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Seventy-two fabulous hours in Las Vegas for less than $72 per day? Sure. Why not? Check out Sin City on a budget and make some priceless memories.

With gas prices rising and constant hints of recession, you'll want a vacation now more than ever. But you can't spend a fortune. If you know the secrets of Vegas, you don't have to spend more than $72 a day. And we can tell you how. Our exciting itinerary will take you all around town.



There is one small catch: you must arrive at 8AM on a Tuesday morning.

DAY 1
You arrive early on your first day in Vegas. Pick up a hearty breakfast at Victory Cafe in the Cannery Casino Hotel for a hearty breakfast of two eggs, home fries and your choice of bacon or sausage for only $1.95. Digest your breakfast before ordering up a Vegas classic: the "Original" Shrimp Cocktail from the Shrimp Bar & Deli at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino for only $1.99. Use the best of your afternoon to get in some sightseeing. Take a ride on the Desert Princess on nearby Lake Mead just around the bend from the Hoover Dam for only $22. Head back to Ellis Island Casino & Brewery for a delicious steak dinner for only $6.99. Spend $1 on a few slot machines. By this point, you'll be exhausted. Head to your room at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino where you'll stay the night for only $37.70.*

First Day Total: $70.63.

DAY 2
Roll out of bed on your second day to catch breakfast at Suncoast Casino's Cafe Siena where you can order up two pancakes with two eggs and your choice of bacon or sausage for only $1.95. Ante up $3 for a game of Blackjack at the Western Hotel just a little downtown. Pick up a delicious hot dog for lunch from the vendor's cart at the sports book in the Gold Coast Casino & Hotel for $.75. Play another $3 game of Blackjack back at the Western. Take a walk over the California Hotel and Casino for dinner and get a Chicken Super Bowl with your choice of teriyaki sauce or gravy for only $2.85 from Aloha Specials. Enjoy a night of comedy at the Comedy Stop in the Tropicana (your own hotel) for only $21.95. Retire to your room in the Tropicana for which you are once again only paying $37.70

Second Day Total: $71.20.

DAY 3
Get ready for your last full day in Vegas. Splurge for an early breakfast at Texas Cafe in Texas Station and fill up on a pancake sandwich for only $2.49. Find yourself at Circus Circus and lunch at the Circus Buffet for only $11.99. Bowl a game at The Orleans for only $2.90 per game. Eat a T-Bone steak for dinner at Terrible's Bougainvillea Cafe for only $9.99. Enjoy two well drinks at the Plaza for only $5.00. Take a walk through Fremont Street to check out what everyone's talking about and enjoy Viva Vision for free. Return to your room at the Tropicana one last time where you'll spend one last night for $37.70.

Final Day Total: $70.07.

It's Friday morning. Your memories are priceless. Now get out of Las Vegas before you spend another dime!

*Room rates based on those offered for regular rooms for the nights of August 12,13 and 14, 2008.

The neo-classic and over-used phrase "America voted" applies as Las Vegas City's Best winners have been announced.

Voters voted for the votably best restaurants, bars and clubs and Vegas categories like City's Best Casinos, City's Best Buffets and City's Best Adult Attractions.

The Palms took over the top spot in the City's Best Casinos category from perennial favorite, Bellagio. However, the Buffet at the Bellagio retained the top spot as the City's Best Buffet.

West Coast meat purveyors, In-N-Out Burger took home the beef as the City's Best Burger.

Click here for the full list of results.

A three-day Vegas vacation is about all a human can handle, emotionally and physically. Even if you're not partaking of the delightful fruits of Sin City (boozing, dancing and buffet gorging), sightseeing and shopping can also take a toll on human endurance.

For those folks that don't even have three days, I recommend the one-day Vegas Super-Massive Party plan. It's grueling, but for the attention deficit crowd, it's a great way to experience the best of Vegas in less than 24 hours.

Vegas Super-Massive Party Plan
First of all, I'm not a licensed medical professional, but you'll want to get plenty of rest the night before and hydrate the whole way through. The plan has ample time for relaxation, but remember, moderation is your friend.

You'll want to start with a midday flight to Vegas arriving around noon and a return flight leaving around 7-8AM so you can arrive at the airport around 6AM. Pack light if even at all and grab toiletries as needed.

