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Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 28, 2007

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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

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

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Free Photos, Wallpaper, and Streaming Videos

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

Hello From Las Vegas! Spring Break and March Madness are pretty much in the rear-view mirror with our typical unpredictable spring weather. Clouds and 60’s (F) last week, sun and 80’s this week with some wind. However, the cold is gone for good and pool weather looks here to stay until mid-October!

Bill’s Hotel and Gambling Saloon – sounds like the name of some small joint in Reno. But in reality, it is the new name of the Barbary Coast on The Strip. The disdain for this new name is pretty much universal, especially since the hotel actually has a great location and nice rooms and it now sounds like a third-rate joint.

They couldn’t keep the previous name because they bought it from the group that owns the other Coast Casinos around town. But how about just calling it the Barbary, or Barbary Point, or the New Barbary? It is too late now… the expense of swapping out all the chips and signs and everything else would make them think twice. But thumbs down to whoever decided on Bill’s.

Construction Updates – In the next few weeks, we’ll have a few features on all the new construction on The Las Vegas Strip. Las Vegas is always changing… always something new even for regular visitors.

Enjoy This Issue!

“X” Burlesque Brings Sexy Back To The Flamingo Las Vegas – World Famous “X” Girls Take Audiences On A Wild Ride Beginning Feb. 12 – “X” marks the spot at Flamingo Las Vegas with the arrival of the provocative new show, “X” Burlesque (tickets) on February 12. The sexy production is housed in the intimate 180-seat Flamingo Cabaret, allowing audiences to get up close and personal with the six beautiful and talented female dancers. “X” Burlesque combines imaginative choreography with outrageous props such as bungees, bathtubs and beds to excite the crowd and leave them anxiously wondering what’s next. Click to Read The Full Story …

Roger Waters The Creative Genius Behind Pink Floyd Will Perform His Masterpiece, The Dark Side Of The Moon, At The MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, June 16 – Roger Waters, co-founder and principal songwriter of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, will stop in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, June 16 to perform the epic rock masterpiece, The Dark Side Of The Moon, in its entirety (tickets). The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. The arena will feature state-of-the-art staging, lighting and sound. The show will utilize elaborate, large-scale video projections and theatrical staging to underscore and accentuate the power of the music, delivered via a state-of-the-art 360-degree quadraphonic sound system. Click to Read The Full Story …

Aerosmith To Headline The Lili Claire Foundation’s ‘A Concert for Lili Claire’ Saturday, April 28 At Mandalay Bay – Rock ‘n Roll Legends to Raise Money for Foundation to Benefit Children with Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Autism and other Neuro-Developmental Disorders. After much anticipation, The Lili Claire Foundation announced today that rock ‘n’ roll icon band Aerosmith will perform at The Lili Claire Foundation’s ‘A Concert for Lili Claire’ (tickets) Saturday, April 28á at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Sirens of TI New Show Times û Continuing their celebration as TI’s sauciest vixens for three years running, the Sirens of TI are gearing up for summer with new show times. Sure to pack The Strip in front of Treasure Island with every show, beginning March 12, the Sirens will appear nightly at 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. From daring swordplay to high-diving acrobatics and eye-popping pyrotechnics, the Sirens of TI is packed with countless thrills. The music, dance, excitement and seduction in this modern musical-meets-action-movie spectacular captivate viewers nightly.

Ricky Martin Brings His Black & White Tour To Mandalay Bay Saturday, April 21 – Following on the heels of his critically acclaimed No. 1 debut album MTV Unplugged, and its international chart-topping first single. “Tu Recuerdo,” Ricky Martin (tickets) kicks off his Black & White Tour in April and will stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, April 21. The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

Vegas Grand Prix Announces All-Star Lineup For Friday Night Street Party – Performers Include Big & Rich With Cowboy Troy And Chris Cornell – Vegas Grand Prix organizers announced today that the entertainment lineup for the Vegas Grand Prix Friday Night Street Party on April 6 will include hit country duo Big & Rich with Cowboy Troy, alternative rocker Chris Cornell, rock amalgamation Army of Anyone and up-and-coming indie band the Teddybears. “This will be an amazing night. We’re presenting one of the most eclectic concert lineups downtown Vegas has ever seen,” said Dale Jensen, partner in DDB Ventures, the company that owns Vegas Grand Prix. Click to Read The Full Story …

PT’s Entertainment Group was awarded “#1 Non-Hotel Bar” in Las Vegas in this year’s Las Vegas Weekly 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards. – PT’s Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of the Golden Tavern Group and Nevada’s largest tavern operator, accepted their award at a party commemorating all winners at TAO Nightclub located in The Venetian on Thursday, March 15. “It is such a thrill for us to receive this award on behalf of the readers and guests whose loyalty to PT’s makes us the success we are today,” said Christopher Abraham, vice president of marketing of Golden Gaming, Inc. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: Poker Theory vs. Reality — Part Two – with Victor H. Royer. Assuming that we accept the three items outlined in the last issue, Part One of this two-part article, what exactly is it that we find? Is it the reality that we will receive pocket Aces exactly each 220 deals like clockwork? Well, of course not. Nevertheless, the theory indicates that that should be the case. The same applies to the winning percentage when beginning with pocket Aces being about 1/3rd of the time. Does that mean that it will always happen like that each and every time? Well, of course not. Click to Read Complete Article

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens Celebrates Year of the Boar – If you weren’t in town during the past couple of months, you missed Bellagio’s most recent Botanical Gardens display featuring A Regal Pig, Benevolent God of Wealth and Fortune, and Tranquil Koi Ponds to Bring in Chinese New Year which included an 18-foot-tall Chinese God of Wealth and Fortune atop a gleaming pile of golden lucky coins and Koi ponds and formal rock gardens filled with rare Taihu stones. Have no fear… we have the photos right here!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photo – Paul Maskew submitted this great photo of Bellagio Las Vegas taken from The Aladdin across the street:

Hi Ted,

Thought you might like this photo I took from my room at The Aladdin in August 2005. This was my last visit with my wife and we’re missing the place already!

