Hello from Las Vegas, NV.

[Blue Demon]

Hello, I'm a long time fan of Barça. Been residing here in Las Vegas, NV for a while for my studies (and later my job) and found this forum a while ago. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever registered for a forum on the web.
Might have a little trouble navigating at first but it looks like this is going to be fun. Hope to correspond with all the nice folks here! Visca Barça!

[Bojan]

Hey man, how's life in Sin City?

[Blue Demon]

Life went down a little with the economic crisis. Those who work in the casinos, my friends I know, either were fired, laid-off (fired) or had their hours reduced. My sister, who works at Margaritaville on the Strip got lowered to on-call. It's the slow season now I hear. It'll pick up a little in the Spring and Summer I
hear. Though this weekend it is the Tackleball Championship so it should be good with the casinos everywhere here because of the gambling.

I won't even go with the housing. Housing went downhill. Downtown Vegas, where the old casinos are, is a wasteland. Though there is little life, many of the business went down the tubes. They added extra stuff to bring in crowds. I passed by there this week and noticed it is still the same, yet there were a handfull of tourists there near the bigger Casinos. But then, those old casinos cater to the elderly crowd.

Even though City Center was built and helped with jobs, they also, I was told went down and fired many after six months. I noticed they were itching for
tourists when they had large advertisements on the side of their buildings.

Though it isn't that bad and by no means want to sound negative. It's good and I, try to stay positive. If there is a positive thing is that everything is 24 hrs. There isn't many places here in the states. I can stay drinking at a bar till six in the morning or meet buddies for a match at 4am and have a pint. I couldn't do that in California.

Nightlife is the nightlife. That will always be the staple. Clubs, drink and the sex industry are always predominant here. Casinos (who control the state along with the mining industry) and stripclubs will turn a blind eye. I hardly go there now, the strip or clubs, that is. I stick to local places for a drink.

If anybody is ever in town, I suggest you visit my buddy Fernando at Gallagher's Steakhouse in the New York, New York. Great bartender and will tell you more of the nightlife you will ever know. Besides, he knows where and how to get you in.

[Blue Demon]

Forgot to mention the outside parts of Vegas are good too. Red Rock and the various parks around are nice to visit. They are better places if gambling and
drinking aren't your thing.

[Bojan]

Thanx dude. And here I was thinking that gambling industry was recession-proof.

[Blue Demon]

No problem man. Anytime.

[FCBarca]

Benvingut...My best friend has been living in Vegas for several years now, yeah most people outside of locals don't have a clear view of what the city is like - I know it pretty well...I used to look for pickup games on my visits there for footy but had difficulties, you play?

[Blue Demon]

Thanks FCBarca for the welcome. I used to play in local leagues a while ago. I don't anymore because of time and commitments. I have a couple of students and friends who still play on weekends in indoor leagues. A lot of the pickups and leagues are indoor because (locals here forget. lol.) Vegas is in a desert. Majority of the outdoor games will be very early in the morning before the sun begins to shine or late at night when it cools down(but it is still damn hot lol). Honestly, winter is probably the best time to play outside on the pitch. Many of the games are played over in the northern part of the city (Summerlin) and the southern end (Henderson, Anthem), where the nicest fields are at. A lot of the recreation centers around the city do have indoor football leagues and pickup games too.

[mitkoa7x]

Im confused... are you talking about New Vegas?

[FCBarca]

How long have you been in Vegas?...I've been trying to convince my best friend to leave for several years now...It suits his lifestyle as he loves the partying life but everyone crashes eventually...Especially with the way the economy has been hit, Vegas' constant state of flux must be dizzying with people still leaving all the time I imagine...My favorite times there have definitely been a mix of some amazing shows/clubs and fun times at some of the local spots...As Marty Feldman once said, the city is a bit Abby Normal

[Blue Demon]

Mitkoa7x: Las Vegas, Nevada in the U.S.

FCBarca: A bit too long, off and on for around 18-17 years. Since 1990. You're spot on. It's a commuter town, which in fact, because of the economy, has turned it into a service-industry based economy. Gone are the dreams of industry, innovation and a top research university (as it was slowly gearing to be), now its basically working in a casino for the majority of people here. It is a state of flux, turnovers are crazy I hear, it's like a Starbucks or a bank. People come from everywhere and find a job in a casino, stay there forever; if it is not to their liking, they find something else around town or leave.

It is a very weird culture here. There are casinos practically in every spot in town, from the large strip hotels to the corner bar where it is virtually a trap with the video poker machines at the bar. Like any gambling city, it is horrible for gambling addicts and alcoholics. Not to mention the sport betting, which I stay away from. Good friends of mine have lost everything because the addiction of betting on every sport at the casinos. Actually, lately, the large chain of pubs, named "P.T.'s" started to put in machines to make actual sports bets at their bars. But I believe the county took them out because of an ordinance or something like that.

