The beauty of the new Catalyst Bar at The Quad hotel isn’t just skin deep. There’s some specialty cocktail chops to back it up.
Although we also think it's pretty.
This blog forced itself to try some of these new signature cocktails on your behalf, because we’re self-sacrificing like that.
First up is the Jal-E-Berri, with muddled strawberries and jalapenos (don’t say we didn’t warn you), Skyy vodka, fresh lime and grapefruit juices.
"Jal" as in "jalapeno." An important detail.
Next, try the Diablo El.
Yes, after you have this one, you may be transposing your Spanish. It’s got Patron tequila, creme de cassis, fresh lime juice, ginger beer and a splash of ginger ale. Say “hola” to “Senor Buzz.”
The devil could not be reached for comment.
A fine member of Catalyst Bar’s family of tempting signature cocktails is the Strawberry Cucumber Collins, a refreshing combination of Hendrick’s gin, strawberry puree and Collins mix.
This one's particularly zippy.
The cocktail menu has an entire section devoted to “skinny” offerings, cocktails that skimp on the calories, but not on the flavor. The Skinny Margarita has Sauza tequila, fresh lime juice and Cointreau, whatever that might be.
Is this the perfect margarita? And don't you just love rhetorical questions?
Hope you’ve been pacing yourself, because our next cocktail is the Cable Car. It’s a mouthwatering confluence of Captain Morgan spiced rum, Cointreau and fresh sour.
The Cable Car is a modern take on the classic Sidecar. Which we knew off the top of our head, thanks.
Ever hear of a “Q-ini”? Of course not. Until Catalyst Bar invented them, they didn’t exist.
Q-inis are Champagne-based, and you can choose to add one of a variety of freshly-made purees: strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, mango or raspberry. This be the mango version.
Yes, "Q-ini." Just deal.
So many delicious new cocktails to help kick-start your Las Vegas adventure! Drop by the new Catalyst Bar and try some of these lusty libations for yourself.
Oh, and not for nothing, but The Lusty Libations would make a great band name.
Posted on March 27th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
It’s an annual tradition. Readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal vote on their favorite things in Sin City. The results for 2013 are here.
The “Best of Las Vegas” poll runs the gamut of Las Vegas offerings, from shows to restaurants, hotels, shopping and more. There’s no “Best Las Vegas Blog” category, but do we really even need to vote on that one? Ahem.
The list of winners is too long to share here, so we’ll just mention a few from the Caesars Entertainment realm (whose blog this is).
Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace was the Review-Journal’s pick for “Best Buffet (Hotel),” and Caesars Palace also won the coveted editor’s choice for “Best Strip Hotel.”
Caesars Palace was clearly very happy about its win.
Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas was chosen by the editors as the city’s best steakhouse, no small feat in a town full of great ones!
The place your taste buds have inappropriate fantasies about: Gordon Ramsay Steak.
The reader’s pick for “Best Singer” on The Strip went to Donny Osmond at Flamingo Las Vegas. The editors chose Cheaza, in “Peepshow,” at Planet Hollywood.
The runaway favorite in the “Best Bargain Show” category, Mac King at Harrah’s, prevailed again this year. It’s his 416th win in a row, roughly.
Mac King's show never loses its sizzle!
VooDoo Lounge at Rio was named by the RJ’s editors as the “Best Place to View the City.” No brainer.
The “Bevertainers” (cocktail waitresses who also perform onstage) at Rio got the reader nod as the best in Las Vegas.
A Rio bevertainer in the middle of some bevertainage.
The Rio’s Penn & Teller prevailed as the best magicians in Las Vegas, according to the newspaper’s editors.
The hunks of Chippendales, also at Rio Las Vegas, won for “Best Male Strip Show,” both according to readers and the RJ’s editors.
"Chippendales, keeping T-shirt makers in business since 1979."
The Chippendales guys also snagged the honor of being the best place for a bachelorette party.
Krave at Rio won for “Best Gay/Alternative Bar,” as well as “Best Place to Dance.”
Best “Showgirls/Dancers in a Show” went to “Jubilee!” at Bally’s Las Vegas. The “Best Adult Show” prize went to “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace.
The editor’s selection for “Best Italian Restaurant” was Trevi, in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Bonus: Trevi also serves some fairly amazing cocktails. We’ve heard. Allegedly.
