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The dates have been set for the 2009 version of the World Series of Poker and now poker enthusiasts from around the world can make plans to descend on Vegas.

Running from May 26 through July 15, the tournament kicks off inside the famed Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino with registration and satellites starting on May 26 and the first public tournament starting on May 28. The tournament is celebrating its 40th year as the longest-running, and largest, poker tournament.

There are 57 coveted WSOP bracelets up for grabs this year, up from 55 in 2008 which was a record year with 58,720 entrants from 124 countries and more than $180,774,427 in prize money.

"Whether you play poker around the kitchen table or consider yourself a professional, you will find a comfortable seat at the 2009 World Series of Poker," said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker (pictured).

In addition to the excitement of the 40th anniversary, this year's tournament is probably notable for having the most variety in games than any of the previous 39 WSOPs. In honor of the 40 years, there is a $40,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament Thursday, May 28 with a special one-time commemorative gold bracelet.

Even the current economic times are being addressed with a Stimulus Special tournament on opening weekend, (May 30-31) -- a $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tournament. The prize is anticipated to draw the largest-ever live tournament field outside the WSOP Main Event with a prize pool approaching $5 million.

Other tournaments include the third installment of the five-day $50K buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament starting on June 26 with the winner taking home an enhanced gold bracelet and the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy, not to mention the cash. Poker pro Scotty Ngyuen added almost $2 million to his bankroll last year at the same tournament and is the defending H.O.R.S.E. champ. It's also the third year for the Ante Up For Africa $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em celebrity and charity tournament on July 2 -- the day before the Main Event begins.

The Ladies Only No-Limit Hold'em World Championship deals on June 7 and helps raise awareness for the Nevada Cancer Institute, the official community relations partner of the World Series of Poker. There are 10 $10K World Champion

There are 10 "World Championship" $10,000 buy-in events in the various poker disciplines (e.g. Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, etc.). Not to be confused with the famous $10,000 buy-in Main Event, the title "World Championship" refers to tournaments with a buy-in of $10,000.

Speaking of the Main Event, it kicks off on July 3 with the first of four round one flights to accomodate the masses and runs consecutively until July 15 when the field of thousands is busted down to the nine players of the "final table." As in the 2008, those players are then known as the November Nine since they will return to Vegas Nov. 7-10 to battle for title in front of a live audience and ESPN primetime coverage.

"This year's schedule offers more variety than ever before and we look forward to welcoming players from around the world to the Rio for our 40th annual extravaganza this summer," Commisioner Pollack.

All tournaments are open to players aged 21 and over. For a full World Series of Poker schedule, including buy-ins and satellite structures, visit the official WSOP site.

If you're in town Super Bowl weekend and looking for a laugh, Drew Carey is also in town with the Drew Carey Improv All Stars Jan. 28-Feb. 1 at MGM Grand.

Drew Carey Show regulars Kathy Kinney and Ryan Stiles are joined by TV heart throb Greg Proops along with Chip Esten, Sean Masterson, Jeff Davis and Julie Larson.

Recent travelers to Vegas may have been upset to find that Criss Angel's Cirque du Soleil show 'Believe' at the Luxor has been on hiatus for the last couple of weeks. In true Cirque fashion, 'Believe is one of the most visually stimulating shows on the Strip and casual Mindfreak fans who didn't check the show's itenerary, could have found themselves without an illusionist. (Of course the Loyal are aware of almost all of Criss Angel's movements.)

The disappearing act is nothing more than a well-deserved vacation and as Robin Leach reports in Luxe Life, Criss Angel has spent the time off with his main squeeze Holly Madison in New York City and romancing the stone in Cabo.

'Believe' is back on this Friday, Jan. 23 with almost a full schedule through July. The show is dark on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Criss has a 10-year contract so there will be a few vacations here and there.

You can buy tickets here and if you want to plan the whole trip, book a room at the Luxor, go VIP at LAX or get priority admission at CatHouse and even catch Carrot Top for dessert.

It's a good day when you get press releases like the one below. It's a good day because that means Bonnie Tyler is coming to Vegas. Tickets go on sale Friday for her show at The Cannery on Sept. 26.

