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One of the hottest subjects in communications right now is “social media” – a high-tech term for a very old-fashioned idea: connecting one-on-one with a business or an individual. What makes it new isn’t the function but the form. In today’s split-second world instead of hanging out at the water cooler and getting all the latest news on your friends, you can now get it online or on your phone screen.

So while you can keep up with your friends online, it’s also through places on the Web such as Twitter and Facebook that businesses such as casinos can get information out to customers on an immediate basis as well as provide the type of “inside info” that everyone loves. If you aren’t using these venues to keep up with your favorite Las Vegas casinos, you’re not only missing out on the latest news but also on some of the best Las Vegas deals available.

Here are some of our favorite ways to connect with Las Vegas casinos and keep up on all the hottest LV news –

Facebook –

Every major casino in Las Vegas has a Facebook (FB) presence. Just enter the casino name into the search box and see what pops up. Once you find the casino you’re interested in, simply “like” their page and you’ll add their posts to your Facebook wall. For starters, we regularly find interesting news of upcoming events plus special deals at Your Vegas Beat, the social voice of MGM Resorts properties. (Each property also has its own page such as Bellagio Las Vegas and MGM Grand Las Vegas.)

We also love the FB page hosted by Planet Hollywood Casino where a current “Buy One Spice Market Buffet and Get One Free!” deal is yours by “checking in” with your Smart Phone. (The Spice Market Buffet is, by the way, one of our favorite spots for breakfast and for weekend brunches.)

Twitter –

For even more Las Vegas deals, check out the Twitter accounts of all your fav casino resorts plus news from such “tweet organizers” as @VegasTweetsInfo; club info from spots like @LAX_Nightclub and @chateaulv and even dining deals from individual restaurants such as @MorelsLasVegas and @CommeCaLV, one of the new Cosmopolitan’s hip dining spots.

Plus, be sure to follow @vegaschatter for all the news on what’s hot in Vegas. (And trust us, you’ll want to subscribe to their daily newsletter as well.  It’s filled with off-beat news told in very entertaining terms.)

No visit to ARIA is complete without a stop at Jean Philippe Patisserie for indulgent desserts and more.

Here’s a brand new offer from MGM Resorts for their ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter Las Vegas.  With this hotel promo code, you’ll get a free upgrade to a City View Deluxe room plus a $40 max per room credit towards the resort’s breakfast buffet.

We found qualifying mid-week rates in May at ARIA for $139 per night (plus a $20 per night resort fee) at this, the newest of MGM’s Vegas properties.  This offer is good for travel arrangements made now through June 30.

If you do choose to stay at ARIA, be sure to take time to indulge your sweet tooth at Jean Philippe Patisserie located on the main floor adjacent to the casino.  There you’ll find made-to-order crepes, a seasonal selection of gelatos and sorbets, exquisite pastries in all colors and flavors plus a wide array of take-home treats such as handmade chocolates and candies.

Aff. link — ARIA “Special Offer with Breakfast” *Be our guest on select dates Now through June 30, 2011 and receive a Complimentary Upgrade to a City View Deluxe Room and Breakfast Buffet Credit (*see site for additional details and restrictions). Promotion Runs: Feb 18 – June 30, 2011. Promo Code: ARBB1 (Exp 6/30/11)

The Spring Fling sale from MGM Grand Las Vegas gives travelers up to 20% off on select dates.

If you do find yourself staying at MGM Grand, be sure to check out a couple of our fave restaurants — CraftSteak from “Top Chef” head judge Tom Colicchio and Nobhill Tavern, a Michael Mina restaurant.  Both are outstanding and offer diners some terrific menu options.  We particularly like sitting at the bar at Nobhill and noshing on the selection of chilled seafood and the French onion soup with tiny grilled cheese sandwiches.  The desserts are always yummy, too.

While at MGM Grand, you might want to take in the hotel’s long-running stage show, KÀ by Cirque du Soleil. Our Best of Vegas affiliate link will get you a free upgrade on tickets. KA, a theatrical masterpiece by Cirque du Soleil. Limited Time Free Upgrade!

Here’s our link: MGM Grand Las Vegas “Spring Fling!” Book now and start your Maximum Vegas experience! Save up to 20% on room rates! Promotion Runs: Feb 16 – Dec 29, 2011. Use Promo Code: 3DAY216 (Exp. 2/21/11)

You missed Brad but not the 30% off ticket discount.

Did you see Brad Womack from “The Bachelor” fly across the Elvis stage during his recent quest to find love?  (Doesn’t everyone take 6 or 7 suitors to Las Vegas on an epic journey to find “the one?”)  While Brad the bachelor was a one-night-only thing, Elvis the show goes on at ARIA five days a week — dark Sunday and Monday — and we found a way to get 30% off your tickets.

From now through February 28, get a big discount on Viva ELVIS tickets through Facebook and ARIA.  To get the discounted tickets, use your mobile device to “check in” on property at ARIA with either foursquare or Facebook.  When you do, a coupon will pop up on your screen and by simply showing that at the Box Office,  you can purchase your tickets for 30% off!  With the discount tickets can range from $120-$70 each.  You can redeem this every time you check in online!

Tip:  This is NOT your typical Cirque show.  Viva ELVIS focuses on singing and dancing not high-flying acrobatics.  Fans of Elvis and his music will love it while those looking for a Mystere-like stage show will be disappointed.  So go for the King, not the trapeze artists.

For all the details, here’s a link to ARIA’s Facebook page:  ARIA Las Vegas fb

Here’s more on how to use the “check in” feature on facebook:  Facebook places

Reviews on the show are happening here:  Cirque du Soleil Viva ELVIS on Yelp.

