Vegas Popular

The criteria for judging a city's value should include the number of songs written about it. Sure, real estate, job market and schools are important metrics of a city's worth, but a city without a song is a city I don't want to live in. If a city can't inspire enough passion in someone to write a song about it (good or bad), then what is the quality of life like in that city?

Vegas has hundreds of songs written about it. It seems everybody has a Vegas tale to tell.There are tales of lament and tales of triumph, but when the jukebox stops, one thing is clear: Vegas is in the eye of the beholder.



Here are the top 25 songs ever written about or inspired by Vegas:

25. Sheryl Crow - 'Leaving Las Vegas' - This song should be higher, but when she went on late night TV and said the song was autobiographical (she didn't write it), it kind of just loses some appeal.
24. Stereophonics - 'Vegas Two Times' - If you like sloppy Welsh spelling bees, this is your jam.
23. Jimmy Ray - 'Goin' to Vegas' - Part genius, part fool, Jimmy Ray of 'Are You Jimmy Ray?' fame infuses a lot of excitement in this anticipatory song about a Vegas vacation.
22. Chumbawamba - 'Jesus in Vegas' - Yes the 'Tubthumping' kids wrote more than just that one song. This one isn't as catchy and seems angry more along the lines of their punk beginnings. According to the song, "Andrew Lloyd Weber is doing the lights."
21. Charlie Clouser - 'Let It Ride' - This is the theme song to NBC's 'Las Vegas' as shown in the UK. It has a Vegas sounding name and since Elvis already has two other songs on the list., this beat out "Little Less Conversation' -- the theme for the US broadcasts of 'Las Vegas.' Had there been a song called, 'Nikki Cox Rocks,' that probably would have made the list over these two.
20. Buck Owens - 'Big in Vegas' - Country legend sings about his aspirations to have his name in lights when he "turns 'em on in Vegas."
19. Hootie & the Blowfish - 'Las Vegas Nights' - It's only fitting that H&TBF has a song about Vegas since the band has the Shady Grove Lounge in Vegas at the Silverton.
18. Who Da Funk - 'Shiny Disco Balls' - This is a great dance song and had it been more about Vegas (or at least had more than three lines), it would have easily been at the top.
17. Geggy Tah - '''Las Vegas With the Lights Out' - This ditty is from the same album that had their big radio/TV commercial song 'Whoever You Are.'
16. Southern Culture on the Skids - '40 Miles to Vegas' - Another of the anticipatory songs about the actual journey to Vegas.
15. Gram Parsons - 'Ooh Las Vegas' - Also covered by the Cowboy Junkies and Emmylou Harris, this is a pretty song about the consequences of Sin City.
14. Nico - 'Vegas' - You either love Nico's voice or hate it and with this instrumentation, the same can be said about this song. I love it.
13. Barenaked Ladies - 'Conventioneers' - Alcohol and off-site work functions? Inhibitions don't stand a chance. This song proves what happens in Vegas, does not necessarily stay in Vegas.
12. The Thrills - 'Your Love Is Like Las Vegas' - I've been saying Vegas is getting too expensive. When an Irish rocker equates lost love to a "city that burnt me good," because he can only afford one weekend, I think I may be on to something. Either that, or he was dating an arsonist or a call girl.
11. Frankie Yankovic - 'Vegas Polka' - If accordions don't turn you're on, maybe you're just dead on the inside.
10. Clubstrophobia - 'Vegas' - Dance song with a fun Vegas video - worth the look.
9. Gomez - 'Las Vegas Dealer' - Nice English rock band making a nice English rock song about lost love that's not entirely clear if Lauren Lee's departure is due to her running off to deal blackjack or if there was a nasty incident with a Las Vegas drug dealer.
8. The B-52s - 'Queen of Las Vegas' - The schtick never grows old. This "Momma, rockin' on the roulette wheel" song is from 1983 and can hold it's own with any beehive-inspired new wave songs of today.
7. Size 14 - 'People Get Really Drunk in Las Vegas' - Their big hit was 'Claire Dane's Poster' but this song has a truthness to it that deserves a Top 10 induction on this list. Nothing like alcohol and no cutoff time to drown the sorrows of a busted romance.
6. Tori Amos - 'Don't Make Me Come to Vegas' - Kind of a different take on the Vegas songs. The beautiful read-headed piano chick is threatening to come to Vegas and yank someone out of bed. Nice.
5. Elvis Presley - 'Viva Las Vegas' - I put this in the top five because I had to otherwise my inbox would fill up with hate mail. Since I didn't put it number one, I think there are some anti-Fletch e-mails in my future, but the heart wants what the heart wants. I have to admit, before living in Vegas, this song was the first song I played to get pumped up for a trip to "bright light city" and I shouldn't rag on it too much because people like the Dead Kennedys and Johnny Ramone have covered it, but I guess it's a case of saturation for me and the fact that there's another song on the "Viva Las Vegas" music soundtrack that is better than this one. Yes, I said it.
4. Tom Waits - 'Straight to the Top (Vegas)' - This is a nice pseudo-swinging affair from "gravel throat."
3. Cocteau Twins - 'Heaven or Las Vegas' - Man, most of the time I don't know what she's singing or even what language she is singing it in, but this song (the whole album really) is transcendent.
2. Elvis Presley - 'Night Life' - Taken from the same soundtrack as "Viva Las Vegas," this song wins because of a universal truth that the album's namesake song doesn't have. Both songs do a great job of capturing the moment. 'Viva Las Vegas' is hyperactive just like the action on a casino floor and 'Night Life' slinks around with sex appeal. It all comes down to one lyric. If you adopt it as a mantra, your time in Vegas, and life, could be more successful: "You can't be a quitter when you're caught up in the glitter of the night life."
1. Dean Martin - Medley 'Drink to Me Only' - 'The Rat Pack Live at the Sands' captured probably the greatest live performances in the history of live performances. Even if you don't like this kind of music or have never heard of Dean Martin (or Maybe Frank or Maybe Sammy), this medley captures the essence of old-school Vegas which is the Vegas our collective consciousness longs for. Interestingly enough, none of the songs cobbled together were Vegas songs. Dean Martin added Vegas bits here and there. 'I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine' gets a non-Disney twist. 'I Love Paris' becomes 'I Love Vegas' and is the rocking part of the medley.