The press release refers to one of the finest songs ever created as "some of Tyler's other hits include 'Total Eclipse of the Heart.'" Sure 'Footloose' was a phenomenal movie and 'It's a Heartache' sold a flajillion copies, but 'Total Eclipse' was the energy, the very force -- stronger than gravity -- driving hormonal hordes of kids around roller rinks during a "couples' skate."

Well, unless you were the socially awkward one like me. While these kids on dates on skates were holding hands and falling in and out of like, I was showing Ms. Pac-Man a thing or two during these couples' skates that were nothing more than endurance trials of balance and controlling hand sweat. When "Total Eclipse" came on, the only thing that softened the sting of my lonely, lonely tears was setting the high score on Ms. Pac-Man.

Oh Ms. Pac-Man ... this is dedicated to you (and Stephanie Page from the 10th Grade):

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart

It's about time is really all I have to say.

Donny and Marie Osmond are starting an extended Vegas residency at The Flamingo starting Sept. 9. The two have been all over the TV lately in one form or another and frankly, people would rather see the duo sing rather than push weigh-loss products and host shows. It's their first residency on The Strip in 29 years.

Vegas is the perfect setting and the only global-appeal act I think that could trump them is ABBA, but with the musicals, movies and millions of records being sold, 'Mamma Mia' at Mandalay Bay is as close as they are getting to the desert anytime soon.

Donny and Marie is something the whole family, and even the whole world can get into.

Flamingo is offering a couple of themed packages to stay and see D&M: Donny's "A Little Bit Rock 'n' Roll Package" and Marie's "A Little Bit Country Package." Both packages feature two nights deluxe accommodations and two show tickets. Donny's features a 50th anniversary book and a Donny dog tag necklace and Marie's features a 50th anniversary doll and a butterfly charm. Packages are limited so order today.

In the week leading up to "Miss America Live!" at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, awards were given out for talent and the lifestyle and fitness awards. Talent winners won a $2,000 scholarship with swimsuit winners taking home a $1,000 scholarship.



Additionally, the Quality of Life Award and a $6,000 scholarship was given to Miss Nevada, Caleche Manos (below) for her work with MADD.

It's not like you need another reason to come to Vegas. With the endless supply of conventions, new nightlife and changing Vegas Stripscape, there are plenty of excuses to hop a plane to the desert.

If you do need a little extra temptation, the next few weeks here may be just the right motivation to motor west.

With The Comedy Festival and the Vegoose Music Festival just around the corner, it's Vegas' unofficial festival season. Two festivals do not a season make, but I did label the season as unofficial.

Maybe a couple promoters will jump in with new festivals next year. I recommend a sand festival and a magic festival.

In the meantime, check out these too legit to quit fests:

The Comedy Festival
HBO's annual festival of laughs seems to get bigger and bigger. This year, Jerry Seinfeld is one of the top draws and in the world of stand up comedy, Jerry is as about as big as it gets. Although I realize Dane Cook, who's 'Tourgasm' stopped by the festival last year, and his fans may disagree.

Where to Stay:
Since the festival is based at Caesars Palace, if your expense account can absorb the costs, you should stay there. There's nothing like stumbling back to your room after a few cocktails with Dave Attell rather than having to que up in a long taxi line.

The Flamingo is one or two pedestrian bridges away and is a nice cost-effective alternative just across The Strip. If you must have luxury and Caesars is fully booked, try Bellagio across the street or grab a suite at The Venetian.

Who to See:
In addition to the aforementioned Mr. Seinfeld, I'm really excited to see Chelsea Handler, seen here with my pal Robin Leach. She's easily the fourth hottest woman on television behind Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson and Sarah Alexander, but she's definitely the funniest. Chelsea was in the girl 'Candid Camera' style show known as 'Girls Behaving Badly.' She also had a brief stint as a guest host on 'The View' and now has her own show called 'Chelsea Handler Lately.'

Speaking of 'The View,' Joy Behar will be performing a show with 'SNL' alum, Kevin Nealon. Football fans will want to see Frank Caliendo as he takes his Rich Little schtick from 'Mad TV' to the 'Fox NFL Pregame Show' to his own show, 'Frank TV.'

