2018: THE YEAR AHEAD

As noted a few days ago, 2017 was a year best left deeply in the rearview mirror. Tomorrow I leave for a five day visit to Washington, DC, to bury my father. The last of the tasks left from what I noted was a sad time around here. But if nothing else, I am an optimist. Therefore, let's look ahead to see what the new year promises.

In less than a month my wife and I are taking a much-needed vacation in one of our favorite places, Maui. Given financial considerations we're relying upon flier miles and a timeshare, but we're allowing ourselves a few splurges along the way. We've already booked a photographers' high-speed whale-watching trip. Followed the next day by a dinner cruise. Given my family's history with the sea it seems fitting our first real vacation in a while involves a lot of water.

Later in the year plans are pending for a trip up to Vancouver, also one of our favorite places, to burn off some airline tickets that were put on hold given my father's at the time failing health. We're not sure if that well be a land-bound trip, or used to burn off some cruise ship credits. Stay tuned.

Along the way we've committed to taking weekend trips, up and down the coast, as well as our usual Vegas excursions. And adventures around our own area. God knows LA and Orange County are rife with opportunities to explore and experience.

And a few martinis, of course

In other words, trying to get back to what was considered "normal" a few years ago.

And you can, of course, read all about it here.

Thanks for continuing to visit and read.

And Happy New Year. Welcome to 2018.

THE FRIDAY MARTINI

Sorry, kids. A little under the weather.

Still, have to be a gracious host. Here's a martini for your weekend. Extra strong.

From the Aurora Lounge, Luxor Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas.

An inverted pyramid, under the pyramid.

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

I've featured the below sculpture previously. It's entitled the Seven Magic Mountains, and was designed and installed under the supervision of artist Ugo Rondinone.

(Only six are visible in my shot below. You can see the seventh shyly peeking out from 

behind the tower on the leftmost side of the gathering.)

My experience of the installation was standing along in the rocks, enjoying the bright colors and almost regal silence of the sculpture in the morning light.

Having been to Stonehenge I had to fight the urge to place some sort of spiritual meaning on the arrangement and setting. Day-glo rocks silently standing watch in the desert.

It's beautiful and...in a small way...spiritual. 

You just need to bring the latter half with yourself when you visit.

SEARCHING FOR THE RAT PACK

Driving along Las Vegas' famed Strip.

It's changed a bit since the original Rat Pack were here. Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr, Lawford and Bishop. Legends of their time, and all time if you consider.

This was their playground. Their territory.

And it was an iconic time. A time which eventually gave way to corporations and planned entertainment. Towering buildings and towering egos.

Vegas then is not the Vegas now. For good and for bad.

(A fascinating comparison of the changes in Las Vegas - and of the changes in film style over the decades - is to watch Ocean's 11, and Ocean's Eleven back to back. Sinatra versus Clooney.)

My first exposure to Las Vegas was when I was ten years of age. During my first major road trip, a drive across country with my father. There are a number of very cool stories associated with that adventure, but one which I never really discussed with anyone was a fleeting glimpse of the Strip across the desert floor. 

At the time, 1971, I-40 was still incomplete through eastern California, requiring a bypass up across Hoover Dam to avoid the worst sections of what was left of Route 66. Plus, I think Dad wanted to see the dam and show it to me as well. Dad and I stopped to tour the dam, and then continued our route, bypassing Las Vegas ten or so miles to the south on Highway 146 - well within sight of the casinos - before tagging I-15 and heading down into California. 

It was only a short flash of Vegas, but I knew about it through repeated viewings of Ocean's 11 over the years, and wanted to visit that place even at a very young age.

My second glance happened just a couple of years later, on our return move to the Washington, DC, area. We passed through Vegas directly this time, stopping at a gas station on Las Vegas Boulevard...the Strip itself. I deeply wanted go and look at the casinos beckoning to me from just across the street, but was again turned down by my parents, who quite rightly felt that a casino was not a good place for a kid to explore.

It wasn't until I was in college, seven years later, that I got a chance to really visit Las Vegas. I stayed at the MGM Grand. The original one, now called Bally's. This was just a few years before the tragic fire which claimed 85 lives. I was there as part of a competitive ballroom dance group to attend an event at the MGM. 

It was a fun and memorable trip, in which we cheered sunrise with Tequila Sunrises. Ah, youth.

But in the years after that I got to know Las Vegas before the megacasino revolution started in 1989 by Steve Wynn's Mirage. I am fortunate to have seen (and visited) the legendary hotel casinos in the first Ocean's film. The Sands. The Desert Inn. The Sahara. The Riviera. All destroyed to make way for the leviathan complexes which dot the Strip today. The Sahara and Riviera both survived all into the 21st century. The Sahara still stands as the SLS Las Vegas. The rest are gone.

Their brethren The Dunes, The Aladdin, Hacienda, Thunderbird, 

the Frontier, and the legendary Stardust. 

All, well, stardust now.

It's a cool little part of me that remembers those days. A small bit of history that is gone, but not forgotten. A little bit of bygone charm, wistful memories if you're gray enough.

LONG BEACH TO ANNAPOLIS, AND BACK!: Day 1, 8 hours, 504 miles

 We departed Long Beach at around 9:30am, a little later than expected. The weather was excellent but quite warm. Already 83F.

Traffic was light - not real delays until we hit Las Vegas.

 The first major transition was onto Interstate 15 as it wove up into the Cajon Pass. The pass is a miles-long gouge through the San Bernardino Mountains, carved by the infamous San Andreas Fault.

It is here that the North American and Pacific tectonic plates are locked together, storing energy for a future megaquake that is predicted for the region.

 Safely past the fault, we stopped for a brief time at Peggy Sue's Diner, just north of Barstow. It's a quaint little place and well worth the stop.

 The aptly named Devil's Playground.

This is an area of the Mojave Desert which takes few prisoners and is as stark and forbidding as the name suggests.

As long as you don't leave the interstate you'll be fine.

 Entering Nevada. Our first state border.

 The Las Vegas Strip. Southern end.

Typically this would be our final stop, but needs we must push on. It's probably the first time since college when I haven't stopped for even a single night.

 The vast and empty esert north of Las Vegas, nearing the Arizona border.

 We stopped for leg-stretching next to the Virgin River, in the Virgin River Canyon.

The rain from a wet season is wtill in runoff, and the river was a dark and swirling brown shade as it tumbled down the canyon.

Final stop. We're in Beaver, Utah. It's a very small town with a long history, including as the birthplace for Butch Cassidy.

Even on a Saturday night, the streets rolled up around 7pm, and we went back to the room to rest for tomorrow's drive to Denver. Another 8 hour sint, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

Hoping the weather holds.

MY KIND OF SHOW: BAZ - STAR CROSSED LOVE at the Venetian Las Vegas

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." 
                                                     - the song Nature Boy by eden ahbez





I am a fan of the Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. Have been for years, citing the film Moulin Rouge as one of my all-time favorites.

And so it was with a real degree of excitement we discovered a (relatively) new show in Las Vegas built upon the worlds that Baz has created for his various films: BAZ - STAR CROSSED LOVE.

Using the music from his films, and characterizations based upon his pro- and antagonists, the production is a very large, open example of pushing the envelope for a Vegas stage production.

Fortunately for audiences, the Las Vegas stage experience has reached adulthood - the prediction of which many watchers in the 1970s and '80s would have openly ridiculed. But with the arrival of Cirque du Soleil in 1993, followed by Blue Man Group and a variety of transplanted Broadway productions (Spamalot, Avenue Q, the Jersey Boys), Las Vegas has become perhaps the second leg of challenging and/or original American stage production after Broadway. Certainly the money is there.

But the beautiful thing about it is that Vegas production teams seem to be willing to stretch themselves and put together shows which are a far cry from the glitzy glamor extravaganzas of the past. Today's productions are original and approach the audience with something new and challenging.

BAZ, now playing at the Venetian Hotel and Casino, is such a production.

The theater is arranged in such a way that the stage spills down into the audience, essentially putting the people in the front part of the theater in the show itself. The actors cavort around the tables as if you're at the club which forms the main "set" for the show. To add to the impression, a handful of tables are on the stage itself, blurring the line of the proscenium completely, pulling the audience quite literally into the story before the very first notes are sung.

The actors are top professionals, and bring the characters from Luhrmann's productions a genuine humanity as they tell the triple doomed-love stories of Romeo and Juliet (from the film of the same name), Satine and Christian (Moulin Rouge), and Satie and Jake (from The Great Gatsby), all of which is hosted by "The Maestro" (essentially Harold Zidler from Moulin). The three couples form the basis for the storyline, which jumps from one time period to another, both musically and visually. And yet completely tied together.

