Are You Planning a Trip to Las Vegas?

If you’re looking for a silver lining to the Great Recession, look no further than the fantastic travel deals sprouting up everywhere in Las Vegas. When Las Vegas decided to increase its luxury quotient, the city took some heat for the corresponding rise in room rates and restaurant tabs. Now a savvy traveler can stay in first-class hotels and enjoy fine dining and shows for very reasonable rates.

I knew Las Vegas had some great deals, but I didn’t realize how great until I researched hotels and attractions for a couple of guides I posted on NileGuide.com. The advertised rates I saw made me wish I was booking a room on the Strip. The last time I stayed at the Mandalay Bay for a stay-cation, I was aghast at the room rates—but that was a few years ago.

If you’re researching a trip to any destination, I suggest visiting NileGuide. Their site combines multiple travel-related searches. Users can simultaneously check several travel sites for flights and rental cars (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.), and then research (and book) hotels, attractions, and shows using reviews gleaned from individuals, local experts, and sources like Frommers. NileGuide users can then create a customized itinerary that breaks down a trip day-by-day, stop by stop. Most of us who love to travel also like to read the reviews of hotels and attractions, and one of the things I like about NileGuide is that it carries reviews from professional travel writers/reviewers along with comments from regular folks.

Since I believe that I’m pretty well-informed about what to do in and around Las Vegas, I had a great time writing a couple of guides. If you’re thinking of taking a trip to Las Vegas, click over to NileGuide and see my recommendations on where to stay and what to do while you’re in town. One guide is a weekend escape without the kids, and one explores the outside adventures around the city.
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Photo information: My pictures of the “Sirens of TI” show at the Treasure Island.

The 40th Anniversay of the Classic Movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Okay, I admit it--I have a special fondness for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the classic movie starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It's the first movie I remember seeing at the theater, and I was hooked from the opening credits until the final scene.

When I started exploring back roads and ghost towns around Las Vegas, I was delighted to find that part of the movie was shot near Las Vegas, in and around Zion National Park. Some of the scenes of Etta's home were filmed in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. I became determined to find Grafton, and although I had to dig through maps and even get a little lost while searching for it, it was worth the effort. (I also found that Butch, Sundance, and Etta weren't the only actual historical characters mentioned in the movie. I was researching Caliente, Nevada, for an article and discovered that E.H. Harriman, who is mentioned frequently in the movie as the outraged railroad magnate, was involved in a railroad dispute in Caliente in the late 1800s.)

Here are some of my pictures, taken on a visit to Grafton a couple of years ago. Grafton is just outside Springdale and Zion, about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas. The turn-off is not well-marked, and private individuals own much of the land in and around the ghost town. You'll see working farms and cattle wandering around if you visit. ~Photo information, from top to bottom: The Grafton Schoolhouse, which is being restored-- watch the movie and you'll see it in the background behind Etta's house; the privately owned home that is allegedly the place where the scenes of Butch (Paul Newman) and Etta (Katharine Ross) riding a bicycle were filmed; and two other buildings around Grafton--in sepia, in honor of the movie.~

The Las Vegas Mob Museum: An Offer You Can’t Refuse

Since I grew up in Las Vegas, I learned about the Mob at an early age. After my parents went to see The Godfather, they had an intense discussion back at home about the real people they thought Mario Puzo had based the characters on. My parents came to Las Vegas in the 1950s, and since my dad was a bartender, he knew a large assortment of shady characters.

I remember the day he proudly told me one of his cop friends had informed him that he was listed as a “known associate of organized crime figures.” He was beaming like he had just won a prize. Dad knew movie stars, famous singers, and a lot of cops, but he liked his mobster buddies the best. He was one of the first people I heard say that the town was better when the Mob ran things, long before that sentiment became a Las Vegas cliché. If Dad were still alive, you can bet that he would have loved the idea of The Mob Museum. He’d probably have been planning to be the first person in line when they open. (Currently scheduled for 2011.)

Recent newspaper articles have pointed out that here in Las Vegas, we’re rather proud of our Mob heritage. Our mayor played himself in the movie Casino. We have a street named after Bugsy Siegel. Although our mobsters arrived here from back East, you aren’t likely to see a Mob museum in Chicago or New York because they’re not so crazy about embracing their organized crime histories. Not so in Las Vegas, a place pleased to be known as the city founded by the Mob. (Technically that’s not true, but we’ve also got a reputation for playing with the facts just a little bit.)

I plan on visiting the Mob Museum when it opens. I think the redaction in the museum’s name is funny, probably owing to the years I spent working for Metro. I was never able to find any information on Dad being a “known associate,” but I did find his record for bookmaking in Los Angeles. He told me L.A. was a “wide open” town, not run by one specific family, unlike Kansas City, Detroit, or Tucson. His best friend in L.A. was a lieutenant with the LAPD, but according to Dad, they had an agreement that he would keep his business out of Uncle Willy’s precinct.