Wanda Sykes, Eddie Izzard and Ellen DeGeneres are some of the other big names topping off the schedule.

Where to Eat, Drink and Be Merry:
Usually there are private, festival-related parties at some of the venues at Caesars Palace like PURE nightclub and The Pussycat Dolls Lounge. You can go for the gourmet gusto with expensive Vegas meal at Guy Savoy's or try something more reasonable at Bradley Ogden's or Wolfgang Puck's Spago.

After PURE, most of the big names will be hitting new spots like LAX down south on The Strip at Luxor or TAO up north at The Venetian.

Vegoose Music Festival

If you're more into chaotic outdoor music concerts than civilized indoor comedy shows, you'll want to come to Vegoose. It's the punny, annual two-day music affair to remember usually occurring on the weekend before Halloween.

This year, the festival seems to have a political bent. I'm not sure if it's because we're on the cusp of what should be a long, greedy, tortuous election cycle, but Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Muse (pictured with political message backdrop) fit in nicely with the mindless, yet tasty, hum of Daft Punk and The Shins.

Where to Stay:
Sam Boyd Stadium is off of the Boulder Highway so it would be a trek from any of The Strip hotels. I'm not saying you shouldn't stay at a Strip hotel, I'm just saying it's a bit far. If you want to stay at a casino hotel closer to the stadium, try Green Valley Ranch or Sunset Station.

The Vegoose site knows their audience and recommends some campgrounds in the area. The closest are the campgrounds at Sam's Town, but be warned, it's not a short hike to the stadium.

If you want to get away from it all, but you don't want to trade a suite for a tent, explore the offerings at scenic Lake Las Vegas.



Who to See:
Muse on day two is a must-see. I had the privilege of seeing them at their show at The Joint last year and to see a band that intense at a smaller venue (they're accustomed to selling out Wembley on multiple nights) was amazing. They have all the political fervor of Rage Against the Machine packaged in a UK pretty boy box along the lines of Keane, Radiohead and Travis. Incidentally, Rage Against the Machine is headlining on day two.

If day two is all about the politics with Muse and Rage Against the Machine, then day one is all about fun with headliners Daft Punk and Iggy & the Stooges. The Shins, Blonde Redhead and Queens of the Stone Age should be part of your alterna-itenerary for day one.

For the granola crowd who appreciate the fact that the Grateful Dead played at this stadium 14 times during the '90s, you'll want to put down your tobacco accessories and jam with moe., Michael Franti and Spearhead and Infected Mushroom on day two.

Hip-hop and rap fans can rejoice for Public Enemy, Ghostface Killah, Cypress Hill and M.I.A.

Where to Eat, Drink and Be Merry:
If you're looking for the celeb hangouts in this neck of the woods, you'll have to head to Green Valley Ranch. There are some swanky eats and drinks, but most of the places here are for locals. If you're looking for some good wings and things, Sunset Station does have a Hooters.

I recommend heading up 515 until you hit Downtown Vegas and hit some of the hipster spots on Fremont East like Beauty Bar, The Griffin and Downtown Cocktail Room.

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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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Eve, Bobby Lee and Lil Jon hit the Xbox at the Xbox Oasis at TAO Beach.

Click an image for more photos:


All Photos by Jacob Andrzejczak of imagesofvegas.com


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Vegas turned 100 a couple of years ago, but Vegas today is nothing like Vegas from 1907. Heck, when you stand under the glorious pink neon of the Flamingo and stare out across at Caesar's Palace, you'll see that Vegas from the '60s was much different than the Vegas of today. The irony is that many of the performers who top the marquees in today's Vegas, and also topped them in the '50s, '60 and '70s, haven't changed.

Vegas mainstays such as Tom Jones and Wayne Newton may have sold millions of records and played to millions of people throughout the world, but they refuse to rest on their laurels. Despite being well over 60-years-old -- an age when many people may think it's time to kick back and relax -- they have continued performing as much as they did in their heyday. It seems to be their way of telling us, "Hey, I can still get down and throw down, and I'm not about to retire!"