Bonus: There has never been a rainy day on the patio at Trevi restaurant.
From the expected to the sort-of-wacky, check out all the results for this year’s Las Vegas Review-Journal Best of Las Vegas poll.
Posted on March 26th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
On March 23, 2013, hotels on the Las Vegas Strip went dark as a part of the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour, a global event to raise awareness about sustainability and environmental responsibility.
This blog prefers Vegas the other way, but we see what they're going for.
Las Vegas hotels went dark from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is the fifth year Caesars Entertainment hotels have taken part in the event.
Beyond the symbolic dimming of non-essential exterior lights and marquees each year, Earth Hour serves as an opportunity for hotels like those in the Caesars Entertainment family to share information about their ongoing sustainable business practices and environmental programs.
As much as Las Vegas prides itself on being a place for excess, resort companies in Las Vegas take seriously their programs intended to reduce water, energy and waste consumption. Many of the programs not only help save the environment, but also save the companies money, which means lower costs for guests. Everybody wins.
It looks like somebody tripped over an extension cord.
Comedy-juggler Jeff Civillico, who headlines at The Quad Las Vegas, will soon be featured in a new show on the Travel Channel, “Vegas Strip Search.” The show’s pilot episode airs April 6, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time).
The new show features Civillico traveling across North America seeking out undiscovered talent. The unique acts he finds get the opportunity to perform in Civillico’s popular show at The Quad, and on “Vegas Strip Search.”
Bigtime TV star, and occasional comedy-juggler and escape artist, Jeff Civillico, at The Quad.
Says Civillico, “The concept came from the fact that I started as a street performer, and by working my way through venues like colleges, cruise ships and fairs, I ended up with my own Las Vegas show. I thought it would be great to find people with innate talent and help them showcase their talents for a national audience.”
“Performing in a 650-seat theater on the Las Vegas Strip is unique, and I want to give other aspiring performers, and the Travel Channel audience, a sense of how amazing that is,” says Jeff Civillico.
In the pilot episode, Civillico makes his way to four far-flung destinations: In Calgary, Canada, he encounters a fire-eater, in Texas, he meets Adam Crack, an expert whip-cracker, in New Jersey, it’s one of the world’s best pogo-stickers, and in Pennsylvania, he witnesses the uncanny ability of a speed chainsaw carver.
Here’s a look at Jeff Civillico’s new show on the Travel Channel.
“I take on the role of a mentor in this show,” states Civillico. “I get to explain to the winner, backstage at my show, how it works. We taped this back in November (2012), and we brought out a kid who had never performed outside of Renaissance festivals. You could tell he was apprehensive, because performing for a paying audience is a different animal. People can’t just walk off, and you’re on the hook to be entertaining.”
Another benefit of a show like “Vegas Strip Search” is it brings a new, fresh batch of talent to Las Vegas. Sin City is always looking for the next big thing!
We are sharing another photo of Jeff Civillico here because we don't have any photos from his new show yet. Enjoy the eye candy, ladies.
“The road for performers can be a bumpy one,” adds Civillico. “Ultimately, it’s about a performer’s ability to connect with an audience. I juggle, but that’s just the medium. It’s the same whether it’s a whip or a pogo stick or a chainsaw. It’s never about the specific thing you do. It’s about connecting. Let’s just say this is good for carnies everywhere!”
Whether the show continues to air will be based upon the ratings of the pilot, so let’s make sure Jeff Civillico’s show breaks some viewing records. Help spread the word! Find Jeff Civillico on Twitter here.
You can see Civillico’s family-friendly show, Comedy in Action, at The Quad, of course. It’s one of the best entertainment values on The Strip.
Tune into the Travel Channel on April 6 to see a talented Las Vegas performer as he not only highlights under-appreciated talent, but also the world’s most exciting travel destination, Las Vegas. Then again, this blog may be slightly biased about that part.
Posted on March 22nd, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
If you’re anything like this blog, you take your pizza very seriously.
In that regard, we have something in common with one of the world’s most acclaimed pizza chefs, Enzo Coccia.
This blog's new best friend, Chef Enzo Coccia.
Chef Coccia’s restaurant in Naples (the one in Italy, not Florida), called Pizzaria La Notizia, is renowned around the world for its incredible pizza, and was even named the home of the best pizza in the known universe by Travel + Leisure.
The way to a blog's heart is through its pizza.
