Question of the Day - 05 January 2012

If Elvis Presley was still alive, he'd be turning 77 on Sunday, Jan. 8 and although it's been more than 30 years since he performed in Las Vegas, his memory is kept alive all over the city, from the Cirque show dedicated to his life and music, to the deliberately tacky souvenirs in the gift shops.

That said, we haven't heard of many specific events or celebrations going on this weekend, although there will still be plenty of regular Elvis-oriented entertainment to keep any fan of the King happy. Here's the lowdown:

• On Saturday, Jan. 8, the first 77 people who visit the Madame Tussauds attraction at the Venetian will receive free admission.

• The only place we know of that's really going to town is 35 Steaks + Martinis, the new steakhouse at the Hard Rock, which will be celebrating with tastes, sights, and sounds at 5 p.m. nightly from Sunday, Jan. 8 through Saturday, Jan. 14. All guests who dine at the restaurant between those dates will be offered a complimentary dessert amuse, called "Just Because," in honor of Elvis' 1956 hit single of the same name. The limited-time dish combines some of Elvis’ favorite flavors, including a brioche banana bread pudding, peanut butter mousse, and grape jelly sauce.

  For that one week only, fans will also have the opportunity to witness a one-of-a-kind Elvis outfit, worn by the King, displayed inside the restaurant, plus the restaurant's house musician will perform hits from Elvis' repertoire Sunday, Jan. 8 and Tuesday, Jan. 10.

• It may not be the most successful Cirque show to date, and will be closing later this year, but Viva Elvis at Aria is still a fun show for anyone who digs his music, and you can grab a cocktail and appetizer in the Graceland-inspired Gold Lounge before the show.

• The Elvis-a-Rama Museum may be a thing of the past, but there are still plenty of opportunities if you want to put your own Elvis sightseeing trip together, including a life-sized statue at the LVH (formerly Las Vegas Hilton, previously the International, where he had a long-running engagement) and his Cadillac in the Auto Collection inside the IP. You can still dine at the Golden Steer restaurant on W. Sahara, which was a hangout for Elvis, the Rat Pack, and many others.

  Have your photo taken next to the "Elvis Presley Street" or "Elvis Presley Court" street signs, or "Elvis Alive Drive," and see if you can find the "Elvis Slept Here" sign in the Neon Boneyard. The King has his own star on the Vegas Walk of the Stars, too -- it's located outside the Riviera.

  **For something a little off-the-wall, the pharmacy where Elvis used to pick up his prescriptions still exists. Located at 5025 S. Eastern, Village East Drugs has also served the likes of Redd Foxx and Wayne Newton.** See "Update"

  There's also a property located on the east side that's known as "The Elvis House" -- a mid-century modern home that was rumored to have been owned by the International to house headliners like The King. It's located at 2520 Castlesands Way, but there's debate over whether Elvis ever actually stayed there. Click to see a feature, with photographs, on the Very Vintage Vegas site -- hit the link to the second story for directions. It was for sale back in 2008, but we don't know if it's still on the market.

• In addition to Viva Elvis, Las Vegas has a number of performers in town who you might like to catch, including the not-so-big-anymore Big Elvis, who performs for free Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 3, 5, and 6:30 p.m. in the Lounge at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon (no cover, must be 21+). You can also catch "Elvis" in Legends in Concert* at Harrah's (there's a 2-for-1 offer in the 2012 MRB. And Trent Carlini still performs as The King at the LVH (formerly the Hilton) at 6.45 p.m. nightly (dark Wednesdays).

Here are a couple more events we've come across since we penned this answer:

• The Celebration of the King's Life featuring Johnny Fortuno, The Stamps Quartet and friends of Elvis takes place at the Cannery (1/6-1/7)
• Tom Stevens will stage an Elvis Tribute show at Suncoast (1/7-1/8)

We just learned that Village East Drugs is closed, so you can't go in, but the building is still there. We're not sure about the signage...