Las Vegas Correspondence – June 2019

The Mob Museum

Las Vegas receives its share of national attention, and the latest comes from USA Today, which named The Mob Museum – The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement — the best museum in the state. Since opening in 2012, the non-profit museum has provided a world-class, interactive journey through true stories from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines by offering a contemporary look at these topics via hundreds of artifacts and storylines that have become part of American history. A major renovation added a Crime Lab, Force Training Experience, and The Underground, a basement-level Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy and distillery. The Museum is open daily. 702- 229-2734 or themobmuseum.org.

Doughp

Doughp, pronounced “dope,” is raw edible cookie dough that can be eaten at the restaurant or taken home to bake. Doughp originally opened in San Francisco and has found a second home on the Strip at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. The 900-square-foot bar is filled with neon lights, bumping 90’s jams, and high school bleachers. Select from three sizes: Self Control (1 Scoop), Legit (2 Scoops) or Fully Commit (3 Scoops) and then customize with chocolate chips, sprinkles, childhood cereals, peanut butter, or even chocolate sauce from a three-tier chocolate fountain. Doughp’s liquor-free bar offers rounds of milk “shots” to accompany the cookie dough. There are also cookie dough milkshakes and coffee drinks. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight. Visit the Doughp website for more information.

Fly Me Away

This is an “only in Las Vegas” story. Wondering what to do with that $20,000 income tax refund? JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort in Summerlin is celebrating its 20th anniversary by offering a “Fly Me Away” package. It includes:
• Three-night stay in the luxurious 3,000-square-foot Aviation Suite atop the Palms Tower. The suite boasts a master bedroom with a bathroom suite featuring a massive walk-in shower with rainfall shower head and a roomy balcony. Balconies off the main living room and master bedroom offer views of Red Rock Canyon.
• 24-hour butler service
• Helicopter tour of the Las Vegas Strip for two with complimentary limo service
• One private chef-prepared meal with cooking lesson in the Aviation Suite
• A $1,000 shopping spree at Downtown Summerlin with limo service
• All-inclusive dining during three-night stay
• Speed Vegas driving experience for two, with limo service
• One round of golf for two with a golf pro at TPC Las Vegas
• Cocktail reception with bartender demonstration in the property’s Herb Garden
• Private in-suite couples massage with complimentary JW branded robes
• Private table games lesson in the Rampart Casino with $500 in table games credit
• Private Yoga Lesson in Spa Aquae with complimentary yoga wear
• One bottle of 20-year old Glenlivet XXV Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
The weekend-only, three-night package is offered through Oct. 31, 2019 and can be booked at 702-869-7031.

— Diamond Jack Bulavsky

 

You can find things to do in Las Vegas without blowing your budget!

It is so expensive to come to Las Vegas! You will be forking over tons of cash, the heat will be unbearable and the crowds exhausting!

Does that sound familiar? All of it is true, but then again, not so true. You can find many expensive things to do in this town with over 2.2 million residents in the area and hundreds of thousands flocking here for long holiday weekends, but you can also enjoy the town spending less of your dollars and still have a super great time!

I haven’t gone through some of the less expensive aspects of Las Vegas recently, so I am throwing these out to you to sample during your visits.  I will provide more in upcoming articles.

KISS mini-golf is available for all ages, open daily at 10 a.m., and is located at the Rio Hotel & Casino.  It is located in the Masquerade Village on the first floor below Chippendales.  For $11.95 you can play an 18 hole, glow-in-the-dark (black lights seem to be everywhere you look) miniature golf game while being entertained by KISS music.  You can even request KISS songs to be played while you play from their DJ.  The attraction has the rock band KISS memorabilia everywhere you look, including their band equipment throughout the course.

Note:  Ask if they have any discounts available.  They might offer a discount if you have a Harrah’s (Caesar’s Rewards) players card.  They also might give you a business card at the end of your journey for a Bogo (buy 1, get 1) on your next visit if you are the losing player of your group.  Another place to check is Groupon.  Groupon was offering $5 per person if you bought 4 tickets.  This doesn’t mean you have to use them all; you can save one or two for another time since they don’t expire.

Banger Brewing Company, located in the downtown Fremont Street Experience, has tours for those over age 21, with six people per tour.  You can reserve a tour date online for a half hour time slot beginning at 4 p.m. each day.  The price of the tour is $7, which includes a “flight” after the tour.  In case you are wondering, a flight is a selection of their beers for you to sample.  They have four different beers on their flight for you to try.

Banger has two happy hours — from 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon and 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. — where the house beers that are under 10% alcohol content are $5.  Or, if you want to spend all day there drinking, you can sometimes get their deal of the day for $30 for all you can drink house draft beers.  And on Tuesday’s you get 2 for 1 growler refills.

If you think you will be trying their craft beers, you should get a Groupon.  The latest Groupon for two includes a flight of beers, 4 additional pints and 2 souvenir glasses for 40% off.  Other Groupon’s have included a growler.

Note:  You might want to eat before you go, because they do not serve food.  But you can purchase food from the Food Junky vendor in front of their location and have it brought in.  They have a limited menu which will do in a pinch if you are hungry.

