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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Let's start with the facts.

The on again, off again, on again, off again Van Halen reunion tour is on again and the band has announced it will play two shows in Las Vegas in December.

Tickets for the band's two concerts at MGM Grand Garden Arena (Dec. 28 and Dec. 30) go on sale this Saturday, Oct. 6 at 10AM.

The tour will mark the first time since 1984 that the band has performed with David Lee Roth. However, it is not a return to the classic lineup, as bass player Michael Anthony has been replaced by Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang in a case of nepotism gone bad. Which brings us to the opinions, of which I have many.

I'll admit that I got misty eyed when the band first announced it was getting back together with Diamond Dave in 1996. But that was 11 years ago. It was prior to Eddie's bum hip and prior to Dave's hair extensions.

Van Halen rocks hard and is rightfully in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but make no mistake about it; image played a roll in the band's success. Go ahead and scream that I'm wrong. I'm still right. Do you really think the band would have been such a juggernaut had it featured a guitarist that looked like Golem?

I'm sorry, but as nostalgic of a guy as I can be, I can't see paying $175 to see a bunch of old men trying to recapture their youth, especially when one of them can't even jog with the devil anymore, let alone run with him. Even the lyrics to 'Panama' will probably need to be rewritten.

Yeah, we're runnin' a little luke warm tonight
I can barely see the road without my bifocals on
Ahh, reach down between my legs and unhook my catheter

So, while the rest of the nostalgic suckers head to the arena in hopes of reliving a moment that can never be relived, I'll be going the cheaper and better route. I'll be at home cranking 'Unchained' to 11.

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I'll go ahead and state a blatantly obvious fact of life: the multi-million dollar Las Vegas nightlife industry is absolutely booming right now, and is in the middle of another major growth spurt with as many as 16 new nightclubs and lounges opening their ropes within the next year. You heard right, 16.

Between the complete annihilation of all things Egyptian at the Luxor (soon to be "The Pyramid"); the Luxor ambitiously opening up at least five additional venues within the next year; the $780,000,000 expansion of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino; Miami's Opium Group (of Mansion, Prive, Opium in Miami) taking over all things nightlife at Planet Hollywood; the new Palazzo tower at the Venetian (with Jay Z's 40/40 and a probable Tao expansion); the new Encore tower at Wynn Las Vegas (look for another venture between Victor Drai and Wynn), and the timely renovation of both Tangerine and Light (aka: The Bank as of December) – the battle has begun!

LAX NIGHTCLUB - OPENING NIGHT. Courtesy of SpyOnVegas.com

Most would agree that the current amount of Las Vegas nightclubs is fairly in line with the amount of Las Vegas club patrons. It works out nicely. But what happens a year from now when a slew of new high-budget venues hit the Strip? I'm going to go out on a limb and predict one of three scenarios (or more likely a combination of all three):

Scenario 1: The additional national exposure (celebrity coverage, press, etc), and creative marketing provided by the influx of new clubs will help the overall Las Vegas nightlife industry grow to the point where the market can easily support itself.

Scenario 2: The added competition will affect the basic principle of "supply and demand," inevitably making the events that clubs throw even more spectacular, causing the prices of bottle service to fluctuate favorably toward the consumer, and making two out of every three advertisements for Las Vegas tie into nightlife somehow.

Scenario 3: Only the venues with the strongest teams, the best overall entertainment products, and the most loyal customer support will survive.

What will ultimately happen venue-by-venue is truly anyone's guess, but the fact that nightlife is widely considered to be one of the biggest driving forces behind all that is the new Las Vegas is very exciting to say the least.