But Tom and Wayne aren't the only old dudes who are still rockin'. Check out these tireless and timeless performers over the age of 60.

Tom Jones
Age: 67
See Him Rock: Aug. 9-Sept. 22 at MGM Grand
You may as well call Tom Jones Mr. Charisma because, even with a cheesy goatee and bad dye job, the Welsh Wonder still rocks like no other. Sure, he's pushing 70, but Tom still has the smooth moves and powerful voice that have caused panties to fly for more than 40 years. And who else could do a Prince song and make it cooler than the original? If you haven't seen Tom live, 'Help Yourself' to one of the greatest performers of all time during one of his MGM Grand performances throughout the year.

Elton John
Age: 60
See Him Rock: Oct. 16-Nov. 5 at Caesars Palace
Yes, 'Candle in the Wind' is one of the most non-rocking songs of all time and can cause one to consider reaching for a firearm and ending it all, but Elton John still rocks. If you've seen 'The Bitch' in his Red Piano show at Caesars Palace, you know he still has more energy and attitude than performers a third his age, even without dressing up like Donald Duck. If you haven't seen the show, what are you waiting for?!?

Tony Orlando
Age: 63
See Him Rock: August 3-5 at South Point
The man who once asked you to knock three times on the ceiling if you love him is still causing knuckles to hurt. He may not be backed by Dawn anymore, but that hasn't slowed Tony down one bit. He still spends most of his year on the road, entertaining both young and old audiences who can't get enough of his energetic performances and Tom Selleck-ish moustache.

Barry Manilow
Age: 64
See Him Rock: Ongoing at the Las Vegas Hilton
His name is Barry. He is a showman. With a lifetime's worth of flair, and a hip that's been repaired... No, not even a bum hip could keep Manilow from rockin' the Vegas Hilton, where he's been amazing Fanilows with his over-the-top 'Music and Passion' show since 2005. And it's not just devoted Fanilows who love Barry. Rolling Stone Magazine has called him, "a giant among entertainers" and, "the showman of our generation." Check out 'Music and Passion' and you'll understand.

Wayne Newton
Age: 65
See Him Rock: July 27-Aug. 4 at Harrah's
You don't get the nickname Mr. Las Vegas for nothing. Wayne Newton has performed more than 30,000 shows in Vegas over the past 40 years, and there's no reason to believe that number won't eventually reach 40,000. Simply put, the tireless performer IS Vegas. Whether he is singing, dancing, playing guitar or just interacting with the audience, Wayne is always "on." This is especially true during his famous holiday shows in Vegas, which are not to be missed. After one of his performances, you'll surely be saying, 'Danke Schoen' for Wayne Newton."

Kenny Rogers
Age: 68
See Him Rock: Sept. 22 at Aquarius Casino
OK, so, Kenny looks freaky these days. Thanks to all the crazy Botox action, he looks less like Kenny Rogers than the guys on this site. But, that doesn't change the fact that he's, well, Kenny Rogers! Since fronting The First Edition and dropping in to see what condition his condition was in, 'The Gambler' has been one of the most successful country crooners of all time. With a Grammy nomination this year, Kenny proved that he won't be counting his money anytime soon, because the dealing is far from done.

Willie Nelson
Age: 74
See Him Rock: Sept. 28 at Hard Rock
He has smoked weed on the top of the White House, fought for America's farmers and survived a financial beating by the all-powerful IRS. In other words, Willie Nelson is rock personified. And it's not just his outlaw ways or unforgettable songs that make Willie Nelson a giant; it's also his unmatched devotion to his fans. After every show, Willie hangs around outside his bus until every last fan who wants to meet him has gotten the chance. All celebrities could learn a thing or two from the Red Headed Stranger.

Tony Bennett
Age: 80
See Him Rock: Oct. 12-13 at the Las Vegas Hilton
Frank Sinatra may have been the Chairman of the Board, but Tony Bennett is undoubtedly the First Vice President. And unlike Sinatra in his later years, Tony's voice is as amazing today as it was 50 years ago. There's nothing quite like sharing a glass of wine with your significant other while hearing Tony belt out classics like 'Rags to Riches,' 'I Left My Heart in San Fransisco' and 'My Funny Valentine.' He's classy, he's the last of the great crooners and he's great, great, great!

