Introduction to Casino Comps

Back in the old days, the general public believed that getting "comp'ed" (or receiving complimentary rooms or meals) at a casino meant you were either a high roller whose high-stakes blackjack play earned him the Rain Man suite or a little old granny who fed enough quarters into a slot machine to be rewarded a free buffet pass. That stereotype probably wasn't too far off base, as there wasn't really a good method for casino hosts to accurately track what players were actually wagering.

Comps have come a long way, baby.

Today, every casino you walk into, from the Strip to downtown, has a loyalty program which tracks every dollar a player wagers. You can still technically come in to a casino and play without signing up for a player's card, but if you want a shot at getting anything complimentary, you'd better have that card. Even if you think you aren't going to gamble very much or very often there, it's still always a good idea to go ahead and enroll in the player card program the first time you visit a new casino. Many casinos have a new members' promotion, offering usually between $5-$10 of "free play." They give you your new card loaded with the free money on it, you put a dollar in to activate it, and then you can take a few spins on a slot machine until either the money is gone or you decide to cash out. If you win, you get to keep it.

While getting a few bucks on the house is a nice welcome gift, the most beneficial reason to enroll in the players card program is to get those comps. While casino newbies may think it's not worth the hassle of signing up, veterans know that it's no secret anymore that you don't have to lose your shirt at a casino to get some nice comps. Even a few hundred dollars with of play can get you a free hotel room for a night at some of the lower-end places. And with the most popular casino chains like MGM's MLife or Caesar's Total Rewards, every dollar you gamble converts to a few cents back that you can spend on (almost) anything at the casino. They can rack up pretty quickly, sometimes allowing you to get a nice meal after just a few hours of gambling.

A few different factors are taken into consideration by the casino when calculating a players' eligibility for comps. Certainly, the amount that a player wagers is a factor, but only as part of a sophisticated formula which includes the average wager per hour. Therefore, a casino takes into account how much you have bet over the course of time that you were betting to come up with your player rating. The type of game is taken into account as well. Slot machines are rated differently than table games, and certain table games are rated differently than others. All of this data is tabulated while at the casino when you swipe your card, and will result in the casino marketing and/or casino hosts determining your earned comps and sending offers to you via mail or email.

While many players are quite pleased with the offers that are extended by the casinos, and are eager to cash in their hotel rooms, show tickets and meal comps, others feel like their comps do not always reflect their play. If a player is not happy with the comps they are receiving, there are ways to fix that. Coming up in my next blog, I'll go into how to get a casino host and how to work with pit bosses to get the comps you deserve.

Midnight Snacking on the Strip

One of the best things about Vegas is that it never closes. A mecca for insomniacs, Sin City has options galore for late night eating. The city is called upon to serve the post-club crowd, as well as gamblers who may have just finished a marathon craps session and in need of some celebratory (or consolation) comfort food. And the difference is from a lot of other cities, you can get good food in Vegas late at night--really good food. So here are a few of my favorite midnight snack places:

Culinary Dropout at Hard Rock Hotel: This slightly off-strip place is the perfect low-key restaurant at which to wind down after a crazy Vegas night. Comfy couches are arranged around small patio tables for a cozy and casual outdoor dining vibe. Indoors, the restaurant features "future musical venue superstars who wouldn’t mind being paid at the bar in whiskey and pretzel bites" performing covers as well as their original soon-to-be hits. And about those pretzel bites... yum, just, yum. Culinary Dropout is open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on the weekends.

The Henry at the Cosmopolitan: With a bizarre, subtly sexual dressage decor theme, this little 24-hour upscale diner is open to the casino, BOND nightclub, and the Cosmo's Las Vegas Blvd. entrance, making it a great spot for people watching while you dine. And at 3 a.m., the people watching can be very, very interesting, ripe with plenty of "only in Vegas" sightings. Even with The Henry's abbreviated late night menu, the selections are still ample and include several healthy options like the kale caesar salad and lots of not-so-healthy options like the French dip. Here's a secret... the truffle tater tots are available 24/7 (even when not on the menu), and are an absolute must. They will spoil you for regular tots, if not change your whole life.

Gordon Ramsay's BURGR at Planet Hollywood: Speaking of truffled starches, there is no better truffle fry than the offering from Gordon's burger joint at PH. The Kennebec potatoes are hand-cut and--get this--covered with truffle salt, truffle parmesan, and served with truffle dipping sauce. Yeah, that's a lot of truffle. Absolutely delicious. The star attraction burgers are amazing and impossibly juicy as well, and their hotdog menu offerings (if you are in the mood for that) are a full meal (with leftovers for tomorrow), so bring your enormous hotdog appetite. BURGR is open until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on the weekends.