Turn Out the Lights, the Party Is (Temporarily) Over
After four years of making headlines, building careers, and pushing Las Vegas nightlife to soaring new heights, Bellagio's Light Nightclub has officially closed its doors for good. Work will begin immediately on transforming the space into Light Group's newest venue, The Bank, which has an anticipated opening of Jan. 1, 2008. Look for soft-opening invites to start coming in around Dec. 15, and plan on walking into a much bigger space. This portion of the Bellagio was originally remodeled as an elevated tram stop for service between the hotel and Fashion Show Mall, but the plan was scrapped and they ultimately built a nightclub instead (hence the escalator entrance that Light had). Word on the street is the space below the club will be incorporated into Bank. The real question is: how many tourists are going to walk up to the doorman and try to cash in their chips thinking it's a cashier? Ha!

Fresh-Squeezed Clubbing
Tangerine was scheduled to shut down for complete renovation following Labor Day weekend, but it has since then been decided to keep the venue open at least until New Year's on a Thursday through Sunday basis. Their Wednesday night crowd will be ushered toward Tangerine's new big sister LAX, and the venue will eventually resume its original fate sometime in 2008.

Fever Out of Favor
After being open a ridiculously short two months (well, slightly less, but I'll give them a courtesy curve), South Point's Fever Nightclub closed on Sept. 1 without a tremendous amount of shock from anyone who knew better. The entertainment department of South Point apparently realized, after the expensive fact, that this space will only be profitable if they operate it as a showroom with weekly special events. As if this same lesson wasn't learned at Santa Fe Station, Sunset Station, Red Rock, Boulder Station, and at virtually every other traditionally local's casino that has tried to open a nightclub with a huge marketing budget, bottle service, and generally mainstream music. With that said, I whole-heartedly feel like hiking to the top of tallest mountain surrounding the Las Vegas valley and screaming at the top of my lungs "kindly STOP attempting to open nightclubs away from the main strip area with the same business model as those on the strip area! You can't compete! The overall market that keeps Tao, Body English, Pure, and the others open won't be coming down your way!"

Between a Hard Rock and a Good Place
After recently being acquired by the Morgan Group, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has already broken ground on what will ultimately be a staggering $780,000,000 expansion of the property. A source within the hotel tells me that this development will include two new towers, one major nightclub that opens up to the hotel pool similar to how Tryst opens up to it's iconic lake, a lounge partially owned by Carey Hart called Wasted Space, an expanded hotel pool for the wildly popular Rehab pool party, and a snazzy rock lounge that will adjoin the concert venue The Joint. The best part about it is that, contrary to the many rumors floating around last year when the Morgan Group acquired the property, Body English is completely safe from closing down.

Pyramid Power
As most people know by now, the Egyptian theme is currently being relentlessly gutted from every aspect of the Luxor and they are working hard to transform the hotel into MGM Mirage's biggest party spot with as many as five new nightlife venues on the drawing board in addition to the recently opened LAX, Noir, and Aurora. It's estimated that next such venue will be the sexy new hybrid restaurant / nightclub Cathouse which will open in late November. The venue features a 5,000 sq ft lounge, and additionally a 5,000-square-foot restaurant that will dually serve as an extension of the nightlife portion of Cathouse after 11:30PM each night.

Nightlife Planet
I'll go ahead and preface this one by saying that I don't have a ton of hard facts about what's going on at Planet Hollywood nightlife wise, but I do know that Miami nightlife management company Opium Group (Mansion, Prive, Opium Garden) is rumored to be heavily involved in the alleged opening of as many as four new nightlife venues within the property. Also rumored, as reported by TheVegasEye.com, is that the very talented former Pure Management Director of Operations Greg Jarmolowich will be spearheading the operations. Greg hasn't made any effort to deny these rumors, but if anyone is suited to take on the challenge of opening venues within a resort that most locals will proudly declare "nothing will ever work there," it's him.

First-Class Opening
I've got a pretty strict rule against going to any nightclub on a holiday weekend (especially a grand opening), so I have not yet seen Pure Management's newest mega-club LAX for myself. But from the very moment that people started lining up to get in for the grand opening, my phone was literally lit up with text messages giving me a play-by-play account of all the action. I had press, guests from out of town, industry locals, and even several people who were sitting on stage mere feet away from the grand opening celebrity host Britney Spears texting me telling me all about it (note to self, avoid sitting next to Britney Spears as you'll be blinded by camera flashes).

