If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of Wolfgang Puck’s fantastic food and comfortable dining rooms. It’s almost worth it to pick up a piece of Las Vegas real estate right on the Strip so you can hang out at his six locations. That’s right, Wolfgang has six restaurants in Vegas now! The only other brand I know of that has that kind of Strip coverage is Cirque du Soleil.

Let’s start where it all started for Puck in Las Vegas. Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesars is still considered one of the top “power lunch” venues in the city. The food is amazing and the spacious patio ensures that friend and foe alike will spot you dining with clients, colleagues and competitors. Spago is the reservation to make when you want to turn a business lunch into a statement in itself.

If you can’t get a table at Spago, you get a second shot at Wolfgang food without ever leaving the Forum Shops. Chinois is a chinese fusion experience with a zen-inspired atmosphere and fabulous martinis. Located across from the two-story rocking horse at FAO Schwarz, Chinois is a great dinner spot.

The best place for drinks and light food after a show at The MGM Grand is Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill. The atmosphere is casual and the energy is great. If you happen to be at Mandalay Bay, Lupo invites you to enjoy a classic Italian Trattoria. When in Rome, do what Wolfgang does and order Lupo’s homemade pasta with Italian ricotta doughnuts for desert!

The Venetian/Palazzo resort complex is your destination for the last two of six Puck Las Vegas locations. Postrio in the Venetian does justice to the original Union Square creation, one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. Guests of Postrio Las Vegas may choose between the main dining room and the indoor patio on St. Mark’s square. The new Palazzo features CUT, a Puck steakhouse of the first order. The beef is to die for and the lounge is already a hot spot for drinks, appetizers and whatever else might happen in Vegas.

As I’m sure you already know, Cher is performing a truly spectacular show in Las Vegas at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace. How spectacular? The show literally blows you away with amazing choreography, complex stage effects, ultra-glam costumes (Bob Mackie of course), 14 dancers and four aerialists. The stage visual is completely transformed for every single song for god sakes. Even Cher admits she’s never done anything like it before, which is really saying something.

I’m guessing that it may be time for some Las Vegas luxury real estate to complement Cher’s stage show. It seems the Diva extraordinaire has put her Malibu estate up for sale for $45 million. The three-story house (14,000 sq ft) has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a theater, a gym and multiple verandas. It sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and is designed in Italian Renaissance style.

What is it about diva singers, Caesars Palace and Italian Renaissance luxury estates? Celine Dion purchased a breathtaking Lake Las Vegas home in authentic Tuscan style when she opened her show at The Colosseum a few years back. Somehow I can’t picture Cher on a golf course though, and I’m thinking that a different neighborhood might suit her better. You have to wonder if she’s secretly shopping right now!

Lets take a quick look at current economic conditions in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first statistic that you may find surprising is the 2008 visitor count (16.3 million and counting), which is keeping impressive pace with last year. Convention attendance and occupied room figures are right on track as well. While it’s certainly the case that spending figures for Las Vegas business and recreational guests has taken a slight dip, the fact remains that just as many people are coming to Las Vegas as ever. How is our population growth, one of the surest signs of our continued strength and economic attractiveness? Through June, more than 32,500 people had moved to Clark County according to DMV records, an average of 5400 people a month. The median price of a resale Las Vegas home is currently about $225,000 and excess inventory is steadily decreasing. How are businesses doing? The Nevada Department of Taxation reported statewide taxable sales of $3.92 billion in April (most recent data data available), up 0.3% over the same month last year. Unemployment continues to be a bit higher than we’re used to, with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the state of Nevada at 6.2% as of May. All in all, a picture that, while not fantastic, is hardly as dire as the media would have you believe.

The Las Vegas real estate business is actually fun on a regular basis, like yesterday for example. I was talking to a new client that insisted on being 15 minutes drive or less from downtown and the Fremont Street Experience. It seems that he just loves the downtown action in general and the Fremont Experience light show in particular. Have you ever been downtown at night and seen the hourly run for the mall? What do I mean? Every hour on the hour, the Fremont Street Canopy lights up with an incredible burst of light and sound. As soon as the music starts, throngs of players in the casinos dash out to the mall to take in the show, and then dash back to their seats as soon as the music stops. It’s quite a spectacle to see! The Fremont Canopy of Lights measures 1,450 feet long and 65 feet wide. It takes 58 miles of electrical cable and 100 miles of data cable to make it all happen. The music system? There are 52 clusters of speakers that belt out 550,000 watts of sound. Nightly crowds for the light shows can average from ten to twenty thousand people. As you can imagine, Las Vegas locals are a big part of the nightly action. It’s not at all unusual for clients to purchase a Las Vegas home because they just want to have more fun and Downtown Las Vegas makes for great nightly entertainment!

Would you believe that among the glitz, glitter and neon of the Las Vegas Strip you can find one of the most outstanding marine aquariums in the entire country? In fact, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is the only North American aquarium that is specifically predator-based in focus and design. As you might expect, Shark Reef features sharks of all kinds but you’ll also see sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha, moon jellies and the rare golden crocodiles. In all, there are over 2,000 sea animals to experience in elaborate natural settings with stunning imitation coral reefs. The facility is especially well-suited for educational outings and the Shark Reef education team is very knowledgeable. Conservation is a central part of the Shark Reef mission and the 1.6 million gallons of seawater used by the facility is constantly recycled. Technologically speaking, Shark Reef is absolutely cutting-edge and staffed by marine biologists from all over the globe.

