Happy Holidays!

Here is a list we put together in 2009 of neighborhood Holiday displays. We have not had any luck finding an updated version for this year. If anyone knows where we might find the info please hit the comments and let us know.

In the meantime, since many people do these displays on a yearly basis, here is the list we have. Please be aware that some of the info may be outdated. If we find more up-to-date info over the weekend, we will post it!

Take a tour of holiday lights and decorations around the Las Vegas Valley. The area is divided into quadrants by using Sahara Avenue to divide north from south and Interstate 15 to divide east from west.

NORTHEAST

Address: 3164 Mclennan Ave., North Las Vegas, 89081
Resident: Kellee Enneman
Description: 5 - 11 p.m. Perfectly straight house lights and multiple yard decorations. Decorations are accompanied by music.

Address: 1343 Villa Park Court, Las Vegas, 89110
Resident: Chris Colasuono
Description: 4 - 10:30 p.m. Sun-Thurs; 4 - 11 p.m. Fri-Sat. 10,000 lights that are synchromized to music. Music can be heard on station 106.1 FM. Currently 14 various song/light shows are programmed.


NORTHWEST

Address: 8117 Chestnut Hollow Ave., Las Vegas, 89131
Resident: Frank Endellicate
Description: Entire house decorated from top to bottom. Various lawn ornaments, blow ups, reindeer and santas! Lights galore!

Address: 6759 Rowena Circle, Las Vegas, 89131
Resident: Missi K. Winter
Description: Anytime after 5:30 pm. Themed as the Peanuts visiting the North Pole!

Address: 6601 Brandywine Way, Las Vegas
Submitted by Bonnie Sandusky
Description: 7 - 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; Monday-Tuesday, all day. My parents' home, always decorated every space you can imagine ... from the roof to the whole front yard! My Dad does this himself everyt year. He is 80 years old! Climbs up that roof, etc. Then goes to my sister's house & helps her! Every year! Needs to be recognized.

Address: 6313 Bristol Way, Las Vegas, 89107
Submitted by Bonnie Sandusky
Description: My sister's house says: Happy Birthday Jesus. Everyone seems to forget what Christmas really means & her display says it all ... a must see!

Address: 4205 Via Vaquero Ave., Las Vegas 89102
Resident: Kelley Thomas
Description: 5 - 11 p.m. More than 25,000 lights, dancing characters, handmade Santa, lots of intricate details. Features Christmas music.

New addition submitted by one of our readers:

NorthWest area, Residential home has an animated musical Christmas Lights display and a video of Santa in a window. A joke telling elf is hosting the Broadcast on 101.1 Fm at 3646 Carol Lark Court Las Vegas 89129.

SOUTHEAST:

A new addition submitted by one of our readers:

Address: 4255 El Cid Way Las Vegas NV 89121

Description: Huge two story house all decorated, TONS OF LIGHTS, garage has a viewing of a HUGE mini Christmas village built up on Styrofoam which includes three full trains running throughout the mini village, house will NOT disappoint! Truly a masterpiece!!!

SOUTHWEST

Address: 7040 Darby Ave., Las Vegas, 89117
Resident: Gary Bohannon
Description: 5 p.m. to at least 10 p.m., weekends until 11 p.m. Our display includes, of course, a Nativity scene, There is Santa in his sleigh with 9 flying reindeer suspended in air. Flying Sopwith Camel airplane with Snoopy. Mega tree. Animated polar bears and penguins. There are several lighted trees throughout the yard. We are approaching 100,000 lights.

Our lights are sound activated by controllers, with Christmas carols (Mannheim Steamroller, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Kitaro, David Arkenstone) playing through outside speakers and the lights flash to the tempo of the music. Animated pink flamingos, carousel. Large U.S. flag on the roof (9' x 13').

