Beating The Book: The 9th Annual Vegas Lifestyle Show: A Man's Guide to Sin City

of hotels, closing of hotels. We'll talk all about it on the show with our esteemed panel, obviously the regulars this year, Mike Palm from Circuit Sports, Todd wishing of a gentlemen. Thank you for joining us. Todd, you're in Jersey right. Thank you for the extra effort. Todd, I appreciate it. How's your time with your family going? Oh it's just beautiful. Do you Carl explain? You know, Orthodox choose are some of my favorite so you know how it goes. Mike, Thank you for being here. Is always

MIKEY appreciate it. I'm very excited to hear all of Todd's recommendations. A guy who's known for not having a life will give us some lifestyle tips. He has neither a life nor style. We established that last time. I'm proud to be categorized as you're categorizing me. Um. Sports betting is what I love to do, so that is my life. Thank you Mike as always joining us for the ninth consecutive time on the show, being the ninth

annual Vegas Lifestyle Podcast. Ladies and Gentlemen, Meltzer like Seltzer, Mark Meltzer, everybody. How you doing, Mark? I am doing wonderfully, Thank you very much. A extra art dugga don Us copy is firing me right now. Let me ask you a question, who should I who should we say that you're writing for? What's your big outlet these days? Good question?

I have so many? Just me on Twitter. Just follow you on Twitter at Melts Vegas m E l t Z Vegas Melts Vegas formerly known as East Coast Gambler without the correct back in the day, alright, correct, alright, Mark. So we always start the Vegas Lifestyle Podcast with the current events. Current events meaning big events happening in Vegas. Obviously, the super Bowl is eleven days away. I'm not sure if we're too close to the sun on that. And it's not even worth going through super Bowl parties if

people even throw super Bowl parties anymore. I'm not sure you'll tell us. Obviously, the March Madness is right around the corner and the super Bowl. It's called the big Game. Oh yes, that's correct, the rather large event. But there is March Madness obviously marking there is obviously the big thing this year the National Football League Draft, which is going to be nuts when this happens in late April. Tell us about March Madness parties and about the draft. Uh, well,

it's try to tell this out in a very tidy bowl. Um, the super Bowl. There are parties everywhere, same as every year. The prices at minimum a hundred bucks, and that typically will include all the food you can eat, oil, the all the beer you can drink, and then it goes up from there. So your lower end parties are gonna be a hundred bucks guaranteed seat and TV to watch

the game. But you can go places like the South Point or a Gold Coast and just go for free and pay for your food and drinking you wish and watch the game with a lot of people. So Super Bowl is still a thing, believe it or not. March band is, though, is legitimately it's blowing away the super Bowl, like, uh, the price wise and event wise and excitement wise, everything is now March Madness because that's a much younger crowd,

a much more energetic crowd. It's just a lot more people in town doing way more things than just watching the one ft ball game. Um. So, this year, one of the more popular parties for March Madness just put their party on sale, the Cosinpolitan at the Belmont Ballroom, which doesn't even guarantee seating um for the games, but it's two hundred and fifty dollars per day for open bars and access to watch all the games in a bowl like that's for Thursday and Friday, the two big

days of the tournament. Saturday, the price comes down a little bit to one fifty, and so that's a premium party that you're paying to be there. They have popa shot, they have they have a ton of activities in addition to just TVs and couches and um, you know, cocktail tables and barstools to watch the game. But a year paying to be at the Cosopolitan, you're paying for that

special event and you're paying per day. Caesar's Palace um, there are not tours for charging for reserve seating over a hundred dollars just to sit every day to watch the game, you know. But there are still plenty of sports books around town. The bottom line, if you're looking on the strip, you're gonna pay. If you look off the strip, you'll either pay less or not pay at all. Um and have some general admission stuff. Again, South Point a great, a great place to watch the game. You

can go to any of the sports books. You just have to get there early. Um. And when I say earlier, I mean before tip for March fandess an hour or two hours before kickoff for the Super Bowl. So there are still plenty. But the guideline I try to tell people, the more luxury the place, the more luxurious to higher end the fans here, the more you're gonna pay, the more willing, the more app they are, I guess to

charge people to watch events there. Um. And then we have the draft, which you just mentioned in April, and they're projecting six hundred thousand people coming to Vegas for this. Now, for for comparison, you're looking at Memorial Day weekend is three hundred and change. They're injured and changed thousand people. New Year's Eve four hundred thousand people. They're expecting the

draft to be busier than that. They're closing off the strip by Flamingo um so where the Blaggio stage will be for the Red carpet, and then the stage over by the Caesar's Form behind the link. That is, the whole strip in that area is going to be walkable. It'll be amazing, but it's also gonna be a cluster. And if you hate crowds, stay the hell away from that area. Um you know, but the hotel price they're

jacked up. I was looking this morning Circus Circus Circus Circus a hundred and seventy nine dollars per night during the draft the cause of polity. That makes the Cousin Politan a two hundred and twenty five dollars a night look like a bargain. So you know you're gonna be paying out the wazoo. But it's gonna be an amazing experience if you're into that kind of thing. Personally, I will stay the heck away from that place. I don't want to be anywhere near it. I have had more

requests from people already about the NFL draft. Friends of mine who want to come into town for the NFL Draft because it really is a one time Event's not gonna happen again for all we know. And also as a point of comparison, we just had CS, the biggest convention on the calendar here in Vegas this year. For CS, I heard estimates of close to four hundred thousand people, up from like one two hundred thousand in previous years.

This place was overrun with people at c S. I cannot imagine what six hundred thousand people will feel like for the Draft, but they'll be all kinds of NFL people here. I think all the sports books in town will actually put out NFL Draft props in volume, so there's a betting angle to it. So I mean, I cannot wait, absolutely can't wait for the NFL Draft. Mike, You're doing anything special for any of those events at Circle, Well, so let's start with the Super Bowl. Um, we have

we have dual parties. We have a retail party on the twelfth floor in the ballroom. UM that is one seventy five per head um for the main ballroom, and that includes all you can eat and drink uh, and mostly you get groups of anywhere from eight to twenty people that that sign up for that. Then we also have six man caves where you have a private room to watch in your own your own server and and um I believe that starts at to twenty ahead and it's a minimum of twelve people up to twenty for

the man caves. Then there's the party outside of the Downtown Events Center for Super Bowl we had over six thousand last year. That's where we put all too our casino players um uh. They have a section right in the center there outside and then they have all their own free food and drink in their own buffet that's set up in the tent out there for for the rest of the seating, the general seating, it's sixty dollars

beverage minimum, so you can reserve your table. Let's say you reserve a table attendant six hundred and then you get six hundred in uh six hundred and gift cards for use for beverage that day. Then they also have sixteen man caves. Uh they're like um uh eight up upper deck and eight lower deck, and they vary in price from three to four thousand, depending on the size of them. They see the from twenty to thirty people also depending on the side. So that's a big party

for Super Bowl. I think what we do for March Madness is really terrific. It's a it's a set up in the ballroom. UM, it's open to get in if you just want to get there and get a seat. It's free. You know, you pay as you go for food and drink. We have free blackjack tables, the crafts table. We're thinking about setting up a video poker UH section up there for the first time. We'll have obviously circuits spoorts,

just like for Super Bowl instead of William Hill. Since we're running our own book that also has the man Cave options for March Madness. UM, if you purchase the man Cave, you can either purchase it in a six hour block or for the whole day at prices very on that. If you purchase one on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. We're also going to have the room open Wednesday night for the play in games. You'd either have your choice of getting your man Cave on Wednesday as well or

on Sunday. UM. So there's some good deals there, but it's open to the public. You know. I started this when Derek Watt the FitzGeralds in two thousand eleven in October two thousand and eleven. The first March Madness we did was in two thousand twelve and it was just me, a porter and a cocktail server in the ball room. We said, well, open it up. We have four big

screens and see if anybody comes. And now it's gotten to the point where, you know, we we fill the We fill the ballroom with five plus plus people every day. And last year I think everybody everybody from Visa and came down for at least one day and hung out uh to experience the ballroom. And then for the Draft we're going to have a party at the events center as well. It's actually going to be sponsored by some NFL agents that are that are renting out the event

center going to throw their own party. They're gonna have a lot of potential draft picks, howe players that are eligible in the draft, and I'm waiting on details on that and I'll share them with with you on pace and you know, when we get those who's actually gonna be there, But it's gonna be a viewing party that's gonna feature guys that will probably be chosen in the first round. Wow, I'm glad I asked, that's big time right there, and that will and it will be a

what hotel specifically that this will be. This will be at the Events Center right next to the d Downtown the outdoor arena. Got you at the event center right next to the d Downtown. Okay, all right, and I'll just do this off the top of my head. We'll just go in whatever direction. Obviously, by the way the Derby to the main spot. You know for years that we've watched the Derby, uh as the south Point Hotel casino.