Rare Komodo Dragon Arrives at Shark Reef Aquarium

The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay will welcome the Komodo Dragon on June 20th. Known as the most deadly of all lizards and having no known predators in the world, the Komodo Dragon lives on the Southeast islands of Indonesia and can weigh up to 200 pounds. Shark Reef is open daily from 10am until 11pm with the last admission at 10pm. Surprised that the facility stays open until 11pm? Hey, this is Vegas and (if you’re doing it right) you don’t even wake up until one in the afternoon!

Tradeshow Week magazine recently released the 2007 Tradeshow Week 200 list of largest trade shows in North America, which showed that Las Vegas once again hosted the largest number of shows at 44. Following Las Vegas were Orlando with 24 and Chicago with 20. This marks the 14th consecutive year that Las Vegas has topped the list. Is it any wonder that Wynn Resorts has just announced plans to build a 1.8 million square foot exhibition hall? Las Vegas completely dominates the Tradeshow business and the location of Wynn Las Vegas, combined with the opulence of the property, make it a perfect venue for convention-size business functions.

On a related note, The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that in January 2008, visitation to the United States, as well as spending by those visitors, continued to rise, with 3.4 million international visitors, an increase of 11 percent over January 2007. Travel and tourism is a $1.3 trillion industry in the United States and Las Vegas, Nevada is at the heart of the action. We are far and away a top destination for international leisure travel from every corner of the globe. The weak US Dollar is a boon for Las Vegas, no question about it.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area recently hosted the fifth annual Red Rock Rendezvous presented by Mountain Gear and North Face. This world-class rock climbing event and festival was attended by over 1,000 climbers from across the country, including some of the most accomplished climbers in the world. Las Vegas, Nevada is proud to play a starring annual role in the process of raising the profile of rock climbing as a sport. The majestic cliffs of Red Rock Canyon give us that opportunity!

Since its inception five years ago, Red Rock Rendezvous has offered clinics for advanced, intermediate, and beginning climbers. The 2008 climbing festival also raised more than $15,000 for various non-profit organizations including Friends of Red Rock. This terrific local event provides a great opportunity for Las Vegas residents to enjoy a beautiful weekend at Red Rock Canyon and to sample a sport they can enjoy in their own backyard year round. Next year’s event will feature an expanded version of the Intro to Climbing classes that will include all your gear! Las Vegas, Nevada is so much more than gambling and nightlife. The truth is, Southern Nevada is one of the best places in the country to enjoy outdoor recreation and sport. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team is always talking to clients about the Las Vegas that awaits new residents “beyond the neon”.

The Theatre department at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts is known nation wide as being one of the most prestigious high school theatre programs in the United States. With a substantial budget and a very respectable number of season subscribers, the Academy Theatre Department is able to create productions that have been called “Better Than Broadway” by local critics and patrons.

Every February, the Theatre department produces their largest musical of a six show season, in which there are usually more than 150 students working to create the best production possible. Large main-stage productions in recent seasons have included Les Miserables, Jekyll and Hyde, Beauty and The Beast, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Miss Saigon to name a few. This year, Las Vegas Academy Theatre is tackling what is considered to be one of the most expensive shows they have ever produced, “Cats : Las Vegas”.

The 1981 musical, Cats, by Andrew Lloyd Webber was the second longest running show on Broadway, opening in 1982 at the Winter Garden Theater in New York City, and closing in June of 1997 after 7,458 performances. Webber’s plotless musical is known for its intense dance and is commonly forgiven for the banausic music and lyrics derived from the poetry of T.S. Elliot, simply because of the shows fun nature. And this version of Cats is colorful, fun and an all around good time.

Co-Director’s Glenn Edwards and Tammy Pessango decided to take the Academy’s production of Cats in an all new direction by setting the show in the historic Neon Graveyard in Las Vegas. Set designer Thomas Bumblauskas has given us a glamorous yet run down look to the setting by creating replicas of famous signs from old Las Vegas that acts as a hang-out for the “Jellicle Cats” of Las Vegas. The set is complete with the Silver Boot, a Lady Luck slot machine replica, A Caesar’s Palace sign, A Horseshoe from Binion’s Horseshoe, a Stardust sign, and many many more Las Vegas icons that can be found in the Neon Graveyard. The characters of the show have also been given iconic looks through costuming by Terry McGonigle and character directions. Personalities in the show include Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Danny Gans, Siegfried and Roy, Liberace, Cirque Du Soleil Dancers, Chippendales, and The Blue Man group to name a few.

It’s not just the show that brings Las Vegas history to life, but also the venue in which it is being performed in. Cats: Las Vegas is playing in the Las Vegas Academy Performing Arts Center Theatre, which was formerly the theatre for the original Las Vegas High School. The Performing Arts Center is the oldest running theatre in Las Vegas with a construction date of 1948.

With a production price tag hovering at around $125,000, Cats: Las Vegas is one of the most expensive and elaborate productions the Las Vegas Academy Theatre Department has ever put on. The show is entirely student run and operated and with a cast of 58 singers and dancers, a 34 member pit orchestra, and an extensive technical crew, this production truly gives numerous Las Vegas Academy students opportunities to work on creating a wonderful piece of art enjoyable for the whole family.

