Salt Lake City

I've relocated. The only thing that is bad here is that it gets very cold during the winter months. There is plenty of outdoor activities and during the summer months free shows and local concerts are put on at the Gallivan Center. Convention type activities are here only not like it is in Las Vegas, the Salt Palace is the only arena where they are held. There are different activities at Energy Solutions, only mostly during the winter it hosts the Utah Jazz games. Housing is more affordable here in some places than it is in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City suffers from the same plagues as the rest of the country due to prime rate mortgage. More updates to follow.

Luxor

This fine resort and casino sits at the southern most part of the strip. It is Egyptian themed. For entertainment i recommend seeing Chris Angel, Fantasy, and Carrot Top. All three are excellent, however, my favorite is the Fantasy Women, of Fantasy. For dining I encourage you to check out Fusia, has the finest asian delicacies in town, More The Buffet, is a treat you just cannot miss. The night clubs that seems to get a lot of attention every now and again is The LAX and the Cathouse. Just remember when you plan on taking a vacation to Sin City, try to plan a Sunday through Thursday booking because the rates go down a whole lot for those days.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

In Las Vegas it is about glitz and glamor and attitude and this tropical island themed megaresort will make you forget all about the flakey stuff in Las Vegas. The location for all Jazz lovers everywhere it is in the 'House of Blues', inside Mandalay Bay and it offers rock karaoke free on Mondays and opens at 10pm. Blues is Wednesdays and opens at 9pm it is free. Acoustic Strip is for the local artists on Thursdays. 'Purple Reign, the Prince Tribute Show', on Sundays and it is $10.00. "Ivan Kines Forty Deuce ", dancers perform burlesque numbers with a three piece bump and grind combo after hours start at 3:00am.
For the most fantastic and expensive burgers in Las Vegas, "Burger Bar", is the absolute best and opens Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 11:00am, Sunday 11:00am-10:00pm. There is a wide selection of meats to choose from, gourmet toppings, the freshest buns where you can make your own, create the ultimate burger because you make the selections. Remember Deep Blue Sea? Well, the "Shark Reef"will bring it all back to you and more when you view 2000 unusual aquatic animals with 100 aquatic species and 15 different species of sharks, adults get in for $15.95, children ages 4-12 for $10.95 and it is free for children under 3 and it is open daily 10:00am-11:00pm. Of course they have hotel rooms from sky high to out of the universe in pricing, so I recommend you come Sunday through Thursday and stay off the strip in the less expensive hotel and motel accommodations. I still have a lot more of exploring to do here and it seems that I've just begin, look forward to capturing all the happenings on film to show sometime in the near future.

Ceasar's Palace

Well, Celine Dione is no longer at the Colosseum and in her place is Bette Midler, who by the way is finer and diviner than ever, showcasing her "The Showgirl must go on". The Divine Miss M can be caught at the Colosseum at Ceasar's nightly. Elton John will be in concert at Ceasars March 19-April 6 and June 3-22nd. Paris Hilton celebrated her 27th birthday at the Pussycat Dolls Lounge inside Ceasar's.
The "Atlantis and Festival Fountain", located at the Forum Shops inside Ceasar's features Roman statues at the Festival Fountain that come to life in a 7 minute show featuring special effects in the Great Hall. The Atlantis show is an epic battle filled with fire and smoke around a 50,000 gallon aquarium. Show times are every hour on the hour, 10:00AM-11:00PM daily.
For dining I'll mention just one of the fine places that Ceasar's has to offer and that is the Cypress Street Market Place it features 9 different cuisines and a 'picnic in the marketplace' atmosphere and it is open daily from 11:00AM-11:00PM.
If you haven't been here I recommend that you plan to do so sometime in the near future because you will not regret it. Until next time, Life is what you make it, so make it an enjoyable and memorable adventure.

Monte Carlo aftermath

The Monte Carlo has reopened 1200 of its 3000 rooms on the eve of Presidents Day, 1300 more rooms are opened this past Friday and their are 500 rooms that are mostly suites that will open some time later. If anyone wants to own a casino, a billion dollars worth of insurance is a good start because MGM Mirage the owners of 8 other casinos has 100 million dollars worth of damage that has to be covered. No word on how much of that is covered by insurance. That poor contractor that is blamed for the fire has yet to hear that charges are pending. Isn't it true, that when it rains it pours? I hope that poor contractor doesn't get charged anything and that it doesn't rain at all on his assets. You can look for the Monte Carlo to have the best rates in Las Vegas as well as the best customer service possible. They have always had good service and now in the wake of the fire it will be moved up a knotch to exceptional to include their outstanding buffet. Go to www.montecarlo.com to check out their specials should you decide to make Las Vegas your getaway.

