It seems like any mention I make of half-price ticket booths gets more reader reaction than most anything else I write about in this column. So here's a new one: All Access Ticketing is a young venture with two locations. Oddly enough, both are inside Circus Circus. The first opened about a month ago near the hotel registration desk, and a second opened on the Las Vegas Boulevard side of the casino.
The venture is headed by Metin Durmus, who still is part of the original half-price outlet, Coca-Cola Tickets 2Nite at the Showcase mall. He says the new operation is separate but affiliated. So far, the outlet carries 24 to 30 titles a day. The same rules apply as the other same-day discount booths: You can't call to find out what shows are on sale or buy tickets online.
BIKE BENEFIT
Hogs & Heifers Saloon, the popular joint downtown, is hosting a bi-coastal ride on Sunday, June 3 to benefit Tom Urbanski, the nightclub bouncer paralyzed during the NBA All-Star weekend. The ride originating at the Hogs & Heifers Saloon from the Third St. outpost in downtown Las Vegas, will donate all proceeds collected from registration fees, raffle tickets and a portion of the day's sales to The Tommy Urbanski Fund.
Registration for the event will take place at Hogs & Heifers (201 N. Third St.) from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. the day of the ride. Registration fees are $20 per rider and $10 for each additional rider due at check-in. At 10:30 a.m. participants will ride en masse to the Pioneer Saloon in Good Springs before returning to the Hogs & Heifers Saloon for a barbecue and 50/50 cash raffle, along with other fun prizes. Raffle tickets are available for purchase now through the time of drawing on June 3. Entertainment will be provided by southern rockers, Southern Stüe, who have donated their time and talent to the event.
For those of you who might not know, Tom Urbanksi is a Las Vegan who worked as a real estate agent by day, a security guard by night at Hogs & Heifers Saloon and most recently a management position at Minxx Gentleman's Club. During the NBA All-Star weekend Tom was shot after an incident inside the club leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Currently Tom is receiving rehabilitation in a Colorado treatment facility. Donations, in an effort to reduce medical costs and remodel Tom's home to accommodate his wheelchair, are greatly appreciated and are accepted at www.TommyUrbanksiFund.org, Silver State Bank and at Hogs & Heifers Saloons. Hats off to the owners of Hogs & Heifers who continually hold fundraisers for worthwhile causes in our town.
KING HONORED
And hats off to local magician Mac King who will be honored by Optimist International, one of the world's largest and most active service club organizations dedicated to children. He will receive the organization's "Bringing Out the Best" award for his dedication to youth. The presentation will be made at 3 p.m. June 13 at Harrah's Las Vegas at the start of Mac's performance at the resort.
Since October 1, 2006, King has served as spokesman for the new reading program of Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI). JOOI is the youth component of Optimist International, with more than 19,000 volunteers ages 6 to 18 worldwide. The reading program, the JOOI of Reading, encourages the young JOOI members to promote reading to peers in their schools and communities. King has used his background in magic to create an atmosphere in which reading is fun for children of all reading levels, with a series of cartoons for them to read and a website called Mac King's Corner for them to browse.
King has been a longtime supporter of children's literacy and credits reading with helping develop his lifelong passion for magic. "This is a great honor to receive this award," King said. "Children's literacy is a cause that is extremely important to me and to be presented with this accolade means a great deal."
OUT OF SIGHT
If a member of your family is blind or visually impaired, you may be interested in taking part in the 2nd annual Vision Forum on Saturday, June 2, at the Las Vegas Senior Center, Dula Gym and Municipal Pool. Forum participants will have the opportunity to attend presentations by low-vision specialist Dr. Patrick Yoshinaga and internist and diabetes educator Dr. Abigail Pennington, plus classes on cane travel, daily living skills and new technology.
The free event, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. will include an exhibition by high- and low-tech local and national equipment vendors and service providers for the visually impaired from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration on June 2 opens at 8 a.m. The program begins at 8:45 a.m. and the day's activities will continue until 3 p.m. Las Vegas Senior Center is located at 451 E. Bonanza Rd. Dula Gym and Municipal Pool are located adjacent to it. For more information and registration forms, call (702) 631-9009 or 229-4796.
CULTURE CORNER
Culture Corner: Here's somebody you don't want to miss if you love listening a truly great pianist. Lang Lang will perform as part of the 2007 Stars on the Lake concert series with special guests Marc Yu, a seven-year-old musical prodigy, and opera singer Giorgia Fumanti on the picturesque floating stage at MonteLago Village in Lake Las Vegas Resort on Saturday, June 2 at 8 p.m.
Acclaimed in all the world's major concert halls and recently topping classical charts with his Carnegie Hall recital recording, Lang Lang - at the age of 24 - has established himself as one of the most exciting pianists of our time. He has performed live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as Sesame Street, so you know he's a standup guy.
Performing intermittently with Lang Lang is 7-year-old Marc Yu, whose small size but enormous talent has earned lots of attention in the California region, and classical singer Giorgia Fumanti. Little Marc Yu began playing piano at age 3 and has since taken the world by storm with his musical genius, memorizing complicated concertos and composing some of his own.
Giorgia Fumanti is an Italian-born soprano that got her start in Canada and has since become a classical phenomenon, most recently performing at the NHL All-Star Game and touring with Jose Carreras. Tickets for Lang Lang start at $40 for Lawn seating. Reserved seats are $65 and Floating VIP seats are $125. Ticket prices listed do not include applicable fees. Guests in Lawn seating are welcome to bring blankets or pillows, but no chairs are allowed. Tickets in Floating VIP or Reserved sections come with resort seating. Guests are not permitted to bring coolers to Stars on the Lake concert events. Children ages 2 and under are free.
Sports and entertainment artist, Malcolm Farley, will appear as a special guest, creating an artist painting during all Stars on the Lake performances to be auctioned after each concert. Recently commissioned to paint the Sopranos cast party, Farley has also painted live at the U.S. Open, Super Bowls, and on stage for musicians such as B.B. King, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Carlos Santana. Farley is renowned for his visions of color and unique ability to capture the moment and spirit of the event. Sounds like a great event.
Good luck and I'll see you on the Strip. And don't forget to check out www.valleyblogs.com.
If you have a question or a Las Vegas experience you would like to share with my readers, please e-mail me at lennylv@cox.net. Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.