Las Vegas Review Journal critic Anthony Del Valle was quoted as saying that the “Fun of Cats: Las Vegas is Infectious”. The show is a perfect family production and like most Academy Theatre shows, is considered the best bargain ticket in town.

Cats: Las Vegas will be playing at the Las Vegas Academy Performing Arts Center on the East corner of 9th Street and Clark Avenue on February 21, 22, and 23 at 7:00pm, with 2:00pm Matinee performance on Saturday, February 23, 2008. Tickets for evening shows are $20 and matinee tickets are $15 a piece.

If you have children, the cast of Cats: Las Vegas is doing a meet and great “Meow Mixer” on Saturday the 16th and Saturday the 23th at 12pm, where children will have the opportunity to play with the “kitties”, win prizes at games, and get their picture taken with the Cats of their choice. Tickets to the “Meow Mixer” are $40 but that includes your ticket to the Matinee performance following the “Meow Mixer”. To purchase tickets, visit www.starticketsplus.com or go to lvacademytheatre.org/cats. You can also purchase tickets by calling 1-800-585-3737.

Carroll Shelby and Ford Motor Company came together back in 1962 to create Shelby Automotive, which in turn transformed the Ford Mustang into a muscle car of historic proportions. The magic continues right here in Las Vegas as Mr. Shelby celebrates his 85th birthday and the introduction of the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR.

Each Shelby GT500KR starts out as a GT500, built at AutoAlliance International Inc., in Flat Rock, Michigan. From there, the GT’s are shipped to Shelby Automobile’s facility at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Every GT500KR is then outfitted with a Racing Performance Pack, custom exhaust and a special short-throw shifter. Further additions and refinements create a hand customized product that gets delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter. Pretty serious stuff!

First unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, the new GT500KR packs a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine with total output of 540 horsepower. The 500KR (King of the Road) is already being touted as the most powerful production Mustang ever produced. As you might expect, the new GT will be available (this spring) at specially selected Ford dealerships only. Pricetag? About $60,000 (if you can get one). Production is limited to 1,000 units so you really shouldn’t hesitate if you’re serious about owning this monster.

About Shelby Automobiles, Inc.

Shelby Automobiles operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in North Las Vegas. The company builds the Cobra 427 S/C, Cobra 289 FIA and street Cobra component vehicles, as well as a variety of pre and post-title Shelbys based on the current generation Ford Mustang. The website address is www.shelbyautos.com.

The hits just keep on coming! There is so much positive news about the current strength and future potential of Las Vegas, Nevada that we’re just going to make a list because the data speaks for itself. One record after another was broken in 2007 and the next five years look stellar. Take a look for yourself….

1) 2007 sets a new all-time record for visitors to the hottest vacation/business destination on the planet. 39.2 million people showed up to do the “Vegas thing” last year, an increase of 300,000 from the previous record.

2) The 2007 visitation record was the FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW that we set a record for tourist attendance. What else can you say?

3) Las Vegas tied the all-time room occupancy record (first set in 1996) in 2007 by posting a breathtaking figure of 90.4%. Why breathtaking? Average hotel occupancy percentages on the Las Vegas Strip are a stunning 27 points higher than the national hotel-industry average.

4) It should be no surprise that Gaming Revenue set a new all-time record as well. A cool $10.9 billion hit the casino cages across Clark County in 2007. Nice work if you can get it!

5) $40 billion worth of new hotel/resort development is slated for completion between now and 2012, with 9,000 (out of a total of 40,000) new hotel rooms coming on-line in 2008 alone. How many new jobs might 40 billion dollars and 40,000 hotel rooms generate? About 110,000…give or take.

6) Entrepreneur.com recently featured Las Vegas, Nevada as one of the four “Top Places to Buy” residential real estate in the entire country for 2008. Go figure…

7) Just last week, Forbes.com saw fit to include Las Vegas real estate in their Top 10 List of “Best Cities for Bargain House-Hunters”. What a surprise…

Would you believe that Las Vegas offers great skiing and snowboarding just 45 minutes from the MGM Grand? When I try to tell people this they think I’m just kidding around. But the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort is the real thing, with a base lodge that sits at 8,500 feet while two main chairlifts take skiers and snowboarders up another 1,000 feet. Believe it or not, you can see the snow capped summit from the Las Vegas Strip, provided you actually leave the blackjack table and go outside! The ski resort is located within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and operates under a special-use permit of the U.S. Forest Service.

Enough about the location, how are the conditions? For starters, even though Las Vegas receives 325 sunny days a year from mother nature, that still leaves 40 days a year for other weather conditions. Case in point; LV Ski & Snowboard reports 31 inches of new snow over the last 5 days! The current base is 57 inches of packed powder and February and March are the best months of the year for new snow. The resort also features The Big Horn Cafe, The Bristlecone Bar and The Sports Shop with a full selection of high-quality rental items. Snow enthusiasts can choose from 11 total trails and a 500 foot intermediate half-pipe.

Although many people don’t realize it, one of the best reasons to purchase a new Las Vegas home is the wide range of outstanding opportunities across Southern Nevada to enjoy outdoor sports. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team is fully prepared to present every facet of our outstanding city. Give us a call at 888-349-2595.

