Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 14, 2008

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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


AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! A little muggy and smoky this week as western wildfires from far away send a little smoke our way and we continue to flirt with the 100 degree mark. No need to bring a coat or a sweater between now and sometime in September. The nights aren’t dipping below the mid-60’s F.

There has been some confusion over where and when Donny and Marie are playing here in Las Vegas. Prior to their agreement to play a prolonged run at The Flamingo, the brother/sister duo had a week of shows planned at the MGM.

Here are the actual dates for each with ticket links:

The Las Vegas is in a recession story has been parroted by journalist after journalist and is getting old. What is happening in Las Vegas tourism is not at all out of step with the ups and downs of past decades. Hotels are running at 95% occupancy. (Drive down The Strip on a Saturday night and tell me how much elbow room you have).

For those interested in my detailed analysis, I did a significant blog post about this at Las Vegas Is Not In A Recession… Puhleeeze

A rainbow over Las Vegas! Clouds are rare here and rainbows even more rare. Last month, we were out running errands and happened to see some of the following sites while over near McCarran (Las Vegas) airport:

Las Vegas Rainbow

Many will recognize this scene, taken as you are on Tropicana just before you make the right turn to Paradise Rd. headed to the airport for that trip home. Click on either photo to see a few more great photos of the rainbow, rich hued clouds, and airplanes.

Airplane taking off from Las Vegas

This photo is very important to us here at AccessVegas.com. Almost daily, we peer up and watch planes overhead bringing you to and from Las Vegas.

Sure, we like airplanes. But it goes well beyond that. There very well could be you (our readers) on each flight and the rigors of flying are not lost on us. Our United States readers are paying top dollar to fly in a sub-par airline market to come visit here.

Our international visitors have the luxury of using the worthless dollar to help deflect the cost of the trip. However, many of you are flying 12-16 hours to get here and that commitment to come visit isn’t lost on us either.

Next time you are on approach into Las Vegas… feeling that giddy excitement of the fun to come… we just may be watching from the ground. Content and happy with the part we play to enhance your trip here.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

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


Featured Review:
American Superstars – The Biggest Stars Live

By Guy Chapman

Elvis Presley. áTim McGraw. áRod Stewart. áChristina Aguilera. áMichael Jackson. áThese five names are considered to be some of the most popular and well-known acts in the music industry.á

Each artist on their own is able to command a sizable ticket price when going to see them in concert, but on the Las Vegas Strip, there’s a way to see all five of these acts in one show… or close enough to provide an entertaining spectacle of lights, dance and song. áWith the “American Superstars” show at the Stratosphere, this production showcases an entertaining group of tribute artists that provides a concert that wouldn’t happen anywhere else.

Click to Read Entire American Superstars Las Vegas Review…


Featured Review:
The World According Ronn Lucas

By DW Grant

In Ronn Lucas’s world anything can argue with you; dragons, microphones, socks, feet, bare hands, and even some audience members. The 90 minute show, on stage almost everyday at 1 PM at the Thunder Room at the Excalibur Hotel is a fun world for both children and adults.

But the afternoon really belongs to his collection of partners, some he brings out of a trunk and some he brings up from the audience. Buffalo Billy flirts with the ladies in the front seats and duets “Row Your Boat” with Ronn, even though Ronn tries to warn him a ventriloquist can not duet with his dummy. Amazingly they do it anyway, and we can┤t help but love it.

For children Ronn offers “Scorch,” the teenage dragon, trashing-talking his master and singing songs like “Teenager in Love” and rapping other teen faves.

