Category Archives: Las Vegas Newsletter

Access Vegas Insider Vibe January 8, 2014

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

Shows, Concerts, And Headliners

Film And Television Star Pauly Shore Enjoys Rock Of Ages – Film and Television star, Pauly Shore, attended Rock of Ages December 13, 2013 at The Venetian. Following the performance, Shore headed backstage for a photo with the cast and to share words of enthusiasm for the show.

Set in L.A.’s infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, ROCK OF AGES tells the story of Drew, a boy from South Detroit and Sherrie, a small-town girl, both in L.A. to chase their dreams of making it big and falling in love. ROCK OF AGES takes you back to the times of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair!

Downtown Las Vegas

Football Specials And Super Bowl Sunday

Rockhouse Tackles Open Bar Specials During The Super Bowl – The hot spot will offer game day specials running one hour before kickoff until final whistle. Priced at $100 per person, guests will receive access to an open bar of well cocktails and domestic drafts. Priced at $175 per person, guests will have access to a premium open bar and guaranteed seating.

Gambling And Gaming

Dining, Drinking, And Dancing

Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak Recognized By Zagat Among “25 Most Important Restaurants Of 2013” – “In a short period of time, Heritage Steak has become a destination restaurant in Las Vegas and the response from our guests has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Vice President of Food & Beverage Julian Griffiths. “Tom and his team have done a great job of creating a unique culinary experience at The Mirage and we are humbled to be acknowledged as one of the most important restaurants of the year.” Photo: Biondo Photo.

Rice And Company Inside Luxor Celebrates Australia Day With Thunder Roll – Rice & Company at Luxor Hotel and Casino will celebrate Australia Day Sunday, Jan. 26, by offering the Thunder Roll, a sushi roll created in honor of the handsome blokes of Australia’s Thunder From Down Under, the top male revue show in Las Vegas performed at Excalibur Hotel & Casino.

The Thunder Roll, priced at $18, is made with a blend of soft shell crab, tuna, avocado and cucumber, wrapped in seaweed and topped with spicy mayo and kabayaki sauce. The specialty roll will be available throughout January and in celebration of Australia Day, will be half price Sunday, Jan. 26.

Arts, Attractions, And Activities

More Las Vegas News

VIP Skywalk Sky High Fun TourVIP Skywalk Sky High Fun Tour – The Skywalk glass-bottomed observation deck allows you to venture beyond the ledge of Grand Canyon West and walk along the skyline. After 45 minutes of ground time at Grand Canyon West, you will board your return flight back to Las Vegas with views of the downtown and Strip. This Skywalk Grand Canyon experience only comes along once in a lifetime don’t forget to bring your camera!

Click To Book Your VIP Skywalk
Sky High Fun Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

NFL Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Britney Spears Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Cher Tickets
– Carolina Panthers Tickets George Strait Tickets
NHL Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Kings of Leon Tickets
– New Jersey Devils Tickets Lady Gaga Tickets
– Minnesota Wild Tickets Lorde Tickets
NBA Tickets Luke Bryan Tickets
– Golden State Warriors Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets One Direction Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Paul Simon Tickets
– Boston Celtics Tickets Pink Tickets
– Oklahoma City Thunder Tickets The Eagles Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Normally, we’d tell you how great the weather is and while much of the nation was suffering, we were very fortunate to be having short-sleeve weather. However, our thoughts have been with those of you in large swaths of North America who have been facing bitter cold that many areas have not experienced in at least 20 years. We hope that you’ve all made it through as good as could be expected and will be seeing more seasonal weather.

Coming Changes – We asked for some recent feedback regarding the direction we want to take the newsletter in 2014 and it appears everyone is pretty happy. In response to reader input, we are going to increase emphasis in some of the following areas:

* Detailed Event Information – We do make pages for Super Bowl, New Years, Memorial Day, Cinco De Mayo and similar. However, they have been poorly organized and don’t contain any of our first-hand tips for enjoying such events.

Side Note: To our credit, we’ve provided our readers detailed advice and tips for Thanksgiving, New Years Eve, and Super Bowl in previous issues. However, we really need to make organized sections with articles, making this easy to find. Specifically because you simply won’t find some of these “been there, done that” tips elsewhere.

Why not? You may not realize this, but the majority of Las Vegas travel information online (sites, podcasts, blogs, etc,) does not come from Las Vegas! I’m not saying that makes it bad, and I know some of the people who produce Las Vegas information from other places who do good work. However, we’ve DONE New Years Eve, July 4’th, Super Bowl Sunday, Cinco De Mayo, Mardi Gras and all of the other big events on The Strip and/or Fremont Street.

Often many, many times. I notice (for example) that many of these out-of-town Vegas sites get very, very quiet around new years, not even burping about our biggest, most-visited time of year. Perhaps because they’ve never done New Years Eve here? Just asking. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t make them bad sources of information. But someone has to give you “boots on the ground” first-hand tips about the most popular times to be in Las Vegas!

* Hotel Reviews – We get lots of questions about hotels. Which is the better tower to stay in, what parts of a certain hotel may be more recently remodeled, etc. Tracking all of that info is really, really tough and takes a lot of time and effort (which is probably why nobody we know of is doing it). I don’t think the job can every be fully done, but when we introduce our paid-subscriber model (for those who choose a higher level of information from us), we’re going to put someone on it and see what we can do.

“But Ted, haven’t you heard of Yelp and other rating sites?” Yes, and guess what: Two guests can stay in the same property the very same night, but be in two different towers (remodeled at two different times) with two different views and have two totally different experiences.

No promises on this one as we’ll have to see how many people pitch in as paid subscribers and thus what our budget is going to be. But, it is something I’d certainly like to do.

* Tours, Tours, Tours – I’ve touched on this before but if you are a regular visitor and you have yet to experience the Grand Canyon, Valley Of Fire, or even shorter excursions like Red Rock, Hoover Dam, or a Night Flight over The Strip, you simply have no clue how much you are missing out! I realize some say “Well, I’ve seen pictures of them”. That is like looking at a picture of the most amazing steak ever grilled and telling yourself that you just had it as a meal.

Colorado River Grand Canyon Helicopter L by big-ashb, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  big-ashb 

We’re going to start to be doing some ride-alongs to show you what the tour experience is like. We’re also going to debunk some popular myths. Many think of taking a tour as being on par with being in a cramped old Greyhound bus 20 years ago and have no idea of the luxury of modern equipment which lets you really enjoy yourself.

Others worry that they will have to go back to McCarran and go through TSA and that whole thing to take an air tour. Nothing could be farther from the truth (at least when it comes to the companies we select and suggest to you). When you enjoy an air tour, you go to a private air terminal (in the same area of the airports as the private jet terminals), nice surroundings, comfy chairs, no lines, no 2 hour wait, no TSA!

P.S. Like in the second picture, there are tours that actually land you in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, putting you in a select group who have touched the canyon floor along the rugged Colorado River. All tours are available at AccessVegas.com/Tours

* Gambling – We’ve had lots of requests for gambling information, and the gambling story links we’ve been providing have been very popular. We’re going to dust off some “oldie but goodie” articles by our gaming author Victor H. Royer that may be new to you (games like craps, and money management strategies have not changed that much) as well as work on some fresh content about the latest you’ll find on the casino floor. Victor has written more gaming books than I have fingers and toes to count them on. He knows his stuff! (Go to Amazon and do a search for Victor H. Royer and you’ll not only see what I mean, but want to grab a few of his books while you are there).

* Talking About Laughlin – We get regular inquiries about whether the day trip is worth it, are there bus tours to take down there, renting a car for the day when you are on The Strip or downtown, and similar. For now, we have a brief overview of this casino oasis sitting just 90 miles south of Las Vegas:

Laughlin as seen from SR163 by jdnx, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  jdnx 

About Laughlin – We know that some of you enjoy taking a day trip down to Laughlin, or actually spending a few days there every year. A bit more laid back then Las Vegas (and a bit cheaper), Laughlin has taken a hit from Indian gaming in California. But, it has a couple of things that Indian gaming can’t match:

1. The beautiful Colorado River and riverwalk, backing all but one casino.

2. The Vegas/Atlantic City-like ability to walk from casino to casino to casino. A great way to try to change your luck, ore when you need a change of surroundings.

Laughlin is named after Don Laughlin, a fascinating gentleman who bought an old hotel on the Colorado River and spurred the area in to what it is today. You can read more at Don Laughlin feels right at home and more about Laughlin in general (as a casino destination) at River Walk links casinos on tourist corridor

Have no worries, we’re still going to continue to bring you all the great information you’ve come to expect from us. We’d just like to cover more of the information you’ve been requesting over the past year.

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Elvis Impersonator Trent Carlini: The Dream King – Trent Carlini, a nationally recognized Elvis tribute artist and winner of ABC’s “The Next Best Thing”, is now performing at the LVH (the original Las Vegas home of Elvis). This show features unbelievable visual media, multiple costume changes and more than 25 different Elvis hits, in which Trent Carlini truly showcases the King’s life in entertainment.

  • Behind The Scenes At Estiatorio Milos Restaurant Inside The Cosmopolitan – Estiatorio Milos at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is just one of dozens of Strip restaurants literally going to great lengths to bring the freshest, most authentic ingredients to their customers. From seafood to beef to greens, the practice of “sourcing” — culling ingredients from their naturally-occurring locales — has become increasingly common at Strip restaurants over the past decade as the city’s dining profile has risen to be competitive with Los Angeles and New York.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Normally, this is where we print your responses, thoughts, and questions. However, we’re going to turn the tables just a little bit this time. We’d like you to tell us about your Vegas plans for 2014:

How many times do you plan to visit (if you are going to at all)? Are you planning to gamble more or less? Do you plan to visit the new Linq outdoor shopping/dining mall and/or ride the new High Roller wheel? Do you plan to stay downtown or spend more (or less) time downtown? Are you much for hitting the locals casinos and why? Are you going to stay in the same hotels as usual, or perhaps try something new? Anything else when you think about regarding visiting Las Vegas in 2014?

We’ll read them all (as we always do), print some selected ones, AND everyone who drops us a note in response to this will be entered into a giveaway for something cool from our prize closet. You’ll have your choice of a Mac King Trunk-Of-Tricks magic trick set (great for a kid or kid-at-heart), a brand new Sahara collectible spoon (still in its wrapper), or a promotional poster from the opening day of KISS Mini-Golf (surely a collectors item already).

Dropping us a note to enter is simple:

* Send an email to AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com with the subject line: Vegas 2014

* Put a little effort into telling us your plans and thoughts. At least a few lines. Entries that are just an attempt to win and don’t tell us anything will be disqualified.

* We would appreciate your city/state/country but no info will be made public and all personal information will be deleted.

* Must be 21.

* We reserve all rights.

* Winner will be chosen at random among eligible entries and notified by email at the end of January, 2014.

Good Luck!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe January 1, 2014

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

O’Sheas Is Open Again!

O’Sheas Casino Officially Returns To The Las Vegas Strip
The Fan Favorite Reopens Its Doors

O’Sheas Casino, a Las Vegas Strip classic, re-opened its doors on December 28, 2013 at the much anticipated new location inside The Quad Resort & Casino. Bally’s Las Vegas Jubilee! Showgirls, The Quad’s headliner, Jeff Civillico, and Mr. Lucky himself, Brian Thomas, were all there to help welcome the venue’s first guests.