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Here are the hot topics in Vegas and the Vegas blogosphere:

Brittany Snow Video
Vegas Heat Index: 145 in the Shade

As 'Hairspray' continues to hold firm at the box office (with more than $63 million in ticket sales), one of the stars is spreading her aqueous net of charm over Vegas. 'Hairspray' star Brittany Snow is looking fit and glam on the August cover of VEGAS Magazine and RawVegas.tv published video footage from her sexy photo shoot (above).

There's also reason to go to your the bookshop and buy a copy of VEGAS Magazine. I'm taking this straight from the media alert because it is perfect as written: "In the printed edition of VEGAS Magazine, Brittany also talks about her new movie 'Black Water Transit' where she claims she wears nothing the entire time and has sex with everyone."

Louisiana Girl Blues

Vegas Heat Index: 116


The Spears family just won't listen to Britney. She even covered a song where it was very clear that the choices she makes during her journey in life is "her prerogative." And yet, they reportedly tried to hold an intervention gathering en masse in Vegas.

On one chicken-greased hand, I can see their concern. If Anna Nicole's family had been so loving would she still be here? Maybe. Maybe not. On the other chicken-greased hand, it's no big deal. Well, the big deal is that interests like OK! Magazine are making big deals out of little deals to sell celebrity-induced comas to the masses.

I mean sure, drama is omnipresent in Britney's life, but as my old friend Smokey the Bear says, "Only you can prevent a forest fire." Until Britney decides that this adventure of crap is no longer fun, she will walk the fire line.

With Britney's divorce, she could turn it around before she goes Garbo or Jacko on everyone, but disappearing for awhile wouldn't be the worst thing. LA, Vegas, New York or Kentwood are not places where she can clear her head.

Louisiana girls are some of the finest creatures in existence. When they get wild, things are likely to get out of control and that's not necessarily a bad thing. When people around them think they need to get back on track, the normal methods of intervention won't work. You have to start by listening. She shaved her head for a reason. It's her prerogative.

Look for some more of Britney's prerogatives when she hosts the grand opening of LAX in Vegas at the Luxor.

Rock on Britney Spears.

Hackers Among Us
Vegas Heat Index: Classified

Given the slow Internet movement in Vegas, it's ironic that Vegas hosts two of the biggest computer security-related conferences, in back-to-back affairs no less. The first one is for security professionals and is called Black Hat. First rule about Black Hat is "you don't talk about Black Hat." Not really, but it sounded clever. It's perfectly OK to blog about Black Hat.

The second and funner of the two is Defcon, billed as the "Largest Underground Hacking Convention in the World." Contests this year include "Beverage Cooling Contraption" and a Xbox 360 'Guitar Hero II' shredder battle. Movie Nights this year feature a world movie premiere for the "lo-fi sci-fi" movie 'Infest Wisely.'

Vegas Celebrity Part-Time Jobs
Vegas Heat Index: 122

If you're a celebrity and in the market for a part-time job, Vegas is the place. Read about TV stars Pam, Tony, Jenny, John and Wayne and how they are "making ends meet."

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When I write about the concept of 'Sin City,' it usually sparks a debate as subjective as puh-tay-toe vs. puh-tah-toe. Half of the e-mails condemn Vegas for easy-access sinning and enabling addictions while condemning me to the fiery abyss of hell for some of my recommendations. The remaining e-mails celebrate the freedom that Vegas represents while praising me for other recommendations.

Depending on who you ask, or who sends you an e-mail, the Vegas Strip can be a primrose path or a highway to hell.

The freedom of Vegas doesn't enable addictions. The way I see it, addiction ignores geography. An addict will find the supply for the demand regardless if he/she is in Vegas, Texas or New Jersey.

One addiction Vegas hasn't catered to is e-mail addiction. Sure, e-mail seems like a soft addiction, but in a new study from AOL, Vegas didn't crack the Top 10 of e-mail addicted cities.

It's understandable. Due to cheat concerns, Vegas hasn't exactly embraced the whole Internet thing until recent years. Vegas.com has been, is and will always be the top of Vegas Webdom. Clustered behind them as far as popularity are sites like this one, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the official tourism board sites.

We spend a lot of time at Vegas Pop dispensing ideas on how to spend the mythical millions of dollars you probably don't have. It makes sense, Vegas is a fantasy land where dropping $40,000 a night for the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms Fantasy Tower or buying a $700K Koenigsegg at Caesars Palace are not big deals, for those who can afford it. For the rest of us, it's like assembling a Christmas wish list.

Today, we're going in a radically different direction. Today my friends, we're looking at the best places to find a deal in Vegas including where to eat, where to drink and where to have a good time.

If you didn't just win the World Series of Poker main event, then this story is not for you. For everyone else, here are ideas for Vegas on the cheap:

Where to Eat
Going back to caveman days, shrimp cocktail has been the currency for casinos to lure would-be patrons into their gambling halls. The main problem with the shellfish promotional plan is that Vegas is in the desert. Even if you sucked at the geography bee, you know there's no indigenous shrimp. This is not a general indictment on the Vegas shrimp game, but I've had some iffy shrimp cocktail experiences where the price of the tub o' shrimp had a direct correlation to my gastrointestinal well-being.

I prefer the prime rib deals where a slab of quality red meat will usually run you under $10. One of the finest slabs in town is at Binion's Coffee Shop downtown. You get that old-school Vegas vibe and plenty of meat. If you're South Strip, then the Coronado Cafe at South Point is the best value hands down. They have an eternal $9.95 special which includes the beef, French fries and a salad. The salad is a nice touch that makes you feel healthy.

If your party plans keep you out very late (or very early), graveyard specials provide ridiculous deals. After a night/morning at ghostbar or VooDoo Lounge, stop off at the Gold Coast between midnight and 6AM for $1.95 ham, eggs, hash browns and toast. If you're leaving Seamless around the same time, you can stop off at The Orleans for the $3.95 steak, eggs, hash browns and toast special. Check out Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor site for more graveyard deals.

Where to Drink
In an era where even some Off-Strip bars are charging $14 for a martini, the "Super Big Gulp" law of economics applies if you're looking for a drinking deal in Vegas. That law dictates that you look for the biggest container of alcohol you can find and buy it. Go ahead and skip the "half yards" and go for the full yard of cocktails or the alternate ginormous football-shaped jug. You'll spend around $25 bucks for a yard of adult Kool-Aid, but when compared to the $14 martini, the value is clear. Plus, after the strawberry daiquiri is long gone, these marvels of plastics engineering make classy additions to your kitchenware.