My brother-in-law is part owner of a small tavern in Anthem, an upper-class subdivision of Las Vegas down south of Henderson. It's all elderly people who are his clients and are practically gambling their savings away. One old couple comes and spends up to 12 hundred a Saturday night on those machines. So all these little bars and pubs that purposely get you drinking for free, just for you to pop in more twenties or hundreds so you can hopefully get that royal flush.

The pubs my buddies and I go watch matches have those machines at the bars. It's a little bothersome but it is the only way they operate and keep open.

Yeah, that lifestyle of the nightlife, it gets old, but if he likes it, then the 24hr culture will suit him. If you're not careful, yeah, it'll make you crash, there is a lot of excess. Especially in this 24hr town, where you can go to an operating club at 7 in the morning. My good buddy, the bartender at the NY, NY, is that type of person. It's his lifestyle. Get off at 1 in the morning, stay up till six, go home, sleep and wake up at three to get ready for work. But-- all is free, that's the weird thing about the culture. All bartenders, chefs, bouncers, club workers, valet,ect., all take care of each other. I've been with him when we go into the restaurant and we order up and the tab is nothing. I knew that the tab should have been close to $100 or more because of the food and drinks. Just a tip and shake of the hand. But the next week, that waiter who took care of us, will show up at my buddy's bar and well, the same service happens to him. Don't know what moves they make, but it works out that way. But people enjoy that life and well, it's all good I guess. If your buddy is into that, it might be his thing as long as he knows his limit.

The local spots are fun. I don't know if you were around for the larger-local casino-hotels, like Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock Casino. Those are nice and still have that air of elegance, in comparison to other local spots.

Marty Feldman! hahaha! Great comment from him.

[mitkoa7x]

I was kidding... There is a video game called Fallout about the post apocalyptic world. The latest game of the series was called Fallout: New Vegas, it was about a new city on Las Vegas' place.. nvm

[FCBarca]

All bartenders, chefs, bouncers, club workers, valet,ect., all take care of each other. I've been with him when we go into the restaurant and we order up and the tab is nothing. I knew that the tab should have been close to $100 or more because of the food and drinks. Just a tip and shake of the hand. But the next week, that waiter who took care of us, will show up at my buddy's bar and well, the same service happens to him. Don't know what moves they make, but it works out that way. But people enjoy that life and well, it's all good I guess. If your buddy is into that, it might be his thing as long as he knows his limit.

The local spots are fun. I don't know if you were around for the larger-local casino-hotels, like Green Valley Ranch or Red Rock Casino. Those are nice and still have that air of elegance, in comparison to other local spots.

Marty Feldman! hahaha! Great comment from him.

I just saw a documentary here showing the poor people that live in the underground sewage/drainage world of Vegas, have you heard about this?

Green Valley Ranch and the Whiskey bar, I have had some fun times there...Yeah, the local 'in' with the service personnel is key, my best friend has the same connection and it does open up a different subculture within Vegas - which if you aren't familiar with it, you'll never even realize you've missed it...My buddy is one of the investors in La Cave over at Wynn...I prefer that over the tourist crowds at all the big casinos etc...I used to like Vegas waaaay back in the day when I'd milk $100 at a blackjack table for a couple of days...After my buddy moved there, I don't think I ever even played another hand of Blackjack again or gambled.

It's a bit too decadent for me and it's so wasteful in LV that it's hard to be there for me...He stopped pleading me to come out to visit him and would visit me in the Bay Area mostly...Even from Suisse, I'm still trying to convince him to go back to California and join Kaiser or something - it's a rat race, life's too short for that

There are some phenomenal restaurants in town though, I've had some amazing meals

[Blue Demon]

mitkoa7x: Ooooh! Sorry, was late at night when writing this after working all day. I got it now.

FCBarca: Need to check out that doc. Sounds good. I think someone told me about it. The homeless problem, like in any city, is a bad one here. There is a shanty town just down the street from downtown Vegas.

Nice. Wynn is very nice. Wynn is over away from the mess where Ceasar's, Bellagio and Tropicana area. Hate the traffic and detest going there during weekend nights, especially if it was a fight night. Those days are over where you can milk it, but a few of the dingy casinos in the north side of town will let you do that, so I've heard. I stay away from gambling now. Used to the blackjack, poker, especially video poker, now if I slide in a $5 it would a lot.

True about the meals. The quality of restaurants really got better through the years.

[mitkoa7x]

Do you see many Elvis impersonators regularly on the street?