New Hotel in Downtown Vegas, baby....

 New Hotel Debuts in Downtown Las Vegas

 

the D Las Vegas Delivers Fresh, Energetic Attitude and Fun Atmosphere

LAS VEGAS – October 11, 2012 – The former Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel has completed its dramatic transformation to become the D Las Vegas, revealing a sleek new style, energetic attitude and fun atmosphere in the heart of downtown Las Vegas.

Located beneath the largest video screen in the world on Vegas’ famous Fremont Street Experience, the D sits at the center of four neon blocks of non-stop party action. The property’s complete interior and exterior renovation embraces the upbeat culture of downtown and invites guests to experience the modern amenities, first-class entertainment, fun culinary experiences and unique gaming that abound inside.

Click here for photos, video and more: http://bit.ly/theDLasVegasGrandOpening

“We’re incredibly excited to be part of a new era in downtown Las Vegas,” said the D Owner and CEO Derek Stevens. “the D’s renovations reflect the high energy and friendly atmosphere of Fremont Street, and we want everyone to have a blast when they stay and play with us.”

Renovations at the D focus on modern styling, while maintaining elements from classic Vegas and introducing glimpses of Detroit:

· the D stands for many things. Drawing inspiration from its home in Downtown Las Vegas and its owner’s hometown of Detroit as well as his first name.

· A new lobby and valet lead guests to one of the only two-level casinos in the city offering the latest in slots and table games on the first floor and a Vintage Vegas gaming experience on the second, featuring an array of coin-operated slots and the beloved Sigma Derby simulated horse-racing game.

· 624 remodeled rooms offer modern, updated accommodations while 14 luxury suites provide guests with a lavish space for relaxing or entertaining.

· Two new high-energy bars – LONGBAR inside the casino and D Bar on Fremont Street – serve up frozen libations, an extensive beer menu and traditional cocktails 24/7.

· Featured on The Today Show, The Food Network and The Travel Channel, Detroit’s iconic American Coney Island restaurant opens its first-ever location outside of Michigan, serving up legendary Coney Dogs.

· Offering an entirely new take on the neon signage of Sin City, the D’s Fremont Street façade is now home to an exclusive interactive video display, known as “Face to Face,” which broadcasts colorful, dynamic content across hundreds of feet of LED signage and forty giant flat screen televisions.

A Glimpse into the D Las Vegas:

· Dream & Doze. Guests will enjoy 624 completely remodeled rooms. The contemporary accommodations feature clean lines, bold colors and sleek gaming-inspired decor. Amenities include pillow-top mattresses, flat-screen TVs, safes, iPod docking stations, high-speed wired and wireless Internet access and more.

· D-luxe Suites. the D’s expansive new suites offer first-class luxury accommodations in the midst of downtown Las Vegas’ exciting atmosphere. The two-room suites inspired by classic menswear feature rich woods, marbles and leathers complemented by custom, hounds tooth carpeting and a pinstriped, felt couch adorned with herringbone and tweed accent pillows. A full wet-bar with black marble countertops and two refrigerators leads into a large, well-appointed entertaining area with three flat-screens. Expansive windows look out across the Las Vegas Valley providing an unrivaled perspective from the tallest building downtown. A separate sleeping area with plush, king-sized bed, flat-screen and lavish bathroom offer a private escape.

· Double Down. The unique two-level casino boasts the latest in slots and table games manned by playful dancing dealers on the first floor, and transport guests back in time to old-school Vegas with a Vintage Casino on the second. Gamblers can rock out to today’s hottest songs and enjoy 10x odds on Dice and all Blackjacks pay 3 to 2. On the second floor, those nostalgic for days past will delight in the retro tunes, jingle of coins and restored neon. Complete with the beloved Sigma Derby simulated, horse-racing game and a wide assortment of classic coin-operated three-reel slots including Double Diamond, Wild Cherry and Blazing 7s, there is no shortage of old school charm in the second floor’s throwback gaming experience.

· Down a Drink. When it’s time for a cold one, guests can pick their poison at three distinct bars. Immersed in the bustle of Fremont Street Experience, D Bar invites guests and passersby alike to enjoy refreshing frozen libations and specialty cocktails as talented, flair bartenders send bottles and glasses flying through the air to the sounds of the best bands around. Inside, guests can cool off at LONGBAR – the longest bar in Nevada, stretching the length of the first floor casino. Outfitted with massive flat-screens for prime sports watching, LONGBAR is an uninhibited locale for gathering, gaming and drinking. Upstairs, guests can take a break from vintage gaming to select from the extensive beer menu offered at Vue Bar.

