Pinball Hall of Fame: Part 1

One of the more obscure things that I did on my trip to Las Vegas was visit the Pinball Hall of Fame. What made it obscure is that the Hall of Fame is actually a few miles off of the strip, located in an unassuming and boring looking office park along Tropicana Avenue. The place is sort of a museum because of the history there, but it's really a no-frills collection of playable vintage pinball machines that have been lovingly restored and cared for. You might drive by and not give it a second glance, but once inside it's clear what a rare place this really is.    

This was one of the things that I had planned to do solo on the trip as seeing it included a 6 mile round trip walk in the midday desert heat. Admittedly, it was kind of exhausting, but the destination proved to be worth it and the walk allowed me to see the everyday side of Vegas that usually eludes visitors. I hadn't really planned to walk the campus of UNLV, but I did, and I have to say that I got a strangely satisfying feeling when I finally reached the hall of fame and recognized the location from my brief exploration on Google maps.

Once inside the Pinball Hall of Fame, my eyes took a few minutes to adjust to the dark warehouse-like environment. Before me were rows and rows of glowing pinball machines, buzzing and flickering, a few even spouting movie catchphrases. I quickly recognized a few familiar machines from my youth, and was happy to stumble onto a South Park pinball machine that my friend Jay and I used to play in the small arcade below the residence we lived in while in university. I'm not really a pinball superfan, but I quickly became swept up in the nostalgia blinking around me.    

As much fun as the newer machines were, it was the pinball machines from the 1960s and 1970s that really made the experience. Many of the older machines could be played for just 25 cents, and I'd never played anything like them before. Their simplicity, the buzzing electric flashes, the clacking flippers and bumpers, and high pitched bells made the machines seem so much more mechanical. There were no polished effects, the sounds were literally those of the machine operating, and that small ball bouncing into things. It was awesome!

I had a great time snapping pictures and ended up spending a couple of hours playing through a pocket full of quarters. What's really awesome about the Pinball Hall of Fame is that it's all about the games. They don't seem to care about making a fortune off of the machines or charging people to come and have a look, they're just happy that people are coming to enjoy them.

The silver lining of it all is that because the Pinball Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization, all excess revenues they make off of the machines are donated to charity. At the end of the day, it's probably one of the most guilt free ways to spend money in Vegas and it was an amazing experience that I won't soon forget.

Mob Museum in Las Vegas

Inside the former federal building in downtown Las Vegas is one of the city's newest attractions, the Mob Museum.  Opened earlier this year, the museum highlights the conflict between organized crime and law enforcement that dominated headlines and communities (such as Las Vegas) throughout the 20th century.

The museum features everything from vintage toys to interactive exhibits to various multimedia displays.  There's also plenty of information about famous mobsters, a showcase on gruesome murders and mob hits, highlights on the Vegas side of organized crime including how video surveillance in casinos is done, and a section on Hollywood's take on the mob.  Mike and I spent a lot of time talking about Martin Scorsese's Casino on this trip, and it was cool to see info about Frank Rosenthal (who inspired Ace Rothstein in the film) throughout the museum.  They even had an autographed copy of Casino's script, which I thought was pretty cool.   

The building, which used to be the courthouse and post office, is also of historical significance.  In the early 1950s the Kefauver Committee hearings on organized crime were held in 14 cities around the United States, which included this courtroom in Las Vegas.  The multimedia show they do in the courtroom is full of projections on various screens that bring some of that history to life.  It was a neat presentation, and it made the story more interesting knowing that you were in the same room.

In short, the Mob Museum is a must see if you're spending some time downtown.  Not only is it one of the most genuine attractions in Las Vegas surrounding the history of the area, but the building is actually one of the few historical structures that hasn't been imploded.  Do like we did, go here in the afternoon and use it as a lead in for an evening out on Fremont Street.    

Mike and Erin pose for me behind a one-way mirror in the line up.

Hoover Dam souvenirs from when it was constructed.

We stumbled onto the filming of a segment for some reality show as we left.

A Thankful Turkey Day

With another Thanksgiving upon us, I'm keen to take stock of all of the things that have made my life special and enjoyable this last year - with a little turkey dinner on the side to round out the occasion obviously.  The truth is that I feel like I've got it pretty good, even on those random bad days that occasionally spring up.  

I have a lot to be thankful for.  I love my friends and family and I'm thankful that they continue to make life interesting, challenging, and eventful.  I'm thankful for the unexpected opportunities that have sprung up this year, and I'm even thankful that I've been forced to reevaluate some of my career prospects as it's forced me to try new things.  I've loved the various adventures and travels I've been able to have this year, and I'm thankful that I made a very deliberate effort to make the most of them when they were happening.  What I've come to realize is that the situation I'm currently in is something that I've wanted for a long time.  I feel like I've made peace with a lot in the last few years, and I'm thankful that I'm in a position where looking on the bright side has become easier.  I'm thankful that I'm able to speak my mind freely, genuinely, and even receive support for doing so from time to time.

To echo what I wrote last year, I'm genuinely thankful that despite knowing my worst mistakes and weaknesses, I'm still happy being me.  It's amazing how far that actually gets you.  So, Happy Thanksgiving to you readers, and I hope you find it just as easy to appreciate and acknowledge all of the reasons that you're thankful too.