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Articles for ‘Nightlife’ Category

LGBT Las Vegas and 2009 Halloween happenings

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

By E.C. Gladstone

While Las Vegas has always been known as an “anything goes” town, it doesn’t always get top billing as a destination for LGBT travelers. And that’s an oversight, especially since the passing of Nevada’s Domestic Partnership Act. Vegas is actually a very gay-friendly town if you know where to look; but since I’m not in that category myself, I consulted with my friend and colleague Steve Friess, author of the Gay Vegas travel guide. Here’s Gay Las Vegas at a glance:

Penn & Teller flanking Holly Madison and Josh Strickland at a Human Rights Campaign event (courtesy of R&R Partners)

Penn & Teller flanking Holly Madison and Josh Strickland at a Human Rights Campaign event (courtesy of R&R Partners)

ACCOMMODATIONS & WEDDINGS

While none of the major Las Vegas Hotels are unfriendly to the Gay community, some are friendlier than others. Wynn Encore and Paris Las Vegas in particular have regular promotion packages aimed towards same-sex couples, Luxor and Mandalay Bay both hosted Gay pool parties over the summer, so are certainly friendly. Other good choices include the Venetian/Palazzo with three Broadway shows under one roof (Jersey Boys, Phantom and Blue Man Group), Planet Hollywood, adjacent to the Krave club, as well as the Bellagio, Flamingo, Caesars Palace, the Palms, Hard Rock Hotel and the Mirage.

And then there’s the intimate Blue Moon Resort, the only dedicated Gay hotel—and certainly the only one with a clothing optional pool! (more…)

Posted in Food & Wine, Gambling Vacation, Gay Travel, Holidays & Events, Las Vegas Vacation, Nightlife | No Comments »

Luau 101: Understanding a Hawaiian vacation tradition

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

By Lena Katz

South Pacific fire dancers spinning flaming batons around their bodies faster than the eye can see. Plates piled high with roast pork from the imu oven and fresh island catch. Girls in grass skirts and coconut shell tops swishing their hips hypnotically. Countless rum punches turning the evening to a pleasant blur. These are all critical elements in a typical Hawaiian luau today, and a Hawaii vacation isn’t complete till you experience one … if not all. But a lot of visitors wonder: What exactly is a luau and is it a real tradition or something cheesy just for tourists? Most important: Are all luaus created equal?

Aha Aina

Aha Aina

A luau, a feast to mark an important celebratory occasion, is culturally rooted, festive and all about food, fun and family. Luaus have been part of Hawaiian culture since long before Westerners arrived to the islands. Up until about 150 years ago, Polynesians called their big celebratory feasts ‘aha ‘aina. These events were usually somewhat formal, with more ceremony and not such a party-down atmosphere. Just as the colloquial name gradually shifted to “luau”(which is actually the Polynesian word for taro leaf, an ubiquitous ingredient in traditional Polynesian cooking), the concept evolved to be more of an any-occasion celebration. (more…)

Posted in Food & Wine, Hawaii Vacation, Holidays & Events, Nightlife | No Comments »

Atlanta Gay Pride 2009 moves to Halloween weekend

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

by Antoinette Bierman

While most Gay Pride festivals take place over summer, Atlanta is fixing to add a little spookiness to its LGBT festivities this year as it moves Pride to Halloween weekend. The festival returns to Piedmont Park after a dismal stint at the Civic Center in 2008, and the weekend-long celebration is sure to live up to high expectations. Below are my tips for the best events during Pride.

Atlanta Pride Parade

Atlanta Pride Parade

ATLANTA HOTELS:
If you’re traveling from out of town there are numerous Atlanta hotels to choose from with gay-friendly accommodations located close to the festivities. The W Atlanta Midtown is adjacent to the park and offers a chic, urban atmosphere. If you prefer the quaint and unique environment of a boutique hotel, consider the Hotel Indigo located across from the Fabulous Fox Theatre. For travelers who want to stay in the heart of downtown Atlanta the Glenn Hotel features a rooftop bar and a short walk to the Georgia Aquarium.

PARTIES, PARADES & ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment is always exciting at Atlanta Pride, but the earlier you arrive, you can maximize your time checking out everything that the Pride Committee has planned. Check out Stride Into Pride, a weekly bar crawl Wednesday nights through Oct. 28; and be sure to check the updated bar schedule at atlantapride.org for the specific details on which bars the crawl will hit. (more…)

Posted in Gay Travel, Holidays & Events, Nightlife, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Vegas Strip Stars A-Z

Monday, October 5th, 2009

By E.C. Gladstone

So many new shows have been opening on the Strip and in all the Las Vegas Hotels, that it seems almost impossible to keep up. I have to confess that despite my Strip-hound reputation, even I haven’t had a chance to see them all. While I do, I figured the least I could do is give everyone a quick encyclopedic list of everything I have seen and would recommend (with a few I’m about to see, based on strong tips).

The uniquely dark and disturbing show, "Freaks"

"Freaks" courtesy of Harrah's Entertainment

A is for affable but accomplished tiger tamer Dirk Arthur, of Xtreme Magic (two shows daily, Wed-Mon, Tropicana) as well as Australians—specifically Human Nature, the show-stopping Motown tribute singers from down under (8 PM Sat-Thurs, Imperial Palace).

B is for The Beatles LOVE (two shows nightly Thurs-Mon, Mirage), Cirque du Soleil’s pop rock celebration. B is also for Bette Midler, whose frolicky fun Showgirl Must Go On revue appears intermittent weekends at Caesars Colosseum. Added to this list is the provocatively pungent Blue Man Group (Two shows nightly, Venetian ) and Bite, the topless vampire rock musical you’ve always wanted to see (10:30 PM Fri-Wed).