When Dad went to work as the bar manager at the Aladdin in the 1970s, I was too young to know that it was a clue about his connections. Not until after he passed away did I discover the Aladdin’s ties to the Mob. I just knew that I liked hanging out with the girls in harem costumes that he frequently assigned to baby-sit me while he went about his business. One of Dad’s friend owned a villa behind the Aladdin. The villas, as they were known, were a string of bungalows east of the hotel, and we got to visit his buddy’s villa and use the pool. And Dad mysteriously wound up driving a brand new Lincoln Mark V, right up until the day when the FBI showed up at our house to talk to him about his villa-owning pal, who also owned the Lincoln. After his friend wound up in a federal prison somewhere, the Lincoln disappeared.

In the late 1970s, Dad worked at a local bar allegedly run by a Chicago mobster. I remember my parents talking about one of the owner’s brothers having to disappear for a while, but I never got the details on whether it was because of law enforcement or a run-in with other mobsters. In the mid-1980s, after Dad no longer worked there, I was working at Metro when a couple of my friends and I stopped in that bar one night. One of my friends was an undercover cop. I made sure to say hello to the bar’s owner. “I’m Walt’s daughter,” I said, and he immediately recognized me. He stopped to chat for a minute and comp our drinks, and after he walked away, my cop friend looked at me incredulously. “You know him?” he asked. I explained that he was one of my Dad’s friends, and we left it at that.

My dad wasn’t circumspect about his “friends,” but my mom kept all her secrets to herself. Maybe that FBI visit did it. I was working on a story a couple of years ago, and I was trying to remember some of the famous mobsters Dad had known. Since Dad had passed away, I asked Mom. “Why don’t you just leave that part out,” she said.

“Mom, those people are dead,” I said.

“I know. I still don’t think you need to mention it,” she insisted. Mom was still alive when the idea for the Mob Museum surfaced, but I don’t remember her giving me an opinion about it. I’m pretty sure that if she were still around, she’d want to be in the front of the line on opening day just as much as Dad.

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Photo information: My parents at Hoover Dam, circa 1959

A Tragedy in Death Valley

I cried this morning when I read the RJ’s front page story about Alicia Sanchez and her 6-year-old son, Carlos. According to the article, Alicia and Carlos were stranded in a remote section of Death Valley National Park on Saturday, August 1, after she took a wrong turn and her vehicle got stuck in a hole. On Wednesday, her little boy died. Alicia was rescued in time to save her own life, but according to the article, “she was just barely hanging on.” Speaking as a mother, I imagine that she probably didn’t care at that point if she came home or not. The mental images in my mind of what this poor woman and her little boy went through broke my heart.

The desert is a brutal place in summer. Death Valley got its name because of the deaths of pioneers (members of the ill-fated 49ers) attempting to traverse it—in December. It’s one of the hottest places on earth, and its wilderness is vast and lightly traveled, especially at this time of year. This tragic incident proves that it can still claim a life, and Carlos is the third person to die in Death Valley this year.

Alicia had food and water with her, knew to stay with her vehicle, and even hiked to a higher point in an attempt to get cell phone service. All those actions are just what you should do. Prior to getting stuck, she had changed a flat tire on her Jeep, so I have to think she is a capable woman—heck, she’s a nurse. Had it not been 119 degrees, I think she and her son would have survived their ordeal.

I’ve lived in the desert my entire life. I’ve explored plenty of dirt roads, several of them with just my 11-year-old son in my Jeep with me. I’ve been to Death Valley in summer. I wondered if I would have turned down that rugged, little-used dirt path that Alicia mistakenly took, the one that stranded her and took her son’s life. Authorities are wondering why she took that turn. They aren’t sure if she was following her GPS, if the GPS’ information was incorrect, or if she was simply adventurous. When she recovers, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of questions for her.

The desert is a beautiful, but harsh, environment. I encourage people to explore the Mojave, but I also tell them not to venture out in the middle of summer. Let’s remember that the 49ers were traveling in winter, and they still lost enough of their party to give the park its name. People underestimate what heat can do. Sensible, outdoors-smart people who would never dream of venturing into sub-zero weather often don’t think twice about driving off into a blisteringly hot desert. It’s easy to understand why. If you have plenty of water, a functioning vehicle with air conditioning and four wheel drive, a reasonable amount of survival knowledge, and the skies are clear, what’s to worry about? Plenty, as this case illustrates.