The Las Vegas Strip formally welcomes The Palazzo to the neighborhood. Soaring 50 stories skyward at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue, The Palazzo topped-out at $1.9 billion by the time they opened the doors. What’s the draw? Bling bling baby, but in an elegant and somewhat understated way. As you would expect, The Palazzo provides world-class restaurants and palatial shopping led by the flagship of the property, Barney’s New York. In addition, 20 luxury brands make their Las Vegas debut at The Palazzo, including Chloe, Tory Burch, Christian Louboutin, Diane Von Furstenberg, Van Cleef & Arpels, Catherine Malandrino, Anya Hindmarch and Michael Kors. Not enough? Roll with Jay-Z at 40/40 Club, relax at the world’s most opulent Canyon Ranch Spa or score a new ride at the on-site Lamborghini dealership. The Palazzo Las Vegas exemplifies the ultimate in luxury and sophistication. Despite providing 3,000 spacious luxury suites, reservations are definitely recommended.

What about those 7,550 new jobs? Believe me, this is just the opening salvo in a five year expansion of historic proportions on Las Vegas Boulevard that will add over 100,000 units to the employment tally. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team couldn’t be more excited for the future of the residential real estate market in Southern Nevada. Just like politics, all real estate is local. It’s the economy, stupid! Everytime I hear that phrase I just smile because the Las Vegas economy is about to hit the afterburners for another multi-year speed trip. Not sure what I mean? Las Vegas builds massive resorts and mini-cities in 18 months or less. Once they’re open….they’re full….I mean 92% of the time, which was the 2007 occupancy rate, which is stratospheric. Economic meltdown? You should have been at opening weekend at The Palazzo!

It’s that time of year again (who knew?) when people in less fortunate locals have to concern themselves with SAD. Oh my gosh, what exactly is SAD? My first guess was that it stood for “Straight At the Dealer”, a chain reaction caused by too many losing hands at the Blackjack table. Can’t you just see it? The frustration builds and builds until you give up and throw your cards Straight At the Dealer (SAD). No?? Ok, would you believe that it stands for “Seasonal Affective Disorder”? Apparently this is serious stuff in certain parts of the country (like Buffalo for example), where clinical depression creeps up on people in the winter months due to late sunrises, cloudy skies and shortened days. Are you ready for this? The region of the country you live in can impact your risk of suffering from depression based on lack of sunlight. Does this mean I should stop playing “21″ and go outside more? I certainly hope not.

Personally, I’m all about late sunrises. You see, I’m a jedi-class webmaster, and a nocturnal creature by nature, maneuvering through the inner-most reaches of the World Wide Web, mostly at night. But this can get a little stressful, so I like to break the tension by patronizing any one of several world-class “after hours” clubs, and believe me, Vegas has a few. Anyhow, late sunrises are great for me because there’s nothing worse than exiting an incredibly dark establishment into a disgustingly bright morning. I haven’t yet found a pair of sunglasses, at any price, that sufficiently save me from this fate. What can you do?

In any event, back to our story. In the United States, SAD is (thankfully) about five times more prevalent in the northern tier of states (places like Minnesota I guess), and having recently checked the map, I can tell you that we’re safe and secure from SAD in Southern Nevada. Before you start taking this whole issue as lightly (no pun intended) as I obviously am, realize that no less an authority than the Columbia University Medical Center has spent serious research time (and dollars) shining-a-light on this subject. They even have a “Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms” at Columbia Medical that analyzes these issues in-depth (for reasons I’ll never understand). What could they possibly deduce about light and rhythm at Columbia that you couldn’t understand intuitively after one night at Tao, Tabu or Spearmint Rhino? Personally, I’m wondering why they haven’t put laboratory mice in clear plexiglas containers right underneath the pink and red Circus Circus neon clown marquee. Talk about intensive light treatment! It’s hard to understand what a bright proposal this is (unless, of course, you’ve been to Circus Circus), but maybe they just don’t do that kind of thing, even to mice, even at Columbia Medical.

Are you ready for the great news? The NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has actually ranked cities according to the percentage of daylight hours when the sun is actually shining. No, I’m absolutely not joking. Doesn’t that make you feel good about paying your federal taxes? I heard a rumor that the study was secretly requested (and partially funded) by the PGA Tour and a consortium of sun-care companies led by Hawaiian Tropic. In any event, let’s take a look at the results, shall we?

SUNNIEST Big Cities: LAS VEGAS (85 percent); Phoenix (85 percent); Sacramento, Calif. (78 percent); Los Angeles (73 percent); Miami (70 percent)

DARKEST Big Cities: Seattle (43 percent); Pittsburgh (45 percent); Portland, Ore. (48 percent); Buffalo, N.Y. (48 percent); Cleveland (49 percent)

As you can see, Las Vegas is officially ranked at the very top of major metropolitan areas nationwide for daylight hours when the sun is actually shining. Apparently this is very important for people that live a lifestyle completely unlike my own. What can I say except I’m happy for them?? In the meantime, I’m going to keep the blinds closed (until it gets dark outside), because moving to Cleveland is just totally out of the question……

The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team just felt like having a little fun with this blog post….and we hope you did too!

One of the greatest privileges we receive in our professional lives on the Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team is the opportunity to assist members of the armed forces stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. Nellis is a member of the United States Air Force’s Air Combat Command and home to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center. The base is also a vital and highly appreciated member of our local community.