If you like your thrift with a little adventure, then definitely try one of the City's Best dive bars. or a smaller casino. The big resort casinos are in the luxury business which doesn't translate well into a dive bar concept so you have to go forth and explore to find a good deal.

In the dive bar genre, Champagnes Cafe is pure swank. In the smaller casino category, Casino Royale has dollar beers, but you have to take everything that comes with dollar beers like rowdier crowds. On one of my last cheap-beer expeditions, I encountered a man who was apparently unclear on proper intestinal gas expulsion etiquette and let's just say I only had about 25 cents of that dollar beer.

If you're looking for deals, flip on local TV when you get to your room and some of the smaller casinos run ads on their drink specials or you can also check out sites like cheapovegas.com.

Where to Have a Good Time
I'll get a lot of "Fletch is stupid" mail for this, but one of the best places to people watch is aboard the Las Vegas Monorail. It's relatively cheap (in some cases free) and you get an interesting look at the city and its visitors. By "city," I mean the Strip and by "visitors," I mean reality show-worthy individuals with no shame. My favorite is the mullet guy with the optional fanny pack that thinks "rock the train" is just as funny "rock the bus" was back on high school field trips.

Take the full tour Monorail tour and hop on at MGM Grand and wear a big pair of Jackie Onassis dark sunglasses for maximum voyeur capability.


For something more traditional, try one of the free shows. There's the good ol' pirate-themed Sirens of TI (above) which uses sex appeal to add to the value proposition of the free show. If you had the cast of 'Golden Girls' swashbuckling, the pedestrian crowds clogging the Strip sidewalk in front of Treasure Island would probably be thinner, but maybe not.

The free Parade in the Sky show at Rio has lost some of its luster over the last couple of years, but as a bonus while you're there, find one of the roving Chippendale's dancers for a hunky photo op. Your girlfriends at work (and maybe even your boyfriend) will be like, so jealous.

You can also find deals, coupons even, for shows where the show is not free, but with a buy-one-get-one free scheme, you can save money. I found this coupon for 'Bite' on the Las Vegas Leisure Guide so if a gothy, sexy vampire show is your thing, you're all set. Even Cirque du Soleil's 'Zumanity' is running ironically-priced ticket specials.

If you have found any really good Vegas deals you'd like to share, leave them on the comment board below. I'm off to smoke a cigar back in the glamorous life.

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When you talk about the heat in Vegas, the first jokes are always about the "dry heat." Sure, you don't instantly sweat when you step outside like you do in the humid, "wet heat" of a Houston or Manhattan summer, but hot is hot.

When it's 120 degrees at 6PM and you go to the store and every square inch of the parking lot is radiating heat and your lungs are cursing you, the dry heat jokes are not so funny.

For some reason, this last Vegas heat spell has been making national headlines with the issuance of an "excessive heat warning." Not all of Vegas is tropical and lush like the Secret Garden at The Mirage. This is the desert and deserts tend to be on the hotter side, especially during the summer.

If you dare leave the climate-controlled environs of your hotel room or the blackjack tables, here are five ways to beat the scorching, angry and yes, dry Vegas heat:

1. Snow Day Is Every Day
If Keegan-Michael Key were to describe Caesar's new luxury spa Qua, he would say that they have taken "luxuriating to a whole 'notha level."

Sure, there are the obligatory fitness rooms and spa treatments, but their unique, not-so-obligatory offerings include Roman Baths, a tea sommelier and the Arctic Ice Room (pictured) where snow falls indoors every day -- yep, snow inside. Somebody should issue an "excessive cool warning."

As you may have experienced, casinos usually keep the air conditioning cranked in the summer so when you come inside from the heat, you risk pneumonia going from one heat extreme to the other. Not here -- the glass-tiled interior promotes the cool vibe, but the floor and benches are comfortably heated so you don't freeze your but off, literally. The room is kept at 55 degrees, which on some days, can be a 60 degrees jump from the outdoor temperature.

What better way to beat the heat than relaxing in a chilled room catching snow flakes on your tongue while folks outside are caught in a solar flare?

2. Night Golfing
In a town filled with golf courses and 24-hour bars, night golfing just makes sense. For decades, the casual Vegas golfer has had to decide between staying out until 6AM at a club or waking up at 6AM to catch a tee time. No longer my friends.

The Cloud Nine short course at Angel Park Golf Club lights nine of the holes for night golfing. There are some interesting layouts, but as in any short course, it's not very challenging and not for serious golfers. But then again, serious golfers are hitting the early bird buffet, going to bed before 'Letterman' and waking up pre-dawn to make their $500 tee time.

3. Flying Inside
For adrenaline junkies, the heat doubles the dilemma. Unless you're into indoor activities like glow-in-the-dark paintball or disco bowling, you're often forced into the great outdoors during the heat of the day to find the adventure you so desperately seek.

At Las Vegas' Flyaway Indoor Skydiving, you can have the best of both worlds: the adrenaline-releasing sensation of flying without the risk of paralyzing sunburn.

Suit up, take a short training class and then fly indoors on top of a column of air pushing speeds of 120 MPH.

4. The Vodka Locker
Fueled by body heat, even Vegas clubs and bars can feel like small ovens. Given the fleshy scenery, the club heat is a little more pleasant than street heat when crossing the Strip on a foot bridge.

The Russian-themed Red Square at Mandalay Bay addresses the issue with a frozen ice bar and a vodka locker. The ice bar has a frozen top so when you set down your cocktail, it stays nice and chilled. If you have a small group and you're looking to beat the heat, grab a coat and book the vodka locker, a Siberian-esque storage facility housing vodka and a Lenin statue head.

5. Don't Be a Fool, Stay in Pool

So I saved the obvious for last. While emotionally hot due to the sexy atmosphere, Vegas pools are physically still one of the best ways to beat the heat. I'm not a doctor, so the last statement is not a scientific fact. It just seems with the cabanas, frozen specialty drinks and all of that water, the pool is a good way to stay cool.

Golden Nugget's pool (pictured above) is the perfect example of an aquatic paradise with waterfalls, sharks, a water slide, an outdoor bar and outdoor blackjack. Check out the Vegas Pool Guide for more pool info.