We also have the obligatory gaudy plastic figures; Mickey, Minnie, Santa, Mrs. Santa, choir people, elves, candy canes, snowman, Santa waving in a train, toy soldiers, drummers and windows have animated lighted figures. Sometimes Santa appears, especially Christmas Eve and hands out candy canes."

Address: 2757 Grande Valley, Las Vegas, 89135
Resident: Rupert Chamberlain
Description: 5-10 p.m. My favorite TV show of all time is "Star Trek." The recent "Star Trek" movie was OK, but I much prefer the original cast. As a tribute to the show I have decorated my front yard to represent some of my favorite episodes with a holiday twist. Kirk and Spock in hand-to-hand combat armed with candy canes and dressed as elves, red, white and green animatronic tribbles and much much more. A true Trekkies holiday delight! Come one and all and join for a Romulan ale as we boldly go where no man has gone before!

Address: 10878 Milbank Ave, Las Vegas, 89135
Resident: Jerrold E. Creed
Description: 4 to 10 p.m. daily. Tune your car radio to 103.9 FM. Thousands of LED lights set to music. THX opening, Carol of the Bells, Linus and Lucy, Jingle Bells, TSO Wizards of Winter. Picture on this web page is this house. Featuring 16 mini trees out front. Merry Christmas.

Address: 346 Maddalena, Las Vegas, 89183
Resident: Ryan S. Knepp
Description: 6 - 8 p.m. My 14-year-old stepson Ryan Knepp loves Christmas decorations. With every dime he gets he buys blow-up decorations to place in the yard. Over the last month he has spent countless hours setting up his display.

He has about 40 blow ups plus countless lights and other displays. Last year he had blow ups stolen. He now attaches each one to plywood and puts a cable around all of them to prevent them from being stolen. He is very meticulous and makes sure every wire and string is just right. This 14-year-old does this all by himself and with his own money. Truly an inspiring story about Christmas and youth.

Address: 3308 Surfline Dr., Las Vegas 89117
Resident: Walt Patalina
Description: 5-11 p.m. Deer, trees, lights, music and lots more!

HENDERSON

Address: 3018 Scenic Valley Way, Henderson 89052
Resident: Robert Thomas
Description: 4:30 - 11:30 p.m. Lots of lights, inflatable airplane on roof, nativity scene, snow globe and lighted animals, angels and more. Live Santa appearing on Sundays.

New addition: 1700 block of Quiver Point Avenue

NORTH LAS VEGAS

A new addition:

3016 Judson Avenue

DOWNTOWN:

Twisted Vegas at 1941 Houston Drive

If you know of other neighborhoods, please leave a note for us in the comments section and we will add them!

Estinto                  Season 1, episode 10

Where Christmas comes to Vegas and everyone gets what they wished for. Well, sorta.

Welcome to our weekly recap/review of this week’s episode of Vegas. Did you bring the eggnog (hope its lots of eggnog)

Elvis is singing Blue Christmas on the soundtrack and Ralph is giving Jack a hard time about cleaning up his car.

The Savino family is going shopping. Daddy Rizzo shows up with Miss Desmond and she is sporting a big rock. She and Daddy are getting married. Daddy is hot to hit the sheets which means no Christmas dinner with Mia (who looks a bit blue). But Jack is there to take her blues away. Drink because you saw that coming!

Out in the oil field (yeah, the oil rich fields of Las Vegas, you’ve heard of them, right?) The imagery seems more to invoke the landscape of LA Confidential than 1960 Las Vegas. Anyways, the hoods are not happy with a contractor. Mickey the hood is getting in the contractor’s  (Merrick’s) face until Vince steps in to calm things down. Vince doesn’t mind the contractor padding his wallet but, horrors, in a story straight out of the Benny Siegel play book, the contractor is charging twice for the same building material. Drink if you know this connects to Del Webb in real life or if you know who is Del Webb is. Vince wants the nonsense to end. The contractor says he didn’t know that his crew was doing that!

