Livin’ Local

Recent Articles

  • The Las Vegas Residency Phenomenon
    A New Era in Concerts By J. Tyge O’Donnell Celine Dion is wrapping up her tenure at the Caesars Palace Colosseum–a residency that has spanned 20 years and over 1,100 performances in the 4,300-seat venue that was built for her. …Read More »
  • The Ultimate “Axeperience”
    The Ultimate “Axeperience” By J. Tyge O’Donnell Feeling a little stressed out due to the holidays? Things at work have you on edge? Does the upcoming New Year and what it may hold find you pulling out your hair or gnashing …Read More »
  • Getting Serious About Being Funny
    Getting Serious About Being Funny by J. Tyge O’Donnell Do you think you’re funny? Were you voted “Most Witty” in high school but never pursued it as a calling? Is doing a one-time stand-up routine on your bucket list but your …Read More »
  • Take Me Out to the BallPark!
    Take Me Out to the Ballpark! By J. Tyge O’Donnell It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago the location of the new Las Vegas Ballpark was a barren expanse of dirt and gravel. All that changed with a …Read More »
  • The Beautiful Brewskie – Las Vegas and the Craft Beer Invasion.
    It’s hot. I mean really hot. It’s, like, stick a fork in me I’m cooked to temperature hot…and the only thing that can bring me satisfaction – that can cool me down and relieve that persistent sticky, fatigued feeling – …Read More »
  • Mom and Dad Gone Wild
    They gave you life, put food on the table, took you to soccer games, played catch, nursed you through sickness and broken hearts, taught you manners and even punished you (when you deserved it…which was probably often). For the two …Read More »
  • Into the Wild – Up Close and Personal with Our Local Animal Kingdom
    I wasn’t quite sure what I had gotten myself into when I turned around to see a 500 lb. male lion just inches behind me. Mind you, he was busy slurping up raw meat and didn’t seem at all interested …Read More »
  • The Downtown Container Park – Where Everyone Has a Story
    Strolling through a city block piled three-stories high with repurposed shipping containers – amongst laughing children, chattering adults, live music and the addicting waft of mesquite barbeque – it’s hard to believe we just stepped off the streets of what …Read More »
  • A Tour for All Tastes
    We all have one – Aunt Beth, Uncle Albert or a distant cousin who seems to know all the best places, shows, deals and tours to take out-of-town guests when they visit Las Vegas. The starry-eyed tourists get off the …Read More »
  • Vegas Cycle Pub – A Pedal Powered Pub Crawl
    By Meghan Pescio Ahh the pub crawl. Known by many names — beer crawl, gin walk, bar hopping or my personal favorite the Bohemian Death March, this European pastime leads groups of friends from pub to pub in search of …Read More »
  • Foodie’s Paradise – Preparing an Epic Dinner of Epicness
    By Mike Sweeney When the mood strikes us, my girlfriend and I love to pair up with another food loving couple who are good friends of ours and spend an entire day shopping, prepping, cooking and of course eating a …Read More »
  • The Sounds of Summer – Music in the Great Outdoors
    By Mike Sweeney   Nothing helps to create those long lasting memories of summer quite like the tunes that always go with it. Joe Walsh’s smooth chords might bring back thoughts of listening to The Eagles on a vacation road …Read More »
  • Raise Your Glass – The Downtown Cocktail Experience
    By Mike Sweeney With the kitschy pop of laser light shows, kiosks selling tacky Sin City souvenirs and a zip line that hurtles whooping tourists down the Fremont Street Experience, downtown Las Vegas seems to cater to a hip crowd …Read More »
  • A Bite of Old Las Vegas – How to Eat Like a Native
    By Mike Sweeney With the rapid rise of trendy restaurants from all star celebrity chefs, the Las Vegas Strip has become a nerve center for new culinary creations. Foodies from around the globe may flock to upscale eateries, but true …Read More »
  • Neon Lights, Festive Nights – Christmas in the Desert
    By Mike Sweeney When most people think of this time of year, Las Vegas probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. Our miles of outlying desert and neon canyons of mega resorts don’t exactly define the holiday spirit. …Read More »
  • Neon Lights, Festive Nights – Christmas in the Desert
    By Mike Sweeney When most people think of Christmas, Las Vegas probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. Our miles of outlying desert and neon canyons of mega resorts don’t exactly define the holiday spirit. But if you …Read More »
  • Head Above Water – Outdoor Adventures at Lake Mead
    By Mike Sweeney Can you feel it yet? Step outside and you should find the skin blistering temperatures of summer fading away into the cooler atmosphere of fall. Now that autumn has arrived, we can safely venture outside without melting …Read More »
  • Keeping Your Cool – Soothing Escapes from the Summer Heat
    By Haley Etchison   There’s nothing surprising about 108-degree days in Las Vegas. We’ve learned to stock up on sunscreen, guzzle gallons of water and take shelter whenever we can, but our dark sunglasses often block out the blue skies …Read More »
  • Keeping Your Cool – Soothing Escapes from the Summer Heat
    By Haley Etchison   There’s nothing surprising about 108-degree days in Las Vegas. We’ve learned to stock up on sunscreen, guzzle gallons of water and take shelter whenever we can, but our dark sunglasses often block out the blue skies …Read More »
  • Guns, Grub and Games: A Guys’ Night Out in Vegas
    By Mike Sweeney Thanks to Hollywood, most people’s image of a guys’ night out in Vegas conjures up stolen Bengal tigers, drunken weddings and a chronic case of hangover induced amnesia. Hard to imagine in a place known as Sin …Read More »
  • X Marks the Spot: A Sin City Scavenger Hunt
    By Mike Sweeney Think back to those awesome birthday parties you loved as a child. You and your BFFs gorging yourselves on cake and ice cream then staying up late playing games or watching movies. Odds are some of those …Read More »
  • A Taste of the Old Country: Your Friendly Neighborhood Pubs
     By Mike Sweeney   “Here’s to a long life and a merry one A quick death and an easy one A pretty girl and an honest one A cold pint – and another one!”   — Irish drinking toast   …Read More »
  • You Should Be Dancing – Waltzing into the Vegas Ballroom Scene
    By Lisha Ross   Take a cue from the Bee Gees. You really SHOULD be dancing…ballroom dancing, to be more precise. It’s great exercise, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people, and it’s F-U-N! Unfortunately Vegas’ major clubs don’t …Read More »
  • The Colors of Outdoor Life – Red Rock Canyon
    By Lisha Ross   It was tough for my husband and I to commit to our first guided group hike in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area. It’s not that we don’t enjoy being outdoors; it’s just that we …Read More »
  • The Feelin’ is Always Right…For Ladies’ Night
    By Lisha Ross It goes without saying: we love our husbands, boyfriends and children. But darned if we don’t need a break from them every now and then. Mom, I need this. Honey, I want that. It’s enough to drive …Read More »
  • Adventure on the Fringe – Spring Mountain Ranch
    By Lisha Ross With all the new fangled bars, restaurants, spas and shops in the city, we so often forget about, or just don’t make time for, the natural treasures that exist on the fringes of town. One such largely …Read More »
  • An Offer You Can’t Refuse – Mob Mentality
    By Lisha Ross If you’re like me, you’ve been waiting anxiously for the opening of the Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a.k.a. the Mob Museum. It was slated to open in the spring of 2011, but …Read More »
  • Extreme Dating – A V-Day Venture to Remember
    By Lisha Ross As February approaches, flowers, chocolates and five-star dinners beckon with sentiments of appreciation and love. Sure, tried and true shows of devotion suffice, but as a female I must admit that creativity and forethought go a long …Read More »
  • Follow That Sleigh! Santa ‘Round the City
    By Lisha Ross You better watch out, you better not pout, you better not cry, and I needn’t to tell you why. We’ve got it on good authority that Santa Claus is comin’ to town, and Vegas is welcoming him …Read More »
  • Adventure on the Fringe – Spring Mountain Ranch
    By Lisha Ross With all the new fangled bars, restaurants, spas and shops in the city, we so often forget about, or just don’t make time for, the natural treasures that exist on the fringes of town. Places in the …Read More »
  • Unexpected Treasures – Pahrump Valley Winery
    By Lisha Ross I first visited Pahrump Valley Winery in 2001, and quite frankly, I wasn’t impressed. A novel idea it was, but the reality of it left a lot to be desired. That is to say, you could sip …Read More »
  • The Battle of the Ivories – Dueling Piano Bars
    By Lisha Ross If Las Vegas has a knack for anything, it’s luring in some of the best entertainers in the country and creating dramatic spectacles of sight and sound to shock and awe eager tourists and locals alike. But …Read More »
  • Beans That Go KerSNAP…And Other Farm Fresh Foods
    By Lisha Ross Farm fresh. You’ve probably seen the words in your local supermarket. It’s a clever marketing tool, but perhaps a tad dishonest. The truth is, grocery store produce has been chosen for its durability, not necessarily on the …Read More »
  • Highway to the Funny Zone…
    And Laughin’ All the Way By Lisha Ross At times like these, who couldn’t use a good laugh? Then again, who wants to cough up a Benjamin plus for two tickets and a couple cocktails on a casual night out? …Read More »
  • Frothy, Sudsy and Full of Hops
    Microbrews that Hit the Spot By Lisha Ross Ah yes, the festivities of football season are afoot and gaining momentum as Super Bowl XLIV draws near. I dared to ask, is there anything that goes better with an action-packed nail …Read More »
  • The Las Vegas Residency Phenomenon - A New Era in Concerts By J. Tyge O’Donnell Celine Dion is wrapping up her tenure at the Caesars Palace Colosseum–a residency that has spanned 20 years and over 1,100 performances in the 4,300-seat venue that was built for her. At the time (and according to critics) it was a huge gamble: Could Celine bring […]
  • The Ultimate “Axeperience” - The Ultimate “Axeperience” By J. Tyge O’Donnell Feeling a little stressed out due to the holidays? Things at work have you on edge? Does the upcoming New Year and what it may hold find you pulling out your hair or gnashing your teeth? Listen to me…unclench those fists, take a deep breath and just relax. All […]
  • Getting Serious About Being Funny - Getting Serious About Being Funny by J. Tyge O’Donnell Do you think you’re funny? Were you voted “Most Witty” in high school but never pursued it as a calling? Is doing a one-time stand-up routine on your bucket list but your arm still needs a little twisting to get around to it? Fortunately for us fun-seekers, […]
  • Take Me Out to the BallPark! - Take Me Out to the Ballpark! By J. Tyge O’Donnell It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago the location of the new Las Vegas Ballpark was a barren expanse of dirt and gravel. All that changed with a groundbreaking ceremony on February 13th, 2018, when construction began with upwards of 500 workers laboring […]
  • The Beautiful Brewskie – Las Vegas and the Craft Beer Invasion. - It’s hot. I mean really hot. It’s, like, stick a fork in me I’m cooked to temperature hot…and the only thing that can bring me satisfaction – that can cool me down and relieve that persistent sticky, fatigued feeling – is a cold and frothy mug of hoppy goodness. I’m not talking about a lager […]
  • Mom and Dad Gone Wild - They gave you life, put food on the table, took you to soccer games, played catch, nursed you through sickness and broken hearts, taught you manners and even punished you (when you deserved it…which was probably often). For the two people in the world who have sacrificed the most and worked the hardest on your […]
  • Into the Wild – Up Close and Personal with Our Local Animal Kingdom - I wasn’t quite sure what I had gotten myself into when I turned around to see a 500 lb. male lion just inches behind me. Mind you, he was busy slurping up raw meat and didn’t seem at all interested in what I was doing there (oh, and did I mention the layer of industrial […]
  • The Downtown Container Park – Where Everyone Has a Story - Strolling through a city block piled three-stories high with repurposed shipping containers – amongst laughing children, chattering adults, live music and the addicting waft of mesquite barbeque – it’s hard to believe we just stepped off the streets of what  was once considered a virtual no man’s land. Our first time visiting the new Downtown […]
  • Speed Photo Tour - The Speed Tour (Photo-op Tour) These guys want the crash course in all things Las Vegas. With not much time to spare, they are looking to hit all the tourist hot spots (read: The Strip in all its glory) and have some genuine Vegas knowledge for their return home to those not lucky enough to […]
  • The Star Strucks - Star Strucks They’re young, they’re fun and they are looking for the best time “Vegas” has to offer them. While you might not necessarily be able to keep up the whole time they are visiting, use this itinerary to point them in the direction of the best culture, food and downtown excitement they could imagine. […]