This weekend Nellis Air Force Base presents the Aviation Nation Air Show, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the United States Air Force. According to the International Council of Air Shows, Aviation Nation is one of the top-five aerial and aeronautical special events in the entire world. This year’s show will be even more exciting due to the debut of the F-22 Raptor as a demonstration aircraft. The F-22 is designed to penetrate enemy airspace and achieve a first-look, first-kill capability against multiple targets while achieving supersonic cruising speed without the use of afterburners. Pretty exciting stuff!

Aviation Nation is a FREE two day event that begins at 8 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. We’ll see you there!

A Long Time Ago, before the Las Vegas valley landscape was a sea of homes, there were springs. The spring fed the meadows. For many years the springs were a thriving place where the Paiute Indians would collect water, later Spanish explorers came upon our desert valley near the Spring Mountains and gave our city its name. Las Vegas means “The Meadows” in Spanish. In 1905 a land auction was the start of that city, and at the heart of it all were the springs. Over 100 years after the City of Las Vegas was founded around that very spring, the Las Vegas Valley Water District completed their 180-acre, $250 Million Dollar project; The Springs Preserve.

It boasts botanical gardens with over 30,000 plants; there are museums, educational galleries and the piece du resistance: the flash flood simulation that recycles 5,000 gallons of water as it rushes beneath your feet while you are standing atop a platform. Don’t worry! They recycle the water. There are only 2 ½ miles of trails, but more are planned. In 2009 a 79,000-square-foot Nevada State Museum will also open at the Preserve. Presently there are concerts being held at the 1,800 seat outdoor ampitheater with artists like Jewel and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Director Francis N. Béland plans to have about 750,000 visitors each year. He bases that on the 40 million annual visitors to Las Vegas and the 6% of those visitors that venture off the strip to see other sights. The Springs Preserve should prove to be another wonderful addition to the Las Vegas valley!

Facts and figures provided by Steve Freiss, LA Times.

Denise Willer is an outdoor enthusiast and a member of the Michelle Sterling Team at Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS®. In her free time she enjoys her family. If you are interested in more information about this article in particular, or Las Vegas real estate in general, please call Denise at (702)810-0082.

What do Locals do in Las Vegas for Entertainment?

Las Vegas IS the strip – 100 out of 100 people would say that if they don’t live here…but what do locals do for entertainment?

I am a 15-year resident of this fantastic, diverse city but I personally only go to the strip if I am showing a client property or if I have family in town…I know…hard to believe, right? There is so much to do here; most of which does not include Las Vegas Boulevard….really…

I live in South Summerlin and am less than 1 hour to skiing in the winter at Lee Canyon which is located on Mount Charleston. I also live less than 15 minutes from the best hiking in the west next to the Grand Canyon at the Red Rock Conservation Area and less than 45 minutes from the most amazing architectural wonder of the world at Hoover Dam. Would you believe that it’s only a four hour drive to the Pacific Ocean in California? I’m also fortunate to live just five minutes from one of the best restaurants in the world with world-class-chefs Michael and Wendy Jordan at Rosemary’s. No…not THAT Michael Jordan but this Michael Jordan is gaining nearly just about as much respect in the restaurant world as the other MJ gained in basketball!

Here’s a snapshot of this restaurant’s 2007 awards and accolades:

“Restauranteur of the Year” awarded to Chefs Michael & Wendy Jordan by the Nevada Restaurant Association.

“Best Gourmet Restaurant.” Awarded by the Las Vegas Review-Journal 2007 Best of Las Vegas Awards; Eight Years Running!

ZAGAT 2007 - Rosemary’s Restaurant keeps #1 spot in the Top Food, Las Vegas category.

Las Vegas Restaurants - Rosemary’s Restaurant

This fantastic restaurant is not on the famous Las Vegas Strip – not even close – it’s located about 8 miles west on Sahara Avenue; 1 mile from the best-selling master-planned community in the country from 2000 to present; Summerlin.

There’s also the amazing $1 Billion Dollar brand new Red Rock Casino, Resort, Spa that has 10 restaurants, a 62 lane bowling center, 10 movie theatres and all of the casino games one would expect on the strip.

www.redrocklasvegas.com

Over in Henderson (15 minutes south east of The Strip) there are many first-class restaurants and entertainment venues as well. Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa is home to the famous American Casino series which aired on the Travel Channel for 2 years. This luxurious hotel boasts 9 fantastic restaurants, Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford’s “The Whiskey” bar and is connected to a cobble-brick, street of shops (over 60 boutiques) and 6 additional restaurants at “The District”.

www.greenvalleyranchresort.com
The District at Green Valley Ranch

With all the fantastic things to do on and off The Strip it is clear that Las Vegas has much, much more to offer for its locals and for people that want a second home in the most amazing, diverse city in the world!

Mike Antos is a member of The Michelle Sterling Internet Real Estate Team at Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS. If you are interested in more information about this article in particular, or Las Vegas real estate in general, please call Mike at 702-373-3240.

When my new clients with high school-aged children are inquiring about Las Vegas Real Estate, one of their primary concerns is our schools. I love it when people ask me about the Clark County School District as it gives me the opportunity to share with them the many wonderful programs our School District offers in general; but more specifically, I get to tell them about the school I am most fond of: Las Vegas Academy of International Studies Performing and Visual Arts.