And as a savings benefit, if you don't need a hotel room, you don't have to get one. The plan calls for a place to shower, but if you think you need a disco nap, a place to call home or your plans derail, you should get a room.

Before you leave your house, arrange for a car service to pick you up at the airport or you could spend a precious hour, literally, at the cab stand and time is of the essence.



Noon -2PM
Mandalay Bay
If you didn't fill up on airline nuts and complimentary beverages, you're going to want to eat. Mandalay Bay is the closest, biggest resort to the airport so start there for lunch and work your way up The Strip.

Grab lunch at the Burger Bar for a nice slab of beef. You can try the $75 burger, but one of the $15 burgers will do just fine. When you're done eating, contemplate the meaning of life at the tranquil environs of the Shark Reef. Practice positive reinforcement and picture yourself as the shark, gliding through the day ahead.

2-4PM
Bellagio Poker Room
Now that you're fed, head over to the Bellagio and grab a chair for a couple of hours at one of Vegas' best poker rooms. They have poker action for almost every budget and it's a pretty mellow way to spend a couple of hours.

If your bankroll is big enough, head to Bellagio's high-roller salon, Club Prive (pictured) and enjoy some responsible gaming and pampering with the elite crowd.

4-7PMish
Caesars Palace
Crossing Flamingo , head to Caesars Palace. You'll want to hit the Forum Shops and grab some fancy duds for going out later. While there, stop by Casa Fuente for a cigar break and a mojito. Follow that up with a massage and shower (very important) at Qua spa. You're now relaxed, clean dressed and ready for the night.

7:30-9PM
Mirage
Head a little north of The Strip and catch 'The Beatles Love' by Cirque du Soleil. Maybe you've just watched 'Across the Universe' in theaters or maybe you're just a Beatles or Cirque du Soleil fan. Whatever the case, it's a must-not-miss show whether you are spending one night or one week in Vegas.

As a post-show option, stop by and check out the tech-heavy psychdelic-inspired The Beatles Revolution Ultra Lounge on your way out. The '60s meet the future with fancy lights and interactive, customer-created art being projected onto the walls.

9:30-11PM
Wynn
Time to eat again and luckily Vegas has plenty of options. Heading a little further up The Strip, stop at The Wynn for a fancy dinner at Alex. On the walk over, from The Mirage, be sure to catch the sexy 'Sirens of TI' free show in front of Treasure Island.

11PM-1AM
Downtown Vegas
Take a cab for a detour off The Strip to Downtown and the newly christened Fremont East Entertainment District. Downtown nightlife is booming and you can initiate your own hipster pub crawl by stopping at the Downtown Cocktail Room, Beauty Bar and The Griffin. Warning, these are not big dance clubs, but don't worry, one is up next on the itinerary.

1AM-3AM
The Venetian
Time to start heading back toward the airport and the first stop is a nightcap at TAO Las Vegas. You'll want to try and skip the line at all costs since time is precious, but once inside, you can rub elbows with celebrities and get an aerobic dance workout to get your second wind.

3AM
Vince Neil Ink Tattoo Parlour
Continuing the trek toward the airport, go to O'Shea's and permanently mark the occasion with a tattoo at Vince Neil Ink. As the front man for Motley Crue, he knows a little something about tattoos. If you have been drinking a lot, you'll want to skip the step and hit the slot machines or visit the Peppermill Fireside Lounge. Tattoos and drinking, contrary to movies and television, don't mix.

4AM
Hard Rock Hotel
It's almost time for breakfast and the Hard Rock usually has an attractive crowd, even this early in the morning (or late at night as the case may be). Mr. Lucky's 24/7 is a 24-hour cafe where you can grab something to eat and much-needed coffee before heading to the airport.

6AM
McCarran International Airport
If any of the souvenir shops are open that early, you might want to buy a T-shirt so you have something fresh to wear for the plane ride home. The slots are up and running so if your flight is delayed, you'll have something to occupy your time before you get on the plane and sleep.

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In most towns across America, there are a handful of restaurants to go to for special occasions. For anniversaries, birthdays and other causes of celebration, we put on our Sunday clothes and head to the fanciest place in town.

Vegas is a little different. Almost every day here is a special occasion and picking the fanciest place in town is a little more difficult. The town has been built on fantasy and excess and fancy is a byproduct. Even a hot dog, onion rings and Coca-Cola at Nathan's will set you back $11.