We greeted the news of the Hash House a Go Go opening at Imperial Palace with much elation. We love this joint and for good reason. The food is diner-delish with lots of fun twists on old favorites. Thinking a stack of pancakes — or, as they call them, flapjacks — might taste good after pulling that all-nighter at the tables? Take your choice of Blueberry Pecan, Brown Sugar Banana, Blackberry Granola, Snickers, Butterscotch Almond, Apple Cinnamon, Mango Coconut, or Strawberry Frosted Flake.  No, really, and you’ll get a huge portion of them as well.

Lunch, dinner, you name it — the food is terrific and more than enough to share.  So the opening made our little cholesterol-clogged hearts go all aflutter but the news that you can now use Restaurant.com coupons to purchase a prodigious platter of pancakes gave us reason to stand up and cheer.  (Honestly.  We did.)

Buy Hash House coupons here (check out the coupon code below to save even more!):   Hash House A Go Go @ Imperial Palace

Check out the Hash House a Go Go menu and hours here:  Hash House Las Vegas menu and more

Yum. Gooey breakfast burgers with crispy hot Tater Tots at First Food and Bar Las Vegas.

We never, ever leave Las Vegas on Sunday morning.  Nev-ah.  We wait until late afternoon or — better yet — Monday morning.  That gives us plenty of time to recover from Saturday night in Vegas.  And what’s better  to speed us on our road to recovery than a yummy, gooey, carb- and protein-packed breakfast like the one at First Food and Bar?  We know — it’s one that comes with unlimited champagne for $10 a person.

Yes, you can drink all the bubbly you want for just $10.  It’s a crisp, clean J. Roget sparkler and we can easily get our money’s worth when using it to wash down the scrumptious breakfast mini-burgers with cheese, bacon, Hollandaise sauce AND egg served with a generous side of Tater Tots.  (Start your diet when you leave town.)

There are plenty of TV’s for football-watching, an expansive bar if you don’t want a table plus a friendly and quick staff ready to keep your drink filled throughout your stay.  We love it!

Find First Food and Bar on the second floor of the shops connecting the Venetian to the Palazzo.  It’s located around the corner from Barney’s New York just above the Walgreen’s drug store.  A bit hard to find but definitely worth the effort.

Treasure Island is the home to Mystere, a grand show from Cirque du Soleil.

Mystère, the original “grand dame” of Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, is a must see show for anyone visiting Vegas for the first — or the fiftieth — time.  This is the show that started it all!  Featuring a circus theme, gravity-defying aerialists, outrageous costumes and more, Mystère takes the stage at Treasure Island to the delight of Vegas visitors of all ages.  We saw this show soon after it opened in 1993 and were mesmerized by all the ooh-and-ahh-inducing acrobatics taking place on stage — not to mention the audacious costumes and make-up.

Here’s what discount ticket giant, Best of Vegas, has to say:  “Mystère by Cirque du Soleil is a vibrant 90-minute circus-style production that combines whimsical grace and beauty with powerful and precise athleticism. Mystère is as colorful as it is amazing. With a cast of 75 artists, a live orchestra playing Taiko drums, and a hint of humor, Mystère is sure to delight all the senses.”

See the show now and get a BestOfVegas Special Offer: ““Complimentary Upgrade to Category 2! Valid Sundays – Wednesdays. Now through February 28, 2011 – A $25.00 Value! ““

Let’s start with  a cool deal on a late-night munchie at Planet Hollywood:  For just $4, you can get two “street-style” tacos at Yolos Mexican Grill inside the PHo casino.  Look for the cart near the front of the bar and order your choice of chicken or beef fillings then doctor them up with salsa, onions, cilantro and lime.  We got one of each and they satisfied our hunger for something to soak up the booze nosh on at midnight.  (This seems to be a “weekend only” deal since we saw the cart appear on Friday and Saturday nights but never on Sunday.)  Check out Yolos’ regular menu as well — the spot garners 4 out of 5 stars from reviewers at yelp.com.

On select dates in December, diners can enjoy a two-for-one deal at what is widely-considered to be one of the best buffets in Las Vegas, the bountiful Studio B.  This buffet features over 200 items daily plus during lunch and dinner, diners can enjoy beer or wine with their meals at no extra charge.  The buffet is well-known for its “exhibition-style” kitchen with the resort’s chefs taking part by staging live cooking demonstrations for guests.

Other outlets participating in either a buy-one, get-one deal or in a 50% off special include the M’s signature Italian restaurant, Marinelli’s, and the divinely delicious diner, Hash House A Go Go.  Just looking at the Hash House menu brings back achingly fond memories of the Sage Fried Chicken Benedict served with Bacon Mashed Potatoes.  Yeah, it’s that good.

The fine print:  The Studio B and Marinelli’s offers are good on Mondays and Tuesdays only in December.  The Hash House deal happens every Friday and Saturday from 10 PM ’til 2 AM.  To take advantage of these special offers, you must present your iMagine Players Club card (sign up at the casino’s rewards club desk) and show a printed copy of the this offer.  Click on this link to get a printable copy along with all the details:  December Dining Deals at the M Resort.

Located just off the lobby’s registration area, the Bellagio gardens are a huge draw for Vegas visitors — we’re talking both first-timers and seasoned Vegas travelers — because of the seasonal changes that take place in the glass-domed space.  This time of year is our absolute favorite because of the over-the-top Christmas decorations.  Sparkling trees?  Check.  Gargantuan ornaments?  Check.  Stunning glittering tree with flying reindeer and electric train? Check, check and check.

Be sure to include a stop at the Bellagio gardens if you’re in town this holiday season.  We can’t think of a better “Vegas Value” than this free holiday-mood-inducing display.  And don’t forget your camera.  (It made us so ho-ho-happy that we’re using a photo we took as our website background for this month.)