Thanks to the folks at the Mullen Ad Agency, and a little computer magic, you can make it snow anywhere, even in Las Vegas!
Snowy Barbary Coast (Bill’s Gambling Hall)
Adweek Article on the 10 best Ad Agency Greeting Cards, Mullen is #3.
Kardashians Open Kaos at The Mirage
As Robin Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Leach breathlessly reports in the Las Vegas Sun that the Kardashian Clan is opening a lifestyle boutique at the Mirage. Security was beefed-up in anticipation of arrival of these Kardashians. All this raises two obvious questions: Who are these Kardashians that warrant extra security? and What is a Lifestyle Boutique. Much like the investigative reporting we did on Paris Hilton, we hope to publish shortly a full report on these Kardashians.
Does the following help explain what a lifestyle boutique is?
The new “celebrity lifestyle boutique,”which is the first celebrity concept store of its kind, will offer a variety of items, only available at Kardashian Khaos, including all the products that the Kardashian girls and Kris Jenner own, represent, market and endorse, coupled with exclusive Las Vegas souvenir items.
The one-of-a-kind items have been designed exclusively by Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Cici Bussey, Vice President and Creative Director of Kardashian Khaos. The boutique will offer a variety of items, inducing t-shirts, novelty gambling chips, a surprise beach towel, playing cards, private label make-up by Stila, individually designed scented candles from each girl and Kris
Sounds like a lot of over-priced tchotchkes.
The Fountains of Bellagio to Add New Songs
Its been six years since new song and water dance numbers have been added to the repertory of The Fountains of Bellagio. All that is about to change as new songs will be added next week, including: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds; Billie Jean and Glen Miller’s In The Mood. An article in the Montreal Gazette discusses the process of choreographing the new songs with Claire Kahn, executive designer for the California-based WET firm. Claire promises: “And I will put in diamonds I don’t know how yet – but I will.” All the while Colleague Peter Kopik has to figure out how to capture Michael Jackson’s signature moonwalk in Billie Jean.
Christmas Brunch or Dinner in Las Vegas
The folks at Vegas Chatter have done a nice job of summarizing 14 Christmas brunch/dinner options. The price range is quite large, from Hash House A Go Go to Guy Savoy’s Prestige Menu at Caesars Palace for $358
The $358 Christmas Menu at Guy Savoy
- Oysters in Ice Gelée
- Langoustine and Fennel
- “Colors of Caviar”
- Roasted John Dory in Sage and Tarragon Crust
- Foie-Gras “en Papillote” and Black Truffle Bouillon
- Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup,
- Toasted Mushroom Brioche, and Black Truffle Butter
- Poussin “en Cocotte” and Albufera Jus
- Brie Black Truffle
- Champagne Dessert
- Chocolate
The Lion King is Getting Ready To Spend More Time with His Family
The Lion King will close December 30. Las Vegas has been host to what many consider the finest production of The Lion King, if you wish to see the Lion King in Las Vegas, time is short. Review of The Lion King, in Las Vegas. The replacement show, the new Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show is scheduled to open May 13, 2013.
Gawker Comes to Las Vegas, with A Dirty Slut That Can’t Get Laid?
The bored and generally lazy research department at Vegas What’s Up recently came across the following web site, The Daily Fiasco. The tone seemed so familiar, and yet quit different from standard issue saccharine tone of most Las Vegas web and print publications.
Has Nick Denton added a Las Vegas title to Gawker Media. Gawker that New York based, media centric blog that is widely credited with inventing the snarky (irony with a mean spirited edge) tone that is pervasive on the web. No, Denton hasn’t added a Las Vega title to his long list of blogs, but there is a connection, with a few degrees of separation.
The Daily Fiasco is part of the Las Vegas based Wendoh Media Group. The Wendoh Media Group publishes Vegas Seven in partnership with The Observer Media Group. The Observer Media Group publishes the New York Observer, and the editor in chief of The New York Observer is none other than Elizabeth Spiers , the founding editor of Gawker.com. For an interesting article on blogging for money which discusses Gawker Media: New York Magazine Blogs to Riches, which has a great retort from Elizabeth Spiers.
