The Rat Pack Is Back, now playing at the Plaza downtown, is an amusing trip down Memory Lane. It is appearing at the Plaza Showroom on Main Street, and well worth the trip for anyone who loved the “Old” Las Vegas and/or the original Rat Pack.

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford made up the Rat Pack. They played the Sands Hotel Copa Room. Not only were they great singers and comedians, but also were renowned for their wild night life and all night partying. Almost more entertaining than their music and jokes was the camaraderie and banter that went on endlessly whenever they were together.

Being led to your table by a distinguished, tuxedo-clad maitre’d, you will notice the red walls, red banquette seating for VIP’s amd ornate chandeliers, and be plummeted back to the 60’s, when this kind of grandeur could be seen at all hotels on the strip.

There is a dinner show available (now that is something from the past!) and the only part of it that is not authentic, is that the food is good.

This show is produced by Dick Feeney and Sandy Hackett (son of Buddy). It has a revolving cast, with some of the performers taking the show on national tours for a few weeks at a time. When seen by this reporter, Frank was played by Brian Duprey, Sammy by Kyle Diamond, Dean by Eric Martin, and Joey by Mickey Joseph. Peter Lawford was no longer part of the show.

You will enjoy listening to all of the Rat Pack’s most famous songs and laughing at their good natured banter. The 12-piece Tribute Orchestra is terrific. The true magic of this group was the way they played to each other, and this is captured perfectly. Mickey Joseph deserves special kudos for never allowing a lull in the performance with his zany antics, dead-pan jokes, and impeccable timing.

So take a giant step back in time and go see The Rat Pack Is Back.

Showtimes are Monday through Friday, 7:30 PM, with the option of dinner at 6:00 PM; Saturdays at 7:30 PM and 10:00 PM. They are dark on Sunday.

Authored by: Sandra Oertell

The Plaza Showroom
Plaza Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada 89125
1 Main Street
www.ratpackvegas.com
(702) 386-2444

Contemporary design and high tech amenities combine for a unique Vegas experience at the new Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel!

This full-service property offers a superior location on Paradise Road just one half mile east of Las Vegas Boulevard and adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Renaissance features five hundred forty-eight rooms including executive level accommodations with private lounge and thirty VIP suites and specially designed exhibitor suites. Elegant style and modern convenience come together in a perfect balance of nostalgia and technology in the large guest rooms.

Fine fabric and wood combine with flat screen televisions and high speed Internet access to bring what was the best of old Las Vegas to the new millennium.

From the moment you step into the lobby of the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, you will be taken back to a time lost, but not forgotten. You can almost hear the voices of a Vegas past resonating from the classic restaurant and lounge.

A fitness center, outdoor pool and whirlpool, spa services, twenty thousand square feet of flexible meeting space and seventeen fully ADA compliant rooms are also available. Parking is complimentary for registered guests.

For those who wish to enjoy the area attractions, the world famous Las Vegas Strip is just a short monorail ride away.

Renaissance: Consistently unique hotels and resorts. Stay interesting!

As Vegas’ premier exhibition venue, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art showcases magnificent works of art within a AAA Five Diamond Award resort setting.

Located in the heart of the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas you’ll find the Gallery of Fine Art. Stop by and visit current exhibits to see the artworks that have come from museums as well as private collections.

Here you can expect to view a gallery committed to the presentation of intimate exhibitions of the world’s most compelling artists.

Each year the gallery presents world-class exhibitions of artworks and objects drawn from internationally acclaimed museums and private collections.

Definitely a things to do in Las Vegas for art enthusiasts and those interested in expanding their cultural knowledge.

(Photo by: Newsday)

The ultra-luxury Caesars Palace, has once again raised the quality standard of sizzling Las Vegas nightlife with this destination lounge.

Shadow Bar at Caesars Palace Las Vegas is a lounge and nightlife hotspot that features shadow dancers.

Shadow Bar offers a long menu of exotic cocktails that are served by bartenders who entertain by juggling bottles, tossing limes, twirling glassed and performing back-flips as they prepare cocktails.

Shadow Bar also offers appetizers in the evenings that include sushi platters, smoked salmon, fresh oysters, fresh fruits, crab cakes, cheeses, and even beluga caviar.

(Photo by: Newsday)

It’s no secret that Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest sports gambling day of the year. The various sports books in the state of Nevada expect to take in over $90 million in bets! This estimate is slightly down from last years amount of $92 million.

Anybody who visits bustling Las Vegas knows it’s a whirlwind of sensory on steroids overload. You experience smoke-filled rooms and larger-than-life televisions in sparkling high-definition.

