When comedian-juggler Jeff Civillico felt his show, “Comedy in Action” at Imperial Palace, could benefit from a new set, he did something extraordinary. He offered his fans the chance to help pay for it. To say they rose to the occasion would be a hefty understatement.

Within a week of Civillico sharing his idea for crowd-funding a massive, inflatable “People’s Arch” to give his energetic show some additional flair, 321 of his fans (including this Las Vegas blog) had contributed more than $10,500 to get it built.

On Sep. 26, 2012, Civillico inflated his new arch for audiences for the first time, set to a tongue-in-cheek ditty called “Also Sprach Zarathustra” from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Take a look.

The colorful, 20-foot tall, 40-foot wide arch was designed by acclaimed set designer Andy Walmsley, who has designed sets for shows like “American Idol” and others. Walmsley even donated $25,000 of his services to make the arch happen.

Next, we should crowd-fund having that ladder-shaped growth removed from Jeff Civillico's face.

Now, audiences will not only be able to enjoy Civillico’s rat-a-tat comedy and dumbfounding juggling, but they’ll also get to feast their eyes on the impressive “People’s Arch,” made possible by Jeff Civillico’s fans. And the Internet. And this blog. But mostly those first two things.

Love juggling? Join the club.

Catch Jeff Civillico at the Imperial Palace (soon to be The Quad). He hangs out with fans after his 2:00 p.m. show, so let him know we sent you.

And ask him to autograph your bosom. Jeff Civillico’s thoughtful like that.

Technically, the first day of fall was Sep. 22, but this blog doesn’t play by society’s (or the Autumnal Equinox’s) rules, so we’re going to drag out the summer as long as humanly possible, thanks.

Here’s today’s way of squeezing every last bit out of summer: Spiked Sno Cones at Margaritaville at Flamingo Las Vegas.

We saw a sign outside the restaurant’s Tiki Bar, and couldn’t resist taking a bite and/or taste.

Our drool muscles just kicked in. And you?

Here’s how it works.

First, they pour in a shot of what is possibly our new favorite liquor, the Margaritaville’s Calypso Coconut. Alcohol first so it doesn’t melt the ice, ice, baby.

Like a cruise to the Bahamas, but in a bottle.

Then the shaved ice machine goes to work. (Or, for our friends from Hawaii, “shave ice.” Call it whatever you’d like.)

You can choose from a variety of flavorful syrups to top off your sno cone, things like cherry, berry, peach and mango.

You can also get your sno cone in a collectible receptacle. And by "collectible," of course, we mean "disposable."

Spiked Sno Cones are just $6. Brain freezes are no additional charge.

Tell Lee the bartender at the Tiki Bar at Margaritaville we sent you. He’ll hook you up.

We, like many, were saddened to hear about the passing of Andy Williams, who died on Sep. 25, 2012.

The singer had a 75-year career in show business, and for people like this blog, his voice will forever be intertwined with some of our fondest memories, especially around the holidays.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Andy Williams had a history with Las Vegas.

Williams had his "Vegas nightclub debut" at Flamingo.

Andy Williams was the debut entertainer in the Circus Maximus Showroom when Caesars Palace opened its doors on Aug. 5, 1966. He went on to headline at the hotel for 20 years.

Onstage at Caesars Palace.

Andy Williams had another connection to Las Vegas in that he was a mentor of none other than the Flamingo’s own resident headliner, Donny Osmond.

Donny Osmond was five years old when Andy Williams first had the child prodigy on his show. Hear more from Donny himself in this touching tribute during the Donny & Marie show at the Flamingo, including an emotional rendition of “Moon River,” the song so closely associated with Andy Williams.

He’ll always be remembered as a beloved part of the Las Vegas family.

Dice are one of the most popular gambling thingamabobs (that’s the technical name) in human history. They’re an important part of craps, this blog’s favorite casino game aside from “consuming cocktails,” which may not actually be a “casino game,” per se.