Readers: what are some of your other favorite late-night spots to eat in Vegas?

Driving in Vegas Part 2: Backdoors to the Strip

Assuming you've decided to rent a car for your trip to Vegas, one important thing to know about driving on the Strip is that it can be a traffic nightmare. On most nights and weekends, Las Vegas Blvd. between Tropicana and Spring Mountain (roughly the area from MGM Grand to Treasure Island) is jam-packed with cars, limos and tour buses. There are tons of traffic lights and crosswalks are chockful of pedestrians, including a few oblivious tourists that cross during the wrong time, or worse, stray outside of the designated crossing areas.

While cruising down the Strip is a must for tourists at least once for sight-seeing purposes, sitting on Las Vegas Blvd. in a cramped car while not moving an inch as the precious minutes of your trip tick away is no way to experience Vegas. Instead of driving down the Strip yourself, a secret tip that I have is to take a Big Bus Tour. These open-top buses are a great way to see the city without all the pressure of navigating traffic. Kick back, relax, and let someone else drive while you snap pics. There are many different routes, times of day/night and pickup/drop-off locations to choose from, and it's an affordable little excursion at only about $30/person per tour. My husband Matt and I coordinated a night tour for our friends and family in May from Excalibur to Fremont Street for one of our wedding weekend activities. The staff was extremely fun and accommodating, and we highly recommend the Big Bus Tour company!

So, outside of doing the bus tour, you still have to get around town. Here's a good list of "backdoor" routes that can help you zip around town quickly while avoiding the Strip:

The airport (McCarran) is just east of Las Vegas Blvd. and just south of Tropicana Ave. From the airport, you will want to get on Swenson St. heading north no matter which hotel is your destination. It will lead you out of the airport and then if you are staying at or near MGM Grand, you'll want to take a left onto Tropicana. BUT, instead of taking Tropicana down to Las Vegas Blvd., hang a right onto Koval to access MGM Grand from the back side. If you are staying at Mandalay Bay, Luxor or Excalibur, take a left onto Koval from Tropicana and it will wind its way down to Las Vegas Blvd. However, instead of turning onto the Blvd., continue past it and take a right onto Frank Sinatra Dr. in order to access those hotels from the back. You can follow Frank Sinatra down further and you'll have access to Monte Carlo, New York New York and Caesar's Palace (but NOT Bellagio). Frank Sinatra then changes names to Industrial Road, and from there you can access Circus Circus and the Fashion Show Mall.

Another important "backdoor" road is Harmon. From the airport, you take Swenson to Tropicana to a right on Koval like you would go to MGM Grand, but now just follow Koval down a block to get to Harmon Ave. Take a right on Harmon and it'll get you to Hard Rock Hotel, and if you take a left, you'll have access to both the hotel at Planet Hollywood as well as the Miracle Mile shopping center. If you cross over Las Vegas Blvd. via Harmon, you'll have direct access to Aria's back entrance valet as well as the Cosmopolitan's self parking and valet.

Getting to the hotels further north on the Strip is easy as well. Koval will eventually turn into Sands Avenue for direct access to the Palazzo's self part lot, and if you cross over Las Vegas Blvd. Sands Ave becomes Spring Mountain. From there, you can take a left to access both Treasure Island and The Mirage, as well as the Fashion Show Mall if you hang a right instead of a left.



These "backdoor" routes help you hop from casino to casino without sitting in Strip traffic for hours. Hopefully these tips will help you save time during your next Vegas trip. If anyone has any other Vegas traffic suggestions, or secret "backdoor" routes, feel free to comment below!

Driving in Las Vegas

One major question that travelers who fly to Vegas have to ask themselves upon planning their trip is whether or not to rent a car for their stay. Making that decision can be difficult, because while there are several public transportation options within the city, they all have their limitations:

1. "The Deuce" Bus: The Deuce is a double-decker bus that runs 24 hours a day and stops at several of the resorts between Mandalay Bay and downtown. A 3-Day pass is $20. While this is an affordable option for sight-seeing, it certainly isn't the most speedy form of transportation. The Strip on most days and nights is snarled with traffic, and while scenic, it won't get you to your destination quickly. It's crowded, loud, and on a hot day can be sticky and icky. Further, while the Deuce runs every 15 minutes, there is often a long line at the stop closest to the hotels, so you could be waiting for some time to board.