I like a dirt road just as much as the next person, but when you are traveling with no one other than a child, extra caution is warranted. Actually, I never go on any dirt roads in Death Valley without another adult. The last time we drove Titus Canyon Road, we had a two-vehicle party. Death Valley’s expanses are too remote to tackle alone. The park covers 3.3 million acres. It’s bigger than Yellowstone. Your chances of running into a park ranger or another person are very slim in the less-traveled parts of the park, like the Owl Hole Springs Road Alicia was exploring. Park rangers and other explorers are too few to count on, and cell phone reception is iffy throughout the park and non-existent in canyons. If she’d had another adult, would that have made a difference in this case? Possibly, but I doubt it. Had another adult been with her, she might have gotten the Jeep unstuck, or one adult might have hiked out (at night) to get help. Since she was approximately 30 miles from a paved road, however, that would have been a risky tactic.

I’ve read that one mistake in the wilderness often leads to another mistake, and another, compounding the situation until tragedy strikes. Venturing deeply into the desert in 120 degree heat without another adult is certainly not the best idea, if not a mistake. Continuing on after using your spare tire is definitely a mistake. If you’ve used your spare, turn around and go back unless you’re carrying another spare. Let’s just say she hadn’t gotten stuck in the road. What if she’d gotten another flat tire?

Let’s talk about GPS systems. Personally, I’d rather have a detail map any day. I took a good look at the detail map of Owl Hole Springs Road and felt sick to my stomach. I felt positive that if Alicia had been looking at the same map I was holding, she never would have taken that wrong turn. The sharp right turn is easy to spot on a map. On a GPS, I don’t know what information you get. If you want to explore off the beaten path, I encourage you to buy a good detail map, maybe two. You can pick up one at any bookstore. Four-wheel-driving experts also advise scouting ahead on foot when roads look questionable.

The desert is unforgiving. If you are new to the desert, I encourage you to research desert survival, perhaps even take a desert survival class. Obviously, water is number one on the list of essentials. Shade is also a necessity in the desert’s heat, and learning to build a suitable shade structure, conserve your energy, and signal for help can save your life. Always tell someone exactly where you are going and when you will be back, and make sure that person will notify authorities if you don’t return. Had Alicia's relatives not alerted authorities, she would have perished also. Unfortunately, because she left conflicting information about where she was camping and exploring, rescue efforts were hampered.

My heart aches for this brave mother and her little boy. To say she has my deepest sympathies is a huge understatement. "There but for the grace of God go I" definitely flashed through my mind. The Mojave is an awe-inspiring place, and I only wish she had chosen October instead of August to explore it.

Corrections and updates: In my original post, I erroneously reported Alicia's name as Anita. On August 14, 2009, the Las Vegas Review Journal corrected Carlos' age, which they originally reported as 11. He was 6. The Fox News Report cited the GPS prominently in their headline: "...Mom Says GPS Left Them Stranded in Death Valley."
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Photo information: My photograph of Titus Canyon Road.

Khoury's Fine Wine & Sprits

If you enjoy a nice glass of vino, you'll want to visit Khoury's Fine Wine & Spirits. Khoury's is a locally owned business, which always warms my heart, and their staff is friendly and knowedgable. I visited their Durango location last week for their free wine tasting, and I had a heck of time deciding which of the terrific Brazilian wines I liked best. Their wine cooler, set at a constant 55 degrees, is both beautiful to look at and a pleasure to step into during these hot summer months. If you're not a wine lover, Khoury's also has a large selection of premium spirits, all at very reasonable prices. If you're out and about on Wednesday or Thursday, stop by Khoury's for their free wine tasting--and if it's not a Wednesday or Thursday, stop by anyway! You know you'll enjoy a nice glass of something, and the folks at Khoury's can help you pick just the right thing.

Khoury's has two locations: in Green Valley at 9915 S. Eastern, and in Las Vegas at 7150 S. Durango. These pictures were taken at their Durango location.

Las Vegas Hummingbirds: Unconcerned About Foreclosures

I went through my clippings file today, looking for something positive and uplifting to write about Las Vegas. The best thing I found was an article about a new History Channel reality show, “Pawn Stars,” set at Gold & Silver Pawn down on the Strip. Not exactly what I was looking for. I went over to Google, and found nothing but a collection of doom and gloom. Sigh. Around my house, I don’t need an extra dose of information about everything that is wrong with Las Vegas these days.

When I’m overwhelmed with stories about unemployment, foreclosures, and all the other associated ills of our city, I do my best to look for something positive. On the social networking sites, it’s heartening to see so many Vegas businesses getting creative in their search for customers. Khoury’s Fine Wines and the Las Vegas Hilton are spreading the word about their events through Twitter (both have events tomorrow). I recently found Duck Creek Studios through Facebook. If necessity is the mother of invention, those of us who are sticking around Las Vegas should get an award for innovation.

