montparnasse, heats up the Las Vegas Strip with Studio Manasse-inspired cocktail dress uniforms. Strip House’s coy but classic cocktail mini-dress, designed by Kiki de Montparnasse, is perfectly executed in a soft, black, fine rib jersey. A high elegant front harmonizes a dangerously low back to reveal a signature satin lace-up corselette bra embellished with tulle lace. Complete with flutter sleeves, Kiki de Montparnasse’s style reflects the sexy sophisticated atmosphere of Strip House. Click to Read The Full Story …

Bellagio, Picasso And Le Cirque Receive 2008 AAA Five Diamond Award – Bellagio Continues To Shine As Only Hotel In The Country Featuring Two Five Diamond Restaurants – For the seventh consecutive year, Bellagio received AAA’s prestigious Five Diamond Award as did Julian Serrano’s renowned restaurant, Picasso. Additionally, Le Cirque received the distinction for the fifth consecutive year, making Bellagio once again the only hotel in the United States to be home to two AAA Five Diamond restaurants. Click to Read The Full Story …

J.R. Johns’ Presents ‘Dog Gone Silly’ At Harmon Theater In Krave – ‘America’s Funniest Dog Show’ Comes To Las Vegas As The Newest Afternoon Show – “Dog Gone Silly” is… Doggone funny! Reno favorite J.R. Johns and 14 of his best friends romp their way on to The Strip and into the audience’s hearts in the Harmon Theater at 3 p.m. daily. (Tickets) This general audience offering is unlike that of any other as veteran physical comedian/dog trainer takes you on a four-part journey through what some press have called a living cartoon. J.R. plays straight man to a constant barrage of pranks perpetrated on him by his canine co-stars. Click to Read The Full Story …

It’s “Cuchi-Cuchi” Time As Charo Brings Her Celebrated Variety Show To The Rampart Casino On November 25 – International superstar Charo visits the Rampart Casino for a one-night engagement on Sunday, November 25. Recognized the world over for her witty humor, loveable accent and mastery of the flamenco guitar, this truly multi-talented icon brings a smile to people’s faces with the mere mention of her name. Her trademark statement, “cuchi-cuchi,” has become the international term for fun and excitement. The performance will be held in the Grand Ballroom at the adjoining JW Marriott starting at 4:00 pm with doors opening at 3:00 pm. Click to Read The Full Story …

Wolfgang Puck Continues To Revolutionize The Fine Dining Scene In Las Vegas – Master Chef To Open Award-Winning Steakhouse CUT – Master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is bringing his critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant CUT to Las Vegas. The Beverly Hills, super-chic steakhouse will open at The Palazzo late December. CUT will mark the sixth fine dining restaurant from the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in Las Vegas, recognized as a leader in revolutionizing the dining landscape of the city. Click to Read The Full Story …

The M Resort, Spa And Casino Unveils Plans For New Local Las Vegas Resort Destination – M Resort, Spa And Casino To Re-establish Las Vegas Hospitality With Next Generation Of Architectural Design, Service Ane Amenities – M Resort Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Anthony A. Marnell, III, unveiled the 12′ x 16′ M Resort, Spa and Casino model and announced details of the project during yesterday’s press conference. M Resort, Spa and Casino will be located on approximately 80 acres of land at the southeast corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard. Click to Read The Full Story …

Michelin Announces First Ever Ratings For Las Vegas:

ONE STAR (by neighborhood)
ESTABLISHMENT NEIGHBORHOOD HOTEL
Alize West of the Strip Palms
Andre’s (downtown) Downtown None
Aureole The Strip Mandalay Bay
Bradley Ogden The Strip Caesar’s Palace
Daniel Boulud Brasserie The Strip Wynn
LÆAtelier de JoÙl Robuchon The Strip MGM Grand
Le Cirque The Strip Bellagio
Mesa Grill The Strip Caesar’s Palace
Michael Mina The Strip Bellagio
Mix The Strip Mandalay Bay
Nobu East of the Strip Hard Rock
Wing Lei The Strip Wynn
TWO STARS (by neighborhood)
Alex The Strip Wynn
Guy Savoy The Strip Caesar’s Palace
Picasso The Strip Bellagio
THREE STARS (by neighborhood)
Joel Robuchon The Strip MGM Grand

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Usually we post great reader photos and comments in this area. This week, we give you these great photo sets we’ve taken the past week for you and your friends to enjoy online!

Click on any of the photos below to see the
respective complete photo sets!

Bellagio Gardens Thanksgiving 2007

Frontier Las Vegas Post Implosion

Hawaiian Tropic Zone Las Vegas Pre-Opening


Hawaiian Tropic Zone Restaurateur Dennis Riese

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

November 21, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy PolicyProud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – November 14, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! The Frontier went boom with one of the better implosion shows in recent memory. Things have come a long way from the attempt to make a big show out of the Hacienda Implosion (Broadband Video Link).

