maitaitom

When we received an invitation to my niece’s wedding in Las Vegas (presided over by Elvis, no less), our only answer could be, “Thank you very much!” On our first busy afternoon and evening in Sin City, Tracy and I visited a museum dedicated to organized crime where our mug shots were taken, and I was both shot and electrocuted before having a secret cocktail in its Underground Speakeasy. We also checked out a large spherical object seemingly seen from just about everywhere in town and got lost for what seemed like an eternity near the canals of Venice. After a spectacular Italian dining experience off the Strip, we’d head over to the Bellagio to admire its botanical garden’s celebration of the Lunar New Year. Below is Day One of our 66 Hours In Las Vegas! Story with photos in link below - without photos below some photos.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...ost-in-venice/There are not many events that can draw me to the madness which is Las Vegas. However, when we received an invitation to my niece’s wedding and found out it would be presided over by none other than Elvis, I figured It’s Now or Never.

Early on a Saturday morning in February, Tracy and I drove the nearly four hours to Sin City (we gambled there wouldn’t be much traffic at that hour). We briefly thought about stopping for a photo of the overrated “World’s Tallest Thermometer” in Baker, California, but upon seeing it for about the 100th time in my life, I realized it still is not worth a stop.

Just outside of Vegas, we did see something of interest on the side of the road that would cause us to detour on our way home.

Getting into Las Vegas, we took the offramp where Allegiant Stadium is located. In just a little more than a week, it would be filled with thousands trying to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift along with some football game.

Our goal at the moment was to stop and photograph the famed “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. So, it seemed, did hordes of other people. The 25-foot sign was designed by Betty Willis (who we would find out more about on our journey) and erected in 1969. There is a small parking area adjacent to the sign which was a nightmare to navigate with cars cutting others off to secure spots, knowing my patience (or lack thereof) in these situations, Tracy took a photo out the car window.

We stopped nearby to take a photo of a museum that we would unfortunately not have time to visit. The Pinball Hall of Fame relocated its 25,000 square-foot facility to 4925 Las Vegas Blvd. South a few years ago. Tracy wouldn’t let me inside because she figured I would spend the entire 66 hours playing pinball.

It might be my imagination, or does that sign seem to tilt?

We would stay at two hotels during our stay. The first night would be at the “Home Of Vegas’ Largest Martini,” The Tuscany Suites & Casino located just off the Strip (255 E Flamingo Road).

Not able to book The Blue Man Group, the hotel did the next best thing and features The Jew Man Group.

The room was spacious (450 square feet), the shower great, free parking and the price? Inexpensive by Vegas standards (a little less than $200). As it turned out, we probably should have stayed here all three nights (more later).

While most people would immediately head out to the casinos, Tracy and I had organized crime on our mind, as we drove to downtown Vegas to visit one of the city’s many unusual attractions, The Mob Museum (300 Stewart Avenue). I believe it’s the only place in Vegas where you can be shot, electrocuted and plied with bourbon in one setting.

We purchased our tickets online ($34.95 per person) to what is technically called the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement. The 1933 building has housed a number of businesses over the years, including the federal courthouse, post office and other government entities. After getting suited up with a wrist band, we were instructed to walk up the stairs (always dangerous for me) to the third floor to begin our self-guided tour. I hoped I would end up better off than this guy who looked a little shot after attempting his climb. And you thought the newspaper business was tough now!

Before entering the museum’s displays, Tracy and I were called in to be a part of a police lineup. Although innocent, we were told to make a face for the camera. To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure if Tracy looked like a little like Lucy Ricardo in the photo or someone having a stroke. In any case, this will not be included on our Christmas card.

First we learned about the birth of the mob, and how each “immigrant group faced discrimination from those who had arrived before them.” The mob was involved in all sorts of illegal activities, and I was frightened someone would learn about my recent Fantasy Football winnings.

Then we discovered the origins of Las Vegas and some of the dangerous shenanigans that took place in the early days of this desert town.

Not everything was illegal. The building of Hoover Dam was supposed to take seven years, but was completed in two.