Over at a honky tonk bar, Jack and Mia are drinking and dancing. They do make a handsome couple.

The net day on the job site, the cement mixer is jammed and in the best CSI fashion, a body falls out covered in wet cement. Drink if you knew it was the contractor before the day player said, “It’s Mr. Merrick”.

Back from commercial, we’re at the crime scene with Ralph, Jack, Dixon and Katherine and Del Merrick’s widow (nice shout out calling him Del). She’s upset, he was supposed to be honored by the Rotary Club later that afternoon. Katherine calls it a mob hit.  One of Del’s men tells Ralph about the hoods, including Vince, who showed up to talk to Merrick.

Over at the Savoy, Miss Desmond wants to talk to Vince. She’s down to her lingerie and making moves on Vince. He tells her to seek employment else where. They get a little physical and he tells her to take her problems to Daddy Rizzo.

Dixon is upset there is no Christmas Eve party because it is against the regulations. Vince shows up and is not happy about his construction permit being pulled. Holy crap, Dennis Quaid smiles again!!! DRINK!!! He smiles again!! Drink! Vince is also complaining about stealing merchandise from his hotel. Ralph sends Dixon to check the thefts out. Dixon is not happy which is weird because he loves being around show girls.

At the corner’s office, seems Merrick was beat and then chocked and ultimately knived with a serrated blade. Doesn’t sound like a mob hit. The widow Merrick shows up and says the big scar was from a crane! The Lamb brothers don’t buy it. Seems someone tried to kill Merrick before.

At the Savoy, Dixon offers to go undercover as a waiter. We learn that Dixon is chafing under Ralph’s way of sheriffing. Are you surprised.

At the Sheriff’s Office, Miss Desmond’s work card application was denied because of narco charges by the feds. No work card for her. Miss Sanchez gets to call the Savoy and tell them Miss Desmond won’t be singing.

The Lamb brothers go to question a suspect and he attacks them. Seems Merrick killed the man’s daughter.

After the commercial, we learn that Merrick had done the construction on the Internment camp that the suspect had been moved to during the war. His daughter died in the camp. When the chance to get revenge surfaced years later, he attacked Merrick and then drove him to the hospital. Seems Merrick had two wives, one a blonde and one a redhead.

Over at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo is very unhappy that Miss Desmond isn’t allowed to sing in the hotel. Vince tries to reason with him. Miss Desmond tries to explain that she’s been set up. A package arrives for Mia along with a note from Jack. He wants to go dancing with her. The package was a honky tonk album that Daddy throws in the trash.

We learn from Dixon that Ralph’s wife died at Christmas. (Can this show layer the pathos on any stronger and still not be engaging? Yep.) Jack is trying to set up a date and Ralph over hears the conversation. He is not happy about Jack dating a mobster’s daughter.

Miss Sanchez tells them to follow the jewelry. It takes them to a feisty redhead who puts up a fight and tries to shoot them. Seems the redhead is a mobster’s wife and she’s been playing Del on the side.

The problems with Miss Desmond have been worked out. Meanwhile, Dixon is investigating in his waiter outfit. He finds a guy trying to rip off alcohol. A chase ensues. The bad guy gets away but leaves the key behind.

Ralph is interrogating the mobster and he claims he is innocent. Jack is talking to the redhead and we discover she isn’t the redhead that Del left the hospital with.  They go to an old fashioned revivial church to find her.

Vince and the DA meet out in the sticks. Miss Desmond is working with the feds. “She’s dirty, Vince”. Vince is not happy to hear that. “She’s here to get info, to take you down, to take you all down”.  Drink if you know where this storyline is going.

After the break, Ralph and Jack are still at the church. Seems the other woman is quite religious and has become a preacher. She used to be junkie but she’s reformed. Seems Del came to the desert to save his life. He was going to build a church and save the desert. I guess that was to happen after he stole from the mob. This also makes the real wife and the business partner suspects.

