Tip of the Week: Career Ladder Level Changes

A common misconception upon renewal to The Nevada Registry is that an individuals Career Ladder level will automatically change/increasebecause of continued employment in the field and/or participation with the Registry (i.e., one more year of experience/one more year of membership with...

Fight for Survival in Zero Escape: The Nonary Games, Out Next Year on PS4, PS Vita

Behold, zero escapists! Aksys Games and Spike Chunsoft proudly announce that Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is making its way to PS4 and PS Vita in Spring 2017!

Exclusive to PS4 and PS Vita, The Nonary Games is a double pack collection of Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (999) and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (VLR). Nonary Game uninitiated who missed out on these two mind-shredding titles before now have the perfect chance to grab both in one collection. Pretty great, right?

What's that? You've already managed to escape the clutches of death and played both games through to completion? Fear not! 999 has been rebuilt from the ground up and now features HD graphics, as well as English and Japanese voice acting. Prepare to experience 999 as it was intended, and lose yourself in unparalleled immersion.

So what exactly is a Nonary Game? In essence, the game contains nine “players” or participants. You assume the role of one of these participants and compete towards a common goal. “No big deal, I love a good, friendly competition!” you say to yourself. Well, not so fast… The rules of each game vary from title to title, but the end goal is always the same: you must fight for survival and do everything in your power to escape with your life! That's right, the price for losing this game is death. Did we mention that you've been “entered” against your will?

The main antagonist in both games is the enigmatic Zero. Who is Zero? What does Zero want? Why are you in this situation to begin with? Fair questions to be sure, but to answer any of these would simply ruin the experience! A special feature of each Nonary Game is the implementation of a watch-like device, which is attached to each participant's wrist. Unique to each game, the watch serves a few sinister functions, most notably as the very probable agent of your demise! Needless to say, your quest will focus on solving the mystery of your surroundings and successfully removing the lethal time piece.

The Zero Escape franchise is renowned for its engrossing narrative and complex story, and The Nonary Games collection serves as the definitive version of the first two games. For both the uninitiated and seasoned escapists, The Nonary Games is the perfect gateway into this deadly and thought-provoking world.

Prepare yourselves gamers, Zero Escape: The Nonary Games makes its way to PS4 and PS Vita next year!

Carlsen vs. Nakamura Showdown on 10-27!

There is a heavyweight blitz battle taking place in a couple of hours at chess.com between World Champion Magnus Carlsen and blitz phenom Hikaru Nakamura. Yes… it's a big deal. This serves as a warm-up match before Carlsen's title defense against Sergey Karjakin and the champion could not have asked for a better tune-up. This match will break all types of records for viewership and can be watched in a number of different venues. Grandmaster Robert Hess and International Danny Rensch will be giving live commentary.

The following viewing options will be available at 10 a.m. Pacific time Thursday (1 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. GMT, 6 p.m. London, 7 p.m. Oslo):

• Chess.com/TV official broadcast with GM Robert Hess and IM Daniel Rensch (English) - watch here to see the ChessTV chat.


• Twitch.tv/Chess official broadcast with GM Hess and IM Rensch (English) - watch here to see the Twitch chat.


• Russian broadcast.


• French broadcast.


• Portuguese broadcast.

Video by chess.com

Generation Blue 2016 Arrived in Miami Beach

The 2016 Coldwell Banker Generation Blue Miami Experience kicked off on Miami Beach, bringing together real estate top producers from all over the world.

The post Generation Blue 2016 Arrived in Miami Beach appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

Refunds for One Technologies' not-so-free credit scores

The FTC will be refunding nearly $20 million to people who were misled by One Technologies about getting “free credit scores” that weren't so free. The money comes from a 2014 settlement with One Technologies. According to the FTC, the company misled people by advertising free credit scores without making clear that people would be enrolled in a credit monitoring program - and charged $29.95 per month.

Upcoming Public Workshop

The Nevada Child Care Licensing section will hold a workshop on Sept. 30, 2016 at 9 am,providing an opportunity forchild care providers and the publicto give input on proposed changes, including changes to the initial training required for new child care workers and child-to-staff...

Tensions Rise As Bosnian Serbs Push Ahead With Banned Referendum. Las Vegas Blog

Bosnia-Herzegovina's autonomous Bosnian Serb entity is pushing ahead with a arguable referendum on Sept. 25 in defiance of a high-court ruling from Sarajevo.