As the big game nears, betters wait in anticipation of Sin City’s biggest sports gambling day of the year. While the rest of the nation recently wrapped up its holiday season, Las Vegas sports books are readying themselves for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve all wrapped in one glorious afternoon of hedonism – Super Bowl Sunday.

All that matters is what happens on the field, not what bets are made in Las Vegas. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one touchdown favorites in most betting books, over the surprising Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. A missed call by the refs or a muffed play by some rookie back-up can mean a swing of millions of dollars either won and lost.

Yes, economic hard times have even affected the usually nonplussed gamblers among us.

The allure of Super Bowl Sunday is not easy to miss. Given the pairing of our national obsession with the NFL and gambling, it makes sense that the two paradymes join forces so nicely on Super Sunday, considered by many a national holiday.

Regardless of how you feel about football or betting in general, this is really big business, and not for the faint of heart.

In Las Vegas, even though the game is often played on the other side of the continent, the Super Bowl draws visitors at a rate comparable to any national event such as New Year’s Eve, the Chinese holidays and college basketball’s March Madness.

What many don’t realize is that the bets are not only made on the final winning team or score but hundreds of variations and even events that don’t transpire between the two football teams.

For example, sports books take bets on which team will win the coin flip, how long it will take Jennifer Hudson to sing the national anthem (with the over-under opening at 1 minute, 55 seconds), which song Bruce Springsteen will begin the halftime show with, and how many different food types broadcaster John Madden will mention during the telecast.

For those looking for a great thrill, add the Big Shot ride on your things to do in Las Vegas at the Stratosphere hotel.

The Stratosphere building itself is a Las Vegas beacon and an engineering marvel. The futuristic looking hotel stands about 1149 feet, and the Stratosphere Tower is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States and the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

On the roof of the enormous building you will find the exhilarating Big Shot.

The Stratosphere is a little intimidating for anyone with a little fear of heights and absolutely terrifying for those with a big dose.

The ride can accommodate 16 people at a time and they’re strapped in to the ride and shot skyward. This thrill ride will launch you 160 feet straight up in a mere 2.5 seconds with a speed of about 45 mph, which is basically 4Gs of force. You then drop to 0Gs and bungee up and down, then return back to the launch pad. Beware that this ride is not for the faint of heart!

Thrill seekers will love the crzy experience. Where else can you feel the ‘G’s and have your legs dangle in the Las Vegas skyline?

Only in Las Vegas!

Elegant style. Timeless glamour. High rolling excitement. Bally’s Las Vegas has always set the standard.

When you stay at Bally’s, you’ll see why Las Vegas’ best rooms share the same address! You’ll experience world-class amenities and service so you can leave the pampering to the professionals!

For nearly 30 years, Bally’s Las Vegas has been the pulsating soul of Sin City – a neon city that refuses to sleep.

With its unwavering service, comprehensive dining and signature style this jewel of the Strip has attracted high-rollers from around the world.

Bally’s is one of the classic Las Vegas names, with a central location on the monorail and next door to the Paris Las Vegas. In addition, a covered moving walkway transports visitors to the sleek silver towers that look like a futuristic palace.

Recent room renovations have brought the accommodations up to date, featuring beautiful marble bathrooms and sleek modern furniture. Rooms in the South Tower offer a bird’s eye view of the majestic Bellagio fountains, without the high Bellagio price.

Although the hotel probably best known for its massive casino and endless rows of slot machines, Bally’s has a lot more to offer visitors, including a full scale shopping mall and the hit show Jublilee!

When you envision feather-bedecked showgirls, this is the show you’re picturing – beautiful women act out various historically improbable scenarios involving the Titanic, the Temple in Jerusalem, and more.

Visitors also flock to Bally’s Harley-Davidson store for clothing and accessories that capture the free spirit of Harleys and their devoted riders. If it’s leather, rugged, or motorcycle-related, Las Vegas Harley Davidson has it. Get decked out for your next road trip, or outfit your home in Harley-inspired decor.

See for yourself why Bally’s embodies the spirit of Las Vegas.  What are you waiting for?

Bally’s Las Vegas
3645 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Ph: (877) 603-4390

Badlands Golf Club more than lives up to its name. The three nines of this Johnny Miller/Chi Chi Rodriguez design weave through deep canyons. Whether it’s the Outlaw, the Desperado or the Diablo nine, Badlands gives players shotmaking challenges.

