Writing is what I do, what I love. So, it was with great sadness that I had to quit my writing job at Casino Guide this week.
As some of you know, I am also a businesswoman. I started SoapCrafters.com on the Internet back in 1998. I started it in a spare bedroom in my apartment with fifty dollars and what I had around the house. The company grew and grew and earned me two awards for being one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in Utah. In 2006, I was getting burned out. I’m an entrepreneur, not an executive, you know? I felt I should retire and pursue my true calling, writing. So I sold the company and moved to Vegas, the spot in the west I love the most.
Murphy’s Law can be such an icky thing. Just after I came to a contract agreement with Casino Guide to write their blog, the people I sold to defaulted on the sale of SoapCrafters.com. After much legal crap, I drove to Utah to see what was left of my company. I packed up the fraction of the inventory that was remaining into at 24’ foot semi-truck and shipped it down to Las Vegas. I was going to have to start the company all over again with what was left.
Being stubborn, I wasn’t going to give up the writing job. Writing is all I ever wanted to do! So for the past one and half years I have been doing both. And for the past few months it has been killing me to do both. Something had to give.
SoapCrafters.com is doing great and sales have tripled from where it was when I took the name back. My full attention is now needed and I can no longer split my focus between the two things. The company has to come first. My writing job paid great, but the dot.com is the big asset, it is my retirement fund. So, on Sunday, I wrote to my editor letting him know I could not write for them anymore.
I have had such a fun time covering stories in Las Vegas. I’ve met some really cool people, some famous and some not so famous, and everyone has been wonderful. I’ve made a lot of really cool, new friends. I’ve learned a lot, as I’ve never done this type of reporting before. My past experience was limited to a short time reporting at a small Michigan newspaper, my personal blog for creative writing and articles for periodicals. Doing things that were more entertainment related is so much more fun! I have enjoyed every minute of it.
My week is now spent pretty much chained to my desk in my warehouse’s office. On the bright side, I actually get the weekends off and I’m thinking of even (gasp!) taking a vacation. I will still continue to write, because that is what I’m born to do. My writing now will be limited to occasional freelance work and writing for my own personal blog here. When a good story lands in my email inbox, I will be on it. But realistically, I will probably only do a story every week or two. Here on this blog, I will continue to post the media releases I receive, and the great cheap deals at the local casino hotels. I will jump on the more interesting stories I see and actually write my own from time to time to post here for you to read.
I have actually had some real desire lately for doing a little investigative reporting. How I’m going to keep from doing that, I’m not sure…. So stay tuned on that.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my articles I posted at Casino Guide, it was a real joy to work for them. Where else can you write and you pretty much only hear from your editor when they want your invoice so they can pay you? That was one awesome job. Maybe after a year or more of growth with the soap company I can go back and write for them again. In the meantime, I’ll write as much as I have time for and keep my life in better balance.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe time with the holidays in the coming weeks. I’ll likely be just lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling and smiling. Life is good.
Cirque du Soleil has a brand new show in Las Vegas. It is named “Viva Elvis” and it is playing in the theater at the new Aria Casino in CityCenter. This show isn’t officially open yet, but you can see it while they are retuning it and getting it to perfection. These special preview shows are available at a 25% discount. The official opening will be February 19, 2010.
I was at their special press preview last week so I could take some photos and video for you. I was allowed all the photos I wanted, but video had to be kept short of the performances. They gave us three different performances from the show, not the entire show. It would be impossible to judge the storyline with such a short segment, so a full review will have to wait. I can tell you, though, the costumes were beautifully colored, the set was kept simple and the dancers were spectacular.
“Viva Elvis” takes you through many areas of Elvis Presley’s life, from childhood to adulthood. This story is set to the music he performed in his life. They will be displaying memorabilia during the show that Elvis fans have not yet seen.
There have been rumors floating around about a recent revamp that was ordered which left the show having to rewrite fifty percent of it. So, they are certainly giving it their all to make sure this is the ultimate Vegas show experience. I’m sure even the most die-hard Elvis fans are going to love this new Cirque show.
Before the performance, the creators took the stage and each gave a speech about how they felt about the project and how it came to be. I captured two of these interviews in my video. Priscilla Presley, who has been on board with this creative idea, said, “I think Elvis would be very pleased to know that he is back in Vegas again, in the way that he should be presented.”
Tickets:
By phone: 877-253-5847 or 702-531-2031
Online: www.cirquedusoleil.com/vivaelvis
In person: At the Elvis Theater box office at ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter or any of the MGM MIRAGE box offices in Las Vegas.
This afternoon every legitimate reporter was on duty at the new Aria Casino preview. If you didn’t have credentials or you were not a VIP then you could not get in. The place was swarming with press and very important guests.
Unfortunately, I had three different stories to cover today, so my time to walk through the casino was limited. I got as many photos as I could of the casino itself. Most of my afternoon was in a preview of the new Cirque du Soliel show “Elvis” and I’ll do more on that later.
I know you’re very anxious to see the inside of Aria so I’ve uploaded the photos I took. Some didn’t turn out all that well, but I kept them in anyway to give you a feel for the place. I’ll write my story tomorrow with all the gory details on the place. This is just sort of a preview for you.
Click on the photos to see them in larger size.