· Delectable Dining. Detroit’s iconic American Coney Island brings its first out-of-state location to the D. A favorite of Detroiters and visitors for nearly a century, American Coney Island is the oldest family-owned business in Detroit. Founder Gust Keros coined the phrase “Coney Dog” and introduced the now legendary treat to the city of Detroit in 1917. The high-quality, specially seasoned, natural-casing Dearborn sausage brand hotdog is topped with the Keros family secret recipe Coney Island Chili Sauce, fine mustard and sweet chopped onions, and served in a warm steamed bun. The restaurant has continued to attract loyal patrons from every generation in Detroit and around the country. American Coney Island joins Courtyard Grill, serving up traditional American fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Don B’s Steakhouse.

· Dazzling Display. On the D’s Fremont Street Experience façade, an exclusive new lightshow designed and developed by Cirque du Soleil visionary Roger Parent, brings the casino’s exterior to life with “virtual tapestry technology.” Unlike any other light feature in Vegas, “Face to Face” features forty massive flat-screens arranged in mobile panels to stream colorful LED content 24 hours per day. An adjacent LED exterior escalator whisks guests to the second floor as playful graphics dance and swirl across the screens, interacting with passersby and leading the way inside. Additionally, Face to Face’s panels contract to create a mega screen, displaying content from live acts performing on nearby 3rd Street Stage.

· Dance with Prince. Die of Laughter. the D offers a lineup of entertainment in the showroom, sure to appeal to any guest. “Marriage Can Be Murder,” an award-winning interactive comedy and murder-mystery dinner experience, invites audience members to become a part of the show every night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday – Sunday, guests can join Jason Tenner and his band as Purple Reign, THE Prince Tribute Show performs live renditions of the legendary singer’s famous hits.

· Do Business. Featuring 8,000 square feet of meeting space, the D Las Vegas is equipped with one ballroom and four reconfigurable break-out rooms privately located on the 12^th floor and conveniently accessible to guest rooms by elevators. The space can accommodate groups up to 300 people, whether for meetings, weddings or special events and has audio and visual equipment to keep events running smoothly. All meeting rooms will also soon offer Hotspot Wireless access at broadband speeds.

the D Las Vegas Resources:

· Visit our website: http://www.theD.com

Those Gummy Bears You All Have Been Waiting For

How To Turn Gummy Bears into Drunkie Bears

aka Vodka Gummy Bears

After making a successful batch of the vodka gummy bears I had many people interested in exactly what I did so they could recreate these delicious treats themselves.  I read a lot of different recipes and watched a lot of different videos of what worked and what didn’t work for other people so I took the best of the best and wound up with some excellent party snacks.

Here is exactly what I did…

Stuff You’ll Need:

1 box/case of Black Forest Gummy Bear mini-bags from Costco
3 cups vodka (the Costco equivalent of Skyy)
1 13”x9” glass baking pan/dish with matching plastic lid

Day 1

-Open 22 of the 24 packages of gummy bear mini-bags and dump all those gummy bears into the glass dish.
-Set aside 1 package of the gummy bears to compare your drunkies to the gummies later.
-Eat 1 package while opening all the other mini-bags, or in my case your husband eats it.
-Pour 1 cup of vodka evenly over the pan of gummy bears and stir them all up really good.  Make sure every bear is touching some of the vodka.
--The concoction will look quite watery.
-Put the lid on the pan and put the pan in the fridge.
-Stir the gummies again in the evening or before going to bed.

Day 2

-Stir the gummies in the morning.  Most likely all the vodka will be absorbed by the gummies.  If gummies are sticking together, gently pry them apart with your spoon.
-Pour another ½ cup vodka evenly over the gummies and stir them up real good.
-Put them back in the fridge with the lid on the pan.
-Stir the gummies again in the evening, gently separating any gummies stuck together.
-Pour another ½ vodka evenly over the gummies and stir again
-Put the pan back in the fridge with the lid on the pan.

Day 3

-Stir the gummies in the morning and you will notice the vodka is all soaked up again.  Pry any stuck together gummies apart gently with your spoon.
-If you test one at this point you will notice they are not super strong but the middle is still a little hard, so there is room for more vodka!
-Pour another  ½ cup vodka evenly over the gummies and stir them up.
-Put them back in the fridge with the lid on the pan.
-Stir the gummies in the evening and separate the stuck together gummies.