If you go to one of the topless pools (politely known as "European style sunbathing"), just be sure you bring the SPF 125.

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Vegas has many "capital" titles and one of the more popular distinctions is "Wedding Capital of the World." As far as weddings and the pre-matrimony events (parties and paperwork), a Vegas wedding is very user-friendly.

Where else can you have a raging bachelorette party of epic proportions in the early afternoon, get your marriage license 45 minutes later and have an equally equally epic fantasy wedding moments later?

The ugly side to that easy access is the proliferation of UNS, Unplanned Nupitals Syndrome. Vegas is one of the few places in all of creation where a cheesy pick-up line could lead to the ultimate pick-up line, "I do," hours later. Unlike your common hangover, Gatorade and Alka-Seltzer won't help it go away. Unless of course, Gatorade and Alka-Seltzer is the name of your law firm.

Just a words of caution my friends: hormones and alcohol are combustible so as with most anything in life, moderation is key.

Here are five places (with itineraries) to get married in Vegas:

1. Trick or Treat Weddings
Who knew that All Hallows' Eve was such a big day to celebrate love by exchanging vows that expire only upon death? October is the fifth most popular month nationally after the big spring and summer months and Halloween in Vegas is one of the biggest wedding days. Hey, marriage is a lot like trick or treating anyway so if the gown fits ...

Location: Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel (several packages)
Stag/Hen Parties: Sanctuary at Krave
Honeymoon: New Orleans

2. Extreme Weddings
Aisles? Aisles are for wimps. If you really want to prove your everlasting devotion, jump out of a plane while getting married. There's also the safer, helicopter weddings, but it just depends how much you want to back up that lifelong commitment. Actions speak louder than words.

Location: Helicopters or other places that usually doesn't involve standing
Stag/Hen Parties: Mix, ghostbar, VooDoo Lounge or other high altitude venues
Honeymoon: In a tent at the bottom of the Grand Canyon

3. The Love Hangover
If you're in Vegas with the one you love this could be a great story to tell the kids. If you end up in this situation with a stranger, then obviously you didn't heed my hormones-alcohol warning or your name is Britney Spears.

It goes down like this: You start the evening out with a nice dinner and a bottle of wine. Before you know it, you're at a bar doing your best Nicholas Cage 'Leaving Las Vegas' impersonation and somewhere between the fourth and fifth shot of Jagermeister, you and your significant other, or significant stranger, decide to enter into unholy matrimony.

The sad truth is you can get your paperwork and married faster than you can grab a cab at McCarran during peak travel times.

Location: Any chapel where the taxi driver drops you off
Stag/Hen Parties: N/A
Honeymoon: Hotel buffet

4. The King and We
Elvis-themed Vegas weddings are an industry within an industry within an industry. What started out as a novelty experience more than 25 years ago at the Graceland Chapel, has ballooned just like the Elvis did in the early '70s.

Now, you can have Elvis marry you in a car, in a bar or even on a bicycle. He can sing before, during or after your wedding or just walk the bride down the aisle.

Location: Graceland Chapel
Stag/Hen Parties: Champagnes Cafe, Lucky Strike Lanes
Honeymoon: Memphis

5. Fairy-tale Wedding
What wedding guide would be complete without a fairy-tale wedding option? While the extreme and quirky weddings always get the attention, if you've watched the nonstop wedding coverage on Style Network, you know that typically traditional weddings do occur in Vegas. Given the mirage-like surroundings of the desert, there's almost no better place to have a fairy-tale wedding. In Vegas, you can get married in Paris, Italy, Egypt or Rio. There's probably nothing more romantic than a sunset wedding on a boat on Lake Las Vegas, unless the bride gets seasick in which in that case, stick to the Bellagio Wedding Chapel or the Star Trek Wedding.

Location: Any of the major casinos
Stag/Hen Parties: Scores, Chippendales (hey, it's tradition)
Honeymoon: Honolulu

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Vegas isn't known for its arts and culture scene. The argument can be made that neon is a fine art, magic shows are legitimate theater and nightclubs and gentlemen's clubs provide all the dance anyone would ever need. Sure, Musicals like 'Phantom of the Opera' and Cirque shows fit the category as a classical art form, but what do people do where do people go when they're feeling really artsy?

Visitors that take a break from the steely handshake of the slot machines or venture off of the lush, green felt of the poker tables can find arts and culture alive and well, getting better.

Here are five places to get artsy in Vegas:

1. Guggenheim Hermitage -- The first bit of evidence is the Guggenheim Hermitage at the Venetian. Hot spots like TAO, Rao's and Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill get all of the accolades as the quintessential New York transplants in Vegas, but this is the freaking Guggenheim.

The museum is closed right now getting ready for a new 'Modern Masters' exhibit launching later in July which should big hit.

2. Liberace Museum -- Promise yourself that you'll visit the Liberace Museum during one of your trips to Vegas. The Off-Strip piano pantheon pays tribute to Liberace and is unique Vegas arts and pop culture. The flamboyant entertainer was the highest paid entertainer in Vegas at one time. This video tour through his wardrobe, fancy cars and one-of-a-kind pianos proves that Liberace was bling before bling was cool. Plus, if you go Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday, you can catch a live Liberace musical tribute by Wes Winters.

I predict in the next couple of years, Liberace will make a deserved comeback as a pop icon brand. I can see a biopic movie starring Crispin Glover or Johnny Depp in the title role. He was bling before bling

3. First Friday -- Since 2002, this is the closest thing Vegas has to an underground art scene and it's not so underground. It's a monthly visual and performing arts festival occurring on, you guessed it, the first Friday of every month.

The event has also become a major social event since it started in 2002.More than a 100 artists get together and display there wares while thousands of potential patrons hit the downtown arts district and neighboring bars. It's a great time to celebrate art, celebrate alcohol and since it's Vegas, some of the after parties last well beyond the official 10PM closing time.

4. Las Vegas Philharmonic -- Any great city needs a philharmonic, right? This Vegas institution gets a lot of attention for the Star Spangled Spectacular concert celebrating July 4th, but they have ongoing concerts and series that make symphonic-produced music palatable to almost anyone. Rach(maninoff) 'n' roll, people.



