Neon Museum Vist

I have to tell you, a few days ago, Lisa and I did one of the things that seemed the coolest event of the year. If I had a ‘Bucket List’ there would be line drawn through it for this event. She and I went to the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas.

I’ve always wanted to go there, however, generally you have to make an appointment and they have to approve you for it, but she spotted a three hour open house on Twitter. (Thanks, Lisa.) I tried to take some of the boys there one other time, but there were no spots open for months later, so we went to see the ones that were downtown and open to the public. Check out that photo gallery on www.PartyWithBrandon.com.

Now for the new photos though. Take a look at the 100 and some photos I snapped while walking around the restricted area. …most of them are totally random and of nothing but the former glory.

I did some quick research and gathered that the actual address is not public, but um, hello, you can identity it on person and on Google Maps. I also found out that YESCO owned many of the signs and the land that the museum is on. Tricky, but cool. Thanks, YESCO.

What ruminants of the shiny Las Vegas lights do you see in my photo gallery?
I see:

1. Stardust
2. Caesar's Palace (…one of my favorites.)
3. The La Concha Motel
4. The Barbary Coast
5. The Golden Nugget (It looks like a few incarnations.)
6. The Algiers
7. Las Vegas Casino
8. Binions (I am not sure though.)

I wonder if you can spot anymore that I missed though. Please help me identify as many as we can in the comments below.

One of the current items that I chuckled at is that I think the new company logo for the museum looks like one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and their habits. The logo is actually the moved hotel lobby from the ‘La Concha’ that is under construction to be turned into a tourist welcome center. I think that was by where the Rivera is now.

Want to find out more? I totally did. Check out http://www.neonmuseum.org/orhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Electric_Sign_Company.

If you have the opportunity, I totally recommend taking advantage of any opportunity you may have to see such a unique place to honor Las Vegas history as it burns out, but does not disappear.

Frank Marino's Show Ends

Frank Marino's show at the Riveria has ended. ...abruptly at that.
Check out this story in the Las Vegas Night Beat magazine.

HERE's the story online in the Las Vegas Sun, HERE on WJTV and HERE on BroadwayWorld. (...which covered it well.)

...but Frank has not done by any means, he's upping the ante and has a new show in mind that is updated.
Check out the article to the right from QVegas.

Recently Rusty called me late one night and told me, "Joan Rivers" is on my flight in first class.
I told him, "Go up to her and say, "Oh my goodness, Frank Marino." and she what she does.
He called me back and said, I did it and she smiled and said,"Have a good night."

I can't wait to see what's next.

Frank and his boyfriend are amazing people and we have had the pleasure of having him host at some of our events.
He's a Las Vegas icon.
...for goodness sake, he has his own street in Las Vegas, Frank Marino Drive.
...and a bobblehead. (I am so jealous of that.) I want to be a bobble head.
You know who else likes bobble heads? ...a certain knighted singer/star. I hear he has a whole collection of them. ...hundreds literally.

Angel & Brandon at the Peppermill in Las Vegas

When Angel and I went to Las Vegas last week, we went to dinner at the "Peppermill" in Las Vegas with Lisa after our business mixer at the QVegas 30th anniversary party. (Here's one more photo of Angel and I before the meeting that Lisa took.)

We had a gaudy good time with the purple and pink neon that is the Peppermill. It makes me think I am in a limo ride from the 80's, but who cares - it was fun.

Here are some photos from Lisa including when this homeless man approached Angel and I in front of the sign asking us for bus money. He used the diabetic card and told us his blood sugar was really high and his insulin bottle broke. Now my mom has been diabetic since she was two and I felt bad, but didn't have any cash with me.

We took a couple of photos that we can use in our JustUsBoys column this time of us on the phone with Lisa's gigante 14.2 megapixel camera.

Las Vegas Lucky Chengs

Lucky Chengs moved locations in Las Vegas. They moved from being across from the Stardust (...which is now dust in the ground after being imploded last month.) to being across from Krave. Good move. (I mean that in a few ways.)

Go to www.luckychengsrestaurant.com to find out more about both locations in Las Vegas and in New York. (There used to be one in Miami and in New Orleans, but they have since disappeared.) I have been able to visit them all at one point or another.

The concept of the dining experience is fabulous. The waitresses are really waiters. It's drag divas serving up delicious dishes. HOT!
However, I was not impressed with the two times I had been to the Vegas location. The service was atrocious and the food was mediocre, served cool and took forever to make it to the table.
I do want to give it another chance now, especially since it's in a new location.

The area around Gipsy, GetBooked, FreeZone and some other gay establishments is commonly referred to in Las Vegas as the "Fruit Loop" since all the buildings are located in one area.
If Lucky Chengs is located across from Krave that means two new and big name gay themed businesses are located in what could be a new "Fruit Loop." (However, they both play heavily on being accepting of straight folk as well, so....)