2. Monorail(s): There are two convenient monorails on each side of the Strip. On the same side as MGM Grand, the Las Vegas monorail (run by the city) stops at six different hotels and casinos as well as the convention center. Trains arrive every 4-9 minutes. A single ride ticket is $5 and for $22 you can get an all-day pass. The monorail on the opposite side of the Strip is run by MGM and only stops at MGM properties. One goes from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur, one goes from Monte Carlo to Bellagio. The MGM trams are free of charge. There is also a free tram between the Mirage and Treasure Island and Caesar's Entertainment properties have free shuttle buses between their properties, so that may be an option as well. While the monorails are another great sight-seeing option, they are limited to just the Strip properties around the stations, so any other nearby-Strip properties of interest (Hard Rock, Stratosphere, Palms, etc.) or downtown Vegas will require another form of transportation.

3. Cabs: While cabs are relatively cheap in Las Vegas, if you take more than a few trips, it can start getting expensive. The minimum is $6-$7 per ride, but with tip, you are looking at $10 or more per trip. If you have a group of 4 or more, it may not be a bad option if you are splitting the fare. But, another issue to watch out for is that the service is only as good as the driver you get, and that can be just as much of a gamble as you'll get inside the casinos. Many unsavory drivers will "long haul" you, that is, intentionally taking a longer route to your destination in order to run up the cab fare. A recent Time magazine article stated that riders in Vegas were overcharged by an estimated $14.8 million because of cab drivers "long-hauling" them. So, if you don't know exactly where you are going and the directions to get there, chances are high that you may get ripped off. Further, the lines for cabs outside the resorts can often be quite long, adding unecessary frustration and waiting when you just want to get to where you are going.

So, you may have already deducted from the above list that my recommendation is to spend the money and get a rental car. Not only is a rental car the most convenient way to get around the Strip, it'll give you a chance to go off Strip if you want to visit Mount Charleston, Hoover Dam or some of the great off-Strip casinos like Green Valley Ranch or the Red Rock Resort.

The best deal that we have found here in Vegas for renting a car is Fox Rent A Car. You'll save anywhere from 20-40%, the reason being that their lot is offsite of the airport. They do have a shuttle that will take you to their lot, but you have to take a shuttle to get to the main rental car lot from the airport anyway, so you have to take a second shuttle to get to Fox once you've shuttled to the rental car area. It's a little bit longer of a trip, but if you don't mind taking the extra time, it can save you some big money.

Another great secret to know about the Strip is that both valet and self-parking are free at all the Strip resorts (but NOT downtown). Self-park is a great way to go if you are okay with a little bit of walking. There's not much to navigating to the self-parking lot, either. Just follow the signs for "self-park" as you enter the resort. A great tip is to always drive up to the very top open-air level of the self-park. Not only will you remember more easily where your car is, some of the best views of the Strip and surrounding valley can be seen from these levels. Some amazing ones we've observed are at Caesar's, Aria, Treasure Island, New York New York and Mirage. (The one above is one we took from the top of the Rio garage.) Bring your camera and take some time to enjoy the view!

Valet parking is a perfect option if you have physical limitations or just want to get right in the front door of the resort without a lot of extra walking around. Here's another secret: Having your bags sent to your room is not a luxury only afforded to celebrities and the super-wealthy! Any hotel guest is entitled to free bellhop service on the Strip. So don't struggle to drag your bags through the hotel and up to your room; just head to the valet area and ask for a bellhop to take your bags up to your room when it's ready. It's convenient and safe. However, make sure to TIP both your valet driver and your bellhop! (A couple bucks each is sufficient.)

Getting around the traffic on the Strip can be a little difficult, so my husband Matt has some tips to share, since he is an expert at avoiding the jams! Stay tuned for our next blog, which will be chockful of secrets on how to "backdoor" your way around the Strip and avoid the traffic.

Best Vegas Spas (and Secret Romance Spots)

One of the misnomers about resort spas in Vegas (and beyond) is that you have to spend a lot of money to get a blissful experience. It simply isn't true. And in fact, when it comes to nail services, I feel that the priciest Vegas spas give you no better service that the Korean mani-pedi place in the strip mall down the street. I recently got a much, much worse $110 pedicure a few weeks ago at Mandalay Bay's Bathhouse Spa than I got for $40 at CV Nails down the street from my house. (For ripping me off, Bathhouse gets omitted from my "best" list. It's a nice spa, but I'm still sore after getting a crap service. It's their punishment!)

Instead of throwing down $100 or more for a sub-par massage or facial, you could just come in, grab a locker for your valuables and change of undies, slip ito a plush robe, down a couple of cucumber-infused waters or hot teas with fresh lemon and gobs of honey (all complimentary), and soak the day away in the hottub, sauna and/or steam room. Doesn't that sound nice? And, in some of these great spas, you can meet up with your boy toy in the co-ed areas for some romantic time. All of this is usually around $25-$60 per day and gives you all-day access to come and go as you please. I like to go in the morning, then come back after dinner for a pre-bedtime soak. Most of them stay open until about 8 p.m. or so.