5. Artisan Hotel -- This was a tough choice. Casinos like Bellagio have a fine art gallery and it seems that there are quite a few restaurants and bars in the city hanging Picassos or Matisses for the digestive benefit of their patrons. The boutique Artisan Hotel wins out because of the number of art-ifcats and curios hanging on the walls and ceilings (above). Plus they make a pretty mean martini at the lounge and it's dark enough to get lost. Take a video tour.

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When people think of crazy music fans, old TV images of girls pulling their hair out at an Elvis Presley concert or fainting at the site of The Beatles come to mind. Then there are Jimmy Buffet's Parrot Heads with their props and costumes that proudly defy interpretation.

Perhaps the most overlooked crazed fan base is the Fanilows, fans of Barry Manilow. Even though Fanilows were 'outed' on an episode of 'Will & Grace,' they still largely remain unrecognized in the shadows of fandom.

Since 2005 when Barry launched his 'Music and Passion' show at the Las Vegas Hilton, Vegas has been Fanilow central. Ironically, the Hilton is the same location Elvis performed in his '70s Vegas heyday when it was known as the International. Whereas there is a statue commemorating the King of Rock 'n' Roll's appearances there, Barry has the largest hand-painted mural in Vegas celebrating his run in Vegas.

Unless someone has a visible 'Tony Hearts Lola' tattoo, it's hard to spot a Fanilow. There are really no outwardly detectable clues.

Fanilows are not so much into the self-mutilation like the Elvis fans, but are more passionate seemingly borrowing a line from Barry's 'Copacabana' hit: "Music and passion are always in fashion" when it comes to the Fanilows and their love for the Manilow.

Fanilows tend to be collectors and express their hopeless devotion with Barry-flavored merchandise. You might be a Fanilow if you walk into your living room and you have more than 100 Barrys looking back at you in the form of pillows, blankets, posters and the obligatory bobble head dressed in Barry's signature red velvet jacket.

In fact, you can buy one of four Barry bobbleheads at the Barry Manilow store at the Las Vegas Hilton. Some of the more interesting trinkets to prove your Fanilowness are (pictured below in order) the dog sweater, the baby onsie, the light up fan and the slot machine. You should browse the Barry Manilow online store, there's fragrance, lip balm, dog tags and even Barry wine.



In the Barry vs. Elvis debate it's interesting that Elvis is more associated with Vegas than any other music legend. I know Wayne Newton is Mr. Vegas and my fellow Sintatrians will disagree, but how many Frank Sinatra and Wayne Newton impersonators are marrying couples on Las Vegas Blvd.? If the Fanilows have anything to say about it, Barry will be in Vegas for many years and he will become the Mr. Vegas.

Maybe one day, in the not so distant future, someone that looks like Barry will be ordained as a minister and vested by the State of Nevada to marry couples and then the Fanilows can drive down the Strip in a Barry Manilow themed car and blast "Looks Like We Made It."

On a side note, Sunday, June 17 is Barry Manilow's birthday so Happy Birthday, Barry.

When anyone asks me where to stay, eat and play while in Vegas, I answer the question with a question: "How much money do you have to spend?" Let's face it, money is the reason Vegas exists. There is something fun for every budget, but before I can dispense recommendations for a French restaurant, I need to know if we're talking Guy Savoy at Caesars or the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich at Arby's.

What if you had $1 million to spend in Vegas and 48 hours to do it? It's easy enough to put that chunk of change on the roulette wheel or play a few hands of high stakes poker, but that's a few minutes of fun and then what?

Here's some of the best ways to blow your noveau fortune:

WHERE TO STAY
First thing you need to do is find a suitable suite to brush your teeth and gussy up before heading back out to the tables or clubs. If you actually find the time or energy to sleep, good luck, but in any case, you have a million dollars, the money isn't going to spend itself and you have appearances to keep.

Vegas' most opulent suites used to be reserved exclusively for invitation-only casino high rollers -- "whales" with multi-million dollar credit lines and minimum bets of $100,000 a hand. Now, a lottery scratch-off winner, reality show winner or anyone with the cash, can reserve one of these neon palaces.

The most expensive suite in Vegas, and perhaps the world, is the $40,000 a night Hugh Hefner Sky Villa on the 34th and 35th floors of the Palms Fantasy Tower. For the $.46 you're spending each second, you may want to invite 20-30 friends to hang out with you in the cantilevered outdoor pool jacuzzi (pictured). The suite is modeled after the Playboy Mansion in California and also features a round, revolving bed with mirrored ceiling and artwork including Hef originals and prints of the Marilyn Monroe and Pamela Anderson Playboy photo shoots.

If $40,000 a night seems too extravagant, try some of the Palms Fantasy Suites. The more modest Hardwood Suite houses a basketball half-court, a bar, a locker room, an oversized bed and great views for only $25,000 a night. For $15,000 each night, you can bowl naked in the Kingpin Suite which features two bowling lanes, a bar and plenty of room to spread out.

If you want to divert even more of your lodging funds to your gambling budget, try the Crib Suite (pictured above) for $4000 a night. You can hire a star DJ for a few thousand dollars and throw a great party. In keeping the hip-hop theme, the hydraulic beds make for a great time, but will ruin you for regular, non-Craftmatic beds. The Crib Suite also has one of the fantasy suite Show Showers which translates "a pole in the shower with windows." You can figure out the uses.

If you're looking for something more classic Vegas, try the Verona Suite at Las Vegas Hilton which has more than 25 televisions, six fireplaces and his and her jacuzzis. The nightly tab is $17,500 which is a little more than $1 a square foot.

TOYS & OTHER VICES

Exotic Cars at Caesars Palace has more than 40 cars priced more than $1 million and it is the only Koenigsegg dealer in the U.S. As such, this hot rod heaven is the only place around here to get the Koenigsegg CCX, the U.S. version of the world's fastest production car. The highly sought super-car will set you back around $700K before options so trick it out a little bit, but keep a little cash so you can afford the continually rising gas prices.

Whether it's suites or cars, Vegas casinos are competing for high rollers from Macau to Dubai and if one of the luxury casinos gets an exotic car dealership, chances are they'll all get them. Wynn Las Vegas has a Penske Ferrari Maserrati dealership and in the last couple of years, a Lamborghini dealership opened nearby and King of Cars has a Rolls Royce Bentley dealership.

