Senior Moments Turn Into Days

Fiesta Henderson is playing to the 50+ crowd with Senior Tuesdays, with an even better deal on their slot tournament (Tuesdays 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.). While the first entry is still free, your second and third entry now only cost you 50 points, whereas before you had to earn 200 points apiece! You also get a free cup of coffee at Cafe Fiesta and Denny's, and half-point dining and bowling. Just the thing after you play your free 9 a.m. Bingo game at their nearby Sunset Station, and before you hit the Station Casinos for their free slot tournament on Senior Wednesday! 

That's A Bingo!

Oh wait...I guess it's just "Bingo!" Never mind. Anyway, if you want to get your Bingo fix on for free, Boulder Station and Sunset Station are having two free games every weekday, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If that starts to become monotonous, you can always break it up by having the occasional free game at South Point, which hosts them at 9 a.m. on Monday and Friday. The last time I played bingo for big bucks I didn't even get the free spot, but maybe you'll have better luck than I did. (I exaggerate for comic effect; in fact I've won some nice hats and t-shirts playing bingo. No big bucks yet, though.)

Loose Shoes

Since I frequently drive by, this Discount Shoe Factory at 3519 S. Maryland Parkway caught my eye, especially as the sole was threatening to depart the mortal plane of my black dress shoes. Ladies, shoes here start at $3.99 (all sales final), all boots are $10.99 and all handbags are $15.98, so knock yourself out! Still not a good enough deal for you? Check out this ad in Quinceanara Magazine: Buy three pairs at $3.99 and get the fourth pair for $1.99! If you didn't just pass out, then feel free to knock yourself out some more. Guys...sorry, men's shoes are $15.98. Still, I bought myself a sweet pair of black Riko's for that price and was happy to get 'em. (There's another location at 1701 S. Rainbow.)

Nuclear Fizzin'

I imagine not that many of the Rat Pack's old watering holes are still standing, but you can still down a few at the longest-surviving standalone bar in Las Vegas, Atomic Liquors at 917 Fremont Street. It was established in 1952 at the height of the Space Age and Atomic Age craze (last time I visited Almogordo, N.M., whole city blocks still looked like this), and continues to pack them in: It was just recently the runaway winner in the Stiff Drinks category in the Review-Journal's latest annual Best of Las Vegas poll.

Best Cheap Eats On or Off The Strip?

Whether it's the food critics for Vegas magazines or my friends' neighborhood mechanic, everyone raves about the adobada at Tacos El Gordo, the Tijuana-based restaurant at 1724 E. Charleston. (Oh, sure, you can go to the one on the Strip, but I'm sure the ambience won't be the same.) There are separate carving stations for each of your meat preferences, where a cook will carve a few strips of your selection, drop them on top of two corn tortillas then cover them with toppings and sauce. Prepare your taste buds for a little slice of Tijuana heaven. They may not be gigante, but at $2 a taco, it's hard to go wrong.

A Triple Shot of OMGoodness

Hey, if you sign up for the e-mail club at Mimi's Cafe, not only will coupons for Gallic goodness keep popping into your inbox, but for your birthday, they give you a free dessert! I dropped by their location on Fort Apache and W. Charleston, digging the smooth jazz sounds being piped into the parking lot. I decided to splurge (I can always walk eight blocks and back later) on Mimi's Classic Ensemble: "petite" servings of Cinnamon Apple Crisp A La Mode, Bread Pudding, and Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae. My server was quite proud of the home-made bread pudding, and she should be. At $5.99 it's a bargain, especially since it seems ready-made for sharing bites with that special someone. (Other Vegas locations at 6760 N. Durango, 7315 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, and at Sunset Station.)

Weekends with the Bard. Or Several of Them.

Dead Poet Books (Rainbow and Charleston, between the Albertsons and Zombie Zone) won me over when I saw the "$1 Books" table through the window, and had me for life when I found there a copy of a Don Siegel autobiography I didn't even know existed. In hardback, yet. That a table next to the door had more books, cassettes and movie posters for free was a bonus. As someone who's collected both science fiction and gambling books throughout the years, I can testify that both sections are top-notch, so one trusts the others are as well.

Beyond that, Adam Stuart Littman's Humanity Through Art project, operating out of the back of the store, is aiming to nurture creativity and promote a Humanities scene in Vegas based on culture and craft. Every other Saturday features Sin City Shakespeare, exploring one play at a time, at 1 p.m., followed by a Poetry Circle at 4 p.m (next up: April 5).; on the alternating Saturdays the Writer's Circle meets at 1 p.m. (next up: April 12). It's not an open mic night; they already host one of those at Vape City on Wednesdays. It's more workshoppish; bring your work and expect to share and receive feedback.