I've compiled a list of my favorite Vegas spas here, along with current pricing for the "facility use" fee, which typically includes everything I've described above.

1. Aria Spa: Unarguably the best Spa in Las Vegas. Somehow it didn't make any of the Conde Nast Traveler lists of the top spas in the US (and the Wynn Spa, #3 on my list, comes in at a paltry 34th on theirs). Lucky for you, that means it's almost never super-crowded. The indoor areas are more than ample, with two cold and two hot soaking pools, a cedar sauna, and a eucalyptis steam room (hope you like it hot, because it is not f*cking around with the heat in there). Once you've had some nice alone time and a beverage, you can join your sweetie for some of the great co-ed amenities: the Ganbanyoku Heated Stone Beds, Shio Salt Room, and the Infinity Edge, Co-Ed Outdoor Therapy Pool. The Infinity pool is like a giant, rectangular hottub and it overlooks Aria's swanky LIQUID dayclub pool and the mountains in the distance. So there's plenty to see, if you can tear your eyes from your lover's gaze. ;-)
Facility fee: $30/person or $80 for a 3-day pass, $40/day for non-hotel guests

2. QUA Baths & Spa, Caesar's Palace: Much like Aria's Spa, the draw of Caesar's Spa is the multitude of co-ed spaces. Where they lack in Japanese stone beds and salt rooms, they make up for in lots and lots of water to soak in together. The spas are all elevated, which is unique and really have that look and feel of an old Roman Bath (minus the ancient naked Italian men wandering around in all their glory, thankfully the co-ed areas require clothing). In addition, they have an interesting, if completely unnecesarry, "tea sommelier." (I guess that's a thing.) If that weren't enough, they have an arctic ice room that you can go into just in case you ever get homesick for Cincinnati winters.
Facility fee: A little pricey at $55 (non-guests), $50 for guests, but they give you a significant discount if you are Diamond Level Total Rewards Member, so make sure to show your card if you are at or above that level.

3. Wynn Spa: Just like Steve Wynn's masterpiece of a hotel, the spa resonates that same feeling of luxury, except with bubbly warm water. I think I love this spa so much because in 2011, I fully and completely recovered from the worst head cold of my life just by spending a half hour in the eucalyptis steam room. Saved my whole trip. But more than a healing oasis, the Wynn Spa has amenities galore. Bask in the glow of the natural Las Vegas light peeping through the atrium area, which boasts a huge hot soaking tub. A big Buddha statue that watches over bathers completes the totally Zen feeling.
Facility Fee: $40 for guests, if you are not a hotel guest you have to book a treatment.

Honorable Mentions

Canyon Ranch Spa Club at Venetian/Palazzo just missed out on the top 3 and deserved a blurb. The big drawback is that it's notoriety and the fact that it offers so much stuff--rock climing wall, full gym, sports therapy--means it gets a little crowded. I don't know about you, but I don't love to share a hottub with 5-10 other stinky, sweaty bodies if I can help it. But, all that considered, it is still a super-nice facility. They have all the spa prerequisites - the steamroom, the sauna, and a funky yet relaxing Aquavana soaking tub where you can actually lay down and let the bubbles massage your whole body (it's a little bizarre, but very nice once you get used to it). They also have these weird things called "Experimental Showers" where you can get pelted with a tropical hurricane while listening to the squaking of angry parrots. It's probably not going to be your thing, but try it just to say you did. It'll be a funny story for when you get back.
Facility fee: $40/day (guest or not)

Rio Spa & Salon is very nice too. It's a little rougher around the edges then the top 3 above, but the bend-over-backwards to make you feel at home staff gets them the mention. Plus at $25, their facility fee is lower, and if you are a Diamond or Seven Stars Total Rewards member, it is free. On that note, though, steer clear of Total Rewards other free-for-Diamond member property, the Mandara Spa at Planet Hollywood. It is, in a word, gross. It isn't clean, and at least on the day I was there recently, they were hoarding towels at the front desk and, when I asked, was given ONE. One towel. At a spa. You are duly warned.

I have a lot more spas yet to try out here, so I'll be writing another article once I've fully enjoyed, er, researched them!