This was our 4th visit since my wife and I were married at The little Church of The West in October 2001 and we can’t get enough of the place. Hopefully back next year.

Incidentally, the room at the Aladdin was a complimentary upgrade since my wife complained about the “tired” looking bedding!! It has to be the best view ever.

Paul Maskew,

Manchester, England

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.

Important Note: Due to volume of email, we can’t answer every email question personally, nor begin to include them in this section. However, we will respond to all questions posted to our Message Boards. Many of the same questions are asked on a regular basis, and letting us reply in the message boards helps other travelers who may have the same questions or who can share their first-hand answers.

Hi Ted:I am a Vegas-aholic. In the last three years I’ve been to Vegas 5 times, staying at the Riviera, Excalibur, NYNY, Stratosphere and Flamingo. I will grace your city in August, I’ll be staying at the Stardust. I visit your website frequently.

I am worried about my beloved Las Vegas. Every time I come down I see more and more condominium developments going up on the strip!! The strip is busy enough with tourists, we don’t need thousands of people LIVING there. As middle-class hotels like the Stardust are torn down, up goes a multi-million dollar condominium complex. So in 10 years what will become of the LV strip? A haven for millionaires only? After all, who will be able to afford these condos except for millionaires? Is that what the goal of the city planners is? Do they no longer want to attract the middle class?

If you have any information on what the goals of the city planners are, I’d really like to hear from you. Thanks

Marty

Toronto ON

Ted Responds:

The condos in question are (for the most part) glorified hotel room or suite. Basically not much more than a hotel room with a full kitchen, perhaps a separate bedroom. Very few people are likely to make them a full time residence. For the price of one of these condo units right on The Strip, you can buy a really nice, big condo or home within 10-15 minutes of The Strip much more suitable for a full time local.

Most of these condo units will be used as a regular place to stay when the owner is here, and rented out to visitors the rest of the year. This will actually in effect create more visitor rooms in Las Vegas, helping keep the price of rooms down in general (more supply of anything tends to drive down prices).

The city planners have no say or “goal” in attempting to influence what kind visitor that comes to Las Vegas. It is 100% driven by the free market. If the demand for condos on The Strip exists, developers build them. As we’ve seen from some of the failed projects, the demand wasn’t quite as high as some thought.

Hi Ted,We enjoy visiting Vegas during quiet times(a relative term). Of these three dates,which one would best meet that criteria and be less crowded? June 3-8 June 10-15 July 8-13?.

The very hot weather is not a concern, nor is the possible lack of Headliners at that time. We stay Downtown, so conventions being held should not be a problem,although we do have to arrive and leave from the airport.

Sue & Sam

Ted Responds:

Rule of thumb, the hotter the weather, the less people in town and lower the rates. However, Las Vegas really doesn’t have any “off” times like it used to. And except for December, the flow of concerts and entertainers is pretty constant.

Here is some really good and easy rules of thumb to book the less crowded times:

1. Room rates are subject to demand. If flexible, picking the dates where the rates are lower will generally be less crowded (if you can ever call Las Vegas “less crowded” anymore).

2. The second thing you may then wish to do is check out our Concert Calendar for your dates at www.accessvegas.com/entertainment

You may see that a concert or headliner you really want so catch is coming during one of the times you are looking at visiting, and this may be worth paying a few more bucks for the room where you are here. There is nothing like seeing a concert here. No worries about going to work the next day, fun, relaxed… totally different vibe!

Side Note: We post concerts as soon as we have ticket availability, but keep in mind that many events don’t go on sale until 2-3 months before the event.

Hope this helps!

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!

Readers Rants, Raves, and Questions – Great reader questions and comments from our Access Vegas Message Boards. Help someone out or post your own comment or question!

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

  • 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 28, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – January 22, 2005

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In This Issue: Latest From Las Vegas, Limos Are Hot, Dirk Arthur and Tigers Wallpaper, Barry Manilow Is #1, Free Internet Poker Advice, Photo of Rio Las Vegas, Members Mania, more ….

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!

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.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Free Photos, Wallpaper, and Streaming Videos
Free Online Games!

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

Hello From Las Vegas! The Tropicana may or may not be a victim of an implosion later on this year, but Dirk Arthur is celebrating his one year anniversary there with no signs of letting up. Catch it while you can! Who would have thought that Barry Manilow would have a #1 selling CD? And the only place to see him is Las Vegas! We’ve got a great, free audio clip from our Gaming Expert Victor H. Royer in this issue, filling you on on how to win.

After a few cold and windy days (including some light rain last Sunday), the week ahead is looking good with highs in the 70’s!

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!

Last Chance To Win the book Powerful Profits At Internet Poker by our gaming expert Victor H. Royer. If you are new to internet poker, interested in it, or playing and not getting the results you want, you need this book. And we are giving away five copies! Enter Drawing For Powerful Profits From Internet Poker. We also have a link to a free 14 minute expert audio segment on this topic later in the newsletter.

Insider Vibe Broadcast/Podcast returns next week! We accomplished significant upgrades to handle the demand to listen, and I’m looking forward to being back “on the air!”

Enjoy This Issue!

Xtreme Magic starring
Dirk Arthur

Xtreme Magic Starring Dirk Arthur celebrates its first year at the Tropicana Resort & Casino this month. The success of the afternoon production show in the Tiffany Theatre has led to an extension through April 1, 2006. Magician Dirk Arthur continues to amaze audiences with his “Xtreme Magic.” He is known for his grand illusions, which include the appearance of a Robinson helicopter and an Amtrak train. He is also recognized for showcasing the largest number of exotic cats ever to appear in an afternoon show on the Las Vegas Strip. Click for Xtreme Magic starring Dirk Arthur Tickets

Special Bonus – Click To Download
Dirk Arthur With Tigers Computer Wallpaper!

