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! We have a freeze advisory tonight. It might get down to freezing the next couple of nights, and highs have only been in the 50’s. Brrrrrrrrr! It has been sunny, but I’ll tell you what: I’ll take our 100 degree summers where we can enjoy the air conditioning in the day, and hang out by the pool all night long instead of freezing overnights. We very rarely dip this low.

Nevada Southern Railway – Riding a tourist train isn’t what most people think of when they think of Las Vegas, but part of the railroad track originally built to haul supplies to Hoover Dam is alive and well running as a tourist railroad in Boulder City (about halfway between Las Vegas and Hoover Dam). The Nevada Southern Railway even offers cab rides and the opportunity to be an “Engineer for an Hour.” Might be worth checking out for train buffs, those with kids, or anyone wanting to enjoy a fun piece of history.

• Nevada Southern Railway Official Page

• Reporter finds workin’ on the railroad takes nerves of steel and a good brake

Special American Express Offer To Our Readers: Earn 15,000 Delta Skymiles with A New Delta American Express Card plus Double Miles on qualifying purchases and one mile for virtually every other dollar you spend! I’ve carried the Delta Skymiles AmEx Card for years and enjoy using it as my credit card of choice. Now you too can get the benefits and prestige of an American Express card along with earning miles toward your next trip to Las Vegas (or anywhere Delta flies).

You must use our special offer code 3300297770 in the Unique ID box (copy and paste it in) when you click to Apply For This Great Card!

With Christmas less than a month away, we have a special video for you of Blue Man Group playing Jingle Bells. That, plus all the latest Las Vegas news, events and fun stuff you expect from us every week so let’s get to it.

Enjoy This Issue!

Show Review:
Zumanity – Another Side of Cirque Du Soleil

Reviewed November 2006
by Nancy Dickinson

Cirque du Soleil has always enlightened the spirit with brilliant expeditions celebrating life, beauty, and humanity. It is then only natural that the sultry free-flowing-love show “Zumanity” be born. After all, what is one of humanity’s undoubtedly favorite and essential functions?…sex of course. Love is limitless at the New York New York heating up a giant Las Vegas bedroom cabaret style. Zumanity is peeling away the glorious layers of intimacy and sexuality with a story about personal freedom and acceptance, beauty in all it’s facets, and the celebration of the mysterious, wonderfully convoluted…love. Click to Read Complete Review

• Zumanity – Another Side of Cirque Du Soleil Tickets and Info or Call 800-696-5721

• Zumanity – Another Side of Cirque Du Soleil Photo Gallery

Beatles’ LOVE Album Celebrates New Cirque du Soleil Show at The Mirage -á Beatles lovers rejoice! Apple Corps Ltd. and Capitol Records have released the Beatles LOVE album. The much-anticipated album contains the music featured in the Cirque du Soleil/Apple Corps collaborative production, The Beatles LOVE at The Mirage. After being asked by the remaining Beatles to make experimental mixes from their master tapes for a collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, Sir George Martin, The Beatles’ legendary producer, and his son Giles Martin have been working with the entire archive of Beatles’ recordings to create LOVE.

• Cirque du Soleil Beatles Love Show Tickets or Call 800-696-5721

• Love by The Beatles CD

• Love by The Beatles (CD + Audio DVD)

Barry Manilow Trivia Question: When did Barry Manilow (resident headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton) begin his first solo tour? Answer: Barry began his own first solo tour in 1974 and the release of “Mandy” started an unprecedented string of 25 consecutive Top 40 hits, including “Even Now,” “This One’s for You,” “Weekend in New England,” “I Write the Songs” and “Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again.” Four years later, five of Barry’s albums were on the charts at the same time, a record equaled only by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. Barry’s current album, BARRY MANILOW’S THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SIXTIES, is tearing up the charts.

• Buy Barry Manilow Tickets

• Barry Manilow The Greatest Songs of the Sixties

Mamma Mia!, The Smash Hit Musical Based On The Songs Of ABBA, Will Celebrate Its 1500th Show At Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino On November 29. – Now in its fourth triumphant year, MAMMA MIA! has been the most successful full-scale musical ever to play on the Las Vegas Strip. Named the Number #1 Show in Las Vegas by Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal, MAMMA MIA! has not only experienced success in Las Vegas — it has been seen by over 27 million people around the globe and has more productions playing worldwide than any other current Broadway musical. Click to Read The Full Story …

Thanksgiving Day Begins Month Long Las Vegas Show Specials! All Military are Free & Las Vegas Locals get ‘2 for 1′ at Larry G. Jones’ Impressionist show – ‘Tis the season to be entertained and Larry G. Jones — The Man of 1002 Voices helps keep the jingle in your pockets & get the joy in your heart! Starting November 23, and continuing through December 25, 2006: All military (including police and firefighters) get in free and all Las Vegas Locals get ‘2 for 1′ Show tickets at Jones’ Singing Impressionist/Comedy show at Fitzgeralds Casino Showroom, 9pm nightly (except Tues,Wed). “In appreciation of their service and as a thank you to the locals for all the support during my last 4 years as a Las Vegas impressionist I just wanted to offer something in return” Jones said. Click to Read The Full Story …

Hot Drink Recipes to Spice up the Holiday Season – Cold weather calls for hot drinks and what better way spice up the holiday season than a hot toddy!? These recipes, straight from Bellagio’s own Master Mixologist Drew Levinson, are guaranteed to make you feel warm and cozy right down to your toes.

Tequila Toddy — a fun variation on the standard
¥ oz Gran Centenario Anejo Tequila
¢ oz Fresh Agave Nectar
¢ fresh lime juice

Add ingredients to hot water in heated coffee mug and stir well with a spoon.
Garnish with a lime wheel and cinnamon stick

Hot Buttered Rum – made to order from scratch

1 ¢ oz. Cruzan Single Barrel Rum
2 heaping teaspoons hot buttered rum mix***

Mix ingredients with small amount of hot water in heated coffee mug and stir well with a spoon. Once mixed thoroughly, top off mug with hot water.
Serve with a swizzle stick.

***Hot Buttered Rum Mix***

1 lb. light brown sugar
1/2 lb. salted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract
Yields approx. 1 1/2 lbs.

“Texas Hold ’em” Hits The Links As World Series Of Golf Reinvents Amateur Tournaments With Innovative New Play Format – NBC Televised Event Tees Off In Las Vegas May 13 – 17 With A Dream Team Of Partners Including The Mirage Hotel & Casino And Octagon – The World Series of Golf will tee off May 13 — 17 in Las Vegas, introducing the most exciting golf wagering tournament since the Skins Game. To be played at the Tom Fazio designed Primm Valley Golf Club, the tournament combines the skill of golf with the wagering savvy of poker and gives amateur players the thrilling opportunity to compete for $750,000 in prize money on NBC national television. The World Series of Golf will be played in a patent-pending method of play that allows for high stakes to ride on each and every shot of the tournament. Click to Read The Full Story …

Kristofer’s Steak House At The Riviera Provides Relaxed Setting – With an emphasis on fine steaks and fresh seafood, Kristofer’s, nestled in the venerable Riviera Hotel and Casino, has been heralded as one of the finest steak houses in Las Vegas. “Only the best for our guests,” says Executive Chef Sam Chong. Among the inventive entrees are aged, midwestern prime ribs of beef, broiled fresh salmon or Mahi Mahi, double-rib spring lamb chops, and Kristofer’s classic Surf and Turf. For serious steak connoisseurs, there’s the challenge of a 20-ounce, succulent Porterhouse steak. Click to Read The Full Story …

Las Vegas Monorail Demoted To Junk Status – Moody’s Investors Service cut the credit rating on the Las Vegas Monorail Co. deep into junk status Tuesday and said the tourist train will default on its debt by 2010 if it continues its current rate of losses. The rating on $445.8 million in debt was cut five notches to B3 from Ba1, and the outlook was negative, meaning the company could be in for another downgrade. The move follows a downgrade by Fitch Inc. in March, also to junk grade. Moody’s analyst Maria Matesanz said the monorail company’s revenue needed a dramatic boost to keep from depleting its $60 million in cash reserves over the next three years.Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: Evel Knievel Video Slots – with Victor H. Royer. In keeping with the heart-pounding thrills of IGT’s new series of video slot machines, this brand new game features a host of Evel’s best jumps and bonuses. This is a five-reel 15-line game which will thrill you just as Evel Knievel’s stunts did. If you are a slot thrill-seeker, then this is the game for you. State-of-the-art 3-D video animation and actual film footage of Evel’s famous stunts will keep you spellbound in this great game. Click to Read Complete Article

Vegas Photo Set Of The Week: Las Vegas New Years Eve – New Years Eve is closing in on us fast, but it isn’t too late to book now and still be here to enjoy this spectacular, nowhere-else-on-earth-like-it event! View all the photos then book while rooms are still available, they are going very fast:

• New Years Eve Las Vegas Photo Galleries

• Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Vegas Streaming Video Of The Week – Blue Man Group Performing Jingle Bells – Blue Man Group is best known for it’s award-winning theatrical productions which critics have described as “ground-breaking,” “hilarious,” “visually stunning,” and “musically powerful.” These performances feature three enigmatic bald and blue characters who take the audience through a multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else.

