The Flamingo Las Vegas has been around for over forty years, but still has classic hip style.

In a town where “classic” is a euphemism for “marked for implosion,” Flamingo Las Vegas, which was originally owned by Bugsy Siegel in 1946, has exuberantly remade itself and become the hippest hotel on the Strip.

With no signs of period kitsch, the new Go Rooms have shiny white vinyl headboards that stretch to the ceiling, white mid-century-style low cabinets, and green, chocolate, and pink accents—the Flamingo’s original colors. For the young and restless clientele, updates have been added where they count: MP3 docking stations, electronically controlled drapes, and 42-inch flat-screen TV’s.

Room to Book: The best suite deals in town are on the 27th and 28th floors, where rooms have the best views of the Strip. The 1,500-square-foot Go Metropolitan Suites come with four flat-panel HDTV’s, marble baths, a wet bar, and an incredible vista.

In Las Vegas, there is one must stop shopping destination that you must drive your luxury car rental to – the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops. There is valet parking at the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops, so feel free to drop off your luxury car rental and shop to your heart’s content.

The Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops prided itself to be Las Vegas’ premier retail, dining and entertainment destination. It has been called “titan of the shopping world”, the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops offers the best selection of shops. From upscale to mid-scale, you will find them at the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops.

Featuring over 160 boutiques and shops, there is a wide variety of the world’s well-known brands such as Versace, Gucci and Burberry to popular favorites Abercrombie and Fitch, Diesel and Banana Republic.

If you are an automobile fan, there is Exotic Cars, a two-tiered retailer with 34,000 square feet of showroom space. It houses more than 50 exotic cars and motorcycles with luxurious brands such as Porsche, Rolls Royce and Aston Martin.

There is also the remote-controlled racetrack, unique displays and a variety of merchandise such as apparel and model cars. Even though you cannot drive away one of the exotic cars on display, there is always your luxury car rental that will surely more than satisfy your needs.

The 175,000-square-foot, three-level addition to the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops includes an array of upscale shops and several new restaurants, as well as a spiral escalator – one of only two in the United States. With hundreds of stores, restaurants and attractions, there is plenty to do to keep you busy for an afternoon.

Weary shoppers can rest their feet at the fountains that offer hourly shows with its animatronic statues at Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops’ either end. There are further visual stimulation with ‘The Festival Fountain’ that depicts the feast of Bacchus and ‘The Lost City of Atlantis’ chronicles the great city’s fall.

Beautiful décor further enhances the experience at the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops with the expansive stone-hewed walkway that divides the row of shops and a sky-colored ceiling overhead that gives the illusion of perpetual twilight. True to its name, there are ancient Roman architecture and sculptures to adorn the Forum Shops all around. Inside the front doors, visitors are greeted by a large reflecting pool, huge Roman statues and a beautiful glass domed ceiling.

To satisfy your hunger and fuel for more shopping, there are plenty high-class restaurants to cater to your need. For dessert, there is the Cheesecake Factory that is a sweet tooth’s dream. For a sophisticated evening out, check out Wolfgang Puck’s Club OPM, located above the restaurant, Chinois.

Whatever you want to do, the Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops in Las Vegas have it.

The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay has a massive see-through tunnel spanning a section of the 40 million dollar aquarium, allows you to see a wide variety of different aquatic species.

With 100 different species, including the rare Arapaiwa Gigas, the Red-tailed Catfish and the Silver Arrowana, you will be able to see some of the most beautiful fish in the world. Some of the species, particularly the nearly extinct golden saltwater crocodile, can’t be seen anywhere else in the western hemisphere.

Children of all ages as well as adults are welcomed to visit the Shark Reef Mandalay for a chance to see once in a lifetime sights of rare, aquatic life.

Tropical Rainforest is one of many free attractions at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Inside the front entrance, you’ll enjoy an extraordinary experience – a lush and verdant indoor rainforest housed under a 100-foot-high dome. Palm trees reach 60 feet above cascading waterfalls. Lagoons meander through a forest of rich tropical flora including bird of paradise trees, orchids and bromeliads.

Woven into this waterscape is an artist’s palette of beautifully colored, delicately arranged tropical flowers basking in natural sunlight. Water mists the area lightly throughout the day to enhance the atmosphere and keep the plants cool.

Four full-time gardeners spend over 160 hours each week to maintain the more than 100 different types of plants in the atrium. Over 300 fresh orchids and 1000 bromeliads grace the walkways.