In the old days, it seemed casinos had the one nice restaurant, the diner, the buffet and one or two casual restaurants. Today, the top luxury resorts have multiple high-end eateries by the world's most famous chefs. With all of the marquee chefs at resorts like the Venetian, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Caesars Palace, a trip to Vegas is like some sort of Food Channel interactive experience.

I admit the title of this column is a little dramatic. None of these meals will force you to take out a second mortgage to afford their delicious expense. However, when you plan your next trip, or your next night out in Vegas, budget some extra cash for one or more of these five extravagant Vegas dining experiences:

Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay
I like watching Chef Hubert Keller's 'Secrets of a Chef' cooking show on television. From his unassuming style comes some of the most assuming food, gorgeous and yummy. In Vegas, he has more than one restaurant, which gives the diner multiple options to luxuriate.



If you're feeling casual chic, grab a table at Burger Bar, where the great American pasttime gets gourmet treatment. You can try the $25 surf and turf burger topped with lobster. To take the fancy up a notch, make reservations at Chef Keller's Fleur de Lys restaurant also at Mandalay Bay. Look past the champagne cocktails with 24K gold flakes and the live floral sculpture featuring 3,000 fresh roses and focus on the menu, particularly the Kobe Beef FleurBurger "Rossini" (pictured). It's a nice hunk of revered Kobe beef that is topped with foie gras and black trufflIes. They offer it with a 1990 bottle of Chateau Petrus for $5,000.

The "$5,000 burger" was all over the blogs when the restaurant announced the offering, but that's like saying there's a $50,000 burger out there that is served with a side of a Mercedes-Benz. You can order the burger as a course in one of the prix fixe options or slap down $75 for just the burger.

I've read criticism about the restaurant for having the audacity to serve a $75 burger, here is the deal with $75 burgers: they're worth every last cent. I'll go as far to say that if you're a vegetarian, you should eat a $75 burger before you die. They're that good.

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand
Luxury should be French super chef Joel Robuchon's middle name. I feel fancy just walking into his eponymous restaurant at MGM Grand even before I've looked at the menu.

Gordon Ramsay recently stated that he would want the main course of his last meal on Earth to be prepared by Chef Robuchon, his one-time mentor. Incidentally, Chef Ramsay would want the appetizer for that same last meal to be prepared by another French super chef with a Vegas restaurant, Alain Ducasse.

Other than some marble, chandeliers, French cuisine and accolades of the greatest chef of this generation, what makes the Joel Robuchon experience so extravagant? Go for the 16-course tasting menu. Tasting menus are all the rage with chefs because it's a great way for them to tap into their creative culinary muses and the eater gets to sample a little bit of everything. It is 16 courses so even at $365 a person, it seems like a relatively good deal, but in my opinion, the real extravagance is just being able to sit down at a table and have 16 courses, flowing in and out over the course of a meal. It feels very royal.

Sterling Brunch at Bally's
Bellagio has consistently been recognized as having one of the best buffets in Vegas. It has also been around the top tier of priciest buffets. However, nothing compares to the Sterling Brunch at Bally's Steakhouse on Sundays. At $58 per person, it is the most expensive buffet in town but worth it. The display is deliciously gaudy, but among the typical breakfast buffet fare, you'll find lobster, sushi, caviar and even ostrich on occasion -- and of course, plenty of champagne.

Nothing says extravagance like champagne on a Sunday morning.

Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace
The French really know how to treat a stomach. That sounds weird, but the point is French, as a cuisine, gives us some of the tastiest dishes known to man and French restaurants are among the priciest.

Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace is no different: some of the best food on the planet and priced accordingly. The tasting menu at his eponymous restaurant in Paris is among the world's most expensive along with Alain Ducasse's. They all tend to run in the same chef circles with Chef Savoy also noted by Chef Ramsay as a mentor.

Chef Savoy's Vegas tasting menu is just shy of $300, but in the spirit of luxurious dining, you should just dive into the menu. Even the photo of the prime beef tenderloin looks good enough to eat and if you order the right dinner for two, with wine and gratuity, you're looking at $1,000. That's good taste.