The overall feedback was pretty positive, and I'll go ahead and say that any negatives could be directly attributed to the nasty combination of huge holiday weekend crowds and the fact that LAX wasn't able to have the usual amount of soft openings (to clear up any kinks) because of construction delays. I checked out the club on Wednesday, and have a full review up next week.

Blush Hour
The highly-anticipated Blush Boutique Nightclub, a partnership of Sean Christie and Steve Wynn, also had their official Grand Opening on Aug. 31 to great success. The 5,500-square-foot venue occupies the former space of Lure Ultra Lounge, and aims to provide a nightlife option that can easily transform from an elegant lounge to a high-energy nightclub at the flip of the switch. True to my anti-holiday weekend rule, I wasn't in attendance at their official Grand Opening, butI was there on Tuesday, Sept. 4 for the Grand Opening of their Tuesday night party.

About Jack Colton
Jack Colton is the Vegas nightlife empresario responsible for the 'character-based' JackColton.com -- one of the best sites to learn and master Vegas nightlife secrets like how not to wait in line at busy clubs, who to contact for table reservations, and why wearing sunglasses at night makes you look like a jackass. Helpful stuff.

Aug. 16 marked the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, but in Las Vegas, it's as if the King of Rock 'n' Roll never left the building.

Yes, in 1969, when he ended an eight-year absence from the stage at the International Hotel, Elvis has been as synonymous with Vegas as gambling, showgirls and the mafia folklore. Nearly every night of the week, you can see Elvis perform onstage, fall from the sky and even have him marry you. And, if the rumors are true, Elvis will have even more of a presence in Vegas in the next couple of years.

As we remember the passing of the King, we take time to remember his past, present and future in Las Vegas.

'Viva Las Vegas' - When Elvis Ruled the Strip


In 1956, Elvis made his Vegas debut at the recently shuttered New Frontier Hotel. You gotta love some of the reviews, which called Elvis "a bore," and said his musical sound was "uncouth." Talk about having your finger on the pulse of popular culture.

In July of 1963, Elvis returned to film 'Viva Las Vegas' with Ann-Margret. The movie was shot all over the city, as well as at Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.

On May 1, 1967, Elvis married Priscilla at the Aladdin Hotel. It's not there anymore, but you can always visit Planet Hollywood, which is in its place.

On July 31, 1969, Elvis opened a four-week, 57-show engagement at the International Hotel, which is now the Las Vegas Hilton. This launched the King's comeback and he'd return to Vegas countless times before his death on Aug. 16, 1977.

'It's Now or Never' - Elvis in Present Day Las Vegas

(As Mojo Nixon once sang, 'Elvis is Everywhere.' This is especially true in Vegas, where there are plenty of chances to experience the King.)

The Flying Elvi -- Made popular in the movie 'Honeymoon in Vegas,' The Flying Elvi is a 10-member skydiving team that dresses like, well, Elvis. There's no telling when the jumpsuit and wig-wearing will fall from the sky, but if you can't wait, you can always hire them for your wedding or event.

The Elvis Wedding -- Speaking of weddings, where else but Vegas can you have Elvis marry you in a car, in a bar or even on a bicycle? Check out Graceland Chapel or the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.

The Clothes, Guitars and Cars -- First, there's the life-size statue of Elvis at Hard Rock Casino, which is dressed in one of his famous jumpsuits and is surrounded by some of his guitars, as well as gold and platinum albums. Then, at the Las Vegas Hilton, there is the famous bronze Elvis statue, officially dedicated in 1978 and refurbished last year. At the Imperial Palace Auto Collections, you can check out one of the King's Cadillacs.

