July 2009 Archives

Yesterday was National Cheesecake day according to SoGoodBlog, and to celebrate Cheesecake Factory is giving you the chance to win a trip for you and 9 of your friends to come to Las Vegas for "The Reunion of a Lifetime." And they also unveiled a new cheesecake: Stefanie's Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake.

If you win you'll get round trip airfare for you and 9 friends to Las Vegas, two nights at Caesars Palace, $1000 and, of course, dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!

In order to enter you need to become a fan of them on Facebook. The contest runs until August 30th!

Last night Las Vegas experienced a savage, wild beast roaming their streets. A tiger owned by the Fercos Brothers (show above) escaped from their facility. The animal has since been caught and the whole incident is under investigation because its supposedly against the law to let a tiger roam the streets, so there go my weekend plans.

At the same time, look at the outfits those guys wear, I'd probably run away from them too.

Las Vegas Now - Tiger gets loose in Northwest Las Vegas with video Sadly the video doesn't show the tiger at all.

There are a few news stories going on in Las Vegas about some hot spots that you should probably know about.

First off, construction is ahead of schedule for the new Hard Rock Tower. The first phase will open this Friday, but the entire place is booked for the weekend. I won't be able to cover the opening personally, but expect a review next week on the new building!

The Sapphire Pool at Rio has been shut down after police raided it to arrest people for "prostitution related activities." The pool was closed by Rio by choice. UPDATE: Mug shots of the individuals can be found here.

Prive club has caused a fiasco after getting its liquor license revoked and the appeal has been denied, which will close the club today.

So after this weekend, two popular places in Las Vegas will be closed but maybe Hard Rock will step up and fill the void left by Prive at Planet Hollywood.

Ever wanted to experience sky diving but never found the time? Or were petrified of screwing up and smashing into the ground? Well, there are ways around that now with indoor sky diving. At Vegas Indoor Sky Diving, they've created a wind tunnel that gives you the chance to feel like you're sky diving while being only a few feet from the ground.

Located in the heart of Las Vegas, the Vegas Indoor Sky Diving is a great way to learn how to sky dive in the safest environment possible. No experience is necessary and its great for groups. While there are some weight restrictions, (no one under 40 pounds, sorry little kids) they do their best to cater to as many people as possible. For $75, you'll get a training lesson, gear rental and and a chance to "jump" in their wind tunnel.

But, for the lucky readers of VegasTell, we've got a coupon to save $10 and get some freebies.

Las Vegas Sun is reporting that two clubs at Planet Hollywood are getting shut down after Clark County Department of Business License has denied the liquor licenses to both Prive and Living Room. After multiple complaints, the licenses were revoked, which hasn't happened in Las Vegas for a casino owned property in ages.

"The evidence of improper management oversight and disregard for the duties of the licensee is overwhelming and points to only one decision - denial of a liquor license," Clark County Business License Director Jacqueline Holloway said Thursday. "We expect consistent compliance and cooperation from our privileged licensees for the benefit of our citizens."

Improper management indeed, especially when there are claims of drug use, prostitution, underage drinking and assault. On Friday, the Nevada Gaming Commission fined Planet Hollywood for $500,000 and they may get another fine of $250,000 if the Gaming Control Board files a similar complaint before July 31, 2011.

Both clubs currently have temporary liquor licenses, but Prive's expires tomorrow and the Living Room's expired on the 30th.

Let's face it, Las Vegas gets hot. Really hot. All the time. So hot that the forecast says every day in July is going to be over 100 degrees. One of the best ways to cool off if you're visiting are the pools at the hotels, which vary greatly. The guy with a hose and kiddie pool isn't exactly cutting edge, especially when there are sandy beaches and water slides through shark tanks to experience!

The Garden of the Gods is over 4.5 acres of pools worthy of Zeus himself. Roman fountains and columns make it one of the classiest pools in Las Vegas. With four separate pools and two jacuzzis, it makes an excellent place to relax. The Venus Pool is one of the few locations in Las Vegas to offer topless sunbathing too making this pool adults only.

