Last weekend outside Aladdin, magician Criss Angel escaped from chains and a sealed container in the nick of time before a stunt car filled with explosives would've made him Flat Angel.

Tomorrow afternoon, March 31, Criss performs another live stunt in Aladdin's lobby right outside the Theatre for the Performing Arts. And this time he's bringing an elephant, which he plans to make disappear. He could always just show up without the elephant and say it disappeared before anyone could see, tada! But somehow we don't think that would be too magical.

Both stunts will be part of the "Mindfreak" television series on A&E. The public is invited.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

As LasVegasVegas readers kindly pointed out, we mistakenly confused Kathy Griffin of "Suddenly Susan" with Vicki Lewis of "NewsRadio," something we seem to do all the time. Which is odd, because we're big fans of Griffin's humor, despite her predilection for N'Sync boys.

For other Kathy Griffin fans who missed her host the world's largest buffet the other day, you can find her again in Las Vegas at Suncoast from April 14-16. Tickets are $44, $55, and $71.50 (which include the live entertainment tax) and can be purchased at (702) 636-7075 or (877) 636-7111 or online.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At lunch yesterday, the Las Vegas Hilton held the world's largest buffet that will go in the history books as a Guinness World Record.

A total of 510 dishes were set out for over 850 hungry people at a low $7.50 per person, or a little over a penny per offering. All proceeds went to hunger relief charity America's Second Harvest.

Each dish had to be different enough to be certified by a Guinness judge, though they didn't have to taste each one. That should be another Guinness record -- the person who ate a plate full of each of the 510 dishes.

Hilton executive chef George Bargisen spent over 24 hours overseeing and carefully putting together each of the unique dishes that comprised 40 soups, 100 salads, and 150 desserts spanning across tables measuring 500 feet.

Over a dozen ethnic cuisines were represented. With food choices from regular buffets exhausted, exotic selections were added, such as Mongolian chicken, salmon Wellington, and fried alligator. Dessert included pumpkin pie, creme brulee, baklava, and truffles.

Because Guinness didn't have a prior record for world's largest buffet, they set 500 dishes as an arbitrary number in order to qualify.

Alka-Seltzer, celebrating their 75th anniversary, appropriately sponsored the buffet.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Taryn Manning (Hustle and Flow, 8 Mile) appears March 31 at Light (Bellagio).

Manning will introduce her new Fall 2006 clothing line, Born Uniqorn, whose website shows pictures of their 2005 and Summer 2006 collection.

To support her friend, best pal Britney Spears (both were in the film Crossroads) may make an unannounced appearance, for the paparazzi eyeing whether she's pregnant and teetotaling or boozing it up like she was seen at husband K-Fed's birthday party.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Another Las Vegas condo project has stalled, with deposits being returned and construction being postponed again.

The Curve was to be two 18-story condominium towers in a planned 42.5-acre urban village comprising 16 buildings of retail, restaurant, and commercial venues.

It had been planned to break ground last year on the condition that 75 percent of the condos were sold within 180 days.

That timeframe expired with a little over half sold, and buyers are being offered refunds or contract extensions by 150 days.

The Curve was originally advertised as an escape from the busy Las Vegas Strip, located near 215 and Durango.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Playboy playmates Jennifer Walcott (pictured) and Shallan Meiers (August 2001 and September 2002, respectively) will join forces this Friday, March 31 at the Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub (Treasure Island), beginning at 10 p.m.

What actually happens on club nights with the Bunnies? We can't tell you, but expect to see dancing, some burlesque, and a lingerie show from the top of the bar.

We're hoping with this appearance, Ms. Walcott will update her website with nifty photos, because it hasn't been updated since October 2004.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the fifth year in a row, Mandalay Bay offers Tax Day relief with free admission to Shark Reef. Hey, we're poets and didn't even realize.

Tax Day this year is April 17 (after Easter) and a special postal station will be set up in front of the Shark Reef entrance from noon to 10 p.m.

Taxpayers who bring their tax returns will get their postage hand-cancelled with a genuine Las Vegas shark stamp dated April 17 and receive a ticket good for one adult admission into the aquarium. Last year, they also gave out free t-shirts.

So if you're procrastinating doing your taxes like we know you are, why not wait a little longer and give your other arm and leg to some real sharks?

(If you've already sent in your taxes or did them electronically, you can always bring a sealed empty envelope addressed to the IRS, if you catch our meaning... hey, predators beget predators.)

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new Vegas version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera premieres at The Venetian in June as a permanent engagement.

For its new home in Las Vegas, The Venetian built a $40 million state-of-the-art theater (by David Rockwell) and brought in original director Hal Prince to re-envision the classic Broadway show that has grossed over $3 billion and been shown to over 58 million people.