We had various invitations (both official and unofficial) to cover it. However, we couldn’t hold a candle to what some of the local TV stations did (including 12 camera coverage in HD by KLAS Channel 8). Here are some great links to stories, photos, and video of the implosion:

The old saying notes “Out With The Old, In With The New” and our photographer Mark Jacobs captured this telling photo of The Frontier (as it is prepared for implosion) and of the new Wynn Las Vegas Encore Tower, which sit across the street from each other:

See more of Mark’s photos of the construction of Palazzo Las Vegas.

A quick follow up on my speculation last week of a future implosion at The Tropicana: I have a good source that The Tropicana is getting very serious about imploding their rear tower. This after months and months of The Tropicana publicly noting that their expansion would be built around (and incorporating) the existing towers.

This makes an immense amount of sense when you look at The Tropicana’s lack of interest in cutting a new contract with their workers union. Also, this would accomplish two other goals: 1. Give them much greater options about the design and layout of the new expansion and 2. Let them keep the casino and one tower open so they can continue to service guests and bring in revenue.

Monty Python’s Spamalot has a very cool V.I.P.P. (Very Important Person) Package that is pretty much unique to the Las Vegas show scene. For $159 per person plus tax, you get the following:

  • Premium Seating
  • A 45-minute “Secrets of the Grail” backstage tour right after the show
  • A commemorative Grail cup (filled with your beer or soft-drink)
  • Once-in-a-lifetime photos with cast and crew, set pieces and props.

As I noted, this is unique among Las Vegas shows (especially a show of this caliber). The tickets are extremely limited and well worth grabbing if you can get one during your visit. Visit the official Monty Python’s Spamalot Las Vegas show site for details and availability.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Cast Members Of Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular Celebrated The Holiday Season By Sponsoring A Tree In The Magical Forest At Opportunity Village – In support of Opportunity Village’s annual holiday celebration, The Magical Forest, Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular (Tickets) cast members decorated a tree and took a tour of the beautiful campus. The Magical Forest, featuring hundreds of trees frosted with millions of lights, incredible holiday displays, rides and a visit with Santa, opens its doors to holiday revelers November 22 – December 30. 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. Click to Read The Full Story … From Sugarplums To Snowflakes… Nevada Ballet Theatre Brings It All Together For Locals And Tourists Alike – Guests And Surprises Add To The Excitement Of This Year’s Nutcracker – Colored lights, hot cocoa, parties, shopping.and The Nutcracker! A Las Vegas Valley tradition for over twenty years, a joyous and jubilant season begins with Nevada Ballet Theatre’s tale of warmth and wonder. The most famous holiday fairytale of all brings Clara, Fritz and all of their friends to life at UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre, from December 14 – 27, 2007. Sugarplums will be dancing in the heads of children – from thousands who live here to the almost one-hundred that are in the production! Click to Read The Full Story …

Legendary Performer Wayne Newton Brings His Holiday Show Back To Harrah’s Las Vegas – Fresh from appearing on television’s “Dancing with the Stars,” Wayne Newton, whose voice and singing style are synonymous with great Las Vegas entertainment, returns to the stage at Harrah’s Las Vegas with his exhilarating Holiday show (Tickets). “Mr. Las Vegas” will perform an exciting compilation of his classic hits, holiday tunes and favorite songs of the season on a winter wonderland set. Click to Read The Full Story …

Lance Burton, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Barry Manilow, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band And Wayne Newton Are Among The Acts Lined Up For Ellen’s Really Big Show, TBS Comedy Variety Special Presented By Ellen DeGeneres – Ellen’s Really Big Show (Tickets) Premieres on TBS Monday, Nov. 19, at 9 p.m. with an encore immediately following at 10:30 p.m. and will be taped during HBO and AEG Live’s The Comedy Festival at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Recording artists Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Barry Manilow, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, and Wayne Newton are among the stars on tap for ELLEN’S REALLY BIG SHOW, Emmy«-winning talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres’ throwback to the beloved variety shows of years past. Click to Read The Full Story …

Jay-Z and Friends to Host New Year’s Eve 2008 Bash at The 40/40 Club Las Vegas – WHO: Legendary business mogul Jay-Z and celebrity friends from the world of sports, entertainment and music. WHAT: The ultimate New Year’s Eve bash at Jay-Z’s highly anticipated addition to the Las Vegas Strip – The 40/40 Club. WHEN: Monday, December 31, 2007 Doors open at 9 p.m. WHERE: The 40/40 Club Located inside The Palazzo 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV. Tickets for the ultimate New Year’s Eve 2008 bash are on-sale now and available: 800-696-5721. Click to Read The Full Story …

Featured Book: Historic Photos of Las Vegas By: Jeff Burbank – (Amazon Review) Las Vegas is the most populous city in the State of Nevada and a hub for entertainment. Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Entertainment Capital of the World is the largest U.S. city founded in the 20th century. With nearly 200 photographs of this dynamic city like no other city, this coffee-table book like no other book is sure to be a hit with residents, visitors, and history buffs alike!

About the Author: Jeff Burbank is a longtime journalist and editor who has been writing about Las Vegas history since the 1990s. He has been published in many venues, including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sun, Reno Gazette-Journal and Newsweek.

