Citywalk

Ask almost any regular Orlando visitor which has the best nightlife options–Universal Orlando’s CityWalk or Disney World’s Downtown Disney–and the majority will say: CityWalk. I would have also said this, even before I visited CityWalk for the first time (mainly because I’m still bitter about Disney shutting down the Adventurer’s Club). And yet if you look at it purely from the numbers, CityWalk offers almost nothing that Downtown Disney doesn’t:

Disclaimer: Numbers are approximate; I may have missed some things.

Is this a case of “perception is reality”? Maybe it’s less about categories and more about specific offerings? Or perhaps it has more to do with the customer demographics at each place? For me, and for other adults traveling without children, CityWalk may be more appealing because it seems to offer a more adult-oriented experience at night than Downtown Disney does. That’s not to say you won’t see children in strollers at CityWalk or that there are no bars in Downtown Disney, but there seems to be a more adult atmosphere at CityWalk.

Nightlife at CityWalk

There is certainly nothing obvious about the retail experiences at each to suggest that one would appeal more to an adult crowd than the other. However, CityWalk does have more chain restaurants that may appeal to the masses (Hard Rock Cafe, Margaritaville, Bubba Gump, etc.) and nightlife options that project more of a “party” atmosphere (Hard Rock Live, Pat O’Briens, Fat Tuesdays, the groove, etc.). This explains why young adults looking for a club scene gravitate to CityWalk, not Disney World.

Hard Rock Cafe CityWalk

CityWalk wins hands-down in terms of ease in getting to it from anywhere else on Universal’s property and then getting around it. Because of how spread out Disney World is, it can take as long as 45 minutes to get to Downtown Disney from certain resorts and parks. Whereas Universal is so compact that CityWalk is a quick walk or boat ride away from any of the furthest points on property. CityWalk is also shaped like a ring, which makes getting around quicker and easier than getting from the far end of Disney’s West Side to the far end of Disney’s Marketplace.

Retail, dining and entertainment at CityWalk

If I thought Disney World executives actually gave a damn about its childless adult guests, I would suggest they made a strategic error by splitting the property’s nightlife options between two distinctly different areas–Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk–which are nowhere near each other.  For guests stuck on site without a car, you have to make a choice about where you plan to spend the evening, either/or. It’s more difficult to move from say, a movie at Downtown Disney’s cineplex to dueling pianos at Jellyrolls on the Boardwalk; whereas it’s quite easy to go from CityWalk’s movie theater to Pat O’Brien’s dueling pianos–which is just up a set of stairs. But ultimately, I don’t think Disney execs care about offering adult-oriented nightlife.

Citywalk is a short (and pretty) walk or boat ride from the resorts

Does this mean I’m going to switch my allegiance from Disney World to Universal? Er, no. What it means is that I can appreciate that each park does some things better than the other, which makes them both equally worth a visit. What Universal does very well is nightlife, and that’s mostly because of CityWalk. Now, your mileage may vary; if you’re a major Disney fan, you may prefer to be surrounded by everything Disney, all the time. But if you’re visiting Orlando and nightlife is very important to you, do yourself a favor and check out CityWalk.

Margaritaville's Porch of Indecision

Have you visited both CityWalk and Downtown Disney? Which did you prefer, and why?

Universal’s CityWalk vs. Downtown Disney is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Blues Guitarist on a street in Montreal

When I travel, I usually visit cities. I’m from the country, and yet I think I might have been a city girl in another life, because I love cities. I love the bustle and the buildings, the ease of getting around on foot or via public transportation, and I love how alive cities feel.  In the sleepy little town I grew up in, there was never anything to do after 5pm except drink at the local bar or sit home and watch TV. But cities have so much to offer. I like to keep busy when I travel (solo or otherwise), and I like knowing there is a variety of activities to keep me busy. Cities have all that. They also have my favorite free/cheap form of entertainment: Buskers (otherwise known as street performers).

Jeannie Mark (@NomadicChick) and I saw the young man in the top photo when we were exploring Old Montreal. He was singing some of the best blues I’ve heard in awhile. We both remarked that we couldn’t believe he didn’t have a gig in a nightclub somewhere. He was fabulous.