Alex at the Wynn
For the next entry, we're staying in the Mediterranean region with Alex at Wynn. Everything about Alex Stratta's restaurant at the Wynn is rich -- the architecture, the interiors and more importantly, the food.

As I said earlier, tasting menus are all the rage and the seven-course tasting menu that starts yellowtail, sea scallops and foie gras is worth a gander.

For that extra special experience, reserve the chef's table and eat in the kitchen. Sure, you miss out on the lush dining room experience but in a restaurant, eating at the chef's table is like rolling VIP. Plus at more than $200 a person with a nine person minimum, it's very VIP.

I guess that makes it VVIP?

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Although it probably won't come as a surprise to anyone who has spent more than a day here, Forbes has named Las Vegas one of the 10 Top Cities for Foodies. Oh yeah, the list is not just of the top cities in the United States, but in the world. The list also Barcelona, London, Palermo and Paris.
Among the restaurants Forbes said were "Essential Eats" in Vegas were Guy Savoy (pictured) at Caesars Palace, Commander's Palace, Firefly and the Las Vegas Farmers Market.

Related: City's Best Las Vegas Restaurants | Vegas Bars & Clubs

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With the opulence and reverent air of a lavish jewelry salon, award-winning pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury introduces the first truly European-style pastry shop to Las Vegas. Located within Bellagio's luxurious new Spa Tower, the Pâtisserie whets the imagination as much as the appetite, with an incredible selection of sweet and savory items including chocolates, cookies, cakes, crepes, salads, sandwiches and much more.

Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie has been a dream of Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Philippe Maury for years, and now he and designer Norwood Oliver present a multitude of gourmet delicacies in an equally delicious design setting. "Our approach was not to think that we were selling pastries," said Chef Maury of the design plan. "Rather, we approached the space as if we were selling exquisite jewelry. Pleasure in food is stimulated as much by visual appreciation as by our taste buds. It is imperative, however, that the quality of my creations live up to the expectations invited by the visual allure of the packaging. It must be superb!"

Britney Spears was at TAO over the weekend and if this was earlier in the year, we would all assume that means she drank until 4AM or until she passed out, whichever came first. However, this is a new and improved Britney and Dom Perignon has been replaced with Dom Pepsi and she was only dining at the restaurant inside the entertainment complex.

Britney's need to be close to the restroom as descirbed in the spy report below is interesting, but we're glad to see the major drama is gone and Britney is doing well.

"She was with two other girls and one very big security guard with her named Tony. They arrived through the back door and sat at a table by the bathrooms. TAO staff were told to seat the party by the restrooms because Britney would need to use the restroom a lot. TAO staff was also advised not to serve her any alcohol. She was wearing a hat, blonde wig and a light coat. Very casual. They ate vegetable dumplings, hot edamame, California rolls and all split a wasabi fillet. She drank Pepsi and her friends drank ice tea. She was very sweet and polite to the waiter. Britney seemed to be enjoying the attention she was receiving as she was at a table in a very visible area on the way to the bathroom. They were in and out of TAO in about 1 hour."

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Congratulations are in order for Guy Savoy and his staff (pictured above) whose acclaimed Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace is nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award in the 'Best New Restaurant' category. LUXE LIFE has been a fan of the restaurant since opening its doors almost one year ago. The James Beard Award winners will be announced on May 7, just 10 days before Guy Savoy's one year anniversary.

New York star chef David Burke's long-awaited eponymous restaurant has opened at The Venetian. His 'Modern American Cuisine' is showcased in a palace of presentation with playful architecture and design. Dig into these photos by top Vegas photographer Scott M Doctor to hold you over until you can make a reservation at David Burke.

Sensi invites guests on a sensual journey through an innovative approach to dining drama. Executive Chef Martin Heierling draws on his vast international experience to devise a menu based on four complementary cuisines - Italian, Asian, Grilled and Seafood classics – all prepared simply and focused with pure, balanced flavors. To spotlight Chef Heierling's straightforward approach, Japanese design firm Super Potato crafted a unique, interactive 'stage' setup through minimalist, earthy décor. Together they create culinary theater destined to satisfy the personal inclinations of every guest.

Through open kitchens bustling with activity, a myriad of appealing aromas, tempting flavors and stone and water design elements, all of the senses come alive. This stimulation of the senses embodies the derivation of the restaurant's name – Sensi comes from the Italian word for senses "senzi." Sensi's menu reflects Chef Heierling's belief in traditional dishes that are ingredient-driven and unembellished.

From the Streets to the Stove. From Cocaine to Foie Gras. That's the subtext to Chef Jeff Henderson's amazing life story told in his new book 'Cooked.' Today, the Cafe Bellagio executive chef tells his extraordinary journey of redemption to Oprah Winfrey. But LUXE LIFE has the full details first. From when he was earning $35,000 a week as a cocaine dealer to the 20-year sentence in the big house on San Pedro's Terminal Island federal penitentiary and, upon release, landing a job in Vegas, where he used to play "highroller" gambling with his illegal drug earnings!

Bowling has been in and out on the pop culture radar more often than Wayne Newton. In most of the country it's an entertaining way to kill an evening or a Saturday afternoon, and an excuse for employees at the same company to get together after work and wear funny shirts with their names sewn on. But when people come to Las Vegas, bowling is probably the last activity on their minds, though it may still rank above searching for the perfect dice clock.

Pure Management Group and the Rio Resort hope to change all that with the Lucky Strike Lanes, scheduled to open in March. A combination 10-lane bowling alley, restaurant, bar and nightclub, Lucky Strike puts the beer back into the beer frame. Dining specialties include Bite Size Mac & Cheese Balls and Buffalo Chicken Crisps, as well as the standard alley cuisine of burgers and pizzas.

At night, Lucky Strike Lanes morphs into a nightlife hotbed complete with bowling, bar and beats. A neon-lit, script-lettered Las Vegas sign radiates light over the black-lit lanes. The venue will house state-of-the-art technology including five projection screens, which descend from a cascading, wave-patterned white ceiling, and feature score screens complete with picture-in-picture. And where else could you see hot girls in sexy dresses, wearing ugly shoes with the size displayed on the back?

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BETTE'S DINNER

There maybe one special sweetener in the contract that Bette Midler is currently negotiating with the Caesars Palace executives to take over from Celine Dion when the Canadian songbird winds up her four-year residency this coming December at the Colosseum. And it involves chicken quesadillas! Turns out that she's a regular at star chef Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in her downtown Manhattan neighborhood. The Food Network star told me that he happily opened up his Caesars Palace outpost just for Bette to enjoy the spicy chicken quesadillas in quiet and privacy while she's been visiting Sin City this week. So when Bette begins her run here she now knows that the taste treat will be available to her whenever she wants; in the restaurant or delivered steps away to her dressing room!

WILD AND CRAZY CHEF

It's like dining in a '70s disco! Barry White and Lou Rawls are blasting out from the speakers and the center mirrored ceiling ball is sending out shining rays of light flashes. Suddenly the room goes black and Al Pacino springs to life on the giant TV screens as he shoots up the entire cast of 'Scarface!' Then, just as suddenly, the pulsating music is back on and so infectious people have begun dancing not only in the aisles and on the bar, but also on their own dining tables!

It is so wild and crazy I have to say it's the wildest restaurant on earth and the food is a knockout sensation! Welcome to Cafe Martorano where such stars as Jessica Simpson, Ashanti, Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Joe Pesci, Shaquille O'Neal, Dennis Rodman, Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Don King are regulars. Until now, chef/owner, the tattooed biker Steve Martorano (seen above with yours truly), has held court in Fort Lauderdale only, but over the weekend he opened a much larger outpost in the Rio near Prince's 3121 showroom. His Florida success began as a tiny eight-table restaurant which grew to 14 tables and a long bar and lines of customers every night of its 13-year run. His new Vegas restaurant is much larger but with the same crazed scene that includes an open-air roof! Steve's two sons play DJ from right by the kitchen stoves. Already Shaq and Ludacris are regulars raving about the Italian-American home-cooking. Check it out for yourself because you wont believe your eyes, ears, and, most of all, taste buds. And be sure to buy a take home souvenir of his line of tomato sauces. There wont be a night when a celebrity isn't in there having fun!

#1 CHEF

Every star chef in our hot restaurant royal kingdom pays homage to culinary king Joel Robuchon (seen above, right) by making the pilgrimage to see the master at work in his two restaurants at the MGM Grand. But that got me chuckling and wondering where on earth the master himself goes after finishing work at his Mansion and the L'Atelier restaurants. Well turns out he's a big fan of Chef John Simmons at the unique Firefly Tapas Kitchen and Bar a few blocks away!

