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The Neonopolis Saga Continues
May 6, 2009
Go ahead and laugh at the title. It's been a local punchline for years. Obviously, the name is a blend of some exalted Greek word like “Acropolis” with “Neon”, but it has never quite delivered on the hype. While Downtown has been making a lot of good moves lately, and stands poised to win over a larger percentage of Vegas visitors, there is one thing about Downtown that appears perpetually doomed to … weirdness. That thing is Neonopolis itself. In theory, Neonopolis is cool. It's a large, 250,000 sqft, multi-level complex with 3 full miles of neon lights ringing the inside and outside of the building. Sitting at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street, the location is about as good as it gets north of Sahara Avenue. For some reason, though, it has just never caught on. Perhaps I am not being 100% honest. I am well aware of the reason that ... Read the full blog post...
Hipster Paradise in the Heart of Downtown
April 27, 2009
Shopping. It's a word that strikes fear into the hearts of men, and instantly erects the nipples of all females who hear it. While I avoid this endeavor whenever possible, there are times when it must be done. When I do shop, I try to do it at the least expensive places possible. As a matter of fact, the shoes that I wear on a day-to-day basis were purchased at the 99 cent store for … 99 cents. I am not joking. They are plastic/rubber, and I can wash the dog excrement and used condoms off of the bottom of them with a garden hose. What more can you ask for? To be honest, I have not purchased “good” clothing for myself in … well … ever. If you ever see me wearing anything nice, or brand name, you can be 100% certain that it was a gift. By a female. Usually out ... Read the full blog post...
Higher Education on The Vegas Strip
April 26, 2009
There is a very large institution that is adjacent to The Strip, only a couple of miles from my home … and yet it is a place that I generally avoid whenever possible. The institution is not quite as bad as the Clark County Detention Center, but it's not that much better. That place is the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Whereas the CCDC is a prison for the body, UNLV is a prison for the mind. UNLV was established in 1957 and is the primary university in the State of Nevada. There are many other colleges in the State, but it is probably safe to say that UNLV is the only school in Nevada which is immediately recognizable to people on the other side of the state line. In total, about 30,000 people attend the school in some capacity, and it occupies 337 acres in Paradise Township (the same township in which The ... Read the full blog post...
The Other Strip
April 15, 2009
Believe it or not, we actually have two “Strip”s in Las Vegas. At least that's how it is marketed. There is The Strip we all know and used to love on Las Vegas Boulevard, and there is the lessor known “Boulder Strip”. The Boulder Strip also has several pejorative names like the “Blue Hair Highway”, “Redneck Road”, “Trailer Park Turnpike” and any number of a dozen other monikers. Physically, Boulder Highway is actually Fremont Street. They simply renamed it and changed its trajectory just East of Downtown. The “Boulder Strip” is a roughly 5 mile stretch of Boulder Highway between the Las Vegas City Limits and Tropicana Ave. Give or take a couple of miles since it appears to be a very flexible term. One old timer informed me that Boulder Highway and The Boulder Strip was synonymous. I disagree, but such is the interpretive nature of the road. I get asked about the Boulder ... Read the full blog post...
Tuscany in the Mojave
April 14, 2009
Paris and the Venetian aren't the only fake European cities within the confines of Clark County, Nevada. An often overlooked (if not the most overlooked) resort destination in Las Vegas is a place known as Lake Las Vegas. The reason for its relative obscurity is probably explained by the 25 mile drive from Lake Las Vegas to Planet Hollywood. I actually clocked it on the odometer. Throw traffic into the equation, and you have a solid 60-90 minute drive. Depending on how much you like faux-Europe, it may or may not be worth it. Lake Las Vegas is technically in Henderson, and is also called “The Lake Las Vegas Resort”. The primary objective of the resort is to create a “Mediterranean” theme for residents and visitors alike. From what I understand, the place is supposed to resemble Tuscany, and I guess it does to some extent. The lake itself has a shoreline of 10 miles, ... Read the full blog post...
