Review of Las Vegas 2005

[lalate]

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Opening Thoughts:

From the perspective of someone who has lived many places, Las Vegas has changed over the years. In many regards, it is at its finest now. In the 1980s and 1990s, the notion was for a hotel to have you walk through its casino, hundreds of yards at a time, to get to your destination. Now the focus is definitely less on gambling. Enter: clubs, bars, lounges, bakeries, indoor gardens, shopping. In fact, while years ago the notion would be to shift traffic through pits after pits, now you even find a separate valet entrance feet away to the entrance to Gucci, Prada, or Armani.

For nightlife, this shift to upscale attracts a fundamental different caliber. You see packs, huge packs that is, of girls girls and more girls. Shopping, getting their hair done, at the cafe. You see less of the 21 year old girl from the south with her tiny shorts and hand-grenade-drink in hand and more of very upscale, very stunning, young urban professionals. Forget a frat scene or the drunk college kids from Havasu stopping in Vegas with torn wife beaters; you don't see it as much.

Dress Code:

Whoever tells you there is a special dress code in Las Vegas for nightlife, they are incorrect. Los Angeles' dress code is arguably much more strict than Vegas. In Vegas, girls so long as they have shoes on can get away with any attire. For guys, people tend to say that in Vegas you have to wear a button down dress shirt. False. Every single venue we went to we entered in such a shirt, once we were in, we removed the shirt and partied in typical presentable Hollywood-trendy attire all night long along side similar such guys. Just look presentable at the door, wear dress shoes, wear a dress shirt at the door, and you are fine.

Drinks:

One thing noticeable in town was the absence of full bars. Most non-hotel spots lacked full bars for making standard drinks. In other parts of this country, the martini still rains king. Here, most bars did not stock fundamental items neccessary for making even normal mixed drinks.

Cabs:

Cabs cannot be hailed on the street. So if you want a cab, go to a hotel. And do not opt for a limo for basic transportation. Limos start generally at $35 an hour. Cabs do not charge for additional passengers. Finally, do not ask hotel attendants if there is traffic outside. One night we did that and was told our cab fare would be double because of traffic; in fact, there was no traffic once we started walking.

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Venues

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Wednesday Night.

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First stop: 8 pm

Mix.

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Description.

Mandalay Bay's Foundation Room has what many call the best views of the city. So arguably the next best views in the city are Mix.

Don't go looking for Mix at the Mandalay Baybecause it's not there. It's at THEhotel, a separate hotel in the Mandalay Baycomplex. We believe that THEhotel, based upon look, crowd, and vibe will unseat Hard Rock soon enough as the "cool" crowd hotel.

The lobby to the THEHotel is very W, Standard, Ian Schrager designed.

Mix is located on the top floor of THEHotel. It's a lounge, bar that has stunning views in a space drapped with black sofas, black walls, black floors, even black doornobs. It abuts a neighboring restaurant with equal stunning views.

The Scene.

Mix is a preparty spot. Hit it up at 8. The crowd is mainly stunning, and we mean stunning, tall girls in dresses with guys in dress pants.

Vital lalate stats:

Capacity: Roughly 350

Location: Top of THEhotel at the Mandalay Bay

Views: Northward of Las Vegas Boulevard

Scene: Lounge

Dancefloor: None

DJ: None

Dresscode: Dress shoes for guys

Cover: Free before 10:30, $20 after, or free w/ lalate

Drinks: Average price

Staff: Extremely friendly.

Drink strength: Strong.

Music: Progressive, Moody House.

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Second stop: 11 pm

Tangerine

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Description.

Tangerine is located at Wynn's new TI (formerly Treasure Island).

An average venue with a good location and a not so good crowd.

Tangerine is located at the edge of TI's corner. Very very packed, with 4 guys to 1 girl, and tons of working girls in the venue. Two rooms, one on the "island bay" outside right on the Strip

The Scene.

We walked to the front of the line and stepped right in. Thank god. The line was extremely long, even for a Wednesday night.

We liked the venue's location, didn't like the crowd. Not enough girls, too overly crowded, bad locations for the bars.

Vital lalate stats:

Capacity: Roughly 500

Location: TI

Views: street level location at the corner of TI

Scene: Nightclub

Dancefloor: Two (if you could see them)

DJ: Yes

Dresscode: Dress shoes for guys

Cover: $20, or free with lalate

Staff: Average

Drink strength: Average

Music Format: 2 areas of sound - house outside, hiphop inside

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Third stop: 2 am

Drais

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Description.

Drais is located at the Barnaby Coast.

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Thursday Night.

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First stop: 7pm

Mix

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Mix was even better this night. This place never gets packed. But if you want to me very upscale persons, this is the ticket.

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Second stop: 9:30 pm

Planet Hollywood

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Description:

Planet Hollywood is in the Forum Shops at Caesar. It's on your walking path to OPM. While not good for a scene, it is a good place to stop. Why? The walk to OPM through the Forum shops is endless. You walk and walk and walk. And along the way, we stopped by this rocking bar for two reasons - to rest our feet and also because they have a happy hour 9 to 10 pm (yes you heard right) of $2.30 well drinks.

Capacity: Roughly 100

Location: Forum Shops at Caesar

Views: none

Scene: Bar

Dancefloor: No

DJ: No

Dresscode: No

Cover: No

Staff: Extremely friendly

Drink strength: Strong

Music Format: Rock in roll

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Third stop: 10 pm

OPM

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Description.

OPM is located in what some persons in Caeasars called the older section of the Forum shops. It takes a huge walk to get there. But definitely worth it. OPM has a second floor that wraps around one of the sections of the Forum Shops.

The Scene.

We got at OPM very early and met the man himself, DJMasterWeb. What a wonderful person and incredible host. This was our second visit to OPM and definitely will not be our last. We loved the place. Unfortunately, we didn't get much time to see much for one reason - girls girls girls.

We stayed in the venue from about 10 to 12 midnight. Within roughly 3 minutes after entering the venue, I was chilling with 7 stunning DR girls from Astoria New York, and was able to based upon another dude's rude grabbing of another girl's hands. Til midnight, the crowd was roughly 5 girls for every guy. And these guys were not talking to the girls.

We left the venue at 12 for a business meeting and returned at 1 and found a change in the crowd. The ratios were now equal and the look and vibe had definitely changed. The early bird definitely would get the worm at this party.

Vital lalate stats:

Capacity: Roughly 700?

Location: Forum Shops at Caesars

Views: Balcony view of the shops

Scene: Nightclub

Dancefloor: 2

DJ: Yes.

Dresscode: Dress shoes for guys

Cover: Free on the guestlist

Drinks: Average price.

Staff: Extremely friendly.

Drink strength: Strong.

Music Format: HipHop, and funky Hiphop

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Fourth stop: 1 am

Rio

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Description.

Rio nightclub was the intended stop. However, our friends got to the club which apparently was packed and decided for dinner.

The Scene.

The next day on the way to parties I ran into two girls from Ohio you went to Rio on Thursday and said it was wonderful. They said the crowd was incredible and the views were stunning.

Cover: $20 or free with lalate

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Fifth stop: 2 am

Teatro

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Description.

Teatro is lalate's diamond in the rough. This was the place that made our trip what it was. It's a hidden spot, and what we would like to keep as that. Therefore, our review of it will be less detailed ... for a reason. We loved this place.

The Scene.

Most people don't know where Teatro is that we spoke to. On certain specified nights, Teatro runs an afterhours. This night was one of them. The venue is small, intimate, designed like a space ship or a circus tent, bathed in Ferrari red and black. The crowd was unbelievable and so was the experience.

Vital lalate stats:

Capacity: Roughly 400

Location: MGM

Views: Of the dancers

Scene: Lounge

Dancefloor: 1

DJ: Yes.

Dresscode: Dress shoes for guys

Cover: $15-$20 depending on the night, free with lalate

Drinks: Average price.

Staff: Extremely friendly.

Drink strength: Very very Strong.

Music Format: Euro house

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Friday Night

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First stop: 7pm

Lounge at Paris

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Inside the Paris hotel is a cool bar on the main ... Croissette. It's a bar in the lounge. Let me tell you. For a $9 shot, they don't pour you a shot. They pour you a bathtub, definitely a double shot. Follow that up with a drink to go in a plastic cup and you are off to go. Yes, in Vegas you can drink on the streets. Hitting up the right preparty place will give you the drink you need as you head out. Trust us. Many venues are long walking distances, so try to get a drink to go. And don't think the drink will have much effect on you, because you will in many cases be walking so far you will remain sober.

Capacity: Roughly 100

Location: Paris Hotel

Views: none

Scene: Bar

Dancefloor: No

DJ: No

Dresscode: No

Cover: No

Staff: Extremely friendly

Drink strength: Very Strong

Music Format: None.

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Second stop: 10:00 pm

Strip

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It seems the obvious thing to do, but you don't realize to do it, until you do it. Make a reservation at two or three clubs for the night and then hit the strip and start walking to your venue. Why? Because you will run into 1/2 dozen other people on the strip that have no clue where to go, are dressed for a venue, and have no hookups. And they will join you. If you dont know, many streets have persons selling vip "cards" to venues. Whether the cards work or not, one thing is certain. The friends you meet along the way walking will join you because with you they will get in.

Note: This also happened while walking through MGM. When the people found out Studio 54 wanted $50 for cover this night, they all asked where I was going ... and away we went. Teatro!

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Third stop: 10:30 pm

Teatro

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Different night, different music, now regular hours not afterhours. So any different? Even better than the night before! Don't expect much of a detailed review from us. We arent going to tell you how great this place was.

Music Format: 80s, hiphop

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Fourth Stop: 11:30 pm

Wickedville at Studio 54

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We have nothing good to say about this party or this venue. So we aren't going to say it. When 1) you show up at 11:30 pm and there is no one in line, 2) you run into people leaving the venue throughout the night, 3) you go into the venue and see what looks the worse glorified rave you've ever seen, 4) the doormen outside say "hey, we would not have thrown this party if it was, and 5) guys are walking around with plucked/trimmed eyebrows and lycra shirts, you know it's time to bounce.

Cover: $40 presale, $55 at door, or free with lalate

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Fifth Stop: 12 am

Return to Teatro

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Teatro honors hand stamps for return entry. Many venues often do not. Check ahead of time.

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Sixth Stop: 3 am

Bar in MGM

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We do not know what this bar is called. But we would go back ANY night to this bar. Maybe the best afterhours, non dj'd, bar we've seen in ages. At 3 am, there was so many hot hot drunk "too" young people having a blast. Reaaons? No cover. No dress code. Strong drinks. Great piped music. Very young crowd. And machine gambling right there on your bar counter. Through your dollars in the machine, grab a hot person, and enjoy the night away.

Capacity: Roughly 200

Location: MGM Hotel

Views: none

Scene: Bar

Dancefloor: No, but room to dance

DJ: No

Dresscode: No

Cover: No

Staff: Friendly

Drink strength: Strong

Music Format: hiphop, rock-in-roll

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Closing Thoughts:

Las Vegas is a fascinating city. There is something you can not put your hands on it with Vegas that creates a unusual, surreal mystique. People winning thousands, others loosing the same, sex and lies and power. People coming to Vegas for a new beginning, people leaving every night with sometimes a less brighter life ahead of them. Perhaps that is what makes Vegas so fascinating, and hence, so sexual, the uncertainity, the confusion, the hustle.

In a way, when you walk into the shop of your favorite designer from Milan, it seems so perfect. But only 300 yards outside, there is a hustle happening on its street. You will walk the streets and never see a cop, but enter a casino and see one after another. Simply, Vegas is almost like how it appears when you approach it on 15 from the south. Highway 15 turns and suddenly there an oasis is before you.

As the buddy we met named "John" in Vegas that was throwing $500 at beautiful gogo dancers in the nightclub for hours saying he just won almost $30,000 on craps said to us the first night lalate hung out with him, "don't ask". In Vegas, you don't ask, you don't wonder. You live.

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[vegasguy25]

I went to Tangerine on Saturday, and I also had a bad time there. Not only is the club poorly designed to begin with, but they were way over their 405 person firecode capacity. I went to Pure and Ice on Friday and Sunday, respectively, and had a blast at both of those though.

Oh, and Steve Wynn sold Treasure Island five years ago.

[lalate]

my bad.

.... and Tangerine is the first venue I can remember being in that has no restroom in the venue. I cant imagine how that can even be legal.

[sparkletarte]

Thanks for the detailed reviews! We're (10 ladies) heading there on the 10th and now we have some more ideas. You often said 'free with lalate'- is that because you booked a table or were on the guest lists for all the places you went to?

I thought that the people with the vip cards on the strip gave them away, not sold them.... ? I've had a few friends say they were given passes and free drink tickets for bars in casinos and on the strip.

You figure that ladies are fine as long as they have shoes on... what about pretty and sparkley flip flops? A friend of mine wears them all the time and was shocked when I told her she might not be able to get in to the bars there. She's a gorgeous amazon so I think she could get away with it, from what you say.

[lalate]

Pm me.

[djmasterweb]

LaLate, thank you for such a great detailed trip review. And thank you for the kind words as well. Just a small FYI - you do not need to walk through Caesars or the whole forum shops to get to OPM if you just ask a cab to drop you off at the forum shops - then the walk is a minute or two and you're there. Some cabbies even know how to get to "exit 13" in the forum shops and you are dropped off right in front of the club. Regardless, thanks for coming in and I'm glad it worked out. I'm happy you had a fun trip. Talk to you soon

[lalate]

LaLate, thank you for such a great detailed trip review. And thank you for the kind words as well. Just a small FYI - you do not need to walk through Caesars or the whole forum shops to get to OPM if you just ask a cab to drop you off at the forum shops - then the walk is a minute or two and you're there. Some cabbies even know how to get to "exit 13" in the forum shops and you are dropped off right in front of the club. Regardless, thanks for coming in and I'm glad it worked out. I'm happy you had a fun trip. Talk to you soon

Thanks. Next time ... maybe the 11th ... I'll do that .... I learned this trip that on my last we were directed to hail a cab by a pit person at the front of Bellagio (which is a 3-5 minute walk lol) after leaving Light ... when in fact (as I learned this trip) there was a door for cabs about 20 feet to the LEFT LOL next to the Belagio shops for shoppers.

[omcp]

thanks for the review, I am heading there this thursday and this will definately help out.

[greenie]

re: Zuri at MGM Grand

I think this is the bar you're talking about... somewhat in the round, with lots of curtains and leather charis, yet still open to the casino? My friends and I often hit this bar around 3-4AM, either after leaving a club elsewhere or before heading for afterhours (or as a stop in between). Some of the most um... unexpected acquantainces I've had in Vegas, I've met at Zuri. Definitely agreed that it's a great crowd in there late night. We wound up there over the weekend... sometime late Friday light, actually... would have been close to 4... lord knows, I may have bought you a drink. Something about my challenging my friend to do a lapdance (which he did) and my buying two dozen shots (jager bombs, maybe) for that end of the bar... oh hell, not sure if I want to remember all of this. Well, if a stocky, spiky-blonde-haired guy shoved a drink in your direction, um, that was me.

re: Tangerine

Didn't make it to Tangerine on this last trip, but I've hit it up on more than few Wednesdays going back to last fall, and have never been run into overcrowding like you described. Not disagreeing here, just suggesting that perhaps hitting this place on its busiest night of the week in the Memorial Day buildup isn't the best way to review the club.

This weekend we hit Mix, ICE, Pure, Tabu and Teatro, and I wouldn't judge any one of them based on how they were this weekend. With the exception of Pure, they were all a very different experience from how they've been on previous visits.

All that said, no doubt that Tangerine turned some people off this weekend (I met a few gals at Ice who said similar things) other places did set you straight, and I'm certainly right with anyone else that doesn't like a club crowd that you can't even move through. Feh.

Overall, such is life of the clubs... the best spots can never stay that way forever, and it's great to hear you got a solid hookup at OPM... my recent experiences there is that it seems like its one of the few (relatively) longer-running places in LV that is interested in providing good service to the clubber instead of the tourist.

Anyway, great writeup, always love to read about other folks' experiences, especially someone in the biz...

[lalate]

Thanks for the great comments.

a) The MGM place.

Im going to look it up. I pretty sure I know the one you are describing (that has a darkness to it and is next to a main hall on the way to Teatro, sits upward) - yeah that one is very good too. But the one Im describing is differrent - it was very open, bigger, round, blackjack machines on the bar (great idea, great fun) - quite a ... rutkus ... lol crowd (or maybe that was the people I was with LOL!) for 3 am lol (literally, you feel like the energy in there was as though the night had just started).

Tangerine

jroo will tell ya that it was less packed on Thurs (but he liked it better less packed). For wed - the staff at Mix (which happen to be one of the nicest staff I have ever met anywhere for a bar - one dude said he use to serve at OPM just recently) said that Tangerine wed is always crowded. So I dunno.

c) Staffing

I gotta say ... nicest staffing across the board. Like stuff that you dont normally see anywhere (I saw it recently in the Midwest ... but you dont see that hardly ever in Los Angeles). At Teatro, the second night there the guy was happy to see me again, remembered my drink. Mix - everyone wanted to know where I was from, what I do, when will I be back, telling me which shift they will be on duty again. Little details. Really nice people.