Charting Manilow To The Top – Barry Manilow, who headlines at the Las Vegas Hilton with “Manilow: Music and Passion” released his new The Greatest Songs of the Fifties. How’s this for fast? It debuted in the top spot on the Billboard Top 200, giving Barry his best sales week since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The songs of the best-selling album? “Moments To Remember,” “It’s All In The Game,” “Unchained Melody,” “Venus,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing,” “Rags To Riches,” “Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight (Duet with Phyllis McGuire),” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” “Young At Heart,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “What A Difference A Day Made,” and “Beyond The Sea.”

La Femme and MGM Grand Welcome New Ownership of Famed Parent Show Crazy Horse in Paris – New Plans Set for Worldwide Crazy Horse Productions La Femme at MGM Grand and its parent show Crazy Horse in Paris are under new ownership. Founded by French entrepreneur Alain Bernardin in 1951, Crazy Horse had been owned and operated by Bernardin’s three children Didier, Pascal and Sophie since his death in 1994. The Bernardin siblings recently sold their rights to a group of shareholders led by Belgian businessmen Philippe Lhomme and Yannick Kalantarian. Click To Read Full Story …

Gambling Talk Free Audio Lesson: Powerful Profits From Internet Poker – with Victor H. Royer.The games are virtual – the profits are real! Poker is hotter than ever, and these days, you don’t need to live near a casino to play! Internet poker offers the ideal solution for players who know the basics and are looking for a fun, easy way to get into a game. Click and listen to learn how to win at internet poker!

Internationally known band, Chuy & Company Featuring Danielle, take the stage in the Celebration Lounge at The Tropicana. The band has performed all over the world in places such as Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Mazatlan, and Belize. While on tour, Chuy & Company Featuring Danielle served as the opening act for such well-known headliners as Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, and Paul Anka. They entertain audiences with an eclectic mix of music ranging from top hits and classic rock to jazz, Latin, and Country, while adding some impersonations to their show. Performances are Tuesday and Thursday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., and from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. There are no performances Sunday and Monday nights. The show is Free to the public.

“Forever Plaid” Marks One Year Anniversary at the Gold Coast – “‘Forever Plaid’-The Heavenly Musical Hit” recently celebrated its one year anniversary at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino . The show debuted in the Gold Coast Showroom on Jan. 15, 2005. Since opening night, “Forever Plaid” has been a sensational hit, provoking laughter and tears, sometimes at the same time. The showroom continues to be filled with sophisticated audiences who adore ’50s and’60s music, a wholesome story, and never-ending comedic banter. Loyal Plaid enthusiasts return to see the show over and over again. In addition to a year of packed houses at the Gold Coast, the Las Vegas production had a successful six-year run at the Flamingo Las Vegas from 1995 to 2001. They are the first “Forever Plaid” production to reach this many performances. Click To Read The Full Story …

Vegas Streaming Video Of The Week – 1994 Coming Resorts. This historical clip features the Dunes Implosion, Bellagio announcement, New York-New York announcement, Stratosphere construction update, Boomtown (now Silverton), Buffalo Bills, Fiesta and more Click To Watch 1994 Coming Resorts Historical Video: Broadband (only)

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week – Check out the fantastic photos of The Rio. The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, features spacious 600-square foot studio suite accommodations. Resort amenities include 14 award-winning restaurants, five pools including a lagoon and sand beach, full-service salon and spa including a complete fitness center, and the Masquerade Village, complete with Mardi Gras excitement and two floors of boutique shopping.

Nothing Like A Hummer In Vegas! – Girls Go Wild and Boys Go Crazy! That’s what happens in H2 Hummers in Las Vegas on The Strip. Click To Cruise The Vegas Strip Like You Own It!Flying Into Vegas? Get A Limo To Your Hotel or Special Event (dinner, show, etc): For only a few bucks more than a cab, arrive in style after cruising up The Strip. Be the one everyone else envy’s by booking your Las Vegas Limo Reservation now!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Readers Write –

Dear Ted, I’ve just got back from a 7 night vacation in Las Vegas today (Fri) and miss it already. I only lost $10 overall so I’m pleased. I stayed at the Stardust and was very sad to find this magnificent piece of LV history is to die at the end of 2006 – Is there some way to save it and incorporate the main West Tower into the new complex and save the beautiful name?.

Anyway my fave place was off strip – The Rio. It’s floor show in the afternoon is second to none with photo opportunities too – extremely professional and fun too. Long live The Rio. Also what few people in my group realized that some of the best eating establishments are off strip, esp. the Gold Coast Buffet – What a choice – lunchtime buffet only $7.45 – I came out rather heavier than I went in. – Any surveys you run please include me so I can rate the best of Beautiful Las Vegas. Ted keep up the good work.

Regards – Owen (South Shields, England)

Ted Responds – Owen, glad you had such a great time! I’m thrilled and flattered by our friends around the world who love Las Vegas, travel so far to see us, and enjoy our information. Because of the scope of the size of the Stardust replacement, the building will come down. But Radio.AccessVegas.com listeners know that I am no fan of the replacement name “Echelon Place”. At the very least, it would be nice if part of the new complex kept some of the Stardust name. Thanks for writing!

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, and use some of them on our Radio.AccessVegas.com Streaming Broadcast! (Don’t worry … we never broadcast your personal information. All calls used are edited to insure caller privacy).
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

Readers Rants, Raves, and Questions – Great reader questions and comments from our Access Vegas Message Boards. Help someone out or post your own comment or question!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

For comprehensive regular updates of Las Vegas news concerning visitors, events, entertainment, hotels, gambling, real estate, and tourism, please visit our new Las Vegas News Update and enter your email address there to subscribe and stay informed!

