On Safari: Rick's Birthday Extravaganza in Vegas!

Rick, we are wishing you the best of birthdays with a memory trip with the Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at the Palazzo Resort Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Oh, What a Night”, one of Frankie Valli’s all-time popular hits, a number one record in 1976, resonated through the audience as we moved and clapped to the beat. It brought back memories to an enjoyable era where being a teenager was simply hanging out and getting high on music.

Frankie Valli, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in Las Vegas where his story is being performed at the newly built Palazzo Hotel and shopping center. Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, which chronicles the life and times of Frankie and his legendary group, such classic songs as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Rag Doll,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” are all the rage all over again.

There's something about Frankie's music that makes young people of every generation want to get up and dance. For us seniors, we did clap our hands and moved the best we could...


The Palazzo Hotel and Casino. Las Vegas is building more beautiful hotels in spite of a slow down economy.


Palazzo interior as seen from the second story Grand Canal Shops.

Palazzo waterfall one of the favorite places for a Kodak moment and rest your feet.


Nancy (pink), Sammy (plaid) and Ed (blue shirt) making their way down from their shopping spree in the Grand Canal Shops.

Relive your Venice, Italy trip with a gondola ride where the gondolier may break out in song with O Sole Mio, Santa Lucia or other traditional Italian songs.

Ed and Nancy and their new best friend....

Tim and Kelly are enjoying the birthday bash as evidenced with this happy photo.


OK, here's the birthday boy between two roses.

The cousins; Sam, Kelly and Tim.

Allen and Donna are having a great time with the family celebrating Rick's birthday.

Nancy and Ed agree with Donna and Allen in a celebratory mood.

Nancy spreads her infectious smile to her son, Danny.

First time in Vegas, Sarah is learning from the experts. Put in your money and pray.

The Kelly sisters are enjoying the moment and life.....Never a dull or quiet moment when they are around. Don't get them started on "Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round".

By this picture, you would have thought it was their birthday?

Sam is a supporter of Ebay along with a million others, he wanted this picture to be special so he invited his mother to be in it with him. Sam is not one that has a lot of wants, so when he makes a request, we listen....

As always in these family gatherings, there's the pow-wow of what to eat, where and at what time. The Patriarch, Ed (blue shirt) deferred to his son, Danny, and daughter-in-law, Sarah, they quickly chose First Restaurant.

Located on the 2^nd floor in The Shoppes at The Palazzo, FIRST Food & Bar brings the authenticity and character of the neighborhood bar and diner concept back to life. This hip, yet comfortable restaurant and lounge is set in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip and has the vibe of a late-night spot blended with the casualness of a local eatery.

Danny and Sarah are studying their menus, we are hungry and in need of added nourishment to go on, the evening is still young.

Sarah's choice was a Two-Handed BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado), it was huge, she took half of it home for the next day.


Danny attended several years of college in Santa Fe, NM, therefore, his taste buds are geared for spicy and tasty, his choice was the Blacken Skirt Steak, jalapenos, chorizo, potato mash, spicy cheese sauce and for $2.00 he got 2 eggs over easy on top. Yes, he ate it all....

PS. The next time you are in Santa Fe, NM, try the New Mexican enchiladas with an egg on top at Castro's.

Uncle, Rick and Nephew, Sam chilling at the First Restaurant, One flew in from Florida and the other from New York.


The gang descended upon the Fremont Street Experience. The most obvious and largest part of the Fremont Street Experience is the Viva Vision canopy and light show. The canopy towers 90 feet above the ground and spans the length of five football fields. Featuring more than 12 million LED modules and 555,000-watt sound system, the light show attracts tourists and locals alike.

First row left to right: Nancy, Dan, Sarah, and Donna. Back row: Ed (only his head) Sam (black shirt) and Curtiss (partial head).

The Fremont was built in 1956. After several owners, it is now owned by Sam Boyd and his Boyd Gaming group properties.

In 1959, Wayne Newton made his start in Las Vegas at the Fremont at its Carnival Lounge.

Donna with her son, Curtiss who drove in from California to join the festivities, Donna trekked in from Anacortes, WA where she was vacationing.

Binion's 50,000-square-foot casino is where the World Series of Poker and the Hall of Fame Poker Classic were created and though the tournaments have moved to the Rio, Binion's casino is still a favorite of poker aficionados.

I think they still have $2.00 craps there.


The Golden Nugget was built in 1946, Steve Wynn bought a stake in the Nugget, which he increased so that, in 1973, he became the majority owner.

The Golden Nugget was the foundation for Steve Wynn's rise to prominence in the casino industry. In 2000 the ownership changed, in 2004 it was sold again and in 2005 Landry's Restaurants became the new owners.

My remote controlled buddy followed me until I put a dollar in his cup. I also got a good shot of him.

The Las Vegas Club and the Union Plaza were two of the properties that made downtown Vegas great, however, with time and the development of the strip with billion dollar hotel-casinos, we find these properties are having a tough time competing.