Las
Vegas
(Plus San Francisco and Yosemite National Park)
April 30 - May 20, 2008
Ho hum, another three week trip to the southwest: 3 days in San
Francisco, 3 days in Yosemite National Park, and 14 days in Las Vegas.
Those who have read my prior reports know this is pretty typical for my
semiannual trip.
Starting with my last report, I've added Mr. TLTG - tacky little tourist guy:
. Mr. TLTG points out especially tacky or only-in-Vegas sights. Last time, he highlighted Big Elvis and an adult hypnosis show. This time...well, you'll just have to read the report.
I've
placed most of the photos, and some of the longer individual reviews,
on separate pages. Click on the specified link, and a new
window
will open; close that page, and you're back where you started.
Lastly, a plug for my other site. If you're tired of wading through my
reports, and really just want information on Las Vegas, go to Larry's Guide to Las Vegas. It summarizes my trips into a weird sort of guide, with a heavy
emphasis on (1) restaurants, (2) outdoor activites and (3) the odd or
unusual.
San Francisco
My trip started out with three days in San Francisco,
including Muir Woods and the wine country. If
you're
interested in that kind of stuff, I've provided all sorts of details
on
a separate page. Click here
for all the
details.
Yosemite National
Park
From San Francisco, I drove to Yosemite National Park for three days. You know the drill - if you're interested, click here
for all the
details.
Las
Vegas
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Hotel
"I
want a good looking neighbor. But truth be known, I'd rather have empty
property than the Frontier there...It was painful. It was agony, that
place. Ugh." (Steve Wynn, talking about the planned replacement for the New Frontier)
Wynn Las Vegas continues to be my favorite hotel in town. It continues
to be out of my price range. Once in a while, it teases me with offers
- invariably for times that are of no use to me. Given that tale of
woe, I stick with The Flamingo.
To quote myself, "It's aging, has mediocre to poor restaurants, and is generally
unimpressive. However, it's relatively
inexpensive, its location is near perfect, and the rooms are
comfortable enough. Sold!"
Some Flamingo rooms have been renovated. The annoyingly named Go Rooms
feature upgraded electronics, fancier bath rooms, and a louder (I
mean more vibrant) color scheme. They're gotten generally good reviews,
although some people have complained about the translucent glass in the
bathroom, which allows light into the bedroom area during those middle
of the night forays.
I won't go into any more details, other than to say that my overall
experience was like prior trips, such
as this one.
Activities
Q: Why do mountain climbers rope themselves together?
A: To prevent the sensible ones from going home.
·
Rock
Scrambling
If you've
read my prior trip reports, this is getting to be repetitive for
you. But, like any true believer, I must convince the world. Rock
scrambling, or just plain old scrambling if you prefer, is fun! Lots of
fun!! Get thee to the desert and do it!!!
What is rock
scrambling? It's a little like rock climbing, and a little
like
hiking. There are
rocks, huge boulders and even small cliffs to climb, but none are so
difficult
as to require ropes. No previous experience is required, but
you
need to be in pretty good shape. I don't view it as
particularly
dangerous, but
there's always the chance of injury or of getting lost, so don't go
alone. I
highly recommend Neil Sobelson
of Hike
This!. Neil, a licensed guide, has been doing this
for a long
time, knows the
area very well, and is just a whole lot of fun to be around.
He'll tailor your scramble to your interests and ability. Oh
yeah, he also does hikes if you're so inclined.
Head out to Red Rock Canyon for some rock scrambling, and you'll
immediately lose the crowds. You'll get some fantastic views.
You'll burn enough calories that you won't have to feel guilty about
eating that 64 ounce Porterhouse steak for dinner.
Stan's Arch and Neil's Revenge
Stan's Arch is a real name. Neil's Revenge...well...click here
for details of
the rock scramble.
·
Hiking
Hiking is my second
favorite thing to do at Red Rock Canyon. My well known lack of any
sense of direction means that I don't really know where I went. All I
can say is that it was a hike, plus a minute or two of rock scrambling,
in Calico Hills, but away from the crowds that infest much of the
area. Details may be found here.
·
Dune Buggy
My trip to the
Amargosa Dunes was one of the highlights of my vacation. Unlike
the introductory tour to the Nellis area, this was a real adventure. Click here for all the details.