They have this massive ballroom to watch Kentucky Derby. If the four of us went, we would ring down the average age by about thirty years. That's how old the crowd is for the Kentucky Derby. That's deskmark on for Super Bowl parties, where's like, if let's say a person is not really as interested in the gambling and is more interested in the watching of the people and likes to watch a younger group of people rather than an older group of people. Not that there's anything wrong with

younger or older people. Uh, it would be the hot hip super Bowl party to be at. Honestly, I couldn't tell you one specific party but what I can tell you is go to the Strip and go to the Cousin Politan, go to pont A Hollywood. The link possibly will have some attractive people for you to look at. Um, but the younger, the younger, the general crowd at the hotel and casino, the younger the people to look at. Ari is always a fun place to look at. People.

Park MGM and and the park in general should have some should have some parties. But I've stayed away from the specific parties this year um as far as my focus, just because there's so many of them and I just honestly can't keep track. There are hundreds of parties that are could be happening. Let's be honest. And you don't care anymore, do you? I do care? Uh? Not for not not for not for me, Because I this I wore a Yankee had one day to to the Strip for the super Bowl a few years ago, and I

could not believe them any people talk to me. I threw the hataway. I'm like, I can't deal with all these people and so that. But that's just me. I'm a grumpy old man. I've been a grumpy old band that was a teenager, so um, that I'm not the best person to ask as far as being social with stuff like this is just the default answer to that question every time, every time. Yeah. Now, by the way, I didn't get to mention the Super Bowl party that will be at my apartment. Now, the second bedroom with

its own bathroom and air mattress are very affordable. Now, granted, there are no TVs in the living room or anywhere to sit down, so you have to bring your phone to watch the game, but other than that, it's a very affordable option. By the way, you're joking, But you know, for the NFL Draft, it actually crept into my mind what I could get for renting out my apartment for those few days. Not that I want to do that, but it's probably an exorbitant price because of the hotels

being all jacked up. By the way, do you really think six hundred thousand people are gonna come here for the NFL Draft? Do you think that's just predicting. I'd like to take the under on that if there was a way to bet on that and a way to actually get an accurate number, because I've seen some of these insane crowds at in Vegas and I can't believe that there's that many people are gonna fly here just to watch Roger Goodell go with the third pick. The

forty Niners played Southern Mississippi Cavon Schmuley Goldbirds. Well there the reference points to this is I believe that Nashville last year at three people. So when you take the when you take the average weekend in Vegas and then just add the extra people that will come here for that,

that's I think where they estimate the number. I mean, you just you just smacked me down, because if they got three hundred thousand in Nashville, then I stand correctly, just another losing bet Toddy because that'll be over just at the other side. Now these yeah, just get out

of it. You have time all right now. For those who have listened to this show the previous eight years, this episode of the Beating the Book podcast, uh, they will know for that that for many of those years I basically lived at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. And it is, uh, it is not a source of pride for me to say that besides the actual places of residences that I've lived in my life, my childhood home with my parents at college wherever I lived as

an adult. That the building that I've been in the longest amount of elapsed time besides those places, is the Stinking Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. And Mark there was some very emotional news for those who have missed it. Yeah, it's gonna be. It's really said, you know we I know, I make you as hard Rock Hill. So for me, this is a very sad time and we still need to We still have about ten days to go before it closes. Io the hard people people

are gonna think I'm crazy when I say this. I don't step into that hotel for because it it is. It is an emotional experience for me. I spent so much time in there, and and it was really younger days, right, so there's so many memories of that place. I will do it, but it is very difficult for me to set foot in there. What's happening to the place. So they're closing it the day after the Super Bowl. It's gonna be renovated and will reopen after election Day. No

specific date yet. Um at as Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, so it'll be a Virgin of hotel that you see. I believe they have in Chicago and San Francisco. Right now, they're building one in New Orleans and another in Dallas. And uh so it'll be that Mohegan's son will operate the casino. Uh they operate casinos in Connecticut. In Pennsylvania, the sports book operator we don't know yet because CG

will no longer exist. Um so will will Mohegan bring their partner from Pennsylvania, which is univert to Las Vegas? Will it be somebody else? We don't know yet and they haven't made any official or unofficial statement, so I have honestly no clue as to who will operate the sports book there. And by the way, sorry, I did a quick Google search for Airbnb for Todd. You can get about thirty two bucks a night on Airbnb for your for your bedroom. But it didn't no TV, no ferna,

you're in the living room. You have to watch the game on your phone, which h that that that That's all I got as far as the AIRBMB, I didn't really do too deep of the dive on that. Sorry. It's a rustic experience. It's more like camping a rustic experience. Start started, digress started to digress from the hard Rock Hill. No no, no, no no, you and I are gonna walk through there. I know the Circle Bar has long been renovated.

And when I say renovated, what I really mean is they did up like the hard Rock was this iconic Peter Morton Hotel that was say what you will, But there was a time in Vegas for those of us at a certain age where the hard Rock was everything and it was the center of all parties and all young people in Las Vegas. And over the last decade they just did renovations for the sake of doing renovations. None of them were any good, and they kind of screwed up the whole iconic Circle Bar in the middle

and h but we're still gonna go in there. I'm gonna have one last stroll in there. I haven't set foot in there in years. We're gonna do it before it crashes. And I know people are like, what's wrong with you? It's a building, But you know, there are certain places like that, and for me, a lot of memories there at the hard Rock Hotel, lots of memories.

Now with every departure of a hotel, though of course, there is oftentimes a rising of a hotel somewhere else and Mike obviously the big one which makes you know, my piddly hard rock from yesteryear look like crab is the Shangri Law That is circa scheduled open in December of this year. Yeah, that's right, you know, target mid December, so you probably right after the Rodeo leaves is the right time to open it because that's that slow little period as you build up to New Year's it's a

it's a good soft opening. So everything is on schedule, will open with five and twelve rooms eventually seven seventy seven. That gives us some flexibility to build out those remaining floors based on what is our sweet need. What's the hotel mixed look like? Um, three sixty five day a year pool cool deck, although we don't want to use that term cool and we'll tell you what that's called. This outdoor aquatic amphitheater, right, they'll unveil the name of

that space as well. There's really six different cools um with the upper two pools being heated year round, um uh, and the and the screen ft screen for viewing. You know, it's really gonna be when you talk about throwing parties. When you talk about March Madness and Super Bowl and Master's Weekend and and NHL and NBA Finals and stuff like that, I mean, that's that's going to be the

place where we throw the parties starting so uh. And we think also that that the pool deck will be a great spot for a lot of corporate parties as well, especially in the evenings. But yeah, a three story sports book, the largest in the world. We just announced our restaurants yesterday. Gil Um Steakhouse is gonna be Barry Downtown Prime. That's core Chef Berry, famous from the nine Group and a

lot of his team coming together for that. Paul sagging Off from Zingerman's and Ann Arbor is going to have our twenty four hour restaurants Sagan, a Delicate testin Um. Chris and Grace that run American Coney Island here are going to have a it's called Victory Burgers and Wings that that overlooks the sports book from the second level

