Vegas Baby

My rain drenched friend AmyK posted a little list on living in Washington since she is a native. I love these lists even if I didn't get any of the references on hers. They make me remember the fun, little quirks that living in any area bring.

I am native to Las Vegas and so is my little sister, our Dad moved out here when he was a teenager and when we were younger he would take us on "tours" showing us all the places that had affected his life and how much they had changed (Las Vegas isn't a town known for cherishing it's history and historical buildings) Check out this link for a page showing the 14 casinos we have imploded so far.

So here is my list, compiled mainly from other lists out there and a FaceBook group I belong too.
Have fun! Vegas is a crazy town to be from but I love it!

First, it's pronounced LOSS VAYGUS, NEVA-A-A-DA (not Nev-ah-da.). It doesn't matter how they say it in other places

All directions start with, "Go down 95...' cause you DON'T want to get on 15!"

Las Vegas Blvd, Charleston Blvd, and Torrey Pines have no beginning and no end.

It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the same street that you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls this a "scenic drive"

The 8:00 am rush hour is 4:30am to 11:30am. The 5:00pm rush hour is 11:30am to 10:15pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning and ends some time late Sunday night.

Just remember that Camino Al Norte is Martin Luther King Blvd., Boulder Highway is Fremont Street, Eastern Ave is 25th Street or Civic Center Drive, Desert Inn is Lamb Blvd., Spring Mountain/Sands/Twain are all the same street. Don't try to figure it out. Just accept it. If you question the intelligence behind this naming convention, people will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you.

Henderson is the only place in the world where THREE "parallel" streets intersect at one traffic light. That would be the 4-way of Green Valley Parkway/Eastern Avenue/Maryland Parkway. For laughs, ask any middle school Geometry teacher to try to explain it

Many major roads just end abruptly in somebody's garage, a Home Depot, a Casino or McCarran International Airport Runway and start again after the interruption. That was done to encourage you to "see the sights" and meet new people. For fun, just try to take Harmon Avenue from Rainbow to Nellis.

You have no idea what a scarf does but think it looks good.

You know how to get to any casino on the strip without taking Las Vegas Blvd.

You can now predict where construction signs will be misleadingly placed.

You accept the fact that stop signs and red lights mean very little to tourists.

You become nocturnal between the months of April to October.

You know the seasons: Really hot, 2 weeks of nice, not so hot, 2 weeks of nice.

When you go to different cities, you're amazed things aren't open after 9 pm.

It doesn't faze you to see slot machines in grocery stores or gas stations.

Once a year, when it rains, the Las Vegas Wash and the City of Las Vegas are one

The wind blows every day, and it is impossible to live in Las Vegas without some kind of allergy drug.

You have no idea how a lottery works.

Seeing a limo is an everyday occurrence.

You know weddings at Chapels don't have to be trashy affairs with Elvis.

What the hell is last call?

Your most prized possession as a Nevadan is your blue and white license plate.

You know the spaghetti bowl has nothing to do with food and you want nothing to do with it.

You know never to merge right when driving north on I-15; it'll just end anyway.

You think 6 tons of crushed rock makes a beautiful lawn.

The term Lake Las Vegas doesn't seem problematic in the slightest.

You've gone bowling and watched movies in casinos your whole life.


Sunscreen is sold year round, kept at the front of the checkout counter, a formula less than 30 SPF is a joke, and you wear it just to go to the mailbox.

You laugh at people taking pictures in front of the welcome sign.

You don't own an umbrella.

Sixty degrees is cold enough to wear a jacket, anything under 50 and you wear long thermals

You get bored in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

You've never had to pay for parking.

You are outraged to pay more than 9.99 for prime rib and a lobster tail.

You've forgotten what rain looks like.

You know more prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas.

You know more than one person that works as a stripper and you know they prefer to be called "dancers"

And, yes, we all know that man in a teddy and a tiara on Fremont Street. His name is Leslie and he probably makes more money than you do!