Hacking Las Vegas - A quick reference guide

Ways I do Vegas…

I live in Phoenix Arizona which is only a 3.5 hour…I mean a 5 hour drive to Vegas ;) That being said, I make it up there many, many times a year. I have been there and done just about everything in Vegas over the years and that makes me a bit of an expert on the town. These are my personal ideas on the ways to “do” Vegas and some tips to save yourself time, money or just to have a better time on the town!

The “Rock star"

The Vegas from the movies, see: The Hangover. People spend ungodly amounts of money in Vegas, because this is one of the few cities where, for a price, you can do almost anything! Get a fantastic suite and live it up! Drinks are free at the tables while playing, but there are more bars, lounges and clubs around than you can count. Dine, then hit the bar, drink like crazy and have a blast. To be a true rock star you have to gamble, learn the rules so you don’t look like a chump. And lastly, hit a lounge for free music and dancing, or try to get in to a nightclub. On weekends Vegas has many free lounge bands that play decent to terrible music...but they have a dance floor. Lounges have a lower volume than the clubs so you can talk to more people make new friends or hook up! I said above; "try to get into a nightclub"; they're usually pretty packed on the weekends, but well worth the wait and the cover charge!

My Recommendations

Rooms:

The stylish way to go for a room in my opinion is with a suite at the Bellagio over looking the strip and fountains. I’ve had one in the rear too over looking the most beautiful pool area you can imagine, also a great place to stay. I’ve stayed at Bellagio multiple times without a suite as well as Wynn, Encore, MGM, Mandalay Bay (nice places); I have had a suite at Sahara, Riviera, Luxor and Mandalay Bay but the quality of the basic room at Bellagio and the suite as well make this my favorite place to stay!

Dining:

Any of the mega hotels will have a great restuarant or steak house but my favorite steak house is actually The Steak House in Circus Circus. The Circus is possibly the least stylish hotel on The Stip, but this steak house is amazing!

There is an Italian food fine dining place in Bally's that is another of my favorites...the name escapes me right now...but it's the only one there, ask any employee.

Gaming:

Learn how to play craps. Craps is easy once you know how to play but it can look very intimidating if you don’t. I say to learn this game because it has one of the best odds of any game in town...plus it just looks hella cool! The craps table is always the loudest wildest group of people in the casino partly because when one person wins, the whole table wins, but also just because that’s the way the game has been forever, people get loud and cheer!

Lounges:

Paris, Bally's and Caesar’s Place all have free lounge acts that are pretty decent. Caesar’s has a bar called Cleopatra's Barge that is free to get in, usually has live bands and gets pretty wild!

Clubs:

As far as clubs go, Tao at the Venetian is world class and beautiful too. It's in the Venetian Grand Canal Shops which has several cafes and patisseries to get a snack or coffee to keep that energy level high. Also check out Pure, at Caesar’s Palace. This is another fantastic venue, multiple levels, great music and world class DJ’s, plus if the club sucks you can head over to Cleopatra’s Barge! Grab one of the many free publications that post who’s in town to see who’s spinning at each of these clubs as well as others.

Transportation:

Gotta go Limo!!!! You can rent limos from almost any Vegas Strip hotels, if you drop enough cash on the dice table, the place may pick up the tab on a limo for you!!!! There are also many independent companies that offer limo service.

The "Tourist"

For the first timer, or the person who wants to relax and see the sights, this is your section. I play multiple parts when I go to Vegas, as most people will. Saturday night, I am a rock star! I like to get all pimped ot and go hit up a club. But with the ever changing skyline of Las Vegas, there’s always something new to see! I make it a point to go somewhere and see at least one place or show that I haven’t seen before. Sundays are usually my tourist day; shows, malls, art exhibits, hotel remodels/expansions, new hotels, really old hotels that I forget about, circus acts, you name it! There are soooo many things to see…that even I haven’t seen it all ;)

My Recommendations

Shows:

Any of the Cirque du Soleil shows are awesome. Google it, for more info on the history and art that is a Cirq show…but trust me they’re great. Cirq shows are on the pricey side though, the frugal tourist won’t like the price tag.