Dixon found out who the thief was and made Vince’s day by arresting the guy. He gives Dixon a nice suite for a night in return. Dixon, surprisingly, sees a conflict of interest and turns the suite down! Drink if you didn’t see that one coming!

He thanks Vince. Vince thanks him. Really, this passes as dialog. Vince suggest that Dixon stay in the room and enjoy the view for awhile. Drink because all know what’s going to happen,don’t we.

Ralph is questioning the widow Merrick. The widow knew about the preacher woman. Seems the widow thought all she had to do was bide her time and Del would come home sooner or later. The business partner didn’t have a high opinion of the preacher woman. Jack sympathizes with the partner. Seems Del was going to give the partner 20% of the business.

Back at the Sheriff’s Office, Ralph is not happy to hear that Mia Rizzo called Jack. They have a stand-off. Jack ain’t backing down. He brings Ralph up to date on the partner. Ralph thinks the wife did it. Jack thinks the partner did. They argue.

When does Jack have time to run Ralph’s ranch?  Words are exchanged. While Ralph was overseas in the war, Jack was home raising Dixon and burying Ralph’s wife. “I guess you’re right, I missed it all”, Ralph tells him and walks away.

Yeah, this is an upbeat Christmas episode, ain’t it?

Miss Desmond is preparing to go on. Vince comes in to talk to her. He turns on the radio. They dance. Vince gets handsy. They kiss.  Vince tells her “I want you to get the hell out of here.” He cops to knowing about the Feds. He gives her till morning to get out of town. Yes, it’s that kind of dialog.

Back at the Sheriff’s Office, Jack and Miss Sanchez are going over the evidence. Ralph scoffs at them.  Jack mentions that the partner had a hand injury. The scales fall off and they realize that the partner and the widow are in it together.  One thing we learn, the actress that plays Miss Sanchez is very tiny.

The widow and partner are brought in and the Lamb brothers close the case. The two killers go to a holding cell. Ralph tells Jack to go on his date leaving Ralph to do the paperwork. Jack says “Merry Christmas” Quaid smiles again!! Drink!

Over at the Savoy in the suite that Dixon wasn’t going to accept, a full blown Christmas Eve party is in full gear. Miss Sanchez is there and with a little mistletoe, he tries to kiss her and she smacks him. “Why are you so bossy?” he asks. “Because you love it” she retorts. Drink if this relationship just seems dysfunctional to you.

On his way to get more ice, Dixon runs into Jack. They question each other why the other is upstairs at the Savoy and then go one their way. Jack and Mia are in her room. She breaks it off. She says “It’s too dangerous”. Jack doesn’t want to give up so easily. “It was working for me”. She shows him the door. “You sure this is what you want”. “It doesn’t matter what I want”. She sorrowfully tells him. “It matters to me” he says just before he kisses her. She responds kissing him back. These two star crossed lovers just might make it yet.

Over at the Sheriff’s Office, Katherine arrives bringing home baked Christmas cookies for Ralph. “Home Ec was never my strongest class”. Ralph has a gift for her, horse shampoo. She invites him to join her for a drink. He declines. They hug and almost kiss but Ralph is still broken so that ain’t going to happen any time soon.

Back at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo has summoned Vince. Miss Desmond is lying dead on the divan. Vince is surprised. A needle is in Miss Desmond’s arm. “Once a junkie, always a junkie, right?” says Daddy Rizzo.

Vince is visibly shaken even as he joins the family for unwrapping Christmas gifts.

That’s how the story ends. No real Christmas good feelings (unless you are a big Jack and Mia fan), no fa-la-la. Just the not so surprising demise of Miss Desmond.

Me? I don’t know. I was hoping perhaps for a Christmas miracle- an episode of Vegas that would make me go, yes, this is what I was hoping the show would be. After the hints at storytelling we got last week, I was hopeful. But it was not to be. We got coal in our stockings instead.

