End of an era as Vegas casino closes - Yahoo! News
Hmm... this strikes a chord. Just the image of the Sahara sign evokes many sensations: hot, Vegas nights, an oasis in the desert: drink, excitement, dapper, elegant guests, elite vip treatment, some of which we could sample, some of which was enjoyed behind the thick doors by Elvis, the Rat Pack, the owners, etc.
Below are some of the top comments; don't get me wrong, I'm not a big gambler, and not sure how sustainable a vintage Vegas hotel is, but something is lost with its passing that should not go unnoticed. It was a bellwether of its time, a mark of the accomplishment and excitement of a modernizing society to place this experience in the middle of the desert, almost like at the edge of a dream. But it was not; it's only a handful of hours drive outside LA.
"The.Traveller - I'm going to guess that most of the people that miss places like the Sahara are old enough to remember when people expected to get something for their money. If they lost at the tables, they were 'comp'ed' rooms and meals. The style was used to draw people in and make them at least feel that they weren't getting completely ripped off. Now the corporate mentality is "screu" them, just take their money and knock them in the head if they protest (which they won't)"
"Big Daddy - In the 70s we got a buffet at the The Sahara for $1.99 and it was world class. In 2010 my brother and I paid $12 each for breakfast and it was about as good as day old McDonalds. Oh how the mighty have fallen."
"Carmen - High school graduation - 1966. My date took me to the Sahara for dinner at Trader Vics,, then to the lounge to see Waylin and Madame, then to see Roger Miller in the main showroom, dancing later...What a wonderful night. There will always be a special place in my heart for the Sahara....I left Las Vegas a long time ago, and have been so disappointed the few times I've been back. It's all so tacky, nothing is special, not even Caesar's."
"Greg S. - We're going to miss you, Sahara! You may have been worn down due to age, but you had a charm that the mega-casinos almost entirely lack. I sure hope someone finds the courage to invest in your resurrection."
"Boo - there will be more going down..........the slots are so tight in vegas ,that most people now only go to drink and walk around looking at the free stuff. Vegas is not the place to gamble anymore.......unless they start to payout more. It's all about resorts now, to bad really."
"Springtime - Oh, the glory days of the Sahara and Vegas, when ladies were knock outs in their evening clothes and men were so handsomely dressed... and the shows were fabulous. Now, look at Vegas. Obese women in short shorts pushing baby strollers through the casinos. Men in Hawaiian shirts and sandals with socks. No thanks, Vegas... you lost me as a visitor. I can see that same clientele in McDonalds"
"Albert A -I worked in luxury hotels for 10 years and I learned a thing or two. When a luxury hotel like that fails it's not the economy but POOR MANAGMENT that hotel was a gem until idoits were allowed to take over and run it into the ground. It's all about providing world class service."
"G - yes the good ole vegas days, at 6 pm everyone went to their room, the men put on suits and the laides evening wear. The place had class back then. The last time I was there at the tables some of the people looked like they hadn't cleaned up in weeks...such a shame...another wall street f^%king"
A collection of ideas, letters, opinions, and inspiration. On freedom, on Generation X, modern society, the ethereal dance of the unconquered mind (ok, that's the name of a photo exhibit in San Jose, but it's nifty sounding), the Democratic Party, how much rock and roll and the web will fuel activism, things worth chronicling, things we can improve, and the future.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.
What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.
Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?
Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.
Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)
Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.
But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)
Still we are finite on this ride.
It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.
For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.
What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.
Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?
Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.
Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)
Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.
But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)
Still we are finite on this ride.
It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.
For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.
No comments:
Post a Comment