TajLV

I expected more of a Steve Wynn creation. The atrium as you enter is more like a movie set than an indoor garden. The red chandeliers in the casino are garrish in the extreme, as is the red carpeting with butterflies. The colors actually hurt your eyes. The pool area looked small, crowded. I found nothing to set it apart from other Strip casinos. I prefer the Wynn next door for its opulence and design.

Rather than drive the 18+ miles to the unmanned gate on the road to Groom Lake, we were advised to drive eight miles from Rachel, NV to the manned back gate. It’s a bit more photogenic, but no more accessible. We were warned that fines of $600 to $6,000 were levied on trespassers. Some non-US citizens who took photos beyond the warning sign had their passports confiscated and were deported, without an opportunity to collect their belongings from their hotel room. They are now banned from the United States for life. The people who work at and guard the secrets of Area 51 are very serious. They will not even talk about their work with locals at the bar in Rachel. So don’t expect much. Just bring your sense of adventure (and humor).

BTW.. Verizon signals are strong in this area, but AT&T was non-existent. Apparently, visiting aliens appreciate “the network.”

It’s just about 150 miles from Las Vegas, but a world apart. Kathy and I arrived on New Year’s Day 2009 and there was still snow and ice on the ground everywhere. We each had an Alien Burger and a couple of beers for dinner ($18). The owners, Pat and Connie, are very hospitable, and the evening bartender, Sandra, was very knowledgable about Area-51 and local UFO lore.

We stayed the night in one of the trailer units (1-3), which shared a bathroom with the next unit (1-2). Although planned, there’s no dish TV available in the rooms yet, but you can borrow VCR tapes from the Inn’s “Evidence Room.” Appropriately, we watched a 1980’s SciFi thriller called Hangar 18.

About 10pm, we went out in the freezing cold to view the marvelously starry sky. There were constellations right down to the horizon in every direction – Orion, Ursa Major, Cassiopia – and the Milky Way stretched out in all its cloudy glory. Quite a sight (but no UFOs).

In the morning we had breakfast (eggs, toast, pancakes, breakfast potatoes, coffee, juice – $16), took photos with the locals, bought some souvenirs at the gift shop, and then drove out ten miles to the back gate at Area 51. There’s really not much to see, but it makes a fun day trip, and there are lots of photo ops at the Inn. Next time you need a little escape from Las Vegas, this is a no brainer.

I’ve had this on my list for quite a while now, and I am very happy to report that I’ve now been to Dick’s Las Vegas. The surly, in-your-face attitude that’s made Dick’s Last Resort famous elsewhere still prevails. The waiter asked us if we have been to Dick’s before. I said I had been to Dick’s at North Pier in Chicago, and he snarled, “That’s NOT what I asked you. Have you been HERE before?”

Fast foward past the drunken bachelor party, the gang of urban cowboys watching National Finals Rodeo on one of a dozen screens, the birthday girls sipping fruity cocktails, the astounded Canadian tourists snapping photos, a bartender named “Taco” doing half-naked lap dances for the girls and spraying himself with fizzy water, the 6’6” waitress flipping Taco the bird when he compared her to the Star Wars character Chewbacca, the silly sing-alongs (We Will Rock You, Friends in Low Places, etc.) and two skinny go-go dancers gyrating just outside the entrance…

Kathy had the sampler platter (buffalo wings, shrimp poppers, chicken tenders, deep-fried cheese sticks, and veggies), while I had fries and a Big Burger with cheese and grilled onions, as we shared a 60oz pitcher of cold beer.

Did I mention the makeshift party hats our waiter crowned us with? Hers read “Been Ridden More than Seabiscuit” and mine said “As seen on CBS Sexual Predators.”

The total damage came to $51… $60 with tip. The food was so-so, but you might get the hint that this place is not about fine dining. If you like to party hearty, for a special occasion or just because you can, then loud, lively, deliciously messy Dick’s is the place to go.

This newest gem in the Station Casinos crown will cater to an older crowd of locals who live in the far north suburbs of Las Vegas/North Las Vegas, especially Sun City Aliante.

Aliante Station opened its doors to the public at 11:11pm on 11/11/08, with fireworks and a concert by Cheryl Crow. I missed the opening (crowded with too many people) but went there the next day to take advantage of a promotional offer at the resort’s new Regal Cinemaplex 16. We saw “Get Smart” for just $2 each and had $2 popcorn with $2 drinks, all proceeds being donated to the local SPCA.

Although we didn’t gamble while we were there, we noted plenty of brandnew slot machines, such as one based on the TV series “Survivor.” There’s a big poker room and several well-placed bars, a food court, a highly touted Mexican restaurant, and, of course, the all-you-can-eat Feast Buffet.

We took a little time to marvel at the huge plasma screens in the Race & Sports Book and strolled by the lovely outdoor pool area, with its cabanas and “beds” by the water’s edge. We also saw that lots of top-notch entertainers are scheduled to perform in the Access Showroom, starting with Smokey Robinson and followed by REO Speedwagon. Local 80s cover band Yellow Brick Road will be playing on Saturday nights.

I owned an acre and a quarter of undeveloped land there near a golf course. I sold it in 1998 for three times what I paid. Today, it would be worth four times more than that. Oh well.

It’s been nearly ten years since I last visited (to close the sale). Tonight I’m going there for the inaugural meeting of the Pahrump Valley Democrats Meetup, which is modeled after the Las Vegas Democratic MeetUp group I’ve coordinated for the past year. Should be fun to see how much the place has changed.

Good prices, great selection, organics and novelties, well trained staff, paper sacks (not plastic) – What else do you want in a supermarket?

Visit the Panaca Market, “conveniently located in the middle of nowhere.” Good selection of fresh meats, baked goods and reasonable prices. The restrooms are clean, too.

Also, take a moment to appreciate the local history. According to Nevada Historical Marker 39: “Southern Nevada’s first permanent settlement and perhaps one of its most unique was settled as a Mormon colony by Francis C. Lee and others in 1864…. Originally located in Washington County, Utah, Panaca became a portion of Nevada by an act of Congress, dated May 5, 1866. As the boundary was not then surveyed, a dispute arose over taxes levied by Lincoln County, Nevada. Only after a long period of bitter litigation was the matter settled in favor of the Panaca citizenry on December 4, 1871.”

We were returning along the Great Basin Highway (US-93) from Caliente to Las Vegas and came upon this large lake, just south of Alamo in Lincoln County. We stopped to investigate and learned that it is a huge waterfowl refuge, part of the Pacific Flyway used by migratory birds. Camping, fishing and boating are allowed, but no swimming.

We Las Vegans tend to think there’s nothing noteworthy in Nature nearby besides Mt. Charleston and Red Rock. Well, head up US-93 through Caliente just past Panaca and get an eyeful of the some truly amazing geological formations. The park has been open since 1935 and it is virtually a secret. Go figure. Better still… go visit!