Book available for purchase: Historic Photos of Las Vegas By: Jeff Burbank

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Palazzo Las Vegas Construction Photos – The Palazzo Casino Resort opens in late December and will include over 375 concierge-level suites. The hotel lobby will feature a 60-foot glass dome, multiple two story fountains, imported marble, bronze case columns and special custom wall finishes. Guests arriving from the street will enter the domed entry lobby. The landscape will be made up of palm trees, tailored paintings and exotically shaped topiaries.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:

Hi Ted:

Here is a picture of the flamingos at the Flamingo. They are so pink and the sunlight makes them shine and shimmer! Can’t wait to return to Vegas.

Boston Sheena

á


Hint: Click on the photo to see photos of Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

Ted Responds:

Thanks for the great photo! Despite the Flamingo Wildlife habitat being so huge, beautiful, and free to the public… it is still continues to be a “best kept secret” in Las Vegas. Finding it is easy:

Head toward the back of the Flamingo Hotel and out the back doors. Let them blow up The Frontier, but I hope that Flamingo doesn’t do away with this incredible area anytime soon.

My husband and I love getting your newsletters and boy, how we love your lovely Las Vegas. We have been 13 (unlucky for some!) times now. Planning to visit again in October. My husband reckons he owns half a hotel now because of all the money he has left there….ha! ha! Great place.We look forward to receiving your next newsletter so we can get some of the fantastic offers you have advertised.Bye for now – see you in October hopefully and thank you for a brilliant newsletter.

Pat & Doug Johnstone – London – England

I am traveling to Vegas with a group of friends, both male and female. A few of them have never been to Vegas before.I would like to maybe get them to go dancing however the lot of them are not “club chic”. We are staying at South Point Casino/Hotel. Is there a club where us 40 somethings could go and not feel too out of place. Money is an object so paying for bottle service and such is out of the question. Help!

Denise

Ted Responds:

South Point actually has a fun atmosphere with various live bands coming through. One of our staffers is 40 and enjoys it on a regular basis. The first thing to do when you check in is ask what/who is playing there. Once in a while it will be a bigger act with a regular ticket price, but usually it is free or a small cover charge.

Mix at Mandalay (The Hotel) is usually free until 8 PM, and with the sun setting at 7 PM, a good place to kick things off. Also, South Point shuttle runs to Mandalay so your trip is free. Voodoo at Rio similar… go early and the cover will be free or cheap plus you get to watch the sunset and The Strip light up. Plus, a wide range of ages. Very important: Times and prices are subject to change. Ask the desk at South Point details on their club, and call ahead on other stuff so no surprises.

South Point is really nice for the money. Only downside is the shuttle ride to The Strip, but you might find yourself having quite a bit of fun right there on property. Also, the intersection it is located on has a mini-mall with really good (no frills) BBQ place, and the wine/liquor store in that mini-mall has free wine tasting on Thursday evenings plus a nice cigar selection for those inclined.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

November 14, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – November 07, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! Daylightá Savings Time is over and the sun is dipping behind the mountains before 6 PM local time here. The sunsets are still spectacular, just way too early.

Robert Goulet’s funeral will be this Friday and is open to the public. There is also a big push to have the Strip Hotel marquees honor him on Friday. This issue is already way too jammed, so I’ll simply link you to the local news story about it: Marquee tributes urged for Goulet

David Copperfield’s run at the Hollywood Theater (MGM Grand) isn’t presently being affected by his legal troubles. While MGM officials have noted that his contract does have a “moral’s clause” (allowing them to cancel the contract for morally inappropriate behavior), I’m happy to see that Copperfield is pretty much universally being given the benefit of the “innocent until proven guilty” clause that is at the heart of U.S. justice.

It would be different if Copperfield had a long list of run-ins with the law of if obviously damning evidence existed (a video of the alleged offense or similar). Certainly if he is proven guilty, it could put an end to his career. However, I think we are all wising up when it comes to allegations of rape or similar crimes of violence. High profile cases the past couple of years have taught us to keep an open mind until and unless he is convicted.

When is what movie shooting in Las Vegas and how do I spot my favorite star? A common question and one I’ll answer later in the newsletter.

Another Implosion? You know I try to steer far clear of rumor, but we’ve heard from a pretty justifiable source that a certain tropical-themed casino may actually be doing away with one of their towers after all. We’ll be following up and letting you know if we can substantiate it.

Enjoy This Issue!

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Featured Review: Blush at Wynn Las Vegas

by Harley Van Hyning

A hot new club recently opened at the Wynn over Labor Day weekend. What was once Club Lure, is now Blush! Blush is descriptive in its name. The well-lighted dance floor and illuminous lantern shapes that hang above the dance floor create the intimate vibe of Blush. The dance floor is the centerpiece of the club. It stretches from the entrance all the way back to the open air patio. The dance floor illuminates red lights that glow beneath your feet and the luminous lanterns above come together creating a unique atmosphere. This definitely draws the attention to the dance floor where the life of the party can easily be found. Unlike many dark clubs, Blush illuminates an intimate energy.

Blush has many lounging areas to choose from. You can get a table right along the dance floor with bottle service and be only a step away from the party. If you want to have a comfortable distance from the dance floor and still view the party, there are tables in a sensual booth-like setting. The open air patio in the rear of Blush offers a view of the sky and fresh air if a breather is needed.