As with many Vegas-imported shows, this Phantom has been trimmed down to 90 minutes (the title of the show even seems to have been shortened), albeit under the auspices of Sir Lloyd Webber. All the original songs are included, just truncated.

Think of it as a best-of show or a theatrical experience on fast-forward. But we jest, simply because we're Phantom purists and don't need to see new super-duper special effects like an onstage lake and exploding Paris Opera House chandelier.

Tickets are available to the public beginning April 6 and are expected to sell fast; however, you can purchase tickets before then by calling 866-641-7469 or 702-414-7469 and mentioning the code PS-RJ (this is the Review-Journal's special eNeon subscriber code). You can also use the code to book tickets online at the Review-Journal's link.

Ticket prices range from $74.30 (upper balcony) to $124.30 (orchestra) to $149.30 (front rows A-H).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Beginning May 3, Bellagio's Gallery of Fine Art will exhibit almost 50 photographs by Ansel Adams, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

Known for wondrous black-and-white iconic images of the Sierra Nevada, the exhibit will include a 1941 image of Boulder Dam (pictured above) and others spanning four decades, all personally chosen by Adams before his death in 1984.

On loan from the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, the exhibit will run for over a year, through May 6, 2007.

The current exhibit, which closes next month, showcases 34 paintings of the French countryside by 16 artists, including Corot, van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne.

The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (including weekends and holidays). Tickets are $15, with students, seniors, and locals $12.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced that visitors to Las Vegas increased in 2005 to a record 38.6 million, a 3 percent increase. Other parts of Nevada (Reno, Laughlin, Mesquite), however, saw a drop-off in tourists.

Visitors to Nevada itself increased to another record of 51.6 million, almost a 1 percent increase.

Other interesting Las Vegas trivia released for last year:

• 133,186 hotel and motel rooms were available (almost 180,000 total in Nevada).
  
• The average hotel room rate was $103.12 (a whopping 14.9 percent increase from 2004).
  
• Hotels were booked almost 92 percent of the time.
  
• Conventions were attended by over 6 million people (a 7.7 percent increase).
  
• Traffic increased by 4.4 percent.
  
• $7.57 billion was made in gaming revenue, increasing 11.5 percent. Only downtown dropped from 2004, a decrease of 1.4 percent. If you're seeking comps, head downtown.
  

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How could we have missed Kevin Federline's seminal 28th birthday in Las Vegas on Tuesday?

People magazine spotted his birthday bash beginning with a private backroom dinner at Tao (incidentally thrown by wife Britney Spears) with about 10 people, and afterwards heading to Pure.

Spears wore an elegant black dress while birthday boy was in baseball cap and wife-beater. Both were drinking, which means either Spears is not pregnant or... the poor baby!

Other than the sightings that they were all over each other and very much still together, the interesting part of this nonstory was that during dinner, People points out birthday cake was "served by two little people in tight dresses" (hyperlink ours).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The American Podiatric Medical Association and Prevention magazine (April 2006) recently ranked Las Vegas as the fifth best walking city in the nation.

The APMA stated Las Vegas placed in the top 5 because of the large number of people who are physically active and are involved in sports.

A walker-friendly city takes into account its environment and habits, as well as percentage of active walkers, walking and hiking trails, average temperatures, crime rates, square mileage of parks, golfers, dog-owners, points of interest, number of people who walk or bike or take public transportation to work, and number of people who are active in sports.

The association comprises almost 12,500 doctors of podiatric medicine in 53 locations around the country and its territories.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sunset Station's steakhouse Sonoma Cellar offers a prix fixe early dining meal every Sunday through Thursday between 5 and 6 p.m.

The set price is $32 plus tax. You can also take advantage of this offer by using 17,000 points off your Boarding Pass player's card. With 600 points equal to $1 in food comps, this makes this deal worth about $28. Plus, when spending your points, you don't pay sales tax.

The menu contains your choice of an appetizer, salad, entree, dessert, and a glass of wine:

Wine
Penfold's Chardonnay
Cabernet Shiraz

Appetizer
French Maui Onion Soup
Lobster Bisque
Shrimp Cocktail

Salad
Steak House Salad
Caesar Salad

Entree
Sonoma Scampi Jumbo Shrimp
Petit Filet Mignon
Fish of the Day
Sonoma Chicken

Dessert
New York Style Cheesecake
Lemon Meringue Cake

Sunset is located at 1301 W. Sunset Rd. in Henderson. Closest parking to Sonoma is in the bowling parking lot.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While we're on the subject of food (boy, we're getting hungry), New Orleans eatery Commander's Palace (in Aladdin's Desert Passage) has a hidden and shaken secret for lunch.