Sometimes the best way to find good news about Las Vegas is to avoid the news altogether. I like to sit in my backyard and watch the hummingbirds. They don’t care about any aspect of our current economic meltdown. They just want me to keep their feeder full of food and free of ants. In return, they give me something beautiful and inspiring to watch. I'd say that's a pretty fair trade.
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My pictures of the hummingbirds at my feeder.

Vegas Job Seekers: Beware!

Combine an unemployment rate of over 12% with the highest foreclosure rate in the nation, and what do you get? You get a lot of scammers looking to take advantage of out-of-work people, which strikes me as being not too different from embezzling money from senior citizens.

Back in the olden days, also known as “pre-Internet,” people scoured the newspaper’s want ads on Wednesdays and Sundays. Today, almost all job postings have migrated to online sites like CraigsList. Even those of us who are accustomed to sloughing through CL listings (it’s a common way for freelance writers to look for leads), have noticed an uptick in the number of scams. Does it sound too good to be true? It probably is. Is the ad all in capitals and studded with grammatical errors? Another scam alert. Is the information about the opportunity and/or company vague or non-existent? Proceed with caution. Are you being asked to pay for job leads? Just say no. DO NOT give out your credit card information, or any other personal information.

Even with my cautious approach, however, I’ve still had several dubious responses. For instance, one seemingly normal ad I responded to was a gentleman looking for women to interview naked men. Now, maybe in the years ahead I’ll find that this was a perfectly legitimate opportunity that I let escape. I’m not a prude in any way, and at first it sounded like a odd but actual gig. However, as our conversation progressed, we went from interviews in public places to interviews alone to “Do you have any friends you can bring?”

I decided that signing up with an employment agency would help me weed out the real jobs from the naked interview jobs, but when I didn’t hear back from the first agency I contacted (which really disappointed me because they requested an extensive amount of information that took me quite a while to collect and submit), I thought I would try other agencies. I went to the sites that handle virtual assistants because they have work for both run-of-the-mill administrative work and “creatives,” as freelance writers are often known. I found that the VA field has a whole side industry of certifications and requirements. Some of the sites require that you attend their training sessions on a regular basis, which puzzled me. Training for what? If I meet the requirements to do the job, and I have over 20 years of experience, for what am I attending training? I also found that simply having a regular home office is often not enough for the VA sites. They want you to sign up for virtual fax by e-mail and virtual voice mail, and the sites I looked at charged for those services. These sites specified that having a stand-alone fax and a dedicated phone line were not sufficient. Why a dedicated fax line, high-speed Internet connection, and land line phone were unacceptable was not entirely clear to me, but perhaps I just didn’t read closely enough.

I did find one online job site that looked pretty straight-forward; sign up, upload your resume, and get job leads mailed to you. At least, that’s what I thought it was. I had noticed that in addition to the VA sites pushing their training, some of the job sites were promoting various online colleges, and this one was no exception. When I went through the job app, I de-selected the box for “Send me more information about going back to school!” Within five minutes of sending in my information, my phone was ringing with a telemarketer trying to get me signed up for college courses. I hung up on them. This morning, they called again. The girl gushed, “We see that you asked for additional information about furthering your education and going back to college!”

“That is incorrect,” I said. “I am not interested in going back to college right now. Please don’t call again.” I haven’t checked back with the site to see if there are any job leads, but I sure don’t have any in my in-box. Don’t get me wrong—if the time was right, I’d consider going back to college. However, with a homeschooled child at home, a household income that has been slashed by 75%, and college costs in the stratosphere, this is not the time. Besides, if I wanted to go back to school, I would have called UNLV.

A quick look at CraigsList shows that I’m not alone. On any day, you can read other job seekers’ frustrations over ads that ask for pictures, credit report information, and so on—just look at the “re:” listings. I liked this response from one annoyed person: “If you want to scam people, at least use proper English.” I agree. At the very least.

Update: In addition to telemarketing phone calls, I've also received two e-mails from an anonymous "HR Department" demanding that I supply information about my credit report to complete my application. The e-mails almost look like they are legitimate--they state that an applicant's prior work history and references must be verified, but the only item they're asking more information about is my credit report. Don't be fooled into clicking these links and giving these scammers your information.

On Sunday, July 19, RJ reporter John Przbys wrote about CraigsList scammers in the other (non-employment) sections of the site: "Don't play games with online scam artists." On August 3, RJ columnist Doug Elfman also wrote about CL: "Craigslist: A 21st century den of thieves, deviants, scammers."
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Photo courtesy of Carin Araujo at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/126593

Driving to the Red Rock Overlook: Still Beautiful at 50 m.p.h.