Blush is not a large club, but packs a great nightlife experience! One great thing about Blush is the very accessible bar. The bar takes over the left side of the club allowing lots of room to comfortably order your beverage. Unlike a much larger nightclub such as, Pure, Blush is much smaller. Nightclub operator Sean Christie described it perfectly as “the boutique nightclub”. The name and experience are unique in itself and a must when in Las Vegas!

Harley Van Hyning is a graduate of the University of West Florida with interests in marketing, communications, and surfing (not in that order). He’s currently the host of Destin Florida Podcast.

Country Superstar George Strait Returns To MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, February 2, 2008 – Multi-platinum-selling country superstar George Strait returns to Las Vegas for a Big Game weekend performance live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008. (Tickets) The in-the-round concert, allowing him to perform to all sides of the arena throughout his show, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Singer and songwriter Josh Turner also is scheduled to perform as the evening’s special guest. During his 2007 arena tour, Strait continued his streak of sold-out shows while setting attendance records. Click to Read The Full Story …

Larry G Jones.com The Man of 1002 Voices Show – Medicine For The soul: Military, Fire, And Police Get Month+ Of Free Vegas Show Tickets – ‘Larry G Jones û The Man of 1002 Voices Show’, is offering free tickets to his Singing Impressionist-Comedy performances in his Las Vegas showroom for our men and women in uniform now through at least Dec. 10, 2007! (Tickets and Offer Info) (Including all army, navy, air force, marines, coast guard, reserves, law enforcement, and firemen) “Everyone loves to laugh; people need it today more than ever! It’s good for your health! Our Veterans deserve more than just one day for special benefits, I’m finally in a position to give back something to them,” Jones said. Click to Read The Full Story …

Siegfried & Roy Take Big Strides For Opportunity Village’s 2007 Las Vegas Great Santa Run – Magicians Of The Century Encourage Runners To Participate In The 5k Race And Sign Up With Team Siegfried & Roy – Siegfried & Roy and Opportunity Village unite forces for the second year in a row in an attempt to break the World Record for the Largest Santa Gathering at the third annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007. Siegfried & Roy serve as Honorary Team Captains for the 2007 event, giving participants a chance to be a part of something truly magical during the season of giving. The Las Vegas Great Santa Run is a fundraising effort benefiting Opportunity Village and serves as a light, spirited warm-up run for participants in the Las Vegas Marathon the following day. Click to Read The Full Story …

Famed illusionist Hans Klok Unveils Magical Good Luck Tiki As He Welcomes New Trader Vic’s Restaurant To Las Vegas – To mark the opening of the Polynesian-themed Trader Vic’s restaurant, famed illusionist, Hans Klok, performed a magical welcoming gesture. With the aid of his beautiful divas, the world’s fastest magician conjured a tiki as part of his renowned fire-spikes illusion. The hand-carved tiki stands 6-feet tall by 3-feet wide and was unveiled on stage at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts. Click to Read The Full Story …

Fremont Street Experience Lights Up Red, White and Blue When It Hosts The Annual Patriot Party November 10 and 11 – Las Vegas’ famed Fremont Street Experience invites all to come out and salute America with a weekend of free concerts and a Veterans Day parade. The festivities include an exciting line-up of renowned Air Force performers and headline acts by country music stars David Lee Murphy and Halfway To Hazard. The Patriot Party kicks off an all-American good time when the Singing Sergeants take to the stage at the 1st Street intersection between Binion’s and the Golden Nugget. Click to Read The Full Story …

Vegas To Receive Fresh Selection Of Designer Wares At Exclusive Shopping Experience – Fashion Elements Brings Hottest Los Angeles Designers To Las Vegas For One-Day Event Sunday, December 2 – Fashion Elements, an exclusive designer shopping experience showcasing the hottest new and established designers, is bringing the event to Las Vegas from Southern California for the first time on Sunday, December 2. The one-day only event features current overstock from more than 30 designers at discounts of up to 60% off retail prices. Fashionistas will not want to miss out on an unbelievable selection of designer clothing, jewelry, accessories and beauty items. Click to Read The Full Story …

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:


Hint: Click on the photo to see photos of Las Vegas At Dusk

This was a picture that I took on the bridge between MGM and NYNY.

Sami Forrest, Rosemount, MN

I applaud your article on the cab situation in Vegas. On our last trip there we went to a restaurant off the strip that had been recommended by Rachel Ray on her food program. We took a cab over from our strip hotel in the early afternoon and really enjoyed the restaurant and it’s friendly staff and good food.

The problem came in the return trip. The restaurant called a cab for us and we were told a cab would be there in twenty minutes. Fourty-five minutes later and still no cab came. We tried to no avail for twenty more minutes to hail a cab and decided to walk to Sam’s Town which was a considerable distance away. As we were walking we tried to hail a cab and finally a very nice cab driver heading in the opposite direction turned around and picked us up right after we started walking.

If I had known we were going to have this much problem we would never have ventured off the strip. This was my 21st trip to Vegas and really wanted to try the hidden gems of Vegas as presented on TV. Needless to say I was disappointed. Too bad these establishments are not able to attract tourist business because of the messed up cab situation.

