April Snow in Las Vegas. What the...?

Day 9 in Las Vegas
Starbucks near the Red Rock Casino

It's cold in the desert this morning. So cold, in fact, by the time I made it to Starbucks it was snowing. Pretty white flakes, floating above the hood of my car, melting on the windshield, making me think I was still asleep and caught up in some weird dream.

I'm the first to admit that seeing it snow in Las Vegas in April was a little shocking. But after twenty minutes, it was back to being cold, cloudy, dreary, and wet. The forecast calls for sun and about 90 degrees by Saturday.

Traveler's Haiku #2

"Traveler's Haiku #2"
by Mitchell R. Aiken

On the road again,
watching each mile pass beneath
me like a cold snake.
Striking the town lights
after dusk, snapping at scenes,
slurping gas and oil,
as the wind blows east
into the desert sands and
a Red Rock Canyon.

Art District? What Art District? Did You Say There Was An Art District?

Checking online I discovered that the so-called "art district" is located downtown near Charleston and Fourth St. It's sometimes referred to as "18b", a clever name that comes from the idea that the original "arts district" comprised 18 blocks of dowtown.

But I drove there earlier this week and for the life of me could not see an "arts district". I saw two, maybe three, industrial buildings that looked like contemporary art galleries of some kind, but no "district." I guess I just didn't look in the right place.

I followed the sign on Fourth Street that said "Art District" with an arrow pointed west and discovered three blocks of bail bondsmen. Maybe they paint oils and pastels while waiting to get Bubba out of jail. I looked for signs of fine art, galleries, anything resembling an "arts district" and found nothing.

I've spoken to enough locals to understand that Las Vegas is not exactly "fine art friendly." For the most part, fine art is not on the local radar screen. But I've been here only a week, so maybe I'm being a little hasty in my assessment. UNLV has an Art Department, so art is taking place here somewhere. I just can't find the place where you can actually sell it.

I know The Strip has a casino or two that sells expensive fine art to wealthy tourists through their galleries, but that's not an "arts district." I'm looking for the place where artists gather, work, and sell their creations. Is there such a place in Sin City?

Jobs in Vegas May Require a Truckload of Permits

Day 7 in Las Vegas
Starbucks, near Red Rock Casino

As a newcomer to Vegas, I've learned that three basic work permits are needed if you are looking for a job in a casino, driving a limo, or pursuing dozens of other jobs.

1. The gaming card is issued by the Sheriff's office and is basically a criminal background check. If you have killed someone recently, you may want to try Laughlin for a job.

2. The TAM card (Technical Alcohol Management) I think is a class you take and they issue you an alcohol awareness certificate after passing a test. This is assuming you don't show up drunk because of all the work permits you are being forced to acquire.

3. The health card is issued after you recieve a TB shot and convince the doctor you don't have two heads or a symbionic lifeform from Squirk growing in your stomach.

Depending on the job you want, you may need all three cards. Geez...they don't make it easy to work in this town. I know when you have thousands of workers handling food and drink, gamblers and drinkers, and visitors from all over the world, you need to keep a lid on things. I guess this is the price you pay for working in an adult playground.
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I visited an employment agency and looked at the fine print on the job application. It said I would owe them $100 up front when I accept a job, and then pay them 65% of my first months gross earnings as a fee. This sounds a little goofy. Maybe this is standard for some agencies, but it still seems like highway robbery. I've not been to an employment agency in years, which is part of the fun. I looked at the lady and said, "If I had $100 cash and could pay you more than half my salary...I wouldn't need a job!"

The last agency I dealt with, years ago I will admit, was paid the fee by the company who hired you. I suppose I'm just a little ignorant of the way things work today.

Easter Boredom

Day 6 in Las Vegas
Starbucks, somewhere west of town

Can someone tell me why Starbucks must keep it so cold? I know it'll be handy when it's 113 outside, but today was very nice. I walked around The Trails Park in Summerlin and enjoyed watching some fathers teach their kids the finer points of baseball. But now I'm freezing to death in a Starbucks walk-in meat locker and wishing I had stayed and had coffee at the park.

Back to baseball. I noticed the Rangers are up to their old tricks. They start off winning the first three games at home then lose the first two on the road. The Rangers have to be the worst road team in the majors.

And speaking of majors...where was Tiger at the Masters this weekend? Golf is boring to watch unless Tiger is in the final pairing. I suppose his knee is still bothering him. He's no good coming from behind in major tournaments, so I knew he was done when he double bogied the first hole, third round.

And speaking of round...the Jr. Whopper is the best hamburger in town that cost only a dollar. Wendy's would probably be a close second.

And speaking of Wendy's...I almost lost my car in the wind storm the other night. Or at least I thought it might be blown to bits while I was walking around the Red Rock Casino. Some of the highest winds I've ever seen...er...heard (winds can't be seen I guess) made it hard to walk through the parking lot.

And speaking of parking lot...what's up with all the signs in the shopping centers that say "2 Hours Only...or You'll Be Subject to the Big Tow Truck." I saw a McDonald's employee park and walk into work. Unless he works less than two hours, something tells me they don't enforce the parking regulations. So if you don't enforce the rule, why have the rule? Just to make people nervous? Another silly example of code violations posted on real property to make people behave a certain way only to see people doing what they want to do anyway.

And speaking of silly...I plugged in my iPod for a recharge and I thought the entire thing was going to blow up. A spark or something caused the screen to flash, then go blank. I was really ticked until I shut it off and prayed over it. Then I let it cool off...which wasn't hard since I was in Starbucks. Finally I hit the reset button and all was well. Take away my iPod and I'm toast...even in Starbucks.

Day 5 in Las Vegas

The Coffee Bean, near Red Rock Casino

I have discovered I like it here, so far. The area around Town Center and Summerlin Parkway is especially nice. Close your eyes and you could be in northern Tucson, Scottsdale, or any number of nice suburbs around the southwest. Out here, you can easily forget that The Strip is located a few miles east. Look west toward Red Rock Canyon and the mountains and forget you are in the world's biggest playground.

I've met a few locals, including a Keller Williams real estate broker, a entrepreneur who sells DVDs and books online and is a distributer for SendOutCards.com. I've met a photographer/mountain climber/trail guide from Seattle who has a Nikon D300 I covet. Plus a few business owners who I've met while looking for a job. Looking for work in this economic recession is a challenge, but one I enjoy. Looking for a job helps you learn the city, meet some locals, and you get a sense of what's happening in the local market and economy.

Whenever I've entered a new city, knowing that I'm going to stay awhile, I immediately begin looking for a job. In Las Vegas, as in many cities, the unemployment rate has skyrocketed. But jobs are still available; it just takes some footwork and patience to find them. If you haven't hit the job-hunting trail in a while, understand this: most companies now take applications online and it can be a real pain in the neck. Many sites use questionaires to test your personality type and work ethic, and these drawn out sessions border on the ridiculous.

I long for the old days when you could walk in for a job interview on the spot, fill out an application, get hired or not, then leave. While many small retail stores in shopping strips may post a Help Wanted sign, most franchise companies will simply send you to their web site.

I've been in Las Vegas before, but never for five days straight. I'm beginning to develop some impressions of the place and people who live here. It's no mystery that the health of Las Vegas is tied to the gaming industry.

For reasons I can't comprehend, many leaders in the casino industry were unable to see the current economic crisis coming. As a real estate broker, I attended meetings in 2000 that predicted this very situation. The signs were all there. A housing and credit crisis was coming. (We were told in our meetings in 2000/2001 that the crisis would hit in 2010. Evidently the 9/11 attacks pushed the timetable forward a bit.) So I'm really amazed when I read in the local press that no one saw this downturn coming, or that they are shocked to see a drastic decline in tourism and gaming. The old myth was that gaming and entertainment here was "recession proof."

The MGM Mirage, for example, is near bankruptcy. If it were to fail, the effects on the local economy would be devistating, says the newspaper. So here comes help, probably a bail out of some kind, to help a leading employer stay afloat. The MGM is developing a new complex, CityCenter, and the timing of such a project was always in question. Now with the current ecomomic atmosphere, the MGM is in trouble. But since they are "probably too big to fail", help is likely on the way.

Harrah's on the other hand, may have been the smart ones by holding off on developing their own new toy, the so-called "Epicenter." Back in 2006, they may have seen the writing on the wall and felt the timing wasn't right. They slowed down on their development plans. For MGM, however, it was "if we build it, they will come."

So now we find Las Vegas a little shaky, and more than a little nervous about the coming months. Signs are good that things will turn around, probably next year. But until then, I get the feeling the local business owners and residents are going to be holding their collective breaths to see what continues to happen on The Strip.

As for me, I'll keep pounding the pavement to see what job I can find.

Day One in Las Vegas

Day 1 in Las Vegas
Starbucks, near Red Rock Casino

Made a long drive to Las Vegas yesterday...525 miles. I don't think I've ever driven that far in one day without stopping before. I felt relieved it was over, but dog-tired. I left Carmel at 9:30 a.m. and arrived last night at sundown in Sin City, around 7:30 p.m. I made the drive with just two stops to stretch my legs and grab a Quarter Pounder.

Ten hours is just too long to stay on the road without a significant break. I was proud to average 52.5 miles an hour, though. Not bad when you consider the two-lane road across central California that slowed me up a bit. The drive across the Mojave Desert was maddening, too. When I see places like Mojave, it makes me wonder about the so-called overpopulated planet we live on. Looks like we have plenty of room to grow if you don't mind high winds, sand storms, and a hot blazing sun.

I'm hanging out mainly in the Red Rock Canyon area of west Las Vegas. The Spanish Trail area has an abundance of million-dollar homes, plus a very nice country club. Now if I could only come up with a million dollars.

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I visited the campus of UNLV today. But it's Spring Break so not much was happening. The Lied Library was all but empty, just a few students working on computers. The campus was a ghost town. I spoke with a nice girl in the Fine Arts Advisors office about the art department. She was just filling in for the regulars who were gone for the Break, so she didn't have much to say. She had a nice smile, though. (I know what you're thinking...but I'm old enough to be her father...which shouldn't be a problem now that I think about it.)