[lalate]

Hey what night were you at Teatro? Maybe I saw ya. I was there Thurs afterhours and Friday night. (And thankfully avoided all the napkinknites pictures for that night lol). And by the way, Teatro was a ton of LA peeps on Friday - I yanked em from the halls of MGM cuz they were pissed about the $50 cover for 54. (And somehow I now realize you can sorta spot people from LA pretty sometimes easily. lol)

[vegasguy25]

my bad.

.... and Tangerine is the first venue I can remember being in that has no restroom in the venue. I cant imagine how that can even be legal.

Well, it's right outside, and they do ins and outs, so it's no big deal. Ra has the same thing, and to tell you the truth, that's better. You leave the club, you can go anywhere in the casino. Much less crowded restrooms than if they were inside the club.

[vegasguy25]

Didn't make it to Tangerine on this last trip, but I've hit it up on more than few Wednesdays going back to last fall, and have never been run into overcrowding like you described. Not disagreeing here, just suggesting that perhaps hitting this place on its busiest night of the week in the Memorial Day buildup isn't the best way to review the club.

I understand where you're coming from, but Tangerine was way over firecode. That is the fault of mgmt. and the doormen for letting so many people in as to make the venue exceedingly uncomfortable. I also have been there on several regular Wednesdays, and had a good time.

[vegasguy25]

Lalate, shame on you for not going into detail about Teatro for the fine people on here...lol. That is a great little place, for sure. So is Mix.

[lalate]

Lalate, shame on you for not going into detail about Teatro for the fine people on here...lol. That is a great little place, for sure. So is Mix.

There is a trick to the door at Mix too. Im not revealing that either. So there! LOL. And yeah, no details about Teatro are gonna come from this mouth hahaa.

Im suppose to do a followup party to our smash last Sunday here ... on the 11th .. and Im like - hell no! I wanta go to vegas again lol. Im defintiely doing the Mix-something-something-Teatro-MGMbar thang when Im there again on the 11th or 12th of June (maybe I should just leave open my tab there til Im back in July again lol jk)

[mplsnudecpl]

Lalate, thanks for the reviews. We are going there to celebrate his 35th birthday... seems like there is a lot to know about how to get in and where to go. We are looking forward to days spent at Moorea but really clueless about where to go so all this helps. Really heard good things about Teatro even before this thread sounds fun. Our Monday we have an early dinner planned then a show. hope to go out after.

Any advice your throw our way would be appreciated.

[lalate]

Forgot to say ... congrats on the bday. Will get back to you later today.

[lalate]

fyi ... rumor about the additon of dancefloor to mix? Oh man, if that happens, place will be #1.

[sxs]

LaLate...thanks for the review! Gonna use it for my trip 6/9-6/12! Got 8 clubbers in the house! Can't wait.

Keep up the good work!

[vegasguy25]

fyi ... rumor about the additon of dancefloor to mix? Oh man, if that happens, place will be #1.

That's not a rumor. It is happening.

[lalate]

LaLate...thanks for the review! Gonna use it for my trip 6/9-6/12! Got 8 clubbers in the house! Can't wait.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks man. NYC will be representeddddd!

< former New Yorker.

[yayany]

how's Red Square?

I am arriving tomorrow for a bachelor party, and I'm charged with planning the nights. Thinking about Christian Smith @ Ice Saturday, maybe Diz Friday at Voda. Got a connection at Mix, but I'm looking to avoid the lines anywhere else..

and, btw, hello!!

<---first post

[lalate]

Congrats on the first post. Give us a review on where you go when you get back home ........ and are recouped lol (notice my review was written MANY days later hahaha).

[omcp]

how's Red Square?

I am arriving tomorrow for a bachelor party, and I'm charged with planning the nights. Thinking about Christian Smith @ Ice Saturday, maybe Diz Friday at Voda. Got a connection at Mix, but I'm looking to avoid the lines anywhere else..

and, btw, hello!!

<---first post

Where is Voda? never heard of it, but would definately want to check out Diz, seen him a couple of times

[MysticRain]

Dancefloor + Mix =