Keep up the good work!! I really enjoy your newsletter.

Michael T. Lewis
Indiana

Ted Responds:

Michael is referring to my comments about the local cab drivers in our August 22, 2007 Issue. We did receive a very well written rebuttal by a cab driver that we will give adequate time to in the future. But the bottom line is this: Cabbie issues continue to be the #1 complaint we get from readers year after year after year. This isn’t about me being on a soapbox. This is an ongoing, real issue that needs to be addressed.

We are going to be in Vegas. Can you please tell me if there are going to be any films being made at this time or TV shows being taped. We’d love to see that in person.

Thank you,

Darlene

Ted Responds:

Film and TV companies go out of their way to keep their shooting schedules under wraps. The last thing they usually want are crowd control problems or having to pay for additional security. Although long shots, there are two ways to try to catch shoots in action:

  1. Check the paper each day. Sometimes Norm Clarke will have a tip about a pending shoot in his daily column. Also, every Friday you can check a column called Shooting Stars. It will often have tips about what is headed to town to shoot, and sometimes locations and details.
  2. Get lucky. I’ve happened to be downtown a couple different times when a made-for-TV movie was being shot. I was downtown late one evening when they were shooting the Puff Daddy and Mase video Feel So Good (YouTube Link) and enjoyed watching it for a couple hours. I’ve also seen a couple of car commercials shot downtown that I later saw on national TV.

    I played craps next to Matt Sorum of Guns and Roses a few years ago at the Hard Rock, and it is pretty usual to spot 80’s metal stars (and local residents) Vince Neil and Kevin Dubrow around town. A few weeks ago, friend and business partner Harley Van Hyning (see the Blush write-up in this issue) spotted rapper Lil Jon at The Mirage.

    I think the most notable was one evening when I was at the (now shuttered) Klondike at the very south end of The Strip having one of their infamous cheap meal specials. Movie crews were setting up for scenes from Vegas Vacation. These were the scenes where Clark Griswold plays (and loses) at all those crazy casino table games no one has ever heard of.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is just to keep your eyes open. Celeb spotting is easier than one might guess, especially in some of the more trendy hotels.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

November 7, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – October 31, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! Last week was very hazy here, as a result of the massive California wildfires. Although it made for some beautiful sunsets, the smell of smoke was definitely in the air. Southern California sends a significant percentage of visitors to Las Vegas every year because of the proximity and I imagine we have many, many readers who were either directly affected by the fires or know people who were. Our thoughts are with all of you.

As many of you have seen on the news, long-time Las Vegas resident Robert Goulet passed away earlier this week. Those not familiar with his long career as a performer and singer might know him more recently from his Emerald Nuts commercial.

Goulet was one of a handful of world-renowned entertainers who actually made Las Vegas his home. Even some of the more famous names that perform here regularly at most often just rent a home or stay in a hotel suite just for their run. Jay Leno (Tickets) and Barry Manilow (Tickets) actually fly home every single night. (Yes, Barry Manilow is reported to fly in from his home in Palm Springs every single show. Up to five nights a week).

More importantly, he was involved in the community and extremely well-liked. Our local paper had these two articles:

Lots of reports that Barbra Streisand is coming out of retirement for the opening of Planet Hollywood in a couple of weeks. That is all we know. Do I care? No. Will we let you know more when we know more? Of course!

The redesign of the cocktail waitress uniforms at The Rio (featured in our October 17’th newsletter with photo) prompted a story in the Image section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal about some of the more sexy cocktail outfits in Las Vegas. You can read it (with photos): Ultra-Revealing

The Frontier (officially known as The New Frontier) will be imploded Nov. 13 at 2:30 a.m. This date appears to be very firm. If you have never witnessed a Las Vegas implosion, this may be your last chance in years. With the economy slowing a bit and construction already in progress throughout the next few years schedules on various projects (CityCenter, Frontier replacement, Palazzo), there doesn’t appear to be any new massive scale projects on the horizon that will require implosion of an existing structure.

Enjoy This Issue!

Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge Tees Off At Reflection Bay Golf Club In Lake Las Vegas Resort, November 13 – Now in it’s 11th year at Lake Las Vegas Resort, the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge û a nationally televised professional golf tournament benefiting the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption û hits the links of Reflection Bay Golf Club on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. The Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge is the only professional golf tournament to pit three players from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours against each other in a head-to-head competition for tour bragging rights and a share of the $1 million purse. Each threesome consists of one player from each tour engaging in two separate, nine-hole stroke-play matches. Click to Read The Full Story …

Golden Nugget Ropes-in National Finals Rodeo Icons, Gives Away Truck – The Golden Nugget announces its entertainment line-up and casino promotions for National Finals Rodeo Dec. 5 through 15. The hotel and casino will bring rodeo’s hottest names in country and rock ‘n’ roll music for special live performances in both its intimate, 600-seat Showroom and brand new 11,000 square foot event center, The Grand. Click to Read The Full Story …