and operates in conjunction with the sports book. Will have an Asian concept from the owners of Latti called eight East Um that's really a fusion of a lot of different types of Asian foods, and will feature some really great wine and and and and and upbeat music. Uh. And then the Barbecue project Barbecue that we currently operate downtown on Fremont Street, also will be connected right with

the building front on Fremont, So we're excited for that. Um. Probably next month we'll have the announce of some of our bars with what bars we're gonna have on the property, and then uh, the naming of the of the pool deck as well. So we're very very excited for it. It's been about seven years in the making, between acquiring all the real estate downtown and all the different things that needed to happen in order to put this project together. So yeah, big news coming at the end of the year,

the naming of the pool deck. Did you how how big was that screen by the pool? It's a hundred and twenty eight feet long UM with a with a you know, a sixteen nine race sido. So if you've been to the Downtown Events Center and you've seen that screen that we we do the viewing parties on for the nights games and all that, it's three times the size of that screen. Oh my goodness, you'll be able to see it from you'll be able to see it from the from the ninety five as you're as you're coming,

as you're heading downtown. And the intention is to show sports on those TVs. Yes, obviously the pool is going to feature music in DJ's um, but there there's gonna be you know, many times we're the background is going to be sports obviously, uh at that pool, and the volume will be on sports as well for major events. Man. So I'm thinking all those all those times I was in the lagoon at the hard Rock and I had

bets going on baseball. Imagine if there was this massive screen where I could do both at the same time. You know, every Sunday in the summer, Derek takes a group of people to a different pool in Vegas right to see what's good, what's bad and all. And he would always get so upset, like when they didn't have they didn't have a major event plane it would be the NBA finals or the NHL finals, or he said, how can that people come to this pool and not

be interested in the sporting events. So he he wants to combine that, and there's also gonna be thirty two cabannahs as well, so people have the opportunity to purchase cabanas and and control control their own volume and content for sports. The The number of times I checked baseball scores without a screen at the pool can only be calculated in the millions. It is really true. Congratulations on all that to both of you and Derek. Derek Stevens,

of course, is whom Mike is referring to. Who is the owner of the d Hotel and the Golden Gate Hotel. Say Gil yes, just to interrupt you, um to and to double uple what Mike just was talking about. The I walked through the structure a couple of weeks ago that pool, Dick or the whatever they're calling it is amazing, Like it looks massive. They have the structure built for where that TV will go and it is going to be the place to be from March Band to six year.

It's for the super Bowl next year. People need to like just pay attention when they open up reservations for uh for next year because it's gonna be pretty pretty damn awesome if you're looking for Marchband super Bowl party next year, whether it's the pool or the actual sports book. The screen area for the sports book is ridiculous there's outside of the West Gate, there's nothing even close to it.

And you know, I'm fairly uh, I've been to just about every sports book in Vegas, and I'm so excited for us. And also I'm excited for some short fried rice at the new Asian restaurant that's gonna be there because you you show me fried rice with short ribs and you all shoe your man with a smile on his face. You'll be there every day. And I know, alright.

So since Mike Mike already started the Let's Get Hungry portion of the show and and also talked about, of course the sports book that is opening at Circa unlike any other schedule for December, along with the whole hotel. So let's start with sports books besides the opening of Circa at the end of the year. Let's start with Todd, because Todd's a sports book kind of guy. What are your go to sports books in town sir? Well? Because I live right near the South Point, I'm very often

at the South Point. Um, if you like um secondhand smoke, it's the place to be. Uh. There is that. That's actually my only complaint with the South Point sports book actually is the second hand smoke. Other than that, I love the South Point sort of sports books because you've got many, many, many many televisions and they have good coverage on the television. So like the west Gate has

more beautiful screens and everything. But you can go there and you know, ask for your game and you know, let's say it's a college basketball game, you want to watch it, and they're like, oh yeah, yeah, we'll get it up, and it's like you missed the whole first half because they think their time with the screens, whereas at south Point, you know, they get that stuff up fast and so they, in my opinion, had the best

coverage like that. UM. I've been to a whole bunch of sports books UM and some have you know, Green Valley Ranch I got. I used to go to a lot UM. It has some nice screens there, but I just like the UM. Also, I know all the people at the South Point, so if I ask him for a game, they'll put it up for me right away. So it's just much more convenient like that. But if you've never been to the West Gate, obviously that's something

you want to see. UM. It will be obviously taken over by Circle once Circa has their brand new giant sports book, and Westgate will be in ruins. I'm sure at that point. Um after Circle has a gigantic new sports book that they're going to be having. And now, Mike, are you gonna have that smell that they have when you first walk in Westgate? Um? Because I can? I can. I just say this what I always say to people when I I love the people who who run the

West Gate. Of course we're we're all friendly with them, but I do feel like I have a rash every time I leave there, Like I just don't understand why they can't make the lights like they can't? Why why so dim? Why so dim? Can we just jack up the lights a little bit? That would be my only complaint there by the way, I'm just I'm just kidding around.

Although the smell can't be a little you know, I can't be I'm just kidding, but I'm not, you know, I think that you know, the sports book thing, We've done this over the years and ever its evolved because there were years is we would come on for the sports book part and I remember talking about like Legassi Stadium at Palazzo and Legassi Stadium is like a stone throw from where I live. Not only do I not go to Legassi, I don't ever even think about it anymore.

So like the way we've taken in sports books over the years has definitely evolved. Um I still because it's in my bo right, yeah, because it's the you know, Arif to me is like an extension in my living room. It feels like comfy couches. Uh. It's tucked away in the back of the Aria. It's a different kind of sports book. The angles on the screens quite frankly, aren't that good. Like Todd was talking about the coverage that he has, particularly in his section, the Wishnevs section at

the south Point, where he's got both walls. Um so he's optimal there with the coverage. ARIA is not really like that. But if you want a nice, cozy sports book, it's the place to be. I still think the glitziest screens and some of the nicer screen in town are at the Cosmo. It's a very small sports book and you probably you know, for big events, want to know somebody to get actual seats. Um. But those screens are beautiful, they are sharp screens, and there's a Starbucks right there,

so I still like those a lot. Um the one that you know, I think I would add to the list this year. Maybe I added it last year. I'm not so sure if I did or not. And I've only been there a couple of times. But and Mark, you can speak to this. The Link is a little different, isn't it with their sports books these little points. Yeah, the Link is a very different sports book, and it's really made for groups with the it's called the book,

just the book. What the way they sell it is that there are little living room sections that they call fan caves. Um, but you have control of four TVs. You can play Xbox on one of the TV while you're watching the games. Um. There's a self served beer thing that you don't really need because you're required to use a waitress to bring you boots and food. So um. When you're in those little pods, it's a cool it's a cool vibe. And the seat up to from ten to twelve people on a couch and chairs that are

in each section, So definitely different. You know, Park m Gym renovated from when they first opened their book, and that has sort of a more sports bar vibe than a sports book. Vive But those are just different ways to enjoy it. You know that you mentioned great screens. Don't forget the wind. The wind has amazing beautiful screens. Um where in there. It's beautiful. Yeah, it's it's gorgeous, but you gotta you're gonna pay if you for the most part, unless you're betting on horses. Have they have

they not scrapped that yet? They still they still make you pay for seats in there pretty much at big events like on a football Sunday, do you have to

pay to sit? I believe the general seating is free, but the couches are for you have to pay for well, the couches for sure, I wonder because you know, when it first I heard you, I heard you have to pay for to get even regular seats for NFL Sunday at win And like I know for sure you have to pay places like Caesar's and caesar Sports Book isn't even that nice, right Caesar's is a dark, rash filled dungeon also with a bar now in the back that messed it up to begin with. But the but when

is You're right? When has the glitziest screens in town? Currently? But I do you know, like last year, I when I watched the Raiders Redskins, like on a Sunday night, I had to pay fifty bucks just for the pleasure of being in there. So keep that in mind with the win. But you know what I'm saying, Mark about like the evolution that is, think about like Lagassie, and think about like what we used to think. We're great screens like with the Venetian, right, oh man, great screens