Click to Read Entire Ronn Lucas Las Vegas Review…


Donny & Marie To Debut At Flamingo Las VegasFlamingo Las Vegas announces Donny and Marie Osmond as the resort’s newest headliner in the Flamingo Showroom. Tickets Beginning Sept. 9, the duo will dazzle audiences of all ages with their iconic style of entertainment. Presented by Danny Gans and Chip Lightman of GansLight Entertainment, the 90-minute extravaganza will highlight Donny & Marie’s greatest hits in a multimedia spectacle presented on a custom designed stage with multiple video screens and a large cast of dancers. Click to Read The Full Story …

Journey, Heart And Cheap Trick Together At Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 18 – Three legendary rock bands are teaming up for what is sure to be the tour of the summer. JOURNEY, Heart and Cheap Trick are heading out on the concert trail and will stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 18. Tickets The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

Valentina Comes From Russia With Love For ‘Crazy Girls’ – Valentina Smirnova’s nickname is “Valusha” and hails from the Baltic Sea. “Valusha” moved to Las Vegas via San Francisco as a performer in “Crazy Girls” (Tickets) at the Riviera. She has been performing in “Las Vegas’ Sexiest Topless Revue” for a year-and-a-half now. The 5′ 8″ tall dark-haired beauty is a native of Kaliningrad, Russia where her parents still live. She models and does commercials. She said, “I bought my first car after winning $5,000 in the 2003 Miss Russia California Pageant. My first love is to dance but I also like to travel, socialize, sing and I enjoy all four seasons of the year. I love change, adventure, enthusiasm, interacting in large groups as opposed to one-on-one situations and I am a chameleon who can transform my appearance and nature to suit the environment.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Spirits/Cigar Lounge In Andre’s At The Monte Carlo – With a collection of over two hundred cognacs, armagnacs and calvados plus another forty ports available, you are guaranteed a unique experience at Andre’s Spirits and Cigar Lounge. We have products that are not widely available and so rare that they’re exclusive outside of a private collection. An example is our vintage cognac tasting; this consists of the Hardy Reserve Vintage 1848, Lheraud Vintage 1900, and Hardy Reserve Vintage 1914. Click to Read The Full Story …

Hog Wild For Kids Charity Event To Take Place May 18th -áStrap on your leather chaps, Hogs & Heifers Saloon is hitting the roads with Hog Wild for Kids, a charity motorcycle ride and event to be held Sunday, May 18, 2008. With all proceeds benefiting Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation’s (NVCCF) Camp Cartwheel, Hog Wild for Kids charity motorcycle ride will be revving up their engines as participants cruise the scenic back roads through Red Rock and out to The Mountain Springs Saloon for a rest stop and group photo before ending back to Hogs & Heifers Saloon in downtown Las Vegas (201 North 3rd Street). Click to Read The Full Story …

Randy Owen & Sugarland To Perform At The Fremont Street Experience During The Week Vegas Goes Country For The 43rd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards – The Academy of Country Music (ACM) is announcing that on May 16 Randy Owen and on May 17 Sugarland will perform at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is the title sponsor of the two-day party featuring free, open-to-the-public musical performances and boot-stompin’ fun. Click to Read The Full Story …

‘Legends In Concert’ Celebrates Silver Anniversary – Longest-Running Independently Owned Production Show On The Strip – On May 5, 1983, tribute artists Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, Marilyn Monroe, Bobby Darin and Elvis performed on the stage at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino, and “Legends in Concert” was born. (Tickets) More than 15,000 performances later, impersonators Jay Leno, Dolly Parton, Madonna, the Temptations and Elvis will take to the stage on Monday, May 5, as “Legends” reaches a significant milestone achieved by few entertainment shows anywhere: 25 years of providing family-oriented, value-priced live musical entertainment, two shows per night, six nights per week. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The Lady M – Part Two – with Victor H. Royer. “See those machines?” he asked, pointing to the three new machines that were brought over. I nodded. “These are $500 machines,” he continued. “That’s $500 per token! And each machine takes three of them. That’s $1,500 per pull, on three machines at the same time. She bets $4,500 per pull. It takes about one minute for her to make these pulls. There are 60 minutes per hour, right? This means she puts in $270,000 per hour! Actually, given distractions, hand-pays, and so on, it averages to about $230,000 to $250,000 per hour. Every hour. And she plays for eight to twelve hours per session. That’s pretty good for one player.” Click to Read Complete Article…


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Mark’s family is in town from the Miami area this week and I’m pulling a little double-duty so we can free him up for some needed time off. This Members Mania section (where we print reader comments and questions with my answers) will return next week

A quick non-Vegas tip for this week: If you enjoy visiting Florida’s Emerald Coast (Destin, Pensacola, and Panama City Beach), our good friend Harley Van Hyning has a twice-monthly newsletter for that area very similar to this one! He’s an area native and shares all the inside tips, plus links to their local news stories (of interest to visitors) and area photos.