Paris Las Vegas To Light Its Eiffel Tower Red To Launch Weeklong Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration – Spectacles, Special Culinary Offerings, Wine Tasting At Check-in And Rock ‘n Roll Wine Bash Highlight 2007 Wine Release – Paris Las Vegas will light the 50-story replica of the Eiffel Tower red at midnight on the morning of Thursday, November 15th to launch a week of Beaujolais Nouveau festivities celebrating the release of the 2007 wine. This is the first property wide Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in the history of Paris Las Vegas. Honoring the long tradition regulated by French law, Beaujolais Nouveau is released no sooner than the third Thursday of November, when it is ready for consumption just six weeks after the harvest. Click to Read The Full Story …

Two Famed Restaurateurs To Open Mermaid Inn And Taro’s By Mikuni At The Village At Queensridge, New Las Vegas Mixed-Use Development – Two world-class restaurateurs are heading to the northwest Las Vegas suburbs to open Mermaid Inn and Taro’s By Mikuni for their first foray out of their respective New York and California markets. Danny Abrams, owner of Manhattan’s acclaimed seafood restaurant Mermaid Inn and founder of Prohibition, the popular 1920’s speakeasy-style bar in NYC, is bringing both concepts to The Village at Queensridge, www.tvqr.com, a 29 acre mixed-use neighborhood rising at the edge of Summerlin in Las Vegas. Click to Read The Full Story …

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Circus Circus and Adventuredone Photos – With an entrance marked by a 123-foot laughing neon clown, Circus Circus has been a permanent figure on The Strip for nearly four decades. Home to the world’s largest permanent circus, and Adventuredome, the world’s largest indoor theme park which á features 23 rides and attractions. Many of the worlds most accomplished trapeze artists, high-wire acts and aerialists are showcased at the Circus Circus Midway Stage, which presents complimentary performances throughout the day.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:


Hint: Click on the photo to see more photos of Stratosphere Tower!

Hi Ted,

Thanks for a great Newsletter, I get loads of useful and accurate information from AccessVegas.com.

I’ve had eleven holidays in Las Vegas in the last ten years and it gets better every time.

I took this photo of the Stratosphere last September, it’s not my favourite, I’ve got a great one of my husband eating a Fatburger!

Roll on Christmas day, we’re going again for two weeks!

Regards,

Steph Hansen (Salisbury, UK)

Dear Ted,

Thanks again for the latest newsletter. We’re always waiting to get the latest news. All the infos are really useful – regarding our last stays at Vegas. And we’re looking forward to our next visit (next year).

Greetings from Germany,

Oliver and Diana

Coming to Vegas. My partner is a country music fan. Any place in Vegas with country music please? Also, could you recommend any day tours outside Vegas (not very expansive)?

We did Grand Canyon last year. We are also very interested in the Monument Valley, but we know its too far from Vegas to go there. Is there anywhere with something similar to Monument Valley nearer to Vegas or the Colorado River?

Thank You,

Franrow (screen name)

Ted Responds:

The only thing really “country” left on The Strip is Toby Keith’s Bar and Grill at Harrah’s. The people running Gilly’s (formerly at the soon-to-be-imploded) Frontier have opened Stoney’s Rockin’ County. The good news is that it is huge, fun, and you don’t have to be a country fan to enjoy it.

The bad news (for tourists) is that it is down on the “new” South Strip about 7 miles south of Mandalay Bay. To get their on the cheap, you would take The Deuce (public bus that runs The Strip) all the way to where it ends at the South Strip Transfer Center, then transfer to Bus Route 117 for the rest of the ride. Links for this:

Per your tour questions, in 2008 we plan to do much more tour coverage. Many don’t think about the amazing scenic opportunities that are so close to Las Vegas! For those looking for great prices on a huge variety of area tours, we suggest visiting our partners at Travelnice: Travel Nice Tours Page

Let me suggest the following tours (in descending order of price) that may fit your interests:

Hope this helps. Have fun!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

October 31, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – October 24, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Free Photos and Wallpaper

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Ted is taking a well deserved rest and celebrating his birthday this week. Please enjoy this report prepared by staff:

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Good Luck Tikis Appear On The Las Vegas Strip To Mark Opening Of Trader Vic’s Restaurant – The famed four-mile stretch of the glittering Las Vegas Strip was reminiscent of Easter Island today, as one hundred tiki statues “mysteriously” appeared to mark the opening of the Trader Vic’s restaurant at the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Origins unknown, the tikis are definitely friendly. Tourists are invited to take pictures with the tikis and rub them for good luck. Casino gamblers infused with tiki-power can expect much good fortune, and Trader Vic’s apologizes in advance to casino operators who can expect payouts of record jackpots today. Click to Read The Full Story …

David Copperfield’s An Intimate Evening Of Grand Illusion Announces Special Holiday Engagements At MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre – Master magician and illusionist David Copperfield will return to MGM Grand’s intimate 740-seat Hollywood Theatre for special holiday performances scheduled from November 15 through November 28, and December 20 through January 2. (Tickets) Copperfield will ring-in 2008 with a special midnight balloon drop following his 10:30 performance on December 31. David Copperfield, whom the New York Times calls “our era’s giant of magic,” is touting An Intimate Evening Of Grand Illusion as his most spectacular stage show ever. Dazzling new illusions include “Lottery,” one of the most incredible predictions in the history of magic. Click to Read The Full Story …