The opening featured an official ribbon cutting by Eileen Moore, Regional President and General Manager of The Quad Resort & Casino. An eager crowd full of O’Sheas’ faithful, old and new, packed the bar to commemorate the special day.

Caesars Entertainment Introduces Purple Zebra to the Las Vegas Strip – The atmosphere and spirit of O’Sheas returned to the Las Vegas Strip in a new space with a nod to the legendary casino on December 27, 2013. The brand new Purple Zebra, a whimsical candy and slush bar, also opened across the way at Flamingo Las Vegas. Photo Credit: Dezmotif Studios and MOSER Architecture

Las Vegas Shows, Concerts, And Headliners

VegasÆ Best Party Rock Of Ages Celebrates First Anniversary At The Venetian – On December 18, 2013 the high-octane musical Rock Of Ages celebrated its first anniversary in Las Vegas at The Venetian. Following the conclusion of the performance, cast member Mark Shunock (ôLonnyö) addressed the full house to thank them for their support of Rock Of Ages and then he led the cast in a celebratory shot to mark the occasion. After the performance, the company hosted a æ80s themed after party at Insert Coin(s) in Downtown Las Vegas. Photo: Gabe Ginsberg

Drinking And Dining In Las Vegas

Commonwealth Downtown Las Vegas Lays It On The Line With JanuaryÆs Cocktail Of The Month

Downtown drinkers will win big with CommonwealthÆs January featured cocktail, the ôYou Bet Giraffes.ö The seasonal selection will be offered all month, priced at $10.

The lucky libation, created by the Downtown cocktail barÆs Boozeologist, Dan Marohnic, mixes Damarak Gin, CrÞme de Cocoa liqueur, Cocchi Americano and lemon juice. Partygoers will gamble on the cool concoction while mingling in the prohibition era inspired cocktail bar.

Gambling And Gaming

Las Vegas Real Estate

Las Vegas Attractions

More Las Vegas News

Valley of Fire Buggy Driving Experience TourValley of Fire Buggy Driving Experience Tour – A perfect experience waits for novice and expert dune buggy drivers on this Valley of Fire tour package. All buggies are custom built for the rugged Nevada terrain, and come equipped with roll cages, seatbelts, goggles and helmets for your safety. The buggies are similar to your regular car with a steering wheel, brake pedal, and gas pedal. This dramatic red landscape of the Valley of Fire creates a backdrop for an amazing sun buggy ride.

Click To Book Your Valley of Fire Buggy Driving Experience Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

NFL Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Britney Spears Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Cher Tickets
– Philadelphia Eagles Tickets Elton John Tickets
– Green Bay Packers Tickets George Strait Tickets
NHL Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Lady Gaga Tickets
– New Jersey Devils Tickets Lorde Tickets
NBA Tickets Luke Bryan Tickets
– Golden State Warriors Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets One Direction Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Paul Simon Tickets
– Boston Celtics Tickets Pink Tickets
College Bowl Game Tickets The Eagles Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Happy New Year to all, wherever you are in the world (and we have readers in many, many countries). Whether 2013 was a good year for you or had its bumps (which was my case), I wish you all a great 2014.

Two TV specials streamed our festivities live, and we did alert our Access Vegas Twitter followers (Twitter.com/AccessVegas) as well as our Access Vegas Facebook followers (VegasFacebook.com).

Some confusion existed as Fox TV did their countdown show live from Las Vegas, but didn’t show our spectacular fireworks. Here’s the scoop: Fox did their show from Mandalay Bay starting at 8 PM our time, as to be live to the east coast. They celebrated “midnight” at 9 PM our time. We don’t shoot fireworks off at midnight Eastern time. We do it at midnight Pacific time. Hence, Fox showed that boring ball drop* from New York.

THEN… the special was tape-delayed to the rest of the nation. Even people in our own time zone watched the old footage, sans any Vegas fireworks.

* Let’s do a comparison: It was around 25 degrees at midnight in New York City as people braved the weather for 60 seconds of “excitement” (if that is what you want to call it). At midnight here? 45 degrees and we had nearly 9 minutes worth of fireworks shot off from the tops of 7 resorts across a 3 mile party zone.

And I mean party: Unlike the Big Apple, people on the Las Vegas Strip were allowed to drink and mingle and move around. The Strip was closed from 6 PM to 2 AM, allowing revelers to walk the length of the famed street at will, cocktails in hand.

For those of you who missed it, we have video story links and a couple versions of the full fireworks show in this special news section:

New Year’s Eve Video, Fireworks, Stories

Thousands pack Fremont Street Experience for New Year’s Eve (with video)

Las Vegas Rings in 2014 (full fireworks video)

Las Vegas fireworks show rings in New Year better than ever before (full fireworks video)

Las Vegas Strip produces high energy party to kick off New Year (with video)

2014 Look Ahead: Numerous attractions coming to Las Vegas (with video)

Cleanup crews work overnight after Vegas New Year’s Eve Party (with video)

Welcome Back, O’Sheas! – I know that we’re making a really big deal of it this issue, but we’re super happy to have O’Sheas reopened. If if it isn’t quite the old dive-bar version right there on The Strip that many of us knew and loved for the college-party atmosphere (even if college was a few decades ago for some of us).

It is part of the partially-opened Linq project and we’ll have lots more pictures next week. (Part of the mall and the High Roller Ferris wheel do not open for a couple more months. We’ll report exact dates as they become available).

O'Sheas exterior

Patrons playing video poker at O'Sheas bar

Patrons playing beer pong at O'Sheas

View of O'sheas and Linq area from Chayo restaurant

Linq sign of coming attractions

Programming Note – As 2013 ended, we ended our long-time affiliation with i4Vegas hotel booking. I’ve always been transparent about what we do and why we do it:

* Over the years, we promoted i4Vegas heavily and we do appreciate those of you who supported us by booking with them. The problem was that if you went direct to their site (after hearing about them from us) instead of using the booking box on AccessVegas.com or the box we always had here in the newsletter, they didn’t know you were a reader and thus we were not getting credit for sending you.

They only wanted to pay for the impact that they could measure (who came directly from our site or newsletter) and we could no longer afford to give away what was basically free advertising. We wish them well, but if you were loyal to them because of us, understand that we no longer see any benefit.

* Our deal with them was exclusive, which prevented us from passing along the (seemingly) zillions of Las Vegas specials popping up all the time. This hotel market is very, very competitive and one hotel is always trying to out-do the deals that the next one offers!

We’ve just recently sealed agreements to pass along great specials and savings to you from the Caesars Entertainment hotels, Venetian/Palazzo, and The Palms. We’re working on adding other properties, and also look forward to the ability to offer some very special deals to our readers.

So, hang tight for all of that as we ramp all of that up over the next few weeks. 

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Wynn Las Vegas Carousel Floral Art Installation – A behind-the-scenes look at how premier event designer Preston Bailey’s vision became a reality at Wynn Las Vegas.

  • Three Sheets Las Vegas Part 1 – Join Zane Lamprey as he makes his way across the globe seeking out adventure and alcohol in exotic brew-halls, bars and other alcoholic beverage-selling establishments and the locals that frequent them. Part 1 features the Voodoo Lounge flair bartenders, a look inside the Napolian Suite at Paris Las Vegas, and a find out what makes up a $777 hamburger.

  • Three Sheets Las Vegas Part 2 – The show continues with a wine tasting in front of the Bellagio fountains with a master sommelier, a visit to Blush nightclub for infused vodka shots, and poker (and cocktails) at the Hard Rock.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Read your recent article about the changing face of Vegas.

So true, my first experience was in the late 80’s and it left a great impression on me. But it was another 20 odd years for my second visit, again it was great, a lot of buzz, Hummer giveaways at every corner, loose slots, huge and varied buffets and generally everybody was laughing and having a great time.

Now over the last ten years have been back every second year and there is no comparison of 10 years. Have stayed at the Luxor when it was a Egyptian themed casino and it was great, now well it doesn’t know what it wants to be… terrible. Yes accommodation is cheaper, but a lot of the glitz and spirit has left town.

Now I stay at a varied accommodations throughout Vegas and one is Circus Circus: Nostalgia and value. I went to slots a fun…..my god has it changed. It used to be full of people playing the table games now it is automated, hardly anybody in there, dead and boring. The buffets have shrunk, food is still good and I suppose the price is still good.

Shows are great, no doubt about that……. Coming from Australia, there is no comparison on the quality.

Last but not least, it is hard to win or even break even and no what. People say a huge reason people travel from all over the world is to say they have gambled and had a great time in Vegas.

Will be coming over next year, but with more of an emphasis on sightseeing, more shows and less gambling, comps aren’t really worth it, but definitely not shopping. I can do that here, LOL.

Cheers,

Manny

Ted Responds:

Thanks for the note, and no doubt you are preaching to the choir here! I do miss the “feel” that The Strip had in the 90’s and on into the 2000’s. Car giveaways, tons of promotions, ever-present claims of loose slots… the casinos would do just about anything to get you in the door and you could play for a while on $20.

Neon and cheap booze abounded. Tacky? Perhaps. But it sure was fun!

Sometimes, I wish that I could take some of the upper management making all of these decisions and put them in a time machine and let them take a walk down The Strip of that era.

I’m at a complete loss what the casino properties are going to do when this shopping thing doesn’t go as well as predicted. Don’t get me wrong: Forum Shops, Grand Canal, Fashion Show and similar will always do well. Upscale shopping has been a hallmark of Las Vegas for a long time. But this new saturation of more mid-range shopping will be interesting to watch.

Fortunately, you are hard-pressed to beat our caliber and variety of entertainment and very few vacation destinations are a hop, skip, and a jump (a quick one by plane or helicopter tour) from the breathtaking site known as the Grand Canyon.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe December 18, 2013

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

Celebrating Christmas And The Winter Season

Bellagio’s Conservatory And Botanical Gardens Presents A Merry Winter Wonderland – Las Vegas’ Largest Indoor Tree, Topiary Polar Bears and Life-Size Chocolate House Add a Dash of Holiday Spirit This Season.

The magic of the holiday season has taken over Bellagio as the Las Vegas resort’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens unveils a glistening winter wonderland. Featuring The Strip’s largest indoor holiday tree, moss-embellished reindeers, a life-size chocolate house, live seasonal music and a family of topiary polar bears, the dazzling display transports guests through a holiday dream through January 5.

La Cave Wine And Food Hideaway Inside Wynn Las Vegas Introduces Winter Selections – La Cave Wine and Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas has welcomed the cooler weather with new seasonal menu items for fall and winter created by Executive Chef William “Billy” DeMarco, as well as holiday infused cocktails.

Along with the cooler weather comes a new crop of fresh ingredients, which DeMarco has integrated into hearty winter selections such as the airline chicken breast covered with squash puree and tomato apricot chutney.

New Year’s Eve And New Year’s Day

Park On Fremont Starts The New Year Right With Hangover Brunch – Whether hungover partygoers are sporting last night’s outfit or pajamas, Park on Fremont’s New Year’s Day brunch will cure whatever ails them on Wednesday, January 1, 2014.

The Downtown eatery will serve delicious options including the Ranch Skillet, served with a bed of red potatoes, sausage, onions, peppers and cheese, topped with eggs over-easy and salsa; the French Toast, vanilla bean soaked brioche topped with drunk mixed berries, syrup and powdered sugar; and the Breakfast Waffle, homemade waffles covered with yogurt, bananas, strawberries, caramel sauce and powdered sugar.

SHe By Morton’s Rings In 2014 With Festive Las Vegas New Year’s Eve Feasts – SHe by Morton’s, located at The Shops at Crystals, just steps away from the main entrance of Aria, will offer two separate prix-fixe menus Tuesday, Dec. 31. Celebratory menus will be offered at 7pm and 9:30pm seatings.

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Las Vegas Shopping And Attractions

Final Cabin Attached To The Las Vegas High Roller – The Las Vegas High Roller hit another construction milestone December 3, 2013 as the observation wheel’s final passenger cabin was attached to the wheel’s rim. The addition of the 28th cabin is another major accomplishment in the construction and engineering of the world’s tallest observation wheel which is a now a distinct feature in the Las Vegas skyline. The 550-foot tall wheel will be the focal point of The LINQ, Caesars Entertainment’s $550 million outdoor retail, dining and entertainment district. Photo Credit: Denise Truscello

The Cosmopolitan Opens The Chelsea – A Sophisticated And Intimate Venue – The Chelsea, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ new 40,000-square foot performance and event space, will debut over New Year’s Eve with a performance by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bruno Mars, bringing a more intimate and memorable guest experience to entertainment and meetings in Las Vegas.

Grand Bazaar Shops Transforms Busiest Corner Of The Las Vegas Strip Into An Outdoor Retail Experience – Las Vegas is all about experiences. And what the Vegas Strip has long needed is a major retail destination which truly redefines the shopping experience. Grand Bazaar Shops™ is an innovative, uniquely merchandised venue that will give Las Vegas its first truly urban shopping scene.

More Las Vegas News

Fabulous Meets Sophistication With The New Flamingo Las Vegas Garden Chapel – Flamingo Las Vegas now offers guests a fresh new wedding experience with its beautifully redesigned Garden Chapel and all-new wedding packages.

The renovation was completed in September by Westar Architects and encompasses the chapel, lobby, reception, hallways, bridal room and restroom.

Navagator Plus Helicopter Combo TourNavagator Plus Helicopter Combo Tour – Get an authentic taste of the Southwest during scenic Grand Canyon air tours with VegasDaze. Learn about the Hualapai Native Americans – a historic tribe dating back to as early as 600 A.D. During your Grand Canyon aerial experience you’ll understand why the name “Hualapai” means, “people of the tall pine.” This special Grand Canyon West Rim tour is experienced by both plane and helicopter.

Click To Book Your Navagator Plus
Helicopter Combo Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Houston Texans Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– San Jose Sharks Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– New Jersey Devils Tickets Kanye West Tickets
NBA Tickets Lady Gaga Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Oklahoma City Thunder Tickets One Direction Tickets
-Brooklyn Nets Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – No white Christmas for us (although just outside of town, Mt. Charleston had plenty of snow a couple weeks ago). We’re coming in a very seasonal 60 F (give or take a couple) everyday now through Christmas, with plenty of sunshine in the forecast.

Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even A Mouse – This is generally a quiet time of year for news and the newsletter before Christmas has usually consisted essentially of an online Christmas card. Not so much this year, as you’ve seen from what you’ve already read. Just a few quick news bits that we may go into more detail in the future:

* Barbary Coast (Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall) project finally appears to have a new name: The Cromwell. Caesars Entertainment has yet to confirm it, but local news sources seem pretty confident about it. No, we’re not fond of the name either. And yes… it sounds like the name of some preppy character from one of those 80’s movies.

* Harmon’s Slow Demise – The ill-fated Harmon Hotel (just to the south of Cosmopolitan) looks like it is coming down piece-by-piece. It simply sits too close to surrounding properties to make for a safe implosion. Many of our readers were not only hoping for an implosion, but that some extra dynamite would take out CityCenter while they were at it!

* No More NFR – Just a week or two ago, we told you all about the National Final’s Rodeo and how being in town for it — even if you don’t have tickets — is a must for any country fan. Ooops. The NFR is packing up and leaving after next year, after a 29 year run in Las Vegas. Orlando (Actually Kissimmee) tossed a few million more dollars at them to cover increased prize money and promised a new 24,000 seat arena.

Las Vegas still may counter with moving the event to the (soon to be constructed) 20,000 seat MGM arena behind New York, New York. But… the money is still an issue.

If we lose it, we’re simply going to start a competing event. People have been coming to enjoy top rodeo in Las Vegas for nearly three decades and local organizers are counting on the fact that it is the Vegas experience and tradition that will draw visitors to the new event.

Hope you are enjoying this issue and we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Caesars Christmas Greetings – Enjoy a fun (and funny) greeting from cast members of various Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas shows including Donny and Marie, Chippendales, Tony ‘N Tina’s Wedding, Jubilee!, Legends In Concert, Jeff Civillico, Mac King, Frank Marino’s Diva’s, George Wallace, X Burlesque, Anthony Cools, Absinthe, Recycled Percussion, Taylor Hicks, Matt Goss, Big Elvis, Vinnie Favorito, Million Dollar Quartet, Jersey Boys, and Veronic.

  • Bellagio Conservatory And Botanical Gardens Holiday Tree Arrival and Time Lapse – Follow the Bellagio Christmas Tree from its origins in the forest to the installation at the resort.

  • Glenn Diamond: The Cowboy’s Christmas – Our gaming writer Vegas Vic wants to wish you a Merry Christmas by sharing his alter-ego’s song about the story of a lonely cowboy from long ago, who one night on the prairie saw the star of Bethlehem shining in the sky, on a bright moonlit night. It filled his soul, and that’s why from then on, those of us in the American West, call this day the Cowboy’s Christmas.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I’ll be spending the weekend with a buddy at a non-gaming facility on the north end of The Strip, and I’m looking for ideas of where to go to watch the game (and possibly bet on the game, too, though I can get my bets down anyplace before the game). Are you planning to write up something about where to go, what it takes to gain admission (some are invitation only, I gather), that sort of thing?

Thanks!

Scott Pohl

 

Ted Responds:

Ever since the NFL cracked down on charging admission for an event you show their games at, the landscape has really changed. There are still some watching parties and events, but not like it used to be where you paid $100 to watch it on a zillion big screens set up in a ballroom with a betting station and unlimited food and drink included.

We start to get Super Bowl event listings right after the new year, and will post them without delay when we do. These days, some special venues are still set up with free admission and food and drink specials, just about bar (or bar and grill) is doing something, and the game is shown on every TV in every property.

But, we suggest getting where you are going to go well before kick-off (like 2-3 hours before) and parking yourself there so you have your seats and making a day of it. Oh… and don’t even try to get a seat in any of the sports books. People set their alarms for dawn to stake those out.

Per betting in general, the #1 rule is “don’t wait”. You don’t want to be in the long lines on Saturday and ESPECIALLY Sunday morning. All the bets will be available all week long. Make getting your bets down the first thing you do when you hit town.

For those driving in or renting a car and staying at a non-gaming property (or renting out a house), hit a locals casino (Palace Station, which is 4 minutes from The Sahara and Rivera comes to mind, Gold Coast if you are center Strip, Orleans if you are South Strip) where you’ll find lots more parking and not have to navigate a mammoth Strip casino. Just remember that you have to return to cash your tickets OR mail your tickets in for redemption (info is often on the back of the ticket on how to do so).

Near downtown? Pull up to the valet at Plaza, tell the guy you are running in to make a sports bet, and hand him $5 to keep the car close. Or use their free parking garage and when the attendant asks if you are a guest of the hotel, simply state that you are there to make sports bets at their sports book. Their sports book is pretty much next to both the valet entrance and the parking garage elevators.

Obviously for those of you staying at a casino, they all have sports books on-site. But still… bet early! You really don’t want to be in that weekend line.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe December 11, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

Winter In Las Vegas

More Than 11,000 Kris Kringle Lookalikes Join Shania Twain At Las Vegas Great Santa Run – On Saturday, December 7, Opportunity Village made history as 11,221 participants dressed like Kris Kringle for the ninth annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run in Downtown Las Vegas. Led by Grand Marshal Shania Twain, the iconic event beat its personal record and defeated Liverpool rivals for the “World Santa Challenge” championship.

“We were blown away by the outpouring of support from the Las Vegas community,” said Linda Smith, Associate Executive Director of Opportunity Village. “This was truly one of our best events yet, and we look forward to keeping the momentum going into the run’s 10th year.”

Shania Twain, who currently headlines SHANIA: STILL THE ONE at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace looked glamorous in a white Santa hat and chic black and white cape. Photo Credit: Denise Truscello

Rhumbar at Mirage Heats Up Winter With Hot New Cocktails (With Recipes) – ‘Tis the season for hot drinks and holiday festivities at RHUMBAR at The Mirage Hotel & Casino. The Strip-side getaway will introduce four seasonal cocktails to heat up the winter season.

Available through the end of February, cocktail aficionados will stay warm this winter with the Hot Berry Bomber, the Cinn City, the Mexican Ginger Cookie and the Naughty Girl Scout, each priced at $12. For those who want a taste of the season at home, each delicious RHUMBAR cocktail is easy to recreate with the below recipes:

Downtown Las Vegas

Las Vegas Attractions

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Bruno Mars Attends Jersey Boys In Las Vegas – Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bruno Mars attended Jersey Boys at Paris Las Vegas. Following the performance, he went backstage to meet and take photos with cast members from the smash-hit production.

Jersey Boys is the #1 Rated Show in Las Vegas and the “Must see show of the year!” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The musical phenomenon Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons at Paris Las Vegas is the runaway hit that has taken Las Vegas by storm.

Las Vegas Dining

Las Vegas Real Estate

Celebrating Christmas In Las Vegas

La Cave Wine And Food Hideaway To Spread Christmas Joy With Holiday Dishes And Cocktails – La Cave Wine and Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas will celebrate Christmas with festive dishes and cocktails on Tuesday, Dec. 24 and Wednesday, Dec. 25. Prepared by Executive Chef William “Billy” DeMarco, the restaurant will offer grilled black bass topped with tomato vinaigrette and accompanied with baby artichoke ravioli and broccoli rabe, priced at $24.

Feel At Home For The Holidays With Trevi Italian Restaurant Inside Caesars Palace – Trevi inside The Forum Shops at Caesars will join in the holiday spirit by offering a variety of seasonal specials.

For December, Trevi introduces the Happy Hollytini, a candy cane martini made from an irresistible blend of vanilla vodka, Peppermint schnapps and Bailey’s. The cocktail, priced at $9, is swirled with a red stripe made of white chocolate and rimmed with crushed peppermint candy. Pastry Chef Hank Sbraccia will celebrate by offering his unique eggnog gelato, prepared with bourbon, dark rum and a hint of freshly grated nutmeg, for $4.50 per scoop.

Central Michel Richard Celebrates Christmas With Holiday Prix Fixe Menu – Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace will celebrate Christmas with an elaborate four-course Christmas prix fixe meal on Wednesday, Dec. 25. The main course will feature three entrÚe choices for the holiday: prime rib with au jus; red snapper with roasted root vegetables complete with red pepper sauce; or roasted duck with cinnamon sauce.

Las Vegas Economy

Las Vegas Hotels

Gambling And Gaming

More Las Vegas News

Rim Dancer Helicopter TourRim Dancer Helicopter Tour – Enjoy a Grand Canyon helicopter tour from South Rim and begin your adventures in the sky. As you soar above the plethora of towering Ponderosa Pines that characterize the Kaibab National Forest, you’ll witness the North Rim rise into view as the South Rim slowly fades away. A flight aboard an ECO-Star helicopter creates an up-close and personal experience with Grand Canyon nature.

Click To Book Your Rim Dancer Helicopter Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Houston Texans Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– San Jose Sharks Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– New Jersey Devils Tickets Kanye West Tickets
NBA Tickets Lady Gaga Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Oklahoma City Thunder Tickets One Direction Tickets
-Brooklyn Nets Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Well, we survived our week of winter! Although cold to us with highs only around 40 F and lows in the upper 20’s, we were still warmer than most of the U.S. (All you readers in South Florida can put a sock in it right now. Yes, we did notice that you were in the 70’s while we all froze to death). However, I’m happy to report that our 10 day forecast is showing seasonable highs near 60 and lows that don’t dip into freezing territory.

The Shopification Of Las Vegas – It is unfortunately official: Treasure Island has permanently closed down the pirate show to make way for all the retail they are going to finish destroying their facade with put on their northwest corner. Given that they’ve already scarred the building with the horrendous red tones of Senor Frogs, they might as well finish destroying one of Las Vegas’ iconic all-time themes.

The Tropicana is getting ready to take all of that unused space on the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd. and build out a shopping and dining complex. Fortunately, the renderings look very tasteful (Treasure Island, take notes) and should prove a nice addition to that corner. However, we’ll repeat what we’ve said in past issues: I don’t see how Las Vegas can absorb this much new shopping. Dining… maybe. But for the roughly 50% of you who arrive by plane, you can only get so much stuff home! And, there is the simple matter of carting it all back to your room.

Note: Both Flamingo and Riviera have UPS stores in them. You can always ship all of your goodies home. But, you have to get them to the store and shipping probably won’t be cheap. Our advice? If you start to get carried away on cool Vegas stuff you want to get home, ask each store if they offer shipping and how much. Let them deal with it and you get to unwrap it back at home!

For those interested in renderings and more information about The Tropicana’s new plans, click on over to Tropicana chief sees new retailers at property transforming south Strip

Where To Live In Las Vegas – Down the road, we’re thinking of doing a series on the pros and cons of living in various areas. I like to live centrally located, close to The Strip and Downtown. However, that does usually mean living in an old house, which some don’t like. My “new” 1964-era mid-century required thousands in electrical upgrades so I could run all my computers, TV’s, gadgets and similar without fear that I’ll burn the place down!

I’ve never suggested a specific development before, but if living on the edge of town in an area with a KILLER view of both The Strip and Downtown sounds like it may interest you, I’d get over and check out the Daybreak development on the east side of town at the very eastern end of Sahara Ave.

I used to live in that general area in the 90’s. Besides some of the amazing views from just about everywhere up there, you have plenty of great parks and golf just a couple minutes away.

Note: The above is not a paid endorsement. Newkirk’s Notes has never once contained a paid endorsement or advertisement of any kind.

Write Off Your Vegas Trip! – Our friends over at the Vegas Video Network have been putting out great, top-quality Vegas video content for years now. We’re proud to note that they are branching out into the area of network quality, highly professional video production for businesses of all sizes and individuals who want to do some kind of video presentation.

Commercials, website welcome videos, personal promotion, you name it… they do it well. The cost? Literally about equal with gambling budget the average visitor brings. (Hint: Much cheaper than you think). Click on over to the Vegas Video Co-Op welcome page and find out lots more. You’ll be glad you did. (We’ll be working with them in 2014 on some projects that I can’t tell you about yet).

Love The Feedback – Last week, we asked for feedback about the direction (if any) you’d like to see us take with this newsletter as we move in to 2014 (our 15’th year of publication), and also about how your Vegas visits are changing. (We’re hearing a lot of less gambling, more shows and sightseeing). It’s never too late to let us know what is on your mind. Drop us a note at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Treasure Island Pirate Show New Year’s Eve Las Vegas 1996-1997 – Now that the pirate show is permanently retired, enjoy this look at the original version of the Treasure Island Pirate Show which ran many years until it was replaced by the modern Sirens Of TI version.

  • Pumpkin & Spice Cocktail At The Country Club Wynn Las Vegas – The Pumpkin & Spice at The Country Club is a comforting drink that says, ‘holidays-in-a-glass’ every time. Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie and Goldschlager liqueurs, butterscotch Schnapp’s, half and half, and pumpkin spice all combine to create a beverage that’s perfect for sipping by the fire.

  • NASCAR Drivers Parade Down The Las Vegas Strip – For the fifth consecutive year the top 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers paraded down Las Vegas Boulevard on Thursday. Led by six-time, Sprint Cup winner Jimmie Johnson, the parade of drivers performed burn outs at the Spring Mountain intersection.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

This year will be my husband and my 4th year in a row to celebrate New Years Eve in Vegas. We have watched the fireworks from The Strip – do you have a suggestion for the best place to see the fireworks? We stay at Harrah’s.

We really enjoy your newsletters!

Diann from New Oxford, PA

 

Ted Responds:

Next week, we’ll have a link to our complete run-down of New Year’s Eve events and parties. (The link is already in this newsletter, but we’ve just gotten a ton of stuff in that we need to post).

If you’ve done the fireworks on The Strip and are looking for something else, you may want to check out one of the parties we’ll be listing in the next few days. The best for the money is probably the one at PBR rock bar as you are on The Strip, they have a good-sized outdoor area, but you can retreat back into the warmth and have the restaurant’s restroom facilities right there at your disposal. If you can’t wait until we get the listings done for next week, give them a call at 702-750-1685.

In general, here’s what you need to know about the New Year’s Eve fireworks on The Strip:

* The Strip is closed to traffic from about 6 PM to 2 AM. Wherever your car is by 6 PM, that is where it is going to be.

* If you want to make reservations at a nice restaurant (highly recommended), make them NOW and make them in the area you are planning to party and watch the fireworks.

* The hotels pretty much go into lockdown. You can’t enter a hotel unless you have a room key, and you can’t park at one unless you are a guest. This is for New Year’s Eve only. The rest of the year, they want you parking at their joint and bringing your cash inside!

* There are porta-potty stations up and down The Strip. Make a mental note of where they are in case all that liquor starts to make you need one!

* Yes, you can drink. But… only out of plastic containers. Buy a big bottle of water (32 ounce or whatever), and mix up your own big drink in your room and you are on your way!

* Stay away from the center of The Strip. By 10 PM, it gets so crowded that you can barely move. Get yourself down by Aria at the very least. As a rule of thumb, the farther south you go, the more elbow room you get.

Don’t worry about missing anything. Last year, fireworks were shot off from MGM, Aria, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian and Stratosphere. If you are staying mid-Strip, either slowly make your way south on foot as it gets more and more crowded, or simply jump the monorail which will whisk you down to MGM (and back again later). Don’t even think about driving or attempting to catch a cab. All of the side streets get jammed.

Hope that helps! Also, we know that many of our readers participate on various Las Vegas groups and forums. Feel free to post a link to this newsletter, letting people know that we’ve posted this advice. Please do not copy/paste the actual column elsewhere. Outside of the fact that it is illegal, we work very hard on this newsletter and need people to actually come by and see it for themselves so that our advertisers know we have eyeballs. Without actual visitors to this newsletter page, we lose our advertisers we go bye-bye. Thanks!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe December 4, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas 2013

PBR Rock Bar Serves As One-Stop Spot For All Things National Finals Rodeo – Country-loving partygoers will corral at PBR Rock Bar & Grill, located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, the official 2013 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo headquarters. The party spot will serve as an official NFR sponsor, offering nightly bull riding competitions complete with $500 in cash and prizes, drink specials and meet and greets with top riders from Thursday, Dec. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 14.

Famed NFR rodeo clown, Robbie Hodges, will lasso-up some fun when he hosts nightly events from Thursday, Dec. 5, until Monday, Dec. 9, every night at 10 p.m. Wade Sundell, Professional Bull Rider and NFR rider, will co-host with Hodges on Monday, Dec. 9. Sundell will sign autographs and judge the nightly bull-riding competition at the party spot.

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Christmas In Las Vegas

Cabo Wabo Cantina Celebrates ‘Christmas In Cabo’ With Ho-Ho-Ho Jolly Hour And Holiday Drink Specials – Rock in the holiday with HO-HO-HO Jolly Hour and drink specials all day from Monday, Dec. 23 through Thursday, Dec. 26.

The Strip-side cantina will serve up season’s greetings with four days of HO-HO-HO jolly hour specials including two Tacos al Carbon made with grilled chicken or steak, cilantro, onions and topped with salsa served on fresh corn tortillas, priced at $6; loaded cheese fries made with crispy French fries and topped with melted cheese, bacon, jalape±os and ranch dressing, priced at $6; plus complimentary chips and salsa with any jolly hour purchase. Photo J Rick Martin.

Rice & Company Inside Luxor Will Roll Into The Holiday Season With Celebratory Sushi – Rice & Company at Luxor Hotel and Casino will welcome the winter holidays with the “Peace, Love and Sushi,” “Santa’s Roll” and “Roll in the New Year” specialty sushi rolls. Guests may toast the New Year as they enjoy the “Roll in the New Year” specialty roll and champagne pairing. PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Mair

It’s The Holidays…EAT!

New Year’s Eve (And New Year’s Day)

PBR Rock Bar Inside Planet Hollywood Bucks 2013 With New Year’s Eve Specials – The party spot will offer general admission packages including open bar access from 9 p.m. until midnight, complimentary champagne toast at midnight and access to Rock Bar, located inside PBR Rock Bar, and the Planet Hollywood Strip-side plaza, priced at $100 per person. Patrons will also have the option to enjoy premium open bar specials from 9 p.m. until midnight including complimentary champagne toast, access Rock Bar and the rockin’ Strip-side patio, priced at $200 per person.

Tender Steak & Seafood Inside Luxor Offers Celebratory Specials To Ring In The New Year – Tender Steak & Seafood at Luxor Hotel and Casino will celebrate the arrival of 2014 with holiday selections available Tuesday, Dec. 31 and Wednesday, Jan. 1. In celebration of the New Year, Executive Chef K.C. Fazel will add two selections to the menu, the Tender Rossini and Lobster and Japanese Wagyu Kobe Filet Mignon.

Gambling And Gaming

Las Vegas Attractions

More Las Vegas News

Grand Canyon West Rim - Hualapai Nation Ground TourGrand Canyon West Rim – Hualapai Nation Ground Tour – Start on your Grand Canyon West Rim tour with a memorable journey departing from Las Vegas through the Mojave Desert, over the rugged canyons of the Black Mountains, past Joshua tree forests, the Grand Wash Cliffs to the magnificent West Rim of the Grand Canyon.