· Land Sailing
I almost went land
sailing once before, but the tour was cancelled (the rare weather
problem, if I recall correctly). In truth, I wasn't that disappointed,
as Landsailing Tours' web site
made it seem a little tame. However, I had extra time this trip, and
decided I should give it a try. Good decision! It turned out to be a
lot more exciting than I expected. Read about it here.
·
Pinball Hall of Fame.
3330
East
Tropicana
Avenue. The Pinball
Hall of Fame (PHoF)
has become a regular stop during my Vegas trips. It has nearly 200
vintage machines, some more than 50 years old. This is not a museum.
For a mere 25 cents (50 cents for newer models), you get to play the
machines! Tim Arnold, the somewhat eccentric owner, keeps them in
excellent shape.
·
Gameworks.
I stuck to pinball machines, but some of the newer motion simulators
are fascinating to watch. There are a number of shoot 'em up/horror
games, but the majority seem to focus on race car driving, and have all
sorts of bells and whistles. Not just gas and brake, but gear shifter
and clutch. In addition to a very large video screen showing the race
course, the "car" in which one sits moves. In the most sophisitcated
motion, a seat belt is necessary, and the car moves dramaticaly up,
down, left and right - so much so that there's an emergency "stop
motion" button. To add the spice of competition, some of the games pit
you against other players.
Shows
and Sights
"The
T300 [camera] includes a Happy Faces feature...[If] the subject doesn't
smile, Happy Faces distorts the subject's mouth to give them a smile.
The end results range from surprisingly realistic to Jokeresque." (review of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 camera by Will Greenwald, cnet.com, March 2008.)
·
Jersey Boys.
Palazzo.
Remember Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons?
Or perhaps these songs will jog your aging Baby Boomer memory:
"Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk Like a Man", "Rag Doll." Admit
it: when no one was around, you tried your hand at imitating their
trademark falsetto voice. Jersey Boys is the musical story of The Four Seasons' rise to fame. It was a hit on Broadway, and has just made its way to Las Vegas.
I can see why it was a hit on Broadway. The music is the main
attraction, but the plot is entertaining as well. The crowd,
mostly Boomers, was ready to cheer as soon as the actors came on stage.
Is it a great musical? No. Is it an enjoyable musical? Yes.
·
Etta James.
Orleans.
I can't claim to be an Etta James fan. When I saw she was
playing, her name barely tickled any memory cells. But for whatever
reason, something told me to see her. For those of you who are just as
clueless, Etta James is a blues singer from the 1950's and 1960's,
famous for such songs as At Last, Something's Got a Hold on Me, and Stormy Weather.
Etta James is now 70 years old, and her mind seems to be going a bit.
She discussed this during the show, saying that the doctors told her
she doesn't have Alzheimer's disease; "I'm [just] fucked up." However,
her voice is still good, and she knows how to entertain. The only
jarring note was that, about 45 minutes into the show, she abruptly
left the stage. Her band stood there, clearly not knowing how to react.
After a few minutes of this, an announcer said that the show was over.
Strange.
·
Big
Elvis.
Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon (formerly The Barbary Coast).
Last trip was my first time to see Pete Vallee, aka Big Elvis.
I got there pretty late, and it was tough to get anywhere near him.
This time, I got there early enough to get a good seat. He's lost a lot
of weight, and actually stands for some of the time; he even moves
around a little bit. Want to see some poorly lit photos and video
clips? Click here.
Gambling
"Between two evils, I always try the one I never tried before." (Klondike Annie, 1936, spoken by Mae West)
Craps.
I'm afraid this will be a pretty boring report. As usual, I played
craps, but neither won nor lost a lot. On the Strip, table
minimums are usually $10, and sometimes higher. A
few of the big casinos still have $5 games, especially during off
hours. The very lowest minimums are found at a few of the smaller
joints: Casino Royale; Slots-a-Fun; slightly off Strip at Westin. These
places each have their own
"character;" you'll have to decide if that's a plus or a minus.
Food
"Kerry
Simon has opened Cathouse in the Luxor Hotel and Casino, the first
restaurant in the history of Las Vegas to be named after a bordello." (John A. Curtas, in The James Beard Foundation News)
Those
of you familiar with my past trip reports know that I have a love
affair with good food. OK, OK, I have a love affair with any
food, but good food in particular. Having already tried the best in
town, and many of the near best, I was beginning to feel a bit jaded. I
decided to tone down my dining choices this trip.
