Studio 54 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas nightlife scene is in constant flux, with clubs constantly opening, closing and undergoing renovations. The latest in this rollercoaster of change is Studio 54 at MGM Grand.

The resort announced that after 14 years, it will be closing the two-story nightclub on January 8, 2012. It had briefly announced an earlier date, but it seems they’ve decided to leave it open until post-New Year’s Eve so the resort doesn’t miss out on what is usually the biggest night of the year for parties in Las Vegas.

The club will undergo a brief transformation in December, however, timed to coincide with the annual 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

From December 1-10, Studio 54 will become Saloon 54 and trade its normal club music playlist for a more country-friendly one, courtesy of DJ Du and DJ Silver. There will also be a live performance on December 10 by the Eli Young Band. And I’m told the club will also have pool tables, foosball, air hockey and beer pong, to round out the country atmosphere.

There has been no word on what the new club will be that replaces Studio 54 or when this as-yet-unnamed club is expected to reopen. In the meantime, MGM Grand will still have several nightlife options, including the popular Tabu Ultra Lounge.

[Photo courtesy MGM Resorts International]

Save big this holiday season

The holidays are coming and people are trying to make their euros last while being merry at the same time. Here are some sites to check first before buying tickets at any Barcelona box office.

Atrapalo.com

Could be my favorite place to get discount tickets. I often take a look at Atrapalo.com first before buying concert or theater tix online. They also have discounted movie tickets, though not always to original version theaters. Spanish good? Then you’ll want to look here first. Simply purchase tix with your credit card and then print them off. Easy! Atrapalo.com covers both Barcelona and Madrid.

ForFree.cat

As the name suggests, this site has lots of ideas for things to do for free or for little $$. Considering that Spain currently has a 20% unemployment rate and something like 40% of all young people are unemployed, the site’s offerings are timely. As you will see sifting through their site, they’ve got a lot in the way of music listings.

Groupon.es

What? Groupon is in Spain, too? Yes. I have not been using them here, but have just recently signed up. I’ve used them quite a few times in the States, despite mixed reviews about their business model. Still, I did notice some sweet deals as I browsed their site today on holiday getaways in the north of Spain…

Photos and post by Regina Winkle-Bryan. See more of her tips on Spain at : The Spain Scoop.

Beer bongs, supersoakers of shots and a spring break in Cancun atmosphere. If that’s your idea of a wild night out, then check out Coconuts in Las Vegas.

They do serve Tex-Mex food during the day, including four-foot burritos and handmade tamales. But after dinner, it’s all about bringing in a DJ and breaking out the aforementioned beer bongs and chugging down the brews.

Oh, and let’s not forget the drink menus with over 100 cocktails ranging from mojitos to martinis, including over 20 different flavored margaritas.

This place isn’t about subtlety. It’s about getting drunk and having a good time, while bikini-clad servers wander around doling out shots from water guns and supersoakers.

Hit them up during happy hour from 4pm-8pm for $7 pitchers of beer, margaritas and sangria, drink specials and half-price appetizers (order a couple for a cheap dinner).

Located at Town Square, just south of Mandalay Bay, Coconuts opened just in time to celebrate Halloween 2011 with a wild party.

It’ll be interesting to see how well Coconuts will do if Treasure Island follows up on their plans to install a Senor Frog’s outlet at the hotel. That one is now scheduled for a March 2012 opening.

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Coconuts
At Town Square
6605 Las Vegas Blvd S.
Las Vegas, NV
Phone: 702-823-5051
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[Photos courtesy Coconuts]

Zoo Lights

The holiday season is filled with activities geared toward families and children but some of these festivities are actually appealing  to kid-free people as well. Chicago’s annual Zoo Lights Festival at Lincoln Park Zoo attracts kiddies from far and wide but it also makes for a romantic couples excursion as well as supplying s a great excuse to snuggle up to a date. Read More »