Hotel Tips for Vegas and Beyond

You've officially booked your hotel and flight and your vacation countdown has begun. You want your trip to be amazing, right? You've earned it, after all. So why not do some things to help you make sure that your vacation is filled with memories, not mishaps. Whether your trip is going to be to Vegas or elsewhere, I've compiled the following list of tips that can help make your vacation more relaxing, and help you get the most out of your stay:

Research ahead of time: Go to the hotel's website and look around. Get familiar with the options you'll have and what they might cost. If you want to (or have to) work out, find out whether there is a gym in the hotel, what the hours are, and whether there is a fee. Many gyms on the Strip are unfortunately not complementary with your stay, which makes it difficult if you are in training for an event. I once paid a $12.99 facility fee to do a 13-mile marathon training run on a hotel gym treadmill, which worked out to a cringe-worthy buck-a-mile.

However annoying the gym fee may be, oftentimes it also includes access to the hotel's spa, which is something you definitely should do, especially if you are traveling in the winter and don't have access to the hotel's pool/outdoor hottub. Many people don't realize that the standard amenities in the resort spa can provide for a very luxurious experience for only about $20-$40/day. For this price, you won't get a massage or a facial, but you'll often get a plush robe and slippers, a spread of refreshments, and access to hot and cool whirlpool tubs, a Finnish sauna and a eucalyptis steam room. For me, I find hours and hours of bliss in these spas. I'll be posting more about them at a later time, but I'll mention now that a few of my favorites are the spas at Aria and the Wynn and Caesar's Qua Spa. Aria & the Qua are great options if you are honeymooning or enjoying some romantic time, because both have co-ed whirlpools to canoodle in together.

In addition to scoping out the amenities online before you embark on your trip, check out some possible restaurants you might enjoy and even peruse the menus. You will be overwhelmed with choices once you get there, so have some ideas in mind of which restaurants you might want to try, what menu items you might like there, and what you are willing to spend. Also, if you have some ideas of which shows you want to see, make sure that you do some research on what the tickets will cost and whether or not you will buy ahead of time or make use of the half-price ticket booth located in front of MGM Grand. Tix4Tonight sells day-of shows at a bargain, but make sure you know in advance of your trip which night or nights the show you are dying to see is "dark" (not playing that night). If the show you want to see is dark 2 of the 3 days you'll be in town, you may want to consider changing your trip dates or booking way ahead to be certain the day you can go isn't sold out. Don't plan your whole trip around coming to see a particular show, and then find out you can't get tickets once you get there.

Plan (and keep!) a budget: Don't rely on "hitting it big" while you are there in order to pay for your trip. Even in the city of hot bets and loose slots, winning the jackpot probably isn't going to happen to you. (Sorry to kill your dream there, buddy.) So, plan a budget for what you are going to spend between the hotel, meals, drinks, spa fees, internet charges, show tickets, etc. and stick to it.

If you win a little (or a lot), celebrate with something you weren't planning on buying or doing. (Or call me, I'll help you spend it.) In any event, you need to add into your trip budget conservatively $100 per person for incidentals like forgetting your hair brush (something I always seem to do) or seeing a souvenir that you just must have (like my adorable ceramic Paris drinking mug).

It's also VERY important that you set a gambling limit per person. When the money's out, it's out, so you might want to stretch it by instituting a "per day" limit so that you can play a little each day if the mood strikes you. Make sure to sign up for the hotel's player card, because it's the only way to get comps that you can use on future trips or even to offset some of your hotel charges this trip if you played enough. Plus, many players' clubs have a promotion for new sign-ups, so make sure you aren't leaving any freebies out there. But ultimately, if Lady Luck isn't on your side this trip, don't worry. There's plenty to do outside the casinos.

Leave the shampoo: When it comes to traveling anywhere via airplane, one of my best secret tips is to just leave all your personal care products behind. You have to check them if they are bigger than a few ounces, which is usually more expensive than the products themselves. And in doing so, you run the risk of having them spill all over your clothes. Instead of paying for checked luggage, have the cab drop you at a Walgreen's when you get in and get some cheap shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and makeup remover there. While you are at it, pick up some drinks and snacks for the room as well. That way, you don't get soaked by the hotel's sundry store, which charges $4 for a coke and $6 for a bag of Doritos. Ouch!

Check-in Time! Ask for what you need: If you bought some drinks as I suggested, you may want to ask the agent for a mini-fridge for the room when you check in. They are often complimentary or provided for a nominal fee. Keep in mind other incidentals you might need and ask for them at check-in, such as a few extra pillows, blankets, tissues (especially if you have a cold), extra t.p., or a rollaway cot. Also, if you want or need a room that's closer to the elevator, don't be shy or embarrased to ask. The check-in agent will always do what they can to best accommodate you, and it may be a great idea to save that extra walking for sight-seeing on the Strip.