at the Venetian. Those were like really good. And remember at the beginning of the decade, this past decade, the M was the epicenter. And now if you walk into the M, those screens are unwatchable, unwatchable, absolutely unwatchable the M. And by the way, you do have to tip your hat to west Gate they do have a gorgeous screen. Yes, well they did a big renovation a couple of years ago. Mikey, Sorry, I was gonna say, I want to hear some news about the d Sports book from Mike. Well, we are

doing we're doing a remodel on the second floor. Mark, that's gonna start, um the Tuesday after Super Bowl. We're eliminating our show room. Uh, and so we're gonna use that space we're gonna move where the sports book currently is, which is adjacent to the view bar, and we're gonna move it over into the showroom space. UM, and we're building a brand new bar uh in that area. It's going to be a sports bar. UM. You'll be able to get food at it. They'll be seating as well,

and possibly a a studio that a network might use. UM. We'll have more details uh coming up right after Super Bowl. But yeah, the whole second floor is being remodeled. UH. And this this new bar is gonna be awesome. And and this its book area where Circuit Sports is, and this little studio UM should be uh should be pretty pretty spectacular when we get done with that. It's scheduled to open Arch sixteen. So there's no better way to stress test the bar than to open it on the

eve of St. Patrick's Day. We forgetting any sports booker? Do we get them all? Mark? What do you think? Well? I wanna. I'm gonna give you one that people probably don't know about. And it's not it's not big. But when we're talking about screens, they they invested over a million dollars in their screens and it's at at Cromwell. Kill. Um. It's it's a beautiful little sports book. But I mean

there's probably only seating for forty people. But you know, you're you know, that doesn't really matter if you're only you're only with a group of four or five guys. I think it's a great place to watch the sports. It's right there at the back entrance the valet there at the Cromwell, which is really what I think is a really nice hip boutique property, and people don't know about it. Here's the problem. The hours are very abbreviated, right They like on week on weekdays they don't open

until noon, right. Um. So I I constantly complained to Bill Sadler and those guys that Caesar's about you need to get this book open. It's so nice. You've invested a lot of money for me. I'll just say for me. Um. Personally, I like the Red Rock Sports Book. I like to be able to bet horses and watch sports at the same time. They have the separate lines. The South Point is a little harder because they segregated, so you don't

have all the sports on in the race book, right. Um. But I think the Red Rock is very comfortable and you don't really have to deal with the smoke the way you do at the South Point. That's interesting about the Cromwell, Mike. You know, for anybody who has UH, for anybody not familiar, the Cromwell is where the Barbary Coast used to be. And I like to joke about the Cromwell that it's the hotel is just an excuse

to have Drey's nightclub on top the Cromwell. If you've ever been in those rooms, those rooms are beautiful at the Cromwell, really nice boutique hotel. And I would say that those rooms, along with those at the Palazzo are still there are still the nicest, biggest rooms on the strip. I would say, now you can you can certainly pay upwards at the at Cosmopolitan and at you know, Win and Encore is still beautiful. Winning Encore still the only hotels that make me feel like I'm on vacation even

though I live here. So there are those, for sure, But just in terms of standard rooms, when we're talking just the standard suites, Palazzo and Cromwell from me, I don't know if I'm leaving anything out. Mark. I love the Cromwell as because you know, It's probably my favorite place to gamble on the Vegas Strip. They have plenty

of three, plenty of three to blackjack that's affordable. They have single zero roulette for I believe it's twenty five dollar minimum, and then they have a hundred times craps. I love the rooms. I love the Bucatini. I believe it is from Giotta. Um, it's just the staff. There is phenomenal um on the casino floor. And uh, the only issue I have with the sports book is when you want to go there, they charge receipts and they put up ropes so that you have to get permission

to walk in there. Um, So if you're there on a football Sunday, for example, you're gonna have to pay fifty two bucks just to watch the game. And uh, you know that's not fun for me. But you know, otherwise, I love the casino. Todd's real question was where the eighteen year old Russian tennis player I tried. I tried to skirt that delicately, Todd wishing if it was famously creepy when we were talking about Amanda and Misamovo on

a numbers game on Visa. I was not creepy. I was very excited because she was able to come back, and stead, you're very excited. I was only about our bed. You're you're exciting her, Todd, I don't get that your excitement. Maybe google her, which said this guy is being a little creepy, regardless of the intent. Alright, so now we will we'll segue because you mentioned Giata. Michael Lombardi couldn't stand Giadas by the way more, I believe it. I don't. I can all. I like the and that one dish.

Everything else sucks. I went the first week and I just remember we just ordered everything in the world. I don't remember being particularly great though. Another place that's like right by where I live, and I never think to go there, by the way, I've actually been to that one, you know, I haven't been anywhere, Gil, I've actually been

to that terrible Oh you didn't like it either? Uh. Well, every year on the show, and this is probably the biggest thing that the Veggat Lifestyle Pod has had impact on, I would say, is restaurants, not just the high end ones like Carbone, which I've recommended year after year after year, which is still my favorite restaurant in all of Las Vegas. But other places, like when Marco and Ace were here urban Rye and I brought up I introduced him and

all of us to the Oyster bar at Palaestation. All of these places we used to talk about for years. That really ony Amo, by the way, Mike, you probably don't even know like we talked about ony Amo for years. Mark Uh, Marco, what I used to go to ony Amo? We used to have a ball they're eating and diy Ammo. By the way, all those new restaurants you just mentioned, Mike,

I can't imagine even the steak place. I can't imagine it being as good as ony Amo, which along with s w at Wynn to me, are the most consistently great steakhouses in all of Las Vegas. Andy Amo is like second to none to me. Well, thank you, gil I. I I'm not joking when I say it ruined me taking my wife out for sneak because she compares everywhere. We go to ony Amo and right away she doesn't like the steak as much and it ruins the meal. So I have to take her to Italian or fish

places so that we can have a night's experience. So so I guess the that's and that's so true. It's the same way with with me. The I guess the the object here is to come up with places that we've discovered, Uh, new ones or there isn't Mike and Totter here, so it's gonna be new by default. Um, but I'll just start with something out of the way, which is not on the strip. I know you are Mark, but are you guys familiar with the comic Joe Koy

by any chance Filipino comics, very very very familiar. Oh, realized Mike. Mike knows everything. I love that about Mike. He's very well rounded individual. Um, Joe owns this restaurant way out where. What area of Las Vegas is that? Mark? Technically it's Spring Valley near Summerland. Okay, So I go and get rehab because I pop my Achilles for those who don't know, I pop my second Achilles of my life. So I go out in that direction, I get rehab

and fashion style is never song. Let me know. It's like, Oh, Joe Koy has this restaurant out here, Shabu Shabu restaurant, which is the equivalent like a Japanese fon. Due for lack of a better term. And the name of the place is Yo g A y o j i E. Now it's not close to the strip, so if you're just coming into town, just know that if you're if you want to go do this place, it is a bit of a drive, so it's like it's an event.