If you are not familiar with the area, they are next to the Heart Attack Grill and across from Mickie Finnz.  They have indoor and outdoor seating right on the Experience.  This is a great people-watching place!  Parking is easy at the Neonopolis Fremont Street Experience garage.

Even if you do not want to hit the brewery on this trip, you can still enjoy the downtown area.  First Friday in the Las Vegas Arts District is on June 7th.  There is no admission to the event, and you can see many creations, along with the artists.  There is plenty of food, to the tune of at least thirty food trucks.  Foot-long corn dog, anyone?  There are soft drinks, coffee drinks, alcoholic drinks, ice cream drinks, coconut drinks, unimaginable drinks, and lemonades.  You will find items to buy, which can be expensive and less expensive gems, from clothes to paintings to sculptures and crafts.  There is live entertainment and dancing that keeps the area jumping.  Some of the retailers in the area are also open during the event, which draws a large crowd.

Security is high throughout the area, with police in cars, on motorcycles and even on horses.  Let’s just say that you should feel safe!

Note:  The only drawback for First Friday is the parking situation.  It is almost impossible to find parking.  This is the time to Uber, Lyft or grab a cab, unless you have friends that live local and can drop you off.

From there, and if they are not too tired, the crowds make their way to Fremont Street to sit and relax and watch the crowds go by on the outdoor patios of the restaurants and bars.

Another freebie in town which most people do not know about is visiting Anderson Dairy.  They are located on Searles Avenue between Washington Avenue and Owens Avenue.  You can take Las Vegas Boulevard north from Fremont Street just under 1 ½ miles and turn right onto Searles.  This company is a major source of dairy products in the Las Vegas area and available at most grocery stores for purchase.

They have a Barnyard Buddies Tour which will give you the history of this dairy using animatronics — and humans, of course.  This is a favorite place for the school field trips, so you might want to call before you go to find out if it will be crowded with children.  But how often do you get to visit a dairy in Las Vegas?  Say, “Hi” to Calcie!  You might even get some free ice cream to enjoy during your visit.

— Pauline Cimoch

 

The Parody “Potted Potter” Will Open at Bally’s

After several successful North American tours, London’s West End show “Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff” will make its Las Vegas debut in the Windows Showroom at Bally’s on Tuesday June 4. The original creators will star in the show through June 23, and a new cast will take over on June 24.

The perfect show for muggles, witches and wizards of all ages, combines all seven books into 70 minutes with the favorite characters, perfect Potter props, and even a live Quidditch match.

“Potted Potter” will be performed Monday through Sunday at 8 p.m. with matinee performances Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Ticket range is from $39.99 to $99.99.

New Restaurant Hatsumi Makes Its Debut Downtown

Executive Chef and owner Dan Krohmer of Other Mama Hospitality officially opened the doors to his newest restaurant concept, Hatsumi, Downtown in the heart of the Fremont East District and within the recently revitalized Fergusons Downtown market square. Offering Japanese style hospitality and cuisine, Hatsumi is now open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday–Monday. Reservations are recommended, especially if ordering the chef’s tasting menu option.

The thoughtfully different, yet approachable dining experience is a traditional omotenashi-style of service he encountered through his travels to Japan and specifically found in a throwback hotel lobby bar in Tokyo. The menu features robata izakaya dining with highlights from the yakitori bar’s selection of skewers. The menu is subject to change daily and comprised exclusively of the freshest meats, seafood and produce available. For the ultimate culinary journey, an omakase-style chef’s tasting menu is available for a set price starting at $55 and quantities are limited. Nightly tasting menus can be prepared to accommodate vegetarians and vegans if desired.

The full bar beverage program has of the largest selection of sakes in downtown, assorted Japanese beers and a curated domestic and international wine list.
Hatsumi pays homage to the neighboring downtown Arts District with the addition of Yerman the Sad Yeti, who graces the walls and adds a local design flair by Las Vegas artist Ryan Brunty of Depressed Monsters.

Krohmer opened Other Mama in March 2015. Other Mama Hospitality was born in 2018 and has since been partnering with like-minded local brands such as Fergusons Downtown to open Hatsumi and La Monja restaurants this year, and Desert Bloom Eco Farm, which took over a greenhouse facility in nearby Pahrump, Nev.

Re:Match Is Now Open at the LINQ

Re:Match at The LINQ Hotel + Experience is open and features an indoor/outdoor setting situated directly on the famed Strip. Re:Match is designed for guests to engage and interact with the environment and has 27 touch screens that create a cohesive underwater world.

Virtual Sea Life, a world of underwater sea life including sea turtles, stingrays, an octopus, a variety of fish and more can be discovered while exploring the virtual ocean display. Guests can tap the bar top screen to encounter an overzealous shark, find the lost city of Atlantis or pose for a selfie with a camera-friendly dolphin. You can open an oyster if you see one; they may contain secrets about the bar or challenge you to social media worthy moments.

Periodically, one of three games will appear at the Re:Match bar screens to challenge those seated around it to a fun competition such as saving the Las Vegas Strip from an alien invasion, catching falling money from FLYLINQ riders or capturing the most chicken wings in the “Sticky Chicken For President” game. One lucky participant will win a free drink for competing each time a game is played.

— Jackie Brett