But did you know just how far back dice go? In fact, dice have been found in Egyptian tombs, tombs dating as far back as 2000 B.C. Yes, that’s so far back, there weren’t even any Kardashians.

The dots are called "pips."

In other archaeological digs, dice dated from 5000 B.C. have been found, as part of a backgammon set.

So, the next time you’re “throwing them bones” (dice were originally made from animal hooves, popularly known as “knucklebones”) at the craps table, treat those babies with respect. They’ve been around awhile!

The co-star of the reality series “Ice Loves Coco,” Nicole “Coco” Austin, has been named Holly Madison’s replacement in the “Peepshow” striptease show at Planet Hollywood.

The plot of "Peepshow" involves, oh, nevermind.

Madison earlier announced she’ll leave the show Oct. 21, 2012 because of her new focus on baby-making. Read more.

Nicole “Coco” Austin will join the cast of “Peepshow,” playing Bo Peep, starting Dec. 3, 2012. The show will be performed with an ensemble cast between Madison’s departure and Austin’s debut. Austin is currently scheduled to perform through the spring of 2013.

Austin is a reality TV star, model, actress, dancer and entrepreneur.

Former stars of “Peepshow” have included Spice Girl Mel B, soap actress Kelly Monaco and Aubrey O’Day. Learn more about Peepshow at Planet Hollywood.

The rave reviews are in, and Taylor Hicks has not only won over lots of new fans at Bally’s Las Vegas, he’s also snagged a year-long extension to perform in the hotel’s Indigo Lounge. Which this blog is now calling the Taylor Hicks International Amphitheater for the Performing Arts, just because we can.

We got this pic of Taylor Hicks at an event honoring athletes taking part in the Special Olympics. He's cool like that.

Taylor Hicks, who shot to fame by winning “American Idol,” has consistently brought down the house at Bally’s with his charm and showmanship. He’s the first “American Idol” winner to have a long-term residency in Sin City.

Hicks will perform his unique blend of soul, R & B, country and blues in the Taylor Hicks International Amphitheater for the Performing Arts at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 17 through Nov. 12 and Dec. 3-16, with 2013 performances to be announced later. The show will be dark Friday and Tuesday.

Taylor Hicks hits a Vegas red carpet.

Tickets are $39.99 and $69.99, making it one of the better show values on The Strip. The $69.99 ticket includes a meet-and-greet with Hicks. This blog has met and greeted him, and you won’t be disappointed. Grab tickets at Bally’s or Ticketmaster.com.

Congrats to Taylor Hicks on his well-deserved contract extension at Bally’s Las Vegas! Find out more.

If you love Las Vegas, you probably love its neon signs, too. After 15 years of planning, the much-anticipated Neon Museum has announced it will open to the public on Oct. 27, 2012.

The Neon Museum is dedicated to the “preservation and celebration of some of the city’s most distinctive architectural landmarks,” specifically, more than 150 neon signs dating back to the 1930s.

Early Vegas had some awesome fonts.

The Neon Museum will have the largest collection of neon signs in the world, all within a two-acre, outdoor lot. Retired, classic signs from iconic hotels (Flamingo, Stardust, Desert Inn), as well as restaurants and other businesses, will be on display.

The museum’s new visitor center will be in the rehabilitated, seashell-shaped La Concha Motel lobby, originally built in 1961. The La Concha lobby was rescued from demolition in 2005. Yes, we got that information from a news release. We are a Las Vegas blog, not a hotel lobby historian.

Tours of the Neon Museum’s Neon Boneyard will take place Monday through Saturday and will last about 45 minutes, starting every half hour from 10:00 a.m., with the last tour departing at 4:00 p.m.

Some bulbs. The "Bulb Museum" didn't have quite the same ring to it.

Tickets are $18 for adults. Mention the Pulse of Vegas blog, and your ticket will still be $18, but we’ll get some free publicity. Students with ID, seniors, veterans and Nevada residents get in for $12. Children six and younger get in free. The address for the museum is: 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Las Vegas, NV, 89101.

Learn more at the official Neon Museum site.

Want to know more about how neon signs are made? You’re covered.

For fans of neon, the opening of the Neon Museum is a pretty big deal! We can’t wait to check it out.

Looking for a great dinner and show combo in Las Vegas? Check out the sharp-edged flair at Hyakumi Japanese restaurant at Caesars Palace.

Chef Kevin clearly loves his guests.

Yes, the food preparation on the restaurant’s Teppanyaki-style griddles qualifies as a show. Just watch.

We asked Chef Kevin if we could call him “Kevin-san,” and he was cool with that. Right before he made a volcano out of our onions.

Don't try this at home. Unless you want to. It's your home. Just don't expect to crash on our couch if something goes awry.

We were blown away during our recent visit to Hyakumi (Japanese for “100 tastes”), and loved the restaurant’s wide variety of sushi (nearly 40 varieties) and “prix fixe” dinner specials.

This made our dinner companions giddy. It was either that or the sake. Probably the sushi.

The Teppan Yaki Dinner specials offer an appetizer, soup, Japanese salad and a main course of various meats and vegetables prepared right before your eyes.

This blog’s favorite part of the meal, aside from the flair? The melt-in-your-mouth steak. Which is twice as delicious because you get to see Kevin-san prepare it three feet from your face.

Meaty perfection.

Hyakumi trivia: Despite how you’ve been hearing “Hyakumi” in your head as you’ve read this blog post, it’s actually pronounced “yah-COO-me.”

A bonus at Hyakumi (you’ll get it, keep practicing) involves several specialty cocktails, the Lychee Martini (vodka and lychee juice, topped off with lychee nuts) and Green Katana (Malibu Rum, Midori melon liqueur and sake, topped with Blue Curacao, Chambord raspberry liqueur and lime juice), among them.

Oishii! "Delicious," in case you didn't take the time to learn Japanese before reading this blog post.

And speaking of “oishii.” Yes, there’s dessert, too.

Mochi ice cream. It's like regular ice cream, but encased in gummi bears and a white, powdery coating. In a good way.

Learn more about Hyakumi Japanese restaurant at Caesars Palace, view the full menu (.pdf format), and enjoy more pics in our exclusive gallery.

The Flamingo Las Vegas and soon-to-be-renamed Imperial Palace have introduced six new LGBT commitment ceremony packages at their chapels.

Same-sex couples can make their commitment ceremony dreams a reality (although Nevada’s constitution still bans same-sex marriage, don’t shoot the messenger) at any of  seven venues, including the Imperial Palace’s new Silver Sky chapel (which boasts two newly-renovated chapels, the Skyline, pictured below, and the Sierra), and five locations at Flamingo, including the Crescendo pool and the hotel’s garden chapel.

Thought you knew what a chapel at Imperial Palace would look like? Think again.

These LGBT Commitment ceremony packages start at $349.

The packages offer a variety of inclusions like wedding planners, aisle decor, dinner for two, a couple’s massage, portrait photography, video and other options.

On a related note, it’s worth mentioning that Caesars Entertainment, parent company of Flamingo and Imperial Palace, and whose Las Vegas blog this is, was the first casino company in the industry to receive a perfect rating from the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index (and has achieved a perfect score for five consecutive years). The Corporate Equality Index rates businesses based on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workplace policies.

That’s how we roll, baby. Learn more about your chapel options for the Flamingo and Imperial Palace.

They say mixed martial arts is the the fastest-growing sport in the world. Now, it’s putting down roots at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

The mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, World Series of Fighting, recently announced it’s inked a deal with NBC Sports Network (the folks that broadcast the Olympics) to host a series of events at Planet Hollywood.

The debut event, on Nov. 3, 2012 will feature former bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres, Gregor Gracie, Tyson Steel, Ronys Torres, Brian Cobb, Josh Burkman, Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante and Las Vegas local, John Gunderson, with more match-ups to be announced. Learn more at the official site.

