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John Katsilometes
“Born to Be Wild” on the Fremont Street Experience.
Some of Jason Egan's off-duty minions.
Gene Simmons, or not, at Pearl Theater at the Palms.
The carrot cake at ESPNZone. Touchdown!
Human Nature, a former Australian boy band, performs its version of Motown, with dance-oriented beats and lavish harmonies, at the Imperial Palace.
I spent much of Thanksgiving weekend viewing Las Vegas through the prism of a tourist. Two tourists, in fact, as Uncle Dave and Aunt Dayna from Boise were in town from Wednesday through this morning. During the times I was off “working,” they trudged around the Strip, walking from Bellagio across the Strip to The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on Planet Earth.
They liked the new Sammy Hagar Cabo Wabo club and were impressed to see Jerry Springer eating there on Sunday afternoon. They hit Fashion Show mall, impressed by the scope (the company that owns Fashion Show, General Growth Properties, also owns Idaho Mall in Boise) but unimpressed by the high prices, even on Blackened Friday. They actually preferred walking along Fremont Street than the Strip, not because the Strip is inherently dangerous to pedestrians (though it really is) but because the pamphlet-snapping smut peddlers along the sidewalk annoyed them.
Coming off that whirlwind stretch, this week The Monday List is Top 13 Moments and Observations From Thanksgiving Weekend:
13: I took a cat from Jason Egan, owner of Fright Dome. Jason is allergic to cats and found a new resident at his warehouse off Blue Diamond Road. The warehouse is nearly as haunting as Egan's just-dismantled Halloween attraction at Circus Circus.
12: You can still get a 99-cent shrimp cocktail at Golden Gate, but you need to first sign up for a Club 1906 player card (marking the date the hotel opened) for that rate. Otherwise, it’s $1.99.
11: Dozens of Saskatchewan Roughriders fans were milling about I.P. watching the Grey Cup -- that’s the CFL championship game, which the Montreal Alouettes won in a thriller, 28-27.
10: The guys from Human Nature, having celebrated their 20th anniversary on Thanksgiving at Imperial Palace, still sound strong of voice and put on one of the hardest-working shows in town. At least, that was the case during yesterday’s spirited performance.
9: Best sighting at the KISS concert: Rao’s avuncular greeter Robert “Bubbles” Ubriaco, taking in the show with hotel owner Frank Pellegrino. “It’s gonna be a long night!” Bubbles said before the show. Afterward, he said, “It’s been a long night!” We need to get some T-shirts made: I Heart Bubbles.
8: There is a time and place for everything: Wearing full KISS costumes and makeup for a KISS concert is that time. Having to wear the costumes and makeup while walking through the casino is not that time.
7: As previously tweeted, in an upset, the carrot cake at ESPN Zone is great.
6: A guy on Fremont Street approached us and told me he’d just been released from jail and needed 76 cents.
5: The veteran R&B band Next Movement, playing at Las Vegas Club at the moment, is pretty dang good for anyone looking for some fun, under-the-radar, free (well, two drink minimum per set) live music.
4: Recession hits everywhere: Attendance at the 43rd Las Vegas Round-up, a convention at the Riviera for those in recovery, was less than 2,000, about half its peak from five years ago.
Mad Maddy says she's in this clip
3: Yesterday, Holly Madison sent out a tweet where she professes that the girl in the “Welcome to the Dollhouse” clip is actually her “before bleach and contacts.” You decide: Check out the clip at right.
2: A tale of two mercurial football careers: Saturday, Mike Sanford coached his final game at UNLV, a 28-24 Rebels’ victory over San Diego State. Yesterday, the quarterback he coached while an offensive coordinator at Utah, Alex Smith, led the 49ers to a 20-3 victory over Jacksonville.
1: The triple-shot Italian Stallion martini at Nove Italiano at the Palms costs $15, but cousin Athan says it was worth it.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
Top 5 moments from Thanksgiving weekend:
5: Enjoying the beautiful sunshine and warm weather of Las Vegas, compared to the North East.
4: Getting what appears to be the 'heavy pour' treatment on every cocktail we ordered.
3: Seeing a young lady so drunk that when she went to the ladies room she didn't pull her dress up far enough....and proceeded to walk out of said ladies room with what could only have been a stain worthy of a toddler who peed themselves.
2: Carrot Top on Saturday night, second row. He did a great job....eventhough there were a couple of real jerks in the crowd who heckled a few times.
1: Le Reve. Wow, just wow.
And now the sadness of being home, and having to dream about the valley until my next visit....(sigh)
Top 5 moments from Thanksgiving weekend (local version):
5: FOUR WHOLE DAYS off work - such luxury! Sometimes it's actually a good thing to work in an office;
4: Sleeping through the first half of all of that "Black Friday" goofiness;
3: Going 4-wheeling in my FJ just east of Blue Diamond Hill, between Blue Diamond Dam and Siena, during the second half of all of that "Black Friday" goofiness;
2: A truly great traditional Thanksgiving dinner at an almost unbelieveably reasonable price, at Lucille's in the District; and
1: My wonderful wife actually having a holiday off work, so we could celebrate Thanksgiving together for a change - absolutely priceless!
I think Holly meant her comment metaphorically, as the actress in "Welcome To The Dollhouse" is Heather Matarazzo!
But I think Heather Matarazzo is, in fact, a pseudonym for Mad Maddy.