C is for Cher (who trades off with Bette at the Colosseum in her fashion-filled career review) and the elegantly erotic Crazy Horse of Paris (two shows nightly Wed-Mon, MGM Grand).

D is for David Copperfield, certainly the most esteemed magician in town, performing intermittently at  MGM Grand. (more…)

Posted in Gambling Vacation, Las Vegas Vacation, Music, Nightlife, Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel Rocks Anew

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

By E.C. Gladstone

Perhaps more than any of the other Las Vegas Hotels, everything about the Hard Rock is focused on attracting the young and gorgeous. That isn’t the type of property where “aging gracefully” is an option, especially since (slow economy or not) many others would love to snag their hot and happening clientele. So their new expansions- Paradise Tower up and running, HRH tower coming first quarter 2010 — almost seem overdue.

Paradise Hotel Courtesy of Erik Kabik/RETNA

Paradise Hotel Courtesy of Erik Kabik/RETNA

In fact, the new towers are actually the capping numbers on an album of hits the HRH has been playing ever since the luxury-leaning Morgans Group took over in 2006.

They built a big 3,000-ish capacity new (Rogue) joint for big shows, while opening Carey Hart’s intimate rock bar Wasted Space; they put sexy go-go dancers right on the casino floor and added a smart-designed Poker Room that gets good marks from novices and pro players alike; they got designer Mark Zeff to test out the new tower’s aesthetic with some gothic suites in the original building, and added 65,000 more square feet of meeting space; they replaced aging AJ’s Steakhouse with the new hip Rare 120, while bringing James Beard Foundation-awarded Italian chef Marco Porceddu in to revive Ago (Nobu remains intact); They even added new retail, including a sprawling John Varvatos boutique.
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Posted in Gambling Vacation, Las Vegas Vacation, Music, Nightlife | No Comments »

The best of downtown Vegas: Restaurants and bars

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Las Vegas hotels

The Flame Steakhouse at El Cortez (Courtesy Kirvin Doak Communications)

By E.C. Gladstone

There are some people that say if you haven’t been to the downtown Las Vegas hotels, you haven’t really been to Las Vegas. Last week, I covered where to stay, entertainment and gambling around Fremont Street; this week, the best restaurants, bars and some secret tips.

Restaurants & Bars

Dining in and around Fremont Street may look uninspiring on the surface, but there are many hidden gems within Las Vegas hotels there — some of them surprising values. I’ve had very good steaks, served with style at both El Cortez’s The Flame and Binion’s Ranch.

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Posted in Food & Wine, Gambling Vacation, Las Vegas Vacation, Nightlife | No Comments »

The best of downtown Vegas: Hotels, entertainment and gaming

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Las Vegas hotels

(Courtesy: Las Vegas News Bureau)

By E.C. Gladstone

There are some people that say if you haven’t been to the downtown Las Vegas hotels, you haven’t really been to Las Vegas. Centered around Fremont Street, where the town began as a railroad stop some 100+ years ago, downtown Las Vegas has weathered the ages, preserving a classic spirit while trying to keep pace with modern times. Despite what you may hear, DTLV is safe, friendly, and offers something for every visitor. Of course, you might want some pointers on what’s good, better and best. That’s why I’m here. Because there’s so much to cover, I’m actually splitting this topic into two blogs: this week, where to stay, entertainment and gambling; next time, restaurants, bars and some secret tips.

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Posted in Gambling Vacation, Holidays & Events, Las Vegas Vacation, Nightlife | No Comments »

Key West’s Fantasyfest: Parties, parades and dancing in the street

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Key West hotelsBy Ian Whitney

I’ll begin by pointing out that while our Fantasyfest experience is hardly unique, it is from the perspective of two guys in their twenties who happen to be lucky enough to live in Key West all year. For us, Fantasyfest begins a week before the parade with Goombay, a Caribbean street party. There is great people watching, street food and steel drums.

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Posted in Florida Vacation, Gay Travel, Nightlife | No Comments »

Four times the fun at this New Orleans Halloween event

Friday, September 4th, 2009

New Orleans hotelsBy Dustin Woehrmann

The Big Easy celebrates Halloween with four days of parties — all for charity — with the 2009 Halloween New Orleans event. This year marks the 26th year of parties and fundraising. The mission is to provide funding for Project Lazarus, a home in New Orleans for men and women with AIDS, so that they may provide health care and support services for their residents. Total donations to Project Lazarus from the 2008 event surpassed $4 million.

This year’s theme of “Twisted Seasons” will give each night of the event a different seasonal backdrop, each with a little twist of Halloween New Orleans!

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Posted in Holidays & Events, Nightlife | No Comments »

Puerto Rico blends exotic and familiar for vacation fun

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Flamenco Beach (Photo: Lena Katz)

Flamenco Beach (Photo: Lena Katz)

By Lena Katz

You don’t exactly swim in the limpid blue-green sea off the shore of Puerto Rico’s famous Flamenco Beach; you bob like a cork. The warm, calm water and soft sand make this one of the most swimmable beaches in the Western Hemisphere — and hardly trafficked compared with others of its stature. This is only one of many surprises that make Puerto Rico one of America’s favorite Caribbean vacation destinations.

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Posted in Beach Vacation, Caribbean Vacation, Food & Wine, Gambling Vacation, Nightlife | No Comments »

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