Housed in the oldest high school building in the City of Las Vegas, “LVA”, as it is known is an amazing place. It is the best combination of old and new Las Vegas you will find both architecturally as well as geographically. The campus is located in the Las Vegas High School Historical District in downtown Las Vegas. The campus takes up nearly 3 city blocks in an area that is quickly being revitalized. Just one block away from the Academy a new downtown is emerging. Streamline Towers, Soho Lofts and Juhl are all new Las Vegas Condos that have been recently constructed nearby.

The Las Vegas Academy provides students the opportunity to major in the specific fields of International Studies, Theatre, Technical Theatre, Dance, Choir, Orchestra, Band, Broadcast Journalism, Photography, Spanish, Japanese, French, and soon to come Russia and Mandarin Chinese. The academic program at The Las Vegas Academy is one of the best in town with very impressive test scores, graduation rates and a very high rate of students who go on to college.

The Academy is one out of only 17 schools in the country to have received both the New American High School and U.S. Blue Ribbon School awards from the U.S. Department of Education. As you might expect, there are tremendous scholarship opportunities for the hard working students at LVA as well.

The Administration and Faculty at the Academy are among the most caring, most professional and relentlessly dedicated to their students that you will find anywhere. The number of after school hours that these amazing individuals donate is an absolute testimony as to how deeply their passion for their students and their art extends. I can personally speak as to the caliber of these outstanding educators, as my own son has been fortunate to be one of the benefactors of their hard work and sacrifice. He will forever be a better person and better citizen due to their efforts and care. (Now you know why I like the place so much!)

The Clark County School District provides many innovative and challenging programs for our students. The Administration is constantly striving to provide a wide variety of programs for high school students in order to meet the needs of our diverse student population here in Clark County.

Whether you already live in Las Vegas or you are considering relocating to Las Vegas, please feel free to call me regarding Las Vegas Real Estate, Las Vegas Condos and Las Vegas Schools. I will be happy to answer your questions. I can be reached at 702-349-3009 or 888-349-2595.

There are many locations to go hiking just outside of Las Vegas, like Red Rock Canyon, Mt. Charleston and the Valley of Fire. If you are interested in venturing out in the desert, remember to bring some basic gear.

The Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club lists these items as The Ten Essentials:

1. Map of the area
2. Compass
3. Flashlight w/ spare battery and bulb
4. Sunglasses, sunscreen
5. Extra food and water
6. Extra clothing, raingear, hat, mittens, sweater, etc.
7. Waterproof packed matches
8. Candle for fire starting
9. Pocket knife
10. First Aid Kit

If you are new to the area and would like to venture out into new and exciting “outdoor destinations”, always be safe and never forget the cardinal rule for any wildlife area: “Pack it In and Pack it Out”. If you bring something with you into the desert, be sure and bring it back out again. Minimize your imprint on the environment you are enjoying by using the No Trace Principles:

1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impact
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors

Related websites:
http://www.nevadawilderness.org
http://www.desertbighorn.com

Remember to use marked trails and have fun! If you are looking for a Las Vegas home that will enable you to get to your favorite destinations with ease, feel free to give me a call!

Denise Willer is an outdoor enthusiast and a member of the Michelle Sterling Team at Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS®. In her free time she enjoys her family. If you are interested in more information about this article in particular, or Las Vegas real estate in general, please call Denise at (702) 810-0082.

Did you know that Liberace is rumored to haunt his restaurant, Tivoli Gardens? Did you know Liberace had a restaurant AND a museum here in town? That’s a story unto itself!

Take an evening to learn all about the spooky side of Las Vegas with Haunted Vegas Tours, voted “America’s Best Ghost Tour”. They can show you all of the scary spots nestled into the hot spots in Las Vegas! If you’re lucky, your tour guide will be Robert Allen, producer, director and 30-year show business veteran.

Make the most of your Halloween and get GHOSTLY!

Denise Willer is an outdoor enthusiast and a member of the Michelle Sterling Team at Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS®. In her free time she enjoys her family. If you are interested in more information about this article in particular, or Las Vegas real estate in general, please call Denise at (702) 810-0082.

Las Vegas has been my home for over 10 years now and one thing remains constant: CHANGE. With this wonderful population growth and strong economy comes one major byproduct: CONSTRUCTION. Construction of new casinos and Las Vegas homes are the lifeblood of our community. If you have ever driven in a Las Vegas new home development while they are building, you may have noticed these funny-looking log-like items near the street. Maybe you spotted some sandbags or a seemingly useless short black fabric fence amongst the bulldozers and freshly-paved streets.

All of those items are part of the SWPPP or Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program. It is enforced by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and is actually a program in many states implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency. Construction companies are given a 46 page manual on how to implement the SWPPP at their sites. Components that assist in this process include fiber rolls (those log-like mesh tubes filled with hay), silt fences (the black fabric fence about two feet high) and many other important elements.

It is imperative that the SWPPP is in place because construction sites erode 7 to 9 times more tons of sediment per acre than row farming, which is second in line for erosion rates. The EPA has implemented this system as a part of the Clean Water Act.

Las Vegas is part of the Mojave Desert and we rely upon our water source out at Lake Mead for much of our drinking water. Many conservation efforts have been put into place to retain our beautiful Lake Mead. Unfortunately, there are droughts that affect all of the Colorado River Valleys and we are a part of it. Lake Mead’s water levels have dropped about 100 feet since January of 2000. By implementing the SWPPP, we reduce the amount of sediment that is dumped into our lake, which helps to protect our local wildlife and especially our native fish species like the endangered Moapa dace.