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Here are the hot topics in Vegas and the Vegas blogosphere:

Brittany Snow Video
Vegas Heat Index: 145 in the Shade

As 'Hairspray' continues to hold firm at the box office (with more than $63 million in ticket sales), one of the stars is spreading her aqueous net of charm over Vegas. 'Hairspray' star Brittany Snow is looking fit and glam on the August cover of VEGAS Magazine and RawVegas.tv published video footage from her sexy photo shoot (above).

There's also reason to go to your the bookshop and buy a copy of VEGAS Magazine. I'm taking this straight from the media alert because it is perfect as written: "In the printed edition of VEGAS Magazine, Brittany also talks about her new movie 'Black Water Transit' where she claims she wears nothing the entire time and has sex with everyone."

Louisiana Girl Blues

Vegas Heat Index: 116


The Spears family just won't listen to Britney. She even covered a song where it was very clear that the choices she makes during her journey in life is "her prerogative." And yet, they reportedly tried to hold an intervention gathering en masse in Vegas.

On one chicken-greased hand, I can see their concern. If Anna Nicole's family had been so loving would she still be here? Maybe. Maybe not. On the other chicken-greased hand, it's no big deal. Well, the big deal is that interests like OK! Magazine are making big deals out of little deals to sell celebrity-induced comas to the masses.

I mean sure, drama is omnipresent in Britney's life, but as my old friend Smokey the Bear says, "Only you can prevent a forest fire." Until Britney decides that this adventure of crap is no longer fun, she will walk the fire line.

With Britney's divorce, she could turn it around before she goes Garbo or Jacko on everyone, but disappearing for awhile wouldn't be the worst thing. LA, Vegas, New York or Kentwood are not places where she can clear her head.

Louisiana girls are some of the finest creatures in existence. When they get wild, things are likely to get out of control and that's not necessarily a bad thing. When people around them think they need to get back on track, the normal methods of intervention won't work. You have to start by listening. She shaved her head for a reason. It's her prerogative.

Look for some more of Britney's prerogatives when she hosts the grand opening of LAX in Vegas at the Luxor.

Rock on Britney Spears.

Hackers Among Us
Vegas Heat Index: Classified

Given the slow Internet movement in Vegas, it's ironic that Vegas hosts two of the biggest computer security-related conferences, in back-to-back affairs no less. The first one is for security professionals and is called Black Hat. First rule about Black Hat is "you don't talk about Black Hat." Not really, but it sounded clever. It's perfectly OK to blog about Black Hat.

The second and funner of the two is Defcon, billed as the "Largest Underground Hacking Convention in the World." Contests this year include "Beverage Cooling Contraption" and a Xbox 360 'Guitar Hero II' shredder battle. Movie Nights this year feature a world movie premiere for the "lo-fi sci-fi" movie 'Infest Wisely.'

Vegas Celebrity Part-Time Jobs
Vegas Heat Index: 122

If you're a celebrity and in the market for a part-time job, Vegas is the place. Read about TV stars Pam, Tony, Jenny, John and Wayne and how they are "making ends meet."

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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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We love our bartenders in Vegas. There are a lot of competitions here with fabulous cash and prizes. In the next few weeks, we'll be launching the 2007 version of America's Hottest Bartenders. You may remember last year, Lynette from Tabu came in second in the national competition. Fletch still thinks America got it wrong when it comes to that particular contest.

This weekend starting on Sunday, 42 Below Vodka is hosting a competition at the Hard Rock where bartenders are invited to mix their best and brightest cocktails using 42 Below Vodka. There will be three winners from Vegas and three from Miami that will win a slot on TEAM USA and an all expenses-paid trip to New Zealand to compete in the Cocktail World Cup and appear in a reality show.

Chances are you are a Vegas (or Nevada) bartender or know one so pass it forward. You need to register at 310-806-4547. For more details check out the graphic below or click here for the media alert.

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.