There are some cheap shows too, in Planet Hollywood there is a show called “V”. It’s a variety show that has a sampling of many different acts (juggling, magic, comedy, acrobatics, etc.) It’s pretty good and tickets are only in the $30 range…well worth it. There are other cheap shows around as well as events to see like "Bodies" at Luxor, and "Titanic" both are very affordable and can offer a few hours of quality enjoyment.

For the very frugal tourist (see Frugal-ist below for more cheap travel tips) there are free shows as well. Circus Circus has free circus acts throughout the day. They’re short, but they are really good. I was practically raised in Circus Circus so I have a soft spot for this place :) In downtown Vegas, see also the Fremont Street Experience, another free show. They made the “old strip” into a giant outdoor pavilion that houses street shows, vendors and free live bands; but at the top of every hour they kill all the lights on the hotels and street to play a 10-15 minute light show above the street on the worlds largest HD screen. It’s like millions of light bulbs that make a TV screen where they play music and a video that matches. Simply fantastic for a free event!

Other great touristy stuff:

The Encore, even better than the original (Wynn), this hotel is a must see. Encore also has some excellent dinning, although very expensive.

Bellagio’s atrium. The atrium changes with the seasons and with the holidays. Christmas time is especially enchanting since it is never exactly the same each year, I go every season!

Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops. This is the largest mall in the southwest U.S. so bring your walking shoes! As the most profitable mall in America, if not the world, there are many high end and one of a kind boutiques; but there are also some “real people” stores too :) The mall is themed like the Greek Forum so the mall itself really is something to see too!

The "Frugal-ist"

I’ve gone to Vegas and spent less money while there than I would have during a typical weekend at home. Think it’s not possible? Read on.

The Frugal-ist is the person who walks everywhere because they don’t want, or can’t, pay for a cab. These people also eat at the McDonalds on the strip, (despite the world class dinning around them) because there’s a dollar menu. I have been there many more times than I would like to admit, but Mr. Style Guy keeps it real :) Rooms are on the strip can be cheaper that the ones off the strip and cheap food (other than McDonalds) abounds!

My Recommendations

Rooms:

The cheapest way to go on The Strip is Sahara. This place has been around forever and has hosted Elvis, Sinatra and the likes. Due to its age though, don’t expect to be wowed, Sahara may have a famed past but it is in need on some major updating. Don’t get me wrong I love the place! Rooms during the week are as low as $20 per night, on weekends I have gotten them for $50 with no comps or special promos. Sahara connects the rest of the “world” via the Vegas monorail, more on this later. There are some decent little shops in Sahara and the café is open 24 hours and is superb by any standard yet still affordable (think slightly upscale Denny’s). DO NOT EAT AT THEIR BUFFET!!! Winner of the Mr. Style Guy worst buffet ever award! It is cheap though :)

The north end of the strip is a little dead right now, waiting on the economy to pick up so Sahara has more neighbors. But in the mean time, for a decent place a little more centrally located try Excalibur, it is slightly higher on the class scale than Sahara but also more expensive.

Eating:

I say “eating” as opposed to “dining” because this is the frugal section and the term fits better :) Again, I’m not judging, just compared to The Steak House in Circus Circus, the 99 cent hot dog doesn’t hold wind. Long have the days past where dollar menus were prevalent in Vegas, however, there are still some. Buffets for less than $10 are in many hotels: Circus, Sahara, Tropicana, Riviera and many more downtown that would take too long to list. Circus Circus has cheap food at The West Side Deli located way in the back by the Adventuredome. Slots-a-fun right next to Circus also has dollar ¾ pound hot dogs that are really good, pay extra for the chili and cheese, it’s worth it! Slots-a-fun also has really cheap drink prices, visit the bar for these!