Day 4

-Stir the gummies in the morning and the evening, making sure to separate any stuck together gummies.
-You will notice by this time all the liquid is gone.  There may be a “film” or thin “slime” in the bottom of the pan and that is fine.

Day 5

-I forgot to do anything to them.

Day 6

-Stir the gummies in the morning and separate any stuck together ones. 
-Put the lid back on the pan and put them back in the fridge.
-In the evening stir the gummies and put the last ½ cup of vodka in, pouring evenly over all gummies.  By this time you will notice they have grown quite a bit from their original size.  Separate any stuck together gummies. 
-Put the lid on the pan and put them back in the fridge.
Day 7
-Stir the gummies gently, by this time they have soaked up about as much vodka as they can take.  The center of them should not be hard anymore.  Separate any stuck together.  -You should notice that the gummies have grown over 50% larger than their original size.
-If all the liquid is gone, and only that film or slime is on the bottom of the pan, they are ready to eat!  If there is still a little liquid, put them back in the fridge for a few more hours.  Otherwise, enjoy your drunkie bears!

Tips

-Use a higher quality gummy bear.  Lower quality gummy bears may not have the best ingredients to hold together.  I heard Swedish Fish do not work (they get mushy) and sour gummies make things super sticky and gooey.
-Don’t use a super cheap vodka and don’t use any over-proof liquors like 100 proofs or ever clear.  It seems your mid-line vodkas work well.  I also heard other liquors work well like flavored vodkas and rums.  The theme seems to be to stay with a mid-line liquor in that 70-80 proof range.
-Make the gummies in a glass dish.  Plastic dishes may lead to mushier gummies.  And the glass assures a true flavor.
-The gummies can be transported for short periods of time without being cooled, but any longer than an hour or so you may have mush on your hands.
-After your gummies are ready to eat, they can be frozen and are delicious too.
-Most of all – ENJOY!!!
-As always, these are an adult treat meant for only those 21 years of age and older.  Gotta get that disclaimer in there somewhere.

Bedbugs: The Unwanted Souvenir

Bedbugs are one souvenir you don't want to bring home.

The National Pest Management Association's Vice President of Public Affairs, Missy Henriksen, shares the following tips for avoiding these pests while traveling.

Check Your Room. If you don't want to let the bedbugs bite, thoroughly inspect your room for signs of infestation. Henriksen advises placing your luggage in the bathroom when you first arrive in your hotel room, because there's no place for bedbugs to hide in most bathrooms. Next, says Henriksen, "Pull back the sheets and inspect the mattress seams, particularly at the corners, for pepper-like stains or spots or even the bugs themselves. Adult bedbugs resemble a flat apple seed." Also look behind the headboard, inside chair and couch cushions, behind picture frames, and around electrical outlets. If you see anything suspicious, notify management and change rooms (or better yet, establishments) immediately.

Request A Different Room. If you do have to change rooms, don't move to a room adjacent to or directly above or below the site of the bedbug infestation. "Bedbugs can easily hitchhike via housekeeping carts and luggage or even through wall sockets," notes Henriksen. "If an infestation is spreading, it typically does so in the rooms closest to the origin."

Cover Your Bags. Even if you don't see any signs of bedbugs, you should still take precautions. Never place luggage on a hotel bed or floor. Use luggage racks if available, and place your suitcase in a protective cover. Even a plastic trash bag will suffice.

Keep Everything Off the Floor. Despite the name, bedbugs lurk in many spots, not just where you sleep. Always be vigilant when you travel. Avoid putting your personal belongings on the floor of an airplane, bus, train, or taxi. Keep your small bag or purse on your lap at all times, and seal your bigger bags inside plastic or protective covers before checking or storing them in overhead bins.

Treat Your Luggage and Clothes After Travel. "The best way to prevent bedbugs is to remain vigilant both during travel and once you return home," says Henriksen. The National Pest Management Association offers the following checklist to make sure you leave the bedbugs behind:
    •    Inspect your suitcases before bringing them into the house, and vacuum all luggage before storing it.
    •    Consider using a handheld garment steamer to steam your luggage; this can kill any bedbugs or eggs that might have hitched a ride home.
    •    Immediately wash and dry all of your clothes—even those that have not been worn—in hot temperatures to ensure that any stowaway bedbugs are not transported into your drawers or closet.
    •    Keep clothes that must be dry-cleaned in a plastic bag and take them to the dry cleaner as soon as possible.
    •    If you suspect a bedbug infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest professional promptly. Bedbugs are not a DIY pest, and the longer you wait, the larger the infestation will grow. A trained professional has the tools and knowledge to effectively treat your infestation.