Today's mixed martial arts term: "Ground and pound." No, we don't know what it means, but it sounds cool, if you're into that kind of thing.

The World Series of Fighting events will take place at the Planet Hollywood Live theater (formerly called the Theater for the Performing Arts).

Tickets for the Nov. 3 premier of the World Series of Fighting are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. World Series of Fighting tickets start at $19.99.

Watch for the World Series of Fighting from Planet Hollywood on the NBC Sports Network, on Nov. 3 starting at 10:30 p.m. (Eastern).

In a much-anticipated announcement, Caesars Entertainment (whose blog this is) has confirmed the popular, mid-Strip resort, the Imperial Palace, will soon be rebranded as “The Quad Resort and Casino.” Or just “The Quad.” Up to you.

In typography, that bottom part is called the "tail." A good fit for Sin City, don't you think?

While the name of the Imperial Palace is changing to The Quad, it’ll still be the high-energy party place guests have enjoyed for years.

The Imperial Palace name change marks a new beginning for the hotel which has been a part of Las Vegas since the 1950s. From 1959 to 1979, the hotel was called the Flamingo Capri.

Construction is already under way at the soon-to-be Quad, and the hotel’s casino and porte-cochère (French for “the drive-up entry place thingy”) are perhaps the most visible evidence of the changes to come.

How was the name The Quad chosen? Basically, the concept of a “quad” brings to mind good times for many. A quad is a gathering place, a place to meet and make new friends. It doesn’t hurt that a “quad,” in poker, also means four-of-a-kind. But that might just be us.

This blog loves it some fancy new stuff in Las Vegas.

In a way, The Quad is keeping everything people loved about Imperial Palace and is adding more things to love. The things to love will be done in phases. First, the casino (note the sleek new check-in desk, for example) will be revamped and expanded. Next, the hotel’s retail promenade and dining levels will get their make-over. Other renovations are expected to be announced down the road.

In case you wondered, the hotel’s expansive Auto Collections aren’t going anywhere, and neither are the casino’s dealertainers.

So, the IP’s days are numbered! Collect those gaming chips while you still can.

The Quad’s coming. And the party’s just getting started.

One of the perks of playing at Total Rewards casinos (at resorts in the Caesars Entertainment family) is achieving progressively higher tier levels as you rack up “Tier Credits.”

Total Rewards “tiers” are Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Seven Stars. Each tier level has increasingly appealing benefits. See the details here.

These cards have juice!

In most cases, achieving a new tier status takes time, but did you know there’s a way to become a Diamond player in one day?

Becoming a Diamond player means you’ll have access to the sweet Diamond Lounges at Total Rewards casinos. There, you’ll find snacks and quiet and Internet access and friendly servers who will bring you complimentary cocktails. That’s just this blog’s favorite Diamond perk, but there are others. As a Diamond, you’ll also get priority hotel check-in privileges, and you can zip past lines at casino cages and at Total Rewards Centers. There’s even a VIP room reservation hotline for Diamond players.

Here’s how you get to be a “Diamond in a day.”

You can become a Diamond by earning 3,000 Tier Credits in one day at one casino. You can be a Gold or Platinum member to do this (sorry, no renewals for existing Diamond players).

Pretty straightforward, right?

“How does one earn Tier Credits?” you ask. Your petulance is duly noted.

Here’s how it works: One Tier Credit is earned for every $5 (coin-in) played on a reel slot machine and every $10 (coin-in) played on a video poker machine. For table games, Tier Credits are based on one’s length of play, average bet and game type.

Insert gratuitous Total Rewards logo here.

More good news: Tier Credits can also be earned in ways other than gambling. You can also earn them when you make a purchase at a participating restaurant or entertainment venue. Earn a Tier Credit for every $5 spent on your entertainment and food purchases at participating outlets. Make sure to present your Total Rewards card. They’re not psychics. Probably.

Some additional small print: If you achieve your Diamond status January through November, it’s valid through March of the following year. If it’s achieved in December, it’s valid for the following year through March of the year after.