While Caesar's 4.5 acres of pool is impressive, it's nothing on the Pool at the Flamingo. With 15 acres of tropical bliss, the pool is truly an oasis in the desert. The animal habitats surrounding the pool make for an amazing atmosphere of penguins and flamingos. The Pool is great for both families and couples. Water slides and toy rentals are there for the kids, while couple seats are available on the "islands." And there's adults only Go Pool on the higher level allowing for topless sunbathing or if you prefer they also have swim-up blackjack.

Planet Hollywood is hosting a job fair to staff their upcoming tower expansion. In total there are going to be 800 new jobs available. They're hiring for both hourly and salaried positions in hotel operations. So that means housekeeping, food and beverage, security, facilities and guest services, so no dealers or casino work.

The job fairs will be hosted on July 30 and 31, from 9 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Planet Hollywood in the Grand Ballroom. Starting dates for the jobs will begin in early October for the towers' soft openings, ramping up for the November grand opening.

For those worried about being beaten out by existing Planet Hollywood employees, don't worry. They already did all of their internal hiring so there will be actually 800 jobs available.

For those that get hired, they have a decent benefits package, including health care coverage and a 401K plan. Employees also get a free meal in the team member dining room with each 8 hour shift.

"You've got to understand something. Money means nothing to me. I don't value it. I've had all the material things I could ever want. Everything. The things I want money can't buy: health, freedom, love, happiness. I don't care about money, so I have no fear. I don't care if I lose it."

That's the man who will go down in history for the longest winning streak in Las Vegas. A streak so big that it is simply known as The Run. The man now known as Archie Karas is a Greek immigrant who famously turned $50 into over $40 million between December 1992 and the beginning of 1995, only to lose it all by the end of 1995.

Karas came to America while working on ship as a waiter, making only $60 a month. After ending up in Oregon, he moved south to California where he learned to gamble. Working next to a bowling and pool hall and he quickly learned how much money he could make by beating people at pool. He was so good at it that it got to the point that no one would play against him, so he began playing poker in Los Angles card rooms. By 1992, Karas had a bankroll around two million dollars but by the end of the year he was reduced to only $50.

For the locals of Las Vegas, this is a surefire way to save money and make money! The Southern Nevada Water Authority has launched a new program to give cash rebates to people who uproot their grass lawn and replace them with desert plants.

With the drought getting worse all the time and the fact that Las Vegas is one of the fasting growing areas in all of the United States, the load on the water supply is becoming more apparent. With the watering curfews not doing enough, SNWA has decided to make a far more compelling offer to residents and businesses: For every square foot of grass lawn replaced with desert-friendly plants, they'll pay you $1.50 for the first 5,000 square feet and you can get up to $300,000 in rebates.

Since the plan has been implemented, over 130 million square feet have been ripped out and replaced - causing Las Vegas's water use to drop 18%, which is 15 billion gallons of water a year.

Another beta website has come to our attention and instead of focusing on the cheapest beers, it's a collection of maps that you can have overlay the Las Vegas Strip! Cool Interactive Las Vegas Strip Map may not be the most creative of names but the website has some definite uses.

The map always shows the locations of the major casinos and allows you to select from various categories, like hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Each of those categories then allows for further details, for example hotels can then be broken down into 5 Diamond, 4 Diamond or 3 Diamond. While restaurants are separated into style, like steakhouse, Italian, French or seafood.

The maps still in beta, so the attraction category isn't finished and transportation hasn't been added but both of those are in the the works.

In the city that's constantly imploding itself to make bigger and better casinos, Harrah's and its properties has taken a different route and is planning to do more to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Know as "Project Link," Harrah's is working on creating a street of bars and restaurants in between O'Shea's and the Flamingo. At the end of the street will be a luxury ferris wheel offering breathtaking views of the city. The hope is to create a more organic feeling area often found in other cities.