If you love to visit that area (as I do), subscribing is a must. There is no charge and we’ll make it easy: Simply visit DestinFloridaPodcast.com and use the sign-up box on the right sidebar. (Hint: the podcast newsletter is the ásame one with all the features noted above).

Happy Reading!


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

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

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

  • Victoria Day, Canada May 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10

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

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

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


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

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

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

May 14, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

á

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 7, 2007

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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

Can’t see all the great photos and graphics? Click to Read This Issue Online! Need to contact us? Send feedback to AllVegasTV@aol.com

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Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online. This newsletter is free!

This newsletter is published exclusively for visitors to AccessVegas.Com and can only be signed up for there. We do not buy or rent lists, and this information is only for our members and guests. If you feel you have received it in error, click the unsubscribe link at the bottom. To subscribe, visit our Newsletter Site.


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

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Free Photos, Wallpaper, and Streaming Videos

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

Hello From Las Vegas! March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day collide over the weekend in just one week (from publication date). The 10 day forecast is showing temps in the low 80’s (F) for March 16 – 18, 2007. Rooms are going quickly, so don’t delay. Check out our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals for the best deals still available!

Spamalot Opens Big – The amazingly successful Monty Python show based on the screenplay of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is opening preview performances as we go to press, with the official show opening at the end of the month. John O’Hurley, (J. Peterman on “Seinfeld.” , “Dancing with the Stars” season one champion, “Family Feud” host) leads the cast which includes Nikki Crawford as The Lady of the Lake. We’ll have reports and reviews as things progress, but tickets are available now: Monty Python’s Spamalot Tickets

Stardust To Go Boom – Local TV station KLAS reported just a couple of days ago that the Stardust implosion will be in the early morning of Tuesday March 13. Earlier, the rumored date had been March 12. (Interestingly enough, KLAS pulled the story off their site, but we have the cached link).

Although historically a big deal and advance notice was made of implosions, the crowd and traffic control would get overwhelming. Now, implosions are usually announced only a few hours in advance. If you are going to be in town this coming week, keep your ear to the ground, maybe catch the evening local news both days, and cross your fingers that you get to see it!

Limos Are Hot and I mean red hot. I was sifting through some of the reservations we’ve taken just today, and you would be surprised at how many are flying on on Southwest or Allegiant or similar discount airline, then kicking off your vacation with a limo ride from the airport to your hotel.

An airline seat is an airline seat, but nothing rocks your vacation from the very first minute like being whisked away in a limo, and the grand entrance you make at the hotel is priceless! The cost? Not much more than a cab. Seriously. Click to check our our limo rates and see for yourself!

Enjoy This Issue!



American Superstars Show At The Stratosphere Casino Hotel And Tower Adds New Christina Aguilera Tribute – The American Superstars show (Tickets) at the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower has added Lorena Peril as Christina Aguilera to its line-up of celebrity tributes to yesterday’s and today’s hottest music stars, announced American Casino & Entertainment Properties officials. “Christina Aguilera is one of the hottest performers today with the definitive voice of her generation. When Lorena Peril takes the stage she gives her all to create an amazing tribute that reminds us of why Christina Aguilera is a true musical superstar,” says Mark Callas, who produces American Superstars with his Springtime Productions partner, Donny Moore. Click to Read The Full Story …

Polly Esther’s Nightclub to Host Grand Opening Party March 16 – Totally Far Out Celebration to Feature Deborah Gibson and Danny Bonaduce – Polly Esther’s nightclub at the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower is kicking off the party that lasts four decades with a celebration pulling out all the stops on Friday, March 16. The grand opening festivities will feature performances by ’80s pop star Deborah Gibson and a John Travolta impersonator, and ’70s icon Danny Bonaduce serving themed drinks from the Partridge Family Bus-Bar.