The culinary team at Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace is always trying to up its game, so Executive Chef Scott Green (pictured below) and his colleagues were anxious to learn from the master.
Piatto ricco, mi ci ficco! Thus camouflaging the fact this blog knows no Italian whatsoever.
There are plans to try and integrate Chef Coccia’s techniques, including his recommendations about sauces and cheeses, into the repertoire at the Bacchanal Buffet. A buffet, by the way, that already boasts about 500 menu items.
Chef Coccia and Bacchanal Buffet Exec. Chef Scott Green. Italians have a saying, "Clean apron, empty stomach." Well, they should. Feel free to use that saying, Italians.
Chef Coccia (everybody calls him Chef Enzo) is intense when it comes to pizza. We especially liked his dough-stretching technique. See for yourself.
We’re going to need a little practice to perfect that. Say, 20 years or so.
Aspiring chefs from around the world flock to Chef Enzo Coccia’s restaurant to learn about traditional pizza and the history of Neapolitan cuisine.
Some artists paint on canvas. Some on dough.
Tasting the chef’s pizzas is like boarding a plane to Italy, but without the jet lag! The wood-burning pizza oven at the Bacchanal Buffet’s Italian station (this blog’s favorite, of course) was cranked up to more than 840 degrees.
That thing about Italians talking with their hands is not an urban myth.
Chef Enzo’s visit happily coincided with the International Pizza Expo, a trade show that takes place in Las Vegas each year.
We hope Chef Enzo’s pizzas will become a regular offering at the Bacchanal Buffet. Because 500 menu items really isn’t enough, is it? This is Las Vegas, after all.
Posted on March 22nd, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
In honor of the fifth anniversary of “Jersey Boys” on the Las Vegas Strip, the cast of the Paris Las Vegas musical presented a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars to two original members of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio.
Yes, there are five "Jersey Boys." Two actors (far right) alternate as Frankie Valli. Yes, the Frankie Valli standing RIGHT THERE. That's so freaky.
“Jersey Boys” tells the origin story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, a group of blue-collar guys who became a worldwide musical phenomenon.
Yes, the actual Frankie Valli. We are not making this up.
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons received the 64th star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. Find out more.
And, yes, the actual Bob Gaudio. Trivia: He co-wrote the unforgettable ditty, "Short Shorts," immortalized in a Nair commercial in the 1980s.
During the standing-room-only presentation, the cast of the “Jersey Boys” performed a portion of their show (no pressure performing in front of Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio, of course). Take a look at some exceedingly inadequate video, below. Sorry, guys. We are a Las Vegas blog, not a tripod.
“Jersey Boys” has had nearly 2,000 performances since it debuted in Las Vegas in 2008.
The show features timeless classics like “Sherry” and “Walk Like A Man.” And, oh, about 140 other hits. (They had a lot.)
It’s the theater that changed entertainment in Las Vegas forever.
On Mar. 15, 2003, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace opened, and the ensuing decade has brought awards, more than 70 world-class performers and record-breaking ticket sales to the now-iconic venue.
In honor of the 10-year milestone, resident headliner Celine Dion incorporated a special tribute to The Colosseum in her show on Mar. 16, 2013. And what would any birthday party be without a humongous birthday cake?
Man, alive. That cake's almost actual size!
There have been about 1,750 live performances on The Colosseum’s 7,000-square-foot stage since 2003. The Colosseum was originally built, at a cost of $95 million, for “Celine Dion A New Day.” An estimated 70 million people have seen at least one performance at The Colosseum.
The Colosseum was named the Billboard Touring Awards “Venue of the Decade” in 2010 and has won eight consecutive Billboard Touring Awards for “Top Small Venue.” This blog prefers the word “intimate.” That’s because no seat in The Colosseum is more than 120 feet away from the stage.
Here’s a tribute video Celine Dion shared during her show, featuring entertainment royalty like Elton John, Jerry Seinfeld, Rod Stewart and Shania Twain.
Other entertainment luminaries who have graced the stage at The Colosseum include Bette Midler, Cher, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Luis Miguel, Paul Simon, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan and many others.
Check out a new Web site dedicated to The Colosseum and its 10 crowd-pleasing years on the Las Vegas Strip, and make sure to enter the site’s contest for a chance at winning great prizes, including a stay at Caesars Palace and tickets to a performance of your choice at The Colosseum.