Street violinist in Montreal

I also enjoyed this guy playing the violin. I have a soft spot for violinists. It’s not an easy instrument to play, and many people don’t appreciate what it can do. During my trip to Las Vegas in December, I was dining outside one night at Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris hotel. On the sidewalk nearby were three Asian girls, playing Christmas carols on their violins. It really put me in the Christmas spirit. I never did get a photo of them, but as soon as I left the restaurant, I went over and left some money in their open violin case.

New York City is a great place to catch some music on the fly. I’m not crazy about the musicians who hop the subway, play some music, and then pass around a cup.It’s a little too “in your face” at a time when people feel like a captive audience–literally. But I love the street performers you see in the parks and on street corners.

Central Park Musicians

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across these guys making some great music in Central Park on a Monday morning when there was hardly anyone around. They couldn’t possibly have expected to make any money at that time, yet there they were, banging out some good tunes anyway. That’s one of the joys of wandering a city. You just never know what you’re going to stumble across.

Paris had the subway jumping musicians as well, but I preferred the ones who stationed themselves in the metro, either in busy spots or on the platform.  They were a spot of sunshine in an otherwise long, dreary trek through the underground tunnels while changing trains.

Even little ol’ Burlington, Vermont has its buskers.

Busker in Burlington

I’ve seen some really creative buskers on the Church Street Marketplace. It seems to be an environment that encourages performance artists to come out and try new things. I’ve seen magic, acrobatics, fire jugglers, people playing every instrument you can imagine (and some you can’t), the “one man band,” and dancers.

Break dancing in Burlington

Which city that I’ve visited had the best buskers? I’d have to hand that honor to New Orleans. This can’t come as a great shock to anyone, given that New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz. Yet somehow I never managed to take a picture of any of the buskers I saw there. There was a group of young men singing a capella who were better than most of the musicians I stopped to listen to in the bars on Bourbon Street. A sizeable crowd of us gathered around to listen to them, and I would have stayed longer, except it started to rain, and I didn’t have an umbrella. The rain didn’t stop them though. They kept on singing. That’s the life of a busker.

Not all buskers are created equal, of course. For every virtuoso on the violin, there’s a warbler who can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  But you’ve got to give them credit for having the guts to try. So here’s to all those street performers around the world who are out there every day, enchanting visitors to their  cities and giving it their all for the change in our pockets.  Let’s hear it for the buskers!

Let’s Hear it for the Buskers! is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Pete Contino

Do you like going out to hear live music when you travel?  I do.  I rarely go out for live music at home, because I have to get up pretty early for work and our local music venues tend to target a much younger demographic (it’s a college town). So going out to hear live music is a treat for me, and a priority when I travel.   Several Las Vegas resorts have lounges featuring live bands.  Most are cover bands, and most will never be more than that.   The Fontana Lounge at the Bellagio and Margaritaville at the Flamingo are just two of the better venues.  But I like the blues.  What’s a blues lover to do when she wants to hear live music in Vegas?   You could go to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, or the newly-opened BB King’s Blues Club at the Mirage.  But during my September trip, I headed off the Strip for a change to Brendan’s Irish Pub at the Orleans to catch the Pete Contino Band.

Brendan’s Irish Pub lends itself to the solo traveler fairly well.  It has friendly bartenders and a very long bar (although there were fewer stools than there should have been–quite a bit of real estate in front of the bar is wasted on trash receptacles). There is a wall of television sets for the solo who wants to catch the big game, live music for those of us who are music fans, a pool table, and plenty of good drinks.  It’s a lovely pub, with lots of dark wood, a huge mirror with stained glass above it, and old-fashioned lamps hanging from the ceiling.  It seemed to be trying to recall a past era.  The Pub has two drawbacks:

• No bathroom.  You have to go out to the casino and use the closest bathroom out there.  It’s not far away, but it does present a logistical difficulty for the solo traveler.  I had to keep letting the bartender know where I was going and that I would be back, and hope that no one took my seat while I was gone.
• Their food is not made in the Pub.  It’s made over at Fuddruckers (around the corner) and is brought to the Pub by a runner. I saw that in New Orleans once, too, and I just think it’s the strangest practice–ordering takeout from one establishment to eat in another.

