Living in Las Vegas

The Sin City Brewing Company was created by former Gordon Biersch Director of Brewing Operations, Richard Johnson.  He invented his own beer brands and originally sold them on tap in Las Vegas bars and taverns. Three years later the Sin City Brewing Company opened its first microbrew bar inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and the newest location just opened last weekend inside the Flamingo.

There are four beers; Sin City Weisse is an unfiltered, straw-colored wheat beer with a low hop profile; Sin City Light is micro-brewed with imported malted barley and lightly hopped with a satisfying CO2 bite; Sin City Amber is full-bodied and made with imported and specialty malts; and Sin City Stout is a full, richly flavored beer with a roasted, coffee-like taste and a hint of chocolate.  The beers are brewed 100 kegs at a time at the Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.

If the opening of new location goes well at the Flamingo, owner Richard Johnson hopes to expand to more locations on The Strip.  He stated, “We needed a microbrewery that identified with Las Vegas.  People go into cities and the easiest way to get to know the town is to buy some of their products. Beer is definitely one of those ways to get to know the city. It makes you feel like you get a taste of the place.”

My hubby and I are definitely interested in trying out Sin City Beer and will be giving a full review shortly!

I think I am having a mid-week crisis or something.  I am still feeling the need to rant, I can’t get my ipod to work, I had to stay late at the office again and my financial situation is just complete chaos. 

 So, in an effort to lighten my mood,  I thought I would go over some of the best things about Las Vegas.  Please note these are my random thoughts in no particular order and subject to change based on date, time and my mood!

1.  Gas stations, convenience stores and most grocery stores are open 24/7.  It’s just comforting to know, if/when there is a midnight emergency (beer, ice cream . . .) you can just run down to the store and get what you need.

2. No last call. If you are partying at a bar or club in Vegas, trust me 2am comes and goes with no problem.  As you know, I enjoy and appreciate uninterrupted partying.

3.  Awesome hotels and casinos and spas. I have seen and stayed at some really cool hotel rooms.  It’s so fun to just get a room, relax and be a tourist.  The Strip can be fun if you’re not driving or trying to cross it in rush hour traffic. 

4.  You cannot get lost in Las Vegas.  Vegas is completely surrounded by desert and mountains.  If you hit either make a U-turn and drive back into town. You will eventually find your way, trust me.

 5.  You can make U-turns at most intersections. This comes in handy  for the directionally challenged.

6.  If you are hungry, there is a restaurant to fit your every mood.  I have had the opportunity to enjoy some incredible meals and dining experiences here in Las Vegas.

7.  You do not need a winter wardrobe.  In fact, air conditioning can be a little over zealous in the summer and I actually need a sweater year round.  But I do not own or have a need for boots, gloves or a scarf.

8.  All the good concerts come into town.  And of course, there are always good shows on the Strip.

9.  Friends love to come visit.  Although I do like to get out of town occasionally, it’s always nice to have friends come here.  Then we can just go out and have a good time without all the hassle of traveling.

10. It’s sunny 24/7.  It’s a desert, you can pretty much count on it always being sunny.  We’ve been had a few rainy weekends this winter, and that one snow day, but that’s about it, you can count on sun every day.

I don’t know if it’s because I live in Las Vegas or what, but I really love to party.  I love to get dressed up, go out, have a few drinks and laugh and just let loose for a little while.  I work full time, I am married, I have two  little kids, does that mean I have to stay in on the weekends? My errand running, kid picking up and grocery store shopping never ends.

I guess what I am really wondering is if all the awesome partying in Las Vegas is taking me away from things I really need to.  And when is it time to hang up the teeny purse and say no more?  Is it age, mindset, number of kids ?  If I lived in some boring city with nothing to do on the weekends, would my closets be cleaner and the errands all ran? 

Probably, but I don’t care.  I have had way too much fun out here and Las Vegas is a great city to live in while you are young and can party.  I am going to live it up while I still can!

The long awaited M Resort Spa and Casino, on the corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Blvd., is actually two months ahead of schedule and plans on opening March 1st.  It is about 10 miles south of Mandalay Bay and is going to be considered more of a locals casino, catering to the Las Vegas residents in the Southern Highlands, Seven Hills and Sun City Anthem neighborhoods. 

Some of the more unique features of the resort include a self service beverage station, a sports book with reclining chairs, 100 different beers on tap, and a restaurant with a production studio that will tape cooking shows on site, a high-tech wine cellar, and a rooftop restaurant.  Eventually a movie theater and mall will be added.  The room rates are reasonable with rooms starting at about $80, which is $54 for the room plus a $25 “resort fee”. 

The M Resort is running a grand opening day contest featuring two first place grand opening prize packages, two second place spa packages and then 250 runner up prizes.

They are also still taking job applications, although I don’t know how many of the 2000 positions are still open.’

If hosting a Superbowl party at your house on Sunday isn’t your idea of a party, there are lots of places in Vegas you can go to have a great time.   The Las Vegas Sun has a great list of Superbowl parties in Las Vegas , including pre-game and post-game Superbowl parties.

Personally, as you know, I am a fan of PT’s Pub , and it looks like they are throwing a great party. No cover charge, $10 buffet and lots of beer.  What else do you need?

Now, if you are looking for something geared specifically towards your team, there are going to be more places for Steelers fans to choose from, but it looks like Cardinal’s fans are hanging out at Timbers Bar & Grill on Maryland and Wigwam. Timbers is a PT’s style place and lots of fun.  According to the sports books, it looks like so many people are betting on Arizona, that the odds might change!  Same thing happened last year with the Giants, and it was only 2nd time in 18 years that the casinos actually lost money on the Superbowl.

Most of the hotels and casinos will be showing the Big Game in their sports books, and that’s always free to just stop by.  I know there are some rules now related to the NFL and Superbowl parties, so I don’t know if the casinos are toning it down or not.  And it’s usually one of the biggest days of the year for strip clubs, so if that’s your thing, you can probably get some good deals. The bottom line is pretty much where ever you end up on Sunday, the game will be on and people will be having a good time.

I am sorry it has been almost a week since I have posted. It seems like it’s been forever. I have been way under the weather!

Anyway, a bunch of stuff has happened. No. 1 being of course, OJ’s 9 to 33 years.  I originally thought it was 15, but it’s no parole for at least 9 years.  OJ is currently residing at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, Nevada.

The National Finals Rodeo has been in town since last Thursday.  That’s always a big deal out here.  The events wrap up on Saturday.

There is a new volcano that opened Monday at the Mirage.  Very bittersweet for me as I have fond memories of going to see the volcano as a kid.  The show runs on the hour from dusk until midnight.

In the sprirt of the holiday season, the Hard Rock is going to have free drinks at several of its bars on Dec. 17 from 7pm to 9pm. No catch as far I can tell. Just stop by one of the bars and relax.

Tomorrow at 6:00pm Mayor Oscar Goodman is going to light up Las Vegas’ Christmas tree down on Freemont Street. I haven’t been there in awhile, but Freemont Street it great for a Vegasy night out.

Over the weekend we stopped by the Parasol Up Parasol Down bar over the Wynn and had a really nice time.  The outdoor waterfall show caught our attention and we sat outside and had a few reasonably priced drinks.  We’ll definitely be stopping by again.

I think that about sums things up for last week.  Hopefully I’ll be back on point this week!

The Eastside Cannery officially opened its doors for business on Thursday.  The place was packed, you couldn’t even get a parking spot.  There were lines outside of all the restaurants and a waiting list to get on a slot machine.  Although there were some concerns about opening a new casino during these hard times, apparently things are looking up for the Eastside Cannery.

The Eastside Cannery is located at the site of the old Nevada Palace on Boulder Highway and Harmon. The hotel is 16 stories tall with 307 rooms, including 5 executive suites.  The casino has 2,100 slot machines, 26 table games, a 450-seat bingo hall, a keno lounge, poker room and race and sports book. 

Of course, being in Las Vegas, there is no shortage of dining and entertainment.  The Eastside Cannery features three restaurants, along with a deli and 24-hour cafe.  Sweet Lucy’s tableside buffet is different than your average buffet because instead of getting your own food, they serve your meal family style, all for one price.  Pin-Up’s bar sounds fun and Marylin’s lounge can seat up to 300 people for a concert. They even have a 2,000 seat boxing arena.

I am definitely looking forward to checking out the Eastside Cannery!!

Once again, Las Vegas welcomes a new club to the scene.  This coming Labor Day weekend ROK Vegas at New York New York Hotel and Casino on the strip is opening.  Pop-rock star Katy Perry is performing on Saturday, August 30. ROK is a rock-in-roll inspired club with all the usual club amenities and some that are not so usual.

ROK will be the first Las Vegas club to have a 360 degree video screen. It looks like the screen wraps around the top of the club.  They are also introducing half-bottle service.  I am guessing it is for all us that can’t afford the $500 or so for full-bottle service, so they are going to offer half a bottle for half the price.  Very inventive, but I will be curious to see if it catches on or not.

ROK will also feature an outdoor VIP lounge, live club footage and laser animations, including 3D images of famous rock stars projected around the club.  I have no set plans for my Labor Day weekend yet, so who knows, maybe I will be rockin’ out at ROK!

PT’s Pub is like the default bar for
Las Vegas.  When you want to go out, but not feeling the club scene, PT’s is the place most locals end up at.  There is a PT’s pretty much on every corner, so everyone knows where to find one. 

They have awesome drink specials and different promotions.  For the month of August, they are running a Win Your Mortgate for Free for One Year Promotion. Ladies, if you time it right, you will never have to pay full price for a drink. The food is great, I highly recommend the quesadillas.  They even have a PT’s Food-To-Go menu.

PT’s is definitely up to par with their amenities.  You can join their Golden Rewards Club if you like to play the machines.   And of course, they have the regulation big screen TV’s, pool tables and super hot bartenders.

I have had many fun nights at PT’s, sometimes maybe a little too much fun.  Overall, I would say if you are looking for a great Las Vegas bar scene, PT’s is the place.