Feeling active? Treat a few friends to $500 rounds of golf. If you're staying at Wynn Las Vegas, you can play the only course on the Strip (above) even getting a suite right on the links. If you're pimping it up at Bellagio, the Mansion or the Sky Lofts at MGM Grand, you're eligible to play Shadow Creek and if you're at Caesars or any of its sister properties, go to Cascata.

Before hitting the links, head over to one of the Davidoff shops in Vegas to grab some stogies. Spend 1 percent of your fortune on a $1,000 box of Fuente OpusX cigars and for added effect, you can either light your cigars with $100 bills or splurge on a $40,000 lighter.

If fashion is your passion, you can probably unload one-third of your million dollars on clothes, shoes and accessories, easy. Your first stop should be The Forum Shops at Caesars. There, you can clean out Jimmy Choos with shoes about $500 a pop. You'll probably spend the rest of the day at boutiques like Armani, Versace, Gucci and Robert Cavalli, but if you have the time, stop by Harry Winston's for a $12,000 watch.

If you still have a shopping bug, cross the Strip and swing into the Esplanade at Wynn Las Vegas. Cartier, Manolo, Gaultier, Chanel and Vuitton will help your mission by taking some of that cash off of your hands in exchange for luxury goods. The quintessential mall in Vegas is Fashion Show Mall and while there are some high-end options there, you only have 48 hours so it's better to stick in the boutiques where it's much easier to drop $20,000 for a couple of outfits. If you do make it Fashion Show Mall, focus on the Sharper Image for the $1,000 Connoisseur Collection of Trump Steaks, a $4,500 robot massage chair, a $5,000 Lord of the Rings pinball machine, a $5,000 7-foot Superman statue and a $9,000 Harley-Davidson jukebox. This might put you over your carry on limit for your flight home, so you may need to set some cash aside for shipping.

FINE DINING & THE $6,000 COMBO MEAL
Some of the most expensive meals can be found at the top French restaurants. Both Guy Savoy at Caesars and Joel Robuchon at the Mansion will lighten your wallet by about $300 per person so be a hero and buy dinner for the whole restaurant. You're on a timeframe here and need to rack up the receipts.

You can head back to the Palms and order the $6,000 combo meal (above) from room service. It's actually a juicy $6 Carl's Jr. hamburger with a juicier $5994 bottle of '82 Petrus. Oh, you also get a side of fries.

The desert heat makes it necessary to stay hydrated and what better way to get your water than a $150 bottles of BlingH20. It's bottled water in a Swarovski-studded bottle and has been enjoyed by Jamie Foxx, Bono and Paris Hilton.

If your spending spree could last more than a weekend to drop $1 million you could 104 straight days worth of non-stop dances at Scores Las Vegas or watch Cirque du Soleil's 'O' every day for the next 28 years or enter every event in the World Series of Poker for $194,000, but that's for a different story.

Happy spending.

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PARTY WAS OFFICIALLY CANCELED.

They say fame has a price and while that observation is usually intended to reflect the personal sacrifices a celebrity makes to be famous, it takes on a different meaning when it comes to celebrity birthday parties.

Let's say you wanted to throw Lindsay Lohan a birthday party, the price of fame is a cool $1 million. That's the price tag for Vegas nightclubs interested in hosting her next birthday party. To be fair, it is her 21st birthday so she can legally drink and given her off-screen , out-of-studio mishaps, there is a direct correlation between the public's fascination with her alcohol intake and the seven-figure asking price. I assume, unlike Paris Hilton who loves to sing in public, the $1 million doesn't include any songs off of her albums.

Did PURE win the LiLo birthday sweepstakes? Seen here with Cindy Crawford last week at AURA, PURE's sister new luxury club in the Bahamas, Lindsay was shopping her party around as far back as December with a starting bid of $250,000. Even though Lindsay told Ellen that she was going to milk this party for all it's worth because it's a milestone, club execs have gone on record saying they wouldn't pay $1-million, but I've spotted PURE ad banners (see extract below) popping up around Vegas sites proclaiming "the biggest birthday bash of the decade." The party will certainly attract media crews from all over the world and kick off 4th of July festivities here in Vegas and bring an endless supply of publicity for PURE. So wharver the cost, it is money well spent.

STARS GET PAID TO PLAY?
"Wait a second," you may interrupt. "Stars get paid to celebrate their birthday on top of regular presents?" The answer is yes and in Vegas, it's a significant amount of cash. Just as stars walk out of awards shows and galas with hefty goodie bags that hold enough loot to finance a professionally made YouTube video, so to do they get paid to attend their own birthday party. And the benefits package usually includes a private jet, a limo with free suites, food and drink.

Where for your birthday you or your friends might pay for your trip to Vegas, a limo, cover at a nightclub and drop $2000 on bottle service, a celebrity will get it all for free in most cases and even take home a paycheck. Of course the right celeb's name on a marquee will bring in hundreds, if not thousands of people wanting to party with the star so the investment is worth it. I suspect, your name on the marquee, will not have the same effect on the club's bottom line which is why the star gets paid to play and you do not.

SHE'S IN PARTIES
A popular celebrity birthday girl in Vegas is Paris Hilton. She reportedly earned a six-figure salary to celebrate her 25th birthday at PURE last year and just before her birthday party this year at Body English inside the Hard Rock, she got a cool $1 million to attend a party in Austria. Her party at Body English (sexy flyer and cake below) was smack dab in the middle of NBA All-Star Weekend and to fans that braved the crowds and traffic jams, they were treated to an impromptu performance from Ludacris while Paris danced jumped on stage.

Stars don't have to celebrate a birthday to get paid for showing up at a party. The figure for Britney Spears' now-classic fainting performance at PURE on New Year's Eve was $240,000. To count down from 10 to one and wish the crowd a Happy New Year, she was paid $16,000 a syllable. Of course that was the beginning of the downward spiral that left her wigged out and eventually in wigs. But, spending the first few seconds of 2007 in the same room as Brit was a treat for fans.

IT'S ALL RELATIVE
Star parties have become such the norm here that B-Listers (and in a one or two cases, no listers) are walking their own red carpets to the bank. The paydays may be considerably lower than one of the "big three" (LiLo, Brit or Paris), but the perks and party favors are the same from the fancy cakes by Jean-Philippe to the big, glossy ads in Las Vegas Weekly. And that's one of the great equalizing qualities of Vegas.

Even Kevin Federline, who, barring a sex tape or taking over for Rosie on 'The View,' is on the waning end of his 15 minutes, gets the package. The actual paycheck for his PURE party was rumored to be in the lowest five-digit range, but the perks could easily double the compensation. He unfortunately celebrated his birthday the same night as Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Club so it was hard to play 'Spot-the-Celebrity' as most of the stars were at Hef's. He had planned a second party in Los Angeles, but canceled it after the major magazines balked at the $25,000 price for exclusive media rights.

Regardless of the price of the party, the best thing about these celebrity birthday soirees is that they allow the fans to get into cell phone camera range of their favorite celebrities which is a unique proposition for most of America where a birthday perk is a free meal at a diner and maybe a discounted beer at the local pub.

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David Hasselhoff knows all too well that all the world is a soundstage. When the Hoff and his daughter, slash impromptu director, Taylor-Ann (above right) made one of the more infamous Las Vegas hotel room tapes, they obviously have never seen the "What Happens in Vegas' commercials. And now, we have the image a bare-chested, sloppy drunk Hoff battling beef and lettuce engrained into our head -- one man's tragedy is another's YouTube fodder.

The Hoff could have been this generation's John Wayne and before you write the hate mail for me comparing the Hoff to the Duke, I emphasize this generation's -- two very different times. But alas, David Hasselhoff also knows all too well that timing is everything.

The Hoff had already planned an exit stage right from the Vegas version of 'The Producers' before he was caught on tape 'Hasseling his burger.' The official story is he needed to focus on hosting 'America's Got Talent' -- which doesn't seem to mesh with his enthusiasm earlier this year when he talked about buying a downtown Vegas loft to move here and open a sexy Vegas revue once his run in 'The Producers' ended.

Whatever the reason, the question is being asked as to whether 'The Producers' will last in a post-Hoff world. Broadway legend Harvery Fierstein came into Vegas with as much fanfare as the Hoff when he opened 'Hairspray' at the Luxor. After his three-month run ended, 'Hairspray' lost its hold soon after.

There's enough talent and production value in 'The Producers' to carry the show. The problem is perception. If you spend that much energy on the marquee of a show, it makes for a tough ticket sell once the star leaves. Why would anybody want to pay Vegas prices to see a show that they can see at a local community theater? On a couple of price checks, the Vegas version of 'The Producers' was charging more money for a ticket than the Broadway version. I know, I know, I know that the production values and talent are certainly night-and-day better than a community theater, but again, it's the perception.

When a Vegas visitor goes into their wallet to pay $100 for a ticket, do they want to see something they can see anywhere else or do they want to see something special? If all the shows had a more reasonable price tag, they could partake in both, but expenses being what they are, the visitor is going to opt for the something special.

David Hasselhoff was that something special, a big-name personality, to attract an audience. 'Phantom' at The Venetian seems to have longevity for a Broadway show in Vegas and that production focused on technical talent bringing in legendary director Hal Prince and amping up the special effects to give audiences a unique Vegas experience. Again, it's that something special.

REWINDING THE KLOK

Just as one 'Baywatch' star is leaving, another 'Baywatcher' is replacing a third 'Baywatch' alum. Confused?

You may remember hearing about a new Vegas magic show starring Hans Klok and Carmen Elektra. Hans is the international illusionist known for the speed at which he performs his illusions. In fact you, their show was titled 'Faster Than Magic.' Well, just before the curtain was supposed to go up on that show, Carmen decided that she didn't really know she was signing up for so many rehearsals and performances when she signed her 13 week deal.

Enter Pamela Anderson. Pamela had been keeping a low Vegas profile since the Kid Rock Wedding Experience began almost a year ago. After her appearance at the World Series of Poker last July, she popped in Vegas to host a New Year's Eve party, but has been relatively quiet.

The blonde sex symbol should perform wonders the page views of local Vegas sites this summer as I'm sure there will be many sightings since she has signed on to star with Hans in 'The Beauty of Magic.' Rather than just replace Carmen with Pamela in the original show, they're launching a new show.

THE SECRET TO SHOWBIZ SUCCESS IN VEGAS

While sex appeal is often in the recipe for success of a Vegas show, uniqueness shouldn't be underestimated. It's one of the main reasons that Vegas has five sustainable Cirque du Soleil shows like 'Mystere' or 'Ka' or 'O' with more in the pipeline. Each show is different and can't be seen live anywhere else other than here in the desert.

Another secret to Cirque du Soleil's success takes a page from the brewing immigration debate: you don't need to speak English to enjoy majority of the shows. With a lot of international tourism in Vegas, that's a significant point. 'Zumanity' is an exception but sexuality is the star there which acts as a theatrical Rosetta Stone. The Beatles' songs in 'LOVE' are in English, but again, everybody knows The Beatles and the songs are musically gifted so even if you don't understand the lyrics, the marriage of music and motion is universal.

It's than universality that has developed a market in Vegas for magic than can support Hans Klok and the already long list of magic shows in Vegas. That's why various publications have dubbed Sin City as the "Magic Capital of the World." In the magic shows, a lot of the set-up to a trick may be in English, but when Lance Burton makes $10 million ($1,198,753,000 Yen.) worth of gold disappear, you don't need a Berlitz guide book to translate

Just imagine when magic combines with Cirque du Soleil in Criss Angel's show at the Luxor. That has the triple crown of Vegas attractions: a big-name personality, magic and Cirque du Soleil.

In the meantime, I'll stick to the glorified images of the Hoff.

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As city after city bans or limits smoking in public, they used to say Vegas would be the last haven in America for cigar smokers.

Well, Sin City enacted a smoking ban in the continuing 'Californication' of Vegas and another vice bites the dust.

The ban doesn't totally outlaw stogies here, but it's a slippery legislative slope. OK, I can see why smoking at 7-Eleven and the grocery stores is bad. I'll give you that.

However, as evidenced from photos over the last 10 decades from random cowboys to the Rat Pack to conventioneers, the cigar garners as much lore as anything else in Vegas. Smoking a great cigar is a leisurely pasttime and hey, that's what Vegas is all about.

There are still puff palaces where the cigar is celebrated and here are five places to smoke a cigar in Vegas.

1. Playboy Club -- With every visit here, I get more convinced that this must be like what heaven is like. On a recent trip I chilled in a booth and watched a few celebrities play big money blackjack while sipping on straight gin and smoking a cigar. Not to mention the bevy of bunnies all over the place. The decor (above) has this classic, sexy vibe that's perfect for bringing old-school Vegas alive in a modern environment with a cigar, a cocktail and a bunny tail.

2. Casa Fuente -- This cigar bar is an interesting concept located at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. If you recognize the name, it is affiliated with the Fuente family and in fact they roll a special cigar just for this location.

The ban forced smoking from the patio inside the shopping mecca to the inside confines of the cigar bar, but it's still a welcome oasis. Think about this, while your partner shops, you can chill, light up and even order a mojito. Brilliant.

3. Foundation Room -- If you're the exclusive type and you have a membership to the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, you can take the private elevator 43 stories to the top, head to the outdoor balcony and light up while enjoying too-cool-for-words views of the Strip (above).

Since it's a private club, I could have easily substituted the public views at VooDoo at Rio or ghostbar at Palms or even the carbon copy of the Foundation's balcony next door at Mix at THEhotel, but Foundation Room opens its doors to non-members on Monday nights for the Godspeed party. If you go and you got 'em, smoke 'em.

4. Scores -- This isn't your typical gentlemen's club. Sure, there are familiar sights, but the focus here is on indulgence. As an example, the club focuses on wine and champagne instead of the $2 kamikaze shots at other joints and cigars are part of that indulging luxury. In fact, Scores has a 'robusto' section for cigars on their Web site.

5. Havana Cigar Company -- There's a lot of testosterone on this list, so the last spot goes to a chill location at Lake Las Vegas where we can commune with man-made nature. Chicks with sticks are some of the more enticing sights known to man and this location at Montelago Village (they also have a location on Paradise) is a perfect place for unisex smoking.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hard Rock -- The rocking places to smoke a cigar here are out by the pool and in the sports bar.

Fremont Street -- If your schedule allows a trip Downtown, wait until dark and then light up, walk around and soak in the neon (below) for an old-school Vegas vibe and live entertainment.

Golf Courses -- There are 50 in the area and the temperature isn't in the 100s yet, so enjoy.

BEST PLACES TO BUY A STICK
Most casinos have a humidor or a kiosk with cigars for sale. Davidoff (five locations) stands out, but one of the best casino stores is Cuba Libre at Hard Rock. If I'm hitting Nobu, Body English or a concert at The Joint and caught without my stash, I can duck into there for one of the classiest selections in town.

If you're going off-off-Strip, places like Tobacco Leaf (Southeast), Ideal (McCarran area) or Tinderbox (Northwest) have better pricec and pretty deep inventory on accessories. And all have some sort of online ordering.

For now it looks like cigar smoking and smoking in general are still tolerated. If the De-Vice Squad outlaws half-yard margaritas Downtown or slot machines in grocery stores, then there may be room for concern. Until that happens, I'm just going to keep on with my Fuente 858s and my Romeo y Julieta's Maduro Reserves and smoke 'em while I got 'em.

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Ah, the smell of chlorine, cocoa butter, peroxide and margarita in the air can only mean one thing: It's pool season in Vegas. Now that Rehab (above), one of the biggest pool parties in the country, is open for another season at the Hard Rock , Sin City officially becomes Skin City. It's the time of the year when the days in Vegas start to get as hot (literally and figuratively) as the nights.

This year, the Vegas ''watering hole'' trends pick up where last season ended and it's clear that pools aren't just for swimming anymore. When you're here this summer, keep an eye out as the topless trend goes wild, nightclubs expand their brands and stuff so much entertainment poolside, it's like Ron Jeremy trying to fit into a Speedo.

The news that NBC's 'Las Vegas' will have a life in a post James Caan-Nikki Cox world doesn't surprise me. Other shows would have to jump the shark to keep the audience tuned in, but with 'Las Vegas,' when two of the show's stars cash out their chips, the Montecito, the show's fictional casino, is still accepting guests for at least a fifth season.

Tom Selleck is reported to take over as the fun-loving and charming owner of the Montecito in a typical Selleckian role, but one of the biggest stars in 'Las Vegas' is well, Las Vegas. Vegas is a big sexyland with an energy and aspirational lifestyle, people want to read, watch and live Vegas, if even vicariously through films television and movies. There's so many TV shows and movies made and/or set in Vegas and so many stars crawling the Vegas Strip on any given day, that the argument can be made that Vegas is the new Hollywood.

There's even a lot of stars hanging around the Montecito. For Tom, this will be the actor and his moustache's first regular small-screen gig since his days as Ferrari-driving private investigator Thomas Magnum. Both Magnum and 'Vega$' P.I. Dan Tanna had shiny red cars and were big pimpin' before pimpin' was cool.

I keep odd hours which I think is why Vegas and me get along so well. 'Anything at anytime' is the Vegas way which comes in handy when I'm up at 3AM cranking out hard-hitting journalism or creating stupid videos and I want shrimp cocktail.

It's that free-spirit mentality that has always made Vegas a utopia for comedians. Before the two-drink minimum days of comedy clubs, Vegas was the only place for top comics like Johnny Carson, Shecky Greene and Don Rickles to peform regularly. Even Rat Pack performances in that pre-Cirque era were a series of jokes and one-liners padded with songs.

THE BARR IS BACK
Today, one of the hottest tickets in Vegas is Roseanne Barr. She's midway through a six-week run at New York-New York and the name of the show seems appropriate for Vegas: 'All You Can Eat Comedy.' Unless you also keep odd hours and watch the nightly 'Roseanne' mini-marathons on Nick at Nite, it's easy to forget she had the no. 1 show in the country at one time. Shows like 'Friends' and 'Seinfeld' are on so many local and cable channels that they don't leave room for many other syndicated sitcoms. I remember when 'I Love Lucy' used to be on all day long on one channel or another and it seems Lucille Ball has been replaced by other re-run redheads like Debra Messing, Laura Prepon and Reba.

Then there was Roaseanne's off-stage issues once her show ended like the fallout and tabloid headlines from her worst damn marriage period. It seemed like she disappeared for a long time surfacing here and there for a movie or play or a TV gig. Recently, she's staying busy with the Vegas show and tour, her HBO comedy special, 'Roseanne Barr: Blonde & Bitchin' and even released a kids DVD and showed up in Vegas for The Comedy Festival where she played in the celebrity poker tournament.