The planned referendum has led to probably the most heated debate between Bosnian Muslim & Bosnian Serb … Read the rest

Sea J's Cafe – Port Townsend, Washington

Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends. Because we have 4,000+ postings, I've invited her to continue posting entries on this blog. I'm currently in my 21st year of full-time RVing and my lifestyle is changing, For more info click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------- The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails

Stranger than family

Have you ever gotten a phone call from someone pretending to be a family member? They might say it is an emergency – maybe somebody is in jail, in the hospital, or being held hostage. What's common to all of these calls is that they end with the caller asking you to send money. These calls are scams no matter how convincing they sound.

Phone Screening: A Guide To This Essential Recruiting Step

This is a guest post from our friends at Kayako

Are you using phone screening as part of your interviewing process? If not, you should be! Hypothetically, you've made it to the other side and are now working for a company you love. But rather than trying to get a job, you're trying to find the right employees for your company. Crawling through job applications and resumes can be tough, but there is a way to do it that is less painful, and even fun!

What you shouldn't be doing

If you're like a lot of internal recruiters, you're spending way too much time inside the hiring process – this isn't as effective as it could be.

You might be:

• Spending too much time on lengthy face-to-face interviews.


• Interviewing candidates who are totally unsuitable for the role.


• Missing out on suitable candidates because you don't have time to interview everyone.

While you're spending time managing your process, you're wasting valuable time that could be spent on other recruiting activities!

I want to show you how the first stage of the hiring process can be conducted over the phone.

It may sound cynical, but screening through phone calls is an effective way to streamline your recruitment process, benefiting both your company and prospective candidates. It saves your time, and theirs – especially if used well.

You don't want to be messing around meeting all your prospective candidates in Starbucks, only to find that the majority are completely unsuitable for the post. Video conference calls also help to reduce running costs.

How to conduct effective phone screening

We've got some best practice methods for you to follow to ensure you get the most out of the phone screening process, and can sail off into the sunset with your new employee (hopefully).

At Kayako, we use all of these methods to smooth out our hiring process, because we know that our customer service team is our company's greatest asset.

Here are some of our best practices that could be useful to you and your recruiting team:

1. Explain the process

As with anything in life, make sure everyone knows what to expect. As soon as you start bringing a prospective candidate into the pipeline, tell them how the process of the interview is going to go.

Let them know when they can expect a phone call, when they will know if they have been successful, what the next steps are and when they would receive an offer. This stops candidates from becoming confused and frustrated, and being driven to a different offer. This will also give a great impression of the efficiency of your company and the power of your brand. Every interaction you have with a non-employee is a brand experience, so make it a great one by providing an efficient and delightful candidate experience.

2. Make notes of their answers

When you're actually conducting the phone interview, make sure you're taking detailed notes. Always follow a predefined structure so your notes on all candidates are consistent, and easily interpreted by people conducting follow-up interviews. Even your future self will struggle to decode a mess that your past self has written.

If your Applicant Tracking System has a mobile app or desktop app, you can even keep notes within the software to review later. The more data you put in, the better data you'll be able to get out.

Detail is key here. When you finish each call, you may want to set some time aside to finish up your notes. It will benefit you to review what you've written while you can still remember the interview to make sure it makes sense to your hiring team.

3. Focus only on essentials

While you'll want to capture the details, you'll also want to keep the phone call as brief as possible – no more than 20-30 minutes. If you subconsciously know you have limited time, you'll be less tempted to waffle and stray off-topic, or let the candidate do so.

At this stage, don't bother asking about their specific experience of technologies or technical details at this stage. Leave that to the next phase interview, as your job here is to uncover the most important information about the candidate – which is whether they will be a good fit for your company.

Always keep the same questions for the position you're hiring for, because thinking of fresh ones every time can be exhausting. Then you can focus on whether you're getting enough information to invite them in for an interview, not what to ask them next.

For example, what this looks like at Kayako, as customer support is a job that needs attitude before skills, our customer service interview questions will find that passion using these:

• Why are you leaving your current role / what interested you in this role?


• What are your career goals?


• What are you really good at professionally?


• What are you not good at or not interested in doing professionally?


• Who were your last five bosses, and how would they each rate your performance on a 1-10 scale when we talk to them?


• What are your salary expectations?


• Any questions for me?