Tabu Presents Premier DJ, Aaron Lacrate, To Tear It Up With A Spine-Chilling Performance On The Spookiest Night Of The Year, October 31 – “Get Your Wig On” At The Hottest Hair-Raising Halloween Bash On The Strip – On Halloween night, October 31, DJ Aaron LaCrate will bring pure madness to the seductive Tab· Ultra Lounge. With his pulsating hard-dance beats, LaCrate will captivate the masses and rip-up the dance floor as club goers celebrate the fright-filled evening. (Table reservations/bottle service: 800-696-5721). All-star DJ and producer Aaron LaCrate has become the most envied talent in the industry threatening to take over with his distinguishable music. Click to Read The Full Story …

Studio 54’s Legendary Spookfest, Nightmare On 54th Street, Haunts Again October 26-31 – Las Vegas’ Premier Nightclub Transforms Into A Haunted Haven For A Wicked Weekend Of Costume Parties, Spooktacular Performances And Cash Prizes – This ghoulish season, legendary nightclub Studio 54 inside of MGM Grand presents its 10th annual Halloween celebration: Nightmare on 54th Street. Beginning Friday, October 26 through Wednesday, October 31, Studio 54 will host the spookiest Halloween soirees on The Strip as the illustrious nightclub transforms into a frightful playground complete with scintillating devils and seductive angels. (Table reservations/bottle service: 800-696-5721). From spine-chilling costume contests and cash prizes totaling nearly $10,000 to eerie special live performances and acts, Studio 54 will be the place to party for the scariest time of year. Click to Read The Full Story …

REO Speedwagon Set To Perform At Buffalo Bill’s Star Of The Desert Arena – REO Speedwagon is best known for their classic hits such as “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Time For Me To Fly” and “Take It On The Run.” REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million records and scored 13 Top 40 singles, two of which topped the charts. REO Speedwagon will perform at Buffalo Bill’s Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nevada on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. (Tickets) Click to Read The Full Story …

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino To Host 2008 Miss America Live! – Two-Hour Event Returns To Las Vegas And Will Air Live On TLC Saturday, January 26, 2008 – The 2008 Miss America Live! event returns to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for a week of preliminary competitions, culminating in a totally revamped live telecast on TLC, Saturday, January 26 at 8 p.m. ET. The announcement was made in a joint release by Planet Hollywood, the Miss America Organization and TLC. “We think it is only fitting that 52 of the most beautiful girls on the planet should be here at Planet Hollywood,” said Michael Mecca, president and CEO of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. “We are delighted to have the Miss America Live! event returning to our property and we look forward to wowing the contestants with the property’s complete transformation.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Inspirada Holds Fall Festival For People And Their Pups – The New Henderson Community To Hold Dog Walk To Raise Money For Henderson Police K-9 Organization – Inspirada, a new master-planned community in Henderson will hold its first Fall Festival and Howl at the Moon Dog Walk on Saturday, October 27, 2007 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free Fall Festival, which will be held throughout Inspirada’s first village, Solista, and its park, will include trick-or-treating at the community’s model homes, free pumpkins and decorating, professional pumpkin carving demonstrations, Halloween-inspired face painting, crafts, games, music and delicious food and treats. Click to Read The Full Story …

Dr. Constantine George Offers Experts Tips On How To Stay Healthy While Traveling This Holiday Season – With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you may find yourself stranded in an airport with crowds of sneezing and wheezing travelers, enduring long commutes on a bus or train or having to touch the not-so-sanitary taxi door handle. Constantine George, MD of Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada advises travelers how to stay health during flu season while traveling. Q: What is my risk for acquiring the influenza during my travels? Click to Read The Full Story …

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Celebrates Halloween with Spooktacular Events – Body English is gearing up for Halloween by inviting partygoers to flaunt their best costumes and awarding prizes and cash giveaways to the best dressed individuals. (Table reservations/bottle service: 800-696-5721). Body English, along with sponsor Leg Avenue, will be giving away over 150 costumes. Ladies entering before midnight drink free champagne. Click to Read The Full Story …

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

October 24, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – October 17, 2007

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
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Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! Never a dull moment around here. The Venetian’s new Palazzo Tower is topped out and looks finished as a building. They are working around the clock on interior and ground level exterior in preparation for a late December opening.

The resort in part gives this description of what is coming:

The Palazzo Casino Resort will include over 375 concierge-level suites and will also include six villas (up to 11,000 square feet each) which will have 3-4 bedrooms, 3.5-4.5 baths, extensive living areas, media rooms, private pools, private jacuzzis, private salons, massage areas, heated spas, personal gyms and, in some cases, private putting greens.

The presidential suites and the villas will also offer private butler services. The Palazzo hotel will have 296 multi-room suites, including six presidential suites. The Palazzo hotel will also have an elaborate pool deck (with seven pools, gardens, sculptures, cabanas and fountains) and an adjacent spa facility.