• Click To View Blue Man Group Performing Jingle Bells: Broadband (only)

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Readers Write:Dear Mr. Newkirk:Some very close party friends and I are attending a wedding and will be in Las Vegas December 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. We all work in the various fields of engineering, medical, animal medical, accounting and architecture. I guess some of the crowd would be semi-geeks, but we all party pretty hard and are know to stay up late doing it too.I am 43, single, straight, and it’s my first time to visit Las Vegas, so I am really trying to maximize my itinerary. I really want to soak up this experience. I have a degree in Geography and my profession is in city planning, so I have a wide variety of interests. Sexy women, pretty women, and other women close to pretty interest me greatly. 🙂 Anyway, if there are any tips that are “have to things to do or see” please let me know. I used to work in research, so I’ll be checking everything like a city planner would. I am detailed oriented too.

I’m around your age, straight, single. Some advice:

You are going to get here and go nuts, and you couldn’t see or do everything here in three months. So your homework, get hyped, but get ready to just hang loose. You will be back. Trust me. Be very happy going “that looks great, we can do it next time.”

Per clubbing: At our age, skip spending huge piles of cash on my friend, but neither you nor I are going to go home with Paris Hilton, and they like to keep the girl-to-guy ration high which necessitates buying bottle service if you are a group of guys.

Instead, Voodoo Lounge at Rio. Get there before 10:00 PM, earlier is better to get in. Very comfortable, awesome view from the top of The Rio, nice mix of very nice looking ladies from 25-40’ish. And if that isn’t your cup of tea, Palms is a very short walk.

Very much do appreciate you reading, and telling your friends about this newsletter and AccessVegas.com!

You can use our shows search on our shows page to see what shows will be playing, and Bellagio indoors always does a huge Christmas display in their gardens.

Take the good with the bad: won’t be as much going on, but you’ll have some elbow room and lines will be shorter than peak weeks.

You can call our reservations hotline at 800-696-5721 or you can visit Travelnice Nightlife to check things online. If calling, you can talk to someone who can help you with all that info, give you all the details, what clubs will be open or might have something special happening, etc.

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, 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

• Stick to the girls – Playboy Club’s Nove steakhouse is a huge letdown

• Wake-Up Poker At Riviera!

• John Caponera Headlines Riviera Comedy Club, December 4-10

• Take your holiday party on the road with Cheflive!

• The Shops In Desert Passage Welcome CafÚ Sbarro And Aldo Accessories To The Shopping Center

• Cavalia Still Open For Limited Engagement

• The Cannery Casino & Hotel Presents Country Star Hal Ketchum on January 20

• MGM Mirage Opens Citycenter Residential Gallery At Bellagio – Stunning Architectural Model Delivers First Views Of CityCenter’s Residential Offerings

• The Studio At The Palms Honored At 2006 Technical Excellence And Creativity Awards

• Krave Kares 2006: Krave Nightclub To Host Holiday Benefit In Support Of Nevada Partnership For Homeless Youth, December 8, 9:30pm

• Elvis’s Wedding Ring Returns To Aladdin/Planet Hollywood As Part Of A Special Exhibit Along With Other High Profile Auction Items On Display To The Public At The Las Vegas Resort Through December 10

• World Jewelry Center Announces Initial Occupants – Unveils List Of Industry Leaders To Be First Occupants In World Jewelry Center’s One Million Square-Foot Mixed-Use Facility

• The Contents Of The New 2007 Chippendales Calendar May Cause You To Sweat Or Lose Focus At Work

• UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 To Highlight New Year’s Weekend At MGM Grand Saturday, Dec. 30UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 Tickets

• Test All Your Senses AT Z’Tejas With Hot New Menu Items And Cool New Drinks

• Vegas Magician Nathan Burton To Make Second Appearance On “The Megan Mullally Show” ON Tuesday, December 12- During A Special Holiday Performance, Burton Will Levitate Former “Will And Grace” Star And Make It Snow In The Show’s StudioNathan Burton Tickets or Call 800-696-5721

• Pho-bulous – Treasure Island does Vietnamese right — and cheaply — at Pho

• Las Vegas City Council fighting against panhandlers

• James Bond’s Las Vegas Legacy

• Lake Las Vegas Resort changes hands – New York company make its one and only foray into Nevada

