Jenni Wiltz

Las Vegas Hilton

To any Elvis fan, the Las Vegas Hilton is a landmark of almost biblical proportions. To the rest of us, it’s a place to indulge our secret love of Barry Manilow away from friends and family members who might tease us mercilessly. Manilow’s engagement at the Hilton, titled “Manilow: Music and Passion,” carries the Hilton’s entertainment schedule. And you can stop snickering – this time around, it’s cool to like Le Manilow.

All jokes about fluffy sleeves and polyester jumpsuits aside, Manilow’s show does for his extensive repertoire of songs what Mamma Mia did for Abba’s. Not to be outdone by the plebeian likes of Celine Dion or Sir Elton John, the undisputed king of ’70s pop has created a show that, through the use of creative in-stage seating, actually makes you want to hear “Copacabana” one more time.

Less glitzy (and less crowded) than the Wynn or the Bellagio, the Hilton’s sleek white tower offers a more understated luxury. The most interesting rooms are the themed suites – safari, Caribbean beach, Old Hollywood. It’s not directly on the Strip, but it is on the monorail, which is good news for those who want to wear impractical shoes. The Hilton’s prices are less than what you’d find on the Strip, but in terms of dining, you get what you pay for. If you want a $15 buffet with free wine and beer, the Hilton is your top choice. If you want high quality French or Asian cuisine, you’ll have to leave the premises.

What it lacks in dining options, it more than makes up for in its amenities. The hotel offers a special set of suites that are adjacent to the recently renovated entertainment deck, which tells you it’s both a pretty big deck and a pretty big deal. Eighteen million dollars’ worth of fun and relaxation greet you on the third floor, with private cabanas, full bars, and an excellent vantage point for people-watching. Try not to get sunburned, or you won’t be able to take advantage of the heavenly stone massage offered in the spa.

Hotel review written for: EZTrip

Meet Felix Yusupov

Prince Felix Yusupov is famous for one thing and one thing only: he’s the guy who killed Rasputin. Strictly speaking, however, that’s not true. He’s the guy who fired the first shot at Rasputin. A co-conspirator, Purishkevich, may have fired the shot that was the proverbial nail in the coffin. As for Felix, let’s just say he’s the guy who helped kill Rasputin.

Rasputin’s murder is like the entire game of Clue in a single story—was he killed with poison in the basement, a bludgeon in the stairway, or a revolver in the courtyard? It’s a rabbit hole that will steal as much time as you give it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Also, if you go to the Moika Palace in St. Petersburg today, you can see a creepy recreation of the murder scene with wax figures.

Before he became a murderer, Felix became a husband. In 1914, he married a very beautiful and very important girl—Princess Irina Alexandrovna, the only niece of Tsar Nicholas II. This surprised a lot of people because (a) Felix was bisexual, and (b) he and Irina barely knew each other. According to Felix, he told Irina everything about his checkered past, including dressing as a woman in three countries. As he wrote in his autobiography Lost Splendor, “Far from being perturbed by what I had told her, she showed great tolerance and comprehension.”

At the wedding, Irina wore a Cartier tiara made of rock crystal and diamonds, a present from Zinaida. Among her other wedding gifts were 150 jewels, including 12 tiaras and 24 necklaces (King, 112). After a honeymoon in Europe, Egypt, and Jerusalem, Felix and Irina settled down to a life of wealth and privilege and lived happily ever after.

Just kidding.

That’s not what happened at all.

From: The Yusupov Black Pearl Necklace

Whole Life Insurance

“Elementary, my dear Watson.” —The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1929)

You don’t need Sherlock Holmes to deduce that fact that “whole” life insurance covers you for your entire life. But you might need him to figure out who first popularized the quotation above—it doesn’t appear in anything Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote.

If you want coverage for the rest of your life, a whole life policy is the simplest way to make that happen. It’s solid and steady, the rock of life insurance.

What does it cost?
As Hamlet and numerous Memphis-style barbecue champions have said, “Ay, there’s the rub.”

You’ll pay more than you would for a term policy. Exact rates depend on your age, sex, health, state of residence, and amount of coverage.

But the upside is that your payments will never go up—never. Not if you take up smoking, not if you have a stroke, not if you lose a foot in a tragic lawnmower accident like that guy in Season 3 of Mad Men. No matter what happens later in life, your monthly payment and your death benefit are 100% guaranteed.

What is a “cash value” account?
Cash value is a feature that turns your life insurance policy into a sort of savings vehicle. As you make your monthly payments, a small portion is set aside in a cash value account that grows tax-deferred at a set interest rate as long as your policy remains in force.

What should I do with the money?
No pressure, but Walt Disney borrowed against the cash value of his life insurance to help fund the construction of Disneyland. And, well, sales at Disney Parks and Resorts totaled $3.1 billion in the 2011 fiscal year. So don’t be a slacker and buy a collection of vintage Ed Hardy trucker hats. Send kids to college, pay off a mortgage, or start a small business instead!

Boring life insurance content written for: TrustedQuote.com