Nightlife

We had a busy weekend, getting to more detailed work on our kitchen remodel. We finished creating the pantry: deciding on what kind of shelving to put up, and what type and spacing, then actually putting it all together. At least now we can clear the plastic bins out of the TV room where all of that stuff has been stored during the work. I also put up all of the door trim and finished up the island, getting all of the cabinets properly spaced and bolted together and clad in stainless side panels. Now it just comes to picking out tile, countertops, flooring and colors. It seems the detail stuff takes longer than the big pieces.

We spent Friday night with a group doing a scavenger hunt downtown. It’s been years since we did anything like this, and this one was very interesting. We had lists of things to photograph, and things to collect. Fremont Street is rather busy on a Friday night – there were three or four bands playing, there was a sign twirling competition (those street corner guys with the big arrows and for sale signs that dance and throw them around to get your attention) and a lot of street performers and people in costumes waiting for tourists to get their photos taken with them. Overhead is the big video screen that stretches across the street and is three blocks long. Several years ago Fremont was changed to a walking street, and it was filled with thousands of people.

Most of our scavenger hunt was spent in taking photos, after figuring out some of the clues. Simple things like a photo of Elvis, showgirls posing with tourists, a bartender making a fancy drink, a tourist in flip flops – that kind of stuff. Other items were for collections – collect napkins from four different casinos, get a keno ticket from one place, a sports betting ticket from another, that kind of thing that made us run all over the area. We had a great time, it’s been a while since we went downtown, usually we hit the big casinos on the Strip. Several of the old casinos on Fremont have changed hands and redecorated. It really is a fun place to spend an evening. We are getting to be old farts and get to bed early (coupled with my having to get up at 4:30 each morning to get into work).

That’s unlike Frankie over there on the right – he’s a bartender that doesn’t get off until the wee hours of the morning, then goes out looking for good cheap eats around town. We’ve never hit the big clubs here in Vegas, most of them don’t open their doors until 10pm, and the beautiful people don’t go there until after midnight. We sometimes see them leaving in the morning when the bright summer sun is up and they are tired out from drinking and dancing all night and are out looking for breakfast along with us.

Our local paper had several big articles this weekend on the club scene in Vegas. Seven of the top ten biggest nightclubs are here in town, do if you are a party type person then this is the place to be. Just be sure to bring plenty of money.

The top club is XS at Encore, bringing in over $80,000,000 in revenue last year. It tied with Marquee at the Cosmopolitan which has only been open for two years, being at the top spot both of those. Marquee, as most of the clubs, has costumed dancers, world famous DJs and ’hip’ décor. It’s over 60,000 square feet (5500 square meters) and entertains thousands every night. These are followed by Tao at the Venetian, LIV in Miami, Surrender at Wynn, Pure at Caesars, Lavo New York, Tryst at Wynn, Lavo at the Palazzo here in town and Mango’s in Miami. So Vegas for seven, New York for one and Miami Beach for two. Guess there is not much party going on in Omaha (some good steaks though).

So, come to Vegas to party, gamble, see the sights, eat great food, enjoy the warm weather and hot pool, visit the nearby parks or just get away from home. We have over 180,000 hotel rooms and get 30,000,000 tourists a year. Bring plenty of money – how do you think all of those fancy casinos and resorts keep the lights on?