Here's a very little known trick that you might want to try... Ask the check-in agent if any complimentary upgrades are available and hand your credit card to the agent wrapped in a $20 bill. Word on the street is that if the agent can do it, they will (and keep the $20 as a tip) but if they cannot, they will simply hand the $20 back with the credit card once they've swiped it. It's worth a try, and I've heard of people who have gotten upgraded to fabulous suites this way. Even if the $20 trick doesn't work (or you don't want to risk the $20 to do it), you should still always mention that it's your birthday/honeymoon/anniversary even if it isn't. Many hotels have a free gift for those occassions and who would be crazy enough to pass up a free bottle of champagne or complimentary chocolates?

Do an inspection: When you get into the hotel, before you flop onto the heavenly king-sized bed and start swimming in down comforters, my tip is to take inventory and get settled in. Unpack your suitcase, hang up your clothes to avoid wrinking, and make sure you have everything (ahem, like the elusive aforementioned hairbrush).

Also, do a sweep to see to it that the hotel room has everything you need. Locate the hair dryer (sometimes they hide it in a drawer, so look around) and make sure the shower and toilet work. Even in a city that is 24/7, you aren't going to want to be calling down to the front desk at 3 a.m. when you hair is drenched and you are shaking cold wrapped in a towel to inform the front desk that the hot water isn't working. Check it ahead of time and avoid the embarrassment.

My final tip is a simple one: Wear comfortable shoes! While your sky-high pumps may look great, they aren't going to last long with the amount of walking you'll do. Before you go, invest in some flashy flip flops and/or flats. Your feet will thank you!

Vegas Dining Secrets: Best Slice of Pizza

One of the unarguable truths about Las Vegas is that its rampant tourism has seriously elevated the city's cuisine. While the days of the $3.99 surf and turf dinner are still alive and well down on Fremont Street, the Strip has turned into a veritable foodie's paradise. Celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, Gordon Ramsay and Jose Andres pepper the biggest and newest mega-resorts with their latest and greatest restaurant concepts, offering their delectible combinations of unique flavors in trendy, nightclub-esque abodes.

So why is Las Vegas, a city famous for all-you-can-eat buffets and cheap shrimp cocktail, so quickly becoming a mecca for the world's best chefs? As Encore's reknowned Korean chef Jet Tila described to Anthony Bourdain on a recent episode of "Parts Unknown," the cuisine followed the money. As he puts it, a Chinese tycoon will come to Vegas for a week of fun and gambling, throw down a million dollars in the casino, then want an amazing meal (either to celebrate or drown his sorrows). He's going to want something familiar, but he's also going to want the very, very best, because it's what he's used to. So, the best Asian restaurants in the world, such as the James Beard award-winning Lotus of Siam, started cropping up on and around the Strip to cater to the high rollers who demand the highest quality of food in the world.

The problem now is that Vegas is sort of bi-polar when it comes to food. Yes, you can find the most amazing dishes in the world if you are willing to pay for it. But you can also get burned just about anywhere you go on pricey and overhyped but otherwise average-tasting meals. This is where my series, Vegas Dining Secrets, comes in. My husband and I have tried the good, the bad, and the outstanding when it comes to food in Sin City, and, luckily, I'm nice enough to let you in on some of our secrets. We admittedly have neither culinary degrees nor the most sophisticated palates, but we know and appreciate good food.

First up in the series is my personal favorite category of food: PIZZA! Every weary tourist has at least one instance during their Vegas trip where they just want a slice of "pie" (as my New Yorker Italian husband calls it). And, depending on your luck of the draw, you can pretty much find the best and worst in the city within a stone's throw of where you are staying.

So what's the best when it comes to pizza?

As I eluded to in my last post, Pizza Rock in downtown Vegas is the very best when it comes to that authentic Napoletana-style Margherita pie baked in the stone oven, compete with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil. It's absolutely perfect. But, the secret to Pizza Rock is that you have to sit down and order it in the restaurant. They don't have the margherita in their by-the-slice window, and the offerings they do have at the window are nowhere near as good as the whole pies inside. For the best quick by-the-slice options, there is a little place at the Venetian's food court called Pizzeria da Enzo that is amazing. And Aria's FIVE50 also has a great selection of by-the-slice options. But, when it comes to the quick slice, the life-changing, earth-shatteringly good pizza parlor inside of the Cosmopolitan is, in actuality, Vegas' best-kept pizza secret.

There isn't a sign or a door, and it's not to be found anywhere on the resort's website. Part of the Cosmo's hipster charm is that air of secrecy. The pizza parlor, if you must know, is located down an unmarked hallway next to Jaleo on the third floor. The receipt just says "Pizza" and although I firmly believe I coined the phrase myself, others have also taken to calling it "Secret Pizza." Yelp reviews and blogs such as this one are slowly bringing this secret into the light, but it's definitely not "out there" yet.