Also appearing that night will be David Boreanaz from Fox’s hit show “Bones” and former GUESS girl and Victoria Secret model Larissa Bond. Polly Esther’s will soft open on Thursday, March 15, with an appearance by Leif Garrett and performances by the ’70s band the Bay City Rollers and ’80s cover band Spandex. The celebrations continue on Saturday night with performances by ’80s pop star Tiffany and a John Travolta impersonator. Barry Williams from “The Brady Bunch” will be serving up “Brady Punch” and other themed cocktails. Doors open at 9 p.m. each night, and the cost for entry varies throughout the evenings. Click to Read The Full Story …

Kenny Chesney To Bring His 2007 Flip-Flop Summer Tour To Mandalay Bay Events Center May 3 & 4 – Country music star Kenny Chesney (Tickets) will heat up the summer concert circuit with his 2007 Flip-Flop Summer Tour presented by Cruzan Rum. The tour stops at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Thursday, May 3 and Friday, May 4 at 8 p.m. Country sensations Pat Green and Sugarland are scheduled to open both shows. Chesney, who owns the honor of having the single-most attended tour in North America last year with “The Road & The Radio Tour 2006,” places a strong emphasis on performing for the fans and bringing them not only the biggest show, but the best. Click to Read The Full Story …

Barry Manilow Celebrates Second Year At Las Vegas Hilton – Barry Manilow is celebrating the second anniversary of his hit show, Manilow: Music and Passion (Tickets) at the Las Vegas Hilton. “We congratulate Barry Manilow on a great year of success, not only at the Las Vegas Hilton, but in winning an Emmy award and his ‘Greatest Songs’ success on the charts,” said Ken Ciancimino, Las Vegas Hilton executive vice president. “Barry’s phenomenal appeal and his staying power as our long-term headliner make him an enduring symbol in this erratic Las Vegas entertainment market.” Click to Read The Full Story …

702 Series: Sush Machida Gaikotsu April 14 – July 8, 2007 LVAM Members’ Preview Reception: April 13, 7-8:30pm – The Las Vegas Art Museum is pleased to present an exhibition of recent paintings by Sush Machida Gaikotsu, April 13 July 8, 2007. The exhibition is the second installment in the Las Vegas Art Museum’s ongoing 702 Series. The 702 Series features solo exhibitions by artists who were born or raised in Las Vegas, who initiated their careers in Las Vegas, or who live and work in our city today. The series showcases works by artists who exhibit regularly in one or more major art centers, and have achieved national or international recognition for their accomplishments. Born in Maebashi City, Japan, Gaikotsu has been a Las Vegas resident since 1999. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Pearl To Hold The Venue’s First Ever UFC Fight Night Live April 5 – Main Event Will Air On Spike TV Featuring Lightweights Joe “Daddy” Stevenson vs. Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard – The first ever UFC Fight Night (Tickets) live from The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort is set to take place on April 5 and be telecast live to millions of fans on Spike TV. The UFC Fight Night series on Spike TV feature many of the biggest names in the world of mixed martial arts and this main event of the inaugural fight at The Pearl will be no exception featuring lightweights Joe “Daddy” Stevenson vs. Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard. “Having The Pearl host the April 5 Fight Night shows the versatility of the theater for live entertainment. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: Playing Internet Tournaments — Part 6 — Luck and Volatility – with Victor H. Royer. The third and final of those points that required a great deal of adjustment for real world poker players making the transition to the Internet tournaments, was the simple fact of the enormously atrocious play that you will find being committed by so many players, and in fact the vast majority of them entering all such tournaments. This is especially so for the small buy-in tournaments, because many are populated by absolute novices and complete amateurs. There is nothing wrong with that, because it is precisely this opportunity that allows many players to begin in this way, and then learn as they go along and progress to a point where they get better. Click to Read Complete Article

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Candlewood Suites Las Vegas – Candlewood Suites is not your traditional hotel, and that is the best part! At the Candlewood Suites Las Vegas we put the amenities where they really count: in the rooms! That means a big suite with a full kitchen and plenty of space to stretch out! Each suite has a full kitchen complete with microwave, full sized refrigerator and all your utensils and pans to cook with. You can work efficiently at your oversized executive desk using high speed Internet as well as two separate phone lines, check email and talk on the phone at the same time.

