St. Patrick's Day In Las Vegas

While Las Vegas is best known for its lavish New Year's eve parties, St. Patrick's Day is quickly becoming another must-attend event with celebrations spanning the entire week, starting with the 44th Annual Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival on the weekend before St. Patrick's Day.

Hosted by neighboring City of Henderson, the 44th Annual Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival includes a parade from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 13 and a festival held from Thursday, March 11 to Sunday, March 14. Carnival rides are $1 and all-day wrist bands range from $22 to $25, depending on the day.

After the festival, dozens of Las Vegas hot spots will open with beer gardens, special menus, and live entertainment all week long. Here are five lucky picks that ring true for anyone looking for a good time in Las Vegas on St. Patrick's Day, March 17. Enjoy.

Five Picks for St. Patrick's Day in Las Vegas.

St. Patrick's Day At The Stirling Club. Starting at 7 p.m., The Stirling Club will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with green beer and live Irish music in the Piano Lounge. Member dining also features a special menu insert with Irish favorites created by The Stirling Club's executive chef. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended.

Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant. Located in neighboring Henderson, Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant plans an entire week's worth of activities. Arrive before 2 p.m. on St. Patrick's Day and the $15 cover charge to enjoy live entertainment around an outdoor beer garden will be waived.

J.C. Wooloughan Irish Pub. J.C. Wooloughan Irish Pub in theJW Marriott has also planned a weeklong celebration. After breakfast on St. Patrick's Day, live entertainment will open with a traditional bagpipe set just before John Windsor, Acoustic Soul, and Thompson/O'Keefe begin the all-day, all-night entertainment. There is a cover charge of $20 per person, which includes access to a second venue.

St. Patrick's Day Festival. Hosted by Mandalay Bay, former frontman for House of Pain, Everlast Whitey Ford, will sing the blues along with La coka Nostra and guest B-Real of Cypress Hill. The resort will also host a St. Patrick's festival beer garden on Moorea Beech. $40 per person.

McMullan's Irish Pub. Starting on March 12, McMullan's Irish Pub, located across from The Orleans, will host indoor and outdoor music, including traditional bagpipers on St. Patrick's Day. There is no cover charge, but seating is limited.

Looking for more options? Members may call The Stirling Club concierge anytime for suggestions and help with reservations. Like all Las Vegas events, everyone is encouraged to purchase tickets or place reservations early as seating is often limited.

Stirling Advice On Sticking With Fitness

Eight weeks. That is how long the average person sticks with a fitness program.

"The most common reason is that many participants tend to burn themselves out instead of approaching their fitness program in moderation," explains Maria DiMarco, director of spa and fitness at The Stirling Club. "Then they find excuses, complaining about the time commitment, muscle soreness, fatigue, and the lack of immediate results."

DiMarco's timeline corresponds to expectation cycles. Typically, new fitness participants experience excitement and elation within the first few weeks of a new fitness program, driven by inflated expectations. Unfortunately, unfulfilled expectations crash after eight weeks, before realistic exceptions take hold and fitness becomes part of their routine.

To get beyond the dip, DiMarco recommends the aid of a fitness trainer or an experienced friend. Not only does partnering with someone encourage motivation, but trainers are usually experienced in setting long-term goals that help people build into a successful program.

"At The Stirling Club, members can schedule a fitness consultation that is inclusive of a complete health and fitness assessment," we use these assessments to create a program designed to help people reach specific goals based on their physical abilities."

While each fitness program is customized based on those parameters, there are some programs that DiMarco says are especially worthwhile for beginners. One of them is Pilates, a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by gymnast Joseph Pilates in Germany. Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles (abdominal, pelvic, and lower back), which help keep the body balanced and provide support for the spine.

"It is especially beneficial because it can be included in a program for any fitness level," DiMarco said. "While Pilates is often used as part of rehabilitation programs, it can improve posture, strength, and flexibility for anyone."

The system was initially designed as part of a rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. However, Pilates exercises also teach awareness of breath and alignment, which strengthen the deep torso muscles, and the importance of proper breathing, isolating muscle groups, and emphasizing form over heavy lifting.

The Stirling Club offers individual private instruction, using specific equipment designed for Pilates. Members may also take advantage of complimentary group classes with approval from a private instructor. The Stirling Club also maintains regular yoga, body sculpting, abs, indoor cycling, and Zumba classes.

Stirling Tips For Cigar Lovers In Las Vegas

Most people know that Christopher Columbus is credited with the introduction of tobacco to Europe after his crew encountered tobacco on San Salvador in 1492 and again in Cuba. But there is much more to the story of the cigar.

The same can be said for choosing the right cigar. Most people know cigars are rated. But while scores under 70 are generally best avoided and scores over 90 are considered outstanding or even classic, the four components in scoring — appearance/construction, flavor, smoking characteristics, and overall impression — tend to favor the experienced smoker. So what should the beginner look for?

Eight Tips For Choosing A Cigar.

• Inspection. Squeeze the cigar. Good cigars give, but are not too soft. They don't have lumps, soft spots, looseness, or cracks. Smaller veins are sometimes an indicator of smoother smoke.

• Wrapper color. The color of the wrapper is usually a flavor indicator, with darker wrappers providing a more full-bodied, sweeter cigar. The reason is simple enough. The longer a leaf stays on the plant, the more sunlight it receives and the darker it will be.

• Cigar size. Most beginners choose smaller cigars, such as a carolina, before moving up to a corona, which generally burns evenly and has a better draw. A cervante tends to be the best above a corona.

• Ring gauges. While the most common length of cigars is 5 to 6 inches, the ring gauge (diameter) is a often a better indicator of a fuller flavor. They also tend to smoke slower and heat up slower. In general, 52 is the largest diameter (although a few cigars are larger).

• Country of origin. Much like wine, the flavor of the tobacco is influenced by soil and climate. In the United States, most people prefer Dominican cigars or Honduran cigars. The latter's tobacco tends to be robust. Cigar Aficionado has also added several Nicaraguan cigars to its top list.

• Cigar age. Almost all handmade cigars age before being released to the public (as long as two years). Some experts believe more cigars peak after six to ten years. However, this assumes the cigar is kept in ideal conditions.

• Time of day. There is something to be said for accompaniment. A smaller, milder cigar tends to be preferred in the morning whereas experienced smokers prefer big, full-bodied cigars after a heavy meal or late at night.

• The taste. For beginners forget about the undertones and complexities. If the experience is pleasurable, enjoy it. Dominican cigars are generally full-bodied with complex flavors, Nicaraguan cigars spicier, Ecuadorian cigars milder, and Jamaican cigars the mildest.

At The Stirling Club, members can always ask for help too. The club features a grand selection of cigars and pipe tobacco in the Cigar Bar. The room also includes a billiards table and the finest cognacs, cordials, beers, and ports available. Some members store their cigars on site.