The Impersonators -- In Vegas, there are probably more Elvis look-alikes per capita than slot machines. A few of the favorite shows featuring an Elvis impersonator are Legends in Concert at Imperial Palace, Big Elvis at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon and 'Trent Carlini: The Musical History of the King,' at the Sahara.

Always on Our Minds - The Future of Elvis in Las Vegas
Cirque du Elvis -- Cirque du Soleil, which has proved it can merge icons and acrobatics with the Beatles 'LOVE,' is teaming up with Elvis Presley Enterprises to create an Elvis show that will open in November 2009 at the $7 billion MGM Mirage CityCenter project. There will also be an 'Elvis Experience' museum, planned for 2008.

Elvis Casino? -- While it may just be a rumor so far, it's hard for Elvis fans not to get excited about the idea of an Elvis-themed casino opening in Las Vegas. Reportedly, the casino would center entirely around the life and work of Elvis. No word on whether the hotel would provide jumpsuits in lieu of robes.

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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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When I write about the concept of 'Sin City,' it usually sparks a debate as subjective as puh-tay-toe vs. puh-tah-toe. Half of the e-mails condemn Vegas for easy-access sinning and enabling addictions while condemning me to the fiery abyss of hell for some of my recommendations. The remaining e-mails celebrate the freedom that Vegas represents while praising me for other recommendations.

Depending on who you ask, or who sends you an e-mail, the Vegas Strip can be a primrose path or a highway to hell.

The freedom of Vegas doesn't enable addictions. The way I see it, addiction ignores geography. An addict will find the supply for the demand regardless if he/she is in Vegas, Texas or New Jersey.

One addiction Vegas hasn't catered to is e-mail addiction. Sure, e-mail seems like a soft addiction, but in a new study from AOL, Vegas didn't crack the Top 10 of e-mail addicted cities.

It's understandable. Due to cheat concerns, Vegas hasn't exactly embraced the whole Internet thing until recent years. Vegas.com has been, is and will always be the top of Vegas Webdom. Clustered behind them as far as popularity are sites like this one, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the official tourism board sites.

We spend a lot of time at Vegas Pop dispensing ideas on how to spend the mythical millions of dollars you probably don't have. It makes sense, Vegas is a fantasy land where dropping $40,000 a night for the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms Fantasy Tower or buying a $700K Koenigsegg at Caesars Palace are not big deals, for those who can afford it. For the rest of us, it's like assembling a Christmas wish list.

Today, we're going in a radically different direction. Today my friends, we're looking at the best places to find a deal in Vegas including where to eat, where to drink and where to have a good time.

If you didn't just win the World Series of Poker main event, then this story is not for you. For everyone else, here are ideas for Vegas on the cheap:

Where to Eat
Going back to caveman days, shrimp cocktail has been the currency for casinos to lure would-be patrons into their gambling halls. The main problem with the shellfish promotional plan is that Vegas is in the desert. Even if you sucked at the geography bee, you know there's no indigenous shrimp. This is not a general indictment on the Vegas shrimp game, but I've had some iffy shrimp cocktail experiences where the price of the tub o' shrimp had a direct correlation to my gastrointestinal well-being.

I prefer the prime rib deals where a slab of quality red meat will usually run you under $10. One of the finest slabs in town is at Binion's Coffee Shop downtown. You get that old-school Vegas vibe and plenty of meat. If you're South Strip, then the Coronado Cafe at South Point is the best value hands down. They have an eternal $9.95 special which includes the beef, French fries and a salad. The salad is a nice touch that makes you feel healthy.

If your party plans keep you out very late (or very early), graveyard specials provide ridiculous deals. After a night/morning at ghostbar or VooDoo Lounge, stop off at the Gold Coast between midnight and 6AM for $1.95 ham, eggs, hash browns and toast. If you're leaving Seamless around the same time, you can stop off at The Orleans for the $3.95 steak, eggs, hash browns and toast special. Check out Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor site for more graveyard deals.