These drawbacks fade into the woodwork once the Pete Contino Band takes the stage.   (If the name Contino sounds familiar, it’s because his dad, Dick Contino, was a famous accordionist.) Pete also plays the accordion, which gives his particular brand of blues a cajun or zydeco spin.  It was like being back in New Orleans again.   He is backed by some very talented musicisns–one of whom played slide guitar and harmonica simultaneously. They played some covers, but also some of Pete’s orginal songs.  I was in music nirvana.

I was perplexed by the fact that the Pub was only about a quarter full.  It was a holiday weekend, the Orleans casino was packed.  Couldn’t people hear the great tunes coming out of the Pub?  But then, the night was young.  I stayed until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any more, but left before midnight, which is  considered “early” by Vegas standards.  I was still on East Coast time.  I left happy, though.  I got my fix of good blues music.  I think I might just have to make Brendan’s a regular stop on all my future trips to Vegas.

A Solo Night at Brendan’s Irish Pub is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Photo by Josh Semans, Creative Commons 2.0

Harrahs dueling piano show, featuring identical twin sisters Kimberley and Tamara Pinegar, was the first dueling piano show I ever saw.  I loved the concept of dueling pianos and thought it was a blast.  The crowd was already primed, having just come off a wickedly funny and fun karaoke show.  The twins had a good verbal rapport with each other and the audience; they knew how to engage the crowd, and everyone in the bar participated, singing lustily to great music and making song requests.  The whole room felt awash in a positive buzz.  It was like a lovefest.

The second time I went to see the show was very different.  Now that I was a bit more experienced at this whole dueling piano show thing, it seemed to my jaded eye that the twins spent a little too much time whipping the audience into a bidding frenzy over song requests and not enough time actually playing the songs that were requested.  I don’t think they played an entire song from start to finish the whole time I was there.  One sister would play a few bars of a song while the other sister got someone in the audience to override it with a new request, and this kept going back and forth, with the tips for these requests going as high as $100.  I’m sure they made a  lot of money that night, but it wasn’t as enjoyable for me.  When I go to hear live music, I want to actually hear some music. 

Harrahs Dueling Piano Show

So this time, I went to Harrahs dueling piano show with a bit of a skeptical attitude.  I actually had to stand on the periphery of the bar, since the place was packed.  (That’s what I get for showing up late.)  I was in good company, though; Harrahs dueling piano bar is right off the casino and near the entrance to Carnaval Court, so it tends to draw a lot of curious onlookers who stand near the two threshholds and a large open window area to watch the show.

Van Walraven at the keyboards

As it turned out, there was a slate of revolving pianists that night, with the constant being Mr. Versatility himself, Shaun DeGraff, whom I had enjoyed so much at New York-New York earlier in the week.  One of the twins (I couldn’t tell which one) was playing opposite him when I arrived, but was soon after replaced by Van Walraven, a veteran of the Las Vegas dueling piano scene.   Van and Shaun worked the crowd expertly, and a boisterous good time was had by all. Like Dave at Napoleon’s, Van, too, played harmonica while playing piano during Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”.  He was quite the showman and another incredibly talented pianist.  (If you can’t tell by now, Vegas is full of them!)

I enjoyed this show very much.  It had all the necessary elements–humor, crowd interaction, and great music.  There’s a good long bar here, so if you’re solo, arrive early and snag a seat at the bar.  There are also lots of tables.  If you’d like to make new friends, grab one and offer to share. Just be forewarned that drink prices seem to go up during the show.

The dueling piano show at Harrahs might be for you if:

• You want to be part of a fun, engaged crowd that understands its role in the dueling piano show and will sing with gusto.
• You want a place that has plenty of bar seating for solos.
• You want to see a female dueling piano show. (Though, obviously, there is no guarantee the twins will be playing on the night you go.)
• You want a very casual atmosphere where you don’t have to dress to impress anyone.
• You like upbeat rock music.
• You don’t want to pay a cover.

Thus concludes my series on the dueling piano shows on the Las Vegas Strip. In case you were wondering which show is my favorite, I have to give the edge to Harrahs.  It’s casual, the crowd is always engaged, the music they play here is perfect for my tastes, and there’s no cover. The only time it’s not as enjoyable for me is when the pianists focus too much on the “request wars” and not enough on the music.  And if that’s the case, it’s easy enough to duck out to Carnaval Court to catch the live band playing out there.