Remember to: dig deep into their answers with “who, how, what.” And take notes, at this stage it is super important for collecting what you may want to follow up on in the in person interview.

4. Selling the company and job

Don't be fooled into thinking that the only factor is deciding which candidate you want to hire. Many hiring managers have been thwarted when they think they've locked the perfect candidate, only to be told that the candidate accepted a job elsewhere!

Use the phone interview as an opportunity to “sell” your organization to the candidate. Expand upon what they have absorbed from the job description, your company website, and social media profiles. Make the best first impression you can to attract top candidates.

Briefly explain the job requirements and be sure to include key information about why you think the job role is worthwhile and challenging. Great candidates will respond favorably to opportunities to grow professionally.

What to do next

Once you've conducted all your phone interviews, take a closer look at who's left, and decide who you feel is a good candidate for an in-person interview.

You must focus on your the ultimate goal of finding the best person for the entire time you are conducting this screening process.

The goal is to select only candidates who are likely to be the right fit for the company based on their personality, career history and attitude. If any one of these qualities is missing, then you're sadly wasting your time.

So, ditch the old habit of meeting every prospective candidate in person, and start scheduling in phone screening interviews with everyone who you think could be a good fit (limit the interviews to a certain number of people if lots of candidates catch your eye). With SmartRecruiters's built-in interview scheduling, it's easier than ever to get these coordinated.

Clearly explain to each candidate the process you are expecting them to follow, with dates and next steps included.

Make detailed notes during each interview, while at the same time restricting yourself to a maximum of thirty minutes. With practice, you'll get a lot better at setting the pace, and, if you think you might run over, just politely tell them you have another appointment in your schedule.

Don't forget that you are the ambassador for your company, and it's your job to let the candidate know exactly why it's a great place to work. Don't be afraid to let your natural enthusiasm shine through in the interviews, and you're all set for success with phone screening.

The world's coolest flume water slide is hidden in an American jungle paradise

Hiking through steamy forests, through pitch black, waterlogged tunnels, and alongside narrow, and incredibly tall cliffs seems pretty intense, but the reward at the end of this dangerous trail is too good to pass up-- the world's most gorgeous hidden flume water slide.

Youtube/Liam Sheehan

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Located in Hawaii's Waipio Valley, to get there, head to the Flume Water Slide Trailhead  at the end of White Road just outside of Waimea-- there, apparently, there will be a wooden gate that leads to the trail. Along the way, you'll pass hidden waterfalls and breathtaking overlooks offering views of the Waipio Valley. To get to the slide, you have to hike through a tunnel for about half a mile before you arrive at your destination. Once you reach the slide, grab ahold of the rope and climb up through the rushing water to the top, then get ready for the ride of a lifetime! You can even bring along an inner tube to inflate when you reach your destination for a smoother ride down.

Youtube/Jason Maltezo

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The hike is off-limits unless you're granted special permission, but it's worth the trouble if it means getting to visit the one-of-a-kind slide. This video gives you an idea of the crazy path to the flume-- and an idea of just how insanely incredible it is to slide down!

Check out Slide Rock State Park, Alpine Sliding Rock, or North Carolina's Sliding Rock for more splashy waterslide action!!

Header via surf-kona.com

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More aquatic adventures...

The Treehaus Resort comes with its own lazy river

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America's most insane waterpark pool is nicknamed "The Grave Pool"

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Discover underground rivers and Mayan ruins at Xcaret

 

Should take the parenting class when you divorce in Nevada?

Clients often ask us why they have to take the parenting class. It comes up sooner or later in every conversation we have with divorce clients.

We all have too much on our plates; that's a fact. When we are going through a divorce, there's even more to do, not to mention the stress it adds to your already over-scheduled day.

So, who wants to add one more thing to their to-do lists by taking a parenting class, even if it's online?

First off, if you live in Clark County, Nevada and file a divorce here, it's required by the court. Your divorce will not be granted otherwise.  The court made it mandatory in the hope that it would remove bickering divorced parents from the very busy court calendar.

Luckily, it's now possible to take it online, so no driving, parking, and blocking out a particular time on a particular day. Just take it whenever you can fit it in, in the middle of the night even, if that's what works best for you.

You might feel resentful at being told by a court that you have to take it in order to get your decree of divorce, and this can affect how you receive the information.

You might be tempted to take it in a hurry just to get the certificate you need, and you might not want to pay it much attention, but here's why you should pay attention and give it as much time as it requires for you to retain the information in it and actually be able to use it later. Figure out how to see it as something valuable to you rather than just one more chore.