Click To Read Latest News:

See All Of The Latest News Stories From
Las Vegas At Our Sister Site AAAVegas.com!

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:

  • March Madness (NCAA College Basketball Playoffs) March 16-19, March 23-26, and April 1-3
  • Mother’s Day May 12-14
  • Memorial Day May 26-29 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 16-18
  • Independence Day June 30 – July 4 (4 day weekend)
  • Labor Day September 1-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparents Day September 8-10
  • Columbus Day October 6-9 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veterans Day November 10-12 (3 day weekend – Friday off)
  • Thanksgiving >November 23-26 (4 day weekend)
  • 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)

Claim your Complimentary Las Vegas Vacation for 2! We’ve partnered with top companies who want to give Vegas lovers some hot freebies. Here is a Las Vegas Vacation for 2 – yours to keep pending participation (not a timeshare promotion)! This and other Great Free Stuff, Bargains, and More on our AccessVegas.com Advertiser Deals page. Click there now!

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 on the main page of AccessVegas.com! 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!

See the Grand Canyon in a Jet Helicopter! For years Maverick Helicopters has been providing a true VIP Helicopter experience of the Grand Canyon. We do things a little different than any other helicopter Company. We give you an adventure of a lifetime and not just another tour of the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas Strip tours plus Helicopter Weddings also available!
For comprehensive regular updates of Las Vegas news concerning visitors, events, entertainment, hotels, gambling, real estate, and tourism, please visit our Las Vegas News Update Site and enter your email address there to subscribe and stay informed!

Vegas Comments and Questions? Post to our message boards and get great advice from people who have been here and done it. And don’t forget our comprehensive Las Vegas Frequently Asked Questions area.

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 2006 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

February 22, 2006 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – October 2, 2002

Posted on by

Welcome to Access Vegas News and Reviews! This is
á the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We
á talk about the Las Vegas attractions, dining, and shows that YOU really care about.

If you receive this by mistake, please note the simple unsubscribe
á instructions at the bottom. Feel free to forward this newsletter to others. To subscribe,
á simply send a blank email to allvegastv@aol.com

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:Hello from Las Vegas! Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. We’ve done a little face lift on the newsletter. Don’t worry … no drastic changes. We moved hotel specials back to the top to give you easy access to them and added the “What’s New” section to highlight the great stuff we add all the time.As usual, we were out all over the place last week. We ran into a reader at Tequila Joe’s (Imperial Palace) which we always enjoy. When at a resort area bar or lounge, I never tell anybody who I am or what I do so I can get people’s honest views of Las Vegas. It is always fun when I find out the person is a reader.Steve and his wife Maria from Windsor (Ontario, Canada) had noted his frustration with cocktail service at some slots. I shared some tips with him and he wrote me a couple of days ago to say hello and thank me. The letter is in feedback along with my tips. We enjoy being able to help!

Las Vegas News: Of Interest To Tourists

Calendar For Charity – Now is the time to get a 2003 Las Vegas calendar and help a good cause. These are the same high quality Las Vegas calendars you find in hotels and gift shops at or below the gift shop price with all proceeds going to charity. See the beautiful photos and purchase info atá 2003 Las Vegas Calendar.

Best “Local’s” Casino – You voted and the results are in! Here are the top Las Vegas local’s casinos (casinos away from the tourist areas usually frequented by residents):

  1. Sam’s Town – Newly remodeled, Sam’s Town appeals not only to the country music fans, but those who want a comfortable place where the rules are good, the food is better, and Mystic Falls indoor park is one of the nicest faux outdoor places to enjoy a cocktail.
  2. The Orleans – Just a mile east of The Strip on Tropicana, The Orleans boasts a comfortable atmosphere, good buffet, great specialty restaurants, regular headliners and concerts, and one of the hottest cocktail waitress outfits in town.
  3. Sunset Station and Gold Coast (tie). You can’t go wrong with either. If you haven’t been in the Gold Coast the past year, you have not been. Remodeled and upgraded to compete with The Palms (across the street), they continue to have great gaming, cheap rooms, and a new buffet that is the best in town for the money.Sunset Station was the top-of-the-line of the Station Casino group until Green Valley Ranch opened. However, few must have made it up to Green Valley Ranch (a favorite of ours) and Sunset gets the win.

This goes to show that we don’t rig our polls! You readers and other site visitors visit AccessVegas.Com and cast your votes, and our double-redundant system insures that nobody can stuff the ballet box. This month, we want to know “What is the best Las Vegas magic show”? Vote now on the main page of AccessVegas.Com

Sahara Korean Barbecue – Chef John recently enjoyed his visit and noted “The Kun-Mandu are beef pot stickers served with an excellent dipping sauce and our other main entree was Kalbee a.k.a. barbecued pork” andá “a Korean restaurant would also be a very good stop for a vegetarian looking for something beyond a tofu burger.” This restaurant is close to The Strip. Read the review with photos.

Larry G. Jones – continues his great, free show at the Fitzgerald’s downtown. So successful has he been, that the hotel has expanded and upgraded the showroom to meet demand! Jones is the “Man of 1,002 Voices.” Go see him now before the hotel figures out it should be charging much more than the one drink minimum to see him. For more info including show times, click to Larry G. Jones – Man of 1,002 Voices.

Readers Are Winning! – Message board members “kimimurad” and “kay” separately reported on recent jackpots here in Las Vegas. “kimimurad” hit at the Luxor for $1600 and $1200 and “kay” played Roaring 20’s slots at the Stardust for 8 hours on a $20 bill and walked away $750 ahead. Tell us about the big jackpot or the nice run you had at the slots in our Gambling / Jackpots forum!

Ladies Day Out – Treat Yourself to Something Special! Spend a fun-filled day doing what we love to do most and are great at…shopping, dining, and relaxing. More details at Ladies Day Out

Nellis Air Show – Nellis Air Force Base will host a two-day air show called Aviation Nation Oct. 5-6. The objective of this event is to give our friends and neighbors throughout Southern Nevada and visitors from throughout the world a behind the scenes look at AmericaÆs Air Force.