Posted on March 20th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
Few movies in recent years have gotten as much buzz in Las Vegas as “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.” The just-released comedy has some big-name talent, and takes a loving jab at Las Vegas magicians, present and past.
The film stars Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey, James Gandolfini and others, and much of the movie was filmed on The Strip, including at Bally’s Las Vegas.
One of the key sequences in the film involves a suspended “hot box,” a clear box used in a stunt performed by the show’s central characters, Burt Wonderstone (Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Buscemi). Check it out.
We decided to track down the movie’s stunt coordinator, Alex Daniels, to ask him some annoying questions about this elaborate stunt.
Alex Daniels has been in the movie business for more than three decades, and has worked as an actor, stuntman and stunt coordinator on some classic films. One of our favorite pieces of trivia about Alex Daniels is that he choreographed the naked wrestling scene in “Borat.” So, by “classic,” we actually mean “the kind of classic that epic can only dream of being.”
The "Burt Wonderstone" stunt team. Front row, left to right are Eric Solky (Steve Carrel's stunt double), Jim Stephan, Norbert Phillips and Danny Downey (Steve Buscemi's double). In the back, Jayson Dumenigo and Alex Daniels.
Daniels says of his “Burt Wonderstone” experience, “It was the most pleasant work experience I’ve ever had, in 33 years of doing this.”
About the hot box scene that takes place in front of Bally’s, Daniels says, “The hot box scene was the biggest physical gag of the movie. Luckily, the producers gave us plenty of time to prepare and rehearse. We set up a crane and a mock-up of the hot box at the Warner Bros. studio, probably a month before we went to Vegas to shoot this sequence.”
“Gags,” by the way, are what stuntpersons call stunts. There will be a quiz.
Just another day at the office for stunt professionals and their undergarments.
“For me, I took the approach of it being a live performance,” says Daniels. “That was a key element. In other words, a lot of times when we set up aerial gags, we can set them up with the various pieces within the action, and shoot them, then cut [edit] them together. In this case, we very much wanted to make the entire sequence continuous. So, we didn’t have to stop and reset things. Having continuous action is key to comedic timing, so the actors can have the opportunity to feel the best timing for what they’re doing.”
One of the reasons the hot box sequence in “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” got so much buzz was that so many people in Las Vegas at the time got to see the scene being shot. Daniels adds, “The other thing that was unique about it was we were able to get great reactions from people on The Strip. Not just our extras, but spectators. They could watch the comedic flow and respond to the sequence in a genuine, visceral way.”
It may come as no surprise that doubles were used for the more perilous parts of the hot box stunt.
“Both actors were in the box when we lifted them up to the highest points, about 50 feet up,” says Daniels. “From another crane, we were able to get some great shots of the box and the actors and people on The Strip. Once we got into the more stunt-oriented part of the sequence, with the box open and people are hanging, the stunt team stepped in.”
Look at all the "hot box" jokes we're not making. We are a Las Vegas blog, so that's pretty impressive.
What might come as a surprise is that additional shots used in the hot box scene weren’t done at Bally’s, or even in Las Vegas.
Says Daniels, “We did the bulk of the sequence in front of Bally’s, then pick-up shots in another location so we could do close-ups of the actors. We actually shot in a parking lot near Dodger stadium [in Los Angeles] with a green screen for some portions.”
How is there not a "Six Degrees of Steve Buscemi"?
In another part of the scene, the actors fall onto each other from one end of the suspended broken box.
Daniels tells it this way, “We did a wonderful shot where Steve Carell’s character (Burt Wonderstone) falls onto Steve Buscemi’s (Anton Marvelton). That was done with the actors. It’s an overhead shot, and you can see Steve Carell fall onto Steve Buscemi. Steve Carell was on a wire, and he actually fell, but we stopped him just before he landed. They really got into it, and got a little banged up. They were both game for it. That scene’s a pivotal part of the movie, because that’s the catalyst of their break-up as a team.”
During filming, outside Bally's Las Vegas.
One of the world’s best-known magicians, David Copperfield, now a fixture on the Vegas Strip, was involved with the making of “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.” Daniels beams, “”I’m proud David Copperfield came out during the filming of the hot box sequence, because we’d been filming with him inside the theater at Bally’s, and he came to me and told me how great he thought it was. He said, ‘That’s real magic.’ That meant a lot.”