You will have time to enjoy the short hiking trails overlooking Eagle Point, Guano Point, as well as a visit to Hualapai Ranch. On your return travels back to the Las Vegas valley you will stop for photo opportunities at the man-made marvel of the Hoover Dam and the Mike O’Callaghan/Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, (The Bypass Bridge).

Tour Highlights & Features: Morning snack & lunch; National Park entry fees; Bottled water throughout the tour; Guided and narrated tour from a professional guide/driver; Approximately 4 hours on the Hualapai Indian Nation .

Click To Book Your Grand Canyon West Rim – Hualapai Nation Ground Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Houston Texans Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– San Jose Sharks Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– New Jersey Devils Tickets Kanye West Tickets
NBA Tickets Lady Gaga Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Oklahoma City Thunder Tickets One Direction Tickets
-Brooklyn Nets Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Make that a bitterly cold (for us) Las Vegas. Tuesday was in the high 60’s F, and we’re now dealing with mid-40’s and lows dipping below the freezing mark for the next 5-10 days (depending on what forecast you look at). While we’re no stranger to a few freezing nights per year, this is a bit excessive. December and January are our coldest months with an average of 57/39 F. So, pull 10-15 degrees off of that, and you have our current situation.

National Finals Rodeo – The pinnacle of the rodeo season is in town (as usual) during this time of year, so I hope the cowboys (and cowgirls) are of hearty stock when it comes to dealing with cold. If you are a little more country than rock ‘n’ roll and have never been during NFR season, you should come next year.

Even if you don’t have tickets, Las Vegas goes completely country. Swarms of visitors in Wranglers, cowboy hats, and boots. Plenty of Jack Daniel’s and Coors Light specials. Both free and paid (ticketed) concerts by some of the bigger names in country music and comedy. Some of the casinos let their dealers and servers deck themselves out on country garb. In fact, if one only visits during the first two weeks of December, they are probably shocked if the come during another time of the year when Las Vegas is more “normal” (if you can all Las Vegas normal during any time of the year)!

Changes For 2014 – We have a number of changes and upgrades in store for you in the next few months! We are finally going to a two-tier membership system. One will continue to be free, the other will be $1.99 a month (paid yearly), which we’ll use to super-serve our paid subscribers. 

We already feel that all the info we put out is well worth a couple bucks a month, and many readers have concurred. But, we’d like to do more. More deal hunting to save you money, more research on some of the common questions many of you have (but can’t find answers to because no one else publishes the information either because of the research involved).

We’re expanding into Atlantic City, Reno, Biloxi and perhaps a few more gaming areas. If you’d like to write us and tell us where you gamble and enjoy yourself when you can’t do a Vegas tip, we’re all ears at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Speaking of, as we go to make decisions on what we’re going to emphasize in 2014, we’re open to your suggestions. The past couple of years, we’ve been pretty dining heavy. With slots getting tighter, dining and shows are a couple of ways you KNOW that you are getting some entertainment for your dollars. We’re also going to start putting more of an emphasis on tours, and educating you about them.

Many of you are regular visitors, and yet have no clue that you can spend a morning seeing scenery like you’ve never seen in your life and making a lifetime memory that is destined to be the highlight of your trip. For some of you, it is simply the (incorrect) notion that if you fly to the Grand Canyon (a very short air trip from Las Vegas), you have to go back to the airport and go through all that screening and similar.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our preferred tour company has its own upscale, comfortable, private terminals and you never go near where you flew in. Nor deal with lines and the TSA. Even if your next trip isn’t soon, head over to our Access Vegas Tours area and do some window shopping!

So as we look over everything we’re doing, your suggestions and input are always welcome and appreciated. Drop us a note at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com with what you like, don’t like, or would like to see added or changed with what we are doing here.

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Video – Talktails – Harrah’s Headliner Comedy Magician Mac King – Longtime Vegas headliner and funny man Mac King joins Kelly on this week’s episode of Talktails on the Vegas Video Network. Together they start with his funny family history, including the moment his Grandfather got him hooked on magic. Then, Mac reveals the story behind his quirky checkered suits, and the first time he swallowed a goldfish on stage. Closing out the show and at the request of the live chat, Mac conjures up a magic trick that hits below the belt.

  • Video – Football Handicapping – Does Football Handicapping appeal to you? Then learn all about exotic bets, half-time wagers, money-line bets and much more from expert sports better Hollis “Harvard” Barnhart!

  • Video – Magician David Copperfield From The MGM Grand Las Vegas Talks – David Copperfield his hailed as the most famous illusionist of all time. He has sold more tickets than any other performer in the world and we are proud to say he calls MGM Grand Las Vegas home.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I’m a long time reader of the newsletter and a former listener to your podcast so I’ve been following you for a while. 🙂 I have visited Las Vegas a dozen times or so which is no small feat since I live in on the East Coast. I wanted to express my thoughts on today’s Vegas, specifically, I wanted to comment on your “Tale Of Two Cities” article from the 10/09/13 newsletter.

I’ll start by saying I agree with everything you said in that article. Room rates have never been as attractive as they are right now no matter how much you have available to spend. The shows are varied and, if you care to look, you can enjoy free music and other acts all over town… and people watching is still free.

With regard to food, I love eating as many different kinds as I can, especially at one sitting. So the many buffets in town are a treat I don’t have much at home. I can get a great steak or lasagna at home so places like The Wicked Spoon and The M Resort Buffet are great fun for me.

The only feature of today’s Las Vegas that I struggle with is the current state of gambling there. In your article, you said, “… the reality is that slowly but surely, gaming revenue has become less and less of the overall revenue.”

Did tighter slots and less desirable table rules cause folks to play less or are gamblers staying home to gamble because it’s cheaper to do so? Maybe both? The casinos are trying to compensate for the lost revenue. The attitude of management seems to be, “If they want to gamble, they’ll do that at home… so we have to sell them shopping, restaurants, clubs and shows.”

But, as far as I’m concerned, many of those attractions are available all over and at home, too. All I’m saying is… the single biggest reason I went to Vegas was for the gambling and the comps; the shows and pools and shopping, etc. were secondary. Vegas seems to be 180 degrees turned around from what I used to know and love… and I’m not that old!

It’s not a big complaint, though. It’s not really even a complaint at all. It just feels weird to me. But that feeling is keeping me home for now.

All the best,

Mike from Syracuse, NY, USA

 

Ted Responds:

With gambling, we do have a question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. I’m of the thought that as properties had to manage their huge debt loads, they tightened up the slots. Which made people psychologically less inclined to gamble as much. (Fewer rewards triggering that happiness area of your brain).

Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman went on record a couple of years ago at a gaming conference, saying (and I’m paraphrasing) that he hoped his competitors also kept their slots tighter as well for now. IE, he was hoping there wasn’t any kind of “We have the loosest slots” wars like you saw in the previous decades. (Long time visitors will remember that casinos used to have big signs touting that some of their slots paid back 99%, and/or that they had the loosest slots in town).

Then along came 6 to 5 blackjack (when a blackjack should pay back 7.5 to 5) and the new penny slots, which are cute but have a higher hold. Then along came the entertaining slots with all the videos and chairs that rumble in an attempt to make you forget how quickly they are eating your money.

At the end of the day, people started to realize that if you put $100 in a slot machine, you’ll most likely kiss it goodbye pretty quickly. Alluding to what I wrote in Newkirk’s Notes, if you put that same money toward a great show, meal, or tour, you’ll have a definitive reward/return and a fantastic memory.

Next week, we’re going to talk about the Tropicana’s planned venture into a new, massive shopping area and the fallout of Treasure Island’s decision to do the same (which we’ve covered in the past). I personally agree that the saturation will be way too much and don’t see how it all can be successful. That is unless and until we get out of the 3.3 million visitors-a-month rut we are in and grow the market.

But, I don’t believe we can grow the market without bringing back gamblers. As you noted, a major trend across the U.S. is awesome shopping districts. If you live in a bigger city, you probably have plenty of amazing shopping options. And even if you don’t, you’re probably a couple hours away from some. We need to treat gambling as more than just an amenity, and return gambling in Las Vegas to that special experience that can’t be replicated.

In the long run, I think this shopping craze will go down in history as a semi-failure along with the “kid friendly” push of the 1990’s. Then, hopefully we’ll get back to the core of what makes Las Vegas special. The ability to spend your morning at the Grand Canyon, your afternoon playing games that don’t empty your wallet in no time flat, your evening at a special restaurant you’re not going to find in your local gaming venue, and your evening taking in your choice of world-class entertainment.

Las Vegas is the Entertainment Capital Of The World. While great shopping is a nice amenity, I hope it isn’t what we become known for.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe November 27, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

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Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Poison Drummer Rikki Rockett Attends Rock Of Ages At The Venetian – On Wednesday, November 6, 2013 Poison drummer Rikki Rockett attended Rock of Ages at The Venetian. Following the performance, which includes hits by Poison such as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” Rockett expressed his enthusiasm for the show while he met with the cast backstage.

Christmas In Las Vegas

Fun Places to Eat And Drink

Tacos & Tequila Saddles Up For National Finals Rodeo With Food And Drink Specials – Celebrate National Finals Rodeo with happy hour drink specials from Thursday, Dec. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 14. Available exclusively during NFR, T&T will offer $5 Crown Royal cocktails, Dos Equis lager, Jose Cuervo shots, well drinks, red and white wine and sangria as well as buckets of Coors Banquet beer, priced at $25.

Las Vegas Attractions

Shopping In Las Vegas

The Swatch Group U.S. Announces The First “Hour Passion” Boutique In Las Vegas – The Swatch Group is bringing Hour Passion to New York and Las Vegas. For the first time in the United States, the worlds largest watch manufacturer will be offering collections from all of its mid to high range brands in one convenient location.

The brands featured in this specialist multi brand concept include: Longines, Rado, Tissot, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton, Calvin Klein Watch And Jewelry, Swatch, and Flik-Flak.

The boutiques will offer newcomers and watch specialists alike an informative and enjoyable experience with a broad selection of timepieces across each of the collections.

Las Vegas Hotels

More Las Vegas News

Vegas Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Sky High Fun TourVegas Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Sky High Fun Tour – The Sunrise Hot Air Balloon ride is the most romantic way to fly over Las Vegas as you gently float over the hustle and bustle of the Strip. Travel wherever the wind takes you before landing to enjoy a champagne toast and light snack – cheese, salami/pepperoni, strawberries with mint cookies. As you float in the sky, enjoy the feeling of tranquility as you experience amazing 360-degree views of Las Vegas and the gorgeous surrounding landscape.