Although we were in Vegas for a wedding, we found out the business of divorce was profitable for the city … and Clark Gable’s ex-wife.

The museum’s most famous attraction was just around the corner in the next room. Here is the actual St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Wall where seven of bootlegger Bugs Moran’s men were executed in Chicago’s North Clark Street garage on February 14, 1929.

When the building was torn down, the bricks were removed, numbered and relocated to a nightclub in Vancouver, BC. The Mob Museum acquired them and the wall stands here as it did in 1929. The only thing missing were Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

No, these are not real blood stains.

What is real? The only firearm recovered from the actual scene of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Frank Gusenberg, a contract killer and enforcer was a member of the North Street Gang, and one of the seven men who were lined up against the wall before being shot by four men, two of whom were disguised in police uniforms. Gusenberg was shot 14 times. He was transported to Alexian Brothers Hospital. Sergeant Clarence Sweeny asked Gusenberg who shot him. Declining to rat anyone out, reportedly his last words were, "I ain't no copper.” It is thought the hit was carried out by Al Capone’s men, but it was never proven.

The Mob Museum has Gusenberg’s Colt .38 special, which was found at the scene. Later that year, two Tommy Guns which were also used in the massacre, were recovered in St. Joseph, Michigan and are now owned by the Berrien County Michigan Sheriff’s Office. They are shipped to the Mob Museum every Valentine’s Day to be reunited with the Colt .38 for display. As a bonus, the museum also offers free admittance on that day.

There was only one survivor of the massacre, a German shepherd named Highball (aka Martini). Unfortunately, poor Highball had to be euthanized due to post traumatic stress syndrome. Legend has it that Highball’s ghost haunts the scene of the crime (in Chicago) to this day.

The museum also showcases one of Capone’s revolvers.

Stories about other infamous mobsters could be found. They all give a new definition to high caliber individuals.

From Dick Tracy to J. Edgar Hoover, the stories of the crime fighters were also highlighted.

Next we visited a replica of “Old Sparky,” Sing Sing’s electric chair. Sing Sing prison was where mob boss, Louis “Lepke” Buchalter was executed. He was the only mob boss to meet such a fate (at least not by other mobsters). Somehow I survived my shocking current event encounter.

Sports gambling has been a haven for illegal activities, including the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Say it ain’t so Joe!

I attempted to get some info on the third race at Santa Anita.

Mobsters were not shy … or modest.

The mafia in film created some tense moments on the set.

And dealing drugs was no small tomatoes (poetic license).

The second floor courtroom is where the Kefauver hearings took place. Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver conducted interviews about organized crime involvement in the Las Vegas casino industry. Numerous mob people were interviewed. The courtroom was restored and looks as it did during the 1950 hearings (photo courtesy of The Mob Museum).

Also on the second floor is Open City, which was a term used meaning any mob syndicate could operate here (Nevada had legalized gambling from 1931). The displays brought me back to when I was a kid and came here with my parents, who, by the way, were not mobsters.

We read about different hotels and their place in the history of Las Vegas.

Ah, the fabulous Flamingo had ties to mobster Bugsy Siegel (who has been highlighted in other Mai Tai Tom tales, from the Formosa Cafe to Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Siegel is interred).

Developer Del Webb was apprehensive about the mob, but Bugsy reassured him by saying, “We only kill each other.”
Bugsy opened the Flamingo in December of 1946.

Things did not go well for Bugsy, and the hotel was hemorrhaging money. By the time it started turning a profit some months later his quote to Del Webb became true. While sitting in his girlfriend’s house in Beverly Hills reading the newspaper, he was gunned down by shots fired through a window. The following day, mobsters, including Moe Sedway, took over operation of the Flamingo. No one was ever charged with Siegel’s murder, but it had all the earmarks of a mob hit.

The Desert Inn had quite the back story. On Thanksgiving Day 1966 Howard Hughes took up residence at the DI (renting the hotel's entire top two floors) eventually purchasing the hotel in 1967. By now a recluse with uncut fingernails, he did not leave his room until Thanksgiving Eve 1970, when he was carried on a stretcher, put on a plane and flown to the Bahamas. In the interim, Hughes had purchased many other Vegas hotels and casinos.