No one knows this better than Elizabeth Spiers, the original Gawker girl. She is arguably the most famous professional blogger, since she invented its dominant mode: a titillating post delivered with a snarky kicker, casual profanity, and genuine fan-girl enthusiasm—sonnets made of dirt. Yet no good deed goes unpunished; the player-hater e-mail she received during her tenure at the gossip site was astonishing. “I’d get these e-mails saying, ‘You’re a dirty slut who can’t get laid,’ ” she recalls. “How can I be dirty slut and not get laid?”
For a sense of what it is like editing Gawker, or any blog for that matter, read the essay about Emily Gould “Exposed”
Well, I think we’ve gone far far afield, if you’re reading this line, thanks for staying for the ride, until the next Vegas Whats Up, Happy Jackpots.
December in Las Vegas, like in the rest of the country brings in ever cooler weather. Average high temperature for Las Vegas in November 58 F, average low temperature 34F, cold, but still above freezing.
It’s Rodeo time in Las Vegas, National Finals Rodeo, That is!
For the 27th time Las Vegas is hosting the National Finals Rideo (NFR). The actual Rodeo takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center, from December 1- 10.
Events include:
- Bareback Riding
- Steer Wrestling
- Team Roping ( Divided into “Headers” and “Heelers” which as you might expect is defined as follows:
- Headers – Cowboys who rope the steer’s head
- Heelers – Cowboys who rope the steer’s hind feet)
- Saddle Bronc Riding
- Tie-down roping
- Barrel Racing (Women Only)
- Bull Riding (Men Only, as are all the other events, with one exception)
This might be considered a niche sporting event, but that doesn’t mean the event is not popular. The events are largely “sold-out” and ticket prices are not cheap. Someone has to pay for that “special dirt” that is used during the event. There really is a special type of dirt used during NFR, that is stored somewhere on the UNLV campus.
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is sanctioned by The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The PRCA claims 4 million Loyal Rodeo Fans that evidently prefer soft drinks to beer.
In surveys, 81 percent report that they have had a soft drink in the previous 30 days, 50 percent have had a beer in the previous 30 days and 95 percent have eaten at a fast food restaurant in the previous 30 days. ProRodeo fans come from all walks of life, but as a group, they are demographically similar to NASCAR fans, and are likely to also enjoy hunting, fishing and camping. ProRodeo.com. From PRCA web site.
There is free shuttle service to the event along 14 routes covering 24 hotels.
Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas
Coinciding with NFR is the Cowboy Christmas Gift show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, through December 10, 10am-5pm daily, free admission. Over 400 exhibitors will fill roughly 300,000 square feet of space. Some of the exhibitors include:
- The Best Hat Store
- Allens Boots
- Art From The Farm
- Awesome Rods
- Boot Barn
- Continental Divide Knives
- Cowboy Free Range Meat
- Cowgirl Glitter
- Loveless Custom Boots and Shoes
- Wrangler, of course.
Country on The Fremont Experience
November 30 kicked-off 12 days of country on Fremont Street. There will be a whole slew of Country Performers during NFR. A list of performers can be found here.
National Finals Rodeo Autograph Sessions
Several Hotels are hosting free autograph sessions with the Rodeo Performers.
- Dec 3 Aria: Saddle Bronc Riders 12pm-2pm
- Dec 5 Golden Nugget: Team Ropers 12pm-2pm
- Dec 6 TI (Treasure Island) Bull Riders 12pm-2pm
- Dec 7 Palms: Steer Wrestlers 12pm-2pm
- Dec 8 Monte Carlo: Bareback Riders 12pm-2pm
- Dec 9 Mirage: Tie Down Ropers 12pm-2pm
Caesars Entertainment Lowers Poker Room Comps
Vegas Chatter posted on December 1 that all Caesars Entertainment, Harrahs, poker rooms have lowered their comp rates. Details, such as they are, can be found here.
Experience the NEW Tropicana Las Vegas with our 72-Hour Sale!
November in Vegas
November in Las Vegas, like in the rest of the country brings in cooler weather. Average high temperature for Las Vegas in November 67 F, Average low temperature 43F.