Sammy Hagar Performs at Cabo Wabo Cantina Las Vegas, photo courtesy of Carlos Larios
Sammy Hagar surprised excited fans with a rocking performance at his new Cabo Wabo Cantina on the Las Vegas Strip at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino late last night.
The entire performance was shown live on the oversized LED video screen above Cabo Wabo Cantina facing Las Vegas Boulevard outside of Miracle Mile Shops. Just three days into its opening, Cabo Wabo Cantina has already hosted thousands of guests for Mexican food and signature Waboritas.
Cabo Wabo Cantina will celebrate its grand opening with a free concert to the public at 9 p.m. on Friday, December 4.
To see what else he was up to last night, see my Blog the Sin City Tattler at CasinoGuide.com. Interview, story and photos from his appearance at the Venetian.
Here is a fun blog post I found that takes you through Las Vegas with “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” as your travel guide. Pretty funny and includes quotes from the book for each location!
Certainly one way to get my dander up (whatever dander is, but I’m sure its up) is to put the name Bush in the same sentence as some asinine, new, keep-the-people-down regulation. I wanted to move to Nevada for a long time before I actually was able to do so. I came here from, a much longer than I had planned on, stay in Salt Lake City, UT. I was none too happy there, given I didn’t appreciate the finer rules and regulations the Mormons like everyone to live by. Here in Nevada, people feel the way I do which is pretty much, “Stay off my land and I don’t care what the Hell you do.”
So, here we are. It is October, 2009, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, is set to go into effect on December 1st, 2009. Barney Frank, a representative from Massachusetts, is out there doing what he can to delay this piece of nightmare, but so far I haven’t heard he has made any great strides, although he does appear to be rallying support for his changes. Last I read, he had sixty Congressmen behind him on this turnaround idea on the UIGEA. He is always working diligently on pushing through a delay of the original UIGEA. As far as I have seen, the delay has not yet happened.
There is a story right here on this website that gives you the run down on what is going on with this idea of Internet gambling being illegal in the USA. It is well worth a read whether you gamble or do not gamble. It is big government getting all up in our business and that just doesn’t sit well with me. Technically, I guess it is still legal to pay to gamble if you are in the USA, but most of the companies quit taking your money because of this upcoming change on December 1st. Actually, I think how it all comes down is that you can gamble all you want online in the USA, they just plugged the money hole so you can’t make the dollar wager. I’m sure someone will correct me on that if I’m wrong. But that money hole is officially plugged on December 1st.
I have lost a couple of friends to their gambling addiction. I have seen the heartache first hand. I have known drug addicts and drunks, but they just don’t know misery like a gambler knows misery. But I also know people who screw up their lives with other things that are not related in any way to what would be considered vice. It is the nature of people to screw themselves up and it is up to the person to get over it and get on with life. To put regulation in place to ‘save people from themselves’ is just downright counterproductive. There is nothing juicier than an obsession which is just a touch more difficult to obtain. Now we’re talking a challenge and what is better to a gambler than a risk in order to take a risk? I’m pretty sure I’ll lose more friends to their gambling addiction if this idiotic regulation actually takes effect in a couple of months.
So, what’s next? There are some do-gooders trying to pull transfats off the shelves and make that illegal. Hey, if I am stupid enough to eat that crap all day long then I think maybe nature should just weed me out. Where do these people get the time to think this garbage up? Why aren’t they watching their goddamn kids instead? Or hanging out at the school yard keeping the child molesters from kidnapping the kids. Or maybe doing something that can help us all out like busting the health care system so we can get adequate health care and insurance we can afford, like they have in other countries.
I have not asked any of the casinos if they were behind the idea of online gambling, but you can bet a lot of them are. What better way to get your money is there than that? No time to come to Vegas? Then just gamble on our website until you can make it here to enjoy our fine digs and great eats. What happens in your Internet browser stays in your Internet browser, so use the clear cache button.
I am not a political activist. It isn’t that I’m not pissed off, because believe me, I am! I just get so terribly angry that I’ll just yell, “FU! AND the donkey you rode in on, you jackass.” It really hasn’t brought the results I am always looking for. So, I try to stay out of it and leave it to those who are a little less temperamental. But today, someone went and got me going. Go write your Congressman, Congresswoman, Congressperson or whatever they call themselves today. Oh, don’t get me started on the politically correct crap too.
Thank you for listening to my rant. I feel pretty strongly that people should have the personal freedom to go hang themselves with that rope if they want to. It used to be a free country, the United States of America. I’d kinda like to see that idea come back into play.