Vegas Streaming Video Of The Week: Luxor Las Vegas – Thousands of years ago-pharaohs reined supreme over limitless playground of lavish indulgence-fine food and drink and the best entertainment the world had to offer. Today this luxurious lifestyle lives on within the walls of the great pyramid at the Luxor Las Vegas. Voted one of the top 50 resorts in the world by discriminating readers of gourmet magazine Luxor offers an unparalleled travel and vacation experience.

  • Click To View Luxor Las Vegas: Broadband (only)


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photo – Frankie Anselmo submitted this great photo of Bellagio Las Vegas:

If you have a great photo of Las Vegas to share with our readers (can be artistic or just a really enjoyable photo), send them to us at allvegastv@aol.com. Click to more Photos of Bellagio Las Vegas.


I am getting the impression that Las Vegas is becoming a vacation destination for the rich and famous, and that the average family would not be happy or rather they would be disappointed in a trip there. I thought Vegas was always affordable, but anymore I am thinking Disney is just as cheap. Any comments on the matter would be appreciated.

Thank You

“DRBLUIZE”

Ted Responds:

Attention Readers,

I’m going to let you take over this question! Some people find Las Vegas too expensive, and some still find it reasonable compared to other destinations. Some may enjoy bringing their families here while others feel Las Vegas should be 21 and over.

I’ve posted the original question in our message boards here:
Las Vegas: Family Friendly, or For Rich?

Our message boards are once again operating at full speed, so now is a great time to get in and post your thoughts and answers on what you feel is happening to Las Vegas, and if it is a good family vacation!


Hi,

On a recent TV show- the “Hungry Detective” off the strip restaurants such as Ellis island (behind super 8) were featured. He mentioned a discount coupon book that is available at some locations for the asking. We are traveling on a limited budget & would appreciate any coupons/ tips that you can share. Looking forward to visiting in 3 weeks!!!!

Thanks!

Debbie

Ted Responds:

First I’m going to tell you where to get discount books and stuff, then I’m going to tell you pretty much not to use them, then I’ll tell you about the steak special (which doesn’t need a coupon).

  1. In your room will be one or more free magazines that will have quite a few coupons in it. Also, if you hunt down the “players club booth” in most hotels, they will often have one for the taking.á

  2. By all means use the coupons for things you already were thinking about doing, of that you feel would be very interesting to you. However, don’t get caught in what I call the “coupon trap:”Your time here is very valuable. When you take what you are spending to get here plus the price of a room and food and divide that into the 16 hours a day you won’t be in your room, you are going to find out that you might be spending $10.00 or more per hour just go actually be here.

    The Strip is over four miles long, traffic often makes it slow going even if you take the bus (let alone a cab) and you need to think twice about whether it is worth spending valuable time (and money unless you are walking) just getting somewhere to save a few bucks on something that only marginally interest you.

    I’ve never talked to anyone who was unhappy that they splurged on something they really wanted to check out here. But I’ve talked to plenty of said “We had a coupon and it was a hassle to get there and it wasn’t that good…”. You get the picture.

    á

  3. Ellis Island has a complete steak dinner for $4.95. It is good. It is off the menu, so you need to ask for it. There is often a 25-45 minute wait at the coffee shop to get in to enjoy it so you have plenty of time to lose money in their casino before you sit down to eat. Still, it is close enough to The Strip to enjoy if you are staying near center strip. Here’s a Google Map to Ellis Island Casino.


Have a Vegas comment or question? Post To Our Message Boards!

