A Vegas Halloween

Suppose one takes it for granted that a coaster is 'speedy,' but this one topped 70miles/hour. I screamed myself hoarse, needless to say. There is no time for anticipation on this ride. One is launched off at 0-45mph in secods so fast there is no time to react. As it drops down 25 feet below ground only to rise quickly up into a loop, it gains speed from 35mph to 70mph until you are shot straight up into oblivion, 224 feet that is, wondering how you will get back to point A. This is when the coaster goes into reverse and the whole nerve wracking experience is repeated, except this time you can't see what's coming and you think...'this is it, my life is flashing before my eyes..." and suddenly you are back at point A, 45 seconds that seemed like an eternity of hell.

i did this ride to get over the fear of free fall...
rip out my toenails, pour salt on my eyeballs, put me on the rack, put my hand on a hot grill...nothing was worse than that sensation of falling. just being strapped in, waiting for lift off, was making me tremble with parkinsonian trepidation. 160 feet in a mere 2.5 seconds at 45 mph, was a taste of weightlessness i never want to feel again. going up was not as bad as coming down, though when i got to the top, having reached the 1,081 feet max., i saw nothing below and around me but the city. so, my worst nightmare: flying but knowing i was going to come crashing down. and sure enough, three or four more intolerable times i went up and down and up and down, dropping 160 feet the first time. 1 minute of pure hell. i never stopped screaming. people could clearly hear my screams below, while my friend amused himself by laughing at me the entire time. once safely off the ride, i was hyperventilating and shaking terribly. so, for those of you who are sadists, enjoy!

In this all american steakhouse we ordered filets that cost more than a full tank of gas on an escalade.  Despite sitting at the bar, however, the ambiance was perfect with low lighting, fresh baked breads, and very curteous staff.

The food is the average american fare of steaks, sea food, and salads; prepared with simple ingredients, served a la carte, at not so simple prices.  One filet and one steak, asparagus and garlic potatoes au gratin on the side, chased down by two jack daniels and a coke: $175.00.  Good food, but not worth the price.

Inside the beautiful Bellagio resort, inspired by the town on Lake Como by the same name, there is a delightful gelatteria by the name of Cafe Gelato.  Here there is an outstanding assortment of flavors ranging from Blackberry to Amaretto.  The flavors are so bold and natural you will feel as though you had ventured to Tuscany.

Good espresso and fresh pastries are available as well, so it makes for a nice way to start the day.  I definitely recommend you make the journey for this taste of Italy, not to mention the opportunity just to be enveloped in the sights and floral smells of the resort.

One of the most romantic and erotic nights I have ever had, was in a loveseat at Zumanity.

The other side of Cirque du Soleil, this is an adults only human circus, exploring the body, sensuality, the duality of the sexes, flirtation, arousal of the senses through visual imagery, revealing costumes, bawdy dialogues, and beautiful singing.

The seating is divided into three different categories.  The cheapest seats are the cabaret stools ($69), which may not afford the best views (since they are in the very back of the theater), or enable you to interact, but perhaps you are merely curious...The standard theater seats ($99) are located at stage level or on balconies, and will allow you to be shy but still be wrapped up in all of the excitement.  Finally, the Duo Sofas(sold in pairs, per person $129) are the highly recommended way to go in this show.  My boyfriend and I had a loveseat right infront of the stage.  It was amazing!

We had performers draping their sinewy bodies over us, we were fed chocolate covered strawberries by a voluptuous french maid, caressed by the silken robe of the "mistress of seduction," and felt as though we were a part of the show. 

It is an overwhelming experience.  "Waterbowl was one of the most beautiful parts of the show.  A sizeable glass bowl, filled with water, in which two female contortionists dive in and out, allows the audience to explore their bodies and the seemingly boundless limits of the human body.

"Straps" was quite different from the other performances, as this was one was unaccompanied by music.  In this, an aerial performer is literally strapped into leather, and suspended below the ceiling.  The audience hears moans, sighs, and heavy breathing, as the suspended woman moves from one erotic pose to another, all the while being bound by the leather straps, that give her alternating sensations of pleasure and pain.

Aerial dance is my favorite aspect of any Cirque show, and the one presented here, called "Tissus," brings you close to tears.  The story is a classic tale of the object of a man's desire, seemingly unattainable, until the two worlds collide.  The woman is a tall , lythe, blonde goddess; the male a little person with incredible upper body strength.  The two create a unique combination.

There are so many amazing characteristics of each performance, each performer. There is African tribal dance, a milk bath, flamenco dancing, aerial hoops, male striptease, tantric sex-like dual contortionists, comedy, and a climactic orgy.

Whether you are curious, or see the world of sensuality and passion as your own, explore the other side of Cirque du Soleil. You will not be disappointed.

It is difficult to describe this show, as its themes are multimedia presentations, experimentations, and playing with different objects to create unique sound effects, music, and art.

The Blue Man Group is three bald boys in blue, who do not speak but create and play onstage to communicate their curiosities to the curious crowds.

We were in the "poncho" area of the theater.  This is the front rows of the theater, where audience members have to wear a protective plastic ponchos.  This is due to being splattered with paint or foods that have been sprayed, ejected, or thrown by these guys from the stage. 

They bring a number of curious contraptions on stage, with which they create sounds, or eject objects from them.  They bring drum-like barrels on stage on which there are paints in brilliant colors, and they beat on them with large drumsticks so that the paint splashes everywhere...on them, on the audience, and they also create this truly impressive percussive sound.  The entire experience is about percussion, music, and live art.

At one part of the show, the entire audience is covered with paper, which spools out of large rolls that come from the back of the theater.  With it, audience members are encouraged to create their own articles of clothing or masks.  The lights in the theater go out, black lights are on, and the entire theater glows with the white paper.

These guys also bring audience members on stage to use them for their silly antics, and satires on modern life. 

The show is exciting, daring, energetic, and you really get involved. It is an interactive experience that i think any age group would enjoy.

This is old town Vegas, not on the strip, but south of it.  Always my first destination when the sun goes down, this street is five blocks of casinos, restaurants, 99c daquiries, deep fried twinkies, and an incredible 90 foot big screen ceiling that has light/sound shows nightly.

There are always live bands, also free of charge, but the highlight is when the sun goes down and the lights go up.  Every hour, 15 min. after the hour, the presentation begins on the ceiling that stretches over the street.  Videos of roulettes, dancing girls, card games, women diving into martini glasses, and a plethora of all things vegas can be seen, accompanied by an amazing sound system.

I love love love this buffet! Not the standard Las Vegas buffet, this delightful place serves fare from the 5 provinces of France. 

The atmosphere is there, you feel like you have walked onto one of the many courtyard cafes in France, and the smells are delightful.  At many of the stations, the food is being prepared fresh.  There are wide varieties of french cheeses, pates, chops, crepes made to order, wonderful desserts, great fresh seafood, fondues, and many other dishes to satisfy any taste.

Inside Treasure Island

Signature Drinks

Classic Margarita, Mexican Cucumber, House Muddled Mojito, House Muddled Margarita

Margaritas and Mojitos are terrific! Definitely a signature item, the muddled margarita comes in strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, pineappple, and cucumber. i tried the strawberry margarita, and with the chunks of strawberry, it was magnificent!  The mojito is the popular cuban drink, mixed with bacardi silver, fresh mint leaves, fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, and house muddled fruit - if you prefer.  typical snacks include classic guacamole, chips and salsa, and empanadas.  located inside the casino, it is a cozy little bar with low lighting and latin beats...not to mention the video poker on the bar.  we were there at a strange hour, on a tuesday night.  one thirty am, and we were disappointed to find they were out of chips and salsa, as well as all other food items on the bar menu.  currently, as i am penning this, the bartender and her three ancillary staff members look preoccupied with talking to one another, instead of asking us if we would like another drink. my friend mike is purposely slurping the dregs of his mojito to indicate he is ready for another...i suppose timing is everything.  don't expect much on a weekday, at one thirty in the morning.

the bar stays open until 3am, serves food until 1045pm, and weekends until 1145.  so, not your typical vegas bar that never closes. well, do bars close here, ever?

There are always mixed feelings about buffets. There are those of us who can never quite decide what to eat, and would try everything on the menu; (if we had 10 stomachs) and those that are looking to be gluttons on a budget.

I like a huge variety of foods from around the world, I love diversity, and never have one particular craving. Therefore, if I can recommend any buffet in Vegas, it is this one.



This buffet continually gets voted Vegas' best, though you will also find many complaining that the food is second rate, the lines too long, and the wait not worth it.

Well, let me give you the rundown. The buffet is open from 7am-10pm, seven days a week. Of course the breakfast array is more limited than dinner, but when you arrive first thing in the morning - you can avoid lines and know that everything is fresh. However, also note that because the selection here is so varied and vast, there are many stations at which you can have your food prepared fresh. (i.e.: sushi, mongolian bbq, teppan yaki)

There is something for everyone here. Homemade pies, burgers and fries, pasta, mexican, japanese, chinese, great salad bar, and much much more. The key thing is temperance here. Get a spoonful of everything that delights your senses, then you can try everything!

Breakfast is $13.99, Dinner $23.99. A lot of reviewers claim that these prices are too high. Perhaps they don't realize that they are paying for more than 300 dishes, all of which they could eat if they had room...

The key to doing nightclubs in vegas is asking your cabbie for VIP vouchers. They either get you in free, or a two for one, or they just get you right in the door. Average cost to get into a club is $30. If you end up in a line, and want to get to the front real quick, you can expect to pay one of the doormen an addl. $20 just to get you to the front. 

Only a few clubs have free admission for the ladies, my personal favorite: Studio 54.  Cover for men is $10-20, and not only is there more than one dance floor and a lot of space to play, but you also get entertained by Go Go's and aerial performances. 

Many clubs in Vegas are overrated...you pay a lot to get in, and you pay a lot to drink.. Ask your cabbie! The cab driver is not only doing free advertising for the club, but he is also delivering the customers to the door. So, don't hesitate to ask. 

Rain, at the Palms, is also a sizeable and entertaining night club.  Ra, at the Luxor is smaller, though you get entertained, as well.  There are constantly new clubs being opened up.  Recently it was Pure at Ceasars, and the Wynn's new joint.  When you get to Vegas, grab one of the local 24/7 magazines, or any entertainment guide you might find lying around. These will have listings of all clubs based on music and style, and also opening and closing with admission costs.

Most clubs don't open until 11pm, so find out when they open and just get there early. However, we went to Pure on Halloween and arrived at 9:30. The line was already stretching halfway through the casino by then.

If you are staying at the MGM Grand, for example, the hotel gives you vouchers for their two smaller, and intimate clubs Tabu and Centrifuge. For couples, they are ideal. 

So, in closing, never hesitate to ask for passes, ask the locals, ask the cabbies, ask your concierge at the hotel.

For $16 dollars, walk into a world of sunken temples and pirate ships inside the Mandalay.

The creators of this awesome aquarium got it right when they created the humid and tropical climate of the jungles of the Amazon.  Upon one's first steps into the exhibit, one is enveloped in a humid warmth, and the sound of jungle life fools the senses. Here a unique assortment of species such as the rare golden alligator, the water monitor, and the arapaima gigas (fish that can grow to 14ft) can be viewed through glass displays.  Often, one can virtually be right next to them and see them up close, through the glass.

Once you have passed the tank of ravenous piranhas, the aquarium's glass walls rise at least 15 feet, and within its enclosures one can see a wowing display of ocean life.  Tropical fish such as large, friendly-looking puffers, angel fish, multi-colored tang, and graceful sting-rays provide an entertaining display.

The second room in the aquarium is my favorite, as there is a touch pool where people can get up close and personal with some of the marine life.  Tiny rays, sharks, and horse shoe crabs move about in the shallow pool, and you can reach into the water and "pet" them.  In addition, I love to watch the jellyfish floating about in an etheral lavender light, looking almost like silk blown about by breezes.

The final room of the habitat is the Shark Reef.  a unique aquarium that makes the visitor feel as though they are deep sea diving, and have come upon a shipwreck with sunken treasure aboard.  One is surrounded by glass, and a plethora of underwater sea life.  Nurse sharks, sand sharks, large rays and seat turtles, residing in a world of sand and coral, float around and above you.  In the glass tunnel, one can get an incredible up-close view of the sharks.