Charo In Concert
Last night I had the pleasure of watching Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza play guitar. Okay, she also goes by “Charo”, you know, for short. She is every bit the talent as her name is long. She is currently doing a show at the Riviera Casino here in Las Vegas.
I have never been in the Riviera before. Odd, but true. This is the most peculiar casino I have been in in Las Vegas. Once you get through the maze of stores and what-not from the back entrance, it finally opens up into a big, old fashioned casino. While walking through the place, I was thinking about how spectacular this casino must have been in its day. I got an erie feeling that the ghost of Las Vegas past was lurking around in there. It is like walking through a time warp and you’re plopped down in 1965 or something. I expected Sammy Davis to be playing craps or Dean Martin walking around with an iced drink and a dame on each arm.

Charo Singing
The showroom to see Charo is upstairs and there is a short escalator ride up there. The showroom is small and has plenty of zebra striped booths to get comfy in to watch the show in style.

Some ladies lounging in a booth
There are plenty of tables and chairs too. I think they would have a hard time seating 200 people in there; it is a fairly small showroom. All the more cozy!

Charo Dancing
Charo came out shortly after 7:30pm and talked first for a little bit, telling her jokes about her life and about her time in Spain. She speaks English just as well as she did in the 1970s! You need to listen closely to understand what she’s talking about, but that is part of her charm. She sneaks little jokes in here and there to make sure you’re listening and laughing.

And more dancing!
I adored Charo in the 1970s. She was just so cute, perky and so much fun to watch. Today she is every bit the the naughty pixie she was then. It looks like she has not aged a single day in all these years.
During the show she stops between each song to tell a funny story, then goes directly into another song and dance number. She can still dance, but for Charo it is more of a sexy wiggle. And yes, she did Cuchie Cuchie for us. How could she not?!

Charo playing guitar
Many do not know, but Charo is a very accomplished musician. She studied under Andrés Segovia. She plays classical and flamenco guitar. She is an award-winning recording artist and an integral figure of contemporary Latin music. She was recognized with the Female Pop Album of the Year Award at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion. Recently she received a World Dance Music Award nomination for the dance club hit España Cañí.

Flamenco Dancing
She needed to change costumes to play the guitar so while she was backstage dressing, her Flamenco dancers hit the stage. OMG! They really tore it up.

One of the featured dancers
This is an hour and a half of non-stop fun. Charo is better than ever. If you think you’re going to see some half-baked ‘has been’ show, you would be so wrong. If you sit in the front section of the showroom, she will be running around talking to people, singing and having her picture taken with you, so be prepared.

Flamenco Dancer
She’s so funny and so adorable, you just want to grab her and give her a big squeeze and never let her go. I think this would be the perfect show to take date to see. Well, unless you plan on hugging Charo and never letting her go.

Charo taking a bow
My only regret is that both of my cameras had a difficult time in there. The light completely washed out her face on everything I took. It is so easy to see her in the showroom, but my camera did not like the lighting at all. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate my camera? So, I suppose I’m just going to have to buy a better camera and go see her again! And if that doesn’t work, go see her again!!
This video will probably be done processing by 4:15pm Pacific. If it isn’t working yet, try again in a few minutes.
To quote someone who follows me on Twitter: I HEART CHARO!
“Charo in Concert: A Musical Sensation” will run Wednesday through Monday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $49.99, preferred seating at $59.99 and VIP seating package at $69.99, plus applicable taxes and handling fees. The public may purchase tickets at the Riviera Box Office, on-line at www.rivierahotel.com or toll free at 877-892-7469.
A Special Treat, Charo playing Bolero
Let me introduce you to a very talented guy, Hayden Black. He writes and produces some of the best videos on the net. I first discovered this funny guy when I came across his show Goodnight Burbank on ITunes, a few years ago. The show focuses on the ridiculous goings on inside a fictitious newsroom in Burbank. He has since created “Abigail’s X-rated Teen Diary”, where he plays the part of a teenaged Abigail, a girl who has come down with “Bloomberger’s Syndrome” which makes her look like a grown-up bearded man. More recently, he created the spin off Goodnight Burbank Hollywood Report, and his project du jour is Cabonauts, an outerspace adventure featuring none other than Nichelle Nicols (Lt. Uhura from original Star Trek fame). His humor is subtle sometimes, but zooms right in on the absurd. I love it and always look forward to his latest work.
I have been his biggest fan. I have lost weight since giving up the Orthodox lifestyle, so I suppose I am now a little bit less of a fan. There aren’t any new episodes of Goodnight Burbank. Well, okay, the GNB Hollywood Report is pretty much the continuation. So I have some new fun episodes to watch. I am anxiously awaiting the first release of Cabonauts, it looks like it is going to be a real hoot. Okay, so I am still a big fan.
But! Hayden Black has never read any of my stuff. Not this blog, not the one over on CasinoGuide.com where I write. Nothing. Not even my “About Me” page here on this blog. I can understand him not reading my soap making stuff at SoapCrafters.com. And okay, I don’t do as much writing on my personal blog, because I’m so busy with the day job at Casino Guide that my personal stuff had suffered a bit, but STILL.
You would think… after a few years… he’d at least have a peek, but nooooo. Okay, I suppose he’s been terribly busy being the man about town over there in Hollywood, winning all those awards and getting interviewed, nightclubbing, going to all those parties, flying around the country and dating movie stars or something. I guess it would be hard to find the time or curiosity to check out some impoverished Las Vegas writer who follows drunk tourists around all night. Who am I to fault him? I’ll have to take some of the blame here, I suppose, for not being funny enough in my emails or in twitter. If I had made the man double over in painful laughter, he surely would have read my About page to know that small bit of information, that he obviously did not know until this morning. So, it is my fault, really. I wasn’t funny enough…
Do check out Hayden’s shows, you’ll be glad you did. You will get addicted to his work. If you see him at the at Wizard’s Chicago Comic Con in Chicago on Saturday, tell him that PS Love in Vegas says, “I’d be there in person to say hello, but Jet Jew doesn’t fly direct.” He’ll know what it means.

Wayne Brady Singing
Last night I went to the Birthday party on Fremont Street for our Mayor, Oscar Goodman. A lot of acts performed from the Vegas Strip and Wayne Brady was one of them. There were so many performers there who did one or two songs then ran off to their ‘real’ shows on the strip.
I have been wanting to see Wayne Brady’s show for a long time and still haven’t gotten there just yet. Now I want to see his show more than ever. Man, can that guy dance! Wow.
I used to watch Drew Carey’s “Who’s Line is it Anyway,” and Wayne Brady was so talented on there. I had pegged him as a star back then. He’s all ours in Vegas now. Well, except for those TV shows he does, haha, but I like to think of him as our very own. He has a regular show at the Venetian.
He sings, he dances, he is funnier than hell. Did you ever see that Dave Chappelle episode he did? OMG! It is so funny. Aside from the guy’s talent, he is known as being so white bread. His reputation is of being the world’s least threatening black guy, so much so nobody know’s he’s even black. So, in this Chappelle show, he plays the part of himself but that he is secretly some ghetto, black, pimp stereotype in the worst of ways. Dave Chappelle shutters in fear and misery by the end of the sketch. It is a must see. LOL
Here is the video of Wayne Brady on the Dave Chappelle Show.

Jason Feinberg and Me!
Bidding is going on right now to join Jason Feinberg and Lorraine Blanco (Vegas local Fox 5 morning news personalities) on ESPN radio program the night of July 5th. It is the midnight time slot. Jason, Lorraine and me, if I win, will be on for an hour.
All the proceeds to go the Caring Place.
I really want to do this program with Jason, but it seems the guy who is outbidding me is far richer than me. I am looking for sponsors. A sponsor would bid and hopefully win, then I will show up to do the radio program.
The bidding closes today at 5pm Pacific Time!
Please help me get on the air with Jason Feinberg!
To bid go here: Place a Bid Place in your name.
You must bid before 5pm Pacific Time today!
Right now, 9am Pacific Time, the bid is at $200.
Then email me to let me know you placed a bid for me. They will contact you later when you win to collect your bid. Let them know I will be going on the radio program instead of you.
I will be so grateful for your help!
Pam
Hopefully, I will get to be on the radio with Jason on Friday the 24th.
A video made by Russell Brand and P.Diddy while flying in to Las Vegas.
http://www.russellbrand.tv/2009/07/russ-and-diddy-flying-to-vegas/
I assume they are flying in to work some more on the movie “Get Him to the Greek”.

John Thornton
Yesterday, John Thornton, former Cincinnati Bengal, spoke with me about his plans now that he’s a free agent. He also shared his feelings on the murder of Steve McNair, his opinion of having a professional football team in Las Vegas, and his business endeavors. Charles Fisher, played for the Bengals in 1999, joined in the conversation too.
My full story is on my blog, Sin City Tattler, at CasinoGuide.com.
Let me know if you like this new design. I’m not terribly attached to it so I can change it if enough people don’t like such dark colors.
If you have any problems using the new features, please let me know so that I can fix them. If there are features you think I should have that are not here, please let me know that too!
Give me some feedback by using the comments button.
Thanks so much!
PS Love
I went to see Big Brother and the Holding Company on July 3rd. I was too wiped out on July 4th to do anything. I won’t mention any names but it starts with Eh and ends with KO and screaming his bird brained head off at 5:30am no matter what time I went to bed.
Anyway, I have some photos left over from my story at CasinoGuide.com, and thought you’d like to see them, so here they are.
Even with Big Brother and the Holding Company playing on one stage and California Dreaming playing on the other stage, there was still room for Carl Ferris to play his sax! Of course, Carl’s crowd wasn’t as near as big as it usually is when he plays on Fremont St.
I don’t know for how long, but there is a 4th of July light show under the canopy. It plays right after the regularly scheduled light show. It is pretty cool!
If you want to see my whole story on the night, click on over to it on Sin City Tattler Blog at CasinoGuide.com
Wynonna Sings the Chapters of Her Life at The Orleans Showroom September 25-27
Tickets On Sale Monday, June 22
Celebrating 25 years of her epic journey in music, Wynonna’s 2009 tour continues with a stop in Las Vegas at The Orleans Showroom, featuring an eclectic assortment of standards paying homage to all the different genres and songs that have formed the soundtrack to her life from her current album, Sing: Chapter 1.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 25-27
8 p.m. each evening
The Orleans Hotel and Casino
4500 West Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89103
TICKETS:
Tickets go on sale June 22, priced from $74.95, plus tax. Tickets can be purchased at the Showroom Box Office by calling 702.365.7075 or by visiting www.orleanscasino.com.
Renowned Comedian, Impersonator Dana Carvey Coming to The Orleans Showroom July 24-27.
Since bursting onto the national scene on Saturday Night Live in 1986, Dana Carvey has entertained millions with his uncanny impersonations of political leaders, entertainers and celebrities. From July 24-26, Carvey will be bringing his act to the Orleans Showroom for a three-evening engagement. All shows will begin at 8 p.m.
Carvey’s comedic career dates back to his days as a student at San Francisco State University, where he won San Francisco’s Stand-Up Comedy Competition. But it was NBC’s SNL that made Carvey into a household name. After joining the SNL cast for the 1986-87 season, Carvey gained fame for a wide stable of characters, including “Church Lady,” “Hanz” (of “Hanz & Franz), “Grumpy Old Man,” and Garth Algar, the faithful sidekick of Wayne Campbell on “Wayne’s World.” Carvey was legendary for his impersonations of numerous real-world figures as well, particularly former President George H.W. Bush and former presidential candidate Ross Perot.
In 1992, Carvey teamed up with SNL colleague Mike Myers on Wayne’s World, the movie adaptation of their popular skit. The film was a smash success, grossing more than $160 million, and led to the 1993 sequel, Wayne’s World 2. Carvey would go on to appear in several additional movies, including The Road to Wellville and Clean Slate.
After leaving SNL in 1992, Carvey appeared on a number of television specials. He hosted the 1992 MTV Music Awards, and appeared on several comedy specials, most recently in 2008 on HBO’s Dana Carvey: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies.
Carvey was awarded an Emmy in 1993 for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, and received five other Emmy nominations throughout his career. He was also named Television’s Funniest Supporting Male for 1990-91, and was recognized by Comedy Central as one of the top 100 stand-up acts of all time.
Tickets are now available starting from $74.95, plus tax. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 702.365.7075 or visiting www.orleanscasino.com.
On Wednesday, popular rapper and television star, Flava Fav, was spotted at Hooters Casino Hotel. Flava Fav was hanging out on the gaming floor and spotted talking to the World Famous Hooters Girls. He was spied receiving VIP treatment through-out the property.
Flava Fav is known for his outlandish outfits, including wearing over-sized clocks around his neck; he wears the clock to remind people how precious time is. While at Hooters, Fav was seen sporting one of his large signature watches.
my hair looks like shit and my naked legs look spindly sooo… ITS WAL-MART SHOPPING TIME!
I got echo the peanut m and m’s
I picked a noisy cart. Thump thump thump rattle
None in my size again. Bummer
![IMG00304 Road block. Lady laughed and said that was crazy when she walked by me. [meaning me taking her photo]](http://pslove.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/img00304.jpg?w=300)
Road block. Lady laughed and said that was crazy when she walked by me. [meaning me taking her photo
I can’t find the kosher section and echo is out of matzoh crackers
My finger just brushed off some substance from under the shoPping cart handle. Don’t touch my face. Don’t touch my face…
I usually go to Wal-mart on Sunday mornings to pick up some groceries. Because Wal-mart is so unbelievably entertaining, I take photos in there with my brand spanking new, pink Blackberry and post them on Twitter. My trips have become fairly popular on Twitter. Who doesn’t love white trash, low cost goods and Wal-Mart as an entertainment? Sure, we could go rent a movie, but sometimes, real life is a lot more fun.
Given I’ve been so busy lately, my personal blog is starting to suffer. So, I thought I’d start posting the Wal-Mart trips here so those who haven’t gone with me to Wal-mart can relive the moment. If I ever figure out how to post to Twitter and this blog at the same time, I will. If you are holding this secret information, please email me: psloveblog@gmail.com. So, until that time, I will post them here after the fact.
Sunday morning, June 7th, 2009:

Cheap. Should work. Dry clean only. What is going to happen when I wash them? I will wash first then hang them.
I hope my vaccum is a hoover or else I just got the wrong bags.