Have you been to one or more of these dueling piano shows? Which one is your favorite and why?

(Photo of piano keys by Josh Semans can be found at Creative Commons.)

Dueling Piano Shows, Part IV: Harrahs is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Photo by Josh Semans, Creative Commons 2.0

Of the dueling piano bars on the Strip in Las Vegas, the one at Napoleon’s (Paris Hotel) is the most upscale.  Napoleon’s was established as a champagne and cigar bar, and the decor reflects that.  It’s a little on the stuffy side, but very classy, with leather-upholstered bar chairs, marble floors in a black-and-white checkerboard pattern, and a gorgeous wood bar with what looks like a polished granite top. The tables have candles on them.  The large windows at the front of the bar look out onto the promenade between Paris and Ballys, and the multitudes of tourists who pass by in any given hour.

Napoleons

The bartenders here dress up: long-sleeved white shirts, black vests and black bow ties.  Customers also tended to be better dressed than at the other dueling piano venues and weren’t as visibly drunk as at other shows. On the flip side, there were no light beers on tap and only four boring domestic bottled beers.  So if you’re primarily a beer drinker, you might be a little disappointed with your choices here. The dueling piano show starts at 9pm.  I got there a bit early, so I watched the flat panel TV behind the bar, which was tuned to sports.  Of course.

This show draws a good crowd, and there were other solos there in addition to me.  I sat at the bar, but didn’t really engage with anyone. When I have seen this show in the past, I’ve found it to be pretty subdued compared to the rowdiness of a Harrahs or NYNY.  This time, though, I could see that people were having a great time, they were just a bit more mature and reserved than the crowds at other shows.

Dave Mauk and Scott Nicholson

The pianists were Scott Nicholson and Dave Mauk.   Both were very talented pianists and good singers; I would go see either of them again in any venue. (Which could happen, since I believe Scott plays over at Harrahs dueling piano show, too.)  Dave played a mean harmonica as well as piano for “Piano Man.”  They were very likeable, funny guys with a good rapport.

Napoleons at Paris Las Vegas

The tenor of a dueling piano show does not rest on the shoulders of the pianists alone, however.  The crowd here skewed older than I’m used to at dueling piano shows (someone requested “Blue Moon”), and they seemed not to understand their role in the traditional “call and response” of a dueling piano show.  The pianists clearly knew this, but  gamely played whatever was requested and tried to make it fun by playing it at an uptempo pace.  One thing that really impressed me was that they played whatever was requested without insulting either the songs or the people who requested them.  That’s class.  Little by little, they won the participation of the initially reserved crowd.  Hands were swaying in the air, people were clapping to the beat and singing the parts they were supposed to sing.  Ultimately, it turned into a fun evening.

Napoleon’s dueling piano show might be for you if:

• You’re in the mood for some good, upbeat music played by talented pianists;
• You want a more upscale environment, where you can dress up a bit;
• You don’t want to work quite as hard as you would have to at a rowdier piano bar;
• You want to request atypical songs without being ridiculed for it;
• You want a more mature dueling piano experience;
• Beer is not your drink of choice.

Next up:  A familiar face turns up at Harrahs dueling piano show.

(Photo of piano keys by Josh Semans can be found at Creative Commons.)

Dueling Piano Shows, Part III: Napoleon’s is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Photo by Josh Semans, Creative Commons 2.0

The Palazzo has a dueling piano show in Salute Lounge that starts much earlier in the day than any of the other dueling piano shows on the Strip: It runs from 5:30pm to 1:30 am.  The Lounge is located just off the Casino floor (next to the Jersey Boys Theater), and seems to draw in folks who need a break from gambling (including lots of solos). It also has a video poker bar, so those who don’t want to stop gambling, but would like to enjoy the show, can.

The Lounge has a retro-Vegas feel to it, with lots of zebra stripes in the decor and these overhead hanging lights that reminded me of glowing stalactites.  At the same time, it feels very romantic, because the room is very dark, with tea candles on every table.  Cocktail service was quick and efficient.  The drinks were expensive:  $11 for a small Jack and Coke.  But it did come with a little dish of olives and wasabi peas, which I thought was a nice touch.