Where to Drink
In an era where even some Off-Strip bars are charging $14 for a martini, the "Super Big Gulp" law of economics applies if you're looking for a drinking deal in Vegas. That law dictates that you look for the biggest container of alcohol you can find and buy it. Go ahead and skip the "half yards" and go for the full yard of cocktails or the alternate ginormous football-shaped jug. You'll spend around $25 bucks for a yard of adult Kool-Aid, but when compared to the $14 martini, the value is clear. Plus, after the strawberry daiquiri is long gone, these marvels of plastics engineering make classy additions to your kitchenware.

If you like your thrift with a little adventure, then definitely try one of the City's Best dive bars. or a smaller casino. The big resort casinos are in the luxury business which doesn't translate well into a dive bar concept so you have to go forth and explore to find a good deal.

In the dive bar genre, Champagnes Cafe is pure swank. In the smaller casino category, Casino Royale has dollar beers, but you have to take everything that comes with dollar beers like rowdier crowds. On one of my last cheap-beer expeditions, I encountered a man who was apparently unclear on proper intestinal gas expulsion etiquette and let's just say I only had about 25 cents of that dollar beer.

If you're looking for deals, flip on local TV when you get to your room and some of the smaller casinos run ads on their drink specials or you can also check out sites like cheapovegas.com.

Where to Have a Good Time
I'll get a lot of "Fletch is stupid" mail for this, but one of the best places to people watch is aboard the Las Vegas Monorail. It's relatively cheap (in some cases free) and you get an interesting look at the city and its visitors. By "city," I mean the Strip and by "visitors," I mean reality show-worthy individuals with no shame. My favorite is the mullet guy with the optional fanny pack that thinks "rock the train" is just as funny "rock the bus" was back on high school field trips.

Take the full tour Monorail tour and hop on at MGM Grand and wear a big pair of Jackie Onassis dark sunglasses for maximum voyeur capability.


For something more traditional, try one of the free shows. There's the good ol' pirate-themed Sirens of TI (above) which uses sex appeal to add to the value proposition of the free show. If you had the cast of 'Golden Girls' swashbuckling, the pedestrian crowds clogging the Strip sidewalk in front of Treasure Island would probably be thinner, but maybe not.

The free Parade in the Sky show at Rio has lost some of its luster over the last couple of years, but as a bonus while you're there, find one of the roving Chippendale's dancers for a hunky photo op. Your girlfriends at work (and maybe even your boyfriend) will be like, so jealous.

You can also find deals, coupons even, for shows where the show is not free, but with a buy-one-get-one free scheme, you can save money. I found this coupon for 'Bite' on the Las Vegas Leisure Guide so if a gothy, sexy vampire show is your thing, you're all set. Even Cirque du Soleil's 'Zumanity' is running ironically-priced ticket specials.

If you have found any really good Vegas deals you'd like to share, leave them on the comment board below. I'm off to smoke a cigar back in the glamorous life.

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When you talk about the heat in Vegas, the first jokes are always about the "dry heat." Sure, you don't instantly sweat when you step outside like you do in the humid, "wet heat" of a Houston or Manhattan summer, but hot is hot.

When it's 120 degrees at 6PM and you go to the store and every square inch of the parking lot is radiating heat and your lungs are cursing you, the dry heat jokes are not so funny.

For some reason, this last Vegas heat spell has been making national headlines with the issuance of an "excessive heat warning." Not all of Vegas is tropical and lush like the Secret Garden at The Mirage. This is the desert and deserts tend to be on the hotter side, especially during the summer.

If you dare leave the climate-controlled environs of your hotel room or the blackjack tables, here are five ways to beat the scorching, angry and yes, dry Vegas heat:

1. Snow Day Is Every Day
If Keegan-Michael Key were to describe Caesar's new luxury spa Qua, he would say that they have taken "luxuriating to a whole 'notha level."

