Old Vegas

Old School Vegas Dining – Hugo’s Cellar

Old School Vegas Dining – Hugo’s Cellar

My favorite booth — The “Honeymoon Booth”Let me tell you about my favorite restaurant in the world. It’s not a Michelin’s 3 star, Forbes 5 star or AAA Five Diamond restaurant. You won’t find a celebrity chef’s name on the sign outside. In fact, you won’t even find it on the Las Vegas Strip. This restaurant is(…)

Ocean’s 11 (1960)

Ocean’s 11 (1960)

Ocean’s 11 (1960) This movie is pretty cool in that “I wish I could have hung out with the Rat Pack” kind of way. I’m not sure it’s much of a movie, though. More of a goofing around with the Rat Pack with some semblance of a heist plot intertwined occasionally. That’s fine, though. It(…)

175 Las Vegas Fun Facts

175 Las Vegas Fun Facts

When the Sundance opened in 1980, it was the tallest building downtown. Sundance became Fitzgeralds in 1987. The Flamingo was the 3rd casino/hotel to open on the Strip, behind the El Rancho (’41) and the Last Frontier (’42). Jay Sarno, who built Caesars Palace, left the apostrophe out of “Caesars” because he wanted everyone to feel(…)

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas

It is the most iconic sign in Las Vegas. Perhaps one of the most iconic signs in all of the world. The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” sign is located inside the median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South, across from the old Klondike Hotel & Casino. Let’s get into some fun facts, shall(…)

Remembering Sahara’s Pool

Remembering Sahara’s Pool

  Sahara Pool Vegas Fun Fact: The Sahara was the first Vegas hotel casino to have an “Olympic-Sized” swimming pool. Thanks to our friends over at inoldlasvegas.com, here is a picture of the original pool. One thing I noticed right away is the lush green grass, a thing of the past in the  Vegas pool scene.You’ll(…)

The International

The International

In 1967, Kirk Kerkorian bought 82 acres of land on Paradise Road in Las Vegas for $5 million and, with architect Martin Stern, built the International Hotel in 1969. It was then sold to Hilton Hotels in 1970, just a year after it opened. It became the Las Vegas Hilton in 1971. When it opened,(…)

$10 Million Casino Chip! (err…plaque)

$10 Million Casino Chip! (err…plaque)

Casino chips (technically cheques unless at the roulette table) have long been a part of the gambling experience. Easier to use and harder to counterfeit than cash, chips come in all different designs and colors, though generally hold the same size from casino to casino. One exception is the “plaque” which is usually used in(…)

List of Excluded Persons (aka “The Black Book”)

List of Excluded Persons (aka “The Black Book”)

“The List of Excluded Persons” or as most know it, the infamous “Black Book” originated in 1960 with 11 names, all tied in some way directly to organized crime. Famous mob names like Civella, Spilotro, and Rosenthal have been included on the list. The current black book contains 34 people, with only one remaining from(…)

Glitter Gulch!

Glitter Gulch!

Neon: the classic Las Vegas art form. Neon signs have been prevalent in Vegas since the early 1930s. With the opening of each new casino came a new and more brilliant sign, many of which were designed and manufactured by the Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), which built a satellite office inside the Apache Hotel(…)

Everyone’s a Caesar!

Everyone’s a Caesar!

When Jay Sarno began constructing his casino on the Vegas Strip, he struggled to come up with a fitting name for it. He originally liked Desert Palace, but eventually decided on Caesars Palace because he wanted guests to think of royalty when in his casino. To that end, he named it “Caesars” and not “Caesar’s”(…)