With the economy slowed down, this idea is looking better and better. To finance another casino would be near impossible, but this new idea of creating a unique atmosphere could be just what the company needs.

Las Vegas Sun - Harrah's plans new 'street' of bars, eateries near strip

Las Vegas is a city built on tips. A majority of the people working at the casinos and hotels earn minimum wage and survive off the generosity of the players and guests. For first time visitors, it can seem like everyone is expecting a handout but that isn't the case: they're making a living. In the grand scheme, the few dollars you spend a day on tips will be trivial when compared to what you'll pay at the tables.

Cocktail Waitresses

Just because the casinos give the drinks away doesn't mean it's a free service. These stunning women are working much harder than you'd ever think keeping track of orders and delivering them to players. The general rule of thumb is to give them a dollar for every drink they bring you, this includes non-alcoholic drinks! Tipping can be done with cash or chips and keep in mind that waitresses will be more than willing to make you change, so don't use the "I only have a twenty" as an excuse!

Remember to never take your drink off the waitress's tray, let her serve you. It's far too easy to upset the balance and result in you (or her) needing a dry change of clothes. Also, don't ever touch the waitresses. The skimpy outfit is a uniform, not an invitation.

Last night the 10th player finally went bust at the World Series of Poker. Jordan Smith was bested by Darvin Moore. Smith was unhappy, given his pair of pocket aces against Moore's pocket 8s. The board had 8, 2 and 4 and the flop gave Smith nothing else and was taken out over three 8s.

As a consolation prize, Smith will be walking away with $896,730.

Yahoo! News - World Series of Poker reaches final 9 players

There's no doubt about a universal truth in Las Vegas: alcohol is expensive. Often, it's absurdly expensive, absurdly extravagant or both.

While currently in beta, two college students have begun using the power of the internet for a single purpose: finding the cheapest beer.

They just added Las Vegas Metro to their website which encompasses 10 different areas to allow for more concentrated effort in your search for cheap beer! Once an area has been selected they give you a breakdown of the 10 cheapest places to buy and within each of those stores, they tell you what the cost per ounce of beer is.

While no winner has been proclaimed just yet, there is one piece of new information: there will be a new champion. All of the prior Texas Hold 'Em gold bracelet winners have been taken out.

Peter Eastgate was the winner last year and got eliminated in 78th place, while Joe Hachman the winner in 2005 only made it to 103rd.

The final table of 9 will be determined either today or early Thursday, with each player remaining guaranteed a minimum of $1.26 million, while the top prize in the tournament is $8.55 million.

USAToday - World Series of Poker to have a new Main Event champ

For first time visitors to Las Vegas, a common complaint is how everything feels so far apart. After all, it's only one block from Monte Carlo to Caesars Palace. But Las Vegas is built to feel close together, the Strip itself is 4 miles long from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay.

As a general rule of thumb, in New York City a north-south block is 1/20th of a mile, while the east to west is about 1/7th. In Las Vegas, there aren't any rules of thumb.

For those of you that don't follow us on Twitter, Jason Boyd discovered that the legendary Welcome to Las Vegas Sign has been vandalized in red permanent marker.

The sign was recently inducted into the National Register of Historical Places.

A $500 reward to an anonymous caller may be available for information leading to the arrest of graffiti vandals.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.

Thanks to Elizabeth F for the tip!

Trying to get served at a bar anywhere can be frustrating and it can be even worse in a packed bar in Las Vegas. So we've compiled some guidelines to get, and keep, the bartenders attention.

Getting Attention

1. Send hottest person in your group

As a general rule of thumb, girls will get better service from guy bartenders and vice versa. Guys notice hot girls, so make the most of it. A double take means you've gotten twice as much face time as anyone else who's only getting a single glance.

2. Eye contact

Keep an eye on the bartender and make eye contact. But that doesn't mean stare them down or scowl at them! Try and look friendly.

3. Have cash or card out and ready

Bartenders tend to notice two things: money and hot people. If you've got both, you should be good! If you've only got money, have it out (but don't be obnoxious about it).

4. Have a good spot at the bar

Not all of the counter at bar is created equal. Some places have awful visibility, making you invisible to the bartenders. If you're waiting and everyone around you is getting served but you're not, move over one way. Feel free to defend your spot at the bar, but don't be "that guy" who blocks a huge section off just to drink.

The initial 6,494 players that started in this World Series of Poker has been reduced to 648. Which means from here on out, everyone who finishes is guaranteed at least $21,365.

Which is why you've got to feel bad for Kia Hamadani who placed 649th. That means instead of walking away with an extra $11,000 (since the entrance fee is $10,000) he almost walked away with nothing. Tournament officials awarded him with a seat in next year's $10,000 buy-in event for free.

But Kia Hamadani can at least proudly say he held out the longest because there was over 1 hour and 48 minutes of play between 650th loosing all their chips until Hamadani lost all of his., the longest such spell in WSOP history.

Las Vegas can be expensive, even when places like Imperial Palace are renting rooms for only $18 a night. A few bad hands or a few extra drinks can easily burn a hole in your wallet and leave you stranded. But there are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas that don't cost a dime (I'm not talking about penny slots either). These four places are all free and bound to keep you entertained enough to forget that you're broke for a while!

What isn't there to say about the legendary Fountains at the Bellagio? The show is iconic and associated with Las Vegas almost as much as the "Welcome to Las Vegas Sign" (which is also free to visit!) Crafted by WET Design, the Fountains put on one of the most stunning displays in the city that need to be seen. The show runs every fifteen minutes after 8 pm until midnight, during the day it goes off every half hour.

USAToday has a great article about Kent Senter, who is diagnosed with blood cancer, playing in the World Series of Poker. Doctors have told Senter he only has between six months and three years to live.

"Senter, who is on disability from his job at Lowes in Pittsburgh, says he began playing free online poker about a year ago. He says just walking around has become difficult due to tumors in his spine and that poker provided a sit-down diversion.

"Even just playing in this tournament, it takes everything out of me," he says. "It's hard to walk around for more than 10-15 minutes without being in a lot of pain.""

I strongly reccommend you read the article, it's touching and really shows that this game brings people together.

USAToday - Man fighting cancer receives chance to play at World Series of Poker

While working on a list of the most impressive suites in Las Vegas, one thing became abundantly clear: I had to give Palms their own category.

When it comes to suites in Las Vegas, no one else has dared to take it to the level that the Palms have. The Palms' 11 Fantasy Suites are truly something special. Besides, nothing says Las Vegas like excessive decadence and stripper poles.

11. Playpen Suite
Price per night $1000

The cheapest suites available at Palms are also some of the dirtiest. There are two of these rooms: one for bachelors and one for bachelorettes. In fact, these rooms are specially designed for those parties. How else can you explain the dancer pole, strobe and techno lighting? The whole decor is delightfully retro and should make for a fun night.

10. Celebrity Suite
Price per night $2000

This room became noticed after Fall Out Boy rented it during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards and proceeded to invite Rihanna, Lil Wayne and Gym Class Heroes over to the 2,000 square foot suite. A full entertainment center is nothing when compared to the jacuzzi and show shower. Don't know what a show shower is? A light up shower in the middle of the room with a dance poll in it. Girls not included.

9. Directors Suite
Price per night $2000

Need a set to film your next movie? Or if you'd just rather have an absolutely stunning place to stay, the Director's Suite may be the place for you. A super private suite, including a "Quiet Please" light right outside the door. A full bar, jacuzzi, two-way fire place and of course, another show shower.