(If that hasn't confused you enough, let me say this: like the films of Baz Luhrmann themselves, BAZ is an experience you simply have to let wash over you until the various pieces begin to coalesce and make sense. By the end of the production you'll have it, but the opening scene can be a bit of a sensory overload. It's a good thing and just go with it.)

Vocally the cast is spectacular, with the seven leads performing beautifully together and in their solos. The backup band is excellent and it's a nice thing to see them onstage and getting some credit for their skills.

And the dancing. Wow. The dancing. All of the primaries are skilled terpsichoreans, but the ballroom couple - which is how I've come to refer to them - is extraordinary. My wife and I met many years ago as members of the professional ballroom world. (Our wedding waltz was choreographed by the man who was, at the time, national ballroom champion.) So we know our stuff when it comes to the sort of thing you may recognize from Dancing with the Stars.

The ballroom couple in BAZ are the real deal, by which I mean they are clearly experienced and trained in ballroom, not dancers from some other forms of dance who are going through ballroom steps. (At one point one of the other cast members joins in a routine, and the difference is obvious. He is very good, but lacks the extra snap of a trained latin dancer.)

All in all, we were stunned by the wonderful evening and have to highly recommend that anyone heading to Las Vegas think seriously about seeing this show. It's different. It's fun. It's stylish. It's certainly worthy of your hard-earned cash (in ways the slot machines are not). It really is a "must see", to use an entirely overworked phrase. But it is.

Recommendation is to sit at one of the proscenium tables, not on the stage itself. Get a glass of champagne (very pricey) and just let the whole thing wash over you like a tide. It's an experience, not just a show, so treat it like one.

BAZ is a strikingly well done production which deserves much more attention outside of Las Vegas than it seems to be receiving. Let's hope it catches on.


(All photographs were permitted and encouraged by the production before the show began.)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - CRAB LEGS AND SHRIMP ON FREMONT STREET

We usually talk about the Strip. 

This is the other side of Las Vegas casinos, downtown's Fremont Street.

Gone are the $5 buffets, but you can still find $20 crab and shrimp.

LAS VEGAS - THE ROUGHER SIDE OF TOWN

I'm all about Las Vegas, and travel there a few times a year for both work and fun.

A few people don't have it quite so lucky. Beyond the north end of The Strip lie some pretty rough neighborhoods and definitely low-budget motels. Like any city, really, Las Vegas has its urban blight and a homelessness issue. 

But in Las Vegas it's a little more stark. In the shadow of the gleaming towers and beautiful

palm-laden avenues lies a separate world most of us never see. And the Vegas visitors bureaus

do their best to avoid. But they're there.

Roll up your windows and lock your doors. 

LAS VEGAS LION HABITAT RANCH

I have been visiting and enjoying Las Vegas for three decades now, as I mentioned in the previous column in which we named The Best Martini in Las Vegas, as well as the Best Place to Sit & Sip. So it's always a delight when I find something new to occupy my time.

A few years back the MGM Grand hotel featured a large enclosure with lions -- the company "mascot" dating back to the early film days before the hotel company was spun off. It was a rather spectacular complex with waterfalls and large rocky areas for the lions (and handlers) to scramble and play. Through the center and under this ran a plexiglass tunnel so that visitors could quite literally see the lions from all angles. It was quite the exhibit and attracted tens of thousands of people a month to the MGM complex.

Unfortunately, making the rather dubious decision the hotel would be better served with yet another nightclub, the exhibit was closed and removed, leaving the lions off the payroll. (Disclaimer: I own a negligible number of shares in MGM. Just sayin'.)

What was an unknown to much of the public was the fate of these beautiful beasts, and their handlers.

For several years now I have known of the existence of the Lion Habitat Ranch, a complex at the most southern end of Paradise Valley (the valley Las Vegas inhabits) in Henderson. But until a few weeks ago, and despite repeated suggestions by my wife, we had never made the time nor had the opportunity to visit.

A serious error on our part, and a serious error for anyone who considers themselves an animal lover and particularly having a fondness for the great cats.

Founded by Keith Evans, the ranch was founded in 1989, and began supplying lions to the MGM under a contract which ended in 2012. Since that time the ranch has supported itself through fundraising, admissions and sales of merchandise.

The Habitat is a pretty basic affair. Obviously they use the money to care for the animals rather than build fancy cages or a more modern zoological park. The cages are large and basic, with (thick) chain link being all that separates them from their handlers and the public.  The handlers and volunteers are present to answer any questions and want visitors about standing too close to the cage when of the males turns his back (The males are territorial and spray with some frequency. If you do not move quickly enough you may be marked as his property, and it's a long way to a shower.)

(The general advice is when you see an employee move, move with them.)

The lions are clearly well cared for, and cared about. The Habitat protects 46 lions, a handful of birds of varying species and one giraffe, Ozzie, the painting giraffe. (Apparently Ozzie is the only one of the animals required to pay his own way, which he does with a gentle and artistic flair.)

This is a much more up-close and personal experience than simply viewing the cats at a zoo enclosure. It's very much interactive and enjoyable for the visitor, and the cats are happy and healthy.  Given the number of males present one thing you will likely experience here and not elsewhere is the hug-huffing and territorial roaring of the males. It becomes a chorus of four or five of them, all sounding off simultaneously. You likely won't get a chance to hear this sort of thing at the local zoo, and it's an impressive moment (this video gives you a taste).

While visiting a zoological facility might not be the first thing you think of in Las Vegas, The Lion Habitat is an excellent option for those afternoons when you're looking to escape the casino and perhaps see something else around town. And if you're a local and haven't visited, get over there immediately. Its a true Las Vegas treasure and needs your support.

The ranch is located a mile or so off Interstate 15, not too far from the M Resort.

THE LION HABITAT RANCH
382 Bruner Ave
Henderson, NV 89044

AND NOW: THE BEST MARTINI ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP (AND WHERE TO SIP 'EM)!

With the possible exception of Manhattan, there is no city we know in this world with a closer relationship with the Martini. From the Rat Pack origins of Vegas "hipness" through the turbulent 'sixties and trendy 'seventies, Las Vegas has always been at the forefront of the Jet Set's and Hollywood Elite's image. In many ways the Martini is a fundamental part of the image of the city, and in fact plays a major role in its legendary nightlife.

I've been visiting Las Vegas regularly since my early twenties. I can recall the days -- most of them the "last" days -- of The Sands, The Silverbird, The Dunes, The Hacienda and the original Aladdin. I remember when the MGM Grand occupied what we now call Bally's, and a place called The Marina formed what is now the "front" of the current MGM Grand. I have a history with the place, and have watched it grow from the first wave of casinos to today's modern leviathans which have turned sections of The Strip into a man-made canyon of flashing lights, brilliant colors and a much broader range of activities than were enjoyed by our predecessors.

But through it all The Martini reigned supreme as the bar and lounge icon of the city.

For the last few days I've been posting shots of rinks taken from a variety of the lounges, bars and restaurants at the major hotels, ranging from The Mandalay Bay on the south end, up through the SLS which now occupies what used to be The Sahara. I've sipped martinis at the vast majority of them, and in most it's at multiple venues. And for purely arbitrary reasons I have excluded the Rio and The Palms, though both feature terrific places to sit and sip, as well as competent versions of a Martini. 

Finalists included excellent drinks served up by The Tropicana, Paris, Cosmopolitan, Planet Hollywood, The Venetian and Palazzo, Wynn, Mandalay Bay and others. The research was conducted over the last year so as not to severely disable your hardworking reporter.

And, for random reasons, I only including vodka or gin martinis. 

None of the flavored or fancy drinks allowed.

All this noted, this year's prize for 

THE BEST MARTINI ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP: MESA GRILL, CAESARS PALACE

Bobby Flay's restaurant served up a delightfully cool and smooth martini with speed and a gentle touch. Served properly, with the drink brought to the table in a small shaker and poured gently into the glass, with a light bit of vermouth and exactly %% olives.

Having had martinis at Flay's CAFE AMERICAIN and (the now defunct) MESA Grill in New York, I had a feeling this would go well, and it did.

Now, while MESA served up the best drink, it's a restaurant. The city was designed for people-watching and music listening. So, for our second award

THE BEST PLACE TO SIT AND SIP ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP: PETROSSIAN, AT THE BELLAGIO

The "outside" lounge at the Petrossian sits just opposite the Bellagio's main desk, which affords it a spectacular view of the massive Chilhuly Glass ceiling adorning the lobby. A piano sits in the center of the carpeted patio, and the pianist plays a well-done selection of classical music, jazz standards, and gentle riffs on more popular music. The service is prompt but not intrusive, and guests are invited to simply sit and enjoy their drinks. Yes, it's a little pricey, but heck, it's the Bellagio.

Congratulations to both winners, and a strong endorsement by The Thumbnail Traveler may certainly be implied.

Have a great weekend.