Las Vegas Blog

Well, this is the outside of Guy Fieri’s new Las Vegas restaurant, anyway. We’d show you the inside, but we don’t have access to a time machine, sorry.

This blog loves it some Vegas newness.

The space sits at the northwest corner of The Quad, across from Carnaval Court at Harrah’s, and has giant windows, perfect for people-watching.

The aforementioned Guy.

Food Network star Guy Fieri brings his unique culinary sensibility to The Quad in late 2013. Read more.

When the U.S. Travel Association recently held its convention in Las Vegas, Caesars Palace was the natural place for the gathering’s culminating bash.

The hotel hosted a party for travel pros from around the world, showcasing many of the dining and entertainment offerings available at Caesars Entertainment hotels in Las Vegas. There may also have been some hooch.

Just another typical night in Vegas!

Comedy-juggler Jeff Civillico (below) hosted the event, and a slew of Las Vegas entertainers took turns wowing the capacity crowd.

Well, at least Jeff Civillico’s portion of the show wasn’t awkward at all.

On hand were Flamingo headliner George Wallace, female impersonator Frank Marino and his “Divas Las Vegas” from The Quad, Donny & Marie from the Flamingo and the talented cast of “Million Dollar Quartet” (below) from Harrah’s Las Vegas.

The “Million Dollar Quartet” blew the roof off the joint.

The new headliner at Bally’s Las Vegas, Veronic DiCaire (below), star of Veronic Voices, also took to the stage with her giant voice. In her show, DiCaire does the voices of dozens of the world’s best-known female superstars.

Veronic’s show opens June 20 at Bally’s.

Of course, no Vegas party would be complete without showgirls, and dancers from “Jubilee!” at Bally’s did their part to make the party unforgettable.

Typical cocktail party attire in Sin City.

Guests were also treated to tempting samples from a variety of Vegas restaurants, many from Caesars Palace, including Nobu Restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, Payard Patisserie, Rao’s, Bacchanal Buffet and others.

Gordon Ramsay’s BurGR at Planet Hollywood was also represented. Well represented.

Caesars Palace headliner Celine Dion made a surprise appearance, and kicked off a fireworks display high above the hotel’s Garden of the Gods pool complex.

“Voila,” as the French Canadians say.

Does Las Vegas know how to throw a party, or what? Enjoy more photos in our exclusive gallery, unless you don’t like fun.

It’s a Tango Martini, served at Center Cut Steakhouse at Flamingo Las Vegas. And we’d like our mouth on it again, soon.

Bonus: Happy hour.

Passing by what will soon be the entrance to The Linq the other day, we caught a glimpse of the new entertainment promenade’s marquee being assembled.

The entrance to The Linq is between Flamingo and The Quad, on the corner where O’Sheas used to sit.

The section of the marquee that says “The Linq” was being hoisted by crane above the sign’s support post, and lowered into place guided by ropes. It’s a little hard to describe, so we felt compelled to capture a far-too-long video of the process.

Simmer down. It’s just a sign being installed.

Anyhoo, the portion being lowered onto the post weighed about 700 pounds, while the support post itself weighs in the neighborhood of 20,000 pounds. Because you can never have too many useless facts in your head.

This blog probably could’ve just dead lifted it, but we didn’t want the hard hat guys to feel badly.

It takes teamwork and a windless day to pull off a maneuver like this one. And yes, if you look closely at the sign (see below), there are dudes in there to make sure it’s a snug fit. It goes without saying that on a hot Las Vegas day, this blog does not want to be one of those dudes.

Just another day having 700 pounds lowered down onto your head. No biggy.

We can’t wait for the full marquee to be unveiled in all its sparkly awesomeness. We suspect there will be no question as to where The Linq is located. Read more about The Linq at the official site.

After a busy couple of weeks in Las Vegas leading up to the Miss USA pageant, the 51 hopefuls duked it out at Planet Hollywood on June 16, 2013 with Miss Connecticut Erin Brady taking the coveted crown.

Bling it on! Thanks to our buddy Erik Kabik for the photo.

Las Vegas shared the stage with the perky contestants during the competition’s live telecast, with segments devoted to a number of Sin City’s restaurants, attractions and famed skyline.

Here’s more from the new Miss USA.

This blog was glad to see Miss Nevada made the top 10, of course.

Well, at least this photo isn’t gratuitous.

Congrats to the new Miss USA, and check out five things about Erin Brady on the ABC News site.

Leading up to the Miss USA pageant from Planet Hollywood on June 16, the toothsome contestants have been taking advantage of everything Las Vegas has to offer. This blog forced itself to chronicle some of the activities leading up to the Miss USA broadcast.

First, several contestants visited Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace for a chance to prepare their own lunch.

Note to self: Miss USA contestants are up for just about anything.

The contestants got a hands-on demonstration on the finer points of fish preparation from the restaurant’s Executive Chef, Jeremy Berlin.

This blog would not do this. We tend to be a big baby. You go, Miss Idaho.

Also on the agenda was a visit to Nobu restaurant, also at Caesars Palace, where a group of contestants were treated to some world-class teppanyaki.

There are definitely perks to being a Miss USA contestant. It’s Nobu!

At another jucture in the contestants’ whirlwind tour of The Strip, they dined at Margaritaville at Flamingo Las Vegas. 

Aside from a tasty lunch (yes, beauty contestants eat), this stop included a meeting with Jon Gray, the “Mayor” of The Linq project. A highlight was when Gray gave each contestant in attendance a cupcake with their state on top.

Relocation to Florida, anyone?

The cupcakes were provided by Sprinkles Cupcakes, one of the upcoming tenants in The Linq.

The reigning Miss USA even shared her cupcakes. Why would anyone do that?

The ladies donned their hard hats and were taken on a walking tour of the Linq construction site.

Miss Nevada can even work a hard hat.

The contestants got to autograph a wall inside one of the new establishments in The Linq. Now, you’ll know some true insider scoop about The Linq: The signatures will be encased in the wall of a Starbucks.

Las Vegas immortality comes in many forms.

Of course, the highlight of any Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas is pool day at Flamingo Las Vegas. And this blog is being completely objective about that.

Pool day, you are awesome beyond words.

The contestants work a bit (taping segments for the live broadcast), but also get a chance to lounge and enjoy the Sin City sun.

This blog’s fainting spell may or may not have been caused by exposure.

Here’s a little video to augment the Miss USA poolside experience.

Gosh, we’ve probably shared too many photos from the pool already. Don’t you hate when that happens?

Please, you’re getting in the way of our waterfall photo!

If it’s one thing this blog has learned, it’s that nobody is all that interested in photos of women, in bikinis, poolside. Especially photos like the one below.

Today’s game: Spot the ginger!

Look, we don’t make up the news, we just report it.

Seriously, we need to move on here.

We may have taken a few more bikini photos, so you may want to check out our exclusive photo gallery.

Best of luck to all the contestants, and make sure to watch the Miss USA pageant on June 16, 2013 on NBC. Visit the official Miss USA site for prelimiaries and more.

Las Vegas is the ultimate place to stay and play on Father’s Day, so here are some things to do to keep the Old Man busy and feeling appreciated for all his love, support and myriad guilt trips thoughout the years.

1. Auto Collections at The Quad

Your pop will be in seventh heaven among the dozens and dozens of classic and rare cars at this must-see attraction inside The Quad. See more.

This blog’s dad would love the Auto Collections, and he hates everything.

2. Carnivore’s Delight

On Father’s Day, Old Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars Palace (this blog’s favorite steakhouse on The Strip) will offer a special 24-ounce bone-in New York strip steak for $88 per person. This acclaimed steak is unforgettable, just like seeing Dad in his black socks and sandals. Also at Caesars, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill will feature its recently-debuted traditional English Sunday Roast prix-fixe menu for $56 per person. Once Dad tries this feast, he may even put you back in the Will.

3. Sin City Revealed

Speaking of “bone-in,” give the Old Man a jolt with a little Sin City, well, sin. Topless shows like “X Burlesque” at Flamingo, “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood and “Jubilee!” at Bally ‘s should do the trick.

“X Burlesque” has been making dads gleeful since 2002.

4. Engineering Wonder

Here’s a free thing to do for Father’s Day. Drive by the construction site of the High Roller observation wheel at The Linq. It’s only half its ultimate height at the moment, but it’s still a wonder to behold. And did we mention gawking is free?

The mind reels.

5. $777 Burger

That’s not a typo. At Le Burger Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas, make dad feel like royalty with a $777 burger. (Don’t have a coronary. It’s served with a bottle of Rose Dom Perignon champagne.) Read more.

Dad helped change your diapers. Probably. He’s probably worth it.

6. Laugh It Up

Hey, having you as a kid wasn’t a walk in the park, so give Dad the gift of laughter. Check out Jeff Civillico at The Quad, George Wallace at Flamingo, Anthony Cools at Paris, Vinnie Favorito at Flamingo, Sin City Comedy at Planet Hollywood and the Improv at Harrah’s.

7. Help Dad Be a Swinger

Golf in Vegas rocks! On warmer days, hit the links early at world-class courses like Cascata or Rio Secco. Is this a super original thing to do with your dad? Of course not. He doesn’t care about originality. He cares about you not screwing up Father’s Day. Just go with golf.

8. A Hangover to Remember

It’s hard to believe, but at one time, your dad was a blast. He was funny and charming and adventurous. The key to helping him revisit his glory days is, obviously, liquor. Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace recently opened a cognac lounge, for example. High quality cognac can run into the hundreds per ounce, but can you really put a dollar value on love for Father’s Day? Or try a Vegas classic, slushy drinks in souvenir cups with neck straps. The 96-ounce monsters at P.F. Chang’s, pictured below, and the Purple Strap-On at Carnaval Court are highly recommended.

Ah, the vague memories of Las Vegas you’ll share.

Treat Dad to a Vegas adventure he’ll never forget for Father’s Day, and if you need a referral for a good bailbondsman, just let us know.

We’ll say it. Summertime in Vegas can get a tad warmish. But when it does, Vegas rises to the occasion with frosty beverages.

This bad boy caught our eye at Carlos’n Charlie’s restaurant and intoxiporium at Flamingo Las Vegas. It’s the “Solgarita,” part Sol beer and part margarita.

Come to daddy.

We aren’t quite sure when this whole “putting entire bottles of liquor into cocktails,” but speaking for our many beer-loving friends, they seem to be OK with it.

Former “Beverly Hills, 90210″ star Ian Ziering has officially joined the cast of Chippendales at Rio Las Vegas as a celebrity guest host, and he’s definitely made a splash with his charisma and new physique.

Ian Ziering makes it look easy.

Said Ziering, “When Chippendales called, my first thought was of Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ I weighed the pros and cons, but couldn’t come up with any cons. I have more facets than Steve Sanders [on '90210']. This is another role for me.”

Ziering, Jaymes and James (of “Amazing Race” fame).

The actor donned the show’s signature cuffs and collar, and showed off some new-found buffness, the result of three months of training.

“I told my wife about Chippendales,” says Ziering, “and I asked her what she thought of my dancing in front of a whole bunch of screaming women. And she said, ‘That’s not too different from the ’90s.’ There was some pandemonium back then, but I wasn’t pulling my shirt off or
gyrating my hips.”

Once he decided to make the leap and join the Chippendales show as a guest host, he committed to a strict fitness regimen, saying, “I have a two-year-old and a newborn at home, so it’s been tough the last couple of years to find the time to concentrate on myself. For the last three months I’ve been eating right and going to the gym twice a day. Sometimes it’s tough to anchor yourself to a foundation of accountability to make it happen.”

All the hard work’s clearly paid off.

Ian Ziering, holding his own with the guys of Chippendales.

As if there were any doubt of the sex appeal of the Chippendales, listen to what Ziering said of his journey to get in shape for his Chippendales premiere: “It’s been an amazing journey for my wife and I, because as I’ve lost weight, she’s responding more. Because she just gave birth April 25th, and I’m ready for that response and that kick-up in attention and intimacy, so it was perfectly-timed.”

Ifyouknowwhatweresayin’.

Trivia: Ian Ziering’s daughters were born on the same day (April 25), two years apart.

What’s been the most surprising thing about performing with the world-famous Chippendales?

“When I first came to see the show, I wasn’t sure what to expect. That ‘Magic Mike’ movie had been out, and that was scandalous and kind of raunchy. But Chippendales is such a well-produced show. This is Las Vegas entertainment at its finest. The show’s flirty, not dirty,” says Ziering.

This photo of Gavin seems fairly gratuitous.

As for his upcoming projects, easily this blog’s favorite is “Sharknado.” In chatting about it, Ziering got to display his self-depricating humor, saying, “Oh, god, it’s a horrible movie. It’s one of those movies where you can’t turn the channel. The visual effects are amazing, though. There are sharks falling out of tornadoes onto land. I had fun.” He is not making this up.

This would be the precise moment when a Las Vegas blog got a man crush on Ian Ziering.

Another upcoming film, “Snake and Mongoose” is about drag racing culture. Ziering also did a pilot for HGTV about celebrities and their pets (airs June 15), called A-List Pets.

Unrelated: A fan favorite, Jace, has been sidelined from Chippendales for a few weeks due to a hand injury. He didn’t want to miss the fun of Ian Ziering’s debut, though.

Ian Ziering’s easily one of this blog’s favorite Chippendales guest hosts to-date, and seems to relish the gig, including joining the guys for choreographed dance numbers and other popular segments in the show.

As gratuitous photos go, this one of John is likely to be very popular with certain segments of our audience. You’re welcome.

He’ll be in Chippendales at Rio Vegas through June 30, so don’t miss it!

Las Vegas is truly the slushy drink capital of the world! The range of frosty beverages is almost limitless, and now there are two new places to get them.

First, there’s Liquid Sugr at Paris Las Vegas. This beverage-dispensing oasis is adjacent to the Sugar Factory American Brasserie.

Your daiquiri craving just got all photogenic and stuff.

The open-air seating at Liquid Sugr provides a great place to people-watch, too.

There are also non-alcoholic options available. Although the question, “Why?,” springs to mind.

The handy walk-up counter offers a variety of refreshments, in a range of vessels, including a guitar-shaped souvenir cup, an essential part of any Las Vegas adventure for many visitors.

Play it, don’t spray it. Or something.

The slushy drink fun continues just up the street at Planet Hollywood with the new Shiver bar.

Our newest happy place.

Frozen cocktails are in plentiful supply at Shiver, with concoctions like the Strawberry Rush, Captain Crush (not that we’re playing favorites) and Margeria Mania.

We love you, colorful, swirling mirth-making machines.

One of the stars at Shiver, of course, is the blinged-out keepsake cup, complete with a neck strap. (Not pictured, but trust us on this one.)

This 50-ounce bad boy will show you’re serious about your Vegas.

This blog loves it some frozen cocktails, so we may just see you at Liquid Sugr and Shiver. Your treat. Because you’re generous like that.

If you’ve been checking in on the live cam that points toward The Quad and the neighboring Linq entertainment district project, you may have noticed the Quad’s new “vortex” lights being tested.

Today, we got a close-up look at the dazzly good fun to come.

Center-Strip is about to get some sweet new bling.

Click here for a larger version.

The lights are still being tested, but given the display is impressive during bright sunlight, we expect it’s really going to be a head-turner at night.

We can’t wait!

The Vegas-wide Megabeat Progressive Poker Jackpot has hit again, this time with a prize pool of $914,474. With this progressive, anyone playing in a Total Rewards (the Caesars Entertainment family of casinos) poker room in Las Vegas gets a cut of the prize!

The jackpot hit at 7:08 a.m. on June 5, 2013. Two players were in a No-Limit Texas Hold’em game at Planet Hollywood, and one player’s great hand (four kings) lost to an even greater hand (four aces). It’s what’s known as a “bad beat” in poker circles, but it paid off big this time.

Where “cha” meets “ching.”

The player who “lost” (Robert, visiting from Germany) receives $182,952, the “winner” (Jungok from Dallas) gets $91,447 and 107 players in Total Rewards poker rooms across the city each get $5,982. For example, 36 players got paid at Rio Las Vegas, 29 at Bally’s, 16 at Flamingo and so on. Only in Vegas, baby!

Just a day earlier, we snapped a pic of a Megabeat tally board in the Bally’s poker room as the jackpot was climbing to its ultimate $914,474 total.

This blog only believes in premonitions as they relate to large amounts of free money.

Read more about another recent Megabeat Progressive Poker Jackpot win, and get in the game for your shot at some big bucks. You don’t even have to win to win.

Food Network star and restaurateur Guy Fieri has announced he’ll open his first Las Vegas restaurant at The Quad Resort & Casino in late 2013.

The restaurant (the name has yet to be announced) will be a new concept developed in conjunction with Caesars Entertainment.

Please don’t attempt to chop without looking! Guy Fieri is a trained professional.

While Fieri has never had a restaurant in Vegas (the “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” host co-owns five eateries in California), he does have roots here. In 1990, he graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a degree in hospitality management. “This is a true homecoming for me,” says Fieri.

Fieri’s restaurant at The Quad, currently undergoing renovations, will feature a large outdoor patio and dining area, adjacent to Carnaval Court and the hotel’s recently-revamped main entrance.

Yes, beyond that wall, near The Quad’s new overhead, undulating light thingy.

See more of the light thingy.

Fieri describes his new restaurant as somewhere between “high-end” and “quick-and-easy.” He’s also dropped hints that the restaurant will be open late, and will have “a really good Bloody Mary brunch program.”

Loyal readers of this blog will recall we bumped into Guy Fieri with “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto at the opening of Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace.

Fieri’s love of food started at age 10, when he sold soft pretzels from a three-wheeled bicycle cart he built with his father called “The Awesome Pretzel.” He saved up enough money to study abroad as an exchange student in France, then in 1996, he opened his first restaurant, Johnny Garlics, in Santa Rosa, California, with business partner Steve Gruber.

After winning the second season of “The Next Food Network Star,” Guy Fieri premiered his first show, “Guy’s Big Bite,” on the Food Network in 2006.

His biggest TV hit, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” has been on for an impressive 17 seasons, with more than 140 episodes. Originally, the show was supposed to be a one-off special, but audiences ate it up. (See what we did there?)

More details about Guy Fieri’s new restaurant are yet to be announced. In the meantime, check out a great item in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Our buddy Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee, still packing them in at Harrah’s Las Vegas with his free Elvis tribute show, has received yet another accolade.

Vallee has been named one of the “Top 10 Elvis Presley Impersonators” in the world by Top100Arena.com. Check out the full list.

Big Elvis, bigger talent.

We popped by just yesterday at the Harrah’s piano bar and amphitheater to catch Big Elvis in the act (photo above), and he never fails to wow his capacity crowds.

Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee is easily one of the best free shows in Las Vegas. Just ask his legions of die-hard fans. See more.

With about 500 items on the menu at the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, there are a lot of superstar dishes vying for your attention. The desserts, though, often steal the spotlight.

We snapped pics of 11 that caught our eye during a recent visit.

Beyond the great flavors, Bacchanal Buffet also gets high marks for adorability.

We would love to be able to tell you the names of the various desserts pictured here, but when you’re at the Bacchanal Buffet, let’s just say note-taking isn’t high on the list of priorities.

A little tiramisu action. Probably.

It’s worth mentioning the Bacchanal Buffet received the lofty designation of “Best Desserts in Las Vegas” from Vegas Seven Magazine. (Not merely the best desserts at a buffet, mind you, but the best out of all Las Vegas restaurants.)

Pastry perfection.

Learn more about the Bacchanal Buffet.

Here’s a cool tidbit that might serve as further enticement: Caesars Entertainment recently rolled out a cavalcade of “Buffet of Buffets” room packages across Sin City. With these packages, you not only get a two-night hotel stay, but also two Buffet of Buffets passes for all-day access to eight Las Vegas buffets. Please keep in mind there’s an upgrade fee for the Bacchanal, but as you can see just from the desserts, it’s worth your consideration.

Check out the packages for Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Flamingo, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, The Quad and Rio.

Enjoy this photo gallery of all 11 memorable temptations at Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace.