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Writing Samples: Moon Metro Las Vegas, Avalon Travel Publishing, 2004
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Book Introduction: Excerpts
From the first glimpse of neon glowing in the middle of empty desert, Las Vegas seduces the senses...
[T]he slim chance at fortune is powerful enough to have lured vacationers into the Southern Nevada desert for more than seven decades, ever since the Silver State legalized gambling in 1931. At first, the cowboy casinos that dotted downtown's Fremont Street were the center of the action, but they soon faced competition from a resort corridor blooming to the south on Route 91. L.A. nightclub owner Billy Wilkerson dubbed it "The Strip" after that city's Sunset Strip and, together with Bugsy Siegel, built the Flamingo, the first upscale alternative to frontier gambling halls. Their vision left a legacy that came to define Las Vegas hotel-casinos...
So today, under one roof you can indulge in a five-star dinner, attend spectacular productions, dance until dawn with the beautiful people, and browse in designer boutiques. If there's still time you can get a massage and ride the roller coaster, too. The buffet, a fitting metaphor for the city that has everything to offer, still rules in many regulars' hearts. But an influx of celebrity chefs is turning the town into a one-stop marketplace of the world's top names in dining. Similarly, cutting-edge performers such as Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil have taken up residence alongside beloved showroom fixtures such as Wayne Newton and Folies Bergere. These hip offerings are drawing a younger, more stylish crowd that hearkens back to the swinging '60s, when Las Vegas was a pure adult recreation and celebrity magnet...
Some say Old Vegas is as hard to find as a game of single-deck blackjack. It's true that you can't have your picture taken in front of the Rat Pack's old haunts, but the artifacts of their heyday can be found in impersonators and tribute shows, low-lit lounges, and old-school casinos...
Perhaps Vegas's most enduring legacy is its hospitality. Everyone from the lowest roller to the biggest spender can count on being treated like a VIP. Valets open car doors, waiters offer food and wine recommendations like it's inside information, and nearly everyone wishes you luck. Beating the odds may be a statistical miracle, but here, they've perfected the art of easing the blow.
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