Oh well, we had plenty of egg nog. And we did get to see Dennis Quaid smile.

And there’s always next year. New episodes should return in a few weeks and so will we!

In the meantime, keep those decorated neighborhood info coming in. We'll be posting updates for the Neighborhood Lights later in the week!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Old-timers will say "there was no violence back when the mob ran the town" but the reality is that this is 2012 and not the 1960s and life in America (including Las Vegas) has changed dramatically over the years.

This evening there was a shooting on the casino floor at the Excalibur Hotel that left one person dead and the other in critical condition.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Metro Police officials are investigating a shooting that occurred Friday night at the Excalibur resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

Police received a call about 8:30 p.m. that multiple shots had been fired at the casino and that two people were down.

Officers arriving in the main lobby area found a man dead in what appeared to be a self-inflicted gun wound. A woman was found shot and in critical condition; she was taken to a local hospital.

Witnesses on the casino floor said they noticed many distraught people suddenly running for the exits after apparent gunshots. Amid the panic, many poker players quickly left the tables and their personal effects. Police and casino security had taped off an area and closed the casino temporarily.

Photo courtesy of Destination360 Excalibur Las Vegas

Masquerade episode 1.9

Where Ralph and Katherine share a moment, Dixon has a fear of spiders and Benny Binion gets a shout-out!

Got your drinks? Let's review!

It was a typical episode of Vegas with the crime of the week centered on the murder of a showgirl. We see the showgirls on stage at the Stargazer (it’s a lame name). Almost as lame as the drummer who accompanies the music. But, fakeout! It’s just a rehearsal and the director, Max, begins berating the lead dancer. He tells her to  basically get her act together or he’ll have to drop her "cute little bottom" from the show. Ah, the 1960s.

Meanwhile we get a look at the exterior set of Downtown/TheStrip with Vegas Vic, the neon cowboy, makes a cameo appearance as well as a long, vintage caddy. In a walk and talk, we learn from Vince that the Missus and the kids are on holiday and from Mia we learn that Daddy Rizzo is in Los Angeles on business. Seems Daddy Rizzo’s union friends have arranged a screen test or two for Diane (the singer from the last episode two weeks ago).

Much more interesting than the walk and talk is the set design of the interior of the Savoy and vintage slot machines. While the count is down 12%, Vince isn’t worried because he has stolen a whale away “the Dunes and into our house”.

Out on Fremont Street/The Strip, the new Mayor Grady is getting his picture taken ala Oscar Goodman with some comely showgirls. Ralph watches, amused. Seems Grady wants to start a tourism campaign and needs a slogan. “Did you really ask me out here about tourism?” Ralph asks. Seems the mayor won’t be inaugurated until next week. In the meantime, though, he has “a vision that I want every Las Vegan to share.” Drink if you know what that means.

As the new mayor is trying to sell his spiel to Ralph, Dennis Quaid does us a solid by smiling, widely. Drink! Ralph’s suggestion for a slogan, “Welcome to Las Vegas” (Shades of Betty Willis, though I think we will all be up in arms if the show makes it look like Ralph’s slogan inspired Betty’s sign). The new mayor is less than thrilled with the slogan but damn if we don’t hit the jackpot because Quaid doesn’t care and he smiles again!  Drink!

Vince approaches them, “Sheriff, did you come to kiss the ring?” he asks, to which Ralph replies, “No, what did you come to kiss?” and smiles again!  Drink! Quaid is much more relaxed and charming in the first five minutes of this opening than he has been all season long. Hopefully, this portends a trend.

Back at the Stargazer the lead showgirl is dancing alone and the music abruptly stops. To her credit, she grabs her things and tries to make good her escape. Drink if you knew her death was inevitable

When we return from commercial, we’re at the Sheriff’s Office where Jack is busting Dixon’s chops. Meanwhile, Miss Sanchez is searching for something, seems she’s misplaced “a personal item”.

The call about the dead showgirl comes in and they go to the scene. They meet Katherine there. Plus the dead showgirl has been re-dressed in her costume. Katherine notices that and Ralph comments that she “is a trophy”. Katherine believes the young girl has been raped.

The questioning of the usual suspects begins. The director is a jerk and continues to be a jerk. But he did give the young girl a $300 advance for reasons unknown.

Back at the Savoy, they are waiting for waiting for the whale, Clay Stinson, who is arriving by rail in his own private car (as if he is foretelling the arrival of Howard Hughes six years later). Vince ‘s crew is not impressed by Stinson and they haven’t even met him yet. First thing Clay (a big, tall Texan) eyes is Mia. Drink if you know what one of his first requests will be. That is one giant piece of turquoise on the bolo tie that Stinson is wearing. Making up for other shortcomings perhaps?

Has the show gotten a new hair stylist? Both Ralph and Dixon seem to be sporting better ‘dos.

Vince is trying to keep Clay happy and in his cups. But we are about to get the highlight of the season, the mention of Benny Binion! For a show set in Las Vegas in 1960 and whose action is supposed to take place mainly downtown, there has been no mention of any of the colorful characters that ran downtown, especially the larger than life Texan who ran the Horseshoe and would take anyone’s bet. Clay reminds Vince of this and Vince’s reply, “Well, Benny can be a little crazy”. I guess we can only hope that the writers of this show will continue to populate their scripts with some of the historic larger than life characters that are part of the tapestry of Las Vegas history. It’s probably a long shot, but I guess we can always hope.

In the meantime, Vince lowers the limit that Clay can bet on a hand. Clay then surprises Vince and Mia by betting a cool half mil. He’s doing it to impress Mia. Drink if you saw that one coming even during the second swoon of mentioning Benny’s name. Vince covers the bet and Clay wins. Vince almost plotzes when Clay splits and the ante goes up to million. Clay wins and Vince looks short of breath.

Ralph and Katherine check out the dead showgirl’s apartment. There’s a Bob Fosse poster from Broadway on the wall (Hopefully for Redhead and not Sweet Charity). It’s the most Katherine has had to do in a few weeks. She reminds Ralph that “bad things happened in this town before the casinos”. And someone wrote in lipstick on the dead girl’s make-up mirror, You Shall Be Forgiven.

Back from commercial, Vince is paying Clay his cool million. And in addition to his winnings, Clay wants Mia, “a night with Miss Rizzo”. Vince refuses. “Everyone has their price.” Clay tells him.

Red isn’t happy because Clay’s entourage will drink free booze and trash their hotel rooms. But Vince says Clay will gamble again and big as long as they can keep him in the hotel. That’s Red’s job. Drink if know how easy that will be.

The Lamb brothers discuss the case and Quaid smiles again! Drink! Katherine joins the conversation and tells Ralph that the killer has done this before, especially in Kingman. We get a shout-out to Boulder Highway! Drink! Ralph won’t let Katherine go along but asks her to follow up on the Kingman lead by making phone calls. She’s not happy.

Clay is trying to leave the hotel and go to a well-known French restaurant on First Street. Vince convinces them to go to Savoy restaurant and he’ll have a private meal made special for Clay and his entourage.

Ralph and Jack check out a lead in an oil field. Yeah, oil and Las Vegas. You’ve heard of the rich oil fields of Southern Nevada, right? They break up a shoot with a couple of young chippies and a leering film director. The young chippies look like they were acting out a roman scene, girl on girl. But nothing that hot because it’s CBS.

Ralph threatens the leering director and shoots between his legs, telling him to get out town.

Over at the Savoy, Clay liked his dinner but he plans on leaving because “You gotta go before the thrill wears off”. Vince isn’t happy.

Katherine meets with the dead showgirl’s father who drove in from Cedar City (another shout out that is correct). Katherine tells him that his daughter was murdered. The father is upset. Drink if you figured that would happen. The father blames his daughter and tells Katherine not to contact him again. Katherine is upset.

Miss Sanchez is still trying to find whatever it is that she lost. Dixon offers to help until he discovers it’s a spider. Seems Dixon has a fear of spiders.

Katherine talks to Ralph. Seems Ralph doesn’t want to have to worry about Katherine putting herself in dangerous situations. Ah, he cares about her! She tells him “I refuse to stand over the body of another young girl”.

After the commercial, Clay is leaving and Mia becomes aware of what Clay wanted. Mia’s a big girl. In a strange cut, it begins to rain, the caddy and Clay come back. Vince made it impossible for his private train car to leave.

The Lambs are hot on the trail of another clue. Drink if you realize that there is another 15 minutes left and this clue won’t pay off. Besides, Chris Stengel is a young woman not a young man. And Chris and the dead showgirl were girlfriends (in the 21^st century diverse America meaning).

Seems she was working on her own act with someone from the Stargazer show. Ralph returns to his office to find the new mayor there.  The new mayor is feeling a lack of respect. He tries to convince Ralph that he’s not Savino’s dog. Ralph pulls out three cases, all dead, that were friends of Vince. “I’d hate for you to become one of those friends.” He tells the new mayor.

Grady leaves and Katherine comes in. They have a heart to heart. Katherine tells Ralph the story of her cousin Joan who visited when she was 15. Her cousin was raped by a ranch hand. “That’s the shame of it” she says. Seems the ranch hand quit and then “a year later I saw in the papers he raped a girl in Henderson. I should have done something when I had the chance.” Ralph assures her they’ll get that chance for the dead showgirl. Quaid is not only quite good in the scene, he smiles!  Drink!

Over at the Savoy, Mia reports that Daddy Rizzo is returning from Los Angeles because Diane’s screen test didn’t go well. They have two hours to win back all the money from Clay.

Katherine gets a lead on the jerk director, Max. Katherine offers to go to the showroom and talk to the showgirls. Ralph and Jack discover the director didn’t do the crime. Oh no, the killer is still out there!  Drink if you knew that.

Katherine talks to the piano player/drummer.  Da, Da, Dum!!!! While the piano man is talking, Katherine realizes he is the killer. She starts to leave and piano man grabs her by the throat. Throttling her, she stabs in the leg with a letter opener.

She tries to make good an escape. But piano man grabs a knife and talking to Katherine he confesses the crime. Katherine throws a cut glass bowl to distract him and Ralph shows up and drops the guy with a well placed bullet that doesn’t kill the piano man. He embraces Katherine.

Over at the Savoy on Fremont St/the Strip, Clay is packing up and leaving but not before playing a hand of poker with Mia. Each put up a cool mill. She didn’t tell Vince she was drawing the money from the cage. Mia has a pair of eights and Clay only has a busted straight. Mia wins. Before he and his entourage leave he promises Mia he’ll be back. Seems the chips were show, the real bet was for something else. Either way, Clay lost a mill and still didn’t get Mia.

Over at the Sheriff’s Office, the spider is walking across the floor. Quaid smiles again!!!! Drink! Miss Sanchez rescues the spider, Dixon gets busted for being afraid of spiders and the episode ends.

While it was a typical episode, some good things happened. Especially the character development between Ralph and Katherine.  This show isn’t anywhere close to Justified or Mad Men territory in terms of story telling and acting but Dennis Quaid is either getting comfortable with the character or the director has realized that Quaid is more than a one note actor.

And the historical shout-outs are much appreciated and we hope they continue!

There will be a holiday episode next week that looks like it includes some steamy moments or at least a few romantic ones.

So, we’ll be back to bring you the recap/review!

In the meantime, hit the comments and let us know what you think!

There's a new episode of Vegas on Tuesday night (maybe the last new episode until January?)

We'll have our review/recap as always!