The Open Space is a fascinating area, with a number of cool gangster and celebrity tales.

We then watched a film about the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy, and how the mobs and unions “helped” him win the key state of Illinois. It also delved into how the mob might have assisted in JFK’s assassination.

If electrocution didn’t provide enough entertainment, this form of execution was a gas.

Returning to the first floor, we found out how other mobsters met their ultimate fate. A pretty picture it was not.

As you can see, smoking can be hazardous to your health.

I believe this was the original title of McCartney and Wings 70s album.

That was the end of our Mob Museum official visit, however it was now time to head downstairs to the Roaring Twenties and a cocktail at The Underground, The Mob Museum’s Speakeasy.

As we waited, we spied some posters espousing the virtues and pitfalls of drinking.

Oh, who should I vote for?

After sitting down at The Speakeasy bar, I voted for an Old Fashioned.

Since this was Prohibition, a glass filled with ice and a book were surreptitiously delivered to my spot at the bar.

Opening the book, I found a cocktail refreshment was only a bottle away. We also enjoyed some delicious pretzel bites with jalapeño cheese and spicy mustard dipping sauces.

Upon exiting, Tracy wanted to take a photo of the building, where she would have to stand in the street. She told me to warn her if any cars approached. I probably should have listened better. A few moments later some guy was laying on the horn, and as he passed Tracy very closely she pounded on his trunk and flipped him the bird. The guy next to me asked if I was with her. “Yes,” I said, “It seems I’m married to the mob.” Needless to say, I heard about my pathetic lookout skills all the way back to the hotel.

Back in Tuscany, we got ready for dinner. Unfortunately it was only 5 pm, and our reservations were not until eight, so what to do? As we walked outside the hotel, we caught a glimpse of The Sphere at the Venetian. It claims to be the world’s largest spherical structure and looked to be very close by. When you look out your car side mirror it states, “Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear.” In Vegas, objects seem much closer than they appear. As we walked toward The Sphere, we gazed to our left to see The High Roller Observation Wheel, where you can take a spin 550 feet over the Las Vegas Strip.

Eventually, we made it to The Sphere where we were greeted by a large Pepsi ad and then an eyeball.

We walked around the entire thing, but it definitely is more impressive from a distance. People were starting to gather for the U2 concert. We asked what tickets were selling for. One of the parking guards said $650. I told Tracy, “I’m not going With or Without You at that price.”

I then made the critical error of wanting to see the Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian. We entered through the Palazzo and immediately became lost. As we looked at the directory map, a woman from a nearby beauty store offered to help.

Fifteen minutes and $90 poorer after buying something to help with the bags under our eyes, we were on our way to the exit.

There were some dragons as we walked and walked and walked attempting to find somewhere to catch a taxi or an Uber.

We passed by the Grand Canal with gondoliers singing for their supper money. I’ve never been as lost in the real Venice as I was in the faux Venice.

As we continued to look for the non-existent exit, I told Tracy I felt like U2, “Why?” she asked. I answered, “because I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

We finally located the ride share area in the Venetian parking lot, contacted an Uber, who texted us that he was ready to pick us up … at Harrahs. We attempted to call the Uber driver (twice) who never picked up his phone, while the app would not let us cancel. They charged us 10 bucks, so we used taxis the rest of our stay.

We finally found an exit and caught a cab that whisked us off the Strip to a restaurant Tracy’s friend Garrett had recommended. He has never led us astray, and once again his choice was spot on.

Ferraro’s Ristorante (4480 Paradise Road) turned out to be magnificent. Great ambiance with a modern decor, fantastic service (our server was smart and funny) and delectable dishes from start to finish.

I had ordered a bottle of wine, but our server misheard me and brought me a glass. I said, no worries, I’ll drink this and then bring over a bottle. He insisted on comping me for the glass, although I said that wasn’t necessary. He replied, “You can say that, but I’m taking it off your bill anyway.” I love that guy!

By the way, Tracy’s Tomtini in a metal martini glass might be the best one ever made.