David Copperfield’s team also worked with Alex Daniels’ team to create an original illusion that also features prominently in the film, one involving a hangman and a body switch. Oh, just see the movie, already.
In parting, Daniels comments, “It was great being in Las Vegas. I’ve done other work there, like ‘Rush Hour 2,’ and it’s nice the producers and director (Don Scardino) understood you can’t do a movie about magic without Las Vegas. For ‘Burt Wonderstone,’ we had A-list stars, David Copperfield and we were in Las Vegas. How much better could it get?”
Posted on March 19th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
We had some amazing times at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall before it closed, but Bill’s (and before that, the Barbary Coast) had seen better days, so it was high time something new took its place. It’s Las Vegas, after all.
That something new will be a boutique hotel, Gansevoort Las Vegas, a collaboration between Caesars Entertainment, New York-based luxury hotel company Gansevoort Hotel Group and Vegas nightlife wizard, Victor Drai.
Bling worthy of the epic intersection of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard.
The new Gansevoort Las Vegas will open in early 2014, after a hefty $185 million renovation, and will feature 188 “Parisian apartment-style” guest rooms and 19 suites.
The hotel will also boast a redesigned lobby bar, ultra-lounge, retail outlets and 40,000 square-foot casino.
Dibs on the chair.
One of the more buzzed-about parts of the planned Gansevoort Las Vegas is the addition of Drai’s Beach Club and Nightclub, a massive, 65,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor nightclub and rooftop pool experience. The panoramic view alone should make Drai’s Beach Club a must-visit addition to the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip.
The popular After Hours by Drai club, a staple of Las Vegas nightlife for the past 15 years, is set to return, in its same location.
Please, Mr. Drai, keep the lips.
Gansevoort Las Vegas is a serious departure from Bill’s, but it seems a good fit given the ongoing re-vitalization of Center Strip, including projects such as The Linq and The Quad. This blog is always up for some Las Vegas newness!
It should be noted, as an additional perk, that when Gansevoort Las Vegas opens in 2014, it will be part of the Total Rewards loyalty program (Bill’s was not).
Read more about Gansevoort Las Vegas in USA Today.
Posted on March 18th, 2013 by sroeben | 1 Comment »
The Quad’s renovations are in full swing, and that means some of the old things, vestiges of a bygone era, must go.
An entirely new casino area has opened at The Quad, in the space formerly occupied by O’Sheas, so the hotel’s old casino area has been closed, walled off, and begins its own journey toward rebirth.
Check out those exposed security catwalks from a time when Las Vegas casino security was done old-school.
A distinctive symbol of the The Quad’s former identity were the dragons. The dragons came down recently, and we got one last photo of these once-imposing beasts before to their departure.
After three decades standing watch, it was time for the dragons to be retired.
As we tend to do sometimes, we got a little choked up seeing these iconic symbols being removed, so we sort of had to touch one. As we were doing that, we noticed a clump of paper wedged into the dragon, so we did what any self-respecting Las Vegas blog would do, we sort of kicked at it. Hello, it’s called “investigative journalism.”
The paper fell loose, and it was a newspaper. Yellowed. Brittle. Sort of gross. So, we naturally embraced this piece of Las Vegas history, cradled it to our bosom and took it home to photograph it.
Told you it was kind of gross.
Come to find out, the newspaper was from (wait for it) Feb. 5, 1979. We are no math expert, but we believe that’s more than 30 years ago. The former iteration of The Quad got its Asian theme in Nov. 1979, by the way.
Trust us, if we'd used Photoshop to doctor this, the year would have been 1812 or something.
There’s no way to know why the newspaper was wedged into that particular part of the dragon, between the dragon and the casino ceiling, or who put it there. Perhaps a construction worker installing the dragons?
What we know is it’s the sports section of The Milwaukee Journal. While tattered, the newspaper still shows a snapshot of the days when The Quad got its last new name.
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, the pages we discovered in The Quad’s now-retired dragon can be viewed online in the archives of The Milwaukee Journal.
The original.
One story mentioned Danny Ongais, the only Native Hawaiian to ever compete in the Indianapolis 500. See the Ongais story here.
We just touched racing history. In a completely appropriate manner, of course.
Another story talks about George Bamberger, a former ball player and then-manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Read more.
Oh, great, now we're craving one of those delicious Bambergers from BurGR.
And this blog’s favorite article in the sports section of The Milwaukee Journal on Feb. 5, 1979?