But the food is so good, Like Joe Coy decided to invest in this because it's like the only thing his son would eat. And it's essentially you dip meats and noodles and all kinds of ship into this fondue of your choosing, and it is so good that I cannot recommend it enough. Every time I go to rehab, I think to myself, I I gotta go to Yo j because this place is phenomenal. And so that would be my first sort of out of the way recommendation

this year. I haven't a recommendation. Gil Yes, if you like falafel and you like being told what you're gonna order, but it is, Yes, it is delicious hummus grill on Sahara just off the strip, just to the west of the drip. If you like falafel, it is a real authentic Israeli falafel. And if you try to order, they'll tell you no, no, no, you don't want that. Let me let me order for you. I'll tell you what you want anyway, even if you let them tell you

what they think you want. It is fantastic. And I will say this because Todd and I have been on numerous occasions, and Todd has his experience because he doesn't speak Hebrew as well as I do. I actually get to order there. But Todd they just run him over in that right time. Is that exactly what happens because you don't know Hebrew, you speak of religious they try to call them. I call them on there. It's really bullshit,

which is actually exactly what he does. But the h I am not typically like unless you're having falafel in the Middle East, like American made falafel is usually dry and disgusting. It's like eating sandpaper. But this place they're falafel is socking good. Um hmss grilled. That was a Todd wishing of discovery. Well done. That's a good one. Mikey. You know yo, I don't know if you've heard of this place. I really like it. It's a it's a

local place. It's called the Sparklings. It's on It's on It's on Rainbow in the southwest part of the city, and it's it's a different environment. It's a it's a bar and restaurant. But I think they have really good cocktails and for for me, they have good specials, good uh different entree specials each night. There's a they have talked talking about short ribs. They have great short ribs um and I don't know if any of you guys have ever eaten there, but it's one of my favorite

local places. What's it called again, The Sparklings s p A R K l I n g as the Sparklings. Wow, No, I didn't know that meltzer. You know what I'm saving for you? What are you saving for me? Where we went with fashion stylist ever Song and we had that massive amount of meat. Well, I ended my year eating one of the best meals of a year at Major Domo at the Pazza, when I started the year across the hallway from Majordomo at Moon Palace with you so and and honestly, it was not an exciting year of

new restaurants for me. So it was not that's right. Get there's a lot of Asian restaurants opening and a lot of seafood restaurants opening, and I just don't get excited about that like I do with a new chicken restaurant, or do like Yardbird, or do steakhouse. Um, like we've touched on already. Um, those are my Those are my James, and they're just not the cool food for millennials. They don't photograph very well, so I can't really get too

excited about that. But you know, um, Majordomo was phenomenal. Like you said, we had a massive piece of meat. I think it was like three humongous short ribs for the three of us, and it was it was two dollars for the table something like that. It was expensive, but it was delicious and we didn't even eat all of it because they said the service in the future will include a bowl of fried rice and short rib. And as I mentioned earlier, you give me fried rice

and short rib and I'll smile. That is Majordomo, by the way, for people. Majordomo is the second Vegas restaurant for Korean American Washington Redskins fan David Chang, who has tons of restaurants all over New York City, but he has Momofuku at the Cosmo, which is really good. Um, one of the places I love to go to Momofugo, although they took the Jadori chicken off the menu, which pisces me off. But then Majordomo is at the Pilazza where Carnavino used to be. Um, and that's where we

had that. But across the go ahead, before you go any further. Is he opening a new restaurant I heard called Clem Haskins. He is opening a restaurant, though where where inside It's a secondary restaurant inside of Majordomo. So I believe it's gonna be a Brazilian barbecue Korean barbecue barbecue much different. Yes, I thought they were serving the Brazilian barbecue style. Oh, I thought the headlines at Korean barbecue. You're probably right. Okay, yeah, no Korean bar I'm all

down for Korean barbecue. But I'm but tell but but where we went yesterday? You know how you go and you eat certain places on Diamos. An example, Carbone yard Bird, when we had fried chicken at Yardbird of Venetian, which was a staple of our restaurant recommendations. On this show. I mean, so many of these places, oyster bar, I'm forgetting so many of them. There's that, there's that place at that old school, More Toronto's over there at mar

Toronto's at at Paris which the meatballs. Like, there's certain places you eat where you cannot stop thinking about the food into the next day. And yesterday me and me and Mark went to because when we went to Major Domo, they said, oh yeah, right across the hallway here, like this is the high end place, but right across the hallway they're gonna open this slider's place. And what was

it called Moon Palace? Yes, all right, so we got sliders yesterday and you know you're probably thinking sliders was like some white cattle stuffs. How good was that? That? Like I cannot stop thinking about I want to go today again. It was kind of perfect. The we got double sliders instead of singles because we are and they sell triple, so we're sort of in the middle because we're like that triple. I didn't even know the little triple. I believe they had a triple on there as well.

So it's expensive for a slider. I mean, we paid I think eight dollars for a double slider. Um not not cheap by any by comparison to Whitecastle, where you're paying not even a dollar for a slider. So these are just a bazillion times better. They use like real beef, and they don't saturated with onions. They use a moderate amount of minions so that you burp it up for at least two hours, but it doesn't overwhelm anything else in your in your system. It was and the thing,

the toasted buttery buns were phenomenal. The little anybody chips were for me. I don't really like chips, but they were tasty. Um. It was just a great spot. And I was saddened to learn we were told when we're a major DOMO that they would be open twenty four hours a day. They're actually only open five hours a day right now. Yeah we thought that was like a

late night place. Yeah yeah, but right now it's eleven of four And I sent people saw me tweet from there yesterday and they ran out and we're like, dude, it closed it for what are you talking about? But the good thing, that good thing. We had lunch there because it was phenomenal and I will definitely be back sooner than later. Todd, we gotta go. I'm telling you, Mike, we gotta go. It's it's so good and the onions were so perfect in there. And by the way, it's

not the size of a white Castle slider. It's double the size of that when you say triple maybe, yeah, I mean it's probably six times the size when you look at two pieces of beef. And it was definitely a double burger. Like they use Hawaiian rolls, which is phenomenal. I can't even handle I barely eat bread nowadays, so for me to have bread and like, I'm always excited, but this is beyond comparison the toasted all I get the chills right now. Kind of hate you right a

little bit ill. I don't want to have to drive over to the to the gun show. I definitely hate you, guys, because I haven't had sugar carbs in over seven months. And this is not a fun conversation. It sounded like you ordered straight off the fat Causer menu. Did they have that? It's kind of the whole menu is kind

of the fun Causer. By the way, the chips that that Mark is talking about, they have different kinds of chips and one of them is like a buttery chip and it was crispy and potato e at the same time. It was so good. Um, I can't get enough. Is I'm gonna be like a thousand pounds if I'm not already. But it was spectacular. We need to get you back out on the tennis court already. You gotta fix those achilles because it sounds like you're you're eating yourself up

a storm. It's amazing with the achilles. Uh, it's you know, in the nineties, when I did my first popping of the achilles six months, then the medical philosophy was for six months, don't do anything because you might rerupture it. Now like I'm not even three months and I'm limping around already without boot or crutch or anything like that. And it's terrifying because it's just it's just a mental thing.

But tennis court is far away time. I got about six more months for the tennis court, but I'll have to bionic achilles by that point. So look out. Did you want to tell people where the most dangerous tennis court and all down in? Yes, there's a there's a dangerous tennis courts, both financially and physically. It's the Las Vegas Invitational Courts on Las Vegas Boulevard South, and uh, if you don't know what you're doing, you could lose a lot of money there in bets and you may

even rob shirt Achilles. It's fantastic. I had Dwight Powell of the Mavericks ropshts Achilles the other night. Was that not exactly like he pounds? It was exact same thing, with the exception of the customary. By the way, if you financially at all, why do you step on the jokes? How do you step on the jokes? Todd? I was in the middle of a joke. I'm sorry, I thought I apologize. What made you think I stopped talking when I was talking because there was a pod? I'm sorry?

What were you What were you saying? What did you say to Mikey? I was saying, Mike Palm, it's not dangerous for him financially because he always chintzes you on the line. Chintzes you on the line, Mike, are you still there? I have a question? You know. Has Deborah Song officially changed her name to fashion stylist Era Song? Yeah, I'm trying to give her props so that she can like grow her business by calling her that. And if I say it enough, people will be like, what's this

fashion stylist Debora song thing? I think people are googling her right now? Yeah, well they should. By the way, can I just say this about fashion stylist Debba Song, Debor Song? And I never gave a about fashion. I really didn't for the first four decades of my life, never cared about it. She proved to me, and this is for dudes everywhere, and this is great for sports betters because we typically a sports betters were not exactly fashionists. But she proved to me that people really treat you

like the way you dress matters. I never thought it mattered, but people treat you differently when you dress a certain way. And she has an unbelievable eye for stuff, because no one had ever in my life every said like, oh man, what were those shoes? Oh man, what's that shirt you're wearing? But as soon as she started picking out closer me and by the way, she hasn't in like two years.