Monte Carlo fire

Not the Monte Carlo the mecca, the Monte Carlo the icon on the Las Vegas strip, was it an accident or was it arson? The fire was blamed on a contractor whose welding torch went haywire. There are a few things that you should know about Las Vegas first. Law Enforcement the Fire Department, City Council are in bed with the casinos in Las Vegas. Whatever a casino wants done or not done, it is done no questions asked. Why? Because casinos are the backbone and the lifeblood of Las Vegas in the form of tourists dollars. MGM Grands fire of a few years past had loss of lives with it, the Monte Carlo fire had not a single loss of life, hooray! Isn't it ironic that they are both owned by the same owner to include the Mirage. Everyone who has been to Las Vegas has noticed the extreme pricing of hotels in the resort casinos and around, that is because the rates go up astronomically over the weekend and when conventions are in the major resort casinos. Rates go down Sunday through Thursday except on holidays. When the Monte Carlo reopens look for the rates to be down, so if anyone is planning a stay in Las Vegas you may come out better at the Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo owner has 2 things to be thankful for the millions of dollars of insurance coverage and the publicity which will bring more tourists in to see if there are any changes in the decor. Everyone has their opinion and thats what makes life so spicy. Everyone has thoughts and feelings on just about every subject under the sun. That's wonderful isn't it? Of course it is. This city still has it overshadowing of the mafia of the days of long ago only with sophistication in this day and time. Accident or Arson? You make the choice. Thank you.

Las Vegas, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I will start with the Bad, as seen through this locals eyes. Casinos, businesses and every one else only want your money, once they have it they want you gone, should you think they owe you something or an explanation be prepared to have security show you the door and the police to take you into custody, hopefully alive. The city's elite law enforcement only has stressed out, post traumatic, flashback having, anger management class missing pyschos on the force. You do not want them to stop and question you for any reason. They will shoot you dead. The shooter will get paid administrative leave, a justifiable and a promotion or a pay raise. The dead maybe flowers and a decent burial. motorists try to run over you whether you are walking or driving and they are not drunk, visitors or lost they are unsafe, kamikazee, offensive maniacs that shouldn't be allowed on a skate board, much less behind the wheel of a vehicle. Mulberry pollen will only aggravate your allergies if you are susceptible to allergy causing pollen. The weather is harsh and will dry you out like the dirt on the ground. Crime is on the rise and gangs are also everywhere into everything that is counterproductive. Home Owners Association everywhere.
The Good, the best buffets in the world are here and are reasonably priced. Shopping, Movies, Entertainment can all be enjoyed to the fullest inside the Casinos. It is also the best in the world. Hotel rooms are spacious, comfortable ,full of amenities and affordable. Picturesque themed casinos taken from the best parts of the world are here. You will need a camcorder and kodak camera for the breathtaking views that are here as well as inside the casinos and the entertaining is done by only the best in the world like Celine Deone, Blue Man Group, Bite and others that will take too long to mention and they are all along the strip and side streets for your enjoyment. Inside the Casinos and Hotels of course. Hollywood superstars party and some even live here or have a condo here that you may bump into in the most interesting of places. Beautiful women and some are even entertainers and you may run into some of them shopping at Albertsons or picking up their laudry and any where else folks are.
The Ugly is that insurance rates are the highest in the country in Las Vegas, Prime Rate Mortages is taking its toll on the foreclosures in this valley region. If you do not like nasty letters from folks about something you are doing or not doing then be prepared to find Home Owners Associations managing most of the better places to live in the Valley. Traffic is congested in the morning hours and early evening hours for commuters going to work and elsewhere after 9:00 pm is everything really free flowing. Flight delays are the norm.
There you have it and you do not have to agree with me as I said it is as I see it. You have your viewpoint, I have mine and others have theirs. That is what makes the world go round, isn't that right?