Because it is valuable to you. Very valuable. Even if it's not a requirement where you live, you should strongly consider taking it.

Essentially, you're trading the three to five hours it will take you to go through the course against possibly hundreds of hours of frustration with your ex (depending on how long you'll co-parent your child(ren) with him or her), as well as saving your children from emotional damage associated with putting them in the middle.

Here's how you will benefit:

1) You will learn the skills you need to avoid your children emotional harm caused by certain behaviors too often typical of divorcing parents:

o Having your child carry messages rather than communicating directly with your ex

o Questioning your child about what goes on in your ex's house

o Putting you ex down verbally to your children

o Discussing money problems with your child

o Issues related to long-distance parenting

2) You will learn strategies with which to deal directly with your ex, which will benefit both of you as well as the children you must parent together:

o Deal with your ex in a respectable manner

o Learn tactics to control any anger you might feel toward your ex

o Learn to not play the “loyalty” game with your children. Your children love both of you and should be free to be loyal to both parents.

Think of the time and aggravation you'll save yourself by simply having the tools to deal with potentially explosive situations with your ex and weigh it against just a few hours of your time now.  We think you know the answer now as to whether or not you should take the parenting class when you divorce in Nevada.

The post Should take the parenting class when you divorce in Nevada? appeared first on Nevada Divorce Blog.

MLB The Show 16: All-Star Week Celebrations, New Low Price

If you're not one of the lucky ones attending the MLB All-Star Game this week in San Diego, we've got you covered with fun activities for the community throughout the week. Again this year we'll feature our Home Run Derby simulated prediction (which we got right last year!), we'll have a “man on the street” at the All-Star Game covering everything from our head-to-head Home Run Derby competition at Fan Fest to behind-the-scenes looks at your favorite events, and more!

Check out below for a few videos from our first few days in San Diego:

Join us later tonight at 10:00pm to 12:00am Pacific as we're going behind-the-scenes at the MLB Players' Association party to host an AMA with a mix of current players and legends, including Eric Hosmer of the Kansas City Royals. And don't forget to submit your burning questions for the MLB players on MLB The Show's Twitter and Facebook as well as directly through the stream.

Later in the week, we're hosting an intense Fans Vs. Developers competition on Twitch, featuring four hot shot MLB The Show fans playing against our All-Star roster of Developers from San Diego Studio. First rounds of the competition start on Wednesday, July 13 from 3:30pm – 6:00pm and we'll crown our ultimate All-Star champion during our stream on Thursday, July 14 from 3:30pm – 6:00pm!

Below is our schedule of livestreams from the All-Star Game:

MLB The Show AMA at MLBPA Party

Monday, July 11 at 10:00pm – 12:0am Pacific

Fans Vs. Devs – Round 1

Wednesday, July 13 at 3:30pm – 6:00pm Pacific

Fans Vs. Devs – And the Winner is…

Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 3:30pm – 6:00pm Pacific

To cap off our All-Star celebrations, we recently dropped the price on MLB The Show 16 and made it easier than ever to join! Right now, you can get The Show physically and digitally on PS4 for only $39.99 and on PS3 for $29.99.

For all your latest and greatest MLB The Show news and videos, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or go to theshow.com to learn more.

Visit the real-life places that inspired Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls

There's nothing quite like New England in autumn. Falling leaves, hot coffee with a pumpkin spice bouquet, hayrides, scarves, peacoats, and long, meandering conversations about Paul Anka, Doris Day, and Christiane Amanpour. 'Tis the season for Gilmore Girls! But, let's be honest, every season is the season for Gilmore Girls. If you're like me, you've enjoyed your fair share of GG binge-fests, complete with candy, pizza (and in my case copious amounts of alcohol), and glitter nail polish. 

As much as I love Lorelai and Rory's delicious banter and manic-pixie-dreamgirl-esque shenanigans, I've gotta say, my favorite character on the show, is the town. That quintessential rural New England town of Stars Hollow. I mean, who didn't want to go to Stars Hollow High or hit up one of those adorable Town Hall Meetings? Well, unlike other fictional locales that are too good to be true (ahem, Rivendell), Stars Hollow is actually based on a very real place.

