Catch Bobby Flay in a holiday-themed “Feast of the Seven Fishes Holiday Throwdown” starting Dec. 2 on the Food Network.

Maybe, finally, we'll learn what figgy pudding is. And don't get us started on fruitcakes.

Flay, “Iron Chef” star and mastermind behind Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace and other highly-touted restaurants, goes up against the Pellegrino family of Rao’s, also at Caesars Palace, in a challenge featuring an Italian holiday tradition, the “Feast of the Seven Fishes.”

Given that the Pellegrino family is known for its century-long history of exceptional Italian cooking, this should be a blast! Learn more.

The Rio’s “500 Wild Weekends” two-night stay giveaway is coming to an end on Dec. 4. Don’t miss it!

Vegas is always awesome. It's even awesomer free.

It’s easy and free to enter. Just follow @RioVegas on Twitter, and use the hashtag #RioVegas in any of your tweets. That’s it! You can enter every day until the giveaway ends. The more people who follow the Rio Vegas on Twitter, the more rooms that’ll be given away. (Only about 150 more followers are needed to unleash another 80 free two-night stays.)

Winners will be alerted via Twitter Direct Message, with 48 hours to claim their prize.

Find out more, and get in on the fun at Rio Las Vegas.

It was a big event at Flamingo Vegas when Donny Osmond returned for his first show since winning “Dancing With the Stars.” Nice coverage here, with a photo gallery. 

More coverage of the Donny Osmond homecoming here.

We hear Marie nearly fainted when she saw Donny's trophy!

Catch Donny & Marie live at Flamingo.

Love this article in the Las Vegas Sun about the origins of Human Nature, the Motown-fueled hit show at Imperial Palace.

Congrats on 20 years, guys!

Key quote from the article: “My whole arm up a cow, actually.” Definitely words we didn’t expect to read today.

See “Human Nature” at Imperial Palace Vegas.

The L.A. Times did a great article about the Harlequin cover art exhibit at Paris Las Vegas. Read more.

This vintage Harlequin cover documented the first recorded "wardrobe malfunction."

“The Heart of a Woman: Harlequin Cover Art 1949-2009″ is free and open to the public. The gallery is located just outside of the Paris reception area. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The exhibit runs through Jan. 31, 2010.

For the first time ever on the Las Vegas Strip, the Nevada Ballet Theatre will perform “The Nutcracker,” a holiday classic.

Finally, we can put to rest that urban myth about Vegas not having any culture.

Choreographed by Peter Anastos, the production will debut at Paris Las Vegas, for just six performances: Dec. 18 (8:00 p.m.), Dec. 19 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.), Dec. 20 (1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.) and Dec. 24 (1:00 p.m.).

A traditional story ballet, “The Nutcracker” has become a highly-anticipated holiday event. The version at Paris includes imaginative and light-hearted choreography, complemented by elaborate sets and stunning costumes by designer A. Christina Giannini.

Tickets can be purchased at the Paris Las Vegas box office or at Ticketmaster.com.

And don’t miss the special Nutcracker Room Offer at Paris Las Vegas.

Think you can bring the funny? The Improv at Harrah’s Las Vegas is on the hunt for the funniest person in America! In this new contest, one lucky comic will win the opportunity to perform a six-night run at the Improv at Harrah’s Las Vegas in 2010.

That talking brick is always the life of the party.

Contestants need to videotape at least one-minute of their funniest original material and upload their video to ijoke.com (choose “Funny People” in the drop-down if you decide to enter).

The deadline for video submissions is Dec. 8, 2009. The top five videos will be selected by a panel of industry judges, then posted to ijoke.com by Dec. 14. The public will determine the winner.

Visit ijoke.com for official rules. Become a fan of The Improv on Facebook.

On Dec. 1, the incomparable Cher celebrates her 100th show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

One hundred shows and counting!

As a special treat in honor of the occasion, tickets for her Dec. 1-16 performances are available for just $100 (regularly, $175). Use offer code “NV100″ when reserving your tickets, restrictions apply. For more information, visit Ticketmaster.com.

Other 100th-show-inspired specials include:

Serendipity 3, one of Cher’s favorite dessert hot spots, serves up its mouth-watering Sin City Frrrozen Hot Chocolate for free with the purchase of two entrees. Just present your Cher ticket stub.

Relax, diva-style! Qua Baths & Spa offers a one-hour Swedish massage in December for just $100, with the purchase of a Cher show ticket. Call 866-782-0655.

Caesars Palace lounges, including the Seahorse Lounge, Shadow Bar and Cleopatra’s Barge are serving the special Cher-inspired cocktail, “Take me Home” for $12 in December.

Big plans are in the works for one of the Las Vegas Strip’s most recognizable resorts, Planet Hollywood!

Harrah’s Entertainment head honcho (technically, “Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,” and all-around great guy, and we’re not just saying that to kiss up) Gary Loveman just announced plans for the company to buy the Planet Hollywood Resort. (Harrah’s Entertainment owns and operates all the Pulse of Vegas resorts featured in this very blog.)

Read more about this exciting news. More details to come!

The original Planet Hollywood restaurant opened on Oct. 22, 1991, backed by Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Fremont Street Experience, in downtown Las Vegas, is going country for the annual kick-off party for the National Finals Rodeo on Dec. 2. The event includes free live concerts on two stages at Fremont Street Experience. Find out more, rodeo fans.

Flamingo funnyman George Wallace has launched a toy drive on behalf of HELP of Southern Nevada, a group that serves needy children.

From Dec. 1-12, guests who donate two or more unwrapped toys to the George Wallace Toy Drive will receive a free ticket to his popular show.

George Wallace smiles a lot, but he'll smile even more if you donate some toys.

The free tickets can be redeemed for any show through Dec. 19. Donations can be made from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, at the Flamingo Showroom.

Learn more about HELP of Southern Nevada.

Yep, the rumors are true. There won’t be a Comedy Festival in Las Vegas this year. Read more here. Luckily, there are plenty of hilarious alternatives to quench your thirst for laughs at our Pulse of Vegas destinations. Check these out.

Mac King at Harrah’s Las Vegas
Simply one of the best comedy-magic shows in town, and also one of the best values. Whimsy alert! And that’s a good thing.

George Wallace at Flamingo Las Vegas
Comedy, thy name is George. He’s a legend in Vegas, and the stand-up community. He also made Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.”

George Wallace trivia: He was the best man at Jerry Seinfeld's wedding.

Mental at O’Sheas
While not strictly a comedy show, there are plenty of laughs as mind-reader Luke Jermay looks into the minds of the audience, often with wildly amusing results.

Penn & Teller at Rio Las Vegas
Still warped afer all these years, Penn & Teller continue to comingle comedy and magic with irreverence and a flair for the unexpected.

Impish grins portend great mischief. Trust us.

The Improv at Harrah’s
Comedy’s best and brightest grace the stage at The Improv, a name synonymous with red bricks and side-splitting, breakout performances.

Rita Rudner at Harrah’s Las Vegas
She’s sassy, she’s classy and she’s got them rolling in the aisles at Harrah’s Las Vegas. Rita Rudner is truly one-of-a-kind.

Vinny Favorito at Flamingo Las Vegas
The audience provides all the material at Vinny Favorito’s shows, which means he opens a fresh can of funny at every performance.

Donny & Marie at Flamingo
Maybe the biggest surprise on our list, but Donny & Marie have a rapport that evokes just as many laughs as memories in this glitzy production filled with music, dance and timeless sibling rivalry.

The quips fly fast and furious at the Donny & Marie show.

Anthony Cools at Paris
Things get pretty racy at this comedy-hypnosis show at Paris Las Vegas. Anthony Cools hosts one of the raunchiest, most daring shows on the Strip.

Jerry Seinfeld at Caesars Palace
He’s the master of his domain, and that domain is stand-up comedy. Catch the master while you still can at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Dec. 26-27.

Today's Seinfeld quote: "Men want the same thing from their underwear that they want from women: a little bit of support, and a little bit of freedom."

Donny Osmond fans everywhere are all aflutter after the entertainment icon took home the top prize on the season nine finale of the TV hit series “Dancing With the Stars.”

Donny deserves a six week nap.

Donny and his partner, Kym Johnson, won the much-talked-about “Dancing With the Stars” mirror-ball trophy by besting singer Mya (second place) and most-improved, heart-tugger Kelly Osbourne (third).

Never one to rest on his laurels, Donny, along with his sister Marie, won’t miss a beat, and will continue to dazzle enthusiastic audiences at Flamingo Las Vegas. Find out more about the Donny & Marie show at Flamingo.

And congratulations, Donny! What an amazing, technicolor dream-come-true.

It’s time to slip on those running shoes and join the fun (hey, some consider it fun!) at the 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Dec. 6. Get the skinny here.

The Interwebs claim a marathon is 1.6 million inches. Who would even think to ask that? We have issues.

This year’s event will benefit the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Tens of thousands of runners are expected to participate. There’s a half marathon, too. More information here. And make sure to get road closure information here.

More than 80 percent of visitors to Las Vegas indulge in buffets.