Sure, there are the obligatory fitness rooms and spa treatments, but their unique, not-so-obligatory offerings include Roman Baths, a tea sommelier and the Arctic Ice Room (pictured) where snow falls indoors every day -- yep, snow inside. Somebody should issue an "excessive cool warning."

As you may have experienced, casinos usually keep the air conditioning cranked in the summer so when you come inside from the heat, you risk pneumonia going from one heat extreme to the other. Not here -- the glass-tiled interior promotes the cool vibe, but the floor and benches are comfortably heated so you don't freeze your but off, literally. The room is kept at 55 degrees, which on some days, can be a 60 degrees jump from the outdoor temperature.

What better way to beat the heat than relaxing in a chilled room catching snow flakes on your tongue while folks outside are caught in a solar flare?

2. Night Golfing
In a town filled with golf courses and 24-hour bars, night golfing just makes sense. For decades, the casual Vegas golfer has had to decide between staying out until 6AM at a club or waking up at 6AM to catch a tee time. No longer my friends.

The Cloud Nine short course at Angel Park Golf Club lights nine of the holes for night golfing. There are some interesting layouts, but as in any short course, it's not very challenging and not for serious golfers. But then again, serious golfers are hitting the early bird buffet, going to bed before 'Letterman' and waking up pre-dawn to make their $500 tee time.

3. Flying Inside
For adrenaline junkies, the heat doubles the dilemma. Unless you're into indoor activities like glow-in-the-dark paintball or disco bowling, you're often forced into the great outdoors during the heat of the day to find the adventure you so desperately seek.

At Las Vegas' Flyaway Indoor Skydiving, you can have the best of both worlds: the adrenaline-releasing sensation of flying without the risk of paralyzing sunburn.

Suit up, take a short training class and then fly indoors on top of a column of air pushing speeds of 120 MPH.

4. The Vodka Locker
Fueled by body heat, even Vegas clubs and bars can feel like small ovens. Given the fleshy scenery, the club heat is a little more pleasant than street heat when crossing the Strip on a foot bridge.

The Russian-themed Red Square at Mandalay Bay addresses the issue with a frozen ice bar and a vodka locker. The ice bar has a frozen top so when you set down your cocktail, it stays nice and chilled. If you have a small group and you're looking to beat the heat, grab a coat and book the vodka locker, a Siberian-esque storage facility housing vodka and a Lenin statue head.

5. Don't Be a Fool, Stay in Pool

So I saved the obvious for last. While emotionally hot due to the sexy atmosphere, Vegas pools are physically still one of the best ways to beat the heat. I'm not a doctor, so the last statement is not a scientific fact. It just seems with the cabanas, frozen specialty drinks and all of that water, the pool is a good way to stay cool.

Golden Nugget's pool (pictured above) is the perfect example of an aquatic paradise with waterfalls, sharks, a water slide, an outdoor bar and outdoor blackjack. Check out the Vegas Pool Guide for more pool info.

If you go to one of the topless pools (politely known as "European style sunbathing"), just be sure you bring the SPF 125.

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As city after city bans or limits smoking in public, they used to say Vegas would be the last haven in America for cigar smokers.

Well, Sin City enacted a smoking ban in the continuing 'Californication' of Vegas and another vice bites the dust.

The ban doesn't totally outlaw stogies here, but it's a slippery legislative slope. OK, I can see why smoking at 7-Eleven and the grocery stores is bad. I'll give you that.

However, as evidenced from photos over the last 10 decades from random cowboys to the Rat Pack to conventioneers, the cigar garners as much lore as anything else in Vegas. Smoking a great cigar is a leisurely pasttime and hey, that's what Vegas is all about.

There are still puff palaces where the cigar is celebrated and here are five places to smoke a cigar in Vegas.

1. Playboy Club -- With every visit here, I get more convinced that this must be like what heaven is like. On a recent trip I chilled in a booth and watched a few celebrities play big money blackjack while sipping on straight gin and smoking a cigar. Not to mention the bevy of bunnies all over the place. The decor (above) has this classic, sexy vibe that's perfect for bringing old-school Vegas alive in a modern environment with a cigar, a cocktail and a bunny tail.