A one-topping slice at Secret Pizza is currently $5.50, which I could swear has crept up from $3.00/slice when we first went there a few months after the Cosmo opened. Although they specialize in the perfect slice, you can also get a fresh whole pie if you have a crowd to feed (or are just ravenously hungry). Either way you go, I recommend the white pizza (pictured at left). It's impossibly chewy and crispy at the same time, with generous dollops of ricotta and just enough grease to sop up a night of too much alcohol. Another little secret to the secret pizza place is that all their pizzas aren't out on the counter, so if you don't see the slice you want, ask. They may have one under the counter. It's also open super late, possibly 24 hours, but there's really nowhere to check that, since it only exists to those who are in the know... wink, wink! Welcome to the club..... and shhhhhhh!

SLS Casino's grand, um, opening.

We drove by it so many times this summer. We tried to peek in, anticipating the magical wonderland awaiting inside. Today, the day finally came, and the reviews are in...

"Meh."

SLS Casino Las Vegas opened at midnight last night, and the hype on the local news has been going on for weeks. It is a BIG deal, really. SLS is the first casino to open on the Strip since the Cosmopolitan opened in 2010, and the first venue to open amongst several major renovation and development planned for the north end of the Strip. The north Strip area was officially deemed "dead" once the Sahara shuttered its doors on May 16, 2011, but it had long been struggling. The impressively large $2.9 billion Fontainebleau resort project, which was meant to be the behemoth sister to their Miami Beach hotel, went bankrupt in 2009 and has sat untouched ever since. The hotels that are currently still in business on the north Strip--Circus Circus, Riviera, Stratosphere--are starting to look, feel and smell like a retirement home. While the jewel of the Strip, Aria, fills the nose with the pleasant aromas of vanilla, jasmine, and fresh $100 bills, take a whiff when you walk into the Riv and you'll pick up the distinctive odors of dirty ashtrays, cheap hookers, and failure. Just like a majority of their patrons, these casinos are just sitting around, stinking, and waiting to die.

So when the SLS project actually came to fruition unlike the bankrupted, half-built projects surrounding it, it was exuberantly touted as the shining symbol of the rebirth of the north end of the Strip. And it led the way for other projects to finally find their footing, too. The SLS's opening is soon to be followed by the Asian-themed Resorts World in 2016 and the City of Rock music venue that will host the Rock in Rio mega-concert and festival next May. Discussions also abound regarding a stadium to be built in the area in order to draw a pro sports team. (My vote: football!)

While the SLS is being celebrated by those who welcome the economic boom that comes with development, it has also drawn its critics. And since going there and seeing the re-vamped Sahara space that SLS now occupies, I can absolutely see why someone would be critical. Here's why:

The Cosmopolitan ushered in the era of the "boutique" hotel, and sent a clear message to resort developers that bigger doesn't necessarily have to mean better. Smaller spaces and fewer rooms afforded the Cosmo the chance to "play" and be whimsical with its unique design elements and thougtfully-appointed suites. From the three-story bar and lounge inside a giant sparkly chandelier, to the secret pizza parlor down a 3rd floor dark hallway, the Cosmo has something special to discover behind every nook and cranny. Where the Cosmo delights, the SLS just falls flat.

Owner Sam Nazarian intended for his new Las Vegas casino and boutique hotel to be an extention of sbe's SLS hotel brand that currently has outposts in Beverly Hills and South Beach. (SLS stands for Style-Luxury-Service, not Sam-Loves-Steve, as Nazarian recently joked to Steve Wynn, ironically referencing their long-standing rivalry.) Style is certainly something that Nazarian knows a thing or two about, as his nightlife venues are frequented by celebrities and trendsetters worldwide. I personally had first heard about the sbe brand when they were featured on MTV's "The Hills" reality series. If that's not a pop-culture driven brand, I don't know what is.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that any amount of celebrity hype can save this new sbe production. Going into the new SLS Las Vegas, it is plain to see that this is a remodeled space, not a new one. It doesn't feel fresh or have that "wow" factor that the succesful Las Vegas brands need to get people in the door and keep them coming back. For example, the ceiling of the casino floor:

It just screams, "Meh." Where Cosmo's casino decor comes to life with sparkling, crystalline and magenta everything, SLS chose to paint the ventilation units black, I suppose as a nod to the "industrial" look of a hipster's downtown loft. But there's really no fooling anyone that the ceiling is just the old, tired Sahara structure peeking through and exposing it for what it is: a rehab. And not a great one.