She's like banning me from new clothes apparently. But like when she did, um, everyone would stop me all the time. So anyway, people should google her that's all I'm saying. Um was a where we're at? Oh other resta any other restaurants like fried Chicken? You brought up Yardbird? These like these different fried chicken spots that have popped up

that aren't as high end as Yardbird. Yardbirds at Venetian, which again I can't say enough about because they have a dish that's fried chicken waffles with syrup infused with bourbon and watermelon. It's just the greatest ever. Oh, it's so good. But these are like crackshack popped up Patty Bees at the Cosmopolitan. These these fried chicken places, I don't love any of them. Nope, spiders, fried chicken sliders. That's all I need. You could have all the chicken

waffles you want. Just hooked me up with the sliders. By the way, this isn't specific to Vegas, but have you had the Popeyes chicken sandwich in No I almost had in Los Angeles over the weekend, but decided to go get some pies. Dude. That is really good. They're very generous with the chicken and those chicken sandwiches. Have you had those micro Todd Todd You can't have it? Probably the best thing about it is the portion. Yes, I agree. The best thing about it is the portion.

I will give you that. Yep. Um. Any restaurants were leaving out new ones, maybe we haven't thought about all right, So here's what I have for restaurants. Mabel's at the Palms I really enjoyed. I've heard mixed reviews since my last visit, and which was I believe also with you. Um, that's a barbecue at the Poems. Yeah, it's barbecue. The bath the fatty brisket is was delicious. The last time we were there. Blue Ribbon reopened their sushi restaurant at

Red Rock. Um, it's it's Blue Ribbon. I mean it's it's fantastic. So that's a great point because for years on this show, Blue Ribbon at Cosmopolitan was my go to spot, and then it disappeared because the Cosmopolitan was like, we're bringing in this other sushi place. F you Blue Ribbon. You guys gotta do something else, and so Blue Ribbon took their traditional sushi place and now it took it all the way out to Red Rock, which I have come out and eating with you one time. But like

I cannot say enough about Blue Ribbon You're right. Is blue Ribbon is blue Ribbon. It's phenomenal. Yeah, and just remember the one that Cosmopolitan is a generic, not generic a more American restaurant focuses on seafood and steaks. It's blue Ribbon Brasserie, which is not the real correct it is the real blue Ribbon. It's it's fucking delicious. I had a phenomenal steak there, but that's beside the point.

Carbone I finally had this year after you raving about it. Phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal. Carbone atmosphere and food to me is still second in the greatest restaurant the The problem that the only negative I've heard about that place is that it's expensive, and it is, but you get what you pay for. It's phenomenal. Um One new another, another new place that opened. Uh is a brewery called for a company in Vegas called

Able baker Um. They have a kitchen. It's called the Arts District Kitchen and it's from a local uh I guess bar restaurant owner at where I live. Five five craft and kitchen, and they make an amazing bond Me sandwich and uh I just get the pork belly bond me and a ton of beer and it's an amazing night. And there the able Baker beer is phenomenal. They have about thirty different taps that they make their and they make it right in downtown Vegas, which is kind of fun.

Uh somewhere in between the Strat and uh Fremont Street, um walking distance between both, but you probably don't want to walk in that area. UM. Bunch on Cream fried Chicken is another one that I actually I think I went to two years ago for the first time and it's phenomenal kream fried chicken. If you're into that. UM and Italy over at Park MGM, you know, and this is something Todd could actually eat. I think you could go there and get a charcouter re plate and it

is phenomenal. Cheese and meat there's there's there's no bread involved. I'll let you wanna dip a little uh bread in some oil there. It's they have a ton of different restaurants there. It's kind of like a fancy food court. But the charcouterie I had a couple about a month ago and it was phenomenal. You went and had charcouterie without me at Italy by the way, listen todd joke.

Todd's joke. When I had you for my my surgery, I developed a blood clot that that quickly moved to a massive pulmonary embolism and almost almost bit it for me once and for all. But they blasted it out and I'm okay. But Todd joked that they were going to find what was the time You're like, what's this massive cheese bowl? And we get there and he's got like a ball of cheese in that was dipped in oil. He's wondering what he's losing. I'm like, oh, well, it's

probably not this giant cheese ball you're eating. Uh yes, probably not this giant cheese bowl that we own in your lungs. Anything else restaurant wise or we covered pretty good there. I think I think we're pretty good. I mean, I still love a lot of the steak places you mentioned. Um, you know you've already mentioned a lot of one thing that a couple that we missed. My favorite very actually two of my favorites. Uh John George's again, you turn

me onto it. The short Rib. They're phenomenal. I feel like I'm talking a lot about short Rib and I should be talking about steak Heritage Steakhouse over at the Mirage is also fantastic, and Prime is always wonderful over at Bloggio. And you can sit out on the patio and watch the NFL Draft while while you're there. Yeah you can. But I'm just gonna I'm just gonna shout out on Diamo and s W one more time because absolutely they are still to me a cut above, no

no pun intended. Um. And then our favorite breakfast place over the years has been Rise and Shine. That was a Marco recommendation. Whenever Felika comes into town, we go Rise and Shine. We've been there together as well. A massive portions over there at Rise and Shine, a couple locations here in Las Vegas. Um. And then there's just all kinds of all kinds of other spots. Um. It is really talk about You didn't talk about buffets. But I'm more of a buffet guy. I'm not really a

fancy pants eater like you guys are. Sounds like you're very into sophisticated palettes and nonsense like that. I like to get in and pound and get out. Now, granted I can't eat anymore, but back when I used to eat. The buffet was the way to go. Yeah, I love that. You always default to the bullshit. Oh you guys are too fall fall fall, and I'm not that's always a very appealing. Um. But the truth is is that we're not like that at all. We just like to eat.

And so, yeah, like there's plenty of places. You're right with the buffets. I would say Caesar's is number one. Still, I like the wind buffet. Oh yeah, the wind buffet. You're right, the wind buffet is excellent. The only problem with the wind buffet is you have to wait in the line for like a thousand years. So you want to like like talk to a host or something and try to like, you know, jip your way into the fast line, ship your way in. Uh Federalle mentioned to

the Bellaggio into the m anyway. That's a lot. I mean, there's tons. I'm sure we're forgetting a whole bunch, but but that's just I'm so hungry right now. As far as concert residencies, the the greatest thing about living in Las Vegas is not proximity to sports books, because you know, we've we all have ways of betting. Uh. For me, it's the proximity to great musical acts playing up and

down the Las Vegas Strip. So when I lived in other places like d C, like San Francisco, you know, if there was a group that I wasn't necessarily that wasn't necessarily in my wheelhouse, I would never even consider going to it because it would involve getting in a car going into you know, going down the freeway or the beltway in d C or whatever it was. It was all a big hassle. In Vegas, I end up going to see not only acts that I love, but

ones that i'm you know, kind of indifferent about. But since they're just like I can roll out of bed and see them, because they're just a stone strow away from where I live. I'll go see Maroon five, right, I'll go see Phil Collins. I'll go see Barry Manilow at the West Gate by the way. That was phenomenal. I don't care what anybody said. I'll go see like that. So that the beautiful part about living in Vegas to

me is that. And my favorite I just have to say that the guy that stands above the Fray, the and Diamo and n sw of of Concerts, and I don't care what kind of music you like, you must go spend the money once and go see Bruno Marrison concert. I've seen him five different times over the years, starting when I saw him at MGM Grand and my buddy Tommy was like, we just saw like Prince on the way up, didn't we. I was like, yeah, we did.