Oh, did we eat! But first I had to read the menu, once again forgetting my cheaters. Not to worry, the sommelier lent me hers and said they also keep a box of them at the reception desk for idiots (my words, not hers) like me who also forget to bring them. Soon afterward, the personable owner came over to chat with us for a bit.

I started with the Carpaccio Di Manzo; thinly sliced raw prime sirloin, arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano, truffle oil, lemon, and mustard sauce. Perfecto!

Then we asked our server which he recommended between the Gnocchi Tre Color; Potato dumplings, pachino tomatoes, spinach pureé and ricotta salata or the Vitello Picatta. He replied, “Why not have both?” He said I could have a side of the gnocchi with my veal. He added, “Our gnocchi is made the way it should be … airy pillows of deliciousness.” And they were.

Tracy ordered the Ferraro Salad; Spring mix salad, cherry tomato, dry cranberries, pistachio, sunflower seed, shaved carrots, Parmigiano Reggiano and 4 foglie balsamico dressing.

Her main dish was Bucatini Amatriciana; thick short hollow pasta with traditional Roman sauce, guanciale, tomato, pecorino cheese and red pepper flakes. The bucatini is made in house and was spectacular, as were all the dishes.

Did we have room for dessert? Of course. There is cheesecake and then there is Ferraro’s heavenly cheesecake. Tracy, who is not a huge cheesecake fan, declared it “Light as air,” and we seriously considered coming here for lunch just to have another piece. The berries were deliciously ripe.

Garrett told us that Ferraro’s steaks are great, and the tiramisu can’t be beat. I would also consider ordering the Chef’s Tasting menu should we return.

Our server called a cab for us, and it was on to our final destination of the night. We were going to pay a visit to the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which reinvents itself five times during the year. As we exited the taxi, we looked across to our hotel for the following two nights, Paris Las Vegas.

Inside the Bellagio, as we walked toward the conservatory we were first stuck (not literally) by the glass sculpture that hangs from the ceiling. It’s called Fiori di Como, and was created by artist Dale Chihuly. According to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “the sculpture consists of 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms that weigh about 40,000 pounds. They are supported by a 10,000-pound steel armature. Every morning between 2 and 5 a.m., a team of eight to 10 engineers cleans and maintains the sculpture.” Very cool.

When we visited in February, the Botanical Garden was celebrating Lunar New Year with its “Infinite Prosperity: The Year of the Dragon.”

It’s quite a display that was enjoyed by the throngs of people as we walked through.

You could certainly tell it was The Year of the Dragon.

We paid our respects to Cashen, “the revered Chinese God of Wealth” (who could come in handy for many in Vegas). The accompanying sign stated, “the popular deity is said to have the power to grant blessings for wealth and prosperity in the year ahead.” I’m still waiting. We spent about a half hour admiring the beautiful displays.

Waterfalls, bridges, cherry blossom trees (24 of them) along with thousands and thousands of fresh and preserved flowers and plants make this an enchanting venue.

You can even reserve The Garden Table set inside a replica of the Temple of Six Banyan Trees in Guangzhou, China. If you want to dine in the middle of all this splendor, reserve its one table for what looks like a unique dining experience.

That was it for a busy first afternoon and evening. Somehow in just a short amount of time we had walked more than five miles, which I assume half of it was trying to escape the Venetian.

Tomorrow, we’d switch to the Paris hotel, and it did not get off to a swift start. After a few hotel snafus, we’d finally witness what we had come to see, my niece and new husband’s marriage presided over by The King himself, complete with a few songs and numerous puns. A visit to a kitschy dive Las Vegas haunt with my nephew to toast the wedding followed, and finally a wedding party dinner in a hotel fit for an emperor. Hail Caesar!

zebec

I really enjoyed reading this Tom. Yesterday I was tryna describe Vegas for Mrs Z (who has never been) and it was not an easy thing to do.
You've captured it well with both words and imagery.
Poor Highball. Do dogs get tinnitus?

I am done. the U2

tomfuller

The only time I went to Las Vegas for a wedding we got a ride in a limo to the venue. The bride had her choice of 4 different rooms. I took the place of the brides father and marched her 3 steps down the short aisle.

ms_go

When were you there? We saw U2 at the Sphere a little over a week before the Super Bowl. Amazing A/V in that venue. Not sure how much our tickets were because it was a package deal with two nights at the Palazzo. You did far more in one day than we did in our 48 hours.

maitaitom

"When were you there?"

We were there the Saturday of the weekend before the Super Bowl. We might have walked right by you. I heard the concert and venue was great. Would have liked to see it, but instead spent our money on eye bag remover

nylilly

Funnily enough, I was also in Vegas that same Saturday. We, in fact, saw U2 that very night! As for the price of the tickets - I didn’t ask because they were a gift. Fantastic show!

ms_go

Looks like we were there right before you. We saw the U2 show on Wednesday the 31st and then flew back to Chicago on Friday the 2nd.

maitaitom

It was time (for my niece) to get married! Elvis would preside over the ceremony, complete with a few songs and plenty of puns to keep the bride and groom, along with guests, very entertained. A few of us celebrated the nuptials with a Mai Tai (or two) at one of the finest dive bars in Las Vegas and then we all gathered for a celebratory dinner in Rome (sort of). We only had one day left, and tomorrow would be action packed starting with viewing artifacts from the most famous ocean liner disaster in history.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...e-suede-shoes/

maitaitom

Our final day in Vegas was action-packed. We started off by checking out Titanic: The Artifact Experience at the Luxor, then visited a monument to a mobster at the hotel he founded and were dazzled by sparkling neon displays at the fabulous Neon Museum. A terrific French dinner, and somehow we all survived our 66 hours in Las Vegas. Story with photos in link below ... and if you want a story about a sunken ship and neon signs without the sunken ship and neon photos, it is below a few photos.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cha...eon-pleasures/
Chapter Three: Sunken Treasures To Neon Pleasures

Day Three: We’re Off The Hook, On A Roll, Somber Reminders, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Don’t Lick The Iceberg, A Hull Of An Artifact, Where’s Bugsy?, What A Guy, Stardust Memories, Between A Hard Rock & A Fun Place, Tres Merveilleux & No Gambling

Chapter Four: Leaving Las Vegas

Day Four: You Mean There’s More Than One Magic Mountain? & Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow!

I went down early to the desk to see how much money we had “spent” on the infamous snack mini bar, and i guess we had put down the items before the meter started running, so thankfully we were off the hook. We had one more full day left in Vegas, and we decided to make the most of it. After meeting Kevin for breakfast at the Paris Las Vegas Mon Ami Gabi restaurant, where I devoured a cinnamon roll waffle that would have served the entire wedding party, Tracy and I sailed out to see a shipwreck.

Not just any shipwreck, however. The Luxor Hotel & Casino offers Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, and we had purchased timed tickets ($34) online to take the self-guided tour. The 25,000 square-foot exhibition displays an array of items (more than 350) that have been collected from the ship that lies 2 1/2 miles below the North Atlantic.

Before entering we were given a boarding pass with the name of one of the actual passengers aboard the Titanic that fateful night. At that moment, I was thinking perhaps this was just going to be some cheesy tour. Instead, both Tracy and I were impressed by the entire experience, which was also very moving at times.

At the entrance is a miniature model of a Nautile submersible that three crew members would take down to Titanic’s ruins to retrieve artifacts. Being a bit claustrophobic, I could not imagine taking that tiny sub 2 1/2 miles beneath the ocean’s surface.

The first stop was a recreation of the ship’s mail room. How big was this ship? Besides the 2,240 passengers and crew, the ship carried 3,364 mailbags.

As we walked along there were placards on the wall telling stories about some of the passengers and crew. They were fascinating and many of them poignant. It seemed fate had many of them destined to take this trip. Rev. Thomas Byles was headed to the U.S. to officiate in his brother’s wedding and switched to the Titanic from another vessel. He refused on two occasions to get in a lifeboat in order to continue assisting many third class passengers up to the deck with lifeboats.