2. Casa Fuente -- This cigar bar is an interesting concept located at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. If you recognize the name, it is affiliated with the Fuente family and in fact they roll a special cigar just for this location.

The ban forced smoking from the patio inside the shopping mecca to the inside confines of the cigar bar, but it's still a welcome oasis. Think about this, while your partner shops, you can chill, light up and even order a mojito. Brilliant.

3. Foundation Room -- If you're the exclusive type and you have a membership to the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, you can take the private elevator 43 stories to the top, head to the outdoor balcony and light up while enjoying too-cool-for-words views of the Strip (above).

Since it's a private club, I could have easily substituted the public views at VooDoo at Rio or ghostbar at Palms or even the carbon copy of the Foundation's balcony next door at Mix at THEhotel, but Foundation Room opens its doors to non-members on Monday nights for the Godspeed party. If you go and you got 'em, smoke 'em.

4. Scores -- This isn't your typical gentlemen's club. Sure, there are familiar sights, but the focus here is on indulgence. As an example, the club focuses on wine and champagne instead of the $2 kamikaze shots at other joints and cigars are part of that indulging luxury. In fact, Scores has a 'robusto' section for cigars on their Web site.

5. Havana Cigar Company -- There's a lot of testosterone on this list, so the last spot goes to a chill location at Lake Las Vegas where we can commune with man-made nature. Chicks with sticks are some of the more enticing sights known to man and this location at Montelago Village (they also have a location on Paradise) is a perfect place for unisex smoking.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hard Rock -- The rocking places to smoke a cigar here are out by the pool and in the sports bar.

Fremont Street -- If your schedule allows a trip Downtown, wait until dark and then light up, walk around and soak in the neon (below) for an old-school Vegas vibe and live entertainment.

Golf Courses -- There are 50 in the area and the temperature isn't in the 100s yet, so enjoy.

BEST PLACES TO BUY A STICK
Most casinos have a humidor or a kiosk with cigars for sale. Davidoff (five locations) stands out, but one of the best casino stores is Cuba Libre at Hard Rock. If I'm hitting Nobu, Body English or a concert at The Joint and caught without my stash, I can duck into there for one of the classiest selections in town.

If you're going off-off-Strip, places like Tobacco Leaf (Southeast), Ideal (McCarran area) or Tinderbox (Northwest) have better pricec and pretty deep inventory on accessories. And all have some sort of online ordering.

For now it looks like cigar smoking and smoking in general are still tolerated. If the De-Vice Squad outlaws half-yard margaritas Downtown or slot machines in grocery stores, then there may be room for concern. Until that happens, I'm just going to keep on with my Fuente 858s and my Romeo y Julieta's Maduro Reserves and smoke 'em while I got 'em.

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If you're in Vegas this weekend, one of the best annual Vegas events is getting set to uncork and it's not one you'll easily find in a lot of guidebooks. It's time for the 33rd Annual UNLVino Wine Tasting presented by Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada.

The slogan is 'Take a Sip for Scholarship' which reminds us a lot of our college years, or at least what we remember of college. The three-day grape-related celebration benefits the students of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.

The price of fine dining has gone up everywhere, and steakhouses are certainly no exception. The price of a good porterhouse today would buy you the whole cow ten years ago.

But you can't stop eating well and you can't live off the Sizzler. Thankfully, even the most celebrated Las Vegas restaurants occasionally offer a great deal. Morton's The Steakhouse, a Chicago import that many carnivores often mistake for Heaven, invites guests to experience the $69 "Classic Combination Dinner," which includes a single-cut filet mignon, on served with béarnaise sauce and steamed fresh asparagus, a choice of an Australian lobster tail or two Alaskan king crab legs, and a choice of salad.