After inspecting the underwhelmed and overcrowded casino, we decided to grab a bite to eat for lunch. The 800 Degrees pizzeria looked okay, but everyone is doing authentic neopolitan pizzas in Vegas these days. It's getting a little tired, frankly, and since we already know that no one can do it better than Tony Gemignani, we shuffled along to Umami Burger.

So, the most annoying phenomenon happened to us for the SECOND TIME today at Umami. Allow me to elaborate. Last year, Matt and I were excited to be staying at Caesaer's Palace on the same day that Gordon Ramsay's Pub was opening. An avid watcher of Hell's Kitchen, I reveled in every "Shut it down!" and "You f*cking donkey!" cry from the mouth of G.R., so imagine my glee as I finally would have the opportunity to nosh on Gordon-approved cuisine. We arrived at the hostess stand, but were told there were no tables available for the next TWO HOURS. "Wow, must be popular," we thought... until we inspected the innerds of the restaurant a little closer. There were at least 10 tables completely open, settings untouched.

You mean to tell me that on opening night of a fervently-hyped celebrity chef's restaurant that they didn't have enough waitstaff to cover all the tables at once?! Or, are they trying to come across as more "exclusive" then they actually are? Or (and this sounds the most likely), are they steering diners to the casino to lose all their money while they wait for their tables? So, after our experience with that f*cking donkey Gordon Ramsay, we were more than moderately annoyed to walk into Umami Burger, be told that it was a 45-50 minute wait for a table, and then see this:

And this:

After the crushing blow of being played like a fiddle by the hostess stand, we put our name in and then just wandered around the restaurant aimlessly. We found a couch and table in their non-seated lounge section, which was a score seeing as we never, EVER were actually called for our table. Upon seeing the menu, I became innapropriately overjoyed when I read that there was both a truffle burger and truffle fries available. The Vegas restaurant community clearly held a secret meeting recently to which the consensus was, "Truffle flavor all the things!" While I never quite embraced the sun-dried tomato fad of the 90s or jumped on the early 2000's sweet potato bandwagon, I have developed a very special relationship with truffles and am extremely stoked at their meteoric rise to fad food fame.

We waited a full half hour for our food, and became alarmed when we saw that no one in the entire restaurant had anything in their mouths. But, as soon as we vocalized our fears, the food came. Let's move on to my non-cheflike, simple-palatted review:

The fries were just okay. The truffle element was incorporated into a cheese sauce, which was a little reminiscent of the slimy gelatinous orange stuff that comes on ballpark nachos. But better, of course, because of the truffle flavor. They were shoestring fries, which don't lend well to gripping the drippings, but overall pretty great. I'd order them again, and I'd give them a solid B grade.

The truffle burger, also covered in Umami's signature truffle cheese goop, was a darn good, perfectly cooked burger. Look at the heavenly juiciness:

I'd give the burger a B+, although Matt is a more of a beefivore than I am, and he loved it. I generally don't eat hot dogs, because of them being hot dogs, but he was happy to report that the one he ordered was very, very good. Here's a pic of our meal in its entirety:

We got the check ($31 for everything pictured... not bad for a trendy, new Vegas restaurant) and with still no word from the hostess stand about our elusive table, we headed back out to check out the rest of the joint.

So, I've got a question for you: When you go outside for a leisurely day at the pool, do you like to be unexpectedly blinded by the reflection of the sun on the horrifyingly bright all-white outdoor decor? Yeah, me neither. But SLS thought you might enjoy blindness. Matt had forgotten his sunglasses in the car, so we had to flee to pool area immediately, otherwise we would have had to take him to the hospital. You might not want to look directly at the pic below:

I actually had to take that photo from inside, once we were safely behind the filter of a window. I kid you not.

Overall, I think the best way I can describe SLS is "rough around the edges." From the dirty bathroom floor (already?) to the roped-off and curtained-off areas, it's my opinion that they should have waited a few more months to polish things up before exposing the eager public to it. For all the promise that the north end of the Strip holds, I hope that future developments take the time and effort to deliver better than what SLS has offered. Otherwise, the area will be "dead" again in no time.

Welcome!

Thanks for surfing over and checking out my new blog, Vegas Confidential! I am hoping to develop this site to share some of the cool and interesting secrets about my new hometown, Las Vegas and let everyone in on the enormous opportunities for fun that this city has to offer. My husband and I have only lived here a few months, but we have had a passion for Vegas for many years. It's where we fell in love and where we've had more amazing experiences than we can even remember. Matt will be posting some of his insider tips from time to time as well. We hope that you enjoy reading and feel free to comment, ask questions or make suggestions. Love from LV, NV! - Gabrielle