Ship Mate - Another App Find

Any of you who love to travel know that planning and anticipating the trip is also part of the trip itself. We had planned two cruises with my husband's family for over a year aboard Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. I had decided I wanted to be as paperless as possible as well as very organized since I was the travel agent for our group. I found several apps that were helpful in achieving these two goals, one of them being Ship Mate for Royal Caribbean. This app helped me keep a countdown of days until my cruises, plan my cruise and activities during the sailings, it helped me meet others on our sailings via the "Chat with Others" feature, and it let me keep deck plans right on my iPhone to view whenever I needed them. The feature I used every day while cruising was the "Daily Planner" that reminded me of ports and times, excursions, parties, shows, etc. This app is so powerful and I look forward to using it the next time I cruise and using even more of the features it offers. Check out what Ship Mate can do for you while planning and sailing.

The cruise industry has consistently served the U.S. with one of the most preferred vacation options for decades. Despite the poor economy, passenger growth has averaged over 7% since 2000 and customer satisfaction has far exceeded other vacation categories. Cruise ships offer something for everyone. One of the only complaints from cruisers is that there are too many options, particularly for first-timers. Passengers feel overwhelmed with the number of activities and locations throughout the ship. This frustration is exacerbated at the ports as cruisers are bombarded by solicitors and options. The solution to this madness – the Ship Mate mobile app.

Ship Mate's motto is, “don't wait to start your cruise.” Available for Apple and Android devices, the mobile app encourages users to start enjoying and preparing for their cruise months before boarding. Users are able to virtually explore every corner of the ship with detailed deck maps, location descriptions and colorful pictures of the ship's many attractions. The app also contains detailed information on over 800 ports worldwide, including weather, history, maps, web cams, and advice on where to go eat, drink and shop. Some ports even offer exclusive Ship Mate deals simply by showing the app. Cruisers are using Ship Mate to take advantage of the limited time that they have at each port.

You'll likely find yourself opening the app on a daily basis to check your Countdown, Ship Locator, and Deck Cams. Feel the excitement build while tracking your ship as it navigates the planet, bouncing from oasis to oasis. And use the live web cams to transport yourself from that stiff, ergonomic desk-chair into a warm, poolside cabana. You'll know the exact number of days (or hours) until your vacation becomes a reality by using Ship Mate's personalized Cruise Countdown feature. For the “Type A” cruisers out there, Ship Mate offers some handy utility features like the interactive Packing Checklist, Budgeting Feature and Customizable Itinerary.

If the information that you're looking for isn't in the app, you'll likely get help from fellow passengers using Ship Mate's Chat feature. Cruisers are eager to share their knowledge and to meet others in the ship and port-specific chat rooms. You'll also get unbiased reviews throughout the app left by previous ship mates – and don't forget to impart some cruise wisdom of your own once you're back on the mainland.

And the best part about Ship Mate – it doesn't require internet access. You can turn it on “airplane mode” and avoid the outrageous fees charged by cruise ships. There's a version for every major cruise line - just search for “Ship Mate” in your app store.

Become part of the Ship Mate community by following them on Facebook, Twitter, or their Blog.

I cannot recommend an app like this for your next cruise vacation enough. It has everything you need to keep you organized and informed all in one place.

Confessions Aboard A Cruise Ship

This is a great article about what goes on with those working aboard ship... and good for a laugh.

Confessions of...A Cruise Ship Musician
It's not all Salty Dogs and sunsets for the folks working your favorite boat—take it from a former drummer in an on-board band.
By as told to Andrea Minarcek, April 2011 issue

(Courtesy walterpowers/myBudgetTravel)

Setting off for a summer job on an Alaskan cruise ship in 2007, Mike Minarcek had modest expectations: to meet a few nice people, make a few bucks, and put his university music degree to work. He had no idea what he was in for.