First Friday in Las Vegas
April 4, 2009
Well, it was that time of month. No, not the time of month that most men fear. Yesterday was the first Friday of the month. Many cities nationwide have "First Friday" events to promote their Arts Districts, and Las Vegas is no different. While I am not a huge fan of the "loft" concept they are trying to push Downtown, I am a big fan of The Arts District. It's one of the few places on the West Coast that reminds me of my neighborhoods back east. From Dino's to the Outlet Mall, it's one of my favorite "hang out" areas in town that don't have anything to do with casinos whatsoever. It's actually a human-scaled, pedestrian/bike friendly area that I pray never becomes gentrified (read: ruined by yuppies). Last night was cold and windy. It was about 45 degrees, and we were getting solid 40Mph gusts. First Friday is usually packed, but the weather ... Read the full blog post...
Playing The Palms
April 3, 2009
At the beginning of every month I try to go down a list of casinos that I have not been to the previous month. I'm kind of obsessive about letting too much time pass between visits to any single property. When I was going down the list in my head, I realized it had been a solid two months since I did any real gambling at the Palms. The primary reason? Location. It's kind of hard to justify heading a mile and a half west on Flamingo Boulevard … when the intersection of Las Vegas and Flamingo is already ringed by such properties as The Bellagio, Caesars, Flamingo, Paris, etc. However, after thinking it over … there is a good reason, and I was reminded today what that was. $10 double deck 3:2 and many 100%+ payback Video Poker machines. These days, it would be unlikely for you to find either $10 or 3:2 even on ... Read the full blog post...
The M Revisited
March 6, 2009
I actually felt a little bit guilty about my last pseudo-review of the M Resort. It was opening night, and the M had asses to kiss. It's part of the business. You aren't going to get positive mainstream reviews unless you caress the hairy beanbags and egos of the self-important … so you can almost forgive these guys for the opening night fiasco. Almost. There for but the grace of Jesus (the Mexican baseball player) go I. What if I was judged on my worst day? What if a business were judged on its most difficult day? It seemed a little unfair to judge a property on an anomaly. And make no mistake about it, opening nights are definitely anomalies. On average, they occur only once during the lifespan of a property. Some people think I'm an asshole, but I like to think that I am a fair asshole. I will admit that I was pissed ... Read the full blog post...
The M Resort
March 2, 2009
I attended the Grand Opening of the M last night, but I almost didn't. Fireworks were set to go off at 9:45pm, and I pulled up to the parking lot at about 8:45pm. This seemed logical. You don't want to be too early and sit around, nor do you want to procrastinate. I also wanted to get a parking space. When I got to the lot, there was a cop working traffic detail. The conversation went something like this: Cop: “You can't park in the lot.” Me: “We can't park in the lot?” Cop: “Not until 10pm.” Me: “The fireworks start at 9:45” Cop: “I know.” Me: “That doesn't make any sense” Cop: “No, it doesn't.” Me: “What should we do?” Cop: “Just drive around. Drive in circles”. Okay, maybe this cop was just being ridiculous, so we drove down St. Rose Parkway, turned around, and tried again at a different entrance and got a second cop. Cop: “You can't park here until ... Read the full blog post...
Happy Endings In Las Vegas
February 23, 2009
Over the years, I have gotten a large number of questions via email from people who do not want to pose their query in a more public forum. One of the more common of these private questions pertains to … Las Vegas Massage Parlors. For the most part, people don't want to touch this topic in public. (no pun intended) I don't think I have ever seen an honest, unbiased article about Vegas Message Parlors. The reason I think this is ... is because no “legitimate” journalist will admit to having actually been a customer of one of these places. Most journalists have to be very politically correct and have to tread very lightly lest the public get them confused with actual human beings. In order to accurately report on a subject, you need first-hand experience, and that is why few mainstream articles have been penned on this topic. Personally, I do not have any ... Read the full blog post...