The 27 holes offer dramatic shot values, so no matter which 18 holes golfers play, it will be a very memorable outing. Four sets of tees make the course playable for beginners to pros — just make sure to select the right set of tees for your handicap.

On the Desperado nine, the eighth hole, a 196-yard par 3, is a knee-knocker. Players face a tee shot that carries over a deep ravine. Shots short or right will wind up in the ravine, making a drop almost a necessity. Par here is a good number. If you wind up with a birdie on this tough hole, you’ve earned your bragging rights.

On the Diablo nine, the 389-yard, par-4 15th brings out the best — and sometimes the worst — in players. There are a pair of ways to attack this hole: Play conservative and hit the fairway to the left or — and here’s the tricky shot — grab the big stick and carry the ravine and take a short wedge into this green. This is another hole where a birdie is a possibility, but more often than not, par is a fine score.

On the Outlaw nine, the 27th hole — the grand finale — is everything a finishing golf hole should encompass. There’s challenge (511-yard, par 5), and it’s got risk/reward (go for it in two and try to avoid a watery grave). This hole will let golfers rip it off the tee, but then comes the dilemma.

A carry of 240 yards or so will get golfers onto the green, but there is a catch — anything less is wet. Playing conservative will leave players with a short iron into a green giving them a shot at a closing birdie — always a great way to head to the clubhouse.

This course is a solid test of golf and offers a rugged look at the beauty of the desert — a nice combination that will bring golfers back for more.  Source

Silverton Hotel & Casino boasts several aquariums including the main tank which includes a 117,000 gallon artificial reef home to more than 4,000 tropical fish, 3 species of stingrays and 3 species of sharks.

The massive tank is octagonal in shape. You can easily walk all the way around it and view the marine life from every angle.

Silverton aquarium holds underwater shows where a marine biologist dives into the aquarium and communicates through the mask to the audience, and following with a question and answer session.

There’s an additional show offering a mermaid-themed performance. The best part is both shows are free.

Guests can also find several smaller saltwater and freshwater tanks around the Silverton Hotel casino.

Silverton Hotel
3333 Blue Diamond Rd.
Las Vegas NV 89139
Phone: (702) 236-7777

Circus Circus in Las Vegas has long been a family favorite for many years. Circus Circus has it all, from the thrilling rides and midway games in the Adventuredome to fine gourmet dining at The Steak House. This anchor Vegas hotel pleases everyone.

Circus Circus Las Vegas is a circus-themed 3,774 room hotel and 101,000 square feet casino. It’s owned and operated by MGM Mirage. Circus Circus features free circus acts on a regular basis throughout the day.

A runaway hit since opening in 1968, Circus Circus has the unique distinction of appearing in two classic Las Vegas stories: as a malevolent wonderland in Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and as a backdrop to foreign intrigue in “Diamonds Are Forever.”

While neither story correctly describes this Vegas resort as it truly is — a classic hotel-casino and a great place to bring your kids — they cannot help but illustrate Circus Circus’ distinctive charm, unique not only to Las Vegas but also to the world.

The world-famous main casino floor is always jumping. Overhead, live circus acts — acrobats, trapeze artists, clowns, jugglers — perform around the clock. A carnival midway offers games of skill and chance for all ages.

Nearby, the largest space-frame dome in the United States houses the Adventuredome, an indoor theme park featuring the Canyon Blaster, a double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster guaranteed to put a scream on your face.

Don’t let the bright pink exterior fool you, the Circus Circus Adventuredome is jammed with action and thrills. Lying under a five-and-a-half-acre glass encasement, the crazy Adventuredome promises fun for the whole family, both young and old.

Circus Circus also includes several restaurants, a popular poker room, a huge race and sports book, the unique rotating cocktail lounge and a new shopping promenade should serve to reinforce any desire to run away and join the circus.

Circus Circus
2880 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 734-0410

The Flamingo Las Vegas resort is home to a colorful flock of live Chilean Flamingos. These beautiful birds, as well as a collection of other feathered friends populate the resort’s popular Wildlife Habitat.

The Wildlife Habitat is an outdoor setting, and part of 15 acres of tropical gardens with lush foliage and waterfalls.

In addition the Chilean Flamingos, you’ll also find African penguins, swans, ducks, Koi, and turtles populating these grounds. All of the animals are carefully tended by experts and live on islands and streams surrounded by sparkling waterfalls and lush foliage.

In addition to the birds on display, you can also view a variety of fish species, from Japanese koi to albino channel catfish, plus grackle birds, house sparrows, mallard ducks and hummingbirds in the menagerie.

There is also lush foliage, imported from around the world.

Click Here for more information