What happens when an outdoor girl dates in the indoor world? A whole new kind of adventure The desert just wants to be loved The conversation died. My date made a brave attempt to fill the silence.

Four years ago, she was standing on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Southern Nevada has been a desert for millennia, but it's only recently been an outdoors - you know, appreciated for its actual beauty and inherent value: Our soaring, rust-red cliffs, improbable alpine mountains and pebbled plains awash in sun and solitude.Our desert's historically been once-overed with decidedly less romantic impulses: with a pioneer's eye toward passage and avoidance, with a miner's eye toward brute extraction, with a government's eye toward bland utility.

Pop quiz. How much would a 10-day hospital stay cost for someone without health insurance? About $50,000.

Desert plants rock. Why? You should know by now: They require less care, bloom longer and brighter, use less water, look healthier and are less likely to die than plants not suited for our drier climes.

Are mixed martial arts fighters prone to violence? Whatever the answer, some fighters and fans say it’s time to man up — and tame the sport’s aggressive ethos The party started smoothly enough. Iman Aubrey had booked suite 13335 at the Luxor hotel-casino the night of June 18 for a paid swingers mixer hosted by her company, Purrfect LV.

Shiny new things; Compassion is always in style Give back while looking great at the Flair For Care fashion show on April 8. Taking place at the Wynn Las Vegas in the Lafite Ballroom, this charity event features a Neiman Marcus fashion show with looks from American designer and "Project Runway" judge Michael Kors, as well as a drawing to win high-end items including designer jewelry, handbags and trips.

Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham is turning the wheelchair into an extreme sports machine. How? By pulling off the toughest trick in the biz It’s a cold February evening, and I’m trying—and failing—to stay warm at a live music event on Maryland Parkway across from UNLV.

From towering peaks and deep canyons to seasonal waterfalls and wild burros, Red Rock National Conservation Area is a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Hikers have found some of the best rock scrambling hikes in the country here.

A guide to the little-known (and neglected) oddball gambling games on the Strip. War, anyone? Cluttered with empty glasses, beer bottles, coin wrappers and ashtrays, the lone Sigma Derby game in Las Vegas bears silent witness to both its popularity and to management's benign neglect of the venerable game.