A Haunting We Go

Seeing as this is Las Vegas, or as many of you like to call it, "Sin City," I guess I should mention that although we Las Vegans celebrate Halloween just like everyone else in the country -- buying a ton of candy to give out to little munchkins who come to the door, hold a giant bag wide open and have no idea what you mean when you say "Trick or Treat." When it comes to Halloween the only words they know are "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" Why do you think I never stay home on Halloween?

But we also realize that Halloween can be a fun time for the adults and no one knows this more than Studio 54 inside MGM Grand as it presents its 10th annual Halloween celebration "Nightmare on 54th Street." Through Wednesday, Oct. 31, Studio 54 will host the spookiest Halloween soirees on The Strip as it transforms into a playground complete with scintillating devils and seductive angels.

As always, there will be spine-chilling costume contests, cash prizes totaling nearly $10,000 and eerie special live performances and acts. So dress in your Halloween best as the winner for sexiest, best group, best drag and best overall will walk away with cold hard cash.

Here's the Halloween lineup:
• Friday, Oct. 26: The sexy spider girls will entertain as they spin, swoop and swing on the aerial webs and ghost bungees. Throughout the evening, sexy dancers and performers will recreate scenes from Michael Jackson's Thriller and a new erotic production Xtremity will take the stage.
• Saturday, Oct. 27: Adding to the Halloween madness, the second night welcomes the first of three costume contests under 54's crescent moon for most erotic and original costumes.
• Tuesday, Oct. 30: The "Nightmare on 54th Street" continues with special guest performances by rap-sensation Paul Wall and hip-hop talent Collie Buddz. Wall and Buddz will take over the stage to bring out the second contest for costume-clad club goers. This is truly a fun event and one of the most popular spots to celebrate Halloween.

SPOOKY SHARK REEF

I mentioned this item briefly last week, but here are more details for a real fun event for the whole family, plus a chance to do a good deed. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is dressing up for Halloween for the sixth consecutive year to give costumed kids all the tricks and treats they seek. For one day only, Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., costumed children 12 and under may go trick-or-treating at the facility for free.

Shark Reef Aquarium, home to more than 2,000 dangerous animals including sharks, crocodiles, sawfish, turtles and piranhas, will transform from an undersea adventure into a haunted tropical reef. Rattling chains, creaking doors and hauntingly spooky music will replace the normal sounds of the ocean and the jungle. As you walk the aquarium's dark and eerie tunnels, you will pass ghostly decorations and frightening pumpkins lining the walls.

Not all things will be creepy. "Trick or treat" will be the cry of the fearless youngsters who enter this underwater haunted house seeking reward for their bravery and they won't be disappointed as Shark Reef staff will be on hand with treats for the little monsters.

Here's the good deed part. United Blood Services will be joining the Halloween festivities. If you donate or pledge to give blood, you'll get a complimentary entry into Shark Reef Aquarium. The blood drive will coincide with the Haunted Reef on Saturday, Oct. 27. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information call (702) 632-4555.

GIVE BLOOD

And speaking of donating blood, the City of Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services is inviting everyone age 17 and older to help our community by donating blood on Thursday, Nov. 1, between 3 and 8 p.m. at Brinley Community School. Participants will be entered in drawings for fun prizes. Brinley Community School is located at 6150 Smoke Ranch Road. Walk-ins will be welcome, but to make an appointment to donate blood, please call (702) 229-2642.

There are some guidelines, however. Blood donors should weigh at least 110 pounds, not have donated in the past eight weeks (16 weeks for double red cell donors) and not currently be taking antibiotics. You may not donate if you:
• have cold or flu symptoms on the day of donation or do not feel well
• have ever used a needle to take nonprescription drugs
• had hepatitis after the age of 11
• ever had a positive Hepatitis B or C test
• are at risk of catching or spreading the AIDS virus

You should bring photo identification and a list of all medications taken within the past 30 days with you. To help make the donation process faster, United Blood Services provides a convenient form (PDF) online at http://www.unitedbloodservices.org to fill out in advance and bring with you. Everyone's health situation is different, so if you have questions about your eligibility to donate blood, call United Blood Services at (702) 228-4483.

Brinley Community School routinely offers music lessons, parenting workshops, a pre-kindergarten program, after-school programs for youth ages 11 and older, youth and adult sports, and English as a second language for adults. For more information on any of these activities, call (702) 229-2642.

ELLA TRIBUTE

Music lovers are in for a treat Nov. 2-3 as Freda Payne performs "A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald" at the Cannery Casino. Payne, who has drawn the praise of music critics at USA Today, Daily Variety and Los Angeles Times, performs all the classic tunes throughout Fitzgerald's career. I've been fortunate to hear Payne on several occasions and all I can say is that she delivers! What surprises me the most about this gig is that tickets for the performance are only $10. Both shows start at 8 p.m. and you can get tickets at the door.

If you're not familiar with her, read on to see just what you can expect. Payne's career spans more than four decades and includes Broadway, concerts, television and movies. At the age of 17, Pearl Bailey gave Payne her first professional job and paved the way for an extraordinary career that has included sharing the stage with such legends as Lionel Hampton, Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Eckstein, Quincy Jones, Bill Cosby and many others. Her ever-expanding repertoire includes roles in the award winning musical "Blues in the Night" and "Jelly's Last Jam." She has also starred in the Broadway production of Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies," "Ain't Misbehavin' " and the Tony Award-winning production of "Hallelujah Baby." Pretty impressive and well-earned.

KLOK'S TIME IS UP

I don't like to say "I told you so" but illusionist Hans Klok and his sidekick, Pamela Anderson, will be disappearing from Planet Hollywood Dec. 8. Haven't heard if he's landed another gig in town.

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 lennylasvegas@gmail.com Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.