Diamond Jack is rejoicing as Frites Las Vegas, the first-ever French fry concept on The Strip, has brought back the richness of beef tallow for ultimate fry perfection. A great deal of research went into creating this perfect fry, from the type of potato to the cut (they are triangular). But the most important factor was the frying component: 100% beef tallow that brings back the way French fries were made when rendered beef fat was a staple of nearly every kitchen in America. The menu features Original Frites with house pumps of Frites Fry Sauce, Buttermilk Ranch, Thai Chili, Deviled Egg, and Nacho Cheese.
The Basement is a live escape room experience at 3440 Polaris Ave., and it has a discount for state residents. Nevada residents with a state ID receive $7 off by using discount code “LOCALS2019” when booking online at www.escaperoomvegas.com. One of the only escape rooms to offer live actors, The Basement offers two escape rooms. In each one, teams must navigate through escape rooms with specific time limits and must escape before time runs out. The rooms contain clues, trap doors, codes, locks, puzzles, live actors, and hidden items.
Dr. Bloom, who was known for miraculous cures for arthritis, had a waiting room full of people when a little old lady, completely bent over in half, shuffled in, leaning on her cane. When her turn came, she went into the doctor’s office and emerged within half an hour walking erect, her head held high.
A woman in the waiting room, who had seen all this, walked up to the lady and said, “It’s a miracle! You walked in bent over and now you’re walking erect. What did that doctor do?”
She answered: “He gave me a longer cane.”
— Diamond Jack Bulavsky
Las Vegas conventions are anything but typical
Las Vegas is definitely out there when it comes to new experiences, whether you stay up 24 hours for the first time, get married with Elvis present in a wedding chapel or dangle over the edge of The Strat when you ride Insanity. August, this year, is filled with unusual activities and conferences for you to try to get a different perspective on the unreal and real world.
The general admission 5-day pass is $330. This does not include photo op sessions. The Single-day Preferred Seating is $75 for Friday or Sunday and $90 for Saturday. If you want to be there for one of the first two days, the single-day ticket is $70. Children 6 and under receive free admission; however, they will have to sit on your lap at staged events; they will not receive a seat. Those 7 years of age or older will have to have an admission ticket.
The convention is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Wednesday (7/31) through Friday (8/2). It is open Saturday (8/3) and Sunday (8/4) from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively. Depending on the attendance they can keep the convention open longer to cover those providing autographs.
The Rio Hotel is also hosting the Tejano Music National Convention from Thursday, August 22 through Sunday, August 25. The Tex-Mex music, which was birthed in Texas, has been around for decades and became more popular with the beautiful artist Selena. The convention’s 16 annual event has 3 daily price categories for admission.
Dozens of bands will be highlighted during the weekend with dance instruction, meetings with the artists, vendors, food and the Expo. And you will even see some comedians!
The world of esports has been hitting Las Vegas pretty hard this year. At Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino their Events Center and Convention Center are the heart and soul of the EVO Championship Series from August 2nd through August 4th. The convention center will hold the games on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the game finals move to the events center, which holds 12,000+.
While the registration for this event officially closed in July, you can still purchase admission tickets (spectator) on site for $50 per day for Friday or Saturday. The tournaments begin on Friday at 10 a.m. and run until 11 p.m. For the Sunday finals, a separate entry fee is required.
The Las Vegas Convention Center will host Magic The Gathering Grand Prix for 3 days from August 22nd through the 25th. This is another out there gaming tournament of a different caliber which uses Magic collectible cards. This is a role-playing event along the lines of Dungeons & Dragons and has been in existence since, at least, 2008. It is amazing to see people that are not in the casino actually playing a card game in such a large group!
— Pauline Cimoch
Hofbräuhaus Offers Käsespätzle Dish Food Challenge
If the family-style platter is not finished within the time limit, the courageous contender will have to pay. If it is consumed, the victor will receive a free stein, a photo mention on social media, and the monster plate of cheese-soaked noodles “on the Haus.”
The over-the-top version of käsespätzle includes three pounds of spätzle smothered in one pound of melted Swiss cheese and peppered with a half a pound of crispy fried onions.
Hofbräuhaus is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.
Valencian Gold Brings Paella Fast Food Concept to the Valley
Valencian Gold, the first-of-its-kind Spanish fast-casual dining concept, opened in July in the southwest part of the valley at 7960 S. Rainbow Blvd. Two American Chefs, Paras Shah and Jeffrey Weiss, trained in Spain and returned to the the states with a vision to bring paella, a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., cooked and served in a large shallow pan, to the people. They are serving four different paellas as the base rice.
There’s a learning curve when you go into order. You can go through five steps and create your own meal. Steps include starting with rice and greens, choosing the main ingredient, picking a dip, adding more elements and ending with a dressing. Another option is to order one of six already planned bowls. Have fun because you can’t go wrong and for vegans, there are plenty of options. It wouldn’t hurt to look up online and get familiar with the menu. The restaurant may very well be a staple for the future especially knowing the food is healthy and tastes good. Oh yes, affordable prices will make you happy too.
Happy Place Will Present Photo Fun at Mandalay Bay
Happy Place is an interactive, immersive pop-up exhibit with larger-than-life installations and multi-sensory themed rooms, which will debut a Las Vegas residency at Mandalay Bay starting Friday, Aug. 23. The pop-up phenomenon has had runs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Toronto.
Another feature will be the charity Lemonade Stand, with net proceeds benefitting local charities. To date, Happy Place has donated more than $100,000 to local groups in the four cities visited so far.
This whimsical family-friendly experience will also be available for groups and parties of all sizes; think birthday, bachelorette, etc.
General admission tickets start at $30 and go on sale to the public starting Saturday, Aug. 3. Hours will be Monday through Sunday 10 a.m.–11 p.m
Restored Ugly Duckling Sign Returns to Neon Museum Boneyard
The popular, double-sided sign has been re-electrified for the public to enjoy during boneyard admission hours. The Ugly Duckling has been present at the Boneyard since the Neon Museum’s grand opening in October 2012 and is now located close to the entrance of the boneyard next to the La Concha motel sign.
The restoration took approximately 136-man hours to complete.