These stories were displayed throughout the experience.

Yep, this is “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”

The richest person on the Titanic, John Jacob Astor, was worth about $87 million. In Walter Lord's book, A Night to Remember, Lord said, "After [the Titanic] sank, the New York American broke the news on April 16 with a lead devoted almost entirely to John Jacob Astor; at the end it mentioned that 1,800 others were also lost.”

We then visited a replica of a third-class passenger room, which cost about $40. By comparison, Astor’s first-class room cost $4,500 (more than $100,000 in today’s dollars).

Second class a tad cheaper, costing $1,776 (almost $11,000 today).

It’s remarkable to think that these fragile items survived the sinking and nearly 100 years …

… at the bottom of the ocean.

Deck signs, bathroom items along with even beer and wine bottles are displayed.

First-class passengers could enjoy the Promenade Deck which extended 500 feet on both sides of the ship. On this replica you can stroll and see what passengers looked out at on that dark, cold North Atlantic night. We learned that most of the passengers didn’t drown, but died of hypothermia from being in the 28-degree water.

The most lavish part of the Titanic was its magnificent Grand Staircase. This is also recreated in the exhibit (no photos).

However, there is a photographer who will take a few pictures of you that you can purchase at the end of the tour. Being good consumers, we did purchase this one. I really should have dressed better for the cruise.

At least I was romantic until the end.

Next we entered a room with a gigantic iceberg … and a number of noisy school children. They were enthralled with the iceberg, feeling it and many of them licking the ice (I guess they’ve never seen Christmas Story). One of them left this handprint.

I, of course, did the same thing until Tracy sighed, “Do you really want to put your hand where those kids just stuck their tongues? Tom, you idiot!”

There was no moon on that fateful night so lookout Frederick Fleet had a rough time seeing if any icebergs were on the horizon. He could have used these binoculars that belonged to a passenger.

A docent told us how these dishes were meticulously collected from the ship.

Also in this room was a deck light and a Telemotor Wheel Hub, which Quartermaster Hichens tried to turn in a valiant attempt to avoid the iceberg. It was too late. Traveling at 22 knots, by the time the iceberg was spotted, he had no chance of changing the course of Titanic in time.

One of the binnacles for the navigational compass was also found.

There was a replica of the ship resting on the ocean floor. This is all that remains of a deck bench.

These dress boots serve as a memory of the many people who perished. More than 1,500 of the estimated 2,240 people on board were killed.

Finally, we came upon “The Big Piece,” so named because this actual giant section from the Titanic’s starboard hull weighs in the vicinity of 15 tons.

It is the largest piece of the Titanic ever raised from the ocean floor. Using lift bags, an expedition team was able to recover the 15-ton piece from 12,500 feet below in 1998. According to what I read, “Nautile would secure the hull piece with cables that would later be attached to floatation bags, and upon release, the flotation bags would lift the piece to the surface.” Pretty amazing to see.

At the end of the tour, we wanted to spend time looking up what happened to the people on our boarding passes. Unfortunately the 20+ students were there ahead of us, so it would have been a long wait.

We met back up with Kevin at Paris Las Vegas, and the three of us took last night’s short-cut over to the Flamingo. Since I had read all about mobster Bugsy Siegel at the Mob Museum a couple of days before, I wanted to stop by his monument at the hotel he founded. Interestingly, when we asked the hotel desk personnel where it was located, they didn’t have a clue. One person didn’t even know there was such a thing. If Bugsy had been alive, that guy probably would have been whacked.

Finally, we learned the monument was near the wedding chapel in the gardens. We went “in search of” passing by flamingos hiding out in the rain. After a couple of wrong turns, I found the monument, which was nothing special but fulfilled my Bugsy bingo card. Bugsy had a room with bulletproof windows at the Flamingo, but his Beverly Hills girlfriend did not at her mansion where Bugsy was gunned down only six months after the Flamingo’s opening.

Back at Paris Las Vegas we grabbed a quick bite at Guy Fieri’s Favortown, hopped in the car and made our way to The Neon Museum with the clever slogan, “History. Brought To Light.” I had heard great things about this museum and it was tops on my list for our visit (well, except for that whole wedding thing).