The air show will also depict the history of American aviation through numerous additional military and civilian air demonstrations and ground displays. Nearly 100 aircraft from a replica of the original Wright Flyer to some of the nationÆs newest military aircraft will be on display. Details at Nellis Air Show.

Legal Pot – You may have heard that Nevada will legalize marijuana. Maybe, but it won’t be this year. A measure on the ballot would basically legalize 3 oz. or less. It is trailing in the polls, but conjecture is that people don’t answer poll questions of this nature honestly. The bottom line: Nevada law requires constitutional measures to be passed twice to become law. So if it passes this time, another two year wait is ahead.

Subscription “Dues” – This newsletter is absolutely free! We enjoy bringing you great Las Vegas information. If you enjoy our newsletter, we ask two small things: Consider booking your hotels, shows,á tours, and golf through AccessVegas.Com or the links in this newsletter. We have great rates and fantastic selection in every category. Also, turn your friends on to Las Vegas by forwarding a copy to them and suggesting they subscribe. They’ll thank you and we thank you.

Rental Cars – Don’t pay top dollar! Enter the dates of your visit and compare prices from virtually every major rental car agency (most US cities). Book the lowest price company or your regular agency. Save the hassle and some money – Car Rental Savings Search. Few regret renting a car. Free shuttles and city bus rides can be slow and smelly. Taxis can cost what a rental car costs. Your vacation time is valuable — make the most out of it!

Show Review: V The Ultimate Variety Show

Las Vegas is home to some of the greatest entertainment on earth, and because of that many great entertainers and entertainment groups make their home here. Many work in the shows, but what do the rest of them do all the time? Many do well performing private corporate events or home base out of here while spending time on the road.

Producer David Saxe found himself in an interesting situation lately. He had produced Melinda – The First Lady of Magic at The Venetian for the past few years and Melinda recently retired to start a family after a long successful career. Having been a successful Las Vegas show producer, he was familiar with all of the great acts around town and a light bulb went off: Why not bring Las Vegas a show full of cream of the crop acts for an entire show?

Click to read the rest of our review

Show Review Criteria: We understand that Las Vegas attracts visitors of varied budgets and interests. Shows are reviewed on the basis of value for dollar spent as well as to present the reader enough knowledge of the content to make an informed decision.

Featured Golf Course:

Rio Secco Golf Club – Set among the rolling foothills of the Black Mountain Range in Las Vegas, Rio Secco Golf Club provides a world-class golf experience unlike any other. á Designed by Rees Jones, Golf World Magazine’s 1995 “Golf Architect of the Year” and mastermind behind over 100 of the world’s most fabulous courses, the Rio Secco provides both stunning scenery and challenging play.

Additional Las Vegas Golf Courses and Golf Vacations

Featured Tour:

Hoover Dam Express – If you’re short on time, we offer a Hoover Dam Express Tour. You’ll have two full hours at the dam, and your step-on guide will be available to assist you throughout your trip.Our specially designed tour gives you comfort in a customized vehicle where you’ll view a complimentary movie on the construction of the Dam on your way.

Additional Tours Including Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, City, Scenic, National Parks, and Adventure

Reader Feedback

Steve from Windsor, Ontario wrote;

I took your advice and sat down on quarters slot machines to see if the drink service was any better than when I sat down on a nickel machine. I tried this at the Palms and knowing my luck it was no better so I went to the Rio and the service was excellent. I couldn’t even drink the first one fast enough and she was back with another one. I tipped her a dollar every time she came around and after the third one she didn’t even bother to ask me if I wanted one she just brought me one and kept doing so until I told her I was leaving.Why was I leaving a place where I was in my glory you might ask, because the Red, White, and Blue two coin machine I was playing hit on the Double, Red 7, Red 7 so I cashed out. I only had put 20 dollars into the machine and had been playing it for quite some time. Then I went to the Strat to try my luck. I sat at a nickel machine right near the bar and the service was excellent. At the Sahara I played one dollar craps and service was excellent. Actually at Slots Of Fun and Casino Royale where they also had dollar craps the service was good, so I think from my experience your advice worked on where to go to get good drink service.Looking forward on returning to Vegas in January. Keep up the good work on the newsletter as I look forward to seeing it.It was great to meet Steve and his wife. He was telling me how bad cocktail service had been in the nickel areas of various casinos. Turns out that he was often playing the nickel games “loaded” (full coins in — couldn’t get good enough cocktail service to get loaded the other way). Some of those nickel machines take 45 coins ($2.25) a pull and nickel machines are generally the tightest in the casino (letting you win the least).

I noted the simple fact that nickel areas often get the worst cocktail service because nickel players have the reputation for being the worst tippers. Don’t blame the messenger here. That is the perception of cocktail waitresses who work the casino floor day in and day out. I suggested that instead he move up to quarter or even dollar machines.

You can play many quarter machines loaded for 3-5 quarters, and some dollar machines are loaded at $2. This gives you a much better shot at great cocktail service, you are actually playing less per pull than nickels loaded, and the higher denomination machines are usually looser! Of course, tipping the waitress $1 each time doesn’t hurt (which he had already been doing). Speaking of, check out our new In-Depth Tipping Guide.

Gulf Coast Question – Message board member “GulfCoast” is headed here with his wife this fall from the Panama City, Florida area and is wondering if he should fly out of there, Pensacola, or even Atlanta. I know we have readers in the great Southeast and Gulf Coast regions (and we are hoping many of you aren’t harmed by the approaching Lili). Help a neighbor out by letting them know which city you fly here out of in our Travel Questions/Trip Suggestions forum.

