About Las Vegas and the Red Ball

10/11/99

Where else in the world can you sit outside in a bathing suit between two huge swimming pools with a 36 story, 350 foot high pyramid less than 100 yards away? No where but in Las Vegas, I'm sure.

The Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas
Photo by John Fischer

Today is our last day in Las Vegas where we've spent the last 5 days of our trip at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. About.com hosted a four day Guide event here where over 400 Guides and a large number of New York based staff attended.

The chance to meet 400 of my fellow Guides for the first time and rekindle friendships with a number of others whom I have known for several years was a truly invigorating experience. As all of you who are already About.com aficionados are well aware, the range of topics and knowledge of enthusiasm of my fellow Guides is amazing.

The Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas
Photo by John Fischer

Saturday was The Red Ball where over 40 Guides demonstrated aspects of their sites. The event was attended by Guides, the public and the press.

Our Guide to Magic and Illusion, Bryan Dean continues to amaze me with his talent. Our New England for Visitors Guide Kim Knox, along with several of her friends brought a taste of New England to Nevada as they battled the heat of the day outside on the patio along with Peggy Trowbridge and Rick Hall, our Guides to Home Cooking and Nutrition, respectively. I could go on and on.

There were also five panel discussions moderated by Star Jones, co-host of ABC TV's "The View" and featuring About.com Guides and several celebrity guests as well, such as Christopher Buckley, Peter Greenberg, Kathy Najimy, and Chuck Woolery.

I was privileged to serve on the panel discussing Travel in the Age of the Internet along with fellow Guides, Durant Imboden (Europe for Visitors), Teresa Plowright (Travel with Kids), and Ellen Scott (Ecotourism) and Peter Greenberg , the travel correspondent for NBC's "Today Show".

The Red Ball was a great success. 

Originally Eileen and I had planned to leave Las Vegas today, but we decided to stay an extra day so that we could actually see a bit of the area and also rest from a very busy weekend.

I am amazed by the changes in Las Vegas in the three years since our last visit. Back home in Philadelphia we have seen a large amount of new construction especially in the hotel industry in recent years. That construction does not even begin to compare with Las Vegas where new hotels and casinos are have appeared all over the strip including Bellagio,  Mandalay Bay, and New York, New York to name just a few.

New York, New York
Photo by John Fischer

Luxor is still on the southern end of the strip with only Mandalay Bay further south. This allows for a bit easier access by car and a somewhat more peaceful atmosphere, especially during the daytime

If you're planning on visiting Las Vegas, be sure to check out our two excellent Las Vegas sites here at About.com:

Las Vegas for Visitors with Guide Steve Biswanger
Las Vegas Local with Guide Robert Romano

Well, the afternoon is slipping away and it's time for me to get back into the pool, so I'll catch you all tomorrow.

If you missed one of our prior columns on our extended trip through the American west, check out our Western Diary Index.