Rendering of Palazzo Las Vegas

Las Vegas Taxi Fares On The Rise – I guess long-hauling you and trying to divert you to places you otherwise didn’t ask to go (so they can get a fat kick-back) just isn’t enough. This according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Beginning Oct. 1, passengers will be charged $3.30 for the initial cost of hiring a cab, or drop fee, a dime increase from the current rate. The cost per hour for the time spent traveling slower than 8-12 mph, known as the wait-time charge, will rise to $28 from $22. Even before the increases approved last month, those fees were higher than similar charges in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Chicago.

Drivers complain they don’t make as much money in Las Vegas as they would elsewhere because of the close proximity of the city’s prime destinations. McCarran International Airport is a four-mile trip to the Strip, and most of the hotels are located within a short drive, Jones noted.

The last paragraph would hold more water if the local cabbies weren’t famous for long-hauling customers on a regular basis (which I discuss and condemn every few months in this column). I’ve been long hauled many times and I’ll share a few of those stories in my next podcast (coming soon). For those wanting to read the full story, go to Taxi fares keep pace with nation’s highest

We have Hanna Montana tickets in all cities of the current tour. Brace yourself because they are resale tickets (pretty much every show sold out instantly) so good seats are going to be a little spendy. However… if your teen or tween watches you go off and enjoy yourself in Las Vegas, this is a great way to spend some time with them and calm some of that guilt! Tickets at Hanna Montana Tickets

Enjoy This Issue!

Roger “El Matador” Huerta vs. “The Carpenter” Clay Guida At The Ultimate Fighter Season 6 Finale Live From The Pearl At The Palms Saturday, December 8 – Rising UFC superstar Roger “El Matador” Huerta (20-1-1) headlines his first nationally-televised fight card as he takes on hard-hitting Clay “The Carpenter” Guida in a battle of top lightweight contenders on Spike TV, Saturday, December 8 at 9:00pm ET/PT. (Tickets) The fight takes place live from the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, featuring Huerta vs. Guida, and the two season finalists from The Ultimate Fighter 6: Team Serra vs. Hughes. Click to Read The Full Story …

The “Best of Las Vegas” Gets Even Better! Rio’s Bevertainers Spice It Up With Sexier Costumes – Voted as “Best Cocktail Server” by the Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” four years in a row, the Bevertainers at Rio-All Suite Hotel & Casino are sexier than ever with brand new attire sure to tantalize the senses. The new costume was designed by Meg DeAgostini, wardrobe supervisor for Dick Foster Productions, to create immediate sex appeal. The lace material sprinkled with black diamond stones teases the eye by revealing a little skin and exuding elegance. Complimented with black suede shoes, the female Bevertainer captures the essence of glamour and class. Each individual’s style and appearance allows for their personalities to shine in their new attire. Click to Read The Full Story …

Master Keg Tapper Too – The Monte Carlo’s Master Magician Lance Burton taps the keg at the Hofbrauhaus on Sunday, Oct. 7th in honor of Octoberfest. His name was on the marquee. This is the third year he has done the honors. He recently completed a 90-minute TV special that will air in Germany this December. His friend Gabriella joins him on stage at the Hofbrauhaus. Lance Burton Tickets

Bjork To Perform At The Pearl At The Palms December 15 – One of the most influential and unique singer-songwriters of all time, Bjork is set to play The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 8 p.m. with special guests Ratatat. (Tickets) Born in Reykjavik, Iceland, Bjork showed an interest in music very early in life. She studied classical music in elementary school and her stepfather recorded and released her first album when she was only 11. Throughout her teens, she was in several bands, mostly punk rock, including Spit & Snot, Exodus, Jam 80, Tappi Tikarrass and Kukl. Click to Read The Full Story …

Harmon Theatre In Krave Offers Fun Shows – “Little Legends” Little People, Big Show At 5 p.m.; “Bottoms Up II: Burlesque Strikes Back” Back Again – It may seem like a May-December marriage but it works in Las Vegas where at 10 p.m. the Harmon Theatre revs up into the KRAVE Nightclub six nights a week catering to the alternative lifestyle. “Little Legends” Little People, Big Show is without a doubt the Biggest Little Show in Las Vegas. (Tickets) If you want to see Mini Britney sing and dance live come and see Terra Jole with her dancer Abdoul and Adam. Check out Terra’s web site at http://www.mini-britney.com/ The San Antonio native began singing at age five. The upbeat Litter Person loves showbiz. Click to Read The Full Story …

New ‘Crazy Girl’ Jennifer Stowe Danced Since Age 3 – Ohio Native Has Bachelor’s Degree In Engineering But Prefers Showbiz – Jennifer Stowe moved to Las Vegas from Trenton a small town in Ohio growing up as an only child and moving on to getting her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Wright State University. Jennifer said, “I began dancing at age 3 and my father passed away when I was young. I was a cheerleader-dancer for the university basketball team. I did the same thing in high school too. I came to Las Vegas the day after I graduated at age 21 and drove here to be a showgirl. (Crazy Girls Tickets) Click to Read The Full Story …

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Innovative Dining Group’s Sushi Roku Is Bringing Spooky Back – This Halloween, Sushi Roku offers some creative menu items for the frightening holiday. Guests can enjoy the Sushi Roku Jack O’lantern along with the scary scrumptious shot Okiku. Click to Read The Full Story …

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

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http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

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All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

October 17, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

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