I went to this show at around 6pm, not long after it started.  I tell you this because it may be a little unfair to compare this show to those that don’t start until 8pm or later.  Also, I want to add that I have no musical talent whatsoever, so anyone who can just play chopsticks is still one up on me.  That said, this was the worst dueling piano show I’ve ever seen.

Palazzo

In fact, to call it a dueling piano show seems a stretch.  There wasn’t really any dueling going on.  The lounge wasn’t even 1/4 full, and the small audience was pretty subdued.  There was no effort on the part of the pianists to get the crowd into a rowdy mood, and there was no bonding among those of us in the crowd. So it was more like watching a couple of lounge pianists taking requests.

Early on, the requests were few and far between, so the guys played whatever they felt like, and what they wanted to play was pretty lame and always mellow (“Mack the Knife”? Really?).  If that’s a strategy to try to get people to start making requests–it worked. But even once the audience started taking requests up to them, it didn’t help.  Everything they played sounded like elevator music. At one point, a guy requested “Honesty” by Billy Joel–they didn’t know it.  Most pianists would have at least played something else by Billy Joel, but they didn’t do that, either. Someone else requested “Footloose,” which they totally butchered.

I left after an hour because I just couldn’t stand it any more.  It was one of the most painful hours of my life.  Maybe this show picks up steam later on in the evening.  For their sake, I certainly hope so.  As I mentioned in part I of my dueling piano series, pianists at these shows do rotate between venues, so it’s also possible you could hit the show at a time when someone more talented is playing.  Maybe I was just very, very unlucky.  If you’re hell-bent on checking out this show despite what I’ve told you, I would at least recommend that you go later at night.  If I could relive this day, that’s what I would do.

The dueling piano show at Salute Lounge might be for you if:

• You’re staying at the Palazzo or Venetian and don’t feel like roaming further afield for live entertainment;
• You want a break from gambling;
• You want to go to a piano show earlier than 8pm;
• You’re looking for a very mellow piano show with little to no crowd interaction;
• You like snacking on olives and wasabi peas.

Next up:  Napoleon’s dueling piano show at the Paris Las Vegas.

(Photo of piano keys by Josh Semans can be found at Creative Commons.)

Dueling Piano Shows, Part II: Salute Lounge is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

Photo by Josh Semans, Creative Commons 2.0

Las Vegas has no lack of entertainment options both day and night.  You can go to a $100+ show and passively sit in the audience and be entertained; you can spend the night gambling your mortgage away; you can go clubbing; or you can walk up and down the Strip, ogling all the neon (among other things).

One of my favorite activities when I travel is going to hear live music. Over the past year, I’ve developed a particular fondness for dueling piano shows. They’re a good way to feel like you’re surrounded by friends when you’re actually traveling solo.  I loved Pat O’Briens in New Orleans and Jellyrolls at Disney World.  And I have long enjoyed dueling piano shows in Las Vegas.  During my recent trip to Vegas, I went to all four of the dueling piano shows on the Strip to try to get a handle on the individual personalities of each show.  Here is my first review:

The Bar at Times Square

The Bar at Times Square, New York New York:  New York New York’s dueling piano show is the Granddaddy of them all, the one that started the trend, so it’s only natural that this was the first show I checked out. Located in the center of the casino, the bar itself is pub-like, with lots of dark wood.  IF you can grab a seat at a slot or video poker machine outside the bar or a table at the little Italian fast food place across the way, you can still hear the music, but then you’re not really part of it, and it’s not as much fun.

This show has a cover charge. . .if you want to sit at a table. That costs $15.  If you don’t mind standing in a very crowded bar, it’s free. (Forget about grabbing a seat at the bar, there are no bar stools.)  They start allowing people in a little before 8pm.  In the interest of transparency, I need to tell you I received a comp for this show.  I want to thank the good folks at MGM-Mirage Corporation and New York-New York for waiving the $15 cover charge for me so I could review the show for my blog.

If you’ve never been to a dueling piano show, here’s how it works.  The pianists start playing whatever songs they feel like playing, but they really push the crowd to start making requests, because that’s when things get fun.  The “catch”  is that you are expected to tip them for your request.  The bigger the tip, the higher priority your song has.  A $20 song request takes precedence over a $1 song request.  If you’re not going to tip, don’t expect them to play your song.  Plus you’re expected to buy drinks and tip your cocktail waitress, of course.  There is a constant pitch going on during these shows to get people to fork over money.  So dueling piano shows aren’t free, but they’re still cheaper than most ticketed shows, and oftentimes more fun.

On the night I went, the first featured pianists were Al Robinson and Shaun DeGraff.  Al describes himself as “the Joe Pesci of Dueling Pianos” which is about as apt a description of a human being as I’ve ever heard.  He even looks like Joe Pesci. Al is the comedian of the group.  His schtick is that he hates 80s and 90s music and doesn’t hesitate to make vulgar hand gestures to demonstrate his dislike of it. He proves his point about classic rock when he plays a rollicking version of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” that is very high-energy and gets everyone amped.

Shaun is a ridiculously talented young man who should be a big, big star.  He has a knockout voice and can play pretty much anything.  Case in point:  He made a stupid song like “My Dingaling” sound cool, which is not an easy feat.  These two tag-teamed with the second pair of pianists, Eric Meany and Kevin Krohn.  (Kevin has amazing stamina:  He sang Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights,” which is around eight minutes long, without passing out.)

These guys know how to work the crowd, especially with some friendly competition between the standing and sitting sides of the room.  Anyone who is easily offended by sexual innuendo should probably look elsewhere for a show.  Two birthday celebrants in the audience were toasted with incredibly ribald songs and were awfully good sports about it.  You will not likely hear any slow songs or ballads at this bar.  (For the love of God, don’t request Cher or Celine Dion, or you run the risk being ridiculed.)  Upbeat, fast-tempo rock songs were the crowd-pleasers, and what the pianists seemed to want to play.

What’s it like to be here as a solo traveler?  It was fun!  As it turns out, I wasn’t the only person there solo: I sat next to a woman from Ontario who was a hoot.  We kept putting our heads together to try to think of songs to request.  Even if I had been the only solo in the room, it still would’ve been fun, because the crowd was totally into the experience and the pianists were really funny.

One thing I learned during this trip is that the dueling pianists roam around from show to show, so for instance, you might catch one of them playing at New York, New York one night and Harrahs the next night.  So if there’s a particular pianist you enjoy hearing, try to find out where she or he is playing.  If you have any opportunity during your Vegas stay to see Shaun DeGraff perform, you should do it. Check the weekly entertainment schedules in the Vegas papers.

In summary, The Bar at Times Square dueling piano show might be for you if:

• You love a rowdy evening out;
• You thrive on competition;
• You want a high-energy show featuring ridiculously talented pianists;
• You’re not easily offended;
• You want to laugh a lot;
• You don’t mind standing for the whole show or paying a $15 cover charge to sit at a table.

Next up:  The dueling piano show at Salute Lounge at the Palazzo.

(Photo of piano keys by Josh Semans can be found at Creative Commons.)

Dueling Piano Shows, Part 1: NYNY, Las Vegas is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

As I was walking through Paris to Ballys, a woman with a clipboard stopped me and asked me if I would be willing to spend an hour watching a new television show and providing feedback on it.  My compensation for doing this would be either $15 cash or a ticket to the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris.  I wasn’t on my way to anything urgent, so I agreed to do it.  I liked the idea of being one of the first people to watch a new TV show and having my opinion count.  The $15 cash wouldn’t hurt, either.

Her assistant, a friendly young man who had such a babyface he could have been a high school student (but clearly wasn’t, because he was in a casino), brought me down to the storefront where this independent marketing company had set up shop.  As we were walking through the busy Bally’s casino, I found myself speculating about why the woman with the clipboard had chosen me, of all the people walking through the Paris hotel that day.  I suspect it might have been because I was alone.  Kind of like how timeshare people profile couples, only in reverse. I mean, think about it: What are the odds that both members of a couple would be willing to take time out of their Vegas vacation to watch a TV show and give an opinion of it?  One might think it was fun, but chances are, the other would not.  She probably felt her odds were better talking to solos like me.  In my case, she was right on.  I’m a geek, so this was right up my alley.

Down at the marketing company storefront, the young man passed me off to another man who signed me in.  He got a big smile on his face when I told him I live in Vermont, as he used to live in Quechee. Small world.  Inside the storefront looked like a computer lab, with rows of computers and individuals scattered throughout the room, already in the process of viewing.  I was stationed in front of a computer and given two handheld push-buttons: A green one I was supposed to push when I saw something I liked on the show, and a red one I was to push when I saw something I didn’t.  There was also a button on the keyboard I was supposed to push if I reached a point in the show where, had I been watching at home, I would have changed the channel or shut off the TV. I don’t remember the name of the button, but I’ll call it the “Abort” button.

I was given the pilot episode of the new NBC series “Trauma” to view (without commercials, of course).  I was ready to push the Abort button before the opening credits of the show; the only thing that prevented me from doing so was a sudden action sequence involving a helicopter.  That piqued my interest enough that I continued watching for another twenty minutes or so before finally pushing the Abort button.  Unfortunately, even after you’ve pushed the button, you still have to keep watching the show and clicking the red or green buttons during scenes.  Let’s just say the red button got more of a workout than the green one did.  This was a truly awful show with cliche plots, cliche characters, and horrible dialogue. In fact, the dialogue was so heavily influenced by all TV shows that have come before it, I was mentally reciting characters’ dialogue before they could open their mouths. It was fairly predictable.  All of the main characters were uniformly unlikable except the doctor played by Jamey Sheridan (who was on screen for maybe five minutes) and a female helicopter pilot.  (If you don’t believe me, read the USA Today review of the show.  Their opinion is almost identical to mine.)  The few action sequences were well shot, but they couldn’t make up for the deficiencies in character, dialogue, and plot.  After the show ended, I had to answer a long series of questions about the show itself and my general TV viewing habits. I kept glancing at my watch, sure that I had been there more than an hour, but no, it only felt like it.

As I walked away with my $15 cash tucked into my shorts pocket, I found myself wondering: Was that really worth an hour of my time?  This particular show wasn’t worth it, no, but in general, I think it’s a fun way to be able to express your opinion about a TV show in a way that will actually make its way to the network. Also, it was a nice introverted activity to counter the constant barrage of other people in Vegas. Had it been a good show, it would have been a great way to spend an hour of time, especially when being handed $15 cash on top of that.  I’d definitely try it again.

Trauma premieres tonight on NBC.  If you’re a masochist, watch and judge it for yourself.  But I’m quite sure you have better things to do with your time.

Make Money in Vegas: TV Market Research is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

I’m not one for taking many solo trips, but occasionally I’ll take a solo trip to Atlantic City to drink, gamble and relax.  Solo trips differ from when I travel to gamble with friends in a few ways.  I prepare, eat, and gamble differently. I relax in my room more and tend to stay closer to my home base.

The differences begin with my preparation for the trip.  I usually dress appropriately to where I plan on eating.  If I’m going to eat at a nice restaurant I’ll travel with nicer clothes including collared shirts and slacks.  If I plan on keeping dinners casual I’ll keep my dress casual.  When I travel alone I tend to keep dining more casual.  Dining alone in a nice restaurant isn’t as much fun when I can’t share the experience with someone else.  Instead of fine dining I’ll usually grab a quick bite at a fast food restaurant or at a coffee shop.  The other option for when I dine is to go to one of the VIP lounges where there are usually finger foods, desserts and drink.  A snack, a sugary dessert and a couple drinks is usually enough to keep the day moving.  I’m very wired with my technology so in order keep boredom to a minimum and pass the time I read news on my iphone.

In the past year I’ve noticed that I gamble differently when I’m alone too.  I play many more machines than tables.  I’m a social gambler and find tables to be more fun when with others I know.  When gambling solo, I play mostly video poker but also slot machines from nickel to $5 denominations.   I tend to play a lot of video poker since I have some control over the outcome and I know the payout percentages.  Slots are mindless fun for me, nickel machines tend to be a lot of fun because they are bright and loud while the higher limit slots tend to be a little more demure.  There’s a time for both.

I like my time alone but don’t get much of it when I travel with others.  When I travel alone I tend to enjoy the amenities in my room a little more.  This is where an HDTV, coffee maker, comfortable sitting area, robes, slippers and other niceties come in handy. Last year I ended up in hotel rooms with an HDTV for every trip I took to Atlantic City.  I liked it so much that I bought one for home.  When alone, I enjoy taking a nice long shower and drip drying in a robe while sitting back and relaxing in a nice comfy chair or couch, sipping coffee while watching ESPN or another TV show.  I don’t have the patience, anywhere, to sit and watch an entire movie.  I don’t stay in my room for long stretches of time, but taking time to sit back and relax may happen a couple of times a day.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to realize that I enjoy my time alone whether I’m home or away.  In the past couple of years I’ve come to enjoy my time alone in casinos.  I can only see myself traveling alone a little more as life continues.  You can keep tabs of my gambling journeys, alone or with others, on www.eastcoastgambler.net.

What I find fascinating about this account is this:  I’ve seen posts from many men on Vegas message forums indicating that they tend to downgrade their hotel room when traveling alone since they “just need a place to sleep, shower and change their clothes”; they don’t think it’s worth the extra expense to have a nice room.  But East Coast Gambler takes advantage of his solo trips to pamper himself by upgrading his accommodations, and I like that philosophy a lot.  After all, we’re all worth it, aren’t we?  I also like that he slows things down a bit and enjoys his solitude.  But my friend, I encourage you to try dining at a nice restaurant during your next solo trip.  Believe me, it can still be a wonderful experience–as you will soon see on my blog when I review some great meals I enjoyed during my most recent Vegas vacation.  Thanks again, East Coast Gambler!

The Occasional Solo Tripper is a post from: SoloFriendly.com

For those of us who have been to Vegas a number of times, the “been there, done that” factor starts to set in.  It’s hard to motivate myself to go back to see the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay again, for instance, and walking around Caesars Forum Shops (when you’re not much of a shopper) gets old after awhile.   CSI: The Experience is something new and different that I think will be fun to try on my next trip.  In addition to being a fan of the original CSI, I’m also a big mystery buff, so this is right up my alley. The only misgiving I have about this is whether or not it’s worth the steep admission price (Dear God, $30???  Have they not heard there’s a recession going on?).  Here is MGM Mirage’s press release about CSI: the Experience:

LAS VEGAS – CSI: The Experience, the popular worldwide phenomenon, will open  September 13 at MGM Grand in the hometown of the original top-rated “CSI” television series – Las Vegas.  A challenging and fun multi-sensory attraction, CSI: The Experience will place guests in the role of crime scene investigator as they solve one of three true-to-life mysteries.

Developed by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and produced by EMS Exhibits, Inc. under a license from CBS Consumer Products, CSI: The Experience at MGM Grand will combine the entertainment of the hit show with real-life scientific principles and investigative techniques – from DNA and fingerprint analysis to forensic anthropology and toxicology.  On their journey, guests will explore one of three detailed crime scenes – “A House Collided,” where a car and its driver will appear to have crashed through the living room of a quiet suburbia residence; “Who Got Served,” where the body of a young woman will be found behind a motel; and “No Bones About It,” where human remains will be uncovered in the desert.

“MGM Grand provides a ‘Maximum Vegas’ experience which will be enhanced by the opening of CSI: The Experience,” said John Shigley, executive vice president of Operations at MGM Grand.  “Our guests definitely will enjoy this attraction, which is unlike anything you’ll find on the Las Vegas Strip.”

Spanning 12,000 square feet and featuring thousands of hand-made props, CSI: The Experience will come to life through a captivating multi-media environment featuring dazzling special effects, meticulous crime scene recreations and two state-of-the-art crime labs.  An introductory video from “CSI” creator Anthony E. Zuiker and informative videos from the cast of what has become the most successful TV series in the world will guide “recruits” through the experience, but it will be up to guests to determine whodunit.

Located along MGM Grand’s Studio Walk, CSI: The Experience will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the average experience lasting between 60 and 90 minutes.  General admission will be $30 per person; re-entries will be priced at $26 with proof of prior admission.  Special group pricing also will be available for parties of 15 or more.  Advance ticket purchases are recommended.

CSI: The Experience is designed for guests 10 years of age or older.  Multimedia portions of the exhibit will be presented in English with Spanish subtitles.  For more information, call MGM Grand at (702) 891-1111 or go online to www.mgmgrand.com or www.csiexhibit.com.

CSI: The Experience is a post from: SoloFriendly.com