Photo credit: The Mirage

At the SEABLUE restaurant and lounge in the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas you can order the Duvet Passion for around $1,500.

The ingredients: a mix of rare aged cognacs and a mix of rare vintage champagnes garnished with a vanilla orchid petal.

This passion drink for lovers was introduced on Valentine’s Day in 2005.

Having taken the buffet concept to new heights, the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is once again redefining the category with the Village Seafood Buffet that is now open, following an extensive remodeling of its bold and colorful 13,000 square feet of space. From customizable sushi prepared right in front of the guest to sommeliers available to pair seafood selections with the finest of wines, the refined Village Seafood Buffet is Las Vegas’ only seafood buffet serving the freshest seafood from around the world, flown in daily with restaurant-style execution.

The Cuisine

From freshwater prawns from Indonesia to Pacific salmon, Alaskan king crab, Canadian snow crab, shrimp from China and slipper tail lobster from Southeast Asia, the Village Seafood Buffet purchases more than 200 tons of fresh seafood annually.

This global menu features the essence of the Mediterranean, the vibrant cooking traditions in the Pacific Rim, the rich and flavorful creations indigenous to the Baja region, the exotic, eclectic flavors of South America where guests enjoy carving stations featuring six types of proteins that can be made into succulent skewers and the diverse ingredients and cooking styles of North America.

The Décor

Visual enhancements immediately captivate attention. From the grand new entrance showcasing metallic pieces that depict the ebb and flow of the ocean tides, to commissioned artwork from renowned artist Brad Holland prominently on display, the all new Village Seafood Buffet emphasizes the cool hues of the ocean’s blues and ice-frosted whites.

Art lovers and backers of the Las Vegas Art Museum have decided that the museum needs its own permanent spot, instead of the rented space at the All-American Sportpark.

A recent story in the Las Vegas Sun states that donors haven’t decided whether they will purchase an existing building or build a new one. One thing they do know, is to not have an interim rental space.

For the past 10 years the Las Vegas Art Museum has been sharing a building with the Sahara West Library in Summerlin. There is 7,000 square feet of exhibit space and it hosts an education program for about 7,000 students a year.

The initial plans for the new museum call out a much larger facility and an education program for 30,000 students annually. If everything goes as planned, the Las Vegas Art Museum will finally have a permanent spot for the first time in the institution’s 58-year existence.

But more than that, the Las Vegas Valley is a dynamic metropolitan area that needs a thriving arts community, and that means a permanent art museum. It is an important step toward helping Las Vegas grow into a world-class city.

With plans for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts already under way, it gives the Las Vegas Art Museum the permanent home it deserves would be an excellent next step. It’s about time!

(Photo courtesy of Poetry Nightclub)

Poetry Nightclub is Located at the end of the Forum Shoppes at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.  Poetry has been Vegas’ premier hip-hop nightclub destinations since it opened over five years ago.

Poetry is the only nightclub in Las Vegas that plays one hundred percent hip hop and R and B music style. Each night of the week plays a slightly different flavor for their nightclub patrons.

Sin City visitors come from all over the world to party late into the night with all the celebrities that frequent this intimate Las Vegas venue.

Poetry Nightclub is a rock solid guarantee to spot celebs and be in a place to chill and groove to the musical vibe. Customers can always count on top notch VIP service and having a fantastic time.

The nightclub gets its name from the numerous lyrics and verses written all over the nightclub’s walls. Some are from iconic poets like Edgar Allen Poe and master lyricists like Tupac.

Potry nightclub is decorated with soft chocolate hues mixed with black and red color accents. Near the dance floor is the prominent VIP section. Because of its size, it can also double as a stage.  Keep a look out and you may see your fave idol like: E40, Snoop Dogg, Grandmaster Flash or Carmen Electra begin to perform.

The one thing in common, is everybody there is a fan of hip hop and a love having a great time.

Before you go, be sure to find you best stylish, nightlife attire. Your main goal should be to dress to impress. Dress slacks, dress shoes and dress shirts with collars must be tucked in. Not allowed is shorts, hats, tennis shoes, baggy or torn jeans. Men can not wear sandals.

Poetry Nightclub Las Vegas
3500 Las Vegas Blvd, S. #L3
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Inquiries and Guest List: 702-369-4998
Fax: 702-369-0154
Information Line: 702-387-3840

Owner George Maloof, with a recent assist from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, offers accommodations unlike any in Vegas.

