I want to warn everyone about a newer system called Real Pageants, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, but…read moreexpanding to California and Tennessee. This pageant is a scam, full of fraud, disorganization, and ran unfairly. Here are my complaints. The state director committed fraud by stealing advertising money that was meant for a state program book. Those advertisers paid to have their ads in this book for everyone in attendance to see. There was no program books at all during the entire pageant weekend. Yet she awarded a most ads sold title. I sold ads. These sponsors will not trust buying ads to help these girls in the future since they were lied to and received no public exposure for their business. The state director also stole money from the contestants and their families/friends by offering a people's choice award. It was posted on Pageant planet and money/votes were rolling in. She never mentions it again, and no people's choice award was given. The directors had their own children competing for the State titles. It was public knowledge who all of the directors and their children were. There was never any mention of them competing prior to the pageant to address any parents concerns. Of course, those children were crowned the state royalty. 4 out of 7 titles were awarded to the directors children. The age divisions were clearly laid out, yet she had older girls competing in the younger divisions. (These girls were directors kids as well). There was not a single time during any discussion, prep talks, the rules/paperwork, or anywhere that allowed for older girls to fallback into a younger division. Of course, these girls were the winners. Keeps trying to have my review removed.

Nothing is perfect especially when it's new. At the state pageant each contestant was supposed to…read morereceive a program handbook. We all sent in pictures and some people sold ads. Unfortunately, the director had been scrambling around two weeks prior getting everything together, taking care of her daughter who had surgery and was in a wheel chair and she and her husband rescued a teen trapped in his car that was on fire and they had to go get checked out. Not one parent asked or complained about not getting a program because the director had communicated with each of us about everything that had been going on and honestly I didn't care about a program.The pageant only consisted of the contestants and a few of their family members so even if we didn't get the programs that week the director has all of our addresses and phone numbers to send a copy and the same eyes would see the advertisements.There was no scam and it wasn't intentional. I had the opportunity to have my oldest daughter be chosen for an appointed royalty title as an ambassador for Real Pageants for it's 1st year. Also appointed was 3 of the director's daughters & a few other girls. When it came time for state, I knew how many titles and how many contestants it was. All the girls did a great job and either way some would win a title and some wouldn't. If I recall, before any title was announced, the director gave one of the ambassador titles to one of her daughter's. At first I was upset because it meant that one of the contestants wouldn't have a title. After everything was explained, and another child was also given an appointed title who didn't compete nor is related to the director, I understood what was happening and I was okay with that. However, there were many positives: crowns, sashes, crown boxes were top notch and carefully chosen for both royalty groups plus the new group received beautiful custom garment bags, each family gifted the royalty girls who worked hard all year, there were several events each month which allowed the girls and us parents to bond and become a family, and so much more. We did so many community service projects that my 6 year old developed compassion for those in need and she influenced her 5 year old sister to get involved. All rules for the pageant were online, Facebook, or sent via text message. The director had Facebook lives where we as parents could ask questions and we also had her phone number.The good outweighs the bad and the bad is really an isolated incident that could have easily been fixed with a little communication. Also, the judges were not aware of who was who and didn't know any contestants so their scoring was based on the contestants performance. My girls will compete in this system and hopefully be royalty again until they are done doing pageants or age out.

PROS: + Gorgeous views for all runs!…read more+ Options for half marathon, 10K, or 5K distance + Professional timing (Fusion) and photos (Endurance) + Stylish tee and snazzy finishers medal + Light breakfast at finish line (bagels, trail mix, bananas) CONS - Vague directions, no posted signage: next time, even just a logo sign with an arrow indicating which exit to take and how far down to go to the meeting point would be appreciated. Even going just one exit too far takes you all the way to Arizona. - Parking was a disaster with one person pointing where to turn in to a field with gravel and shrubs but no one directing cars to actual rows/spaces. Hopefully no one got a flat. - Considering the price of the race itself was ($45) I was annoyed to also have to pay $10 entry fee to the park, cash only (but they did mention this ahead of time). - Disliked how the course started with an immediate incline, and ended with us facing directly into the sun (downside to an out-and-back route). Not ideal for the finish-line photos, either. Despite the drawbacks (mostly related to the location), I would participate in this event again. Hopefully some of these simple organization strategies could be implemented to make it a more enjoyable time for all. As a personal pet peeve, I would do away with allowing strollers on the run. I saw two fanatical stroller parents almost mowing people down, and others having to stop repeatedly forcing traffic to go around them.

