I just had to write about this annual Review-Journal feature in spite of having to read it with the fuzzies of one still-dilated eye and dark glasses. I enjoy this feature mainly because the descriptions are written with an in-your-face edginess and humor. But I also like to look for the selections where I wonder how in the world this got any votes. 

If you want to follow along -- and you don't have the dirty-hands version I am looking at -- you can go to the online list (although you will miss the oh-so-Vegas Elvis pix introducing each section and the special articles). Here are my "feelings" as I turned the pages:

1.  Page 5 - "Readers' Poll Goes Global" - I'm glad that going on the 'Net to get votes boosted the number of ballots cast this year. I had always felt there was too small a sample to draw any significant conclusions, and that last year's total of 1,657 ballots was a pathetic low. In fact, I figured they might scrap this feature. Opening up voting in cyberspace to the whole world this year produced 7,982 ballots -- hopefully a number that will grow and make the results even more valid in the future. And reducing the number of categories from 248 to 175 was a definite improvement. 

2.  The first section, "Eat and Drink," covered non-hotel venues. Since we almost never eat outside a hotel in Vegas (if you wonder why that is, you don't know me very well!), I have never visited any of the selections picked here so I don't have any opinions, pro or con. I have eaten at some of the chain restaurants mentioned here, but in other cities; however, I don't think that counts. An article in the hard-copy version (not online), "Specials, Coupons Help Stretch Dining Dollars," I could have written myself, but the author had to go frequently to casino hotels to find frugal eating tips, like the Ellis Island and Hard Rock Mr. Lucky's steak specials. And she mentions one of my favorite tips, joining a casino players club even if you don't gamble since the card often qualifies you for discounts at their restaurants (and in other places, too). There's a frugal extra at the end of this section, lots of restaurant ads, many with discount coupons you can clip.

3.  The next section is "Shopping." I strongly agree that Michael's is the best arts and crafts store, but I always wait for a sale or I have a coupon. I also agree that Borders is a great bookstore, but they go down a few notches in my opinion because they don't reorder my books soon enough after they run out of them. We buy electronics at Best Buy when we have earned Best Buy gift cards in a casino promotion but we usually find the best prices at Fry's, plus we have several hundreds of dollars of their gift certificates (compliments of a Palms promo). I am saving them for the next time my computer goes on the blink, but with two electronics-crazy, now-teenage grandchildren the certificates might not last until then. Brad does what little grocery shopping we need and he always goes to the "cheap store," Food 4 Less, unless we have gift cards for Smith's or Vons or Albertson's. For home improvement items, we had Home Depot gift cards for a long time and there is a store very near us, so Brad shops there unless we earn gift cards from Lowe's. As you may notice, our shopping selections often depend on our stockpile of gift cards. For thrift stores, I prefer the second choice in the voting, Savers, which is close to my home and they organize all their clothing by color, over Goodwill.  

And now for complete honesty here, Brad and I have visited both adult stores that came up on top in the voting, the Adult Superstore on West Tropicana and Love Jones at the Hard Rock. As for the first, we didn't buy anything the one time we stopped in, but it is in a category we call Let's-See-What-Other-People-Enjoy. We pass Love Jones once or twice a week when we go to play or pick up free play at the Hard Rock. We usually discuss what is being modeled in the window and whether Brad thinks that would be sexy on me. I usually comment that it would take several sets of the costume to cover me adequately. We have gone in and looked around a few times -- and had a giggle over some of the items. And I once did buy something there -- with my slot club points, of course: fishnet stockings to wear with a she-devil Halloween costume.

My eyes are tired of straining and it's giving me a headache. So I will have to continue this review another day. Tune in again.

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