If Las Vegas is to continue to thrive in the middle of the desert, it will take every citizen’s effort to reduce our consumption of water and eliminate toxins and waste going into our storm water drains. Next time you see a hay log near the gutter, make sure you don’t disturb its important job. By all means, feel free to check out these websites for more information about what days you can water your lawn, when it’s ok to wash your car and best of all: INCENTIVE AND REBATE PROGRAMS from the Las Vegas Valley Water District for changing your landscaping to a more desert-friendly environment.

Southern Nevada Water Authority
Las Vegas Valley Water District
Environmental Protection Agency

Denise Willer is a member of The Michelle Sterling Internet Real Estate Team at Prudential Americana Group, REALTORS. If you are interested in more information about this article in particular, or Las Vegas real estate in general, please call Denise at 702-810-0082.

You know, there’s a great way to tell if you live in a REAL city. What’s one of the truest measurements? Ask yourself what happens when you get a taste for the eclectic and eccentric. Can you find a suitable outlet for that sudden burst of creative energy? In real cities, you have a multitude of choices to satisfy your cravings for the distinctive and the unusual. Las Vegas is a real city, don’t ever doubt it.

Here in Las Vegas, one of the best indicators that we have arrived on the “authentically urban” scene is The Attic - The Largest Vintage Clothing Store in the World. Talk about urban chic and credibility, The Attic has been in business since 1989 and actively exports vintage clothing to hip and eccentric customers all over the world!

Take our advice and don’t cheat yourself by ordering through the mail, at least not the first time. How come? A trip to The Attic Boutique is one of the grooviest ways to spend a whole afternoon in all of Las Vegas. In addition to fantastic vintage fashions, you can browse through theatrical wardrobes, jewelry and accessories, vintage furniture and movie props that will blow your mind. The Michelle Sterling Las Vegas Real Estate Team has spent hours hanging-out at The Attic and we would know!

People come to Vegas to celebrate special occasions of every kind, all the time. What better way to make your next “Vegas Special” more memorable than a shopping trip to The Attic? You’ll be dressed for the occasion like you never imagined possible! Think that’s cool? Wait till you get back to your town and wear an outfit that no one can duplicate by shopping at the local mall. Pretty cool, which is what The Attic is all about. Las Vegas is the Bomb!

The Attic is located at:
1018 South Main Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Telephone: (702) 388-4088
FAX: (702) 388-1047
Message and Information: (702) 390-8488

Business Hours:
the ATTIC is open
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday through Saturday.
the ATTIC goes dark on Sunday.

Directions:

From the McCarran International Airport: Travel North on Paradise Road. Pass Las Vegas Boulevard in front of The Stratosphere still on Paradise. Paradise will turn into Main Street. Travel 1-2 miles on Main Street. the ATTIC will be on the left side of the street, 1018 Main Street.

I-15 From Salt Lake City (N) Direction Traveling South: Exit I-15 on Charleston. Turn left traveling East on Charleston. Go 2 blocks. Turn left on Main Street. Go 1 block. the ATTIC will be on the left side of the street, 1018 Main Street.

I-15 From Los Angeles (S) Direction Traveling North: Exit I-15 on Charleston. Turn right traveling East on Charleston. Go 1 block. Turn left on Main Street. Go 1 block. the ATTIC will be on the left side of the street, 1018 Main Street.

The MS Las Vegas Real Estate blog is just sure that we’ve got you fooled with this one! Anytime that you think of Las Vegas and the Strip, you’re immediately thinking MGM, Bellagio, Venetian and all that stuff. Well, not this time! When we refer to “the strip” in this blog story, we mean a state-of-the-art fencing strip! Where can you find a fencing strip with world-class coaching in the desert southwest? Allow us to introduce you to The Fencing Academy of Nevada in the Summerlin real estate community and their internationally acclaimed head coach, Yves Auriol.

A four-time Olympic coach, Maitre Auriol (originally from Toulouse, France) served as a coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic squad in Barcelona. He also served as coach for the U.S. Olympic women’s team in 1980, ‘84 and ‘88. Auriol was also head coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1985 until 2002 and led the Irish to two national team championships and nine individual championships. Luckily for us, Maitre Auriol decided to move to Las Vegas in 2003 and began coaching at the Nevada Academy. Now, after dedicating 38 years of his life to the art of fencing, Yves Auriol has just been elected to the U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame!

Located inside the Las Vegas Sports Park, the Fencing Academy of Nevada offers a state-of-the-art fencing facility for both recreational and competitive fencers. The Academy features six fencing strips with the latest in electric scoring equipment. If you are new to the sport, there are beginner group classes that start monthly. If you are looking to return to the sport, the Fencing Academy of Las Vegas offers private lessons and ample time for free fencing with other club members.

The Fencing Academy of Nevada is located at:
1400 N. Rampart Blvd., Suite 101 (Rampart at Vegas Drive, behind Bruce Trent Park, in Northwest Las Vegas)
Las Vegas, NV 89128
Their phone number is 702.838.3320

Their hours of operation and weekly class schedule is as follows:

Mondays:
• Adult Beginner Foil Class - 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• Advanced Epee Group Class - 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
• Open Fencing - 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesdays:
• Intermediate Youth Foil Class - 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday:
• Intermediate Youth Foil Class - 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.
• Group Footwork Class - 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
• Adult Beginner Epee Class - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Open Epee Fencing - 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday:
• Beginner Youth Foil Class-4:00 to 5:15 p.m.
• Beginner Adult Foil Class - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Beginner Sabre Class - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Saturday:
• Open Fencing—9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Club Open Footwork Session - 12:00 to 12:20 p.m.
• Competitive Youth Program - 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Stop by and see what the “other” Las Vegas Strip is all about!

