Since opening a decade ago, The Green Valley Ranch has made many efforts to get an Italian restaurant to work at the casino. Several iterations have come and gone over the years, including Il Fornio (how did that not work???) and one even entrusted to the winner of Hell's Kitchen. So far though, none has really clicked with the GVR crowd for some reason. Maybe it's because there are MANY excellent Italian resturants in the area or maybe the locals are tired of over-priced mediocre food that's no match for the excellent food they can get just down the road. Whatever the case may be, GVR hasn't given up. In fact, they may have finally hit the spot with their latest effort, Bottiglia Cucina Enoteca.

On the west side of the Las Vegas Valley, on land formerly owned by Howard Hughes and left to The Mormons upon his death, is the amazing and upscale community of Summerlin. The town boasts an incredible view of the Las Vegas Strip at night and is set against incredible red rock mountains during the day. Summerlin is a master planned development set among a striking landscape that offers the more affluent residents of Las Vegas valley a respite from the hustle and bustle of the busy destination to world travelers.

It hasn't always been the case that Las Vegas was a good destination for vacation renters. Not that homes haven't always been available to out of town renters for short term use. They have been available almost since Las Vegas became a destination in the first place. But today it's a whole new ballgame, so to speak. With AIRBnB and Homeaway making vacation home rentals a common thing, Las Vegas faces the reality of everyone imagining that their home is a good potential rental simply because it's in Las Vegas. But in truth, this is just not the case at all.

The City of Henderson has unanimously approved short term rentals within the city limits, and at the same time promised to be vigilant with the enforcement of the still to be clarified rules and regulations. This is a boon for legitimate locals and businesses in who operate short term rentals, as well as the larger players such as Airbnb and HomeAway.

Beginning July 1, 2017, Nevada medical cannabis vendors will begin selling marijuana to all Nevada residents and visitors over the age of 21. People who wish to do so will be able to visit select medical dispensaries in town and purchase up to an ounce of weed for recreational use. The hitch is that public consumption of against the law, and because marijuana use is still a federal crime, casinos will not likely allow smoking pot in their hotel rooms. This will leave visitors without an easy solution for consumption.

The Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas is no stranger to rock and roll. But John Fogerty's stint at this classy venue brings a new level of volume and intensity not seen before. John's band is loud and fun, as forewarned by the bands keyboardist just before the show begins.

There are not a lot of places in Las Vegas where fun can be had for just a few dollars. Vegas is essentially dedicated to making money, so nearly everything here that's worthwhile ends up costing something. However, one exception is the KISS Mini Golf at the Rio Casino on Flamingo. Having moved from their original location across Harmon from the Hard Rock Hotel, this fun and easy course is a great find for anyone with kids.

In Las Vegas there are so many ways to spend time and hard earned cash to enjoy one's self here as much as possible. Truly this is a place where activity and fun are top priorities. And of course this includes gambling and some naughty fun too. But probably for most of us it, there are many we might not think of at all. Where else in the world has so much been created and dedicated to nothing but having a good time. Of course there is a little business that goes on here from time to time. Whichever is the case, Las Vegas concierges are a valuable commodity here.

When it comes to enjoying the nighttime, Las Vegas has no shortage of options. Both on and off The Strip, there are choices to cuit every taste and preference. One of the best and most recent is a hip and happening place called The LINQ. Comprised of what was essentially a service alley and the former Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino, The LINQ now offers an awesome and fun filled nighttime (or daytime) experience.

The ever expanding Las Vegas airport just added a new milestone to it's history. In March, the airport served over 4.2 million passengers!

Locals fans and visitors alike will be saddened to learn that The Lotus of Siam has been forced to close its doors temporarily due to a roof cave in. Unfortunately enough, the cave in happened during business hours, forcing refunds and cancellation of all existing reservations.

According to management, the resturant is determined to re-open as soon as possible, though it may be at a new and temporary location. As of this posting, management has no date for reopening, as damage proved to be worse than originally thought. Fans of Lotus of Siam should stay tuned to their website and Facebook page for more information and updates.

Nevada seems to have a desire to make life harder for ridesharing companies. With several bills now working their way through the state legislature, there is much to be concerned about for companies like Uber and Lyft. Depending on who you ask you're either going to hear that the state is being overbearing and unfair, or that the state simply wants drivers and companies to come inline with the taxi companies that must abide by more stringent rules than those currently being imposed.

In an astonishing turn of events, it appears as though Russian hackers have actually engineered (if you will) a method for gaming the system when it comes to slot machines. Since 2014, possibly earlier, some casinos have been noticing larger than normal payout amounts. Even though the various slots in use did not show any signs of tampering or malware, the pattern of large payouts from otherwise sound and working machines was unmistakable.

Just a few miles south of Las Vegas on Highway 15 is an amazingly unexpected sight. Just alongside the road to the east is an art installation featuring 7 painted boulder totems that stand up to 35 ft. high. Created by Ugo Rondinone, the brightly colored totems stand in stark contrast to the natural desert colors. The beautiful browns tans and reds of the desert are broken by seven massive stones painted in bright neon colors.

Every once in a while we run across a real gem that simply too good not to share. That's absolutely the case with a locals place in Las Vegas called "Steiner's- A Nevada Style Pub". If you're a local then you know that Vegas has no shortage of local hangouts. Standing out from the sea of competition is no easy task. Yet Steiner's does so easily. We can say, without a doubt, we have yet to try anything on the menu that wasn't simply excellent. It doesn't matter if you come here for the brews (two for one beers on tap, hello?) or the sports (TVs are everywhere!) or the atmosphere, Steiner's if you don't try the food, you're missing out on one of the best local restaurants in Las Vegas.

For locals, The Best of Las Vegas list is a go-to reference for where to find what they're looking for. For visitors, it's one of the best ways to discover some of the real Las Vegas gems in a see of diamonds. It's true! Vegas offers much more than your typical city and even more than your typical tourist destination. Except for places like New York City and Paris, Las Vegas is probably offers more choices for excellent food and entertainment anywhere. Year after year, The Las Vegas Weekly publishes their Best Of Vegas, which is based on the unbiased opinions of both readers and professions alike.

Whether you know it or not, there is a war on vacation rental homes in Las Vegas. The city of Las Vegas has literally turned hostile towards homeowners who want to rent their homes for less than 30 days. Weekend vacation rentals, it seems, are unwelcome in any form. Even AirBNB and Homeaway have made note of the issues happening in Las Vegas and some vacation rental sites are refusing to take new vacation rental home listings in the area. This is a tremendous problem for anyone needing a ready-to-use home for short term in Las Vegas. Turnkey rentals may be the answer for those renters as well as for homeowners looking for a way to rent thier furnished properties within the law.

The Vegas Vacation Rental Association has announced its new website www.vegasvacationrentalhomes.com. This new site lists vacation homes around the Las Vegas valley that belong to VVRA members, offering a degree of confidence above and beyond the norm. The website offers beautiful listings of various homes and the ability to book reservations with owners directly. 

Las Vegas is a great place to be for the 4th of July. Especially if you love great fireworks displays. You can find wonderful fireworks displays all over the Las Vegas valley. Here are some of the better shows to see...Las Vegas is a great place to be for the 4th of July. Especially if you love great fireworks displays. You can find wonderful fireworks displays all over the Las Vegas valley. Here are some of the better shows to see...