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

  • Post a trip report to our brand new Trip Report Message Board section! (Simply click on the New Thread option. You may be prompted to register if a fist time user. That keeps our boards safe and spam-free)!
  • Post a comment, Vegas suggestion, or question to the appropriate category of our Message Boards.
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

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

  • 2007

  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17 (Falls on a Saturday)
  • March Madness (NCAA Basketball Playoffs) March 15-18, March 22-25, Final Four March 31-April 2
  • Victoria Day (Canada) May 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 26-28 (3 day weekend)
  • Mothers Day May 13
  • Fathers Day June 17
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday (Canada) August 6 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day September 1-3 (3 day weekend)
  • Columbus Day (USA), Thanksgiving Day (Canada) October 6-8 (3 day weekend)
  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

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

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

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



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

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

All contents copyright 2007 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

March 7, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – December 13, 2006

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


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

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Free Photos, Wallpaper, and Streaming Videos

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

Hello From Las Vegas! Our best wishes to Celine Dion who is taking some unscheduled time off to recover from a severe respiratory virus. She’s taking the time needed to heal and rest in anticipation of her 2007 gigs at Caesars. We have Celine tickets on sale through June of 2007, and her replacements (Cher and Bette Midler) have already been signed. If you have been putting off seeing Celine or want to catch the show again, do not delay in getting tickets now. Celine Dion Tickets

The rumble for New Year’s Eve is heating up in a huge way and as now is the norm, $500,000 worth of fireworks will be shot off from hotels all the way up and down The Strip. If being inside at what are sure to be the hottest club parties on the planet, you need to be snapping up tickets or making your bottle/table reservations now. ASAP.

The huge party is the Nightclubs.com Party at the Empire Ballroom and we have that and information on all the New Years Eve Las Vegas Nightclub Parties or we’ll have people on hand to personally help you with the 411 if you call 800-696-5721.

We have a new section for links to stories about the smoking ban at the end of our usual news story links section later in this issue. For those who just want an executive summary:

A judge has temporarily halted enforcement of the new rules until a hearing on the constitutionality of the law has been heard. The anti-smoking forces who wrote the law exempted casinos (nobody would want to take on that fight). But in doing so, the law may unfairly discriminate against the local bar and grills all over Las Vegas (which are essentially min-casinos).

Mayor Oscar Goodman makes it no secret that he loves his martinis. So much that he’s going to teach a one-credit class at Community College of Southern Nevada this February on how to make the perfect martini. (No, this isn’t a joke). Gotta love Vegas!

If you are thinking of coming for New Year’s Eve, it’s time go book. Now. Room prices will only rise, and tickets to the hottest events are already starting to get very tight. We have a ton of links and information in this issue, and as always, your best bet for hotel reservations is Las Vegas Hotel Deals.

Enjoy This Issue!



Important Note: During peak times, some of our news and event story links may take extra time to load. We are working on significant upgrades to handle this increased demand. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience during the extra few seconds a story may take to appear when you click on it.

Summer Ferguson Of ‘Crazy Girls’ In Ballet Number ‘The Heart’ – Summer Ferguson of “Crazy Girls” does “The Heart” the only ballet number in the revamped show that is in its 20th year at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. The 5-foot-9-inch statuesque dancer says, “Performing runs in my family. My mom and aunt were both Lakers’ cheerleaders with Paula Abdul.” I began my dance lessons at age two. I’d like to be a Victoria’s Secret model. After “Crazy Girls” I stay up all night.” With the recent press about the phasing out of shoeshine workers, Summer reports that she used to earn a good living when she was only 16 years old working at the hotels and once got a $2,500 tip. Click to Read The Full Story and Purchase Tickets …

Christina Aguilera At Mandalay Bay – Pop-music star Christina Aguilera launches her 41-city “Back to Basics” 2007 North American tour in February and will bring her high-energy show to the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, March 3. Special guests The Pussycat Dolls, as well as Danity Kane, are scheduled as the opening acts for the evening set to begin at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story and Purchase Tickets …

