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Architecture Curvature Helps Vegas

By Bes Zain on April 17, 2010 in Observations 3 Comments

Architecture Curvature Helps Vegas

The weekend of Katie’s birthday. In Las Vegas, people usually focus on having fun through two things: drinking, and gambling. We went out and start having fun visiting all the different hotels on The Strip. And walking by this one was part of it. I do not remember if we went inside this hotel, because I cannot remember which hotel this is. For me, it now looks a little bit like the Vdara Hotel & Spa, though the sides of the Vdara appear smoother than the sides in this photo.

The main thing, or the best thing, about cornering the corner of something, like in this picture, is the idea of realizing not just how it stands out against the background, but how after the photo has been taken, we still focus on our emotion related to the photo, without being able to realize which single element prompted us to take the picture. It probably has to be the building. The sky is always there. And many times it is simply a dull piece of object laying around, waiting to sneak into almost every picture taken above your head level.

While the usual focus is on a silhouette or a background, I think this is basically taking picture of a corner that you think is awesome. I do not know which Hotel this is. I do know that it is big for its era of today. And that it is a physical, offline element added to a world that already proclaims the death of many things offline in favor of an online world. Will places to live be some of the only remaining things in the future that will be physical and be completely offline? I am not sure.

How many construction workers tweeted while building this? How many people will tweet from this building? How many people will tweet about this building? How many people on Facebook took pictures of this while it was being constructed? How many people send e-mails from the lobby of this hotel? Was this building built so that it could be Tweeted, Facebook’ed, BirghtKite’d, or MySpaced? Did the origins of this building have anything to do with the online world? Did it solely exist in the mind of the architect who got paid to build something? Or was it built solely to make money? Yep, it was.

In addition to walking around, Katie and I also drank. And we hit the slots too. It’s interesting how the visual expressions of photos usually focuses on a subject that is not us. I am beginning to think I should focus more on personal portraits again, and maybe for a long time. Like the Night Series. Or maybe I can consider the subjects that I portray in my photographs to be part of me, or to be me.

Thank you for looking. And reading. If you could let me know which Las Vegas Hotel this is, I would really appreciate it.

Update April 19th, 2010:

After seeing a billboard of it yesterday in San Francisco, I found out that this hotel is the Aria Resort & Casino.

3 Comments on Architecture Curvature Helps Vegas

“Statue of Liberty Wants Money in Vegas?”

By Bes Zain on October 9, 2009 in Observations 3 Comments

Statue of Liberty Wants Money in Vegas?

The story of Lady Liberty,
she is in Vegas and she wants your money,
she wants you to live a happy life,
you can let her guide you through the Vegas delight.

This is life, the patriotic life,
the one that you must obey,
this is where you gamble your life,
and try to keep debts at bay.

Nothing is wrong, everything is right,
Lady Liberty watches over your head,
forget the pledge, and forget your heart,
for only your wallet is needed on the bed.

Do not take me wrong, I am not just after your money,
I want to show you how all of this can be funny,
you work hard to try to make the day more sunny,
you should realize this is why I call you honey.

Relax, sit, and think of your life goal,
you are to rest, to make up for the lost soul,
whether others around you know you or not,
you have to run with the others and let the money roll.

I help protect you from the sand,
and I oversee any good deals for you.
think of me first when you think of Vegas,
for I am a monument and a tourist guide too.

I attract like a beacon, making people think who I am,
I am bright enough to have people write about me,
I am the one that brings you food, drinks and rooms,
I am important enough to have people take pictures of me.

A few question my reality, asking who I am,
I am the Lady Liberty, and I live here in Vegas,
ignore anyone else who looks like me elsewhere,
for I am the one with the real glow and money.

Location: New York New York Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. 3790 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV, 89109.
History: Taken with Katie in Las Vegas, while going to New York New York from Excalibur.
Also on BrightKite, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and TwitPic.

3 Comments on “Statue of Liberty Wants Money in Vegas?”

“21st Century Glass Pyramid.”

By Bes Zain on September 27, 2009 in Observations 8 Comments

21st Century Glass Pyramid

What is this that I see,
magnificently big and offering glee,
black glass shining in our eyes,
the new pyramid shopping spree.

This is the Grand Luxor,
where the world wants to go,
forget the ones in Egypt,
and also the ones in Mexico.

It takes your breath away,
both in the day and the night,
it is here to help you stay,
to help you live a Vegas life.

The biggest achievements of the human race,
copied awesomely for the new age world,
the old brick ones were to please the gods,
and this one exists to please the cash box.

4,407 rooms for you, them and me,
to enjoy, gamble, and drink vodka lychee.
There is enough space for the entire family,
take pictures, and relax in the A/C.

The sun wants to burn, so we run inside,
into the glass urn, for the clouds to be nice,
we have no reservations, and no memory,
came here to worship, not your god but money.

We will tell others about you,
so that they will marvel at your sight,
They will stay and they will gamble,
and offer money as the sacrifice.

Location: Luxor Las Vegas, 3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119.
History: This was taken near the main entrance of the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The hotel and casino is designed like a pyramid and named after the Egyptian city of Luxor, which houses the ancient Luxor Temple.
Also on BrightKite, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and TwitPic.

8 Comments on “21st Century Glass Pyramid.”

“Paris moved to Vegas?”

By Bes Zain on September 15, 2009 in Observations 4 Comments

Paris moved to Vegas? - by Bes Zain

French tourists I see,
waiting in line to see Paris?
everyone wants to go inside,
and be on that elevator ride?

What is this place,
if it is not the real Paris?
That tower in this blistering heat,
is this is not the real Paris?

Why go to Europe and freeze,
when you can come to hot Nevada and play?
Here they have the entire French revolution,
and also many forms of French toast at the buffet.

Play poker here, and slot machines too,
drink the French wine, and look at French signs too,
look at everything in blue, and think it is France,
dine, smoke, relax, let yourself be in a French trance.

The famous Eiffel Tower is here,
and it is yours to conquer for a small fee,
you can ride up to ponder and look at the moon,
and look also at the surrounding tourist sprees.

You can come as a tourist to feel at home,
while living in a room or a suite that is a dome.
You can marvel at what lies in front of you,
and you can pay up to enjoy a French life too.

This is Vegas, and it has all that you need,
the famous city of romance which is bitter sweet,
come to Vegas, if you want to go to Paris,
for Paris has moved to Vegas, so your money can bring you fun for free.

Also on BrightKite, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Twitter and TwitPic.

4 Comments on “Paris moved to Vegas?”