Pools closed time to Ice Skate
Most pools are closed, however Bellagio and Excalibur have heated pools that remain open year round. The Venetian/Palazzo not only have pools open year round, they’ll have an ice skating rink too. From November 21 through January 8 the Venetian will have an ice rink on the Strip. 30 minute sessions are $14,95 ($9.95 with grazie card) No need to schlep your skates to Vegas, fee includes skate rental.
Free Magic Shows at Fashion Show Mall during the Holidays
The Show “Believe in Magic” is located in the Great Hall, near Nordstroms and runs Friday through Sunday November 25 through December 11, and then daily from December 16-24. The holiday themed show includes dancers and snow, artificial we suspect, the snow that is, the dancers are real. Show times are: at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Bellagio Conservatory Holiday Display
The current ode to autumn display will begin its transformation to the much anticipated Holiday Display on November 27. The holiday display is set to open December 6 and will be on display through January 2, 2012.
October in Vegas
What happens in Vegas in October? Pool Closings and Halloween Parties. Most Vegas pools close the end of October, as the daily high temperatures drift into the 60s.
Halloween in Vegas
Halloween has become a major party holiday, and no city is better at throwing a Party than Las Vegas. The people over at Vegas Chatter have done a nice job of listing most of the Vegas Halloween Parties, including which celebrity is hosting. Of course, celebrity is a relative term. Celebrities include such notables as Bridget Marquardt, think of Holly Madison, at Planet Hollywood and Snooki, Jersey Shore, at Caesars.
Golden Gate Owners buy Fitzgeralds
The new owner has plans to renovate the rooms, long over-due, and the second floor, also over-due. More details can be found in the RJ
Troubles at the Tropicana
- The rise and seeming fall of the new pool area Nikki Beach/Club as dutifully chronicled in Vegas Chatter.
- The new MOB Experience is not being experienced by many, at least not at the Trop.
- Gladys Knight’s stay at the Tropicana is cut short, October 29 is the last show date. Story in LVSun
- President and COO Thomas McCartney has resigned, to take effect October 31. Story in RJ
Holly Madson Stays In Vegas
Harrahs Blog has announced that Holly Madison’s contract in Peep Show has been extended through the end of 2012. As noted in their post:
Holly Madison just signed a multi-million dollar extension contract to remain in her role as “Bo Peep” through 2012.
In a related story, People Magazine is reporting that Holly Madison has insured her breasts for $1 Million.
“I think it’s kind of funny. I think they’re getting the credit they deserve,” she said. “They’re my primary money makers right now.” Holly Madison quote from People Magazine
Margaritaville Expands at The Flamingo
Margaritaville at the Flamingo is no longer just a restaurant/bar it is now a full fledged casino, or at least a fledgling casino. As CBS News Vegas reports, the new casino takes over the space previously occupied by the Steakhouse and a very long Hallway. The new casino has 22 tables and 220 slots.
Paris Who?
It is doubtful that many people have ever heard of Paris Hilton, none of our reporters nor has anyone in our much vaunted research department has heard of Ms. Hilton. When both Las Vegas Weekly and The Las Vegas Review Journal ran long heavily researched articles on a recent incident involving Ms. Hilton we knew it was incumbent upon us to set our crack team of reporters on the Hilton story.
While we appreciate the efforts of upstarts like the Las Vegas Review Journal our keen reporter instincts told us to first check with some venerable old media sources before proceeding. We immediately scanned the pages of TMZ and Gawker, and found scant evidence of Ms. Hilton’s existence. Newly confident that we were not too late in our coverage of Ms. Hilton, we proceeded with newfound gusto.
Paris Hilton and Perez Hilton
Ms. Hilton is in fact an heiress of the Hilton Family fortune. Evidently the Hilton Family like the Rothschilds in Europe, have a prominent French wing of the family. In an attempt to distinguish, and perhaps brand, the French wing as separate from the American wing, Ms. Hilton was named in honor of the “City of Light”, Paris. It should be noted that some thought the naming, Paris Hilton, was suspiciously similar to the name of prominent columnist Perez Hilton. It has been reported that Perez Hilton does not feel put upon, that the Hilton Family chose to name their daughter with such a similar sounding name.
After arriving in the States, Paris Hilton was rapidly establishing herself a a noted thespian, often mentioned as the next Meryl Streep, when an innocent video tape, of Ms Hilton and her boyfriend, was leaked to the public and scandalously derailed her career. Ms. Hilton then came to Las Vegas to open the eponymously named Paris Hotel and Casino.
Paris Opens Paris Las Vegas
The opening of Paris Las Vegas created tension between the American and French factions of the Hilton Family, as the American side of the family had to settle for an Off-Strip property, while Paris Las Vegas is located on a prime Strip location. Adding further insult to injury, Paris was able to woo away her favorite pop-singer, Barry Manilow, to the Paris Strip location just this year. Paris Hotel & Casino has a very low internet profile, as this is the only website we could find for Paris Hotel & Casino
It is said that Steve Wynn got the idea for the naming of his casino, from Paris. His initial thought of naming the casino “Steve” was changed after extensive market research and focus group testing. This brings us to the latest Paris news.
Paris Hotboxing on the Strip
The Las Vegas Review Journal and Associated Press report that:
Smoke emanating from a Cadillac Escalade on the Las Vegas Strip, which smelled like marijuana, and had as a passenger Paris Hilton, and was driven by Las Vegas nightclub mogul Cy Waits, who manages a club inside the Wynn Las Vegas, was stopped by Las Vegas Police
It was further reported:
Wynn Resorts Ltd. spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne told The Associated Press that Hilton is barred from Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.
Meanwhile, boyfriend Cy Waits was “separated” from his job after less than a week as top managing partner of the Tryst Nightclub at Wynn and XS The Nightclub at Encore, Dunne said in a statement.
The reclusive Paris Hilton, who is notoriously camera shy was forced to pose for a mug shot. This is perhaps the only known photograph extant of the heiress.
Wynn Bans Paris
We are of course left to wonder, did Steve Wynn bar Ms. Hilton because of said incident, or was it due to lingering jealousy over Paris Hilton being the first person to have a Strip property named after her. Further details will be published as they are uncovered.
Vegas Whats Up would like to give special recognition to our research department for all their hard work in scrupulously fact checking this article.
Aug 282010
Steve Wynn has decreed that all restaurants in his Las Vegas properties must offer Vegan options to diners. Al Mancini at Las Vegas CityLife has detailed the offerings at many of restaurants at Wynn and Encore. A sampling includes:
Tableau: creamy corn soup; roasted beet salad; napoleon of savory tofu; almond or soy milk latte
Terrace Point Café: soba seaweed salad; ratatouille bruschetta; Asian pockets of stuffed tofu
Wazuzu: California fried rice; vegan crunch roll; braised tofu with green beans
The Country Club: watermelon gazpacho; sweet corn chowder; chilled heirloom tomato soup; sesame seared tofu salad; tossed cob salad
Evidently if you partake of a Vegan Diet, a fondness of tofu is a must.
So, what exactly is a “Vegan”, a vegan adheres to a much stricter diet than a vegetarian, not only are meat products not allowed, dairy products are not allowed, nor are ingredients that have any animal by-products, like gelatin.
Steve Wynn is rumored to have gone vegan himself. While Steve Friess noted in his AOL story, that Wynn’s PR people declined to comment on Steve’s dietary choices, Max Jacobson noted in his recent story High-end Vegan
“In honor of his boss Steve Wynn’s recent commitment to veganism, Stratta tells me he is working on a vegan menu.”
The Vegan decree puts a lot of pressure on chefs at Wynn, to come up with palatable dishes, to please a rather small target market. According to a 2002 Time/CNN poll 4% of Americans identify themselves as vegetarians, and of vegetarians, roughly 5% are vegans, hence roughly 0.2% of Americans are Vegan.
As Steve Friess notes in his story, none is this Vegas food is cheap:
the tofu carpaccio appetizer is $14 and a mushroom polenta cake entree is $32 both in line with meaty menu options.
In a city where everyone follows closely what Steve Wynn does, it will be interesting to see if other Las Vegas casinos follows Steve’s lead on the Vegan front.