Click To Book Your Vegas Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Sky High Fun Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Arcade Fire Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– New York Giants Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– New Orleans Saints Tickets Cher Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Eagles Tickets
NHL Tickets Elton John Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets George Strait
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– San Jose Sharks Tickets Journey Tickets
– Detroit Red Wings Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
NBA Tickets Kanye West Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Miley Cyrus Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Paul Simon Tickets
– Chicago Bulls Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – We have a somewhat abbreviated edition going out over this long Thanksgiving weekend (here in the U.S.). We’ll be back full-force next week, but want to wish you all the very best upcoming holiday season possible. Stay safe and (for many in the U.S. where much of the nation is under a cold snap), stay warm!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe November 13, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

accessvegas google+Check out Access Vegas on Google+

Las Vegas High Roller Observation Wheel Reaches New Heights – The Las Vegas High Roller reached new heights today as the observation wheel’s first passenger cabin was rotated to the highest point on the wheel’s rim. At 550 feet, the rotation of the cabin to the mid-center point of the rim officially makes the High Roller the world’s tallest observation wheel. As the focal point of The LINQ, Caesars Entertainment’s $550 million outdoor retail, dining and entertainment district, today’s feat marks a major milestone for the Las Vegas Strip attraction. Photo Credit: Denise Truscello

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Dishes And Desserts

Rockhouse Goes For The Gold With Wiener Circle Wednesdays Deals – Wiener enthusiasts will nosh on a selection of mini dogs, priced at $3 each, such as the Number Two, topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato; and the Number Five hot dog, smothered in nacho cheese, guacamole, jalape±os, pico de gallo and tortilla strips.

Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse Inside Venetian Offers Special Truffle Menu For One Weekend Only – Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian Las Vegas is celebrating truffle season with a special menu featuring decadent white and black truffles offered exclusively Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16.

Las Vegas In November

Rhumbar Introduces Cocktail For The Holidays – Recipe Included To Try At Home – Rhumbar has introduced an oversized cocktail ideal for sharing with the Spiced Apple Jack Mojito, available exclusively now through the end of December.

Bringing seasonal flavors into the traditional mojito, the 48-ounce libation is made with Montecristo spiced rum, Applejack Brandy, apple cider and cinnamon, finished with dried apple crisps, mint and plenty of straws.

Tacos & Tequila Inside Luxor Celebrates Thanksgiving With Holiday-Inspired Menu Items – Tacos & Tequila (T&T) at Luxor Hotel and Casino will celebrate Thanksgiving Thursday, November 28, 2013 with turkey selections created by Corporate Executive Chef Saul Ortiz.

The holiday menu will feature lunch and dinner options. For a sweet holiday treat, the restaurant will offer Pumpkin Flan with dark caramel, egg custard, and cinnamon drizzled with tequila cajeta sauce, priced at $7.

More Las Vegas News

Richard Petty Rookie Driving TourRichard Petty Rookie Driving Tour – Become as close as possible to being in the The Race! With a Richard Petty Driving Las Vegas Experience you are put in a NASCAR style race car for an adrenaline pumping thrill of a lifetime. This driving package puts your hands on the wheel, your foot on the gas and you are ready to take some laps.

Click To Book Your Richard Petty Rookie Driving Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Drake Tickets
– New Orleans Saints Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Washington Capitals Tickets Kings of Leon Tickets
– Detroit Red Wings Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
NBA Tickets Kanye West Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Michael Buble Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Pearl Jam Tickets
– Chicago Bulls Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Billy Joel Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – We’ve been experiencing an amazing “Indian Summer”. As I write this on Wednesday, November 13, we nearly hit 80 today and I’m looking forward to enjoying a beautiful evening outdoors. For those visiting next week, we do settle back into our seasonal mid-60’s. If you are one who wonders how we can deal with our hot summers (outside of the fact that we’re used to them), I’ll just say that I’m looking at a current US temperature map and most of our country won’t be spending evenings out strolling around this week. Not without a heavy jacket!

Downtown Grand Is Official – The former Lady Luck had their “official” grand opening as the Downtown Grand this past week. We’d have photos of all the fireworks and festivities… except that there wasn’t anything but a standard ribbon cutting. (They must have pretty much ran out of money just as they were finishing up, or something. I never remember a property opening without lots of hoopla and a huge shindig).

We published pics last issue, and consider this a “must see” on your next downtown visit. Finding it is simple: Find the 3’d Street Stage (between The D and Four Queens), make a 180 degree turn, and walk one block. I realize in the past, some were concerned about their safety leaving the actual Fremont Street Experience, but as you’ll see, this is pretty much an extension and you will be fine.

This entire 3’rd Street area has kind of been a well-kept secret over the past few years. The Triple George Grill is a great place to dine without killing your budget and if you want to cut loose, the “we take cash only” Hogs and Heifers bar is always a party. Rounding out the 3’rd street dining is the brand new Pizza Rock. We’ve yet to try it (soon, oh so soon) but are already hearing good things.

While in the neighborhood, check out the (once again) newly remodeled Gold Spike. This will turn your idea of Las Vegas on its ear. The slots and blackjack are gone, in favor of a nice, friendly bar and lounge area frequented by the burgeoning tech community downtown. Note: When I say “lounge”, I’m not referring to those places with a $30 cover charge. I mean plenty of elbow room and comfortable seating where you can relax, check your texts and tweets (and charge your phone, they have plenty of outlets), and just chill for a minute.

Gold Spike Interior by thmeeks, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  thmeeks 

Since you’re over that way, walk one more block east on Ogden (the street you are already on) and experience (or re-experience) one of our long-time favorites, the El Cortez. If you haven’t been in there since a number of years ago when it was a dive, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Plus, the table games are fair and the limits tend to be reasonably low.

Thanksgiving and Christmas – About this time, we start to get all those questions about Las Vegas over the holiday season. Here’s the deal: Thanksgiving is a HUGE 4-day weekend here. So if you were thinking about sneaking in a Vegas visit, figuring nobody else would do a Vegas Thanksgiving, think again. However, the week before and after a major holiday are typically slower, which means lower room rates and fewer lines. If you can sneak in a pre-or-post Thanksgiving visit, you’re in business.

The first two weeks of December, we host the National Finals Rodeo and the town is packed. Even those without event tickets flock to town as Vegas goes completely rodeo-themed and the actual rodeo is shown on big screens at numerous hotels. Now… in the old days, Las Vegas would die until New Years Eve. In fact, I remember being on The Strip one chilly night nearly 20 years ago just a few days before Christmas, and I actually decided how long I could stand in the street until a car came. Right on The Strip. It was actually a good few minutes!

Not anymore. The week before Christmas is still the most dead time of the year, and a time savvy visitors enjoy. But it isn’t as dead as it used to be. Starting on Christmas, things start to get back into full gear again with the huge crescendo on New Years Eve. As we do every year, we’ll have New Years Eve tips coming up in the next few weeks.

See You In Two Weeks – No newsletter next week as I’m moving! After renting in the Richfield Neighborhood almost in the shadow of The Strip for a while now, I’ve decided that I really like being close to The Strip and Downtown. I’ve bought a place in an adjacent neighborhood just a short drive northwest of here and I’m wading my way through packed boxes. Wish me luck!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

My wife and I visit Vegas every 12 to 18 months (from Australia)! We normally divide the 16 nights fairly equally between the strip and Downtown. We, like most regular visitors have noticed the change in scenery since 1999, having first stayed at the old Stardust.

Now we know and understand that things and places evolve but even though improvements like the City Centre, the Linq etc etc are fabulous to see and visit, we have a fear that the original ambience that first attracted us to Las Vegas is being somewhat diluted and possibly lost to history ?

Our holiday seems like a 2 in 1 vacation where the atmosphere is totally different on the strip, compared to Fremont Street, Downtown. What would people think of the Downtown area retaining as much of the old Vegas atmosphere as possible and even with modern day improvements still maintain an old fashioned outlook?

If we just wanted gambling in “resorts”, Macau is closer to us than LV ! Things like the mob museum, the neon graveyard are fascinating reminders of yesteryear. Is there any chance that Vegas can maintain some of its uniqueness that “Bugsy” Seigel first dreamed of all those years ago?

Cheap eats and free shows would be too much to ask! I realize that! lol

Ian & Alicia from Brisbane, Australia

PS Congratulations and thanks for your ‘newsy’ letter (!) we always look forward to our copy of the Access Vegas email.

 

Ted Responds:

We love to hear from everybody, but it is especially gratifying to hear from those of you who come an incredible distance to enjoy Las Vegas. That is one long plane ride!

I’ve been concerned about the direction that The Strip is headed in. It seems like every time we turn around, another shopping component is being announced along The Strip. We reported on the retail that Treasure Island is working on and while not officially announced, it appears that The Tropicana is going to add a bunch of Strip-front retail.

Look… people are only bringing so much money to town, and only willing to torch their credit cards so much. While the Forum Shops are a true shopping experience, all of the new venues are going to be challenged to stand out and draw customers in an increasingly crowded market.

We’re holding out hope that the pending construction of the Asian-themed Resort World (on the old Stardust property) will help reinforce the notion that Las Vegas visitors really enjoy themed resorts. City Center has no theme, the Luxor has been seriously de-themed, the Quad (Imperial Palace) feels like the South Point… I could go on. Visitors are not happy about it, but that word doesn’t seem to be making it to the ears of the decision-makers.

Fremont Street knows what is has. Don’t expect any radical changes. The El Cortez even went after a designation as a historical landmark, which will keep them from ever doing anything too crazy. Right now, Fremont Street’s bigger challenge is to keep in check some of the undesirables who have been drawn to downtown and want to cause trouble. But, we’ll address that in a future issue. In the meantime, downtown has gotten so busy that we actually suggest getting down there on a weeknight and avoiding the Friday and Saturday evenings down there!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe November 6, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

Check out Access Vegas on Google+

So Much To Do In November

Commonwealth Giving Thanks With November’s Cocktail Of The Month – Commonwealth will show its gratitude to guests with November’s featured cocktail, “Gone ‘til November.” The delicious drink will be offered all month, priced at $10.

The seasonal concoction mixes Stoli Peach Vodka, St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram, egg whites, lemon juice and honey syrup. Partygoers will stay warm while sipping on the sweet selection on the Downtown venue’s 2,000-square-foot rooftop bar.


Rockhouse Parties For A Cure During Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon – Rockhouse, located at Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian | The Palazzo, will team up with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series Friday, Nov. 15, through Sunday, Nov. 17, to benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), the leading organization dedicated to finding cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Starting at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, the ultra-dive bar will donate 15 percent of its total sales to the CCFA. Athletes and supporters can celebrate a successful race and donate to a great cause with drinks such as the American Woman, a fusion of Whipped Vodka, Chambord, Grand Marnier and La Marca Champagne; or the Burning Ring of Fire, a mixture Johnny Walker Black, Red Bull and lime.

Commonwealth Celebrates One Year In Downtown Las Vegas With Celebration – Downtown cocktail bar, Commonwealth, will celebrate one year of innovative cocktails, music and art on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Starting at 9 p.m., the anniversary celebration will feature an extensive list of DJs, live acts and cocktail specials lasting late into the night.

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

LAST Vegas – The Movie

Thanksgiving Las Vegas 2013

Hash House A Go Go Las Vegas Announces Thanksgiving 2013 Specials – Hash House A Go Go celebrates Thanksgiving Day with a special holiday menu, offering a twisted take on traditional favorites. The restaurants will feature specials ranging in price from $5.95 to $21.95 in addition to their mouthwatering regular menu items.

Thanksgiving specials include: Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

Las Vegas Shopping And Attractions

Las Vegas Hotels And Housing

Robert De Niro Announces Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace Villa – Robert De Niro, actor and partner in Nobu Hospitality, recently visited the rooftop of his Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace where construction for the opulent Nobu Villa is well underway. The 10,300-square-foot villa is expected to open early 2014 offering an expansive 4,700 square-foot outdoor terrace overlooking the center of the Las Vegas Strip.