Watching The Fireworks – Message board member “me me” asked us about a good place to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Read our suggestions or tell us where you watched them from in years past at our New Year’s Eve forum. Check out our Las Vegas New Year’s Eve page to see what all the fuss is about New Year’s here with photos and free streaming video.

Buffets – The buffet discussion is getting hot and heavy in the forums. If you are a new visitor, stop by and get some great opinions. And if you have been here … co’mon … you know you hit a couple of buffets. Good or bad, go for it in our Interactive Information Forums (message boards). Get on board!

Live From Las Vegas,

Ted Newkirk

CEO
Senior Content Editor
http://www.accessvegas.com

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For comments or questions regarding Las Vegas, our content, or this newsletter please post to our message boards or write us a “letter to the editor” at allvegastv@aol.com. We do certainly read them all and they help shape our content.

New to the list? Click Here for back issues and subscription info.

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000! Click Here To Win

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All contents copyright 2002 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
October 2, 2002 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 16, 2001

Posted on by

WELCOME to Access Vegas News and Reviews, now with subscribers in over 50 countries around the world! This is the official newsletter of http://www.accessvegas.com We talk about the Las Vegas attractions, dining, and shows that YOU really care about.

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* Condos and Vacation Rentals: http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/pickcondo?SID=IVC&LKF=IVC
* Best Tours/Rates for Grand Canyon, Hoover, more: http://www.accessvegas.com/tours
* Airline Tickets, Specials: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm
* Toll Free 24 Hour Hotel Reservation Hotline: 1-800-666-5268

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
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THIS ISSUE: Wolfgang Puck’s Cili

EDITOR’S NOTES: I’m back after a much-needed vacation. The amount of news and info I sift through each week is mind-boggling but I love Las Vegas! I added a short section about my trip for those who might be interested in a nice place to take a beach getaway.

Also, we’ve added four new cities to the 120+ destinations we offer with guaranteed low rates: Edinburgh (Scotland), Nice (France), Madrid (Spain), and Munich (Germany) at http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas and our city on sale this week (listed above) just happens to be Las Vegas.


LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

HOT WEATHER – We just had a string of 100 or near 100 degree days, somewhat unusual for this early in the year but no indication of an unusually hot summer. However, bringing heavy clothes or a jacket to town between now and the end of September is pretty much unnecessary. Weather story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-10-Thu-2001/news/16065186.html

POOL PARTY – New York, New York as cranked up their Sizzling Summer Saturday Pool Party which is running now through Labor Day Weekend. It runs Saturday nights from 5 – 9 PM and features a DJ, dancing, contests, food specials, beer and cocktail availability, prizes and giveaways. Admission is $5 but includes a $3 off coupon for the Manhattan Express Roller Coaster. Hotel guests showing room key enter free and you can check New York, New York room prices and availability at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas.htm (New York, New York link).

MORE ROOMS – Caesars Palace announced Friday plans to build a 900 unit all-suites tower that will be ready for guests in 2004. This is on the heels of the all-suite Venetian finalizing their plans to go ahead with doubling their room inventory with a new tower. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-12-Sat-2001/business/16081286.html

COINLESS SLOTS – are coming, and there really isn’t a way to stop them. Fortunately, the technology is already out there that let’s you cash out on a machine, and take your receipt and stick it in another machine for play, eliminating waits for change and dirty hands. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-03-Thu-2001/business/16011220.html

CBS TELEVISION CITY – is open at the MGM. You can watch a preview of a possible TV show and be part of audience research. Screenings, which begin daily at 9 a.m. and are conducted every 20 minutes, are free. A booth outside the center takes sign-ups from participants. Coupons for $10 off on items in the retail shop are given out for watching the screenings. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-08-Tue-2001/living/15915313.html

ALADDIN BUFFET – A reader recently wrote telling me that the Aladdin buffet had gone downhill to the point that the food was comparable to Denny’s. Because I often note that the Aladdin is one of the top three buffets on the Strip (along with Bellagio and Paris Las Vegas) I stopped in a few days ago to check. I’m pleased to report that is still well worth the $20 price and that the quantity and quality of the food from seafood to deserts continues to be topnotch.

BALLET – is coming to The Rio. In a rare alliance between casino and cultural entities, the Rio will host several Nevada Ballet Theatre performances at its $35 million, 1,500-seat Samba Theatre, including the holiday perennial “The Nutcracker.” Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-08-Tue-2001/living/16043051.html

WETLANDS PARK – Phase one of the park is completed. The 130-acre nature preserve includes paved trails, ponds and wetland areas for wildlife. This first phase also features retaining rock walls to control flood erosion of the Las Vegas Wash. It is a real oasis in the middle of the desert, and they are recreating a wetlands that once filled the area. The park is in the Southwest part of the valley near Sam Boyd Stadium. To get there, drive east on Tropicana Avenue one mile past Boulder Highway, then turn left on the marked, unpaved road. Story at http://www.viewnews.com/2001/VIEW-May-09-Wed-2001/East/15998296.html

BEST ANIMAL EXHIBIT – Question: I know there are lots of animal exhibits in Las Vegas, but which ones are the best? Answer in a story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-2.htm

EX-FL – Although very popular in cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, and San Francisco, UPN backed out from broadcasting XFL games next year. This left the XFL without a network television outlet and thus the demise of the startup football league. The XFL was a weekly work-in-progress during the early part of the year, and by the time the talent started to gel and football announcing crews (as opposed to WWF-related broadcasters) were in the booth, people had tuned out and refused to tune back in. Stories at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/news/16075189.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/sports/16075134.html

ART IN VEGAS – Can Picasso and Renoir compete with topless revues and video poker? Will a museum exhibit draw the same crowds that scramble to see fighting pirates, dancing water fountains and exploding volcanoes? Las Vegas resorts are betting on it. Full story at http://news.excite.com/news/ap/010509/12/wkd-vegas-art

