1. Mama Luigi’s west of Ft. Apache on north side….owners Tom & MaryLou from Plainfield, NJ. They use the top grade of mozzarella available. Try their cannoli’s also….to die for!

2. I stayed in the Hard Rock over Labor Day weekend last year. There is a real good pizza joint in the shopping center right across from the Hard Rock hotel. I don’t remember the name, but it was the same strip mall as the Walgreen’s/CVS. I ate there like 3 times it was that good.

Strip Steak in Mandalay is kind of the opposite – one of the most overpriced restaurants I’ve ever seen… I don’t think there is a cut of meat under $70 on the menu.

I think Rao’s in Caesars is kind of overrated… I’ve been twice and was not blown away either time… maybe I was just ordering the wrong things.

A.J.’s Steakhouse in the Hard Rock = damn good.

SW steakhouse at the Wynn = even better than AJ’s Steakhouse. Our food was comped, so I didn’t pay attention to the prices but I think it was up there. Definitely worth it, though. Get the truffled creamed corn as a side. Absolutely incredible.

Lawry’s has the best Prime rib in the world. Its also very old school in a fun way. It’s not on the strip but its close by.

Circus Circus has a surprisingly good steakhouse.

Luxor Steakhouse was excellent. I also went to Smith & Wollensky, but I thought Luxor
was much better.

You HAVE to go to CarneVino in the new part of the Venetian. It’s a Mario Betalli restaurant. It is by far the best steak I have ever had in my life. The way it is set up is amazing. It has a variety of amazing starters (I recommend the lamb ragu). Steaks are aged in a private facility – never had a better meal in my life.

A family friend says that the best steak he’s ever had is at Robert’s Steak House. Never heard of it? That’s because it’s in the Penthouse Club on the West Side Highway. Not exactly the most family friendly place. He started the conversation with: “So, how do you and your parents feel about topless women?”

This invitational is annually played in October (dates vary) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament is played either at the TPC at Summerlin or the TPC at the Canyons. If you’re a golf fan, you might consider planning your Las Vegas vacation around this event. The 2008 tournament will be hosted by Justin Timberlake and called Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

This year the tournaments purse was about $4,000,000 with $720,000 going to the winner of the tournament.

George McNeill won the 2007 Frys.com Open benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Troy Matteson won the Frys.com Open in 2006.

They first began playing this PGA tournament in 1983; back then it was a 5 round tournament played on several courses. Now it’s a 4 round tournament on one course.

Tiger Woods had his first win at this invitational, at least his first recorded PGA tour win. This was in 1996.

Do any of you remember Caesars Palace, 1987, Marvelous Marvin Hagler vs Sugar Ray Leonard? Leonard won on points and Hagler still argues the decision (as do some boxing afficionados).

If that’s going too far back, how about MGM, 1997, Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield? Holyfield had beaten Tyson a year earlier and for the rematch the fighters received $30,000,000 each. Tyson bit off some of Holyfield’s ear in the third round. The referee, Mills Lane, disqualified Tyson. Tyson was then suspended from boxing.

After that, Vegas toned down the fights and tried to become more family friendly, but the last few years have seen more and more big fights in Vegas since family friendly doesn’t really do as much for casino earnings as the high rollers who are attracted by big name boxing matchups.

Here are a few of the Las Vegas boxing venues and some tips for getting decent tickets:

Mandalay Bay (1-877-632-7800) will have many of Vegas’ bigger boxing matches. It’s big so you can get relatively cheap seats but do that and you’ll need binoculars. The seats with a decent view will run you $100 at the very least. I like Mandalay Bay boxing because there isn’t too much downtime between matchups.

MGM (1-877-880-0880) will have even bigger fights than Mandalay Bay. The cheap seats (like $50) are crazy far away from the action. You’ll need to spend real money for a view because even people who buy $100 tickets might end up watching the monitor.

Thomas and Mack (866-388-3267) is another big venue. Expensive to park, expensive to buy a beer, expensive to get a seat with a view.

Orleans (800-675-3267) is the place to go if you want to spend $50 and get seats where you can actually see some of the action. This is a solid choice for Vegas boxing.

Hotel Deals (from Fri July 6th – Sun July 8th
Terrible’s Casino – $213.81 (standard room)
Riviera – $301.68 (standard room)
New Frontier – $304.63 (standard room)
Circus Circus – $317.91 (standard tower)
Stratosphere – $348.83 (standard tower)
MonteLago Village Resort – $442.68 (one bedroom suite)
Imperial Palace – $465.60 (deluxe room)
The Ritz-Carlton in Lake Las Vegas – $465.58 (standard)
The Platinum Hotel – $484.93 (Solitaire Room)
Signature at MGM Grand – $533.51 (junior suite)
Mirage – $578.21 (standard room)
Venetian – $ 720.45 (Bella Suite Queen)

If you get married in las Vegas over this weekend in a room booked by vegas.com, and then fax vegas.com a copy of your wedding license, they’ll discount your room 21 per cent.

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Thetradeshow is happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

We stayed at the Wynn this year even though they have the stuffiest late night gambling scene in Vegas — $50 and up tables and a crew of rich middle-aged gamblers who all look like they were extras in “Igby Goes Down” or “The Ice Storm.” If you ever wanted to play blackjack with surly divorced women working on their 19th glass of pinot grigio, or 55-year-old guys wearing suits and calling each other “Trip” and “Hunter,” this is the place for you.

He also calls McCarran Airport “The Seventh Circle of Hell” on Fridays and Sundays.

It is located just 5 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel has a free shuttle that runs on a schedule basis that runs from the hotel to the Strip. There are many great restaurants located in the South Point. There is a 24-hour American and Chinese Café, a deli for casual dining; there is even Italian, Mexican and Seafood eateries onsite. Then there is always room service that is available 24 hours a day.

The pool area is one of the best areas in the hotel, they have a large pool and a children’s pool, a spa and a poolside bar. If you are into sports then feel free to enjoy the hotel’s sand volleyball court. If you are not an outdoor person, there are many things to do inside such as gambling in the hotel’s large casino or there is a movie theatre, a bowling alley and an equestrian center (outdoors). There are small fees that apply for those activities.

The rooms are available in single and double and if you are interested there are suites available. The rooms are air-conditioned, have plasma TVs, a separate sitting area with couch, a writing table and a view of the strip or the mountains. The mountains offer a beautiful sunrise and sunset and the electric lights of the strip are spectacular.

Other amenities include an arcade game room, a ballroom for parties, dry cleaning services, room service, fitness center, full service spa, gift shops, Atm machine (of course) and a steam room.

Out of all of the hotels on and near the strip, this hotel offers as much if not more than some of the hotels on the strip itself. If you are planning a trip to Vegas and are still choosing a hotel, consider this one.

There are single rooms, double rooms and non smoking rooms are available if you request them. Each room has a coffeemaker and cable TV, plus wireless Internet access. The rooms surround the courtyard and have that old west feel. There is a pool and a fitness center on site.

There is a 24-hour casino available. They feature the standard Vegas games, slot machines, and table games such as roulette, craps and baccarat.

There are many restaurants that you can enjoy when you stay at the Palace, some of the eateries are Pizza Palace, Pasta Palace and for seafood lovers the Broiler and Oyster Bar.

There is even a pub called Jack’s Irish pub, they serve real Irish beer, and such foods as stew and the famous corned beef and cabbage. Live music is available nightly. If you are looking for a hotel that is close to the strip but away from the hustle and bustle of the strip, then come try Palace Station.