Located about ten minutes from the MGM Grand on East Tropicana Avenue is the original version of bling bling! No, we’re not talking about the glitz and glitter at the Liberace Museum, we’re talking about the Pinball Museum, better known as the Pinball Hall of Fame.

As far as we can tell, this is the worlds largest collection of pinball machines and of course it’s right here in Las Vegas. Vintage machines from the 50’s and 60’s share the 4,500 square-foot floor with more advanced models from the 80’s and 90’s. Can you believe it? Every pinball machine has been restored to full operational condition by expert pinball enthusiasts/engineers. Great entertainment for the whole family, there’s no better place to take a roll of quarters in all of Las Vegas. Here’s the best part, the Pinball Hall of Fame is a fully registered non-profit organization. What does this mean? After covering monthly operating expenses, all additional revenue is donated to charity, primarily the Salvation Army.

MS Las Vegas Real Estate can tell you without hesitation that the Pinball Museum is boatloads of fun and a much better use of your quarters than the casino slot machines.

The Pinball Hall of Fame is located at 3330 E. Tropicana in Las Vegas at the North West corner of Tropicana and Pecos. The location is about 30 blocks (3 miles) from the ’strip’ straight down Tropicana - which is about a 20 dollar taxi ride.

The hours of operation are:
11am till 11pm, Sunday to Thursday.
11am till Midnight, Friday and Saturday.

Admission is free!

The Pinball Hall of Game is right next to the Tropicana Cinema 2 dollar movie theatre. If you somehow miss the machines staring at you through the window, its just around the corner from the movie theater, between the comic shop and Putters bar.

Driving Directions:

From the airport:
Follow signs to Tropicana/Swenson exit. Take Swenson north (its one-way) and turn right on Tropicana. After crossing the McLeod intersection, look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your left.

From the Strip:
Easy! Turn east towards the Tropicana/MGM Grand side of the Strip and go about 4 miles. Look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your left just past the Pecos stoplight.

From I-15 South:
Take Tropicana East exit (towards the Strip). After crossing the McLeod intersection, look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your left. Or to avoid the Strip, take the I-215 Henderson exit, then take the Pecos exit and turn left. Look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your left just past the Tropicana stoplight.

From I-15 North:
Take Tropicana East exit (towards the Strip). After crossing the McLeod intersection, look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your left. Or to avoid the Strip, take the 95 South exit, then take the Tropicana exit and turn right. Look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your right just past the Pecos stoplight.

From US 95 North or South:
Take Tropicana exit and turn left (if coming from the south) or right (if coming from the north). Look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your right just past the Pecos stoplight.

From Downtown (Fremont Street Experience area):
Go to Las Vegas Blvd North and turn right onto 95 South. Take Tropicana exit and turn right. Look for the Tropicana Cinemas sign on your right just past the Pecos stoplight.

Stop in and hit those flippers until your wrists get numb!

Project CityCenter is a 76-acre mixed use development on the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and the Monte Carlo. It carries the distinction of being the largest privately financed development project in the United States. MGM Mirage (developer of CityCenter) recently made the announcement that a 50/50 partnership for CityCenter has been established with Dubai World, the holding company that represents the business and investment portfolio of the Dubai government. Here are some interesting facts about Project CityCenter and the pace and scale of daily construction activity….

Las Vegas luxury high rise condos have rapidly risen to world-class stature by every conceivable measurement. The transformation of the Las Vegas Strip corridor into a fully functioning metropolitan environment is nothing short of astounding. Las Vegas, Nevada is the next great American city!

The Platinum Condo/Hotel Las Vegas is rapidly becoming a hot spot for locals to relax and unwind in addition to the valued guests. Located just one block off the Las Vegas Strip at the corner of Flamingo Avenue and Koval Lane, Platinum Las Vegas resort-hotel features the WELL Spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a hot poolside nightclub. The Platinum Resort is currently featuring “movies beside the pool” every Friday and Saturday night (8pm) through October 31st on the pool deck. Enjoy a specially created outdoor movie-menu and relax with comfortable outdoor seating and luxurious surroundings as you take-in the feature films. Here’s the schedule for the next few weeks:

● Friday, September 7: Friday Night Lights, Linkin Park
● Saturday, September 8: The Waterboy, Incubus

● Friday, September 14: Devil Wears Prada, Destiny’s Child
● Saturday, September 15:The Recruit, Devo

● Friday, September 21: The Hustler, The Police
● Saturday, September 22: Inside Man, Queen

● Friday, September 28: Viva Las Vegas, Prince live from Vegas
● Saturday, September 29: We Are Marshall, Dave Matthews Band

As a resident of Las Vegas, you can expect to enjoy a wide selection of recreational opportunities at our fabulous resort-hotels. Believe me, we don’t leave all the fun and excitement to the tourists! The purchase of a Las Vegas home is your “go pass” to everything fabulous about the Las Vegas experience.