Whenever my brain becomes overloaded, I like to take a drive up to the Red Rock Overlook. After leaving behind the 215 and the outer reaches of Summerlin, a person can almost feel like she’s left the city behind.

One of the things I miss the most about Old Vegas is the wide-open desert. In those days, it was easy to find lonely roads far from civilization and 45 m.p.h speed limits. My dad used to cruise at 100 m.p.h to Mesquite, where one of his best bartending buddies worked at a little hole-in-the-wall. (Dad also used to let me play the pinball machines inside and hang out on the sidewalk in front of the bar, which I remember had a planter full of ice plants. Today, he’d probably be arrested for child neglect.)

Obviously, things have changed a lot around here. Las Vegas residents who long for the open road must drive a little further… and a little slower. On the way to the overlook, I noticed a Metro officer with a motorist pulled over. On the way back from the overlook, he had another driver. I took note of the speed limit sign and was surprised to see it had been lowered to 50 m.p.h. And you know what? It’s still a beautiful place, even if I can’t hammer the accelerator and get that Old Vegas/open road feeling.

Motorists: Be alert on Route 159, the two-lane highway that connects Vegas to Pahrump via Red Rock Canyon, unless you would like to meet that nice officer face-to-face.
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Photo information: My pictures of Red Rock Canyon, taken from the Red Rock Overlook.

Signs of Better Times Ahead

Last week I talked to a friend of mine who lives in Florida. The high-rise condo she bought a few years ago is worth about half of what she paid for it. She has a lovely view of a neighboring, unfinished, abandoned high-rise building. We compared housing values—my home’s value has fallen to just slightly more than what my husband and I paid for it ten years ago. Its value today is $150,000.00 less than its last appraised value in 2007, and over $250,000.00 less than its value at the peak of the housing craziness. “It will just take some time for things to turn around,” I told my friend.

“You really think things are going to turn around?” she asked me. “I’m not so sure about that.” She’s pretty sure the entire country is going to you-know-where in a hand basket.

I don’t think that things will return to the insanity of the housing boom, but I do think better times are ahead. As I told my Florida friend, supply-and-demand will come into play as more and more people start snapping up incredible deals on everything from homes to clothing.

Businesses are starting to slowly take over some of the empty buildings that dot our landscape. Near my home, Walgreens has taken over the old Rite-Aid building, Chipotle Restaurant occupies the former Blockbuster building, and a handful of smaller businesses have their “Coming Soon!” or “Now Open!” banners splashed across the faded names of now-defunct stores. Theoretically, this is the market at work—the old and failed businesses disappear, and the new and innovative step in to take their place.

What do you think? Can you see signs of better times ahead, either here in Las Vegas, or in the city in which you live?
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Photo info: My picture of the new Walgreen's at Fort Apache and Sahara.

Summit Restoration's Grand Re-Opening

A newcomer to Las Vegas might think that the desert's dry environment protects our homes from mold. Heck, I'm not even a newcomer, and I was surprised to learn that only a few days of untreated water damage can result in mold growth. If my nephews didn't own and operate Summit Restoration, I might still be in the dark about water damage, smoke and fire damage, and (of course) mold damage.

A couple of weeks ago, Summit held an open house after they relocated into a new building at 5032 W. Post Road. They're IICRC certified (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification), and so Summit is pretty persnickety about keeping current on industry practices and standards. Since it's a locally owned and operated business, you can always talk to a person when you call. And, just as a side note, I've never seen such a spotless warehouse.

Extra-Budget Shopping Never Looked So Good

Two weeks ago, the Salvation Army's thrift store at 4196 S. Durango held its grand re-opening. Don't call them a thrift store anymore--their face lift included a catchier name, "Sally's Boutique." They've remodeled, and they've done a fantastic job. The furniture section was full of great finds. In the toy section, my son was thrilled to find a rock tumbler for $3.00. The back wall near the kitchen section was fully stocked with brand-new kitchen implements in unopened, original packaging. I picked up a new potato peeler for $1.00. If you're looking on great deals on clothes and furniture, stop by Sally's Boutique and look around. Proceeds from the store go toward the Salvation Army's programs to help people in need.
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Picture by T. H. Meeks

Peccole Ranch Turf Conversion: Beautiful Common Sense

Las Vegas has been criticized over the years as a water-wasting community, and with good reason. For many years, our community landscaped like we were in Minnesota instead of the Mojave Desert; beautiful, green golf courses and water-hungry residential areas like The Lakes and Peccole Ranch. With the arrival of a prolonged drought, things are starting to look a little different around here.