$25 HOTEL REBATE — you pick the hotel! Our partners at Hotel Reservations Network are giving you $25 back on any 2+ night stay in Las Vegas or any major city they reserve. (Full details and list of all eligible cities at http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm ). Claiming your cash is simple:

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Scenic Southwest Tours – by plane, bus, or even helicopter! You’ve seen the glossy ads in the tourist brochures. You’ve thought about it. You come all the way to Las Vegas — why not see one of the some of the most famous landmarks in the world! Don’t by tricked by web sites & magazines that offer discount tours. Taxes, park fees, permits can almost double the price. Our prices are inclusive – no hidden charges! Best Las Vegas Tours

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

CELINE DION – A long-standing rumor (which we first mentioned last November) has come to pass. Celine Dion has indeed finished negotiation with Caesars Palace for a two year run in the new 4,000-seat Coliseum-themed theater built for her. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/news/16055569.html

JUNEFEST 9 – features Bad Company, Billy Squier, Journey, Molly Hatchet, Night Ranger, Styx, and Joe Stark. More info at http://www.junefest.com

MADONNA – is coming to town and tickets go on sale May 19 at http://events.excite.com/event_info?id=845400. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-03-Thu-2001/news/16012338.html

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Scintas (Rio) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-04-Fri-2001/weekly/15998841.html
* Storm (Mandalay Bay) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-27-Fri-2001/weekly/15921496.html and http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/2001_05_10/stage.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

EVENT LISTINGS:

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* 808 (Caesars) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-1.htm

Rental Cars – Don’t pay top dollar! Enter the dates of your visit and compare prices from virtually every major rental car agency (most US cities). Book the lowest price company or your regular agency. Save the hassle and some money – Car Rental Savings Search. Few regret renting a car. Free shuttles and city bus rides can be slow and smelly. Taxis can cost what a rental car costs. Your vacation time is valuable — make the most out of it!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is not a regular feature, I have no plans to make this a general travel newsletter. I’m sharing a pleasant travel experience and in keeping with my editorial policy, none of this is a paid endorsement. If you are only interested in Vegas info, skip ahead.

MY VACATION – People often ask me where someone from Las Vegas goes to vacation. I go to see two things we don’t have here: a beach and green scenery. Last week, a number of friends of mine from all over the U.S. decided to spend an extended weekend on Florida’s Emerald Coast. It is an area that some Floridians teasingly call “L.A.” (lower Alabama) as this area is located on the Florida Panhandle directly below Alabama. However, this part of Florida is truly a best-kept vacation secret.

The beaches of the Emerald Coast consistently rank among the best in the U.S. by the Travel Channel because of their sugar white sand and the warm, turquoise Gulf of Mexico water. You actually get the best of the deep south with the wonderful southern hospitality and the best of Florida with the fantastic beach. Testament to this is that a number of people in our group were from Florida (South Beach, Ft. Myers, etc.) and pleasantly commented that they didn’t even know this area existed but would be back.

We stayed at the stunning Ramada Plaza Beach Resort right on the Gulf of Mexico between Ft. Walton Beach and Destin, FL on Okaloosa Island. None of our travel partners book this resort, but you can go directly to their site at http://www.ramadafwb.com and check it out for yourself.

Besides the ability to stumble out of one’s room and directly on to the beach (what a wake-up!) the hotel features beautiful grounds and Northwest Florida’s largest swimming pool accented with a five story Polynesian island where one may swim through the waterfall to the Grotto Bar. The best thing was price as resorts with similar surroundings and amenities in a more well known destinations can cost considerably more.

Destin, FL has been a second home to the well-off for quite some time. It wasn’t uncommon to see private jets flying out of the municipal airport and luxury cars on the road of this upscale beach town and you golfers may recognize the name of the neighboring Sandestin golf resort village ( http://www.sandestin.com ). As in Vegas, that meant that there was a great selection of fine dining ( http://coastalcuisinemenuguide.com/restaurants2.htm ) and shopping opportunities.

However, if listening to Jimmy Buffet style music play while you sip a drink at an open-air beach bar or dancing at a club is more your style, you won’t be disappointed. Places like The Back Porch ( http://www.backporchseafood.com ) and Pompano Joe’s ( http://www.pompanojoes.com ) are a couple of great beachfront restaurants that let you enjoy the cool breezes and beautiful Gulf whether you dine indoors or out.

For partying, AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar features dining in the day and evening and it turns into a party bar at night ( http://www.ajs-destin.com ). The Swamp Club on Okaloosa Island ( http://www.swampclub.com ) is a huge, rustic, two story totally club that features live bands and / or a DJ from 8 PM to 4 AM every day. If your raging party days are a little behind you, Howl at the Moon ( http://www.howlatthemoon.com/destinhowl.htm ) is on the same boardwalk and has a “dueling piano show” nightly. Me? I took it ALL in and never ran out of things to do the entire week.

Getting there is simple. Driving: It is within a days drive of all of most of the southern US. Flying: Okaloosa Regional Airport (airport code VPS — http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/airport.html ) is a scenic 20 minutes from Fort Walton Beach and 30 minutes from Destin. Air service is provided by Delta, Northwest, AirTran and US Air and major car rental services are available.

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 96 ░F / 71 ░F Sunny
Friday – 95 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Saturday – 96 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Sunday – 97 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Monday – 99 ░F / 70 ░F Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Wolfgang Puck’s Cili

Just a half mile south of Mandalay Bay sits what is now the only golf course on The Strip: Bali Hai. Course developer Billy Walters never does anything second rate. The course itself is a 7,015-yard, par 72 tropical golf paradise inspired by the landscape of the South Pacific with seven acres of water including an island green, 2,500 palm trees and over 100,000 tropical plants and flowers.