Now Simmons will tell you that Joel's food is the best in the world and he even has all of Joel's cookbooks. But when the master came in with his head chef and MGM's food and beverage director, Chef John prepared a tasting of sushi, short ribs, tuna takatsu and ended with chocolate cake. Joel patted him on the back saying he loved everything and it was exactly what he wanted after a hard night behind the grills! John gifted the man called the Pope of Cooking with the restaurants signature orange shirts and dragonfly emblazoned hats.

COMIC OF THE YEAR

Congratulations are due this morning to 'The 40 Year Old Virgin' star Steve Carell, who has been named Comedy Star of the Year by ShoWest. I met Steve Sunday at the NBA All-Star Game and neither of us knew then that he'd be back on March 15 to pick up the award at the movie exhibitor's convention being held in both the Paris and Bally's hotels. The actor will reprise his role as polished preening newscaster Evan Baxter in the next Evan Almighty follow-up sequel. This time around he's living in suburban Virginia and is instructed by God -- played again by Morgan Freeman -- to build an ark!

STRIP SCRIBBLES

For the second consecutive week, Cee-Lo Green from Gnarls Barkley turned up for Industry Night in JET at the Mirage. He had a whole set of different ladies with him this time around, but unlike last week -- as we showed you with all the photos in LUXE LIFE -- he didn't go wild dancing with them! ... Latin heartthrob Luis Miguel treated six friends for dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurant in the Forum Shops of Caesars Palace, and Executive Chef David Robins sent out my signature rich and famous smoked salmon and caviar pizza to welcome them. ... For the fourth consecutive night, LA Laker star Lamar Odom dined on the chicken wings at Stack in the Mirage and at adjoining separate tables Dog the Bounty Hunter and handsome Hollywood hunk, Brody Jenner.

TONIGHT'S TIP
Country comes a calling at the Orleans tonight with Glenn Campbell, and his show has become a family affair this time around as he features wife, Debby Campbell. They'll play there through Sunday night.

TOMORROW'S TEASE
Brutal rugged fighting comes to town with the Pride fighters and on a gentler note where love conquers all we're up-close at the fourth anniversary celebrations of 'Mamma Mia!' at Mandalay Bay.

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Hard to believe that our Vegas chapels last year had more than 122,000 marriage ceremonies, and the majority of the ultimate gambles take place on just one day: Valentine's Day. Happy Heartday Everybody! If you're dressed up in racy red to set hearts hopping this February 14, everybody at Luxe Life hopes it's an Xtremely Xciting, Xotic and Xclusive day so may the love be with you!

Licenses are issued around the clock just today for 24-hours and hundreds of happy couples will tie the knot in one of our dozens of wedding chapels. Ironically, bookings for 7/7/07 are already jamming the phone lines and that day may even exceed today's normal busiest day of the year! So many famous folks have been married here it's hard to keep a list but amongst Elvis and Priscilla, Joan Collins and Peter Holm, I think Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, who married here in 1958, are the longest remaining couple. Certainly Britney Spears and high-school sweetheart Jason Alexander hold the shortest marriage and annulment on record; all in a 55-hour span!

Now comes the "only in Vegas" twist of all time: a brand new website vegasweddingodds.com is effective today so that couples can see the odds and make book on how successful the marriage will be, even before they take out the license! A kiosk has even been set up at the Marriage Bureau, just feet from taking the final plunge. Its 50-year historical database also gives romantics something to do while waiting in line for the $55 cash-only license. Nevada has the highest marriage rate per capita of any state in the United States and a couple gets married here every three minutes and there is a 1 in 17 chance of getting married in Nevada.

MAKE-OUT MOVIE

Longtime pal and veteran actor Dennis Hopper -- we both love good cigars -- hosts a sweetheart screening tonight of 'Hoosiers,' which back in 1986 won him an Academy Award nomination. The film, which also stars Gene Hackman, unreels at the Brenden Theaters in the Palms resort to raise funds for the Hollywood Heart program of our local Boys & Girls Club. Dennis, who is chairman of our annual CineVegas Film Festival will chat with the audience and answer questions.

