It’s been nearly a month since Gov. Sisolak ordered Strip properties and other non-essential businesses in Nevada to shut down to halt the spread of coronavirus.
On social media, we asked: “When was the last time you were on the Strip before the shutdown? Recall in a few sentences as vividly as you can.” Here are some readers' answers.
Last September, when I was bracing myself for life in Chicago and just wanted to wander around like I did as a kid, to feel the type of anonymous I can only feel on the Strip. Elephants were being disassembled at the Bellagio gardens for the fall display. Extras for an energy drink commercial were clogging the bridge in gladiator gear. I didn’t know how I was going to cross the bridge and stuff myself through those ridiculous bodies, but I didn't really want to know. I just wanted to stay there in that sweaty absurdity for a while or forever. — Stephanie Kutner
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This past Valentine’s Day. My husband and I got dressed up, had reservations at The Capital Grille (they gave all the ladies a red rose) and then we enjoyed Le Rêve at Wynn. It’s was a very romantic evening all around. Afterwards, we walked the Strip. — Jennifer Polito
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It was the evening of March 11. I was meeting a friend to eat at True Food Kitchen in the Forum Shops at Caesars. We had a laugh as we tried to find each other amid the tangled M.C. Escher labyrinth of stairs and escalators at the north end of the resort. We could see each other from various perches and vantages, but couldn’t seem to reach one another. I texted him, “Just meet me in front of Victoria's Secret.” — Andrew Kiraly
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Had a wonderful lunch sitting at the bar at Eiffel Tower (fabulous champagne, seafood salad and burger), gambled a bit at Paris and Bally’s, then hit the bar at Giada for a light dinner. I’m missing this now! Can’t wait to do it again. — Lenora Kaplan
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March 7, Caesars Palace. My husband and I met my girlfriend and her lover to watch Rod Stewart. After paying an exorbitant amount of money for four double vodkas, I recall the usher stating, “Be in your seats five minutes before the start time, because Mr. Stewart will start on time, he doesn’t mess around.” I ventured to ask, “Why? Are there performers who don’t start on time?” He replied, “Yes, sometimes the talent starts two hours late and the audience curses at us!” — Jo Ann Fisher
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March 9 at Planet Hollywood. Did a meet-and-greet with the cast of iLuminate, a new show that was supposed to open this month. Stopped at Nestlé Toll House on the way out and got a sprinkle cookie. Who would have known what would come the week to follow ... — Alissa Kelly, PR Plus
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It was a cold and wet December night and we all know how those lights gleam and enchant you when it rains here. My brother and I met for a nice dinner, a rare occasion for either of us to make and/or find time (a funny concept now). No matter how many times we find ourselves on the Strip, the two of us are always transported to a place of observation and storytelling as we create the realities for the travelers and locals alike. I can still smell the musty yet arid smell of the casino parking garage. — Milena DiFiore
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March 18. I’m a maintenance man. I remember looking out the window of a 35th-story suite. We were securing all the water valves in the bathrooms and mini-bars. Later that day, I was laid off after 25 years of eating donuts and changing light bulbs. — Timothy Brendel
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On March 14, my girlfriend and I went to the last seating at the Mayfair Supper Club to watch Lisa Marie & co. We had been overdue to check it out, and knew it would likely be a long while before it returned, if it even would in the same incarnation (you know how Vegas is). The performers, the setting, and the food did not disappoint, and although it was not cheap, I don’t regret the splurge. Afterward, we watched the fountains from Mayfair’s small patio, then walked through the Bellagio conservatory.
I'll never forget seeing someone handing out flyers for O, first time I'd ever seen anyone having to plug that show. The casino was still relatively busy. — Eric Gladstone
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February 27. My band Kurumpaw played an opening set for the Red Pears at the House of Blues’ B Side stage. The bill also included Vegas’ Desert Island Boys and L.A.-based Archer Oh. It was a packed, sold-out show with a strikingly diverse audience that included indie rockers, punks, goths, and hippies. The crowd was full of energy and often broke out into moshing, much to the ire of security. It was a night that definitely made me feel very proud of our local music scene. — Jacob Lasky
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I was patiently waiting for the light to turn green at Sahara and Las Vegas Boulevard. To pass the time, I entertained myself by observing the plethora of weed shops and corresponding billboards, while at the same time, observing the early morning riffraff stumbling about. Although my time on “the Boulevard” only lasted minutes, I remember thinking how people come from all over the planet to visit this “glamorous” place, and I'm just driving home … and hoping to not get carjacked. — Angie Negrete-Markle
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Date night, December 29. Me in a bronze sequin Bond Girl-worthy dress. Husband wearing — no one cares. Just paid $12 to park my Durango at the Luxor. Tickets to the ill-fated show R.U.N. Left the awe-inspiring performance, like I leave every Cirque show, thinking only one thought, “T-shirt or commemorative mug?” — Gregan Wingert