• McCarran gets right turn back – No environmental issue says FAA official

• Stardust History on The Auction Block

• Some Nevada Lawmakers Want English-Only Statewide

• Kickoff puts city in focus – Event could help Las Vegas land franchise

• An epicurean way to enjoy chocolate – New lounge offers spot to savor sweet treats

• Spirit to try Las Vegas-Atlanta route

• Sinatra’s years in Vegas – Tina Sinatra remembers her dad in box set of four concert CDs

• Sinatra in Vegas out in CD-DVD box setSinatra: Vegas (Box Set, 4CD/1DVD) Info from Amazon

• Toronto Travels to Las Vegas (trip report)

• MGM Mirage sees strong New Year in Las VegasLas Vegas Hotel Deals for New Years Eve

• Signs of change – From mob era to closing, Stardust sowed fond memories

• Energy level high at Michael Mina’s StripSteak

• New bid for Riviera parent – D.E. Shaw and Co., developer offer more than $262.5 million for Riviera Holdings

• Wynn dealt another protest – Gaming panel asked to review tip policy

• Dwindling apartment supply means rents rising – Complex owners cutting back on free month and other move-in incentives

• Allure developers thinking even bigger – Partner says second tower planned that will top 41-story first structure

• Las Vegas Metro – This department is up to the task in one of America’s wildest cities

• BYU headed to Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon

• BYU Cougars accept Vegas Bowl invitationLas Vegas Bowl Tickets: BYU vs. Oregon

• Booming Vegas population strains even newest schools

• Best of the Valley 2006

• Goodman still bullish on arena – Mayor’s stance contradicts report’s conclusion on funding

• Man’s Other Best Friend – The Cirque-style ‘Cavalia’ celebrates the horse

• Las Vegas home sales continue decline – Builders data show recent resales drop of 35.7 percent from ’05

• Panel: Casinos Suffer Revenue Drop After Smoking Ban

• Station here, Station there, Station everywhere

• Businesses see disaster in Question 5 – Tavern owners may file suit

• Nevada leads way with biggest drop in home sales, 38 percent

• Hispanic students outnumber whites – Shift is a first for school system; officials see new challenges

• Task force sees a new arena in valley’s future – County, city must sign off on report before it becomes plan

• Tight casino machines turning off gamblers

• Newbie finds Wild West on valley roads

• Theatre: Love is your best bet in VegasCirque du Soleil Beatles Love Show Tickets or Call 800-696-5721

• Gary’s guide to Las Vegas

• Intoxicated Paris Hilton Throws Up On Stage In Las Vegas

• Spears’ parties with Mario Lopez in Vegas

• Stick to the girls – Playboy Club’s Nove steakhouse is a huge letdown

• Fame! – People want to be near it. Our city needs it. Diagnosing the celebrification of Las Vegas

• Moody’s cuts rating on Vegas monorail debt to junk status

• New video game glorifies violence in Las Vegas

• New passport rules affecting Canada, Mexico flights

• More about Echelon

• Kerkorian wants more of MGM

• Tavern owner urges patience ahead of Nevada smoking ban

• Pahrump’s “English Only” Ordinance Goes Into Effect

• School District Faces Teacher Shortage

• Wynn Dealers Hold Demonstration

• Spears and Hilton dazzle paparazzi

• Little Pahrump a target of scorn, but its stance reflects Nevada

• Nevada home-sales weakness cited in new report

• Jobless rate rises in October – State rate now at 4.2 percent

• Stardust disappears and takes another piece of our vanishing history with it

• Nevada needs pipelines for fuel, but builders are lacking

• UNLV can’t ride city’s coattails – Campus usually absent from lists of top U.S. party schools

• Tourney finally in spotlight – Event moves from Valley High to Orleans, draws top-10 battle

• Boyd: Buyout In Vegas?

• Poker Room Review: The MGM Grand in Las Vegas

• A Las Vegas Project Without Gambling

• Landry’s takes a gamble – CEO invests time and money into Golden Nugget, hoping to eventually expand a successful brand into other markets

• Goett scaling back Southern Highlands resort

• Facelift for Laughlin casinos may revitalize the market

• Cavalia – No Horsing Around: ‘Cavalia’ takes its acrobatic equine tribute seriously

• Christmas, Vegas Style – Headliners, touring shows and resident productions offer a taste of the holidays

• Smoking ban no big deal to some – Question 5 may cause businesses to overreact

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:

• 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)

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

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Take 4 Posters for $9.95! This and other Great Free Stuff, Bargains, and More on our AccessVegas.com Advertiser Deals page. Click there now!

All contents copyright 2006 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

November 27, 2006 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us