This one, of course.
We are who we are.
Now’s a great time to swing by The Quad to see all the Vegas newness. No dragons, they also didn’t have dealertainers in 1979.
The Quad, early 2013.
While Las Vegas is constantly moving forward, we also like to remember our storied past, no matter how, in ways seemingly miraculous or mundane, we might be reminded of it.
Posted on March 15th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
Vegas throws a lot of parties each year, but St. Patrick’s Day weekend is a time when it tends to party the hardest. It’s impossible to keep up with everything going on, so here, we’ll just highlight a few liver-challenging St. Paddy’s Day items that caught our eye.
Margaritaville at Flamingo is going to have a ton of featured drinks on St. Paddy’s Day. Try the Irish Apple, Irish Mon, the Lucky Landshark or the “Off to See the Leprechaun Marg O’Rita,” a cocktail name we are not just making up. See more.
Mad props to Margaritavilla's copywriter. We're stealing that line next year.
Also at Flamingo, Carlos’n Charlie’s will bring some Mexican flair to St. Patrick’s Day, as evidenced by this graphic. Mainly because sharing a graphic is much easier than writing something.
The Internet says Ireland and Mexico are 5097.01 apart. Especially the .01 part.
Bally’s Las Vegas will be bringing the fun with its “St. Patrick’s Day Beer Truck Shenanigans,” Mar. 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. A live DJ will do his thing, and Coors Light and Guinness girls will pass out swag. Drink specials will abound, like Irish Car Bombs, Jameson shots and draft beers up the O’Yinyang.
At Paris Las Vegas, look for an exclusive cocktail concocted by Greg Waters, Bar Manager at Sugar Factory American Brasserie. The drink is called the Frozen Irish Ass, a play on the traditional Moscow Mule with Irish Whiskey, a touch of ginger liqueur and mint. Mostly, we just love saying Frozen Irish Ass in a corporate blog.
Frozen Irish Ass. Frozen Irish Ass. Frozen Irish Ass. Frozen Irish Ass.
Of course, The Strip provides ample opportunities to acquire liquor-based entertainment for your St. Paddy’s Day revelry. They include the Flamingo Wine & Spirits shop and the brand-new “Q” Wine & Spirits in The Quad.
Liquor? We barely know 'er. Thanks, we'll be here all week!
Cabo Wabo Cantina and PBR Rock Bar in The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will each have a cavalcade of specials in honor of St. Paddy’s Day, of course. At PBR Rock Bar, try the $5 Irish Car Bomb shots, and at Cabo Wabo, go for the green Waboritas for $4.
We do not condone this T-shirt.
If you be craving something cool on St. Paddy’s Day, stop by Trevi inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace for their “Luck of the Irish” gelato, creamy pistachio gelato with a Pirouette cookie, for $4.50 per scoop.
That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg when it comes to things to do in Las Vegas for St. Patrick’s Day, so stumble your way over to the Las Vegas Sun for a Frozen Irish Ass ton of other events and specials.
Of course, lots of Vegas visitors miss the epic St. Patrick’s Day blow-outs at the now-closed O’Sheas. Well, it turns out we won’t have to go another St. Paddy’s Day without O’Sheas.
Plans are under way to have an O’Sheas inside The Quad! By this time next year, about where the cashier cage currently sits (near the former space of the relocated dealertainers), the O’Sheas legend will continue with a sweet new bar, gaming tables and a stage for live entertainment.
Here’s a look.
That girl it totally flirting with us. Just like at the old O'Sheas. Probably.
And if you’re still pining for O’Sheas this St. Paddy’s Day weekend, stop by for a fist-bump with former O’Sheas mascot, Lucky, at Carnaval Court at Harrah’s on Mar. 17.
Lucky’s real name is Brian Thomas (pictured below), by the way, and nobody throws a party like Lucky.
This seems a perfect time for a gratuitous photo of Lucky and Holly Madison.
More future O’Sheas.
Outside the new O'Sheas, the slot machines will be less translucent, unfortunately.
And, yes, future O’Sheas will have beer pong. Some things just aren’t negotiable.
Proposed tagline for the new O'Sheas: "Same great time, a lot less sticky."
Have a great, safe St. Patrick’s Day, and if you meet this blog during the festivities, please don’t be offended if we don’t remember you afterward. Our goal is to not remember much of anything. It’s how St. Patrick would’ve wanted it. And that’s the story we’re sticking to.