Peccole Ranch has contracted with Par 3 Landscaping to begin converting turf in some of its common areas. The top two pictures are an area that has been converted to xeriscape. The bottom two pictures (at the end of the post) are an old original section of "greenbelt" just across the street from the new, water-friendly area. Last year during summer, Peccole paid $75,000.00 a month for water--yes, seventy-five thousand dollars, you read that correctly.

Turf conversion makes good sense, both monetarily and environmentally. As you can see, the converted areas are very pretty. The Peccole HOA made a wise decision in the face of increasing water rates and decreasing water availability. They're also taking advantage of the Water District's rebate program, which offers extra incentive to embrace more desert-appropriate landscape. The only drawback I noticed about the converted area was a significant temperature difference between it and the turf-heavy area, but we are in the desert, after all.

It’s Mater Time

Fresh tomatoes from the garden are one of the best things about summer. Last year, our garden went south due to neglect, but this year my hubby took over. Here's his first ripe beefsteak tomato, right before we ate it.

If you like to garden, tomatoes are a sure bet, even here in Las Vegas. Just remember to shade your plants from the most intense afternoon sun. Cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow; it’s not uncommon to get a second crop of them in the fall. The larger varieties tend to split—they’re still tasty, just not so pretty. And be on the lookout for those well-camouflaged tomato worms/caterpillars. We captured one for observation.

You can visit a large Las Vegas vegetable garden at Gilcrease Orchard, at the corner of Tenaya and Whispering Sands Drive, in the northwest portion of the valley. Visitors pay $3.00 to drive in and pick their own vegetables and fruit.

Kid-Friendly Vegas in the Summer

A Las Vegas parent faces two dilemmas in summer. First, there’s the universal parental question that arises when a child is out of school for any extended length of time: “What the heck am I going to do with this kid?” Second, in the summertime heat of the Las Vegas desert, a parent has to come up with inside things to do. Outside activities are not always an option. Not unless you’re checking to see if you can fry eggs on the cement.

Make sure you have plenty of indoor activities on hand, but get out once in a while or you'll get cabin fever, Las Vegas style. If you’re looking for things to do, a little homework will uncover plenty of kid-friendly activities that involve air conditioning. Click on over to VegasParent.com for ideas, and be sure to check the Friday Review Journal. The Clark County Library District also hosts a variety of programs, most of them free. Of course, be sure to browse through my blog for ideas!

Visit outside destinations early in the morning or late in the day—after dark if it’s very hot. There’s a reason most desert animals are nocturnal. Pack a picnic dinner and make the drive to Spring Mountain Ranch for Super Summer Theater; this month it's "The Buddy Holly Story," next month, "West Side Story." Visit indoor attractions, like museums. I recommend the Atomic Testing Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Lied Children’s Discovery Museum, The Springs, and the Nevada State Museum in Lorenzi Park. If you’ve got a plump budget, check out some of the Strip’s attractions: Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef, Circus-Circus’s Adventuredome, or Luxor’s Bodies: The Exhibit.
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Picture: My photo taken at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum

Old Mormon Fort Hosting Pioneer Breakfast June 13, 2009

Looking for some family-friendly Las Vegas activities? Visit the Old Mormon Fort, which is located in downtown Las Vegas's Cultural Corridor. Here you'll find the oldest non-native building in Nevada. On Saturday, June 13, the Fort is hosting a Pioneer Breakfast to commemorate the Mormon pioneers' arrival in the Las Vegas Valley. The breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m. through 10:00 a.m., and there is $5.00 charge per family. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Fort, the non-profit group that supports the Old Fort State Park programs and special events.
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Picture information: My photographs taken on the grounds of the Old Fort.

The Interview

Times being what they are, I decided it would be a good idea to look into getting a part-time job. The Las Vegas recession-depression has hit most people I know really hard. My household is no exception. My husband’s construction-dependent trucking business has fallen to levels unlike anything we’ve previously seen. I’ve been self-employed as a writer for eight years, but freelancing can be unstable—and that was true even before so many publications started going out of business. When I saw a CraigsList ad for an evening or weekend receptionist at a retirement community, I applied. I manned a front desk for over ten years when I worked for Metro (and managed front counters and offices for another five years), and a great deal of my work as a freelancer is done on the phone. My writing group is composed of senior citizens, and I’ve been meeting with them once a week for seven years. I felt completely qualified for this job.