PERSONAL PICKS

Asked to name three very special restaurants to celebrate Valentine's with your true love, I'd have to go French and L'Amore! I'll personally be taking one very special lady to the prestigious Guy Savoy restaurant in Caesars Palace, which has love mixed into every course. I just as easily could have gone for supreme chef Joel Robuchon at the MGM Grand. Joel has a $360, 16-course menu of taste temptations. Chef Alain Ducasse dazzles high atop THEHotel at Mandalay Bay in his Mix restaurant, which is lit by a 24-ft chandelier of 15,000 hand-blown champagne bubbles. But there's one Frenchman who started all this red roses and creamy chocolates lip-lock love tradition in Vegas and he gets a special vote: Andre Rochat's same-named restaurant downtown has been annually voted the most romantic in our Valley. He's also got the quaint and charming Andre's at the Monte Carlo and my favorite Alize atop the Palms resort casino hotel. All have special Valentine's Day menus for star-crossed lovers. Don't forget the "Love Passion and Chocolate" $100,000 extravaganza out at the Ritz Carlton on Lake Las Vegas. It does include a $50,000 Neiman Marcus shopping spree and the butler will draw a Cristal Champagne bath in the presidential suite!!


SEXY SPA, SHOPPING & SHOW
The Bellagio Spa has a "Better Love" Valentine's package and a "Princess Package" -- both costing $350 for 80-minutes but complete with papaya enzyme cream masks, cranberry massage to reduce ageing signs -- and champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. You could have them on your body but probably less messy if you just relax with them afterwards! You can always invite your mate to share with the 50-minute couples together massage for $280. If tempting teddies and thongs, sizzling lace-topped stockings, burst-out bras and naughty negligees are the lacy lingerie on your love's must-have list then whip out your credit card for the high-priced sexcitement of Agent Provocateur in the Forum Shops of Caesars Palace and watch supermodel Kate Moss have a sex-fuelled film fantasy as she dresses her body beautiful in their next-to-nothings! Can anything top 'LOVE' itself from the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage as the ultimate Valentines date-musical?

PRINCE'S PARADE
Recording artist Tyrese, known for his passionate lyrics and sexy sound, makes a memorable guest performance serenading singles and couples tonight at Prince's Club 3121 in the Rio. Then a warm welcome to Louis Prima Jr. and his eight-piece orchestra, The Witnesses, who will now do every Wednesday and Thursday while Prince is away on tour. Louis Jr. is recreating a Vegas tradition his father made famous for 30-years in our early days known as "The Wildest Show in Vegas." He combines New Orleans jazz, a big-band sound with some swing, blues, boogie-woogie and rock and roll! Prince himself is back this weekend and has extended his NBA All-Star weekend shows to 3 nights!

Watch for Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller dressed as Elvis Presley during the worldwide NBA All-Star game telecast on Sunday (4PM PT). Along with his sister, TV commentator Cheryl Miller and TNT cameras they will film the segment today at our Graceland Chapel where real-Elvis impersonator Brandon Paul will be super-busy with 75 couples scheduled for ceremonies that are already underway as of 7AM! The Elvis tribute doesn't end there because an All-Elvis choir of impersonators will sing "Viva Las Vegas" after Friday's slam-dunk contest! ... Watch for movie superstars Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson to be front-row seat-mates at Sunday's big game because they aren't selling their tickets which have now escalated up to a whopping $50,000 for anything in the first five rows courtside! ... Sad to report that new Denver Nugget and former Philadelphia 76's star Allen Iverson has been forced to drop out of Sunday's game due to an ankle injury- but he's still coming to town for all the fun.

NEW YEAR'S EVE TIMES FIVE
Every December 31st, Vegas has been the best street-party but it takes extra police and security vigilance to ensure things stay safe. Now we're learning that our police chiefs are war-ready for All-Star weekend as of midnight tonight on the basis that its going to be five-times bigger than New Years Eve. All vacation leave and days off have been cancelled for every department to ensure the influx of out of town vice girls and gang members don't wreck our party. They are geared up for massive presence and sweeps to arrest more hookers, strippers, thieves and thugs in the next four days than were arrested in 52 consecutive weekends last year!

