Being a Local in a Tourist's Playground

Google Maps contribution stories
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D*Face putting up one of the first Life is Beautiful murals in #dtlv (description: artists on a cherry-picker crane painting a man sitting hunched over with his face in his hands and a skull-face on the side of a bright turquoise motel.
D*Face putting up one of the first Life is Beautiful murals in #dtlv (description: artists on a cherry-picker crane painting a man sitting hunched over with his face in his hands and a skull-face on the side of a bright turquoise motel.2322×4128 1.52 MB

Moving to Las Vegas was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made. I knew that I wanted to live in a city. I knew that I wanted to live in a desert. And, I knew my husband was unfortunately not keen on moving to Egypt right out of grad school. So, moving to a city where we could both find immediate employment was a no-brainer. The fact that most of the other people on the plane with us were coming to a tourist destination, not a home, was a back-of-mind concern.

In the intervening dozen years–more than long enough to be considered a ‘local’ in this oasis of wanderers–the distance between the experience of visiting here and living here has ebbed and flowed, but there is always a gap.

Google Maps provides some of the tools for bridging that divide. While dozens of outlets highlight the “Best of” the Strip and Fremont Street, Google Maps lets me show off the neighborhood spots that punctuate my daily life.

The Korean Soul Food Fusion Spot deep on the East Side?

Angry Blasian menu [Description: Logo is an "angry" chili pepper super-imposed over an outline of the state of Tennessee. Descriptions on front of menu are mostly traditional soul foods, but sometimes with bulgogi]
Angry Blasian menu [Description: Logo is an "angry" chili pepper super-imposed over an outline of the state of Tennessee. Descriptions on front of menu are mostly traditional soul foods, but sometimes with bulgogi]4032×3024 802 KB
Spicy pork bulgogi fries with kimchi [Description: Fries are served on a red plate, topped with pork bulgogi, kimchi, a creamy cheese sauce, green onions, and pepper]
Spicy pork bulgogi fries with kimchi [Description: Fries are served on a red plate, topped with pork bulgogi, kimchi, a creamy cheese sauce, green onions, and pepper]4032×3024 1.21 MB

The pizza shop that might just run out of homemade sourdough crust during the Friday night rush?

Small pie from Old School Pizzeria [Description: Pizza with rapini and dollops of ricotta. Two slices already missing.]
Small pie from Old School Pizzeria [Description: Pizza with rapini and dollops of ricotta. Two slices already missing.]3024×4032 922 KB

The local theater that premiered a new comedy musical by Amber Ruffin, writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers, where I got to sit behind Ms. Ruffin on the opening Friday?

Candid of the cast photo with Amber Ruffin after the show [Description: Ms. Ruffin talking to cowriters as the photo gets setup, backed by the cast]
Candid of the cast photo with Amber Ruffin after the show [Description: Ms. Ruffin talking to cowriters as the photo gets setup, backed by the cast]4032×3024 727 KB
Ads get painted on the front of Majestic Repertory for every new show [Description: "Bigfoot: A Brand New Comedy Musical" painted in yellow and green on a black, garage-size shutter door, with reflection of the street in the next window]
Ads get painted on the front of Majestic Repertory for every new show [Description: "Bigfoot: A Brand New Comedy Musical" painted in yellow and green on a black, garage-size shutter door, with reflection of the street in the next window]4032×3024 1.43 MB
The set of Bigfoot [Description: Black stage in foreground. Trees painted on flats, road disappearing into distance with sign advertising Mud Dirt, Population 67]
The set of Bigfoot [Description: Black stage in foreground. Trees painted on flats, road disappearing into distance with sign advertising Mud Dirt, Population 67]4032×3024 454 KB

The alleyway murals in the #18b?

Found between Main and Casino Center, off of California
Found between Main and Casino Center, off of California4032×3024 1.83 MB

The Neon Museum and it’s showstopping collection Brilliant light show?

Neon Boneyard by Day [Description: Painted sign from the Lido casino, neon off]
Neon Boneyard by Day [Description: Painted sign from the Lido casino, neon off]4032×3024 1.11 MB
Neon Boneyard by Night [Description: Fitzgerald's sign, green shamrock, red neon outline, incandescent bulbs inside letters, lights on]
Neon Boneyard by Night [Description: Fitzgerald's sign, green shamrock, red neon outline, incandescent bulbs inside letters, lights on]5888×2128 1.32 MB
Brilliant! relit Stardust sign. None of that neon works. This is all projection technology [Description: S-T-A of the Stardust sign, relit by projection to imitate yellow neon and incandescent white bulbs]
Brilliant! relit Stardust sign. None of that neon works. This is all projection technology [Description: S-T-A of the Stardust sign, relit by projection to imitate yellow neon and incandescent white bulbs]4288×2848 548 KB

This is my Vegas, and being invited to show it off every time I take a millennial shot of my dinner reminds me show it off in all of its gloriousness.

If you’re ever in town, take a look at where the locals have posted photos. We won’t steer you wrong.

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