We arrived in late afternoon so we could see the signs in daylight, and then light up as night approached. The museum building where you enter was once the lobby of the 1961 La Concha Motel, which was designed by famous African American architect Paul Revere Williams.

The lobby was donated in 2005 and had to be cut in eight pieces to be placed here. We’ll see the building lit in different colors later in the post.

We entered what is called The Boneyard, a term used to “refer to a place where signs are retired following their period of use.”

What’s hard to miss as we started our walk through the Boneyard was the museum’s largest restoration piece. You talk about “high strung!” Modeled after a Gibson Les Paul model played by The Who’s Pete Townshend, it stood for 26 years before the hotel closed in 2016. We’d see it at night later.

Famous hotel signs dot the Boneyard landscape.

I believe you needed a reservation to stay here. This is the oldest operational sign in the Neon Boneyard and dates way back to 1940.

My favorite all-time Vegas hotel was the Stardust.

As a teenager, I stayed at the Stardust with my parents on many occasions.

My dad’s company was involved in getting the costumes for the Lido de Paris show at the Stardust through customs, and one of his closest friends designed the sets.

Thanks to those connections I was able to attend these shows as a minor, and for a young boy those scantily clad showgirls were, should I say, memorable. Sadly, the Stardust shut down operation in 2006, but the Lido sign was restored and in a ceremony in February 2023, it was lit up for the first time at the Neon Museum.

Some people say that people who won a lot at Binion’s Horseshoe were ringers. I was not one of them.

Once upon a time the Neon Museum owned two of Treasure Island’s huge skulls, but one of them crumbled due to the Vegas heat. Aye am sure that was arrghful to witness.

We took the cue to see this 1983 pool player sculpture that was located atop Doc ’n Eddys Pool Hall. I believe he is saying, “Give me a break.”

Betty Willis, the woman who designed the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign …

… also designed the famed Moulin Rouge sign. The Moulin Rouge was the first major casino in Vegas to be integrated. Once this sign is renovated to be fully lit, it should be even more fantastic.

Although you can lose your shirt gambling in Vegas, Steiner Cleaners’ “Happy Shirt” showed you can also have them cleaned and pressed here.

I was suddenly hungry for a sizzling steak.

This is part of a large segment from Binion’s Horseshoe on Fremont Street.

As late afternoon turned into evening, the neon shined even brighter …

… and the Boneyard took on a different look …

… with nuggets (a Golden Nugget, to be exact) like these.

After looking at these two letters, I told Pat Sajak that I needed a vowel.

We wandered further.

There were more restaurants.

We hit the Plaza.

I felt like singing Ol’Man River at this sign.

The Liberace Museum sign struck a chord in daylight and early evening.

Every turn …

… was a photo op.

The Anderson Dairy sign is from the 1950s. Coincidentally Tracy said I was really milking my jokes by now.

The Sahara and Fitzgerald signs were both given to the museum intact.

I have to ask Kari and Paul if this is where they got information about their ceremony.

Looking at the Palms’ sign with Tropicana in the background made me think of the news we’d received earlier in the day that the famed Trop would close soon.

We loved this shot of the Stardust juxtaposed with the Hard Rock. The Hard Rock guitar sign was donated and restored by Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO). That company, along with AD-ART and Federal Signs were responsible for a number of signs that dotted the Vegas skyline.

We could tell it was cocktail hour. A Manhattan beckoned at The Red Barn, which was one of the “first openly gay bars in Las Vegas in the 1970s.”

Or perhaps it was time for a margarita in a souvenir yard glass from Margarita Baby Pizza Kitchen, a restaurant that was once down the street from the Wynn.

Walking through the Neon Boneyard made me feel a little Sassy.

We had hit literally hit the Jackpot on this tour.

We wanted to stay longer as the sky turned an even deeper shade of blue, but we decided the cold weather was winning on this frigid Vegas evening.

One last look at the La Concha sign and a farewell smile from the Ugly Duckling Car Sales, and we were on our way.

