Hard to believe that our Vegas chapels last year had more than 122,000 marriage ceremonies, and the majority of the ultimate gambles take place on just one day: Valentine's Day.
Happy Heartday Everybody! If you're dressed up in racy red to set hearts hopping this February 14, everybody at Luxe Life hopes it's an Xtremely Xciting, Xotic and Xclusive day so may the love be with you!
Licenses are issued around the clock just today for 24-hours and hundreds of happy couples will tie the knot in one of our dozens of wedding chapels.
Ironically, bookings for 7/7/07 are already jamming the phone lines and that day may even exceed today's normal busiest day of the year! So many famous folks have been married here it's hard to keep a list but amongst Elvis and Priscilla, Joan Collins and Peter Holm, I think Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, who married here in 1958, are the longest remaining couple. Certainly Britney Spears and high-school sweetheart Jason Alexander hold the shortest marriage and annulment on record; all in a 55-hour span!
Now comes the "only in Vegas" twist of all time: a brand new website is effective today so that couples can see the odds and make book on how successful the marriage will be, even before they take out the license! A kiosk has even been set up at the Marriage Bureau, just feet from taking the final plunge. Its 50-year historical database also gives romantics something to do while waiting in line for the $55 cash-only license.
Nevada has the highest marriage rate per capita of any state in the United States and a couple gets married here every three minutes and there is a 1 in 17 chance of getting married in Nevada.
MAKE-OUT MOVIE
Longtime pal and veteran actor Dennis Hopper -- we both love good cigars -- hosts a sweetheart screening tonight of 'Hoosiers,' which back in 1986 won him an Academy Award nomination. The film, which also stars Gene Hackman, unreels at the in the resort to raise funds for the Hollywood Heart program of our local Boys Girls Club. Dennis, who is chairman of our annual CineVegas Film Festival will chat with the audience and answer questions.
PERSONAL PICKS
Asked to name three very special restaurants to celebrate Valentine's with your true love, I'd have to go French and L'Amore!
I'll personally be taking one very special lady to the prestigious restaurant in Caesars Palace, which has love mixed into every course. I just as easily could have gone for supreme chef at the MGM Grand. Joel has a $360, 16-course menu of taste temptations.
Chef Alain Ducasse dazzles high atop at in his restaurant, which is lit by a 24-ft chandelier of 15,000 hand-blown champagne bubbles. But there's one Frenchman who started all this red roses and creamy chocolates lip-lock love tradition in Vegas and he gets a special vote: same-named restaurant downtown has been annually voted the most romantic in our Valley. He's also got the quaint and charming Andre's at the Monte Carlo and my favorite atop the Palms resort casino hotel.
All have special Valentine's Day menus for star-crossed lovers. Don't forget the "Love Passion and Chocolate" out at the Ritz Carlton on Lake Las Vegas. It does include a $50,000 Neiman Marcus shopping spree and the butler will draw a Cristal Champagne bath in the presidential suite!
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SEXY SPA, SHOPPING SHOW
The Spa has a "Better Love" Valentine's package and a "Princess Package" -- both costing $350 for 80-minutes but complete with papaya enzyme cream masks, cranberry massage to reduce ageing signs -- and champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. You could have them on your body but probably less messy if you just relax with them afterwards! You can always invite your mate to share with the 50-minute couples together massage for $280.
If tempting teddies and thongs, sizzling lace-topped stockings, burst-out bras and naughty negligees are the lacy lingerie on your love's must-have list then whip out your credit card for the high-priced sexcitement of Agent Provocateur in the and watch supermodel Kate Moss have a sex-fuelled film fantasy as she dresses her body beautiful in their next-to-nothings! Can anything top itself from the Beatles and at the Mirage as the ultimate Valentines date-musical?
PRINCE'S PARADE
Recording artist Tyrese, known for his passionate lyrics and sexy sound, makes a memorable guest performance serenading singles and couples tonight at Prince's in the Rio.
Then a warm welcome to Louis Prima Jr. and his eight-piece orchestra, The Witnesses, who will now do every Wednesday and Thursday while Prince is away on tour. Louis Jr.
is recreating a Vegas tradition his father made famous for 30-years in our early days known as "The Wildest Show in Vegas." He combines New Orleans jazz, a big-band sound with some swing, blues, boogie-woogie and rock and roll! Prince himself is back this weekend and has extended his NBA All-Star weekend shows to 3 nights!
Watch for Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller dressed as Elvis Presley during the worldwide NBA All-Star game telecast on Sunday (4PM PT). Along with his sister, TV commentator Cheryl Miller and TNT cameras they will film the segment today at our Graceland Chapel where real-Elvis impersonator Brandon Paul will be super-busy with 75 couples scheduled for ceremonies that are already underway as of 7AM! The Elvis tribute doesn't end there because an All-Elvis choir of impersonators will sing "Viva Las Vegas" after Friday's slam-dunk contest!
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Watch for movie superstars Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson to be front-row seat-mates at Sunday's big game because they aren't selling their tickets which have now escalated up to a whopping $50,000 for anything in the first five rows courtside! ..
. Sad to report that new Denver Nugget and former Philadelphia 76's star Allen Iverson has been forced to drop out of Sunday's game due to an ankle injury- but he's still coming to town for all the fun.
NEW YEAR'S EVE TIMES FIVE
Every December 31st, Vegas has been the best street-party but it takes extra police and security vigilance to ensure things stay safe.
Now we're learning that our police chiefs are war-ready for All-Star weekend as of midnight tonight on the basis that its going to be five-times bigger than New Years Eve. All vacation leave and days off have been cancelled for every department to ensure the influx of out of town vice girls and gang members don't wreck our party. They are geared up for massive presence and sweeps to arrest more hookers, strippers, thieves and thugs in the next four days than were arrested in 52 consecutive weekends last year!
FINAL FIGURES
It was another all-time record year for Vegas. Yesterday Luxe Life told you that our Convention Visitors Authority was about to release the 2006 statistics. They did and it's overwhelming.
Last year Vegas brought in just under 39-million tourists giving us America's #1 position with weekend occupancy rates year-round averaging 94.6% and a mind-boggling 87.6% midweek.
The closest behind us was Honolulu at 83% and New York City at 82%. That translated to an average year-round room rate of $120- which beat rival vacation playground Orlando with a $101 average room rate! Officials predict this year's figures will be even higher, with 5,000 new rooms being added in the next 12 months and doubling by 2011.
STRIP SCRIBBLES
After a dinner at in the Mirage Jared Leto and his progressive rock band 30 Seconds to Mars (seen above) celebrated next door at in the Mirage to mark their second album "Beautiful Lie" going platinum.
Bellagio chocolatier Jean-Philippe Maury, replicating their new album cover, served them a giant circular cake! ..
. Actress Dominique Swain ("Alpha Dog" "Lolita") and cover girl of this month's Stuff Magazine partied at the restaurant then the Light Nightclub and finally the Caramel ultra lounge. Dominique and her sister, up-and-coming actress Chelsea Swain ("Georgia Rule") danced all night long and Dominque was even spotted dancing on one of the club's man stripper poles.
Meanwhile, rapper Nelly (seen below) has arrived in Sin City for the NBA All-Star parties and his first stop late last night was at the in after sushi supper in the upstairs 
Before heading to , Gene Simmons dined at with a group of friends and enjoyed executive Chef Brian Massie's "hot rocks" and tender kobe sirloin.
Over at the Bellagio, NBA sports analyst Charles Oakley dined at with a group of five other friends. while nearby at a separate table boxer Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins ordered up the sea bass.
TONIGHT'S TIPS
The O'Jays will entertain with NBA legends Clyde Drexler, and Julius "Dr.
J" Irving in MGM. ..
. Kanye West and Gnarls Barkley are the headliners at the second night of Fusion at the . .
.. Actress Kelly Hu from ABC's "Emergency" will bring 20 gorgeous girls with her to display the latest styles as they host the Marceau Fashion Valentine's Day party at .
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For 20 years, Strip entertainers have presented the Golden Rainbow fundraiser and the casts of , , , , , and the 'Fashionistas' all join forces for Naked Hearts Valentines Ball at the RIO. ..
. Denice Williams has a love affair with The Delfonics, The Impressions and a host of other Heatwaves for Red Rose Loveday's Orleans Arena concert.
TOMORROW'S TEASE
The controversial Hilton sisters head-to-town.
Paris and Nicky both have their own versions of all-star weekend. Paris jets in from a $1million-dinner date in Austria to celebrate her birthday blast! Plus Mandalay Bay's ABBA musical celebrates its fourth anniversary!
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