One word of caution. The “day” in question isn’t a calendar day, but more like a 24-hour period, so ask someone at the casino’s Total Rewards Center for details.

We’ll see you in the Diamond Lounge!

Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Blvd. on The Strip has announced it will close its Steakhouse at Bill’s restaurant on Sep. 16, 2012.

There’s no specific information about what will replace the establishment, but it’s likely to be another restaurant.

It was a great run!

The Steakhouse at Bill’s was known for its old-school service, including table-side food preparation of dishes like salads and bananas Foster.

One of this blog’s fondest memories of Steakhouse at Bill’s was that it hosted the wedding reception for Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee and his charming bride, Amanda. Read more. These days, Big Elvis is belting out the hits at the Piano Bar at Harrah’s Las Vegas.

Big Elvis, "taking care of business."

Rest assured, something new and delicious is in the works at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall. You’ll know when we know!

Las Vegas entertainment doesn’t get any more iconic than “Jubilee!” at Bally’s Las Vegas.

For fans around the world, the long-running show (it opened in 1981) represents classic Vegas glamour at its most eye-popping.

Part of the show’s reputation comes from its lavish costumes, most designed by Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee, two acclaimed fashion designers whose imaginations know no bounds.

Two hallmarks of the costumes in “Jubilee!” are the rhinestones and the feathers, and we snuck into the show’s “Feather Room” for a peek at some of the over-the-top costumes worn by the production’s famed showgirls. (Yes, there are men in the show, but the women outnumber them 2-to-1, and the guys don’t tend to wear the feather-centric costumes.)

This headdress has 14,000 feathers, or some other number we're probably just making up.

Yes, there’s a Feather Room. A room devoted entirely to costumes replete with feathers. Yes, “replete.” This blog has a thesaurus, you know.

We have no idea what this is. We are a Las Vegas blog, not a costume part identifier.

The performers in “Jubilee!” have nine costume changes per show, and it takes the women just three minutes to put on their costumes. Amazing, especially when you consider the complexity of some of their outfits.

Jim Henson moment. It'll pass.

Juicy tidbit: The only lipstick color the showgirls in “Jubilee!” can wear onstage is red. Tradition, baby.

Bonus juicy tidbit: The heaviest headdress in the show is a neck-strengthening 22 pounds.

Of course, the feathers look even better when they’re on an actual “Jubilee!” showgirl! What, you thought we’d forget a showgirl photo? Are you familiar with this blog at all?

Thanks for volunteering, Kelly.

Catch the classic Jubilee! at Bally’s Las Vegas. Hint: It’s the giant hotel with the “Bally’s” sign out front. Las Vegas is helpful like that.

Here’s an exclusive, inside look at more costumes in the Feather Room of “Jubilee!”

If you’ve been itching for a sneak preview of CeeLo Green’s upcoming resident show at Planet Hollywood, listen up.

The “Forget You” (you know what we mean) singer, and co-star of NBC’s “The Voice,” will team up with some of his entertainment pals for a show on Oct. 10, 2012.

A portion of the ticket sales will benefit Keep Memory Alive, a nonprofit that raises awareness and funds in support of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health here in Vegas.

If you think we're not anxious to see CeeLo in concert, you must be crazy.

“CeeLo and Friends” will feature Green performing songs from his upcoming Christmas album, entitled “Magic Moment,” with past artists from “The Voice,” as well as other special guests.

Keep Memory Alive, CeeLo. Memory.

Bonus: The Oct. 10 show will be filmed and shared on the Warner Music Group’s YouTube channel.

This is a great opportunity for fans to get a taste of Green’s Planet Hollywood residency, and his new show, “CeeLo Green is Loberace,” which launches Feb. 27, 2013.

Tickets for the Oct. 10 show go on sale Sep. 14, 2012, with prices ranging from $125-$500. Tickets can be purchased at the Planet Hollywood Box Office or on Ticketmaster.com.