Well, I should have known better. Having found out about my plans, the
food gods decided to have a bit of fun. First, they opened some new
restaurants. Then...drum roll please...they decided that my
trip should coincide with Vegas Uncork'd (more about that below).
This would turn out to be my overall favorite trip with respect to
food.
I've eaten at so many places, so frequently, that it's become a bit of
a problem in writing these reviews. How do I refer to past
visits
to the same place? How do you know in which trip report to
look? I've decided to take all of my restaurant reviews, for
all
trips, and combine them. This should make it a lot easier to
find
what you want, as well as providing more details for those places I've
visited multiple times. Click on Larry's
Las Vegas
Restaurant Guide, and a new window will open.
You can still see the reviews from this trip below. However,
the
eagle eyed may notice that the links lead you to a different
web site (including "lasvegasvacation" in the url). I'm using
that location for the new restaurant reviews.
Key:
 =
A restaurant
that
I have not reviewed in prior trip
reports. |
Vegas Uncork'd.
Multiple meals at multiple locations. Wow! This was chowhound heaven. Vegas Uncork'd
is a series of events put on by Bon Appétit Magazine. All sorts
of famous chefs (including ones that can actually cook) are involved. I
chose a few events: a special dinner put on by Guy Savoy himself; a
lunch by Alex Stratta; the Grand Tasting at Caesar's Roman Plaza; a Cocktail Smackdown at Blush, Wynn's latest incarnation of an ultra lounge.
Click here
for a description of the entire experience
Restaurant Charlie / Bar Charlie.
Palazzo. Charlie Trotter's new place; the pick of the litter at
the newly opened Palazzo. I loved my meal at Bar Charlie.
Click here
for a full
description of my meal
·
Okada.
Wynn. Yawn...probably my nine millionth review of this
place...obviously I like it...a lot...and this time was no different.
Click here
for a full
description of all of my meals over the years
·
Seablue.
MGM Grand. A pretty good seafood restaurant. This time I ate at the bar, and had a very good meal.
Click here
for a full
description of my meals
Payard
Pâtisserie.
Caesars Palace. Over the last couple of years, Vegas has
discovered fancy french bakeries. Payard Pȃtisserie is the latest to
open. Payard has upped the stakes by offering sit down breakfast, lunch
and dinner, plus an unusual late night prix fixe three course dessert
menu. I ate here several times and, with one minor glitch, it was excellent.
Click here
for a
description of my meals
Margaritaville.
Flamingo. The Flamingo being one of my main haunts, I must have passed
Margaritaville about a million times, sneering smugly as I did so.
No longer!
Click here
for a full
description of my meal
Burger Bar.
Mandalay Place. This is the place that started the current Vegas love affair with fancy hamburger palaces. I can see why.
Click here
for a full
description of my meal
Sensi.
Bellagio. Sensi has never been very attractive to me; I don't know
why. Still, it continues to get good reviews. I decided to give it a
try. I was not impressed.
Click here
for a full
description of my meal
·
FIX.
Bellagio. I keep coming back to FIX. The food isn't great but it's
pretty good, and the bar is lively - full of interesting characters.
Click here
for a
description of my meals
·
Stack.
Mirage. I was in the neighbor, I was lazy, so I returned. I still am not a big fan, but the meal was better than at prior visits.
Click here
for a
description of my meals
·
Bouchon. Venetian. Still the best breakfast in town.
Click
here for a
description of my meals (including one dinner)
·
Enoteca San Marco. Venetian.
I stopped by for a gelato break. It didn't seem as good as in the past,
and they no longer offer salted caramel. Still, it's pretty good.
Click
here for a
description of my meal
·
Café Bellagio. Bellagio. Still the best pancakes around.
Click
here for a
description of my meal
·
Bellagio Lunch Buffet. Bellagio.
No, I still don't really like buffets - but I never said my decisions
were rational. My judgment hasn't changed after this return trip.
Click
here for a
description of my meals
Canyon Ranch Café. Venetian. Generally healthy meals, but don't hold that against it. They have great granola.
Click
here for a
description of my meals
Le Golosita. 9500 S. Eastern Ave. I had some pretty good gelato here.
Click
here for a
description of my meal
Nightlife
"The drunker you are, the better we look." (seen on a sign outside the Red Room Saloon)
I was a real party
pooper this
trip. "Nightlife" consisted of sitting at bars and talking to
fellow crazies, or late night walks along the Strip. However, there's
something to be said for sitting at bars. I met several interesting
characters and generally had a good time. Hello, David. Hello, "they
call me Bruce." Hello, I forget your names but you're the couple
that quit your jobs and are going to open up a bar.
Construction
"A
fire that sent gamblers fleeing from the Monte Carlo hotel-casino on
the Las Vegas Strip in January will cost close to $100 million in
repairs and lost business, casino operator MGM Mirage Inc. said today."
(Associated Press release, Feb 13, 2008)
Ever since Steve Wynn announced
Wynn Las Vegas, there's been a spasm of building. It rose to ridiculous
levels before reality set in, in the guise of rising costs and
lack of financing. Many projects were cancelled; a few big ones are
still in peril. Even so, the amount of new construction is amazing.
Most places have yet to open, but a couple have already arrived.
· The Palazzo.
Borrrrrring! The public areas look a lot like the Venetian...and as
I've said in the past, the Venetian is the new casino I'd be least
sorry to see demolished. So far, the only thing I really like about the
place is Bar Charlie (see the restaurant section).
· Planet Hollywood.
Planet Ho, as it is affectionately (?) called, isn't exactly new. It's
the latest incarnation of a project that has seemed star crossed from
the beginning. Formerly known as Aladdin, the casino hotel had gone
through two bankruptcies under the prior name.
I was ready to dislike it, but I have to admit that the Strip frontage
and the casino are more inviting than they used to be. The stores don't
impress me any more than they used to, and the restaurants are suspect,
but overall it's an improvement.
· Monte Carlo.
The minor construction accident that led to temporary closure of
the hotel and a price tag of around $100 million is now just a
memory. It pretty much looks just like it used to. Pity.
· Luxor.
As part of the de-theming of Las Vegas, the public spaces of the
Great Pyramid of Cheap have been redone with a vengeance. Other than
the oddly slanted walls, there's not much to remind you of its
pseudo-Egyptian past. Despite my snide remarks, I think this is a
change for the better. For some time now, the Luxor has been a pretty
depressing place to visit. This can only help.
· On the rise. With the recent opening of The Palazzo and Planet Hollywood, foot traffic on The Strip has improved, and is now only normally
congested. However, there's still plenty of construction underway: Wynn
Encore, Project City Center, Cosmopolitan, Echelon, Fontainebleu
and a ton more off Strip. Here are a few pictures of ongoing construction.
Miscellany
· Close Encounters Department.
There I was, going for breakfast at Payard Pâtisserie in Caesars
Palace. As I entered the hotel lobby, someone called to me. She was
wearing an outfit of shiny purple, gold and some other colors. Given
the attire, I thought she was some sort of Caesars greeter. Not
exactly. At 9 am, in the Caesars Palace lobby, I was hailed by a woman
offering commerical affection. Gives a whole new meaning to "morning
pick me up."
· It's Not the Humidity.
May is a great month to visit Las Vegas. Highs are in the mid 80's, and
at night it cools down into the low 60's. Perfect...except that someone
forgot to tell Mother Nature. During the last 4 days of my vacation, I
was treated to highs that easily broke the record. One day, the
official high was 107, and highs over 110 were reported in some
suburbs. At least it didn't rain.
· Shake it.
It seems that every second casino has installed scantily clad dancers
somewhere on their property. After all, if Caesars Palace can have the
Pussycat Dolls Casino, it must be respectable, right? The latest, if
not greatest, to join the club is my very own Flamingo Hotel. I wasn't
especially pleased - they really need to work on style and enthusiasm -
but that didn't stop me from taking a brief, out of focus video
(for high bandwidth users only). What you don't see in the video is a
curved bank of mirrors located high on the casino wall. This lets
gamblers throughout that section of the casino see multiple reflections
of the gyrating dancers.
Highlights
Yosemite National Park
Rock scramble at Red
Rock Canyon
Dune Buggy at Amargossa Dunes
Vegas Uncork'd
Bar Charlie
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