With any entree purchased, you can get a martini of your choice for only 25 cents.

Also, on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Commander's offers a live jazz brunch for $36.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On March 26 at 5 p.m., Jordan Schaffner will read from and sign his book Naked Skydiving at Borders (2323 S. Decatur Blvd.).

Naked Skydiving is Schaffner's Henry Miller and Kurt Vonnegut-inspired autobiography covering his pre-9/11 life as a dream interpreter and west coast travels.

His reading will include a new piece about Las Vegas: "Xmas in Vegas, it doesn't have to stay in Vegas."

Along with the reading, writers in the audience will also be invited to come up and perform their own work.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

South Coast's new $60 million equestrian center, the world's first center attached to a hotel-casino, opened last week.

The center houses a whopping 1,200 climate-controlled horse stalls and 4,400 seats.

On March 24 at 7 p.m, the All American Reining Classic Freestyle Invitational's first inaugural event comes to town.

Freestyle reining adds an element of showmanship with music and a routine to the regular horse reining -- guiding and controlling them with no resistance.

Tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. Call (702) 284-7777 or purchase online.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gold Coast is giving $10,000 away a c-note at a time to live poker players.

Every hour beginning today (March 20) at 4 p.m. through March 23 at 6 p.m., $100 and a drawing entry will be awarded to the highest poker hand at the end of every hour.

On March 23 at 7 p.m., five of those winners will also win $500.

Gold Coast runs eight tables of 2/4, 4/8 (both with half-kills), $100 1/2 NL, Omaha Hi 4/8, and 1/5 Stud. However, tables are based on interest, which is mostly limit hold'em. Not all games will be running for the promotion.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Legalized gambling in Las Vegas celebrated its 75th anniversary yesterday.

Mayme Stocker (pictured, above right), a woman who had no prior gaming experience, ran a saloon on Fremont St. called the Northern Club. She was granted the first casino gaming license, turning the Northern into the first licensed casino.

Before slot machines, before blackjack and roulette, before sports betting, the main legal games back then were poker -- lowball, seven-card stud, and five-card draw.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaking of 75th anniversaries...

The Las Vegas Hilton's regular lunch buffet runs $12.99.

But next Tuesday, March 28, not only will you get into the buffet for $7.50, you'll be part of a Guinness Book of World Record for "world's largest buffet."

Alka-Seltzer celebrates its 75th anniversary with this 500-item buffet beginning at 11 a.m. and located in Hilton Ballroom A. Comedian Kathy Griffin ("Newsradio") will host, and all proceeds will go to an appropriate hunger-relief charity for the occasion, America's Second Harvest.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Spring has sprung for Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

This season's theme celebrates the approach of spring with frogs, ladybugs, snails, and egrets made of flowers. And the butterflies are back (flowered and real).

The 100-foot banyan tree that began display during the Chinese New Year show continues as the spring exhibit's centerpiece.

The tree was a Palm Beach, Fla. landmark for about 120 years before it was diagnosed with a fatal fungus and slated for destruction to protect other trees nearby.

Bellagio learned of the tree and over the course of a week, the 200,000-pound tree was transported branch-by-branch to Las Vegas in 12 50-foot trailers and then meticulously reassembled in the Conservatory.

For the spring show, the tree stands 45 feet tall, 60 feet wide, and weighs over 150,000 pounds.

Visitors will see different configurations of the famous tree through the summer and fall shows (until Nov. 25).

The Spring Celebration will be on display through May 13.

Click below for more photos.

The Garden Frog was designed using Kermit Chrysanthemums, Reindeer Moss, Green Coffee Beans, and Sheet Moss.

The Garden Snail was designed with Vendella and Leonidas Roses, Red Coffee Beans, and Sheet Moss. Its plant material is replaced daily by two floral designers.

The Ladybug has over 400 red carnations and are changed weekly.

The Great Egret is composed of feathers and thousands of fresh Statice flowers. The legs are covered in mixed bird seed.

The Butterfly Temple is a recreation of the Temple of Versailles with hundreds of butterflies from North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

Posted by Poker Grub at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day all weekend in Las Vegas.

Of note is New York New York's Nine Fine Irishmen restaurant, which holds a parade today throughout the casino, ending outside on the Brooklyn Bridge. Entertainment includes music from Ri Ra, Michael Bowman, Celtic Rockers, and the U2 cover band Elevation.

Downtown, Northern California folk band Tempest performs free at the Fremont Street Experience.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Free VIP passes to get into Club Rio and Voodoo Lounge can be found by visiting www.riovegasnigh