I read the other day that the famed Route 66, the highway that connects Chicago to Los Angeles, passing through three time zones and eight states, is going the way of the dinosaur. It pointed out the hotels and motels along the route that were either closed or in bad need of repair. Too bad, as it seems we keep losing a bit of our past every year.
But thanks to Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens it has recreated those nostalgic stops along the historical highway, filling it with thousands of vibrant plants, flowers and trees, a country fair and an automobile museum piece
Here's what you can expect to see and I'm telling you, don't miss it. Also, make sure you bring a camera. You'll be welcomed with a sumptuous roadside market replete with fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. Coastal Redwoods, Weeping Willows, red roses and blue agapanthus flowers are overgrown along the roadside where the two market carts have made a home. The market's red and green apples, cantaloupes, watermelons, tomatoes, broccoli and peppers set the mood for the colorful and diverse display.
The next stop on the route is a quiet town park. Here, beautiful rose hedges lead to a three-tiered fountain, 12-feet-tall and eight-feet-wide, where water gently flows amid luscious white statice flowers, red yarrow plants and moss. The rose hedges, filled with 4,000 red, orange, pink, yellow and peach Russian-cut roses, form cozy areas with vintage park benches while street lamps provide a soft glow.
The enchanting centerpiece of this memorable exhibit is a 42-foot Ferris wheel within a country fair setting. Surrounded by sunflowers and tent-tops, the authentic Ferris wheel's seats are full of flowing ivy and glorious sunflowers. High above the fair, three "cold air" balloons float up and down as would-be spectators survey the magnificent gardens and roadways below.
The road trip ends as you watch a classic convertible "drive" into the sunset. The 1962 fawn beige Corvette, loaned to Bellagio by the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, is featured on a road of "Chocolate Chip" Ajuga plants and white statice flowers. A trio of vintage gas pumps, a desert landscape with Saguaro Cacti, and beautiful red Celosia and white azalea flowers provide the backdrop. The exhibit will be on display through September 8.
MUSCLE MUSICAL
Matsuri, the number one musical production in Japan, has opened at the Sahara and features Olympic medalists and world-class athletes performing a combination of acrobatics, dance, stunts and athletics set to high energy music. Matsuri mixes elements of Japanese culture to create a truly original show that is completely unique to this side of the globe. Gotta tell you, it's pretty impressive.
With more than 18 acts, Matsuri incorporates extreme sports, gymnastics, comedic routines and vibrantly colored costumes throughout the show. Japanese earth and foot drum dances are blended into the show and are performed by tapping, clapping and stomping to create heart-pounding rhythms. The talented cast consisting of 28 performers includes a world champion German wheel gymnast, world champion mountain biker, world-class Yo-Yo champion, world record hula hoop champion, a karate expert specializing in sword fight action stunts and a world record bungee jumping act.
Matsuri creator and famed Japanese producer Ushio Higuchi originally created a musical sports variety program for Japanese television. The stage production, which is called Muscle Musical in Japan, opened in 2001 and quickly became a huge attraction in Japan. "In Japan, we called it Muscle Musical to honor it as our concept of an American musical" said Higuchi. "In Las Vegas, we call it Matsuri, which means 'festival' and brings out its' Japanese origins.
"Each athlete and performer brings something new, unique and exciting to the production," said Nakamura. Matsuri performs Monday through Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Main Showroom, dark on Sunday. Tickets are $75.90 for general admission, $86.90 for VIP, $108.90 for Golden Circle and $42.90 for children. For advance reservations or ticket information, contact 702-737-2515.
DIVE INTO DINO'S
Got this next item from Anthony Curtis, owner of the Las Vegas Advisor. This will mean more to the few of you who've seen the new poker movie Lucky You, but you don't have to have seen it to get the gist. In the movie, the goal of an aspiring entertainer (Drew Barrymore) is to play Dino's in Las Vegas. Dino's? There's no Dino's in Las Vegas, right?
Wrong. There is a Dino's and the movie filmed there-for exterior shots, that is. The inside shots of a swanky club were done on an L.A. sound stage, pretty much because they had to be. You see, the real Dino's is, shall we say, a bit earthy. This joint, located directly across the street from the Olympic Garden strip club, was named "Best Dive Bar" in this year's "Best of Las Vegas" poll, and with good reason. Billing itself as "The Last Neighborhood Bar in Las Vegas," Dino's has pool tables, no kitchen, 6/5 Jacks or Better video poker, $1.50 draft beer, and, we think, several of the original customers from when it opened in 1962.
A TOUCH OF JAZZ
For you jazz fans, the Rampart Casino will be showcasing some of Las Vegas' finest jazz artists in June. The shows will take place in Addison's Lounge located in the resort and will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. On June 6, David Van Such will perform, followed by the Keith Martin Band June 13. The performers are subject to change, so check with the resort before you go.
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.
