editor's note

Hello
once again i come before you with several reviews of the past week. I finally made the foray into the nightclub scene, we took light casualties so we will try and breakthrough once again. What will happen when we finally breach the defenses? No one knows. Maybe a lost garrison of S.S. German soldiers will be waiting? Maybe a job? Or maybe nothing at all but a 50 year old woman thanking me for the "ride". I'm hoping to surprise a group of Mexican Immigrants hellbent on the Invasion of our land. Maybe we can come to terms and i'll become the war reporter i've always wanted to be. Enjoy the reviews and "please come again"!

JET @ The Mirage

JET at the Mirage
Whoa I’ve finally done it! I’ve been seduced by the darkside and I ventured out to a nightclub on the Strip. Sat night the Yankees are on TV and I get a call from a local promoter. “Yo just tell em your on the list. It’s under your name. You bringing girls?” I replied: “Uh yes of course who do you think I am? I’ll bring a legion of women. Can I still get in if I bring a 6, 2 Filipino and a Chinese National?”
It’s all set I’m rested after the night before. First Friday was ok and it was my first Friday that I’ve stayed home in a month. So now I’m ready to review this club. One of the newer spots in Vegas, high society all the way with little in the equation for journalistic integrity. I call up my friend Jules: “Hey come over I got plenty of beers and alcohol” he says. I peeked in my fridge and counted 3 beers. It wasn’t the bottom of the 7th inning and I hightailed it to Jules’ house.
A Spanish guy, Filipino and Chinese National all drinking Jack Daniels, sound like a joke? It wasn’t we were discussing the economic present and future of China. Why mention Latin America we all know what’s happening. I brought extra ID just in case I got pulled over. Minutemen militias are roaming everywhere these days and if I forget who the President is under questioning I may be deported. They will never believe I’m a California resident let alone being from N.J. Righties have a very limited imagination. If you say something to them that blows their mind they’ll clam up and draw a weapon.
We got through a few beers and a half bottle of Jack before we left. I remember thinking: “I’ve never had Asian friends before”. The night was young I couldn’t be sure until this mission was accomplished if I could count them as friends!
“Just valet the bitch” was Jules’ parking recommendation. We entered Mirage and the place was packed with Women and Dudes. It was like the Clone Wars. I made the mistake of handing Jules my can of Budweiser while I went to check the list. We had to wait for 20 mins. I felt like a complete jackass. It was made worse by having to pay to enter the club. The evils and over indulgencies of man set me back 30.00!
The club was packed beautiful women everywhere! Dancing and slithering about ready to test my bankcard. I was dumbfounded and perplexed. I came for a review but had no reference contact, no one to talk to. Then again who did I need to talk too? This was a club backed by corporate sponsors. I know there are clubs that presumably have a uniqueness that demands attention. However JET was like any average club, no larger than a medium sized place, perhaps the size of an indoor basketball court. VIP seating was nestled right outside the dance floor. Semi hot women were dancing like sirens tempting you to enter the forbidden VIP roped area. Fuel by Grey Goose and upper’s these women were in their element. I could feel the darkside taking hold and tempting me.
Ill be honest the music here left much to be desired. A mixture of top 40 with that never-ending 90’s summer music. Why can’t people just get over that shit and move on? I said the same thing about The Whiskey. You throw on “House of Pain” and the white kids go nuts! As much as I wanted to have fun I kept thinking this place was exclusive for tourists and tourists alone. That opinion might change if given the right circumstances, but for right now ill give JET a lukewarm review.
Highlights
Beautiful women and well mannered staff, despite being 3 guys they let us in pretty quickly. The bouncers in the club were gracious and friendly. One even went so far as to introduce me to several ladies. Too bad I couldn’t hear a word they were saying. There is nothing really to negative to say other than change the music to something more…I don’t know …cool? Prepare to pay out the nose when you visit these clubs but that’s a given. If you go to any of these clubs with 20.00 in your pocket you’re screwed. Never mind buying some skeez a drink you couldn’t buy yourself one!
I would consider going back like I said the circumstances would have to be right.

First Friday

My First Friday
Since the massive push by the local Las Vegas political machine to improve deteriorating downtown a year and change ago, the area is becoming home to local artists and local galleries. First Friday is an event that takes place…yes you guessed it! The first Friday of every month! The concept is not a new one, this happens in a lot of metropolitan areas. I believe San Diego hosts a wimpish first something. I’ll admit I’ve received invites to attend the galleries in SD but honestly the amateurish artwork intermixed with superhuman egos always leaves me feeling empty inside. No amount of booze can fill the emptiness. I always opt for meeting up afterwards or not at all.
First Friday here in Vegas is a much more involved situation. Certain streets are shut down to provide a carnival atmosphere where all the mutants can come out and showcase their unusual means of expression. The city offers a trolley service for tourists and locals. You have to get there early or parking like I found out is a pain. I met my host for the evening at a Mexican restaurant called Casa de Don Juan, a local Mexican restaurant with above average food and a decent bar selection. Natalie was already waiting for me. When I approached she had the immediate look on her face like she had ordered rolled tacos and was mistakenly brought the Filet Mignon. Unexpected but not unwelcome very curious indeed. The people sitting next to us had ordered a massive plate of grilled chicken. I know that sounds good to the rest of you but I was fighting tidal waves of nausea at the first whiff. My host was ready to leave and I was ready to end my vomit streak!
After a quick “smoke” we headed in the general direction of the galleries. I had no idea where we were going and neither did Natalie. I began to notice that a lot of the galleries were located between E. Charleston and Wyoming. Off we went to explore our first Friday.
The galleries we passed through were a mix of furniture shops highlighting interior design and amateur “urban” art. I’m still trying to determine the whole urban art meaning. One of the galleries we visited had some great interior design concepts that on a good financial day, I would incorporate into my own living space. The art on the walls was a bit inconsistent. I began to make this known to my host. She stayed quiet and I knew right away someone was listening. The artist had been shadowing us. Shit I hate these awkward moments. I know what I want to say but I am way too twisted to really communicate on a diplomatic level. “Uh yes I really enjoy your work. Seems consistent in a very inconsistent way…nice”. He just stared at me handed me a flyer and we left. This is how it went for a while. I was doing the baton race with every gallery we went into. The artists would hand over a sheet of paper and a card. I would twist the paper up and hold it until we got to the next spot. I would then toss the baton in the garbage and get handed a new paper and card and so on. What can I say about First Friday? It is actually a really cool event for local artists. I’ll admit that type of art and the level of artistic skill were above average. Some of the artists had a theme that was consistent with everything they were showing. The urban stuff was amateurish and the artists didn’t seem to care. If they could get a couple of hundred from the older couple who only want to “get it” then why not? Some of the presentations lacked an openness; at times it felt like we were crashing a private party a couple of 18 year olds were having while Mummy and Dad were away.
The skilled Artisans were situated near a Lesbian rally disguised as a “Woman’s Awareness” show. If you guessed acoustic music with Lesbians incognito or otherwise, you guessed correctly. My host wasn’t sure what she was looking at, but I was and I didn’t care if they snatched her up and sold her to a casino. I was getting tired and wanted to go home. The artisans were displaying jewelry they claimed were: “one of a kind”. A good sales pitch if I ever heard one. The items were nice and it was good to see local weirdo’s being crazed and making money without a large corporate meat grinder waiting in the wings. The whole idea of a first Friday is a good one. Tourists who really want to see what the locals have to offer should check this event out.
My review sounds harsh and empty. I don’t reference any galleries nor artists and I won’t either because my experience here was so fast and loose. If the galleries had made more of an effort to get people into their space then perhaps names would appear. Besides it was dark and my host had a friend in need and I had a liver in need of rest. We parted ways with a nice hug goodbye and I went home and passed out.