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 – June 3, 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.


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! If it seems like you just heard from us, I agree… this is a bonus “reader appreciation” issue in celebration of Eight Years of Publishing this newsletter! A little more actually, as we started on May 20, 1999 with just over 450 subscribers. My postings of Las Vegas information online started with contributing to an internet newsgroup in the mid-90’s (newsgroups were old-school message boards) and with demand that I make the information more widely available. My how time flies when you are having fun and we thank each and every one of you for reading!

We have new info in this issue that didn’t make the last couple of newsletters, the current news links you expect, plus a heavier-than-usual dose of reader submitted Las Vegas photos. This is an issue to take your time with and (as with all our issues), save it on your email for later reading.

Typos and Such – If you are a regular reader, you know this newsletter is infamous for not letting a week go by without some minor error. Last week, a sentence about Jimmy buffet slipped into a Jerry Lewis piece (template issue), the week before we had a run-on sentence.

Thanks for your patience in understanding. We have a very small group of people (Myself, Amy, Mark, and Nancy) who crank though an incredible amount of information each week. Press releases, news stories, news links, our photos, your photos, reader feedback, show reviews… I could go on. You literally can’t find another source putting out so much unique and varied Las Vegas info a weekly basis. Minor errors are going to happen. We don’t mind being alerted to them, and we do immediately fix the online version when we goof.

None of us have communications or journalism degrees. We are just a group of long time (five years or greater… almost 15 years in my case) locals who love our city and love giving you the scoop about Las Vegas!

Enjoy This Issue!



Ronn Lucas Show Open At The New Steve Wyrick Entertainment Complex – International comedian-ventriloquist Ronn Lucas is proud to announce his show, “The Ronn Lucas Show” performing daily at 3 p.m. (Tickets), inside the new Steve Wyrick Entertainment Complex in the Miracle Mile Shops (Desert Passage) at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. “The Ronn Lucas Show”, a favorite for adults and children, is unlike any show in Las Vegas. With his sidekicks Buffalo Billy (the puppet comedian who thinks he’s a ladies’ man) and Scorch (the lovable, green, teenaged dragon) Lucas mixes stand-up comedy, improvisation, audience participation, puppetry and vocal gymnastics to astonish and delight audiences worldwide. Click to Read The Full Story …

Tao Las Vegas Hosts Events Tuesday Through Sunday Nights – TAO Las Vegas located on the Las Vegas Strip at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino hosts weekly events for those seeking a trendy and stylish destination. The weekly events are as follows: Temple Tuesday: TAO’s Ultra Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere, casual attire and house music spun by resident DJ Galeano and special weekly guests. Doors open at 11 p.m. and bottle service is available. Call 800-696-5721 to arrange bottle service or VIP passes.

Jackie Collins Launches Her 25th Book At Harrah’s Las Vegas – Top-Selling Novelist Invites Public To Exclusive Pre-Publication Book Signing Event For “Drop Dead Beautiful” – Jackie Collins, one of the world’s top-selling novelists, will launch her latest book tour in support of DROP DEAD BEAUTIFUL, her 25th sizzling novel that centers on the glamour of Sin City, with a book signing and reading at Harrah’s Las Vegas. Set for Saturday, June 23rd from 1:00 p.m. û 3:00 p.m., the event will be held in The Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s Las Vegas and is open to the public. Click to Read The Full Story …

KC & The Sunshine Band To Play 7/7/07 Mandalay Beach Wedding Reception – Lucky Guests Receive Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity – Upping the ante on the lucky 7/7/07 Beach wedding ceremony, Mandalay Bay has signed one of the most popular dance bands of all time to play the reception. Imagine a beach wedding at sunset followed by a lavish dinner with open bar, topped off by the ultimate dance party reception under the stars. All in Las Vegas and on the luckiest day of the year! Now couples will have the unique opportunity to boast “KC & The Sunshine Band played at my wedding reception.” The combined ceremony, offering weddings, renewals and commitment ceremonies, will take place on Mandalay Beach at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

Martina McBride To Bring Her 2007 Summer Tour To Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 27 – Country music superstar Martina McBride will bring her 2007 summer tour to the Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Country sensation Little Big Town is scheduled to open the show. (Martina McBride Tickets) On April 3, McBride released her ninth album, Waking Up Laughing, which she produced on her own. “Anyway,” the debut single, currently sits at No. 9 after only eight weeks on the country charts, making it her fastest-rising single ever and marks her first songwriting credit. She co-wrote two additional songs on the new album as well. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Mirage Dolphin Habitat Earns Prestigious Honor – Dolphin Care Facility Recognized For Excellence In Marine Mammal Care, Conservation And Education – The Mirage Dolphin Habitat has earned accreditation by one of most respected marine care and conservation societies, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Collectively, the Alliance represents the greatest expertise in caring for marine mammals in the world. “Members of the Alliance are committed to standards of care that surpass current regulatory requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Act,” said Alliance Executive Director Marilee Menard. “The recent accreditation of The Mirage Dolphin Habitat indicates the facility excels in providing care for their dolphins.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Classic Cigar Art Announces Debut Art Show and Sale – VIP Event Will Launch Two-Day “Timeless Treasures” Showcase – Classic Cigar Art has announced it will launch its debut art show, with a VIP reception on Thursday, June 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., followed by a public art show and sale on Friday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Both events will be held at the JW Marriott Conference Center in Summerlin. The display area will evoke the elegance of the “golden age” of the cigar and highlight the show’s theme, “Timeless Treasures.” More than one hundred of Classic Cigar Art’s original, antique lithographs and collections will be on display and available for purchase. Click to Read The Full Story …



Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:

Hi Ted

My Husband and myself were in Las Vegas June 06 and took loads of photos. This is one of my favourites, which is the Luxor. Here’s looking forward to revisiting in 2008!

Kind Regards,

Claire from rainy England

Click for more Photos of Luxor Las Vegas


Hi, Ted,Our life goal is to move to Las Vegas. In the meantime, we must settle for working and coming out a few times a year. On one of our trips a couple years ago, we were staying at Harrah’s. As we were getting ready to head out for the day, I happened to look out and see the rainbow. Although we didn’t find a pot of gold that day, we did have a fabulous time.

Thanks so much for the fantastic newsletter.

The Benders (currently of CO, soon to be of LV)

Click for more Photos of Mirage Las Vegas


Martin C. Grube submitted this Venetian shot with a couple of airplanes high above… on each side of the tower:

Click for more Photos of Venetian Las Vegas


Sharon Jagger submitted this shot of the front Liberace Museum, which is located only a few minutes east of The Strip on Tropicana:

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 Wynn Las Vegas.


Dear Ted,My best friend and myself would like to obtain tickets to the Country Music Awards show for next year in May, how would we go about getting those tickets?? Would we be able to get them in Vegas and would we be able to sit among the celebrities or would we have to sit in the nose bleed section?

Also, how would we find out what hotel the Award Show is going to held at? It’s been at the Mirage a few times and this last time it was held at the MGM Grand. Any info will be appreciated.

Love Access Vegas, so much info.

R. Rhodes from Florida

Ted Responds:

Tickets for concerts and award shows go on sale generally 2-4 months in advance (sometimes slightly longer).

We always post ticket information as soon as we are notified it is available in the newsletter and on the site, both in the concert listings in the sidebar of every page, the concert listings in every newsletter, and at our entertainment calendar at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment


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!

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:

  • 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.

June 3, 2007 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce