Dave: My "Vegas Musts" • Vegas Bright

Vegas Bright Reader Dave shares his Vegas Musts…

Vegas musts in no particular order…

1) Do something as an homage to the Golden Age of Vegas, back before all mega resorts and gimmicks and nightclubs. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy all of that, but I would consider myself an “old soul” and could only imagine a time when you could see Frank, Dino, Sammy, Peter, and Joey walking down Las Vegas BLVD. Also, lady luck is a fickle creature, and I think paying tribute to the days of Vintage Vegas keeps her from giving me the brush. We usually go to a lounge act or go to a restaurant that takes us back in time. Matt Goss was a great show to catch; I am sad to see him leaving later this month. Eastside Lounge at the Wynn is another good place to see a lounge act. We also make sure to gamble at the Flamingo, since it is one of the remaining few from back when Sinatra and Dino ruled the town.

2) Get dressed up, go to a fancy restaurant, and drink good drinks. Las Vegas is Disney land for adults. Who doesn’t love to indulge every once in a while? Vegas is one of the very few places on Earth where you go to a five-star restaurant, and there are people in dresses and suits and also khaki cargo shorts. Nothing against cargo shorts, but I’d rather be the guy in the suit. Las Vegas offers some of the best restaurants in the world in such a close proximity. There is so much competition that most of them are great, and aren’t astronomically priced. While sitting down eating that perfectly cooked steak, enjoy a good cocktail. Sure that Jack and coke you get while playing craps gets the job done, but it is not anywhere close to top shelf alcohol. You only live once; you might as well look great and eat/drink well.

3) Go somewhere with a view. Las Vegas has some of the best views of eclectic architecture in the world. If you don’t want to book the strip view room for the extra $$$ per night, go to a restaurant or bar with a view. The Mandarin Bar is a perfect place to grab a cocktail at dusk. You can get great pictures from anywhere in the room. The foundation room at Mandalay Bay is a perfect spot to knockout number two and three on my list. They have great food and a spectacular view.