The sky is no longer the limit in Las Vegas thanks to George Maloof. For high rollers visiting Vegas, Maloof has built the Fantasy Tower at the Palms Casino Resort. The Fantasy Tower is the latest development in the Palms Casino Resort’s $650-million expansion.

Among its 347 rooms and suites, the 40-story hotel tower features more than 40 Fantasy Suites and Sky Villas featuring one-of-a-kind amenities never before seen in Las Vegas. “Our client is anyone from a corporation to a couple who is looking for an ultimate fantasy,” Maloof said.

From basketball half-courts and a personal bowling alley to vibrating beds and private “show showers,” the Fantasy Tower is designed for those who think big.

Fantasy Suites in the Fantasy Tower start at $4,000 per night and can go as high as $40,000 per night for the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, which sits at the top.

In addition to accommodations, the Fantasy Tower will feature an entertainment mecca that mixes nightlife and dining, including the first Playboy Club to open in 25 years. An allnew nightclub and Mediterranean restaurant at the top of the Fantasy Tower will open in September. Other Fantasy Tower developments include the all-new, $40-million Palms Pool & Bungalows.

The list of amenities in the luxury suites is as long as the Strip itself. For example, the 10,000-square-foot Hardwood Suite boasts a two-level party room, a half basketball court, three NBA-sized Murphy beds, a living-media room, a 10-person Jacuzzi and customized services such as personalized basketball jerseys and cheerleaders.

The King Pin Suite offers a 4,240-square-foot retro-style party room with two bedrooms, three bathrooms, LCD and plasma TVs (including a theater-size projection screen), regulation bowling equipment and a pool table. Not surprisingly, the Erotic Suite offers sexy amenities including a metal-encased “show shower” and an 8-foot-round rotating bed beneath a mirrored ceiling.

But perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, which was designed with the help of Hefner himself. Opening in September, the suite will include an outdoor cantilevered Jacuzzi with glass-end walls, a living room, a media room, a full bar, a fully equipped gym with a sauna, a spa-style treatment room, a personal glass elevator, an 8-foot rotating bed, pop-up plasma TVs and a collection of Playboy art personally selected by Hefner.

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The New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel was opened in 1995. Offering authentic cajun style food, this is a must for any fine dining experience. “Bam!”

Chef Emeril Lagasse has seen enourmous success over the last decade. Because of this, it has prompted a signature line of cooking products, cook books, exclusive ingredients and launched his hugely popular Food Network show.

Emeril’s business corporation now heads up a number of fine restaurants in notable cities throughout the country. Lucky for visitors and natives of Las Vegas, Sin City is lucky enough to be one of them.

Emeril Lagasse was born in Massachusetts and studied culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University. After formal studies, Emeril went to Europe where he trained with chefs skilled in classical French cuisine.

The interior of the New Orleans Fish House is upscale, contemporary and spacious, with pockets of ambient colored light. His signature “Emeril” in aqua neon is suspended in the center of the large dining room.

In keeping with his New Orleans Gulf Coast tastes, Emeril’s menu is abundant in seafood: lobster, shrimp, scallops, salmon, oysters and crab, tuna and bass. Appetizers and entrees feature Creole-infused dishes such as the Creole Maine Lobster with andouille sausage or the Creole calamari.

New Orleans Fish House
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.,
Las Vegas, NV 89109

OK, you’re over it. You’re ready to divorce yourself from the Strip and its claustrophobic cluster of people, flashing lights, blaring music and encroaching buildings all bleeding together and assailing the senses.

Breathe. Here’s one antidote, at the far end of Las Vegas Boulevard, in a very humble strip mall. Rincon Criollo is a hole-in-the-wall in the best possible meaning. It’s a Cuban restaurant with an utter lack of posturing.

Dallas doesn’t have many homey Cuban food options, which makes Rincon Criollo worth a lunch trip no matter what your budget is. The cooking here has soul: roasted, marinated pork leg falls into tender, ropy chunks. The chicken in the arroz con pollo tastes fresh, and the yellow rice is gently but distinctively seasoned. The Cubano sandwich yields an honest crunch, and scattered slivers of pickle perk up the layered meats between the bread slices.

Don’t forget the sides: maduros (mashed ripe plantains drizzled with olive oil), yucca fries with a garlic-infused dipping sauce and even avocado slices to further enrich the pork leg.

The laid-back service (there may be one person waiting tables) and determinedly plain interior presents a contrary vision of Las Vegas to what most visitors experience. But it can be soothing to enter a glitz-free zone. Perhaps some flan and a strong coffee before you head back?