The Cannery Celebrates Elvis Presley’s Birthday on January 5 and 6 – Friends of Elvis to Make Special Appearance – The Cannery Casino & Hotel celebrates Elvis Presley’s life with a 72nd birthday celebration on January 5 and 6, 2007 hosted by Elvis expert Steve Christopher with special performances by Johnny Fortuno and The Stamps Quartet as well as a meet and greet with friends and co-stars of Elvis Presley. Tickets are $10 at the door and the celebration begins at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

Barry Manilow tickets for his long-term engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton are available for his May-through-December 2007 schedule. Click for Barry Manilow Tickets

Dr. Scott Lewis Takes Advantage – Las Vegas will be packed with holiday revelers and a packed town means packed Box Office. Riviera headliner Dr. Scott Lewis reminds, “while most shows are on vacation, I’ll be performing four extra shows between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, each night at 7 p.m. I hope I can mesmerize my holiday visitors on Wednesday through Saturday, December 27, 28, 29 & 30. I meet and greet every audience member after the show. Maybe one day, they’ll be an on-stage participant in my show!” Click to Read The Full Story and Purchase Tickets …

Music Legend Eric Clapton At MGM Grand – Music legend Eric Clapton will return to the United States for the second leg of his 2006-2007 U.S. Tour following a number of sold-out shows overseas. The MGM Grand Garden Arena will host Clapton’s performance Saturday, March 10 at 8 p.m., which will feature Robert Cray as the opening act. Click to Read The Full Story and Purchase Tickets …

One-of-a-Kind Baldwin Piano Painted By Peter Max Available To Highest Bidder For Charity – World-renowned artist Peter Max unveiled a one-of-a-kind Baldwin Baby 5’2″ Grand piano during Thanksgiving weekend at The Art of Peter Max Gallery in the Forum Shops in Las Vegas as part of a charity campaign to raise funds for The Gibson Foundation and Max’s Global Works Foundation. The piano is on display between the hours of 10am and 11pm PT daily. Click to Read The Full Story …

3121 Jazz Cuisine Expands Hours – 3121 Jazz Cuisine and Chef Lena Morgan invite guests to continue the party after experiencing a night on the dance floor in 3121 with a new late nite menu. The new menu will be offered from midnight until 5 am every Friday and Saturday night with Late Nite Snax including crispy plantains with seared diver scallops, Jamaican jerk jam and mango coulis; petite Kobe burgers with Vidalia onions, melted brie cheese and sweet potato fries; Creole spiced seared shrimp with avocado salsa in a tortilla cup; a selection of flat bread pizzas; and much more. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: Playing Big Pairs in Tournaments — Part One – with Victor H. Royer. Over the next series of articles, I am going to ask you to consider some of the big pairs in Poker and how you should (could) play them in poker tournaments. As odd as this may seem, there are many different ways in which you can (or should) play big pairs, including pocket Aces. This also includes hands like Ace-King.

Many players think (feel) that these are the kinds of hands that play themselves. While it may be OK for you to play like that at home, that’s not what you should (ought) to do in poker tournaments. Even big pairs like Aces aren’t always candidates for the same kind of consideration, and most certainly so for poker tournaments. So, here we are going to explore some of the possibilities, and some of the reasons for them. Click to Read Complete Article

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Sirens of TI Pirate Show – The Sirens recently celebrated the third anniversary of their free show in from of Treasure Island (TI) Las Vegas. They are taking a couple of weeks but will return strong in time for New Years Eve. In the meantime, enjoy great photos from this popular show.

Vegas Streaming Video Of The Week – Jet Nightclub Grand Opening Preview (December 2005) – One year ago, Jet Nightclub at The Mirage opened to the public with Kid Rock at the turntables. This is Las Vegas and too much of a good thing is never enough, so Kid Rock is back fresh off of his split from Pamela Anderson and he’ll again be hosting the New Year’s Eve party at Jet! Jet Reservations, VIP Tickets and Bottle Service/Table Reservations call 800-696-5721.

  • Click To View Jet Nightclub Grand Opening Preview (December 2005): Broadband (only)


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Readers Write:

Really enjoy the newsletter, finding it very informative.