The AK-47 turns 60 this year which seems to have almost no connection to Las Vegas until you remember The Gun Store on East Tropicana Ave. To celebrate the 60th birthday, you can head down to the Gun Store to make the most of their rentals and indoor shooting range.

For those looking to play with more than just the AK-47 or cards, The Gun Store has many different packages to rent to maximize your shooting fun!

With the second day of the World Series of Poker happening, players are beginning to see just how differently they all play.

Jason Alexander, best known as George Costanza from the show Seinfeld, was among those in the lead at the beginning of the second day with 90,000 chips. But even winning right now, he's cautious for the long run of the series and wants to be secure for Day 3 on Friday. Believing himself to be a C+/B- player, Alexander doesn't want to get in over his head and play recklessly. "[Once] you've got some chips, you can get stupid."

But not everyone agrees with Alexander's view of how to play the tournament. Other pros are taking very different paths in hopes of victory.

In Town Square Las Vegas Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza opened last week bringing some of the best pizza to the Strip. Specializing in what they call "well done pizzas," Anthony's has been making pizza in Florida for the last seven years and just made the jump to Sin City.

By using coal ovens to bake the pizza, Anthony's creates a crust unlike anything you've ever tasted, unless you've been eating in Brooklyn. "We've introduced the 'old world' art of making pizza in a coal-fired oven and we're happy to report that our customers can't get enough of it," the owner, Anthony Bruno, says. All this writing is making me hungry, I think I know where I'll be going for lunch.

After last week, the World Series of Poker continues with No-limit Texas Hold 'Em. In a twist of irony, the no-limit tournament reached its limit of players and had to turn away over 500 players in Las Vegas.

With 6,494 players competing for a chunk of the $61 million prize pool and hoping to take the $8.55 million for the title for themselves. Those that make it to the finalist table are all guaranteed to take home $1.26 million each.

Over the course of 40 years, the World Series of Poker just went over $1 billion in total prize pool money.

Yahoo! News - World Series of Poker main event turns away over 500 angry players
Sports Illustrated - Top Prize at World Series of Poker $8.55 million

To do this trick successfully you'll need four things: a reservation, credit card, drivers license and a $20 bill. If you can pull it off, you should get a nice room upgrade for your stay.

This method works better on weeknights when the hotels aren't at capacity, but sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised on weekends.

Image credit Darren Hester

Las Vegas is a great place to be, if you're over 21 that is. While the city of Sin has tried to make itself more family friendly recent, a lot of the city doesn't quite meet that labeling.

Like the rest of the United States, the drinking age in Las Vegas is 21, same with the gambling age. Generally, if you're within a few feet of a slot machine you better be of age. Some casinos don't even allow children to walk through their gaming floors, but others do under one condition: you don't stop to look around.

David Bach, the former professional bowler from Georgia beat the New Yorker, John Hanson, in a marathon poker session Wednesday to win $1.28 million and the mixed-game H.O.R.S.E. title at the World Series of Poker.

Full article at Yahoo! News - Georgia poker pro wins $1.28M HORSE in Vegas

The finalists in the World Series of Poker show why people love this game: anyone can take the title. Five former World Champions were at the table but the finalists are two unknowns: a former professional bowler and a New York trader are trying to claim the title.

David Bach, the bowler, and John Hanson, the trader, began playing against each other early Wednesday. Just over 12 hours after the final table started Tuesday afternoon.

Bach and Hanson beat five other players before getting the table to themselves. Those players were all former World Series of Poker tournament winners, including Erik Seidel the eight-time gold bracelet winner.

Poker Pro Mike Matusow became known as "The Mouth" while playing the game and dishing out a seemingly never ending stream of comments, insults and rants. After years of living it up and losing it all, Matusow finally sought help and has learned to deal with the fact that he actually has ADHD.

A great article is over at Las Vegas Review Journal about his journey and now plans for the future, along with some commentary about the new book he's just written.