FINAL FIGURES
It was another all-time record year for Vegas. Yesterday Luxe Life told you that our Convention Visitors Authority was about to release the 2006 statistics. They did and it's overwhelming. Last year Vegas brought in just under 39-million tourists giving us America's #1 position with weekend occupancy rates year-round averaging 94.6% and a mind-boggling 87.6% midweek. The closest behind us was Honolulu at 83% and New York City at 82%. That translated to an average year-round room rate of $120- which beat rival vacation playground Orlando with a $101 average room rate! Officials predict this year's figures will be even higher, with 5,000 new rooms being added in the next 12 months and doubling by 2011.

STRIP SCRIBBLES

After a dinner at STACK in the Mirage Jared Leto and his progressive rock band 30 Seconds to Mars (seen above) celebrated next door at JET Nightclub in the Mirage to mark their second album "Beautiful Lie" going platinum. Bellagio chocolatier Jean-Philippe Maury, replicating their new album cover, served them a giant circular cake! ... Actress Dominique Swain ("Alpha Dog" & "Lolita") and cover girl of this month's Stuff Magazine partied at the FIX restaurant then the Light Nightclub and finally the Caramel ultra lounge. Dominique and her sister, up-and-coming actress Chelsea Swain ("Georgia Rule") danced all night long and Dominque was even spotted dancing on one of the club's man stripper poles. Meanwhile, rapper Nelly (seen below) has arrived in Sin City for the NBA All-Star parties and his first stop late last night was at the Tangerine in Treasure Island after sushi supper in the upstairs Social House.

Before heading to JET, Gene Simmons dined at Stack with a group of friends and enjoyed executive Chef Brian Massie's "hot rocks" and tender kobe sirloin. Over at the Bellagio, NBA sports analyst Charles Oakley dined at Fix with a group of five other friends. while nearby at a separate table boxer Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins ordered up the sea bass.

And finally last night, actor Danny Masterson from 'That 70's Show' played DJ last night at TAO.

TONIGHT'S TIPS
The O'Jays will entertain with NBA legends Clyde Drexler, and Julius "Dr. J" Irving at Studio 54 in MGM. ... Kanye West and Gnarls Barkley are the headliners at the second night of Fusion at the Aladdin Theater. ... Actress Kelly Hu from ABC's "Emergency" will bring 20 gorgeous girls with her to display the latest styles as they host the Marceau Fashion Valentine's Day party at Tangerine in the TI. ... For 20 years, Strip entertainers have presented the Golden Rainbow fundraiser and the casts of Chippendales, Fantasy, Jubilee, Folies Bergere, O, La Cage and the 'Fashionistas' all join forces for Naked Hearts Valentines Ball at the RIO. ... Denice Williams has a love affair with The Delfonics, The Impressions and a host of other Heatwaves for Red Rose Loveday's Orleans Arena concert.

TOMORROW'S TEASE
The controversial Hilton sisters head-to-town. Paris and Nicky both have their own versions of all-star weekend. Paris jets in from a $1million-dinner date in Austria to celebrate her birthday blast! Plus Mandalay Bay's ABBA musical 'Mamma Mia!' celebrates its fourth anniversary!

Also Pop-ular in Vegas Right Now:
- Luxe Life: Michael Jackson Talks About His New Life in Vegas
- Luxe Life: Paula Abdul Talks Slurs, 'Idol' and Being Woman of the Year
- Luxe Life: Springtime for Hasselhoff
- Dry Heat: 'Producers' Is Hoff-tastic
- Dry Heat: Old School Vegas
- Luxe Life: NBA All-Star Festivities & MAGIC
- Luxe Life: Vince Neil's Surprise Birthday Party
- Luxe Life: NBA All-Star Party Central
- Luxe Life: Kevin Spacey Brings Down Vegas

Chinese New Year is a surprisingly big deal in Las Vegas, thanks to the Hong Kong high rollers who drop the equivalent of a new Lexus with each bet at the baccarat table. To keep them happy there are concerts featuring Asian superstars in many of the showrooms and special dining options at several resorts.

Experience a full range of exotic flavors at the 1st Annual Asian Food Festival, a charitable event taking place at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 18, from noon to 5PM. More than just a glorified holiday buffet, the Festival will feature a variety of cultural shows, including Chinese dragon dance, Japanese taiko drums, Hawaiian hula dance, Korean tae kwon do, karate demonstrations and an Asian fashion show.

Proceeds from the Festival benefit Asian children's programs and special scholarship funds.