I have been to the Mike Rayburn and Friends show 2 times and I will say... This is a very low cost…read moreand very entertaining show. It opened with a magician doing some basic magic tricks one night and the other night it opened with the guy that does impersonations of other musicians and I have to say it was hysterical. Mike comes out and being a classically trained musician I was expecting slow classic jams but oh boy was it anything but. I was amazed at the technique and degree of difficulty of some of the stuff that Mike plays. This show is family safe and great for kids as well as long as they like music. To see a grown man sing green eggs and ham while playing led zeppelin or singing I got friends in low place to a bob Marley song was more than entertaining. The show was great!! Definitely worth the $20 show ticket.

Watch your step! You…read moredon't want to step in vomit. It's packed here even on week nights. Walking and visiting the strip is an experience. Starbucks is double the price it'll be if you're away from the strip. They more than the cost at the airport.

Arriving in a modern-day Babylon such as this is a sheer indulgence to behold. Towering buildings…read moretouching the sky - appearing before one's eyes as if a mirage. So-named "Sin City" for good reason - the greed and excitement are delightfully palpable... money can indeed provide happiness, as evident here with the smiling faces of those testing their monetary accumulations, with yelps of joy and spinning wheels, long-legged and long-haired beauties undulating through the smoke-filled air - a pleasure to behold and experience... A celebration of the so-called "Seven Deadly Sins" here resplendent, where Mammon reigns supreme, as we dip into the fountains of fortune, immersed in opulent revelry. Worlds condensed into blocks, hypnogogic dimensions, total environments aglow in eerily dazzling light. Other cities could take a lesson from Vegas, visually stunning in creativity, replicating eras to vibrant life, creating a surreal atmosphere of timeless wonder. However, outside the strip itself is the middle of nowhere, the local cities have a small town feel, set in a desert, a literal caldera, with the hottest place on the planet "Death Valley" nearby. Overall Vegas may be fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Great free event held at the South Point arena with archers from 55 countries. Over 4500 archers…read morecompeted it's my favorite event every year with lots of stadium seating and food for sell. Shout out to all the archers who hit the bullseye every time.

The Las Vegas Super is now located in Laughlin, NV which is about 90 miles from Las Vegas. The…read moreVenus is in a good location for people traveling to the race. All the casinos/hotels (Tropicana, Edgewater, Aquarius etc...) are about a 15/20 minute walk to the race site so you don't have to drive over if you don't want to. The festival area for spectators watching the race can see the competitors do about 7 of the 25 obstacles on the course. The course is one of the flatter spartan races on the west coast. The most challenging part of the actually course itself if a lot of the trail is sand like. So there's either sand like gravel or sand like dust that's a little hard to get a decent running stride on because it moves so much. But other than that it's a real fun race, if you've traveled into Laughlin and are staying for the weekend you won't have a long drive back anywhere post race since all the hotels are near by.

I hate to have to do this on social media but people need to be aware. I was so excited for my…read morefirst spartan race this coming weekend in las Vegas . I unfortunately tore my hip flexor and will be out 3 months. Per spartan not only will they not give me a refund for my purchased ticket, if I want to transfer it would cost me another $35. I wrote them and they said there is nothing they can do so I am now out $160. Be aware if you sign up they will not refund you even if you are injured.

Being a big music fan with a wealth of useless knowledge, I was excited when I got free tickets…read morethrough work. There's a separate line where you sign a waiver and receive a name tag to have the chance to be a contestant. Our seats were the first 2 seats at the center table. I had my neck tilted up to the left the entire time but no big deal. There was a warm up guy with a synthesizer just picking random people in the crowd to go toe to toe in "Name That Tune" with a little bell they hit when they recognized the song. I couldn't help but think that people backstage were watching this and noting who knew songs and didn't. Winners of the warm up got a NTT keychain. Whoopee. I've seen the hosts Chris Phillips and Marley Taylor during their nighttime gig as Zowie Bowie a few times. They're entertaining for sure but I was disappointed they were singing to backing tracks instead of their great band. Then again, its a 3pm show at Imperial Palace! I couldn't expect IP to afford the whole group. It must be weird for them to perform in front of so many sober people. So the show kicks off with an explanation about the show and the first round. They go through five rounds and ten people are called up each time. Each contestant has a buzzer and the first two people to get 2 songs advance to the second round. Those 2 sit on the side of the stage til the final 10 are determined. The remaining people go back to their seats with a keychain (hmm) and they call up 10 more. The majority of songs played were pre 1980's and the only song played from the last 5 years was Taio Cruz's "Dynamite". They were just catering to the majority of the audience. I was chomping at the bit since I knew all the songs being played. Most people were able to name the tunes within 5 seconds. I finally got called in the last round. After a couple of mistimed clicks on my buzzer, I was able to name 2 songs first ("Janie's Got a Gun" and "Its Tricky"). Round 2 was the "bid a second" round where Zowie Bowie gives us a clue about the song and then we go head to head versus another contestant to see how many seconds it would take for us to recognize the song starting with 10 seconds all the way to 1. There were some pretty big chokes this round like calling a song "Moulin Rouge" instead of "Lady Marmalade" and nobody recognizing Warrant's "Heaven". Really??? Maybe I'VE got the problem :P I was fortunate enough to know the songs by the clue so I got both of mine in "1 second". They were "Welcome to the Jungle" and "I'm the Only One". Contestants eliminated in this round got Mac King tickets (best daytime show!). Round 3 had 5 people left. They wheeled out 5 little markerboard desks with blinders so you couldn't peek at anyone else's. The DJ plays 10 songs in 30 seconds twice and we had to write down the correct title of the song. The theme was "American Idol Winners". I thought this wouldn't be a problem since I did watch most seasons and knew who the winners were. (Yeah yeah..go ahead and make fun of me.) But the songs went so freakin quick at not so obvious parts that I was only able to clearly identify 3 out of 10! I resigned myself to winning 2 tickets to Frank Marino's Divas (ugh) and sitting the eff back down. After realizing that I screwed up Kris Allen song's title, I knew I was done for sure. I put "Live like you're dying" instead of "we're". I only had 2 songs correct...and...I...WON! Only one other contestant was able to recognize even one song! So now its just me. They roll out a big timer, a clear plastic box with $10K in it and I have to name 15 songs in 60 seconds. I was able to name the first 5 tunes in 20 seconds. The host asks me how I feel and I say "I'll be fine as long as there aren't any metal songs" secretly hoping they actually play a metal song (they didn't). I'm up to 8 songs with 20 seconds left and they play the first song I don't know called "Pennies in Heaven". I had 2 "lifelines" and used one of them to pass on this song. The other one was to poll the audience. With 15 seconds left and 7 songs to go I knew I had to rush. I also knew this DJ was going to throw a country song at me that I wouldn't know. I hastily guessed the next song as Led Zep's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and was wrong. I actually didn't know the tune played and don't remember the title they said. My brain shutdown when they told me I was wrong. Sigh. I ended up winning passes to the IP Spa (they have one?) and a tour of Red Rock City (what?) with some tour group. I obviously had fun but it was disappointing too. Have drinks beforehand! I hope Zowie Bowie's day job works out for them!!

My husband and I planned our anniversary around this foodie event and it was phenomenal. We're…read morealready planning on going back if they hold it next year, it was just beyond words amazing. This spectacular event was held around the pools of the Palazzo hotel and featured 75 restaurants and beverage companies offering small plates of savory gourmet food, beer, wine, cocktails and desserts for one all inclusive price. From well known restaurants like Tao and B&B Ristorante to smaller establishments like Herbs & Rye, this event had a wide variety of offerings to please every foodie! From octopus, to Forbidden Rice to every kind of steak you can imagine, our taste buds were not disappointed! Restaurants included: AquaKnox B&B Burgers & Beer B&B Ristorante Blue Martini Lounge Bouchon Buddy V's Burger Bar Canonita Canyon Ranch Grill Carmine's Carnevino Culinary Academy LV db Brasserie Delmonico Steakhouse DolceVita Gelato Envy Steakhouse Ferraro's Gilley's Hash House a Go Go Herbs & Rye Il Mulino Illy Coffee Lagasse's Stadium LAVO Lyfe Kitchen McCormick & Schmick's Mint Indian Bistro Origin India Otto Enoteca Pemberton Distribution Company Phil's Steakhouse Postrio Public House Seafood Shack Simon Restaurant & Lounge South Italy Imports Southern Wine & Spirits STK Stoli Strip House Sushi Roku SushiSamba Table 10 TAO Asian Bistro Texas de Brazil The Bourbon Room The Capital Grille VOSS Water Wirtz Beverage Nevada Zine Noodles Dim Sum Beverages were provided by: Wirtz Beverage Nevada Brands Include: Brown-Forman, Diageo, Jackson Family Fine Wines, J Lohr, Kobrand, Stella Artois, Rum Chata/Tippy Cow, Infinium Spirits, Proximo, Tito's, William & Grant, Bacardi, Voss Water.