Posted on March 15th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
You’ll never guess who stopped by CeeLo Green’s new show at Planet Hollywood. None other than his co-star on “The Voice,” multiple Grammy Award-winning singer Christina Aguilera.
It’s called the Mega Beat Progressive Poker Jackpot, and it hit at Planet Hollywood on Mar. 9, 2013, resulting in thousands in cash for a winner who lost (but won, anyway), a winner (who won, then won even more) and hundreds of other players in poker rooms across Las Vegas.
Perhaps we should explain.
The Mega Beat Progressive Poker Jackpot is paid when a great poker hand loses to an even better one. (In poker, a “bad beat” is when a player with a strong hand loses, anyway.)
Mega Beat may very well end up being this blog's DJ name someday.
The Mega Beat jackpot is a progressive, so the jackpot grows larger over time. Think Cialis, but with money.
When it hit at Planet Hollywood, the prize pool totaled $672,420. The player with the “losing” hand (Alex Adams) was awarded 20% of that jackpot (a cool $136,675), the player with the hand that won (Scott Rosen) received 10% ($69,401), and the remaining 70% was divided among all the players at all the participating Caesars Entertainment poker rooms.
That’s right. When the Mega Beat jackpot hits, every player at every table gets a cut of the cash. At the time this jackpot hit (6:58 p.m. on Mar. 9), there were 238 players, so they each received $2,159. Just for being in the right place at the right time.
As the jackpot increases, it's easier to win. Just ask your dealer for details. The OTHER kind of dealer. What is the matter with you?
So, what hand did Alex Adams have when he lucked out and lost? He had four queens. (Hint: That’s a really, really good hand.) He lost to a heart straight flush to the queen.
Thanks to the Mega Beat Progressive Poker Jackpot, even when you lose you can win.
After the jackpot hits, it’s reset to $200,000. Video displays (see below) in all the participating poker rooms keep players up-to-date about the ever-growing jackpot, and shows real-time payouts, should the jackpot hit, as players come and go. Yay, technology.
The jackpot is more now. In fact, it's more now. And now. (Repeat.)
Poker rooms taking part in this progressive jackpot, aside from Planet Hollywood, of course, are Harrah’s Las Vegas, The Quad, Flamingo Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace and Rio Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is always full of surprises, but winning $136,675 for a losing poker hand has to take the cake.
Posted on March 13th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
This blog loves it some free Sin City, and now you can enter to win a Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace prize package worth, conservatively speaking, “an amount this blog isn’t taking the time to determine, because we don’t love doing math, but it’s a lot.”
Nobu Hotel has 181 rooms, because 181 looks like "8" (a lucky number in Japan) pressed between two chopsticks. Unless we're completely making that up.
Prizes in the giveaway include round trip airfare for two to Las Vegas (April 26-28, 2013), a two-night stay at the new Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, a $250 dining credit at Nobu Restaurant and admission to an exclusive Grand Opening party for Nobu Hotel on April 27, 2013.
If you win, this blog will happily take the Nobu Restaurant visit off your hands. We're thoughtful like that.
Nobu Hotel is a boutique hotel-within-a-hotel that’s a collaboration between Caesars Palace and Nobu Hospitality partners Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro (yes, that one) and Meir Teper.
Although the Nobu Hotel only recently opened, it was named one of the “Hottest New Hotels” by CNN Travel. Take a look.
Insert gratuitous photo of a young woman serving cocktails at Nobu Restaurant here. Because we can.
Just one entry to the sweepstakes is permitted, so make sure your fingers are crossed when you enter. We also suggest entering at 8:08 a.m. or p.m., because we weren’t kidding about “8″ being a lucky number in Japan.
The giveaway ends on March 26, 2013. Good luck!
Posted on March 12th, 2013 by sroeben | No Comments »
Welcome to the official blog of the Las Vegas casino-hotels operated by Caesars Entertainment. They include: Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Bally's, Flamingo, Harrah's, The Quad, Paris, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the under-renovation (soon to be Gavsevoort Las Vegas) Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Salooon and the now-closed O'Sheas. The opinions expressed in this blog are those of its writer and photographer, Scott Roeben, and not necessarily those of Caesars Entertainment. The lawyers felt it was important to say that, although this blog can't imagine why.