For the Love of Disco: As a drummer for the main theater's scripted show, I played the same 10 songs nearly every night, one terrible medley after the next. Occasionally, though, I'd work one of the clubs, where we had more say in the set list. The passengers' preferred dance numbers—"Shout," "The Electric Slide"—would have been annoying under any other circumstance, but we were so happy to get a break from the theater show's monotony that we'd gladly take any old request.

A Boatful of Nudists Is Not as Sexy as You Might Think: For two weeks every summer, our cruise line hosted a nudists-only sail. Employees were offered the option to skip it and stay over at a hotel in Seattle instead. My curiosity got the better of me, so I agreed to stay on the ship. Almost immediately, I regretted it—especially after one guy bumped into me. Not pleasant. It's just plain bizarre seeing people do ordinary things in the buff: playing shuffleboard, scoping out the dinner buffet, doing the "Y.M.C.A." But eventually, I got so used to all the nudity that it seemed weird when clothed passengers arrived.

Double-duty Blues: "All hands on deck" is more than a figure of speech. You can fit only so many employees on a ship, so we musicians often had to pitch in on random tasks. During safety demonstrations, we had to stand out on deck for hours wearing life jackets, pointing at exits, and smiling like chimps. Not surprisingly, the clothing-optional cruise came with even more unpleasant chores. I respect people's right to go nude if they want, but not when it means I have to Saran-wrap an entire theater full of seats to protect their bare bums. (I pity the late shift that had to remove it after the show.)

The Drum Set Takes the Cake: At the end of each cruise, passengers filed into the ship's ballroom for a fancy final dinner. The meal itself was wonderful, but for some reason, the powers that be decided to have the theater band "perform" during a portion of the dinner. Not play music, mind you—perform. In place of actual instruments, we were handed very large, cumbersome, fake instruments made of food. The trumpet was a strawberry on the end of a celery stalk (with gumdrop valves!), and my drum kit included a large wooden cake atop a tripod of bread sticks. Every week, we had to dance with these things on stage like idiots to a song so cheesy that I've blocked it from memory. That was always the night we musicians did our hardest drinking.

Cabin Fever: There's a reason the quality of cruise-ship entertainment has dwindled in recent years. Quite frankly, the schedule stinks. You work every day, mostly all day. Your living quarters are like matchboxes, and there's only one tiny room where employees are allowed to socialize. It's called the Officers' Bar, and it's perpetually filled with smoke and sticky with spilled booze. There are always loud parties going on in there because, honestly, you start to lose it a bit when you’ve been at sea a while. At least I did. —Interview by Andrea Minarcek (Mike’s sister)Read more: http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/confessions-ofa-cruise-ship-musician,7152/#ixzz1lolnxm8X

Stuck in an Airport

http://www.travelchannel.com/video/tonys-airport-tips-16248

Anthony Bourdain has a good tip about making sure all your "devices" are loaded up with stuff to do to keep you busy at the airport. Whether you are waiting for your flight, your flight has been delayed or canceled, you've got to have something to keep you mind off it .... and that gate agent with the fake smile saying everything is ok....

Sail the Med Aboard Celebrity Equinox with Bob Eubanks!

Cruise aboard Celebrity Equinox with Bob Eubanks, Host of The Newlywed Game! This fantastic cruise is a 10-night Eastern Med Cruise August 3-13th, 2012. This sailing offers up to $250 on board credit plus reduced depsoits. Sign up by December 1st to be entered in a drawing to win extra cruise bonuses.

The intinerary for this sailing is awesome:
Fri Aug 3 Rome (Civitavecchia) leave 5 pm
Sat Aug 4 Sicily (Messina) Italy docked 10 am - 7 pm
Sun Aug 5 Seminars@Sea
Mon Aug 6 Athens (Piraeus) docked 7 am - 6 pm
Tues Aug 7 Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
Wed Aug 8 Rhodes Greece docked 7 am - 6 pm
Thur Aug 9 Santorini, Greece tendered 7 am - 6 pm
Fri Aug 10 Mykonos, Greece tendered 7 am - 6 pm
Sat Aug 11 Seminars@Sea
Sun Aug 12 Naples/Capri, Italy docked 7 am - 6:30 pm
Mon Aug 13 Rome (Civitavecchia), 4:30 am

Please let me know if you'd like more information or prices on cabins. The link below also has a little more info on the great events taking place on this sailing. Contact me at amy@luxeconcierge.net or 805-550-8932.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Join-Bob-Eubanks---space-going-fast-.html?soid=1102390974131&aid=sJP2stMXwcE