Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 7, 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.


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

Hello From Las Vegas! Back after a scheduled week off. Weather is a perfect 85/65 F. No better time to enjoy walking The Strip and Downtown or get a round of golf in.

Jersey Boys opened with a bang at Palazzo. The night was extra special: Jersey Boys is the award-winning musical that tells the story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons and Frankie Valli was in attendance celebrating his 74’th birthday!

Valli was joined by the remaining original Four Seasons – legendary songwriter & producer Bob Gaudio and Las Vegas resident Tommy DeVito. Wayne Brady, John Cleese, Nigel Lythgoe, John O’Hurley, Sex & the City’s Willie Garson, Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie, Comedienne Rita Rudner and Palazzo owner Sheldon Adelson were also on hand.

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and is the story of how a group of blue-collar guys became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide. Many of the biggest hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Oh, What a Night,” are performed.

Jimmy Buffett heads back to Las Vegas for his two annual shows on October 18 & 25 as part of Jimmy Buffett’s “The Year Of Still Here” Tour 2008. Parrotheads fly in from around the world for one (or both) of these shows and the Las Vegas Strip turns into a Parrothead Paradise.

A few issues ago, a reader asked about good Chinese food and we received a number of replies:

  • Adrienne & Bill Sheneman wrote: My choice for excellent Chinese Cuisine is Ping Pang Pong at the Gold Coast. Real Chinese Food prepared and served properly. A large percentage of their clientele is Asian so they must be doing things the way Mom used to.
  • Julie wrote: A great but expensive Chinese restaurant is Pearl at MGM Grand. Their Almond Crusted Lemon Chicken is fabulous.
  • Gail Hubbard wrote: I enjoy dining at Ming’s Table located in Harrah’s. It has a great variety of dishes and is reasonably priced. The service is excellent. The dining area is rather small, but I find that seating is easy to get in “off hours”.

One of the most frequent questions we get is about seeing jazz here in Las Vegas. All events are complimentary (no admission charge):

American’s Got Talent is auditioning this coming Sunday May 11 at the Planet Hollywood Performing Arts Theatre. Auditions will be taped for future use on the show. Tapings are open to the public and take place at 10 AM and 3 PM. Producers have been quoted as saying that anyone arriving an hour before taping should be able to get in. Makes sense as the auditorium holds about 7000 people.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

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


Featured Review:
Fab Four Mania Replicates Every Beatles Note Live

by Terri Feld

“Help! I need somebody…” to tell me, is it real or is it lip-synching?! “Beatlemania” redux in this incredible live performance that replicates every note in the original key. Playing nightly (Mon-Sat. 7:00pm) in the Sahara Showroom, David Saxe’s current Las Vegas production, “Fab Four Mania”, does, however, distinguish itself from the late 70’s Broadway hit “Beatlemania”.

Entering the showroom off the Party Pit Blackjack lounge which boasts lava lamps, tie-dye t-shirted dealers and a Beatles soundtrack (all in full swing when the show lets out at 8:15PM), show-goers immediately get the vibe, taking a photo-op in front of the groovy, painted VW mini-bus located at the theater entrance. Beatles trivia questions displayed on large monitors stage right and left amuse and occasionally stump audience members already seated, awaiting the show’s start.

Click to Read Entire Fab Four Mania Las Vegas Review…


Featured Review:
Mega Bubble – An Ethereal And Magical Quality Like Nothing Else

(Editors Note: The name of this show just recently changed to Gazillion Bubble Show. It is the same show).

by Devon Brooke Clasen

Finding even a modicum of innocence in “Sin City” is a challenging feat to be sure, but a world of innocence, wonder and enchantment awaits visitors to the Mega Bubble Show, playing in the Steve Wyrick Theatre in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile shops from Thursday through Sunday at 3 p.m., with an additional 11 a.m. show on Saturday and 1 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday.

Innocuous enough, bubbles enraptured us all as wee little ones, with an ethereal and magical quality like nothing else found in nature. Eventually the novelty wears off and as we grow up, bubbles receive nary a thought… The Mega Bubble Show reintroduces us to the beguiling fascination of the bubble, which we recognized and appreciated as children and perhaps need the occasional reminder of as adults.