In our opinion, this is a must-see place when you come to Vegas especially in the evening after the signs are turned on.

It’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Paul Revere Williams was one of the most successful architects of the 20th century, designing more than 3,000 structures, including many buildings in Los Angeles. His story is quite fascinating. Here are a few views of the Neon Museum, which was once the lobby of the historic La Concha Motel.

Although it was not near midnight, we did see this on the way out.

Since the highway was jammed due to an accident, we drove back through town …

… catching a few more signs along the way.

Back to Paris we drove.

Our dinner that evening was at the hotel’s French restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi.

The food was terrific, the service impeccable and our long last day in Vegas was complete. Tomorrow we’d drive home with one last sight along the way.

After dropping Kevin off early for his flight to Colorado Springs, Tracy and started the 4-hour+ journey home.”Let’s stop at Magic Mountains,” she said. “I’m really not in the mood for a roller coaster after three days in Vegas,” I replied.

“Not Magic Mountain, but Seven Magic Mountains,” she said. I’m a bad listener. Less than a half hour west of Las Vegas just off Interstate 15 near Jean Lake stands this public art installation created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone that opened in May 2016.

Seven colorful, stacked boulders (hence Seven Magic Mountains) more than 30 feet high can be seen from the highway, although you have to take a nearby exit traveling in either direction to see it up close.

It was originally supposed to be displayed for a couple of years, but by popular demand it remains here still today. Rindinone has an interest in natural phenomena, and this was “inspired by naturally occurring Hoodoos and natural rock formations.” So go do that Hoodoo that you do so well!

Finally, about 20 minutes after passing Baker, California, we ran into a little bit of a snow storm, but soon we were back home culminating our whirlwind trip to Sin City.

Sixty-six hours is our limit for Las Vegas, and we had blast. From Mobstes to Neon, anfrom a wedding to a ship sinking, it had a little bit of everything. And for the first time since I was underage, this was my first trip to Las Vegas where I didn’t make one single bet. You could have put odds on that.

Attitude Is Everything! Enjoy The Journey!

oldemalloy

I loved traveling vicariously on your trip to Vegas. Our first one was back in the 90s and we stayed at the old Aladdin which was demolished,like many others. Since then we have used it as a place to fly into when visiting the National Parks so have not seen much of sin city itself other than to note that the highways have multiplied greatly in the last 25 years.

Thanks for the report on things we have missed.

maitaitom

Thanks oldemalloy, The Neon Museum really capped off a terrifically fun trip. Still a few things I'd like to check out on the next visit.

clarkgriswold

The last time I was in Las Vegas, Debbie Reynolds had bought herself a hotel and was trying to run it. We went because we wanted to visit the onsite museum of her Hollywood memorabilia collection. She had some pretty amazing stuff that she claimed to have purchased for a song. And some of it she grabbed as the studios were about to throw it out.

She had Julie Andrew's guitar, Charlton Heston's Ben-Hur cape, several of Marilyn Monroe's costumes including the subway dress, Mae West's fur coat, dresses that belonged to Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, some Wizard of Oz stuff and a bunch of her own movie costumes. Some of it was on display and some was scrolling on a video screen. All of it guarded by just one little old man in a security guard's suit who was nodding off in his chair.

After looking over all the treasures we wandered the hotel and it was pretty quiet. Apparently she'd had a hard time getting her new venture off the ground. Then when we walked into the bar we saw Debbie herself, she was vacuuming the carpet! Not wanting to "bother" her by asking for an autograph we sat at the bar and ordered a drink. Soon she came by and smiled/giggled as she asked us to raise our feet for a second as she vacuumed under our feet. (Now how many people ever had Debbie Reynolds ask them to pick up their feet? Not many I'd think). Eventually she asked if we were staying at the hotel and when we told her we'd just come to see her amazing collection, she insisted that we follow her back into the museum so that she could point out a few things that we might have missed. Sadly that encounter was cut short after a couple of minutes when someone came in and reminded her that she had an important meeting or something to attend.

On the way out I wondered if we should finish vacuuming the bar for her as a thank you for chatting with us about her collecting.