I know that to many people, “freelance writer” is synonymous with “creatively unemployed,” or to paraphrase one writer I heard speak, “another mother with a computer.” That’s why in addition to filling out an application, I’d also attached a resume and cover letter about what I’d been doing for the past eight years, with a specifics about my writing business. I’m not sure what the woman who interviewed me thought, but I got the impression she didn’t quite believe I’d written articles and press releases, despite my attachments. She asked me perfunctory questions about my writing, skimming over the first page of my application with a puzzled look and a disbelieving tone to her questions. She asked not a single question about my decades with the police department. She went all the way back to my college education. I last attended college in about 1992, 17 years ago. In my adult life after 21, I’ve had two employers: the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and myself. I thought I was a pretty stable-looking candidate. Of course, if she thought I was lying, that surely eroded the pleasant, experienced image I was hoping to convey.

“So, I see you were a Communications major. What happened there?” I was a bit taken aback by her question. We were going to discuss why I left college almost 20 years ago? What was next, questions about high school? Had she honestly not noticed all those years working for the police department? Perhaps she didn’t believe that, either. I told her that during my last year of college I was caring for an elderly parent and working full time, which had changed my priorities. She asked why I left my last job, and I told her it was to have work that was more flexible, since I’d had a small child at home (given that I was a Communications major, I thought it was obvious why I chose freelance writing). She looked at me disapprovingly, perhaps disbelievingly, kind of like I had just said that I left my last job to join the circus as a fire eater.

“Do you have any experience working with seniors other than your writing group?”

Other than leading a once-a-week writing group for seniors for the past seven years, which included helping three of them write books? Seriously? I smiled and politely said, “That would be the bulk of my experience.”

She had a lot to say about the importance of professional appearance, so much so that I wondered if I had something hanging out that I didn’t know about. The interviewee ahead of me had been wearing a denim skirt and hooker heels, and I was wearing a navy blue suit and white blouse. I thought I did look professional. Maybe Ms. Interviewer assumed that when I wasn’t out trying to deceive innocent retirement home directors, I wore Daisy Dukes and neglected to brush my hair.

I was doing my utmost to be honest, and since things seemed to be going so oddly (okay, badly), I freely admitted that it had been awhile since I’d been on a job interview. “My skills are a little rusty, I’m sure,” I admitted.

“The most important thing is to be yourself,” she said. Who else did she think I was being? That seemed to be the crux of the problem. Maybe she thought I was dishonest, or perhaps over-qualified, but whatever it was, I didn’t get a second interview.

The interviewer told me she had over 60 applications for her two positions, one full-time and one part-time. Apparently, I’m not the only Las Vegan out there looking for a little more stability these day.
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Image courtesy of Sundeip Arora at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1055976

Puppy Mills Are Bad News

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed protestors at Fort Apache and Charleston. They were protesting the pet shop that operates in Boca Park because the shop buys from puppy mills. What's wrong with puppy mills? Pretty much everything. Describing them as inhumane simply isn't enough. Read "Pup My Ride to the Rescue" by Las Vegas author Cathy Scott on the Best Friends Network (a publication of the Best Friends Animal Society) to learn more about puppy mills.

If you want a pet, check with local shelters; if you must have a purebreed, check with rescue groups. Scroll to the end of Cathy's article for links to groups that can help you find a pet.
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Picture by Sarah Ause, Best Friends photographer, from http://network.bestfriends.org/truth/news/34042.html

Hamilton Island Caretaker Announced

Here's Ben Southall, the lucky guy picked for that six-month dream job in Australia. What can I say? I'm speechless with envy.

When Vegas Family Visits

The past month has flown by without a post from the Vegas Girl because I’ve had family in town. I spent most of the month of May cooking, cleaning, and having fun with people I haven’t seen in a long time. When our relatives visit, most of them aren’t interested in going down to the Strip. They all used to live here. None of us are gamblers, nor are we impressed with the glitter of the Strip. If we can work in an evening doing touristy stuff, that’s great, but if not, no one is too upset about it.

During this visit, my niece, Chrissy, was here. She was in Las Vegas for the first time in 17 years, having driven here from Wisconsin with her parents for her brother’s wedding. She and I quickly decided we had to go out for an evening. Anyone who willingly drives thousands of miles across the country with her parents deserves an evening out. Maybe not a “what happens in Vegas” kind of thing, but we needed to get out and see the sights.

On a Friday night, we headed to the Strip and parked at the Treasure Island. Chrissy and I walked out of the front of the casino just after the pirate show had ended, and I was surprised to run into TI security personnel herding people back inside. “Too crowded for you to walk this way,” they told people, preventing anyone from exiting to the Las Vegas Boulevard sidewalk. I wasn’t the only person irked at being shoved back inside when my destination was right in front of me—and definitely not too crowded to navigate—but there wasn’t much we could do but follow the herd back inside the TI. Chrissy and I exited via valet parking and had a nice, long walk to the Strip, past the parking garages and side streets full of cabbies and limos.

We wound up in front of the Mirage just as the volcano was erupting, and Chrissy was thrilled. She left Las Vegas when she was 12, so it wasn’t like she got to spend a whole lot of time out on the town before her family moved to the Midwest. The two of us got busy snapping pictures right away. I don’t get down to the Strip very often, and it was great fun to play tourist in my own town.

Next, we went across the street to the Venetian. It’s one of my favorite new casinos, along with the Mandalay Bay (at the south end of the Strip). Chrissy and I roamed through the Venetian’s shopping mall to see some of Old World Italy alongside New Expensive Las Vegas. At the end of the gondoliers’ canal, a new section has been added to the mall. In the new addition, a collection of umbrellas hangs suspended, staggered below a domed sky light. On the way out, Chrissy and I stopped at photographer Peter Lik’s gallery. His gallery was the only shop we entered. We were drawn inside, mesmerized by Lik’s sharply focused, panoramic scenes that pull you into his landscapes. Looking at a picture of a wooden pier extending far out into a turquoise ocean, Chrissy said, “It looks like you could just jump off the end of that pier into the water.”

We finished wandering through the Venetian just in time to make it back across the street for the Sirens of the TI show. Imagine the Pussycat Dolls with a dash of Pirates of the Caribbean, only with way more emphasis on the half-naked dancing girls. Fortunately, Chrissy and I were closer to the sexy-guy pirate side; oh, so sadly, I really didn’t get any useable pictures of the scantily-clad female sirens. This time we knew we were going to be ushered inside after the show ended, so we proceeded to the car for a drive downtown to see the Fremont Street Experience.

Down on Fremont, Chrissy and I were in pursuit of a Margarita when the casinos turned off their neon, and the overhead light show burst into life. The show featured Kiss, and most of the crowd stopped to stare up at the graphics running the length of the canopy from the edge of Fremont East to the Union Plaza. After the light show, Chrissy and I resumed our search for Margaritas and penny slots. First, we went into the Golden Gate. It’s a small place, and walking straight back takes you to the casino bar and the card tables, which come complete with go-go dancers on poles. Once we saw the dancers, we made a turn around the tables and walked right back out of the Golden Gate. Not the best place for unescorted chicks. We stopped at a bar outside the Four Queens, and we each got a $7.00 Margarita from a bottle-juggling bartender who looked barely old enough to be legal. He made a strong Margarita, though, and on the way back down Fremont, I had to stop drinking mine for fear of drinking too much to drive.

That was our only night out, and we were home not long after midnight. Pretty tame by Vegas standards. When Vegas family visits, we’ve got other things to think about: weddings, barbeques, and pot-luck dinners. I know, I know—most people probably think Vegas family visits are more like an episode of a reality TV show. In the real reality of Las Vegas, that’s just not the case.

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All photographs by Terrisa Meeks.

The Disappearing Loan Trick

In the current economic miasma in which we find ourselves, I take consolation in one thing: we’re all in this big mess together. Whether you are an individual or a business, if you’re in Las Vegas, the odds are that you’ve been hit hard financially. And the entire country is angry about the draconian tactics of many banks, who have decided to continue squeezing credit during the middle of a depression-like recession—despite receiving billions of tax-payer dollars to do just the opposite.

Take the Fontainebleau, for instance. They sued their lender, Bank of America, after it decided it no longer found them credit-worthy and refused to give them money it had previously agreed to loan. I was happy Fontainebleau sued them.

How many people and businesses right now are in this same position, only not to the tune of $800 million? And how many middle class families are in a position to do anything about it? Many individuals and small business are using credit cards to get through these rough times. In response, credit card companies are slashing credit limits without warning (then charging over limit fees) and raising interest rates on customers who’ve done nothing other than use the credit they thought they had. Even consumers whose credit cards have no balance are seeing their credit cut. Jim Randel at The Huffington Post has a great list, “The Ten Sneakiest Credit Card Tricks,” about a whole host of credit card company practices that rob consumers of millions of dollars a year.

John Stossel speaks for the other side, the you-should-have-known-better side. Credit cards, he argues in his recent editorial, “Increasing Banks' Costs Makes It Harder for the Poor,” are preferable to loan sharks, pawn shops, and other similar institutions that loan money to the poor. He says, “Late and over-the-limit fees are unpleasant, but they aren't charged until a cardholder's conduct triggers them.” I’ve got no problem with common-sense rules and regulations, but a $40 late fee and a doubled interest rate for being one day late isn't unpleasant. It's usury.

In the Fountainbleau’s case, their strangled credit line has resulted in lay-offs, which means some of their unemployed workers will be looking to their credit cards to get by this month. When will our financial institutions get a clue? If we fail, they fail, too.
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Picture courtesy of Alexander Korabelnikov at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1136586