The thing that bothers me, is, all the old names are dying. The Dunes, Sands and Hacienda have all been razed and the property rebuilt upon with the new properties having new names (not a bad idea when it comes to the Hacienda).

Now it’s Stardust. I used to be a frequent guest and would much rather it retain it’s name, rather than the proposed Echelon Place. This property isn’t changing ownership so a name change will do nothing but distance former patrons.

Thanks

Jim O’Hara

Chicago

Ted Responds:

Having lived here since 1993 (long enough to get used to the actual hotels you are referencing), I couldn’t agree more. In a few more years, most newer visitors and new residents will probably think the street names “Sands” and “Desert Inn” were some cute street names thought up by home developers.

I am pleased to see that Tropicana Ave. will continue to lead to The Tropicana for now (the upgrade of the property by new owners at this time doesn’t appear to involve a name change).

However, I do wish that Venetian owner Sheldon Anderson had done something more to let The Sands name live on (outside of keeping the convention center so named). It would be nice if the Encore addition to Wynn Las Vegas had a “Desert Inn Lounge” and similar with Stardust.

Couple of interesting quick notes:

  • I was among the first to note what a lousy, stupid name Echelon Place is, a comment that is echoed by many local pundits. They still have time to change it and I hope they do.
  • Of all the names you mentioned, The Hacienda actually lives on. A small hotel/casino between Boulder City and Hoover Dam now has the name, as a result of some of the former Hacienda parent company owners being involved the hotel by Hoover Dam.

Bottom line: The new Vegas is exciting, but some connections to the past would be welcome. If anything, the vibe people of all ages come here for is the swinging times that were originally made famous by the Rat Pack.


Hi Ted,Love reading your column. My friend and I (both in our 60’s) stayed at Wynn Resort recently. It was fabulous and spoils me for staying anywhere else! I have been going to Vegas since the 60’s and used to stay at the Sands…..then Harrah’s. By the way, what have they done to Harrah’s? We loved Rita Rudner’s show but the casino was awful and used to be so nice and low-key.

Thanks,

Sara

Ted Responds:

Harrah’s has “cranked things up a few notches” over the past few years to achieve a party atmosphere to attract a younger crowd. But that does raise some interesting questions to our readers near or in their retirement years:

1. With so many hotels wanting to be “hip” and cater to people barely old enough to drink, what hotels do you no longer visit, and more importantly, which hotels do you love and feel very comfortable at?

2. Now that are are at (or near) retirement, do you come to Las Vegas as much as you used to, more often, or do you feel that Las Vegas isn’t so much your cup of tea and don’t visit so much? If not so much, where else are you going on vacation (gambling city or otherwise)?

We have set up an area of our message boards for you to weigh in:
Is Las Vegas Still OK If You Aren’t 21?

Please remember: Our message boards are sometimes running slow during peak times. Please be patient: The pages will appear and you will be able to read and post after a few seconds.


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More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

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Special Section: New Year’s Eve 2006-2007
Parties, Events, Dining
Special Section: Nevada Smoking Ban Stories Updated

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

  • 2006

  • Christmas December 22-25 (3 day weekend – Christmas on Monday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (3 day weekend – New Years on Monday)
  • 2007

  • Martin Luther King Day January 13-15 (3 day weekend)
  • Presidents Day February 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Christmas December 22-25 (3 day weekend)
  • St. Patricks Day March 17 (Falls on a Saturday)
  • March Madness (NCAA Basketball Playoffs) March 15-18, March 22-25, Final Four March 31-April 2
  • Victoria Day (Canada) May 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 26-28 (3 day weekend)
  • Mothers Day May 13
  • Fathers Day June 17
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday (Canada) August 6 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day September 1-3 (3 day weekend)
  • Columbus Day (USA), Thanksgiving Day (Canada) September 6-8 (3 day weekend)
  • Christmas December 25 (4 day weekend – Christmas on Tuesday)
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 29 – January 1 (4 day weekend – New Years on Tuesday)

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All contents copyright 2006 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

December 13, 2006 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

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