Like he is the Michael Jackson of this air. So if you if you can spill out cash to go see Bruno Mars, I would always recommend that um and then the other ones that are kind of all around the place. Boys two Men is at the Barrage. I think baby Face might replace that might have replaced Boys to Men, or they're doing a tandem thing at Planet Hollywood,

Christina Aguilera, j low Backstreet. They replaced Britney Spears and Line Ritchie, but Lona Richie came into town, did some stuff at the Wind, Anita Baker, Kenny Loggins, different ones

at the Wind. I mean there's all over the place, And of course the biggest, most extravagant one is Lady Gaga at Park MGM, who does not one but two different types of shows, a big, massive concert with all of her popular hits and then she does this jazz show which I went to, by the way for New Year's Eve, and she's a potty mouth, cursing the entire time, which I thought was weird. But she is phenomenally talented. But I will tell you that Bruno was the best

to me. I love Little Richie just because I'm that kind of guy. But you know, there's something for everyone. Steely Dan, before Walter Becker died, was here. I'm just trying to think Chicago would come into town and play at the Venetian, not with Peter Stera, but with their knockoff sixty year old Canadian dude who sounds just like it. So I don't know what you're I don't know what your guys favorite ones are in town, but there is just something for everyone. The greatest thing about Vegas, and

it's gonna be a great year. We already said NFL Draft Circus opening. But concerts, man, this is the concert capital of the world. Who has Aerosmith has a residency here? Is that right? That is correct? There? Actually, I believe during their last few shows in the next couple of months. My friends saw the show in November and they were they paid to stand on stage, and they had their own bar on stage, and they had their own restroom and they're like they were inches away from Steven Tyler.

Now I'd not an Arrowsmith fan, so I didn't go, but the experience sounds phenomenal, and uh, you know that that's what these residencies are doing for for some of the young and we're calling grandparents younger artists. Um in Arrowsmith. But they're they're upping the anti they're creating. Like you mentioned Lady Gaga, the production on that show is insane. Um. You know, they're they're giving away in your driver so you can hear different mixes of the Aerosmith show when

you get those tickets on stage. Um, they're creating a unique thing. All the sets are specific to Las Vegas, so like when def Leppard was at Plant of Hollywood last year, although that entire set and the setting everything was specific for the venue, and they will not do that show anywhere except for Plant of Hollywood. So it's kind of a cool thing if you're into those bands. You know I'm not, But Kelly Clarkson is actually one that I'm looking forward to. Um, she'll be over at

Plant Hollywood later this year. Uh, this Orpeans. I have a friend from l A that was going to fly to Germany to see them UH this year, but now they're doing a residency for the month of July at the at Pint of Hollywood as well, and he's now coming to l A. He might act, or from l A. He might actually live at pont Hollywood for the month. Who knows, he could pull a hard rock hill and become plant of Hollywood Joe. So you know, I mean, there's so there's Honestly, you didn't even touch the tippity

Iceberg on residencies for this year. And there there's a lot of older artists um that are performing this year. I think the who is going to be It's Caesars Palace, Van Morrison staying, Rod Stewart, Doobie Rod Stewart. The Doobies are at the Venetians. So is Easy Top in Chicago and Foreigner like what this is a classic. It's it's ridiculous,

you know. And over at UH over at when you have one of the person I saw on concert for my first three shows ever out of like a thousand shows I've seen, my man Brian Adams is doing three nights a three night limited engagement at Win playing all the hits, so you know there's and then they also have Dwight Yoakum on a different side of defense, you know, with country music. And then they have Diana Ross, which appeals to the gills of the world, even not the heart,

maybe not the hard rock hill. Yeah, I want to see Diana Ross seventy five years old. She was phenomenal. Do the Dubies. Is Michael McDonald with the Dubies or is that Doobie's sons? Michael McDonald, That's what I wanted. I believe it's without him. I believe he tours by himself. And a lot of these are cover bands because you know who is it that just played um at Palace, not Foreigner but Journey. Journey had the non the non the new singer, and so it's a cover band. Yeah,

you know to me that that's not appealing to me. Well, yeah, Stephen Perry, that was his name of Stephen Perry was his name? Yeah? He uh yeah. They have this guy on YouTube. They found this Filipino sounds just like him. Yeah, that's like, that's the same thing with Chicago. They they've replaced Um their lead singer over the years, Gil, you didn't mention one of the best residencies in Vegas. Oh no, what an evening with Todd Wishnav where he goes through

all of the and the Sunshine Band hits. Would you like a sample here it goes? That sounds like that sounds like what do you say? That sounds like a free show on Fremont Street during the summer. Oh, it's it's fantastic. There's some really great hit and those are the residencies like Jeffrey Osborne will come into town Shirley Murdoch for all the R and B fans like myself, it's just it's puhenomenal. Jeffrey Osborne came to the Golden Nugget, people had to get out of my way. I was like,

I cannot be stopped. Um, so there's all kinds of stuff for that. Where is so quiet as the guy that fronts for Journey Now? Well, thank you at the best? Uh. Two shows that I've been to this year were Gwen Stefani, A Planet Hollywood, um m hm, and Uh A lot of Energy, a lot of set changes, costume changes are very good. We had great seats too. We were like six rows back. Um. And then I'm with you. Yo. I could see Lionel Richie every three months and it's

just awesome his shows. I do want to say that. You know, I went to when Madonna was at Caesar's those three nights. I went to one of those performances, and it was the worst experience of my life from a musical. Just avoid Madonna wherever you are, and if she's coming to your town, your state, or you're in Vegas, do not pay any money. Do not waste twelve hours of your life for this Prima Donna badge from Madage from Bay City. An absolute, an absolute abortion of an experience.

We'll explain what happened, Mike, explain it. Well, first of all, it's all alive. It's all again up. I mean, they tell you the shows at nine and the doors open at eight. Then you get there and the shows at ten.

The doors open at nine, and so my wife and I got seated about nine thirty, okay for a ten o'clock show, there's no Well, the opening act is thirty minutes of some some tribal drums or whatever they brought out, uh at about ten fifteen, and then you sit there and then about eleven people start stirring, people want to know what's going on. People want refunds. You know, it's a Thursday night, it's the eleven o'clock people. There's a

lot of older people there, um and the crowd. The only fun I had was trying to get the crowd to riot. I really tried to incite a lot of people about they can't do this this way, no justice, no peace. She took this, she took the stage at midnight, gil midnight, okay, and then and then was outraged people were booing her. I left that one twenty We finally

walked out. She had played one verse of one song that I recognized, and all it was was a quick verse of Papa don't preach, so she could go into this tirade about the Nine States trying to restrict reproductive rights and all of this, and it was it was just it was just an onslaught of political stuff and it was just awful. That is I'm sorry, but like the Cincinnati Bank, both the residencies, well, my worst show of the year was the Janet Jackson show, which came

and went at Park MGM. Janet Jackson had a set list. You could see, you know, you look at the set list before they happen. She had thirty seven songs on the set list, so I knew, once you see that, you know your toast because it's all one big giant medley. Like, there's nothing I can't stand more than an artist playing like sixty to ninety seconds of the song and then moving on. I'm like, that's my fa Vard song, yours. Stop doing that. I can't stand that. Her whole show

was like that. So that was the worst. And I agree with Mike's Gwen Stefani, who was not really an artist that I would necessarily gravitate towards, but it's it's literally across the street from me. So I went, you know, we went to go see Gwen Stefani and it was great. That was the best of all the planet Hollywood residencies. It like blew j Lo away, It blew everybody away. I thought it was really, really good. I walked out at j Lo my wife. I took my wife and

her sisters. They liked it. I didn't like it at all. Y'all way too much dancing and talking, not enough singing. Yeah, dobility of the imitation of j Loo. When she was there, she This was j Loo's big personality in the In the show, she goes like this, she goes, where are you from? Maybe like San Antonio? Oh, wow, Texas? Where are you from New York? Where are you from New York? Oh? Ship to people from New York. So that's all I

remember from that show. And the other thing. The other thing was in the middle of the show, she felt the need to go, I know y'all staring at my cootie, and I was like, actually, I really hadn't even thought about it till you mentioned it. Um, that was kind of That's kind of all I remember. She's for girls, she really is. Yeah, they liked it that The three women I went with liked it. Another show, I took my wife to see Mariah Carey at Caesar's Best. Oh.

That was phenomenal. It was really, I was So that was the show I was most pleasantly surprised by because you hear a lot of negative and now she's, you know, a prima donna and lip syncing and all that. It was actually a terrific show. Well, we went the first time around when she came and it wasn't that good. The songs weren't properly ordered. She hadn't picked necessarily all the right ones, and she was being her diva self.

You can be your diva self if the show is great, but if the show sucks, you kind of just come off like an asshole. A year later or two years later, when they came back and she sort of had honed it, she was phenomenal. And you know, you you you sort of can't process like she had like eighteen number one records, Like her career is just incredible, how successful she's been. But yeah, she was. She was definitely good. I never got to see Selene Diona, never got to see Elton John. Um.

I never got to see Donnie and Marie. I always I always wanted to see that. I never got a round doing Paula Abdul replaced Donnie and Marie at Flamingo. So I guess I gotta see that cheese balls at some point. I love it anyway. Um, all right, I guess we should end on weed. Mark. Please tell the people, don't act all shy. Your knowledge of weed is stupid. First of all, let me just point that out. Um, But where like, tell tell people the people who are

coming into town who want to partake. What are the rules and regulations? So here's the deal. I am not nearly the expert that killed makes me out to be. I eat candy and it does stuff to me. So and I found what works for me, which does not work for everybody. So let's get that out the way. Anyway, venues to go Planet thirteen year Win is pretty amazing. It's a great place. Um, it's a weird place to

look at, um. And that's it's it's a pretty remarkable retail outlet and um m m Jane near the Orlengeer. Some go to places near the strip, but there's a ton. Now here's the deal as far as using it, because you can legally buy it. Anybody could illegally buy it above the age of one. Now, the problem is you can't use it just anywhere. You have to be inside of a residence to legally use marijuana. Um. So if you whether you're smoking, eating, bathing, um, you have to

be technically inside of a residence to do that legally. Now, edibles obviously can be consumed anywhere without notice, um, whether it's in a hotel room or in a bathroom or whatever. So that's your thing. I'm telling you what's legal. Um, you do your own trip. I mean, if you walk into a casino nowadays, it's gonna just wreek of wheed. So that's obviously people are not following the law and

the law doesn't really seem to care all that much. UM. Personally, I like the smell of that better than cigarettes, So that's that. That's just fine with me. But you cannot legally use it. You cannot legally transported from Nevada out to another state. Uh So if when you get to the airport at McCarron, there will be um little drop boxes to leave your product here. So you're not breaking the law because it's not a federal law where where cannabis marijuana weed is legal. Um, so you have to

leave your your products here. Now. I know that people will travel with it, but you're legally not supposed to. UM. And that's really the the quick ins and out Oh, they don't take they don't take credit card um. And many of the retail outlets will are jaffee for a debit card, so you have to bring cash. I've used the credit card at those places. Probably a debit card. It could be if you have a if you have a bank. If you have a bank card, that's that's

like a master card, slash whatever. You could probably use it as either or either way, but you because of the because of the federal banking laws, banks are not friendly with with marijuana stores so that you can't you can't walk through the Bellaggio token up something right, like he can't do that, and you're not supposed to anyway. But in these dispensaries, like you know, when I live in San Francisco for most of my adult life, it's like some dingy hole in the wall with a dude

named Doug behind the counter, hooking you up right. And in Las Vegas it's like sleek, like an airport terminal. When you walk in there, you know, it's like professional operation. They're all different. There's like the mom and pop shot that has maybe three employees, and then you have the places like Panic thirteen, which is like the home depot of marijuana stores, you know, and it's it's it's kind of awesome. I can walk down the street, um, and

there's a fantastic store right here. Unfortunately, they were always out of the product that I enjoy, so I don't go there as often as i'd like. To um. And that's how I found MMJ near the Orleans because they generally stop what I like. Yeah, for people who are listening, like I didn't know, Gilly, I don't, you're such a weed head. I was like, No, I was buying chocolate for my dad. For God's sake, get me some more chocolate. I like it. That's what I've heard about the statue

and keeping the fridge, So who knows what? I know what you're talking all right now? On previous years, it will wrap this up because we're a little older than we used to be. But in previous years, at this point, we would talk about nightclubs and then we would talk about some depraved ship and it would get worse every year. But obviously aces no longer with us, so we're not gonna do the depraved ship. We'll leave that to UH

in his honor. But like the nightclubs, I mean, the one thing that I would say about Vegas, just to wrap it up as a macro statement. And I'm curious if you guys agree with this. Four or five years ago and in one of its many iterations, one of its many incarnations, four or five years ago, this was really a nightclub day club town. And I think this is probably the biggest sort of umbrella statement I could make about Las Vegas. Now, that's how it was four

or five years ago. It was all about um excess and we republic and all these day and that's all you heard about when Vegas was marketed, because of the Vegas Golden Nights, because of the Las Vegas Raiders, because of increased convention space. Vegas has really figured out that those things, those nightclubs and day clubs will still exist. But the real economy here now is in sports teams and conventions more so than it ever has been before.

And I think that that's what drives this economy. And Vegas feels like a different place over the last three or four years than it did five to ten years ago. Now, maybe some of that because we've gotten older, but I think I'm on solid ground and saying that. Do you agree with that at all? If you're asking me? And I sort of agree. Um, it's just that people are aging out of the clubs that you're talking about, So where the twenty one year old millennial is now thirty

one years old and they want something different. So I think it's a reinvention time for the clubs, and it happens every every seven or ten years. People's case just change. So I think we're seeing the uh, maybe the end of the E d M club that you know where you know that where it's sort of like steakhouses in my eyes, and this is everything goes back to State for me um but where steak houses were popping up everywhere,

now they're only making great steakhouses. And that's sort of what we're looking at with Sus Mike is their plans for nightclub at Circle. No nightclub, No, I think yeah. I think the thought is that the biggest thing that's come out of the last five years is people's um penshiant or desire for day drinking and and people want to get out in the sun, and they want to be up and they want to drink earlier in the day.

And you know, I don't know that necessarily big name DJs are where it's going to be at that it doesn't that business model just doesn't make sense because of the amount of money that you're paying them, what you have to charge for seats and drinks, and you price out too too much of the population to do that. So but I think people want to. I think people want to hang out, they want to look at other

pretty people, they want to drink in the daytime. And I think that eight clubs signs these you know, eight figure DJs will still be popular moving forward. Will or will not be you said will will will will be? Just not where you are correct, We're just not. We're not doing a nightclub thing. You know, we're gonna have a roof We're gonna have a rooftop bar, very high end rooftop bar that's gonna have incredible views of the strip in the mountains um that people can hang out at.

It's not going to be you know, I'm sure the crowd will be older. It's not going to be it's not gonna be a twentysomething's crowd. It's probably more of a later thirties, forties something crowd. And it's a little different variety. Yeah, it makes sense, makes sense. I think I think we've covered it. I think if you're coming to Las Vegas, this is a pretty good advertisement for it. It is a it is no kid, I mean, of all the years, maybe one of the more exciting ones

with the draft with Circa. Of course, if you want to come by and say hi to us at the Visa studios were at the South Point Hotel Casino, and there will be a new studio as as Mike pointed out, that's being renovated at the d in March and circa of course come December, so all kinds of things may evolve in all of those places. Ninth annual Vegas Lifestyle Show Demand's Guide to Send City. I appreciate all the love for this show over the years. For Mark Meltzer,

Thank you, Mark. I appreciate it as always been. You're a stalwart. And now I'm going on and getting sliders. Mike Palm, thank you as always, sir, Thank you, Joe, Thanks Mark. A lot of great information and Todd wishing of who I don't even know if we can hear anymore. Thank you, Todd say I learned a lot. Thank you. Thank you all for listening as always, use all this information with care. Thank you from all of us right

here at the beating of the book podcast. Enjoy super Bowl props and the super Bowl itself super Bowl fifty four next week on the show. To wrap it all up, battas back t Ba Baba Wan Bata b