Dates: September 7- September 10, 2010
JetBlue Flight: 5 hours, but felt more like two. Smooth and easy
JetBlue Flight: 5 hours, but felt more like two. Smooth and easy
Weather: Reports said it would be 100 degrees, but it was actually more like 70. We were so cold. Thank goodness for those JetBlue jackets!
Current Events: http://www.lvrj.com/
Current Events: http://www.lvrj.com/
Hotel: The Mirage
Noteworthy Activities: The Gun Range, Left of Center Art Gallery, The Cravings Buffet
At first, our Las Vegas plans were to hit the casinos, walk the strip and see the night life. But both of us had been to Las Vegas before and were already bored with that game plan before we even got there. So we decided to go off the beaten path and look for some unique things that might show us a different side to Las Vegas. Turns out we would both learn that Las Vegas is much more than gambling and casinos.
Vegas History
We learned some very interesting facts about Sin City while planning our trip to Vegas. We did not know about the plight of the Paiutes Indians or the role that Mormon gangsters played in forming the city, yeh Mormon Gangsters! Or, how real life mobsters helped desegregate the casinos. Las Vegas History is worth checking out.
The Mirage: Seeing is Believing
You can get a better bang for your buck at the Mirage. In the past we have stayed at other hotels including the Bellagio, but to the Mirage's credit you can get more for your dollar there.
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| Mirage entrance |
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| Entrance to casino |
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| Fish at the concierge |
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| Beautiful Waterfall |
The Food: It's a Real Gamble
Food in Las Vegas can be summed up in one word “Overrated”. Las Vegas food is expensive and from what I experienced during this trip average at best. Even room service is not guaranteed to satisfy (I ordered roast chicken that was drier than the Nevada desert). I would recommend any traveler really pick carefully or stick to the buffets if you can. The Mirage had a nice one called Cravings. It truly was the most enjoyable of all the places we ate in Vegas. We got to pick from a variety of options, beverages were part of the deal and it was for just one reasonable price. Pick a nice clean buffet and skip the disappointment.
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| You might just get the cravings for Cravings |
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Buffets: Pick what you want and leave the rest |
The first stop on our Las Vegas adventure was The American Shooters Gun Range. I have been to American Shooters several times in my visits to Vegas and I enjoy the experience of handling, loading, firing a gun; just getting my aggression out. The political aspects of gun ownership is for each person to decide for themselves. I will say though I am for gun ownership, but also in favor of gun control…ok, nuff on that. My desire to come to American Shooters had more to do with Kelynn than getting my “Charles Bronson” fix. I know that Kelynn had never shot a weapon before and that maybe it would be an interesting experience since it was outside of her comfort zone, so I encouraged her to go with me. The effect it had on her... well, let's just say it's a trip she won't forget anytime soon.
Kelynn says:
I had never fired a gun before or even held one in my hand so by the time we arrived at American Shooters I was curious about this new experience. We walked in, passed the store and headed back towards the gun range. Immediately my eye was drawn to a cornucopia of deadly weapons hanging on display; revolvers, machine guns and rifles. Eric asked for one of the largest hand guns and we wound up with two glock .45's. The attendant gave us a lesson on how to hold the gun, pack a magazine and load the weapon safely. As Eric filled out the paperwork, I saw three women wearing tight skirts and 4-inch heels come out of the shooting range with machine guns pointed in the air and paper targets riddled with bullets dangling at their sides. They were some real live Charlie's Angels.
I began to think....too much. All these weapons. All this ammunition. All these different personalities walking into this place and asking for a rifle…an Uzi. What if someone goes crazy right here? Stop thinking. Just learn to point and shoot. The attendant came into the range with me and walked me through the drill of loading the magazine. The magazine held thirteen 45-caliber bullets, but the coiled spring got real tight at ten. I clicked the clip…it sounded just like in the movies. I was ready to take my first shot.
I looked at my target; a diamond right between the eyes. I squeezed the trigger and a blaze of fire flashed before me. The bullet seared through the paper target. I was a good shot.
I fired again. again. again. again. again. seven more times. The glock's chamber popped open signaling that my magazine was empty.
My nerves were shot. Adrenaline raced. Shell casings littered the ground like peanut shells at the circus. The smell of gun powder wafted through the air.
The attendant came to check on me. He warned me that the shell casings could fly out of the gun and bounce down my shirt if I stood too close to the wall. They are very hot to the touch he said. I backed away and he told me I would be fine.
By this time, my heart was beating out of my chest and I didn't want to shoot anymore, I had had enough. The attendant wasn't going to let me off the hook that easily. He grabbed my magazine, loaded it with lightning speed and handed it back to me. "Try again", he said. I was shaking. Is this what they called "shell shocked".
BANG….BANG…..BANG….breath, breath, breath…..BANG….. breath, breath…BANG.
A shell casing flew out, hit the wall and bounced right down my shirt and got trapped. It burned like a heavy splatter of frying pan grease… times 30. My God...
I turned my shirt around. The V-neck now faced in the back. I gave it one more go. Breath and BANG... Breath and BANG. My own disjointed rhythm now joined the thunderous and rapid explosions from the more seasoned shooters around me. I hit my target, over and over and over again. I am a good shot. I am a really good shot. I began to think again...too much. What if someone were hit by these bullets? People have been hit by these bullets. Stop…Thinking. Just stop thinking. BANG. BANG…..You have learned to point and shoot.
I can't say it wasn't somewhat satisfying to learn that I was a decent shot. But how could I be so good at it and feel so bad? American Shooters was a unique experience. However I don't think I will be firing a gun again anytime soon. This experience just reconfirmed that I am still the pacifist that I always knew I was.
I can't say it wasn't somewhat satisfying to learn that I was a decent shot. But how could I be so good at it and feel so bad? American Shooters was a unique experience. However I don't think I will be firing a gun again anytime soon. This experience just reconfirmed that I am still the pacifist that I always knew I was.
Left of Center Art Gallery: A Rose in the Desert
About 15 minutes and 9 miles from the Las Vegas strip sits an unassuming, white, rectangular building with windows so high up from the street that you can't possibly see inside. If I hadn't already seen a picture of the Left of Center Art Gallery on the internet we would have driven right past it. This modest, unadorned structure gives no outward indication of the artistic oasis that lies inside.
As an artist myself, I came to Las Vegas thirsty to learn about the art scene in a city known for glitz, girls and gambling. It seemed at first that in Las Vegas, the term "art gallery" was synonymous with tattoo parlor. But after doing some research we found the Left of Center Art Gallery. We would soon discover that this arts organization was one of the few refuges for local artists and those looking to enjoy the contemporary visual arts.
Left of Center's owner is a woman named Vicki Richardson. A skilled artist in her own right, she opened the gallery 20 years ago after noticing a need for artistic representation in Las Vegas.
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| Permanent Collection of African Art |
The gallery's Art Director Mary Lou Evans graciously gave us a tour of the building's many colorful and vibrant spaces; a room that housed a permanent collection of African Art, a contemporary gallery currently showing the works of Orlando Montenegro, a huge studio space where artists use the space to create, commune or just celebrate each other's artistic energy.
A downstairs gallery held the works of artist Harold Bradford. And just when I thought the tour was complete, Mary Lou led us into yet another large space where a spectacular array of paintings depicting several musicians like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie were propped up on easels. She told us that the University of Nevada Las Vegas had asked the gallery to compile a collection of artworks that the school would display on loan at one of its events.
A downstairs gallery held the works of artist Harold Bradford. And just when I thought the tour was complete, Mary Lou led us into yet another large space where a spectacular array of paintings depicting several musicians like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie were propped up on easels. She told us that the University of Nevada Las Vegas had asked the gallery to compile a collection of artworks that the school would display on loan at one of its events.
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| Artist Studio Space |
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| Artist's Palette |
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| Studio Space |
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| Left of Center Art Gallery |
Check out Left of Center on Facebook for up-to-date details on gallery openings and events.
One Las Vegas Local's Opinion
We had limited time in Las Vegas, but between our planned activities we also tried to connect with some of the people of the city. We were hoping to talk to those who were actually born and raised in Las Vegas to find out how the city had transformed over the years. This was a harder task than we expected. We found that most of the people we encountered had been transplants, people who had migrated to Vegas. By chance, on our way back from the art gallery, we began talking to this engaging cab driver who had some great insights on the culture of Vegas, having been born and raised in the city. Our cab driver Ray, was born near the strip in the mid 50’s and he had seen it all. He had seen the vast expansion of the Casinos that had displaced him and his family. He also explained how the dominance of the Casino economy crippled many other aspirations of industry in Las Vegas. Ray felt that the local population was merely being geared to be workers for the vast gambling complex from birth to the grave.
Ray had seen the real estate boom and had felt the crush of the crash, as Las Vegas currently is the foreclosure capital of United States. Before we get too far let me just say…Ray was not bitter, he was engaging, passionate and a delightful man, he just had some well earned reservations about how his home town had evolved over the years. Ray was also reliable and gave us his cell phone number in case we ever needed a cab in a pinch. We used him several times in our stay and we thoroughly enjoyed his dry wit and resilience in the face of his circumstances. Ray’s view was of course not the only local residents view of Las Vegas, but it was the most intriguing one and for that I thank him.
How We Doing? Las Vegas
How We Doing? Las Vegas
As we go from City to City or Country to Country we are sure those who read this blog would like to know what’s it like between the two of us, not just how we find our surroundings but how we find each other’s company. This section will be called “How We Doing”
We had a blast. We got to see Sin City in many different forms and collaborate on writing this blog. At times it was fun at times a source of conflict. We had to decide when we should write and subsequently when we should go out and live it up. This sounds easier than it was to navigate, but we somehow got both done constructively if not smoothly.
We also had to decide where we should eat, when we should eat, how we should eat, healthy or junk, quick or sit down, what shows to catch or when to catch some sleep, when and where to exercise, etc. Decisions.. decisions… decisions… that was the major issue in Vegas, but one decision we both agreed upon was what a great decision we made to come together on this month long trip and that’s the only decision that really means anything in the long run.
Leaving Las Vegas
Time to check out. We got an extended check out at no extra charge and left at 1:30 pm. We had a 10 minute cab ride to the airport for a 2:52pm flight to LA. We could either take a shuttle which is about 7 dollars, a private car which is about 35 dollars or a taxi which is about 15 dollars. We chose a taxi; private, reliable and not too expensive.
We recommend using a good taxi service in the Las Vegas area. If you get a driver you like, get their cell number and stick with them throughout the trip. Traffic was no problem, as the airport is very close to the strip. We checked in quickly, no hassles and no worries,
Goodbye Sin City soon to say Hello to Tinsel Town!
We recommend using a good taxi service in the Las Vegas area. If you get a driver you like, get their cell number and stick with them throughout the trip. Traffic was no problem, as the airport is very close to the strip. We checked in quickly, no hassles and no worries,
Goodbye Sin City soon to say Hello to Tinsel Town!
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