Click to Read Entire Mega Bubble Las Vegas Review…


Tao Las Vegas Adds More Sizzle To The Strip With The Return Of Tao Beach – “Good Fridays” And “Sunset Sessions” Set To Launch – TAO Beach, the latest addition to the hugely successful TAO Las Vegas venue at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, opens for their second season Saturday, April 12. VIP Entry and Table/Bottle Reservations TAO Beach guests can experience a new level of luxury seven days a week when lounging poolside in one of seven luxury cabanas that feature such amenities as air conditioning, high definition plasma screen televisions with X-box gaming consoles, a DVD library, WiFi service and customized mini bars. Other amenities include sunglass cleaning and a staff of masseuses. Click to Read The Full Story …

Manny Pacquiao And David Diaz Ready To Explode In “Lethal Combination” For WBC Lightweight Title – When two explosive world champions at the top of their game mix it up for the world title, it’s a “Lethal Combination.” Newly crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBC lightweight champion David Diaz will battle in a 12-round rumble with Diaz’s title at stake. (Tickets) Promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions, Pacquiao vs. Diaz will take place Saturday, June 28 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST. Click to Read The Full Story …

BRIO Tuscan Grille shares recipes from their Bellini Brunch menu to make this Mother’s Day at home special for any mom. The delectable brunch menu featuring French Toast With Berries, Cinnamon Apple Pancakes, Eggs Benedictano and Grilled Salmon & Sweet Potato Hash is served from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Create a delicious breakfast in bed with these mouth watering recipes from BRIO Tuscan Grille.

French Toast With Berries

  • Dip 2 slices of brioche in 4 oz. french toast batter and allow excess to drip off
  • Heat 1 oz. oil in a saute pan
  • Add bread to pan and sautÚ until golden brown on both sides
  • Place french toast on plate and top with 3 oz. mix of seasonal berries
  • Drizzle with mascarpone cream cheese and sprinkle with powered sugar
  • Serve with 2 oz. of warm syrup

BRIO is located in Town Square Las Vegas, on The Strip two miles south of Mandalay Bay.

Poison To Perform At The Pearl August 22 With Special Guests Dokken And Sebastian Bach – The “Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008” stops in Las Vegas at The Palms Casino Resort. In the ’80s Poison found themselves in a category of popularity occupied by such acts as Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. Some of their top hits include “Fallen Angel,” “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Poison brings their rock ‘n roll, metal sound to The Pearl at the Palms with special guests Dokken and Sebastian Bach on Friday, August 22, 2008, at 8 p.m. for the Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008.(Tickets) Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The Lady M – with Victor H. Royer. It was a cold January day, the week after the New Year’s crush of tourists. Among the real gamblers and high rollers, the early weeks in January are often the times when they like to come and play. For any type of gaming, other than live poker, coming to a casino after all the crowds have left is better, and often more profitable. High-stakes players like to be the center of attention, but at the same time most of them dislike being bothered by the gawkers and onlookers. Click to Read Complete Article…


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I am coming to Las Vegas the end of March. What are the streets that go to downtown(not on the freeway). Last time I was there the driver turned west on Tropicana to I 15 and then to downtown. Seemed a long way out of the way than what I had done before with other cabs.

I would like to tell them where to go and not the long way IF they will listen to me. I did tell the other driver that I did not want to go the tunnel and he seemed upset so when we got to Tropicana and he turned to the west, I did not have the nerve to tell him otherwise as he said he always took the tunnel. Need a good map for me to give to them! Otherwise the tip will be minimal.

Thanks for all the good things in ACCESSVEGAS.com.

Jane

You referred to this in a reply in the last newsletter. Can you please tell me more about long hauling? I was just in Vegas last week, and it seemed that the cab ride cost a whole lot more than the last time I visited. We were going to the Mirage, and the cabbie took the freeway, something that had never happened before, and it didn’t seem right. Did we get long hauled, and how do we avoid that in the future?
Thanks!

Cathy

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Ted Responds:

I-15 runs parallel to The Strip all the way to downtown. It is a couple of miles longer, but usually quicker. Many in a rental car my prefer to scoot over to Paradise (east of The Strip) and head north. Paradise basically ends at The Stratosphere where you can get back on Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) for the rest of the trip downtown.

The tunnel only applies if you are going to or from the airport. It is not in the vicinity of The Strip. Unless a cab driver specifically asks your permission, a trip from the airport to any Strip hotel should not involve the freeway. If the cabbie is aware of a serious and unusual traffic issue that makes the tunnel option more attractive, your driver should specifically note such.

We have a map section in beta at http://maps.accessvegas.com. The maps are working and ready to go. We still have to put some touches on the design.


I am planning to visit Vegas in Dec for about a week. I understand there is a period (I am not sure whether the week before Christmas or the week after Christmas) where many shows have a dark period.I would be grateful if you would let me know whether it is better to visit during the week before or after Christmas. Many thanks.By the way I love your newsletter. Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Denis Wan

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Ted Responds:

Both, although some shows start to get back going after Christmas. The week before Christmas is the slowest week of the year, usually with the lowest room rates.

Thanks for reading and please tell all your friends. We depend on word-of-mouth to grow readership. More readers, the more we can do for our readers!


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:

  • Mother’s Day May 11
  • 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

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

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

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All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

May 7, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

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