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Reminiscent of the glorious baths of ancient Rome, QUA is the brand new spa oasis at Caesars Palace and the newest and best on the Strip.

QUA showcases the very first Arctic Ice Room complete with falling snow and skin-scrub ice-cubes! Guests unwind after heat treatments using the ice-chips to cool, exfoliate and invigorate in the crisp air as the snow falls! You'd swear you were in Iceland at dead of winter rather than hot and humid-free Sin City!


Although the state of the art and ultimate luxurious "social gathering spaces" are separate for men's and women's treatments there are couples studios for romantic massages and body treatments. If you're going for one of those joys check out the Kama Sutra ritual with Shirodhara in a private suite warm oil is used to anoint the forehead while chilled rose petals rest softly over the eyes. Tantric music and pure aphrodisiac massage oils transport couples into romantic bliss. No wonder Venus, who stands guard over the private herb garden, was the Goddess of fertility.


There's even a Tea Sommelier to create tasteful tea-pairings with the treatments. Another first is the Crystal Body Art Room for customized designs of tiny Swarovski crystals to be artistically adhered to the body as the ultimate personal accessory and decoration for Vegas nightlife! Caesar himself would have been proud of the therapeutic Roman Baths for bathing in peace and tranquility with overhead rain shows and cascading waterfalls. The QUA experience is akin to Roman Rituals of yesteryear with the 50,000 sq.ft palace of pleasure comprising 35 massage studios, a high-tech 5,500 sq.ft Fitness Center plus 7 facial studios. 3 Vichy showers and 2 hydrotherapy tubs. Having checked it all out myself I can honestly say this is the last word in relaxation and the ultimate word in luxury.

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Happy New Year Everybody

I have a couple of last minute tips to make the end of 2006 and the arrival of 2007 something special:

For ENTERTAINMENT -- join me as I host the special 10PM Gordie Brown and 10:30PM Lionel Richie shows at The Venetian with a champagne toast and midnight countdown I'll do with both stars starting around about 11.45pm on Sunday night (Dec 31). I'll hop up to TAO right afterwards to join Pamela Anderson and then scoot over to PURE for Britney Spears so Luxe Life will have full reports on January 2. (Maybe even a January 1 posting if I'm not too hungover!!)

For the finest of DINING -- make it the extraordinary incredibly fantastic restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace. The culinary master himself France's celebrated chef-king Guy Savoy will preside over the most expensive meal in Vegas this New Years. It'll start modestly from 5PM onwards with a 1st seating at $600 per person and a 2nd seating at 9pm until whenever the last person leaves next morning at $1000 per person, wines included. And what wines they are!!

I've gotten a sneak peek at the extraordinary menu and my favorites of truffle and caviar turn up in several prime places on the 11-course spectacular:

Pumpkin with White Truffle, Foie Gras Club Sandwich and Crab Claw in Aspic with your welcome champagne
Oysters in Ice Gelee
Colors of Caviar
Grilled Lobster, Root Vegetables, Orange and Star Anis
Mushroom crusted whole roasted Turbot
Lentil Ragout with Black Truffles
Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup, toasted mushroom brioche and black truffle butter
Truffle Stuffed Loin of Veal, winter vegetables with Trufflev Cheese selections
Grapefruit Terrine, tea sauce
All the chocolate delicacies you can eat!

Here are the wine pairings:
Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume 2002
Dom Perrignon Champagne, 1996
Chateau haut Brion Blanc, Bordeaux 1999
Batard-Montrachet, Morey-Coffinet 2002
Grands Echezeaux , Domaine Rene Engel 2003
Clos des Forets St. Georges, Domaine de L'Arlot, Nuits Saint Georges 1988
Chateau haut Brion, Bordeaux 1985
Chateau d'Yquem 1991
Domaine de la Coume du Roy,Maury 1977

If you miss this New Year's Eve feast, Guy Savoy still has some magnificent taste treats on the menu for your New Years Day recovery plans: