Merry, Merry, Happy, Happy

Hope you and yours had a great Christmas. Here's one from 1967, if you can believe that.

Just Another Day at the Mall

Well, not exactly just another day at the mall. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace here in Vegas are anything but an ordinary shopping mall!

My Vegas Love Affair Begins

As my grandmother's health has waned, my mom has been carefully sharing some of the items my Gram's been saving for whatever reason. Old newspaper clippings, family letters, my earliest copy of the New Testament (age 7, didn't stick).

My mom found a rather remarkable item amidst my grandmother's keepsakes. It was the postcard I mailed to my grandparents during my very first stay in Las Vegas!



I now know, officially, when my love affair with Las Vegas began: July 10, 1991. Holy camel coccyx, Batman. That's about 20 years ago if my math is right.

I made my first stop in Vegas as I drove from Albany, New York to Los Angeles to pursue my dream of being a screenwriter. That dream quickly ended (as I learned more about what that job actually entailed), but my dream of being in Vegas had been sparked.

I still love this town, and often think of the Stardust, the first place I stayed in this town. The love affair continues.

Thanks for the memories, Gram.

Top 10 Hittite Kings or Kinds of Pasta

1. Tudhaliya
2. Hattusili
3. Vermicelli
4. Suppiluliuma
5. Manicotti
6. Zidanta
7. Fettuccine
8. Capellini
9. Muwatalli
10. Fusilli

Vegas Gets Its Christmas On

Snagged this photo of the lobby at Caesars Palace today. Pretty!

Holly, Holly, Holly

I finally got to meet Holly Madison today. We've bumped into each other at various events in the past--I've been behind a camera, and she's been, well, doing her Holly thing. But we've never really met-met.

Today, at a toy drive for Toys for Tots here in Vegas, I brought over a couple of toys to donate, and I took advantage of her offer for a photo in exchange.



It's weird. When I write the Pulse of Vegas blog, I play kind of this character that pretty much adores Holly. It's a marketing thing. But the blog is also me, and I tend to think highly of Holly Madison's ability to market herself, her confidence, her causes. So, when my blog character, and my real life self, meet Holly Madison, it should be this momentous day.

It was, however, just a pleasant encounter. She seemed friendly, but distracted. I'm not sure mere mortals can really understand what her life is like. The history there. The public scrutiny. It made me wonder what Holly Madison is actually like. Not the photo op one. Or the one on her reality show, "Holly's World." The actual person that seems to care about animals and children. And who likes attention, but who most times appears to skillfully avoid giving off a pretentious or arrogant vibe so many celebrities do. (I've been around a lot of them.)

So, now I have a photo with Holly Madison. I guess I can check that off my bucket list.

I should probably put "Making a Bucket List" on my bucket list, too.

On the Fly

Today, I met some friends for breakfast near McCarran Airport here in Vegas. I went out into the parking lot of this restaurant, and planes were flying by so close, it felt like you could reach out and touch them.

In lieu of that, I took some photos. I thought this one turned out pretty well.

My Dad Turns Out to Be a Pretty Cool Guy

My dad just turned 70. Strange. Because I'm fairly sure I'm not a day over 34, but that's neither here nor there.

In recent years, Dad has found a pet project, a nonprofit called Toys4Smiles. The group of volunteers, mostly seniors, makes toy cars for kids. Amazingly, this merry band of woodworkers has churned out more than 73,000 cars, many of them cut out by my dad, one of the original members of the group.



How my dad has all his original fingers, I have no idea.

What I do know is that this pursuit is perfectly suited to his talents, having been a longtime craftsman, although he'd say that's overstating his skill level. He's just a guy that works with wood sometimes.

A local news station featured Toys4Smiles recently. It's a great segment. Watch it here.

I'm so impressed with the commitment of the volunteers involved with Toys4Smiles. Their mission is simple, and they've far surpassed even their own goals and expectations.

They're always looking for wood, volunteers and donations. Take a look.

In Honor of Veteran's Day

This is the day we honor those who have served.

That would include my grandfather, Earl Palmer. Speaking at his funeral was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Whatever I'd have said would have been inadequate. Gramp was just the best kind of man. Strong and silent and funny and just steady. He is missed, often.



My father served in the Navy for 30 years. His service was an integral part of our lives. He worked in incredibly dangerous situations, such as on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise. He taught all his children about the sacrifices made by those charged with ensuring we are safe.

He never quite managed to impart in me the ability to embrace the military sensibility. I'm not big on following orders without question. I'm not big on things being black and white, as they so often seem to be in military circles.

But I think being in a military family changes your view of the world. You understand, deeply, the importance of honor and dedication and commitment to something bigger than oneself. Dad would probably say he was just doing his job. But there are a lot of ways to make a living that don't involve weekly paychecks of $19 (which is not much of an exaggeration, he's shown us his early pay stubs). And there are jobs where you don't have to leave your wife and kids for months (or for some, years) at a time. There are jobs where you don't risk losing your legs or life because an arresting cable snapped, or because someone is forgetful and gets sucked into a jet engine.



I once toyed with the idea of joining the Air Force. At the time, I asked my father to write a recommendation for me. I would have gone to Officer's Training School, and my first day out of that training I would have held a higher rank than my father. (He preferred to be an enlisted man for his entire career, rather than move up to being the lowest officer rank.) In his recommendation, he said that he would be proud to salute me, and to this day, I can't read or think about that letter without tearing up.

That's because I know in my heart I can never hold a candle to my old man. His integrity. His devotion to his wife and family. His strength in his convictions. My father is, without a doubt, the greatest man I have ever known. And the military helped make him the man he is.

So, Dad, I salute you, and all of your fellow military men and women, on Veteran's Day and every day.

Not Quite Sure About Me

I don't always have time to build rapport with the people I photograph. Probably for the best. Sometimes, the apprehension actually provides for more subdued, subtle emotions. Smiles are fine, but there's room for other expressions, too. Here's today's capture. Six or seven photos total. And, no, I didn't make her eyes bigger!

That Which Causes Photographer Chagrin

I am so happy to hear that the parent of this child loved the photo.



But here's the thing. The story of how I captured this image is kind of a long one. First, I went to the trouble of dragging this woman and her child outside our office for better light. I asked his mom to put the child on the ground (rather than on her lap or something).

I knew I'd want a shallow depth of field, so I started shooting in aperture priority mode.

I got down on the ground. Flat on my back. I lifted my 12-pound camera with one hand, and shot dozens of photos. I made funny noises. I encouraged the mom to dangle some keys behind me.

I got a massive cramp in my stomach from the awkwardness of my body position. I kept shooting.

I wriggled forward, on my back, while taking more photos, watching the light, focusing and re-focusing, recomposing over and over again.

Later, I reviewed all the photos, and picked the one I thought was best. I worked on the image for an hour. I tweaked the exposure. I worked and reworked the eyes to make them pop. I selectively augmented the color in the child's costume. I cloned out tiny bits of lint on the costume. I resized and sharpened.

I've gone through this process often in the past. Time and time again, upon seeing a photo like the one above, someone will say, "Wow, you must have a great camera."

That would be the chagrin-causing part, by the way.

Happy Halloween

I didn't dress up for Halloween this year. I'm not sure why. It might be the first one I've missed. I guess it kind of snuck up on me. Some people were in the spirit of Halloween, thankfully.

I Never Get Tired of Looking at This

And am never going to be good enough a photographer to capture its spectacularness.

Well, Now, That's Charming

I recently sent my camera to the Canon factory for repair, and when it was returned, the memory card had been removed and put into an envelope.



Ah, the memories. Film? What's that?

I'm Not Entirely Sure Why, But...

This Makes Me Smile

A Halloween Thang

Just trying to get into the spirit of Halloween, I guess.

Old School Mic

I like old things.

Riding to the Park

My folks have a sweet dog, Bonnie. Today, they let me ride to the park with them.



Bonnie is a sweetheart, and when I visit, I get all the benefits of dog ownership without having to do any of the difficult parts of dog ownership. Yay.

Children: What's That All About?

You Meet the Nicest People Online

I love the Internet. No secret there, I guess. But I love the magic it makes happen. For instance, today I got a letter from a professor in India. Here's his note.

"I'm a professor at Xavier Institute of Management and am currently working on a book for Business Communication. While researching for my book, I came across your Titanic press release and frankly, was very impressed with the way you've written it. I was hoping that I could use the press release as one of the case studies in my book; with, of course, proper citations and due credit to you. Please let me know if I have your permission for the same. I think students could learn a lot from the press release. Looking forward to your reply. Regards, Prof. Mallika Nawal."

The article in question was written a decade ago (I think), and in reading it again, I'm proud of what it does. It's written as a mock news conference for the White Star Line the day after the Titanic sank. Read the article.

I think it's funny, but also makes some interesting points about public relations "spin" and how companies handle crisis situations. (See how I wrote "crisis situations" there? That was because I didn't know what the plural of "crisis" is.)

Anyway, I love that this professor found me, and I'm always amazed when I hear from people around the world requesting one of my billboards for their seminars, or when they want to use something I've written in a Toastmasters contest or in a textbook.

The world has truly become a much smaller place, even while my world is bigger than I ever thought was possible.

UPDATE (10 MINUTES LATER)

I wrote back to the professor, and he responded immediately. Of course, I have to share his response because he says nice things about my work.

"Dear Scott (I'm taking a liberty here, let me know if you like to be
addressed as Mr. Roeben). I did not only like your work, I thought it was brilliant. It somehow managed to incorporate everything that I teach in class. Therefore, I
really wanted to use it. Just to give you a heads-up on the book, the publishers are Cengage Learning (erstwhile Thomson-Learning) and the book is roughly 400-500
pages, covering all dimensions of Business Communication - Oral, Written, Grooming, Etiquette. You have a very witty style of writing. In fact, it's been quite a while
since I came across something so good. Once I put the manuscript in place (we are expecting to release the book by Nov/Dec), I'll send you a copy. Once again, thank you for your permission. I'm truly grateful."

Told you. You meet the nicest people online.

Yeah, We Got Us Some Culture in Vegas

Does architecture count as culture? If so, Vegas has some of that!



This is the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, designed by world-renowned architect and guy I'd never heard of before today, Frank Gehry.

Not a Dry Eye in the House

This young woman shared her story at the Spread the Word Nevada Storybook Gala on Sep. 11, 2010. Veronica is such a sweetheart, and it took a lot of nerve to get up there in front of hundreds of people to help inspire others to support the efforts of this nonprofit that gives books to at-risk kids.



Kind of the reason I've devoted so much volunteer time to Kids to Kids.

Hogs and Heifers

Yesterday was my first time at Hogs and Heifers, a biker bar in downtown Las Vegas. It's a colorful place, so I thought I'd try and give it a colorful photographic treatment.



A little photo magic, combining three exposures of the same image. Love the look. The place? The jury's still out on that one.

Kids Don't Generally, Y'Know, Look Like That

Sometimes, I wonder if people look at my photos and think, "It's easy to take a photo of that kid! The sparkle in the eyes, the flawless skin. Perfect." Well, yes, kids are perfect, blah, blah. But even good genes get a nudge with Photoshop, people.

Here's an "after."



And here's the before.



The perfect little angel got, well, she got perfecter. Wasn't my fault she dove into that cupcake! Photoshop just makes what's there, there-er. The perfect, perfect-er.

Then again, sometimes, you just show up.

Sometimes, You Get to Meet Your Heroes

A week or two ago, I got to meet a couple of my heroes. I went to the Monte Carlo and saw one of my all-time favorite bands, Wang Chung.

I wouldn't say the show was Earth-shattering, but they played some '80s classics, and it was a good time. I was truly delighted, though, that the guys in the band, Jack Hues (below) and Nick Feldman, stayed afterward and mingled.



It was great being able to just hang out with these guys, and to have the opportunity to let them know how much joy their music has given me all these years. I can't say I'm a real music guy. But their records (along with those of Duran Duran) are a part of me, kind of the soundtrack of my life, as they say.

Thanks, Vegas, for making it happen. Because everybody plays Vegas, eventually.

Happy Birthday, Kiddo

Happy birthday to my nephew. In photos, he almost seems human.

Jeff Dunham, It Ends Up, Is a Nice Guy

I got to shoot some quick portraits of comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham at Rao's restaurant inside Caesars Palace today. Funny, unassuming, nice guy. Multi-millionaire guy.



Jeff Dunham factoid: His video, with Achmed the Dead Terrorist, has 188 million views, and is the eighth most-viewed video on YouTube ever.

I learned about this performer, both in my research about him (research I hoped would enable me to ask him questions that didn't make me sound like an idiot during our interview), and from the man himself.

Among the things I learned was that Jeff Dunham makes all his own characters. ("Puppets," to you and me.) I also learned how incredibly skillful he is at his craft. There were times when his puppet's eyes looked at me, and Dunham was actually looking in another direction, and there was this very, very weird feeling that the dummy was alive. The puppet exhibited a range of emotions, essentially moving on its eyebrows, eyes and mouth. Astonishing and a wee unnerving.

The character in question is Diane (below). Both Dunham and Diane made an appearance in the recent movie "Dinner for Schmucks." According to Dunham, the director of the movie, Jay Roach, asked him to create a puppet that was "creepy hot." Yep, that pretty much sums her up.



See? Freaky!

I also learned, from someone I believe is Jeff Dunham's manager, that manipulating a puppet with that level of sophistication takes a huge amount of focus and dexterity. Dunham makes it look easy, but there's a lot going on inside that puppet's body. His manager also told me that same dexterity helped Dunham learn to fly a helicopter, something that often takes weeks or months to master, in a weekend.

This pic includes Jeff Dunham's girlfriend, helping to primp Diane for her close-up.



I didn't have any idea what to expect before I met Jeff Dunham. But the encounter was completely pleasant, as was Jeff Dunham. I look forward to seeing his show sometime.

Now, That Feels Pretty Good

Today, I got a wonderful message through Flickr.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Hi Scott,

I work at a homeless shelter in WI and we wanted to know if we could use your photo "Dan the Man" in a mailing we're going to be doing this Fall, or anytime in the future. These mailings generate the funds that enable us to rescue, rebuild and renew the lives of those who come to us for help. The photo would be attributed to you.

Thanks,
Justin Vajko
Hope Gospel Mission
www.hopegospelmission.org

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Here's Dan.



Always kind of liked that portrait. I think it's the juxtaposition of Dan's soft, seemingly kind face, and the lights of Vegas. It's a contrast you see a lot downtown. The glitz, the lights, the revelry. And feet away, people begging for money because they're hungry (or more often, thirsty).

It's nice to be able to help organizations that do the actual work of helping people. Snapping a photo or two seems easy by comparison, so how could I ever say "no"?

Best. Online. Purchase. Experience. Ever.

So, I ordered this lens not too long ago from Photojojo.



Oh, man, you totally fell for that! It's not a lens! It's a drinking cup. Looks awesome, though, doesn't it? Even better than I expected. Complete with a lid that looks like a lens cover. For a Canon shooter like me, I can't imagine a more fun tsotchke.

Having the product exceed my expectations isn't even the best part of the story, though! (And the fact that it cost half of what I would have paid isn't the best part, either.)

As I'm about to throw out the box the lens/cup came in, I see a little plastic dinosaur.



A few things ran through my mind. Maybe it had fallen in the box by accident. Maybe somebody packed it by mistake. Either way, it made me smile. It was so random, and a surprise.

Then, I looked at the receipt for my purchase.



Hysterical!

In the hotel and casino and hospitality business, we talk a lot about wanting to "surprise and delight" our customers. Sounds nice, but how often do we really do it?

Well, Photojojo did it. And I'm not the most easily surprised or delighted person in the world, trust me.

My Most Famous Capture Yet: Sylvester Stallone

Yep, it's the man himself. The one we love. "Rocky." "First Blood." When a movie's as good as those, you can forgive a guy for "Judge Dredd" or "Over the Top" or "Cobra" (OK, that one might be unforgivable).



I got pretty close to the movie icon at a red carpet event for "The Expendables" (another one that requires forgiveness) at Planet Hollywood here in Las Vegas.

He seemed like a nice guy, and aside from the toupee and eyebrow issues, I think he looks pretty darned good even at this range, even better than onscreen. Anyway, he seemed like a nice guy during our brief encounter.

I'd venture that no other photographer got a shot like this that night. The red carpet is a frenzy of flashes and jostling for position. I am lousy with flash, so while I snag a few with flash, I tend to hang out and get shots without flash as the celebrity moves down the carpet. Tracking them a few extra minutes tends to get photos less flat, and a bit more intimate. (Most pros need to get full-body shots to sell them to the tabloids, etc. Very few give this much emphasis to the face.)

I had the same experience with singer Matt Goss. After all the pros drifted off to other subjects, or their cars to head home, I got this photo, one of my favorites of all time of any celebrity. His fans seem to love it, so that's a nice vindication of my lingering/stalking technique.



Oh, and here's a random piece of Sylvester Stallone trivia: He was in one of Woody Allen's earliest, and funniest films, "Bananas."

Some Kids Just Like the Camera

This was one of those kids! She's just two, but already very photogenic, with personality to spare.



I haven't been doing too many portraits lately. Not sure why. Maybe it's the agonizing pain in my arm and shoulder from my 20-pound camera rig. Or maybe because I'm lazy. Or maybe because my growth in photography has kind of leveled off. Or maybe because I do so much photography for work now.

Oh, well, looking forward to whatever's next.

Erin and Kai

My friend Erin got married. Loved this shot of her and daughter, Kai.

I Never Shoot Weddings

Well, "never" might be too strong a term. Congrats to Erin and Brad.

My Crutch

I rely on the Topaz Photoshop plug-in far too much in my photography, especially in the case of homeless people and buildings. It adds a lot of drama, and turns ordinary photos into eye-catching, distinctive ones.

In the case of buildings, I create an HDR image using three exposures of the same subject. Then I run the HDR image through Topaz, and out it comes. Sure, it's a crutch. But as crutches go, I really like this one.

Taking a Step Back

Sometimes, we're so caught up in life, we don't take the time to take a step back. Stepping back means we can see the same thing we see every day in a new way. That new way can be enlightening or shocking or, in the case of these roadside beams, amusing.



These beams were giving drivers the finger for weeks before I finally risked life and limb to get a photo.

Taking a step back can be a powerful tool in relationships. We get caught in the drama, in our own pride and agenda, but often all that's required is a simple step back. Hopefully, not into traffic.

One. Million. Dollars.

Me. With a million dollars at Binion's. Just another day in Vegas.

A Weird Connection

Former Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn passed away on July 22, 2010. I met him once.



Everyone speaks highly of him, and he was supportive of Spread the Word Nevada, the children's literacy group I volunteer with.

His was a fairly senseless death. Like I said, I didn't know him well, so I can't say it's sad, exactly. But I think he did good things during his lifetime, and that's all we can really do, right? Whatever we can do.

Read more about Kenny Guinn.

I Have the Best Job in the World

Yeah, it's true. I'm giving myself over to the fact that I just might have the best job ever. First, I get to write and do photography, all the time. I also get to explore Vegas. The good, the bad and the cross-dressing.

The other night, I met female impersonator Frank Marino. He was signing a cookbook he whipped up to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Good cause, nice guy!



From what he says, he's the longest-running, continuously-employed headliner in Vegas (25 years worth).

I get to meet such interesting people in this gig! From a female impersonator, to someone like comedy-magician Mac King.



I just loved Mac King's show. The guy is a true pro, and seems like just the most down-to-earth person.

I picked these two people because, to me, they exemplify Vegas. They kind of exude it. Their shows and personalities are very different, obviously, but they're not doing what they do for a one-off payday. They're in it for the long run. They do what they do to the hilt. And they seem to really be having fun in the process.

And I'm having a lot of fun lately, too. I meet not only entertainers, of course, but people from around the world. I meet dealers and bloggers and photographers and people who are funny and drunk and talented and, quite often, having the time of their lives.

Added bonus: I get to turn around and write about my experiences and encounters. I get to be funny, and I get to share all the things I love about this town. And they are many.

Just the best job ever, and I'm having the time of my life!

See the latest on the Pulse of Vegas blog.

The Suncoast

The Suncoast is a "locals" hotel-casino here in Vegas (Summerlin, specifically). It has a different vibe than Strip casinos. More serious gamblers come to the Suncoast, as opposed to recreational gamblers. You sometimes get the sense paychecks are on the line.



The Suncoast also appeals to a more, uh, mature crowd. Oxygen tanks often line the aisles of slot machines.

I like the Suncoast because it's close, and because the table minimums are usually reasonable.

Solid buffet, too. Although pretty much every buffet pales when compared to the buffet at the M Resort, another off-Strip offering.

I think my girlfriend is correct in that I'd probably be happy hanging out in a casino every night of the week. Not necessarily to gamble, but I just like the activity, the lights, the sounds, the energy of casinos. All the things people who know me would say I'd hate. Oh, and the smoking. I don't like it, but it doesn't bother me much in casinos. It just comes with the territory.

I like that people seem to be having fun in casinos. (Not necessarily the locals places, but the other ones.) You're always a quick ride away from a party in Vegas. The party's there whenever you're ready to attend. The hooch flows freely, and often, lots of other freebies do as well.

You never know who you're going to meet, but you can bet they'll be interesting. People from all walks of life come to casinos. So many stories. So many quirks. So many characters.

I do love this town.

Meet Ali

Can't believe I haven't shared this portrait sooner. I love it! Not just because I think it's a great portrait, but also because this guy is such a character. It's Ali Pirouzkar. Look familiar? He had a role in "Casino," and he just exudes Vegas. One of the reasons he caught my eye, and one of the reasons I tracked him down.



I did a big write-up on Ali for the Pulse of Vegas Blog for Harrah's:

Awhile back, while roaming the storied halls of Caesars Palace, this Las Vegas blog spotted a distinctive-looking gent making his way among the shops of the Appian Way, destination unknown.

He looked so familiar. Immaculately dressed. Large, unmistakable glasses. Thick hair and pencil-thin mustache. He just had a presence, and honestly, carried himself like he owned the joint.

So, in the days that followed, we sought out this mysterious fellow. We asked longtime Caesars employees. We talked to P.R. We talked to marketing. But to no avail.

A week or two later, we received “Casino” from Netflix. As a Las Vegas blog, we are obligated to view a steady supply of Vegas-themed movies, and “Casino” is one of the classics about the town, the early culture of Vegas, and, yes, the unfortunate whacking that sometimes took place in Sin City’s formative years.

There’s a sequence in 1995′s “Casino” that we’d forgotten. Sharon Stone is cozying up to a high roller, and gets on a hot roll. She steals some chips from the “whale,” and they get into an argument resulting in her throwing his chips into the air (in slow motion, of course). And there, right there, we saw the very mystery man we’d spotted at Caesars Palace.
So, we quickly pursued our lead and learned the character’s name was, of all things, High Roller. The actor? Someone named Ali Pirouzkar. Now we were getting somewhere!

The Interwebs were fairly useless in our quest, but then we came across a mention in an article by one of our favorite local journalists, John Katsilometes. He wrote that Ali Pirouzkar was currently the “maitre d’ for the fun new supper show ‘Only You’ at Hennessey’s Tavern on Fremont Street.” The trail of clues had gone from warm to hot.

We ventured down to Fremont Street, and sure enough, we met Ali Pirouzkar, a man with a colorful personality and a one-of-a-kind style to match.

It doesn’t take much prodding to get Ali to talk about “Casino” and the history of Vegas.

The Iranian-born Pirouzkar was discovered by “Casino” talent scouts while strolling through the Fashion Show Mall (where he managed a men’s shop at the time). He hit it off with the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, and stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci.

Here’s a little Pulse of Vegas Blog exclusive: On Ali’s first night of filming (at the Riviera), a man snuck into a secure area and offered Ali $10,000 to walk off the film (so the man could presumably snag Ali’s part). Ali, obviously, declined.

Ali’s sequence took 12 days to shoot. Nights, actually, since filming was done during the casino’s off-hours, midnight to 10:00 a.m.

The rest is cinematic and Las Vegas history!

These days, the animated and ever-eccentric Ali is still recognized wherever he goes, asked for his autograph dozens of times a day. The “Cult of Ali” is in full effect! In fact, his presence causes such a stir, security at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace has asked that he let them know when he’ll be visiting so they can better manage crowd control.

If you bump into Ali, trust us, you’ll always remember your encounter.

Tell him this Las Vegas blog says, “Hi!” In fact, he even said you can call him anytime at 702-612-3587 (especially if you’re a casting agent). Only in Vegas!

Update (7/17/10): We hear “Only You,” the show for which Ali was maitre d’, has closed. In Vegas, a lot can change in a week! We wish the cast, and Ali, the best in their future endeavors.

Million Dollar Smile

Say "hi" to Barbara. Such a sweetheart, and clearly going through a tough time. Will my $2 help? Not sure. But it can't hurt.

Johnny on the Street

Another day, another guy just trying to make it day to day on the street. This is Jonathan. Like most of the homeless folks I meet, Johnny was on Fremont Street. Soulful eyes. Great smile. And very grateful for the two bucks.

Eyes of the Wolf

This is Wolf. Homeless, and a little intimidating. Not! He looks rough, but before the photo, he was dancing with a friend of his (also homeless) on Fremont Street.



Wolf made a point of saying he's part native American, but his dance did not appear to have originated from any native American tradition. It appeared to have originated from Pabst Blue Ribbon.

It's the Ice Man

This is "Ice." I overheard him telling a couple of his homeless buddies on Fremont Street, "I only need 85 cents to get a beer." So, of course, I offered up the idea of his being part of the $2 Portrait, and he was happy to join in the fun.