A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man

by Frank Vincent

  Dining/Entertainment: Are you in the mood for sushi in a trendy atmosphere? Nobu is the answer, serving some of the best sushi in Las Vegas (flown in fresh daily from the Tokyo fish market). Take in some live piano while enjoying a juicy steak over at AJ’s Streakhouse, which is also known for its unbeatable martinis. The place oozes “cool.” With its weekday happy hour and margarita specials (remember, a man’s man only drinks them on the rocks), the hotel’s Pink Taco offers some of the best authentic Mexican food Sin City has to offer. Now, picture this . . . It’s 11 P.M. and you just won big at the craps table. Get the gang and head over to the nightclub Body English to celebrate. With a cover charge of $30 for gentleman and $20 for ladies, don’t “bring sand to the beach.” Fly solo, guys, because there are many fine ladies already working it on the dance floor.

  Gaming: In a truly stylish atmosphere you can bet at top table games like roulette, pai gow poker, blackjack, craps, and others while smoking your stogie. Join the Backstage Pass Player’s Club and earn points by playing the tables and slots where winnings can be used for hotel rooms, merchandise, “comp” dinners, and other fun.

  Shopping: Sure it’s a guilty pleasure, but everyone who visits a Hard Rock establishment succumbs to purchasing some form of Hard Rock product. Get a stylish tank top for your lady—a little thought goes a long way. Also, just in case you’re in a big spending mood, I want to tell about two places. First, head over to Rocks the Jewelers for some major bling-bling. Then, I suggest you go to Love Jones Lingerie, because that store has everything to make your woman feel sexy and beautiful. Let’s face it guys, when she’s happy, you’re happy.

  The MGM Grand

  First Opened: 1993

  Main Attraction: The largest casino in the world and the biggest hotel in the United States.

  Ambiance: Hollywood meets Vegas.

  Location: 3977 Las Vegas Blvd. South (right across from the New York, New York and the Tropicana).

  Contact Info: 877-880-0880, www.mgmgrand.com

  Resting Your Head: Want to go hard-core man’s man? I’m talking top-of-the-line accommodations. At the MGM Grand, there is a private building called “The Mansion.” It actually looks like a real mansion, complete with clear white lights highlighting all of its architecture. A one-bedroom villa (2,400 square feet) starts at $5,000 per night. A two-bedroom villa (3,600 square feet) is $6,000 a night. “Private” everything rules here—spa, casino, pool, butler, dining, etc. Also, there’s a Rolls Royce on call at all times for when you’re ready to go out on the town. A man’s man knows all about the benefits of having the Centurian AmEx (black AmEx). Use your Centurian card when you book your room and get credits for free dinners, spa treatments, and free show tickets. The décor here is like nothing you’ve ever seen. If your wallet isn’t that thick, stay in a Terrace Suite, which is 1,300 square feet, costing $1,000 per night. And don’t worry—just because it costs less than the Mansion doesn’t mean the perks are any less spectacular. In your Terrace Suite, sit in your Jacuzzi on your own private patio with a view of the Strip. Two-story vaulted ceilings and a dining room are some of the other available amenities. I also recommend the Sky Lofts. The Sky Lofts are the original penthouse rooms of the hotel, but have been completely refurbished and redesigned. I recommend a one-bedroom loft (1,400 square feet) starting at $1,800 a night. The views are insane! Since Vegas is a twenty-four-hour town, this hotel supplies an espresso machine in each sky loft room.

  Recover: Feel like the King and Queen of Vegas when you’re visiting the Grand Spa. You’ll be surrounded by rare sculptures, waterfalls, and soft music that can even put the most hard-core party guy to sleep. Want to treat your woman to something different? Buy her the “Buff and Bronze” package and she’ll be sporting a sweet golden tan (and you’ll be golden as you get an extra hour at the casino to win big). Want another hour at the Casino alone? Send her over to the legendary celebrity hair stylist Cristophe of the Cristophe Salon. This guy styles the hair of many top celebs, and now your lucky lady can get the same star treatment ($400 a cut and style, but book a month in advance). Sure, it’ll cost you, but a man’s man sometimes has to give a little to get a little free time at the casino. Don’t forget to cool off in one of the MGM Grand’s five pools and unwind in one of their many whirlpools in a man’s man tropical environment.

  Dining/Entertainment: If you want to have a complete man’s man evening at the MGM Grand, then listen up: first, book a couple of seats in advance to the special K À show of the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. Take in this show with a hot date and enjoy a one-of-a-kind acrobatic and martial arts performance. Next, “kick it up a notch” with chef Emeril at Emeril’s restaurant and enjoy some good ol’ Cajun cuisine. It’s simply the tops. Think the night’s over? I don’t think so. We’ve got Tabu on the roster. It’s an ultra-hip lounge with enough champagne to quench your thirst and then some. Now, a man’s man always knows how to be discreet. If you’re with a date, do not gawk at the stunning model/hostesses at this trendy hangout. Now that you and your date are all warm and fuzzy from the champagne, you can relive the days of the hot, hot Studio 54 at MGM’s club appropriately called Studio 54. Awesome music and some interesting characters running around this 22,000-square-foot pleasure dome make it one colorful nightspot.

  Gaming: First of all, this is the largest casino in the world. That’s got man’s man written all over it! If you’re into slots, the denominations go from 5 cents to $500. Want a chance to win $1,000,000? Take a pull on the Lion’s Share slot machine. Table games include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, pai gow tiles, pai gow poker, craps, Spanish 21, Casino War, big six, Three-Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, and Let It Ride Stud Poker. Also, the twenty-three-table (nonsmoking) Poker Room is open twenty-four hours a day.

  Shopping: Since you’re already at the MGM Grand, you have to go to its very stylish store Bernini. It’s a must! With designer names like Versace, Armani, Brioni, and Canali (just to name a few), it’s true man’s man territory. Shoes? Ferragamo is the answer. You are stylin’ now with only the primo Italian footwear and clothing at your fingertips.

  The Paris

  First Opened: 1999

  Ambiance: Paris in the desert.

  Main Attraction: Las Vegas’s version of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

  Location: 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. (in between the Alladin and Bally’s, across from the Bellagio).

  Contact Info: 888-Bon-Jour, www.parislasvegas.com

  Resting Your Head: With its traditional French décor, the Nice Suite (1,160 square feet) is very relaxing and low-key. The room starts at $1,139 a night and comes complete with bar, formal dining area, and Jacuzzi tub. Man’s man advice: Request a room facing the Eiffel Tower so you can also enjoy the impressive fountains at the neighboring Bellagio and an awesome view of the Strip. With the hotel housing 2,916 rooms, there will be many loving couples strolling the terrain both indoor and out, a perfect setting for l’amour, as the French say.

  Recover: Is your arm a little sore from pulling the slots till sunup? No problem. The Paris Spa by Mandara has the answer. When you walk into this 26,000-square-foot Bali-influenced haven, see the check-in person and get booked for one of the spa’s twenty-four amazing treatment rooms. The massages, which use authentic Balinese-based techniques, are sure to have you on the mend in no time. Personal training services are also available at the state-of-the-art Mandara Fitness Center. You can work out with the trainer and get your body buff and strong. (Every man’s man knows that women like men who take care of themselves.) While you sunbathe beside the huge replica of the Eiffel Tower, you’ll probably think you’re in Paris, even if just for a brief moment. The two-acre rooftop pool is appropriately set in a French garden. Want to impress that woman you met last night at the craps table? Get the “his and hers” poolside massage. That’s sure to make any women melt in your hands. A man’s man knows when he has to show his generous side, and this is right on the money.

  Dining/Entertainment: Looking
for an awesome view and five-star food? Look no further than this great “date” restaurant. The Eiffel Tower restaurant is located inside the hotel’s landmark replica. This restaurant is run by Chef J. Joho, who prepares acclaimed French cuisine. This eatery has one of the most romantic views of Las Vegas—a great spot if you are looking to take a leap of faith and propose to your soul mate. I have to say I found this next restaurant, Ortanique, quite interesting. The food is Caribbean cuisine prepared in the French style, combining fresh, natural ingredients with exotic, tropical flavors to create dishes that are fantastic. After-dinner drinks is a Vegas pasttime; so is smoking a great cigar. Napoleon’s has both and a melodic live jazz band to boot. Napoleon’s is Las Vegas’s premiere champagne bar. In addition to a full-service bar and more than one hundred carefully selected varieties of champagne ready to be enjoyed, it features a fully-stocked cigar humidor. Just another reason why this is a place you must visit! Ready to dance the night away? There is a wild vibe over at the Parisian hot spot, “Risqué” at “Paris Las Vegas.” At this super chic lounge/club, enjoy a fine collection of wines, champagnes, and cocktails, all from a balcony view of the Las Vegas Strip! Hey, the French aren’t the only nightlife seekers! Watch out, buddy, here I come! Finish the night off with a romantic walk around Paris with your lady, taking in the gorgeous re-creations of the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Paris Opera House and the Hôtel de Ville. Don’t know what these sites are? Well, I guess you didn’t do too well in your history class. My suggestion: Hop a plane to Vegas and take the crash course at the Paris Hotel.

  Gaming: The casino has over ninety tables with various man’s man games like blackjack, craps, baccarat, mini-baccarat, roulette, and others. The Paris also offers two top man’s man poker games—Texas Hold ’Em and seven-card stud. Or go over to the sports book, grab a drink at the bar and throw some cash on your favorite team. You can bet anything you like, from a basic moneyline wager to an elaborate ten-team parlay. With multiple big-screen televisions as well as individual television monitors, you won’t miss any of the action at the Paris Race and Sports Book.

  Shopping: Stroll along the Boulevard (indoors) and find many upscale French-style shops. Every man’s man knows the value of a good cigar, and at Cigar du Monde you will be lighting only the best smokes from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The staff is very knowledgeable and will help as you navigate the huge selection of stogies. Want some French bling-bling? I recommend the Clio Blue jewelers. This store carries the finest European jewelry in all of Vegas. If you were lucky at the tables, pick up a stylish watch from their fine selection. When you go back home, you’ll be the only one out of your buddies with a unique timepiece.

  New York, New York

  First Opened: 1997

  Ambiance: The Big Apple in the big desert.

  Main Attraction: The New York City skyline and Manhattan Express roller coaster.

  Location: 3970 Las Vegas Blvd. South (across the street from the MGM Grand, next to the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino).

  Contact Info: 888-693-6763, www.nynyhotelcasino.com

  Resting Your Head: A man’s man stays in the Players Suite at this hip hotel, which is typically 800 square feet and has a Jacuzzi shaped like a four-leaf clover. Now that’s what I call a good-luck soak! For approximately $200 a night, this is one of the best values in all of Las Vegas. (Sometimes a man’s man likes to keep a little in his pocket so he has more cash to use at the tables.) Another option for a man’s man is the Marquis Suite. As you walk into your room, you’re welcomed by a marble tile entryway—a plush bed and relaxing hot tub also await you. With 700 square feet at your disposal, there’s a decent amount of room to pre-game with some drinks with your fellow men’s men before you head out on the town.

  Recover: The New York, New York spa is open daily from 6:30 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. If you’re getting the urge for an afternoon cocktail, there’s a guilt-free option at the New York, New York spa: the Margarita Salt Scrub body treatment. The scrub (costing $100) uses sea salt with lemon and lime. After the therapist uses the mixture on your skin, he or she removes the salt with a warm shower. Then, he or she rubs lotion all over your skin—every man’s man knows that the ladies like smooth skin. So even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do, give it a try and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The spa also offers something called a “Gentlemen’s Facial.” Now, this name really struck a chord with me, so I decided to give it a try. The steam made me forget just for a moment that my trip was ending soon. It was very relaxing and worth the $105 tab (and my wife couldn’t stop kissing my face the whole flight home!). If you want to unwind by the pool with a drink and your favorite read, look no further than the Park Avenue poolside area. This pool locale has just been upgraded for 2005, and now features cabana reservations. The sound system here is pretty impressive, and there is also an outdoor dining area where you can grab a light lunch with your date or your man’s man crew. If you want to unwind further, there’s even a poolside chair massage offered. It is a very different experience to be in this New York, New York setting, at a pool surrounded by skyscrapers, but, hey, anything goes in Vegas. The New York, New York Hotel & Casino strongly recommends visiting the Primm Valley Golf Course. So, after you put on one of your new golf shirts, head on over with the guys to one of two spectacular Tom Fazio-designed golf courses: the Lakes course and the Desert course. These courses were honored as two of the top 100 public courses in the nation on Golf Magazine’s prestigious “Top 100 You Can Play” list for the year 2000. The Lakes course, which has appeared on the list in previous years, was ranked fifty-first, and the Desert course debuted at ninety-three. After a day on the course in the heat, you can head over to the clubhouse, which has a posh locker room and showers. Now, get cleaned up and go to the dining room and bar for a great meal and a few refreshing drinks. What a man’s man day!

  Dining/Entertainment: If you have ever been to New York City, you know that Gallagher’s Steakhouse is a great place to get an excellent steak. Well, you’re in luck, because at the New York, New York Hotel & Casino, there’s a Gallagher’s on the premises. This place serves fresh seafood and the finest steaks around. Make sure you call for a reservation because this restaurant is extremely popular. At Il Fornaio, you can get some tasty Northern Italian meals. Choose from the wood-fired rotisserie chicken and duck, homemade and imported pasta, mesquite grilled fish, steak, and chops. My favorite is the pizza from the wood-burning oven. Also the restaurant’s pastries and Italian coffees are sure to satisfy your need for something sweet along with a tasty beverage to balance it out. A man’s man watches his physique, but once in a while he can indulge. At the ESPN Zone there are some really cute waitresses, but that’s not what you are really there to watch—with more than 165 television monitors throughout the 33,000-square-foot facility, you won’t miss a moment of your favorite games. Ever wonder how a bartender can pour those drinks so quickly and with such ease? Well, at Coyote Ugly you can get a close-up look at how it’s really done, Wild West style. At this joint, you can really let loose. Sometimes even the most refined man’s man has to get wild. Your lady can even dance up on the bar! The waitresses really get you into the party mode. You can’t talk about New York, New York, without talking about the hotel’s hard-core roller coaster called the Manhattan Express. Can you say “very adventurous” at 67 mph? Well, a man has to prove a thing or two once in a while, so you have to try this fast and rather intense ride. With heights of 203 feet and drops of 144 feet, this ride will definitely knock the gel right out of your hair. If an adrenaline rush is what you’re looking for, look no further. No time for wimping out—the Manhattan Express roller coaster separates the men from the boys.

  Gaming: New York, New York has an 84,000-square-foot casino. What a place! The highlight of the New York, New York gaming experience is the new Asian “Dragon Pit.” The Asian-influenced gaming area offers mini-baccarat, Sic Bo, three-card poker, and pai gow poker. With more than eighty gami
ng tables and over 2,000 slot machines, this is definitely a man’s man gambling experience. Something for everyone!

  Shopping: This might not be the actual New York City shopping experience, but it is one of the best places to spend some cash in Vegas. Go to the SoHo Village for a cool downtown vibe. You’ll really feel like you’re in the Big Apple. Every man’s man knows that a quality timepiece is tops on the list. So, if you hit it big at the tables, go to the Grand Central Watch Company. This store carries Raymond Weil and other top brands. Just in case you’re visiting Vegas to celebrate a special occasion, they also have some pretty diamond necklaces for the ladies. For a laugh you might want to buy something at the I Love New York, New York Signature Shop, with over 2,000 items with the “NY” logo on it. There’s something cool you can select for just about anyone. Want to play a joke on one of your buddies? At Houdini’s Magic Shop, there are a lot of funny gags and tricks. Maybe the guys you are sharing your suite with are getting on your nerves. A man’s man knows when a joke is needed to ease the tension. Hey, watch out, roommate. Here comes trouble!