Transportation:

There are four ways to get around town other than walking or getting a limo. Taxi is one other means of transportation...not the cheapest. The monorail, you can buy all day tickets for somewhere in the area of $13. Thie monorail is awesome, it's fast, smooth and not very crowded, the only drawback is that it only travels on the east side of The Strip, you're gonna still do some walking. The Deuce is a double decker bus that runs up and down The Strip and to downtown every 15 minutes or so. The Deuce is cool, it's only $7 for an all day pass and runs until 3am...but you cant (not supposed to) bring drinks on board. When I spend $30 on a whale bone 3ft beverage, I'll be damned if I'm not gonna drink it all! The downside to The Deuce is that it gets full and it makes alot of stops. It's cheaper than the monorail, but also slower, more crowded and the lack of beverages really irks me :) The last option is the Trolley, I think it's less than The Deuce, but I've only taken it once, so I don't recall. Either way, with the other options, this ones is my least favorite.

The "Shopper"

The Shopper's name is somewhat self explanatory...they're there to shop. There are many great places to shop in Vegas, obviously, since it is the greatest city on Earth! The tourist in me encourages me to visit these places...even though I don't buy alot :)

My Recommendations

I am quite partial again to the Caesar's Place Forum Shops, located in Caesar's Palace. See Tourist stuff above. For an even more ritzy shopping experience, look to the shops at the Bellagio. Nothing but top notch stuff here...come to think of it I don't think I've ever even bought anything there :) Just fun to look!

There are, again, some "real" places to shop as well. The Coke and M&M stores are worth seeing at least once, get a root beer float at the Coke store's diner! Stratosphere has a decent little mall with some affordable shops in it too. If you want to venture off strip, the local's mall called The Boulevard is a very decent mall, this is a real mall though...no glitz or glamour, but still nice for a shopping experience. Any taxi-cab can get you here and there is a cab stand for when you leave as well.

Final Thoughts

This is a list of what I do in Vegas on my many trips. There are tons of other things to do in town and I may have missed some good stuff, but this is a great start. These tips can give you the edge to have an awesome Vegas trip and cut out alot of the learning curve and B.S. Feel free to leave some other tips and favorite places in the comments section!

The 30 Day Crash Course to a Cooler, Better You!!

30 Days to a Stylish New You:

Follow these Suggestions for the Fast Track to Cool!!

These are the steps to take to rapidly transform yourself into a stylish, cool and all around better person. Like I've said before, style isn't just being superficial and trendy; style is about adapting to change, growing and becoming a better person. Take the steps to grow, start today, but if you are overwhelmed after reading through this list then take some baby steps, do at least one of these this month, start small but just start!

*Give up TV.

Record all your favorite shows and save them until the end of the 30 day trial. TV is cool, don't get me wrong. If the shows are that important to you, you'll watch them.

*Give up video games.

Everybody loves to play video games, myself included, but TV and video games are the biggest thieves of our time. These areas are where you can find the time to do this other stuff.

*Workout everyday, 30 minutes.

This is HUGE! Even if you only go for a walk, you will feel better about yourself and that is the entire point of this Hub! Plus with all the extra time you have from not watching TV, this should be a cake walk :)

*Shower/bathe/shave every day.

I know you don't need this one yourself, so please pass it along to someone who does. Get that "so fresh, so clean" feeling everyday, make your preparations as intensive as if you were going out to a phat club. People will notice and you may like the extra attention.

*Go out every evening.

Go somewhere different each time, and do something fun. I will do trials of different categories of outings: bars, nightclubs, restaurants etc. These will be a good read for you.

*Spend 30 minutes cleaning and organizing your home or office every day.

That's just 15 hours a month total. Everyone, especially myself, can be a little cleaner.

*Ask someone new out on a date every day.

Seriously, even with a terrible average, you'll get some action. You can do this when you're going out every evening, ask someone at each place, it's hard at first but when you get the hang of it, you'll look like a pimp.

*If you're already in a relationship, do something sexy everyday.

Give your partner a massage every day. Or alternate who gives the massage each day, that's 15 massages each and some very good times! Light some candles and enjoy.

*Give up cigarettes, soda, junk food, coffee, or other unhealthy addictions.

I'm not a preacher, but at least try it for awhile. I drink coffee and booze, smoke occasionally and eat unhealthy sometimes/often but I don't have any addictions. Break them, don't be ruled by anything. This is another biggie.

*Write in a journal every day.

This keeps you mindful of where your time goes and is great to reflect on the good times. Catalog your 30 day trial.

*Call a different family member or friend each day.

Even if you haven't talked in awhile, most people will be glad to hear from you. It's hard, but keep in touch with people, the older you get the more you need the people you knew in your past.

*Meet someone new every day.

Start up a conversation with a stranger. This can be that guy/girl you're asking out...but do try to broaden your horizons.

*Read for 30 minutes each day.

Something that interests you, or something classic: Shakespeare, Plato etc. I'll post a Stylish reading list ASAP.

*Meditate every day.

Meditation is cool, it allows you to focus, relax and thus become more effective. I meditate twice a day, for a total of one hour, calms the mind.

*Learn a new vocabulary word every day.

Straight from Clueless, yes, but if you're not growing you're dying.

*Go for a long walk every day.

You may even count this as your meditation.

Don’t' Be Scared, You Can Be Cool. Cool, just do it! These are some ideas of what I mean by being cool. This is a crash course! Don't think that you need to continue any of this beyond 30 days. That's what makes it doable, this is a lot of stuff and if it seems daunting don't do everything at once. Think of the benefits you'll gain from these 30 days alone.

Again, this is a crash course for those who want rapid results, you can re-assess all of these steps after the trial period. keep the ones that give positive results, go back to your old habits if they work better for you. You're certain to grow just from the experience, even if it's temporary.

The power of this approach lies in its simplicity. Even though doing a certain activity every single day may be less efficient than following a more complicated schedule - weight training is a good example because rest and time off are key components - you'll often be more likely to stick with a daily habit. When you commit to doing something every single day without exception, you can't rationalize or justify missing a day, nor can you promise to make it up later by reshuffling your schedule.

They say that once you do something for three weeks, you own it. It becomes habit and as this trial will surely prove, habits are hard to break. Give trials a try. Think of the Family Guy where Peter gives up TV and falls in love with life. Imagine all the life we miss out on by wasting time and veg-ing out. At the end of the show, he ends up going back to TV as his only source of entertainment. I hope you won't. But if you do, that's fine, that's what you like and that is in itself can be stylish. Just trying new things and gaining the experience is the entire point of this blog.

If you're ready to commit to a trial right now, please feel free to post a comment/email and share your goal for the next 30 days. If there's enough interest, then maybe I will post your results, or replicate the trial myself. I'm always up for a challenge. Good luck and have some fun! This is it! The source for all that is cool... The site, the blog...Mr. Style Guy is here! Mr. Style Guy a great site for men.

The First Post...

Welcome to Mr. Style Guy's Blog!

As the title suggests, this is my first blog post…humble beginnings to what will hopefully one day be a fantastic resource for men everywhere!

What I’m about…

In a nut shell, being cool. As my name suggests I am Mr. Style Guy, the coolest and most fashionable guy around :) But with all the b.s. aside, its all about growth, personal development…but don’t tell anyone, ‘cuz I’m cool :)

Seriously though I get a lot of flack from people who ask:

“How can you be concerned about being cool when there are other more important things going on?”

The answer is simple, becoming cool and more stylish is synonymous with becoming a better person. Health and fitness, wealth, fashion etc. all affect other aspects of your life and this site will address all of these.

Above all else, this blog is about having fun! I’m into a lot of different things and I plan on posting my musing often.