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Tom the backroads traveller FotoTunes


December 2012 - Las Vegas NV

Mob Museum


She Works Hard For Her Money

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Tom hosts Tuesday's Treasures.


Las Vegas Nevada Mob Museum - A great place to visit.


I Would Do Anything for Love

AHA I was undercover!

Mob Museum Las Vegas

January 2015 - Las Vegas NV

We had visited the museum back on 2013 and really enjoyed it. We had friends visiting and B had said he'd love to go, so off we went last Friday.

I cam across Johnny Bender and Blair the Enforcer.

Officially known as The Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, it is located inside the historic former federal courthouse and U.S. Post Office. This building is one of the few remaining historically significant buildings in Las Vegas and is included on both the Nevada and National Registers of Historic Places.

Here is a fun promo from the opening of the museum with great shots of Las Vegas.

We had a great time and spent over two hours visiting the exhibits.

You start on the third floor and work your way down. First stop was the line up! I knew those guys were trouble!

And the cute cop who put them behind bars.

There are many interactive videos throughout.

The museum tells the story of American organized crime, from its birth in the immigrant slums of  cities like Boston, New York and Chicago to Sin City, the desert playground of the rich and famous and infamous Las Vegas.

The law enforcement officials didn't have the technology that is available today so it was interesting to see how they made use of what was available.

From 1950 to 1951, the Kefauver Committee hearings on organized crime were held in 14 cities around the United States. In Las Vegas, the hearings were conducted in the courtroom in this very building on November 15, 1950. The courtroom has been recreated to appear as it did back then, a true portal to a time when the Mob “ran the town.”

The televised trials drew rapt national attention, as both suspected and known organized crime leaders were interrogated by the senators, revealing to the public for the first time the nature and scope of their underground crime operations—and the corrupt public officials who allowed it to continue.

I loved the taped recordings where everyone suddenly lost their recollections of the events and you hear over and over again "I don't remember"!!

Bootlegger Dalitz is celebrated for getting the best of a congressional anti-mafia probe with zingers like, “If you people wouldn't have drunk it, I wouldn't have bootlegged it.”

 Since these gangsters enjoyed the high life hobnobbing with Hollywood stars as they spent a lot of time in Las Vegas  so there is a section devoted to Las Vegas life at the heyday of the mob. 

There is a room dedicated to the "art" of skimming money in the casinos.

They show how large the web can get and how it reaches into every part of life including politics. They discuss the Kennedys and their involvement with the mob. Did the mob kill the Kennedys?

There is a wall dedicated to the gangster movies and which gangster was portrayed by which actor.
This added a large number of movies to my viewing list.

There are many more exhibits, what do old gangsters do when they retire, what was their homes like, how did FBI agents operate under cover, what is the new face of crime, all of which are fascinating.

This Is How We Vegas - Week 5

January 2015 - Las Vegas NV

Saturday - I was warned the weekend would be all about football!

However it turned out to be an interesting morning. Received a call at 11AM from condo front desk Grand View stating we would have to move buildings due to an unplanned closure of the building we were in. I was righteously incensed on the phone and received a credit of our resort fees $100. After much muttering and complaining by both of us Project Team McWood sprang into action and we were packed, moved and settled by 1:30 with a quick run to the grocery store and homemade fajitas for lunch.

They did bring the new keys to us and also offered help to move which we declined.

Dinner  was pork chops, braised red cabbage and broccoli and cheese smashed potatoes using two new recipes.


Sunday - a rare occurrence, a rainy overcast day.
Since John was hunkered down watching football I strolled over to the casino as they were having a motorcycle auction and had antique models on display.
I followed the crowd and ended up in the arena where they had motocross races taking place.

I finally found the motorcycle auction and it was astonishing how many motorcycles (750) were on display and for sale. many had already been sold. Click here to see the auction results.

No 1: 1952 Vincent C Rapide

Lot S59
V-Twin
Sold for $132,500

I took many photos which I will post later.

These casinos are so huge!!!
At South Point the bowling lane has 64 lanes. There are six movie theatres.

Monday

Had a mention in William's blog Ottawa Daily Photo regarding a book about D'Arcy Mc Gee.
Also a mention and photos at a friend's blog Taking Routes, they were with us for two weeks over the holidays and are now back in COLD Calgary!

John golfed with two Vegas friends at Rhodes Ranch.

Dinner was a take on my  au gratin potatoes recipe to which I added cauliflower, broccoli and leftover roast chicken.

A lovely sunset.

Tuesday we did some groceries and picked up friends at the airport at 1:30. K and B arrived from frigid Toronto to spend a few days celebrating B's birthday. We are excited to show them "our" Vegas.
Approaching the airport.

Once they were checked in we went for beers to get caught up.

Time to check out the sights. First to Wynn's.

Then through Palazzo, the Christmas  decorations have been replaced with Chinese New Year.

In Venetian we took the gondola ride and bought the requisite photo, we always do this when we travel together.

It was time for them to put their feet up after flying and losing three hours.

Wednesday we picked them up at 10 AM and headed to Hoover Dam.

We couldn't walk across the bridge as it was under inspection. We all agreed we wouldn't want to have this job description.

We headed into Boulder City, the city that built the dam, for lunch.
But first we pulled over when we spotted these two having their lunch. i think, a very fortuitous find, as 2015 is the year of the sheep/ram/goat for Chinese New Year.

The guys had burgers, I had wings (really really good) and K had a hot dog.

Time to saunter around this delightful town.

We spent some time in the museum located in the hotel. I will post the exhibits in a separate post.

We drove back into town and stopped into Paris where we wandered around and then had a drink in Mon Ami Gabi where we could see the Waters at Bellagio.

Check out the bathroom sinks.

We were walking K and B back to their hotel when we decided we would check out the Chinese New Year display in Bellagio. It was perfect as there were very few people.

They went back to Treasure Island we came back to the condo and had bread and cheese for dinner.

Thursday we picked them up with their luggage as they had decided to come stay with us for two nights.

We drove to Red Rock Canyon about thirty minutes straight up Charleston. We've been here at least three or four times but it is always a stunning outing.

Unaware they are being photographed along with Monkey!

Lunch at Red Rock Casino, The Yardhouse, a big favourite of ours ever since we found it in Honolulu.

See the server over B's shoulder? In a few minutes she manages to tip his glass with the menus and John ends up beer battered. She apologizes but doesn't offer an compensation other than the numerous towels required to dry John. She brings the bill, the manager walks by and asks how our meal was, B explains and he says he will take care of that. She appears and asks if the bill is ready, she is told that the manager is taking care of it. I'll bet she was not pleased. The manager removed these two beers from the tab.

Time to head back, put our feet up at the condo.

B and K's unit.

K was starting a cold so she rested. The three of us went to the casino and spent an hour playing and then picked up Asian food for dinner.

Friday  was B's birthday. K woke with a full blown cold, John was coughing so we lazed around and then K wanted to pick up some items so we went to Planet Hollywood.

Errands completed and we went to lunch. Funny enough, we chose a place that we also first discovered in Hawaii, first in Maui and then in Honolulu, Cheeseburger in Paradise. The best burger we've had in Vegas so far.

Back to get the car. The original plan was to spend the day here and there and end up on Fremont for a special birthday dinner. We adjusted the plan  and took K back to nap for the afternoon and then pick her up for dinner.

We took B to the Mob Museum as he had expressed an interest.
We had been here back in 2013 just after it opened and enjoyed it just as much this time.

Driving back along the Strip to pick up K.

K had just woken up and we decided that it wasn't really a good idea to go to Fremont if she wasn't feeling well. We walked over to South Point Casino and ate in Silverado, their steak house and I would say one of their best restaurants.