However, that wasn’t enough. So onboard came Wolfgang Puck to build the clubhouse restaurant. This isn’t your average “19’th hole” burger and beer stop, but a gourmet restaurant that happens to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus Sunday Brunch. The dining area is Polynesian themed with water, exotic relics, high arched ceilings, palms, and waterfalls. The dining area has a beautiful view of part of the course, overlooking foliage and water (patio seating is available).

Lunch features appetizers in the $10-16 range including standards such as poached shrimp “martini” cocktail to more unusual fare such as Balinese style satays with pork, chicken and shrimp. Lunch entrees and sandwiches run $12-18 and include sandwiches (with only twists a Puck establishment could think of) to rib-eye steak.

A bar menu is available from 3 PM to close and includes selections like Atlantic oysters on the half shell with mignonette, Herbed goat cheese with roasted peppers and olives, and Prime steak tartare with chopped egg, mustard aioli and sourdough croutons. The bar menu averages $12-15.

Dinner gives you a choice of American or Asian cuisine, although fans of Pucks restaurants know he takes liberties in mixing a wide variety of flavors. Highlights are the Grilled porterhouse steak with creamed spinach & potato gratin and Grilled salmon with stir fried rice, prawns & spicy bok choy. Of course, a wide variety of meat and seafood dishes prepared in various tempting configurations are available. Dinner entrees range from $21-38.00.

Cili is open seven days a week from 7 AM to 9 PM. It is open to the public and located in the Bali Hai Golf Club at 5160 Las Vegas Blvd. South (The Strip) 1/2 mile south of Mandalay Bay. Reservations are suggested but not required at 702-856-1000


EDITOR’S NOTE: I was swamped with letters (both pro and con) about kids in Las Vegas and will be printing those next week. We’ll let the “best view” poll go one more week, then introduce a poll asking how you all feel about kids in Las Vegas. This week, we’ll answer a pervious question: If someone only has one day in town, what would you show them?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

John Krogh wrote:
> A night helicopter ride over the strip…

Jessica Lehnert wrote:

> Take her to Caesars palace. The shopping alone is beyond belief but
> the casino, pool & shows are fabulous. You can sit in one place in
> Las Vegas & get a show! Lehnert

Jean H. or Waukesha, WI wrote:

> If you can drag yourself away from the tables and slot machines–I’d
> walk to visit and see every major casino on the strip. They all have
> such different themes and each one seems to be more spectacular than
> the next! I’d also watch the Pirate show at Treasure
> Island but I’d get there early and have a drink at the Battle Bar and
> enjoy the show from there. Also, I’d go downtown and eat at Hugo’s
> Cellar–one of my favorite restaurants in the US.

Madeleine from Canada wrote:

> Having been to Las Vegas regularly, since the late seventies, I think
> a newcomer to “Sin City” would enjoy the view from the top of the
> Stratosphere, at night. It’s magnificent!

Diane Podemski wrote:

> To answer Allen Waterman’s question of what one thing would you show a
> newcomer….it’s impossible to list only one!! I’ve been going to
> Vegas at least twice a year since I turned 21 (I’m 45 now) and there’s
> always something new and exciting to see. The cactus garden at the
> Ethel M chocolate factory is beautiful, the atrium at Bellagio is
> awesome, the Pirate Show at Treasure Island impressive and Danny Gans
> show at Mirage is great! Allen, you need to take more than one trip,
> make a list of “must sees” each time you go, it’ll take quite a few
> years before you can cross off everything!

Mick & Lyn of Essex, London wrote:

> I have only been to Vegas once and that was in Nov 2000 but I am
> looking forward to going back next year, we had a great time and
> everything was good but the thing that I really liked was walking
> along the strip at night and watching the fountains at Bellagio they
> were just great.

Allen Goenawein wrote:

> What you want to show someone depends on their
> interest. And there is plenty to show in and around
> Vegas. If you are the outdoors type, Red Rock Canyon
> is a nice half day trip. You will get to see wild
> burros, Indian pictographs, maybe some wild horses,
> plus a lot of great scenery. Or maybe Hoover dam would
> be more your style. Or take a flight over the Grand
> Canyon. In town are a host of new casinos to visit,
> one more beautiful than the next. Some of the finest
> shopping can be had at the Fashion Show Mall shopping
> center. All of the big names are located there. My
> favorite place to visit in the Fashion Show Mall is
> Centaur Galleries on the lower floor of the mall.
> There you can see art work from some of the greatest
> masters of the world. You can just look or if you are
> so inclined, you can purchase a fine art treasure to
> enjoy the rest of your life. Mr. Richard Perry is the
> owner and has resources all over the world that
> enables him to present some of the best art work from
> around the world. If you want to gamble, any of those
> above mentioned beautiful casinos will be glad to take
> your money, after all, that’s what they are in
> business for. But, maybe, the best thing to do is to
> hang out by a pool for three days, relax and let the
> world go by.

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Your input is welcome. Write us a “letter to the editor” at (click) mailto:allvegastv@aol.com While space doesn’t permit publishing every letter, we do certainly read them all and they help shape our content. Please include your name if you wish to have it published (stating your city is optional). Also, guest article submissions are welcome with full credit to you, your website, etc., if accepted.


ONLINE POLL – What is your favorite view of Las Vegas? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

FREE CONTEST – Fly free to Vegas!

Every week now through June 10th, fodors.com is giving
away two round-trip tickets to anywhere US Airways flies
in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean. In the final
week (June 4th¡10th), you can go anywhere US Airways
flies including Europe.

You can enter the sweepstakes every week at:
http://www.accessvegas.com/foders.htm

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Have a request for a review? Boggled when you come to town and see the hundreds of dining, attraction, and show opportunities? Let us know what you’d like to hear about! Unlike the tourist magazines where all of the “articles” are really paid ads, we give you the honest scoop. If you appreciate this service, please consider booking your rooms and rental cars for ALL destinations with us at http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas You get secure ordering with the convenience and savings of booking online!

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All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
May 16, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770