De Niro takes in the breathtaking views from the terrace of the soon-to-open Nobu Nobu Hotel Villa at Caesars Palace, 150 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. When it opens early 2014, the Nobu Villa will showcase the best views on the Las Vegas Strip. Photo Credit: Erik Kabik

More Las Vegas News

The Navigator Airplane + Heli TourThe Navigator Airplane + Heli Tour – Get an authentic taste of the Southwest during scenic Grand Canyon air tours with VegasDaze. Learn about the Hualapai Native Americans – a historic tribe dating back to as early as 600 A.D. During your Grand Canyon aerial experience you’ll understand why the name “Hualapai” means, “people of the tall pine.” This special Grand Canyon West Rim tour is experienced by both plane and helicopter.

Click To Book Your Navigator
Airplane + Heli Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Drake Tickets
– New Orleans Saints Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Washington Capitals Tickets Kings of Leon Tickets
– Detroit Red Wings Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
NBA Tickets Kanye West Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Michael Buble Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Pearl Jam Tickets
– Chicago Bulls Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Billy Joel Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – MGM Resorts has given us more details on their massive new arena, which will give us 3 full-sized sports/concert arenas all within comfortable walking distance (Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand Gardens being the other two), and 5 pretty good sized arenas within short radius (Thomas and Mack plus Orleans).

As we noted last spring, at one time we had three NCAA men’s basketball tournaments taking place here in town, all nationally televised, and all within a 3 mile stretch of Tropicana Avenue. With this move, MGM Resorts — who will now own this new arena plus the MGM Grand Gardens – are helping assure that no major event will be beyond our reach by eliminating any booking conflicts.

Daylight Savings Time Done – Just a reminder for those visiting, as fall moves along and winter is just around the corner: It gets dark here early. We’re on the very eastern edge of Pacific time, so we lose the sun first.

If you’ve considered taking my advice to watch our brilliant desert sunsets from the top of the Stratosphere Tower or Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower, plan to be up there about 4 PM. While the Eiffel Tower is more convenient for many with the center-Strip location, The Stratosphere is obviously more comfortable. Get up and enjoy a drink at their Air Bar while you wait for the sun to do its vanishing act.

The Best Taxi Route McCarran To Downtown – I want to thank Stan Lee over on our Vegas Facebook page (VegasFacebook.com) for bringing up something very important to remember for those of you staying downtown. Most of you think of Las Vegas as a tourist city, but we do have 2 million people here and indeed get rush hour. From around 3:30 PM to 6 PM, the I-15 is seriously backed up and slow from Tropicana pretty much all the way downtown.

If you fly in and take a taxi during this time, the cab fare can easily be $40. And truth be told, the freeway is NOT the best/cheapest way from the airport to downtown no matter how you slice it. Some savvy visitors will go “Oh, you are right… Paradise is best”. Close but no cigar. Paradise Road can get really busy as well, and you do NOT want to be on Paradise Road anytime a big convention is in town. The locals secret? Swenson! Click to see the map.

Swenson Street is actually the very street you use to exit the airport (if you don’t use the tunnel) and is pretty much a direct shot to The Sahara through apartment-filled neighborhoods, around the back of the Las Vegas Country Club, and few stoplights. You avoid The Strip and the convention center completely! Short of bringing our map with you, here’s the easy instructions to tell your cabbie: Take Swenson north all the way to Sahara. From there, take The (Las Vegas) Blvd to (name of downtown hotel). You’re welcome!

New Arena Details Finally Announced – MGM Resorts has issued renderings about what their lavish new arena — located behind New York-New York and Monte Carlo will look like. Of interest is that it is NOT being built in an attempt to attract a major-league sports franchise, which is fine by me. I’ve been on record over the years as noting that other cities may need big-league sports to brand them as a “big league city”. We don’t.

In addition, half the crowd would be rooting for the opponent on any given night. Not very conducive to building local team spirit. While it will never fly, I do really like the thought which has been floating around for quite some time, and that is to build an NFL-caliber stadium and simply host every Monday Night Football game here. That would be awesome, and turn Monday Night Football back into the major event that it was years ago (before we got saturated with either college or pro football 4-5 days per week). Plus, give many of you yet another excuse to plan a Vegas trip!

For those interested in more about the new arena: AEG, MGM Resorts International offer first look at arena on Las Vegas Strip

Heeeerrrreeee’s Johnny! – Recent focus on the Johnny Carson biography simply titled “Johnny Carson” brought to light the home Carson owned here while he headlined The Sahara long ago. Located at 3333 Seminole Circle, the home is in the now-gentrifying Paradise Palms area of Las Vegas: http://goo.gl/maps/2y9Mb

According to records, the 3500 sq. ft. home was last sold in 1996 for $300,000. It is hard to tell if it is currently occupied. For someone looking to grab a historic piece of Las Vegas (both due to the Carson connection and in a historic near-Strip neighborhood), it probably wouldn’t hurt to make them an offer and bring the place back to its former glory.

Outside of the recent purchase of Liberace’s home (by someone who is also planning the same), not many shots at truly historic Las Vegas homes exist in a city where so much has been junked or rebuilt.

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • The 1997 Opening Of New York-New York Hotel & Casino In Las Vegas – From January of 1997, here is a Channel 13 news story from Las Vegas TV about the opening of the famed New York-New York hotel & casino!

  • Aria Las Vegas: The Food at Sirio Maccioni Restaurant – At Sirio’s inside Aria, traditional and contemporary Italian dishes inspired by the Tuscan standards of Maccioni’s youth are served in a beautiful and engaging environment. The menu offers a myriad of pastas and appetizers to simple and robust entrees. With its Fellini-esque dÚcor, an emphasis on hospitality and one of the most impressive selections of Italian vintages in Las Vegas, Sirio Ristorante brings old-time Italy to you.

  • The Wedding Salons at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel & Casino – The Wedding Salon at Wynn Las Vegas is the ultimate celebration destination. With everything in one exquisite setting, once you arrive you can just leave the rest to us. From a dedicated wedding consultant, DJ and lighting technician for your ceremony to custom floral arrangements and private use of the Lake of Dreams Terrace. Tour the Salons now to see how we can make your celebration perfect.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

We go to Las Vegas twice a year and are finding it harder to win or get a lot of play. We don’t mind losing if we get a lot of play. September, when we were there, we never went to the strip for the first time ever. You just don’t get any play. We spent more time at South Point, downtown, and the M Resort. We rented a car, and stayed a week in a time share. It’s not just Vegas, it’s also local casinos in Illinois and other nearby states. We seniors just might have to find another outlet.

Ron Blake

 

Ted Repsonds:

While the slot machines don’t differentiate regarding age, always make sure to stop by the players card booth, and ask if there are any seniors promotion going on while you are at their casino. Also keep in mind that many Las Vegas properties consider you a “senior” at 50 for gaming and discount purposes.

Obviously in the Las Vegas area, you are maximizing your chances to win by playing at the “locals” casinos like you are doing. The Strip is a great place to see a show, and a lousy place to gamble! In fact, when you see a show or enjoy a tour, you know what you are getting for your hard earned money, and often it is a memory that will last a long time. That same amount in a slot machine can go up in smoke in no time flat.

Game selection is very important. The penny machines have a high “hold” (which is the amount of money — on average — the machine holds and never gives back). And look… unless you are literally playing 2 cents at a time, you have to play a fair amount per hand to light up enough lines to hit anything. To some extent, many feel that the same is true for any of the newer, more fancy machines with lots of video screens, rumbling seats, and the rest. You are not so much gambling as paying for the entertainment.

To the extent you can find them, think about playing the older-school, basic slots that do NOT have a progressive. They don’t tend to hold as much back on a given session. Better yet, do some homework on learning the basics of video poker. As long as you halfway know what you are doing, the hold on video poker over time is pretty small!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe October 30, 2013

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

Thanksgiving Las Vegas 2013

Celebrate A November To Remember With Holiday Specials At Trevi – Trevi will be open during full normal operating hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28. Pastry Chef Hank Sbraccia will honor the occasion by offering a specialty cranberry gelato from Monday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Dec. 1, for $4.50 per scoop. The unique creation combines dried cranberries, vanilla gelato, a cranberry juice reduction and simple syrup.

Following Thanksgiving, shoppers bustling through The Forum Shops for Black Friday will enjoy a moment’s peace with Trevi’s Bellinis, priced exclusively at $3 for the entire day on Friday, Nov. 29.

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

Las Vegas Dining

Lavo Launches Third Season Of Saturday Champagne Brunch And Debuts Proper Brunch Every Sunday – Brunch season kicked into full swing at Lavo Italian Restaurant and Nightclub the weekend of October 19 and 20, 2013 as the third season of its famed champagne party brunch kicks off on Saturday and a new proper brunch is introduced on Sunday.

More Las Vegas News

Guests Will “See Red” At Valentino’s “Rogue” Exhibit At The Shops At Crystals – Valentino invites you to discover its exclusive ROUGE exhibit at The Shops at Crystals. The ROUGE exhibit showcases red-only ready-to-wear looks from Pre-Fall 2013 Collection, as well as pieces from the Valentino Garavani “Rockstud Rouge” Collection, which consists of best-selling iconic accessories including handbags, shoes and small leather goods. Featuring linear compositions and all-over lacquered studs, the pieces are displayed within glossy red trunks for a high-impact statement.

Rockhouse Plays Some Beer Pong During Tournament Tuesdays – Every Tuesday, beer pong-loving partygoers can compete in Tournament Tuesdays at Rockhouse, located at Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian | The Palazzo. Starting at 9 p.m., the ultra-dive bar offers complimentary, all-night open bar access and tournament entry to employees of The Venetian, The Palazzo, Grand Canal Shoppes and all local industry with valid ID that sign-up. Locals and Sin City visitors can purchase tournament entry and open bar access for $25.

Neon Nights Helicopter Air TourNeon Nights Helicopter Air Tour – Sip champagne prior to boarding one of the Neon Nights helicopter tours and then take off for an unparalleled perspective of the “City of Lights.” Your Las Vegas sightseeing tour takes you: Over the famed Las Vegas Strip, brushing close to popular sites;

Ascend above downtown Glitter Gulch before approaching the neon splendor of some of the world’s most renowned megaresorts; Near Las Vegas’ newest addition, City Center; Soaring over the enchanting Bellagio fountains; And over the never-fading light of the Luxor pyramid.

Click To Book Your Neon Nights Helicopter Air Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Cher Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Drake Tickets
– New Orleans Saints Tickets Eagles Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Elton John Tickets
World Series Tickets George Strait
NHL Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets John Mayer Tickets
– Washington Capitals Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– Detroit Red Wings Tickets Kanye West Tickets
NBA Tickets Michael Buble Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Pearl Jam Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Pink Tickets
College Football Tickets Zac Brown Band Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – 77 mile per hour gusting winds ushered out summer over this past weekend. For the most part, temperatures the next couple of weeks will be pretty much in line with the average November high of 67 F. First time visitors or those who traditionally don’t visit during the cooler months can be unpleasantly prepared during our four cooler months. So for the record, the December, January, and February averages are 57, 58, and 63 respectively. Dress accordingly. (We get back to 70 in March).

Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino sign

Luck Be A Lady – One of the often-asked questions over the past few years has been “What is up with the Lady Luck”? Regular Vegas visitors know that the Lady Luck was a fairly loved downtown hotel/casino catering the mid-range visitor. It was closed for renovation in early 2006. Fast forward over seven years…

Street view of the exterior of Downtown Grand

The Lady Luck has just (and finally) reopened as the Downtown Grand after $100 million in renovations. Note: The “official” opening is on 11.12.13 (get it) but the soft opening was this past Sunday evening at 5 PM with the casino, rooms, bars, and some dining options functional.

Steve Wynn makes the first roll at the craps table at Downtown Grand
Las Vegas casino owner legend Steve Wynn tosses out the first ceremonial roll of the dice. Photo courtesy Downtown Grand

The Steward & Ogden Restaurant inside Downtown Grand
Stewart and Ogden restaurant has a two-faceted menu representing the different tastes of the restaurant namesakes, both of which played rolls in the founding of Las Vegas.

Sexy girl poses with frozen margarita machines at the Night Island Bar inside Downtown Grand
Ninth Island features the Hawaiian favorite of shave ice (not a typo) and the ever-popular slushy booze drinks.

The Art Bar inside Downtown Grand
Art Bar

The ceiling of the Art Bar inside Downtown Grand
Ceiling of the Art Bar

Hotel registration and lobby of Downtown Grand
Registration Area

Gamblers play craps during the soft opening of the Downtown Grand
Busy casino on opening night. Photo courtesy Downtown Grand

Downtown Grand is a must-see on your next downtown visit. Go to where the Four Queens meets The D and walk one block north (away from the performance stage).

Hope you are enjoying this issue! I’m enjoying family in town and missing regular features will return next week.

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe October 23, 2013

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

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

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows

Halloween Las Vegas 2013

Take A Stab At Your Best Pumpkin Carving For A Chance To Win Tickets To Las Vegas’ Hottest Show Absinthe – Are you bored and looking for something new and creative to do for the Halloween season? Then why not pick up a pumpkin and use your imagination to carve the best pumpkin creation for a chance to win tickets to the hottest show in Las Vegas, Absinthe at Caesars Palace. Absinthe’s incompetent assistant to The Gazillionaire, Penny Pibbets has announced the Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest for all fans to enter.

Fremont Street Experience Hosts Fifth Annual OktoberFrightFest – Fremont Street Experience will once again transform itself for the Fifth Annual OktoberFrightFest, combining Oktoberfest and Halloween for the ultimate street party, taking place through October 31. The spooktacular festivities will include free performances from the popular stage production show “Frank & The Steins,” Viva Vision light and sound shows themed to “Time Warp” and “Monster Mash,” and the Fourth Annual Fall Beer Festival at Golden Nugget.

Rice & Company Bewitches This Halloween With Sushi And Sake Duo Now Through October 31, 2013 – Rice & Company at Luxor Hotel and Casino will offer adult Halloween enthusiasts, who are interested in more treats than tricks, a celebratory sushi and sake pairing throughout the month of October.

The Wicked Roll of the West, made with spicy tuna, yellowtail, cucumber and avocado, topped with spicy mayo, will be paired with the spooktacular Demon Slayer sake, which features a clean, subtle and dry taste, creating a bewitching flavor combination. The sushi and sake duo will be priced at $30.

Las Vegas Shows, Headliners, And Concerts

PBR And NFR

PBR Rock Bar Hosts Ultimate Professional Bull Riders World Finals Celebration – PBR Rock Bar & Grill inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will partner with Pabst Blue Ribbon and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to be the ultimate headquarters for the Professional Bull Riders World Finals from Wednesday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 27.

Starting at 9:30 p.m., top riders will kick-off the official after-party on Thursday, Oct. 24, with red carpet appearances followed by the official draw and a live Q-and-A session with the crowd. Former American Idol contestant, Morgan Leigh, will keep the party rocking with live performances at 9 and 11:30 p.m.

Las Vegas Dining

Football Season Las Vegas

More Las Vegas News

Victoria’s Wedding Chapel Gives Away Complimentary Wedding Ceremonies To Veterans And Active Duty Military On Veteran’s Day – Victoria’s Wedding Chapel will give away complimentary wedding ceremonies to all active duty military members and veterans all day from noon to 8 p.m. to commemorate Veteran’s Day on Monday, November 11.

“We want to show how much we appreciate everything that the men and women of the military do to keep our country safe,” said Janeen Hinden, owner of Victoria’s Wedding Chapel. “Giving them this special day is the least we can do.”

Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Ground TourGrand Canyon National Park South Rim Ground Tour – Visit the widest and deepest part of Grand Canyon National Park on a guided exploration tour. Your tour travels through the Mojave Desert, across the Colorado River and along historic Route 66. Enjoy a photo stop at the Grand Canyon Railway in historic Williams, AZ. where you will have approximately 3 hours to enjoy several south rim magnificent canyon overlooks. Your experienced guide will ensure you get the best views from Mather Point, Yavapai Point, and Grand Canyon Village. Highlights & Features: Morning snack, A delicious lunch is included along with time to visit cultural exhibits and shopping, National Park entry fees, Bottled water throughout the tour, Guided and narrated tour from a professional guide/driver, Photo stop at the south rim for approximately 3 hours

Click To Book Your Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Ground Tour Now!

Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

Most Popular Sports Tickets Most Popular Concert Tickets
NFL Tickets Beyonce Tickets
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Bon Jovi Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Cher Tickets
– Houston Texans Tickets Demi Lovato Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Eagles Tickets
World Series Tickets Elton John Tickets
NHL Tickets George Strait
– Chicago Blackhawks Tickets Imagine Dragons Tickets
– Pittsburgh Penguins Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Washington Capitals Tickets Jay Z Tickets
– Minnesota Wild Tickets John Mayer Tickets
NBA Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– Los Angeles Lakers Tickets Pearl Jam Tickets
– Miami HEAT Tickets Phish Tickets
College Football Tickets Pink Tickets

Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – It bears repeating that October is far-and-away the best month of the year to visit Las Vegas. We’ve had flawless sunny days between 75-85 with absolutely amazing evenings. Not too hot, not too cold. No major conventions which pack the town and drive up room rates (and contribute to long lines).

For you football enthusiasts, the betting on both college and pro has been hot and heavy. Always keep in mind that you can absolutely place a bet on a game which takes place after you’ve left. Generally on the back of each betting ticket are instructions on how to mail the ticket in, and the casino will send you a check. (Always double-check at the ticket window when you bet as to what the procedure is).

How fun is it to be watching that Monday night game at your favorite watering hole back home while you show off the ticket and root for your team to beat the spread!

For those still somewhat confused about how betting on football and basketball works, don’t be intimidated. When you look at a match-up in a sportsbook, you’ll see something that looks like this:

No wonder people are intimidated! Let me simplify it. This match is between the Packers and Broncos. For you beginners, the ONLY number you need to worry about is that -3 next to Broncos. Ignore all of that other stuff. It is really, really simple: In this game (which was from 2007) if you bet on the Broncos, you have to DEDUCT 3 points from the Bronco score at the end of the game. If you bet on the Packers, you get to ADD 3 points to your score at the end of the game.

If the Broncos won 23-21, you Bronco bettors would have to DECUCT 3 from the 23. You now only have 20 points. Ooops. Packers have 21 and your ticket loses. You Packer bettors would get to ADD 3 points to the 21, giving you 24 points. Which beats the Broncos 23. Your ticket wins. Essentially, for betting purposes, the Packers start the game with a 3 point “point spread” lead.

Why do the sports books do this? It evens up the game and gives each side a pretty equal chance of winning. If you bet a lousy team, you are going to get bonus points. If you bet a really good team, you are going to have to “lay” points, meaning you have to give up points. Hope this helps just a little bit.

White Cross Market Las VegasGroceries, Anyone? – For those of you who drive in, rent a car, or use The Deuce to travel between The Strip and Downtown, White Cross Market has just re-opened as a full-service grocery store just a couple of blocks north of the Stratosphere next to Burger King (and just a few minutes south of downtown).

You can get all your normal grocery store staples plus fresh produce, deli sandwiches and more. They have an absolutely amazing selection of craft beers (easily well over 100 on hand, all cold) and they know their beer. They also have a full liquor and wine selection. They also have nice, fresh produce for those who want some healthy stuff to munch on during their stay. Plus, they are just super-friendly people. Check them out.

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley

What We’re Watching – Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Metro Police Unveils Network Of Cameras Watching The Strip – Las Vegas casinos have used surveillance cameras for years to watch for cheaters, but now those so-called eyes in the sky aren’t just in casinos. Metro Police are policing the Las Vegas Strip using 37 high-tech cameras. If someone was running from the law on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, a camera up on a pole could zoom in on the suspect live.

  • “Last Vegas” The Movie – Hitting theaters on November 1, this is the preview trailer for the lastest “shot in Vegas” movie, “Last Vegas,” featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood legends.

  • Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Of Dean Martin 1976 – Live from the old MGM Grand (now Bally’s), this star-studded roast includes Muhammad Ali, Foster Brooks, Red Buttons, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Billy ‘Boom Boom’ Berkowitz, Wilt Chamberlain, Howard Cosell, Billy Crystal, Georgia Engel, Rocky Graziano, Sherman Hemsley, Gabe Kaplan, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Herbert Muhammad, Tony Orlando, Floyd Patterson, Freddie Prinze, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, and Orson Welles. Enjoy a taste of classic Vegas entertainment from days gone by!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I keep hearing about First Friday downtown. We will be staying at El Cortez on Friday November 1. Could you advise what to expect.

Thank You.

Frank Venis

 

Ted Responds:

First Friday is something we haven’t really taken the manpower to cover because as a more local-oriented event, we are getting more requests for information. It is a very popular festival of arts, music, and food taking place on the First Friday of each month.

First Friday takes place about a mile away from the El Cortez down in the Arts District. Free shuttle service runs from the El Cortez to the event from 4:30 PM to 11:30 PM from their valet area.

The party then moves to East Fremont (aka, the El Cortez area) and please note that because of the crowds, it is the one time of month that police are pretty strict about drinking in that area (which is not inside the Fremont Street Experience and thus subject to tighter city drinking regulations).

Except for liquor purchased inside the El Cortez, you are not supposed to be drinking on the street in that area (no liquor taken out of the other area bars nor none you purchased at a convenience store). You should be in the hotel or in a bar for boozing. Solutions are being tossed around because it is our Nevada-given right to drink anywhere we damn well please. But that is the most current info.

Also, they have actually been closing off Fremont in the El Cortez area for crowd control on First Fridays well into the late night.

Honestly, your best bet is to take the shuttle to enjoy First Friday, then come back and make your way over into the Fremont Street Experience (which is probably why you came downtown in the first place). You can walk around Fremont Street with a drink you purchased at any of the casinos, no problem and generally stay away from the East Fremont chaos on that particular night.

Hint: Going between El Cortez and Fremont Street on First Fridays, take a detour. Go out the north entrance of the El Co onto Ogden Street. From there, make your way west about three blocks to where the new Downtown Grand is. From there, head back over to the Fremont Street Experience. Reverse the route when time to get back to your room.

More details on First Friday at their official site: http://www.firstfridaylasvegas.com

Make sure to let us know how your experience went!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
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