In fact, here's Kirk (jack of all trades, literally all trades, master of none), giving a tour of the fictional Stars Hollow: 

While showrunner, Amy Sherman-Palladino was staying at the The Mayflower Grace on vacation she fell madly in love with Connecticut. For two days she drove through various towns and began conceiving the fictional Stars Hollow, a fairytale town, grounded in actual, real places. 

Kent, Connecticut

Welcome to Washington Depot, Connecticut. Size: 38.7 square miles. Population: 3,578. This rural town in Litchfield County, Connecticut served as inspiration for the town of Stars Hollow. It's where the Mayflower Grace Inn is located, and thus the starting point for the idea that would become Stars Hollow. As a side note, it was also used for filming parts of Friday the 13th, Part 2, so that's pretty rad.

Mayflower Grace Inn

Washington is your standard white picket fenced, church steepled, one-stoplight town (Okay, I don't know if it has one stop light, but remember that episode of GG where the town installed a stop light and Lorelei and Rory were stuck at it for, like, ever, right after Lorelei decided she didn't want to marry Max? Whatever, he was kind of a jerk when he started pressuring her into changing for him, I'm glad they broke up.). 

Kent, Connecticut

Anyhow, near the Berkshire Mountains and only 80 miles north of NYC, lots of wealthy New York City folks call Washington home, so it comes as no surprise that the town has oodles of charm by way of Colonial-period homes. Many of the families in fact have descendants that date back to Colonial times. I bet loads of residents are members of the D.A.R. (like Rory and Emily). Fun fact: I almost joined the D.A.R. because of Gilmore Girls. Then, decided against it cause it like required a ton of paperwork, and you couldn't apply online. Lame. Oh, and interestingly enough, according to the town's Wikipedia page, there's a sizable gay community that calls the place home.

Litchfield, Connecticut

Even the town's government helped inspire an important feature of the show:  “Washington has a traditional New England town meeting form of government, which operates under the Connecticut General Statutes. Town meetings serve as Washington's chief legislative body, and several specialized boards and commissions, run by volunteer residents, tend to municipal business.”

And in case you were curious, the system works:

“Washington has a culture of volunteerism and active civic engagement. Many residents give freely of their time and resources to operate town government, provide emergency services, and support local community organizations. The town has unusually high voter turnout rates, and, in several elections, has had the highest level of voter participation of any municipality in Connecticut. Washington's voter turnout rate in the 2004 presidential election was 93.08%” - Wikipedia

Gilmore Girls Town Hall

A little bit of Washington's history:

Before the colonists arrived, the Wyantenock Native American tribe lived in the area. Then in 1734, Joseph Hurlbut established a homestead and called it Judea Parish. In 1746, an iron ore was mined, and ironworking became a major industry in the area. In 1779, Washington was incorporated and named after George Washington. Allegedly, the founding father spent the night in New Preston in 1781. But, then again, places where Washington slept are as ubiquitous as places where Elvis spent the night. 

The 19th century brought the Industrial Revolution to Washington, Connecticut and factories and mills started sprouting up along the Shepaug River, which was known as Factory Hollow. Aww. In 1861 America's very first summer camp was opened in Washington by Frederick Gunn, an abolitionist. Washington was also a stop on the Underground Railroad. The actual railroad came in 1872, connecting Washington with New York City. The Washington Green was transformed at the end of the 19th century “into an idealized version of the quintessential New England village.” 

Many of the houses were built before 1950, and reflect such historic architectural styles as Georgian, Greek Revival, Italianate and Shingle. There's also loads of 19th century barns, mills and other buildings, which are also remarkably well-preserved. 

Litchfield, Connecticut

Washington, however, is just one source (albeit a big source) of Stars Hollow inspiration. Other towns that contributed fairytale New England vibes include New Milford, Litchfield and Kent. 

So, there you have it Gilmore Girls addicts. Go forth and proudly binge-drink coffee, crank up your Bangles CDs, consume unconscionable quantities of pie and for the love of god, banter your little hearts out!

Transformers 5 News and Casting Updates: 'Britain's Loneliest Dog' Included In Cast in Upcoming Sequel. Las Vegas Blog

Transformers franchise director Michael Bay offers film role to 'Britain's Loneliest Dog' in the upcoming Transformers sequel, The- Last Knight. The- epileptic Staffordshire bull terrier has reportedly spent most of her life in an animal shelter after being rejected 18, … Read the rest

Singapore outperforms different first world countries when it comes to productiveness growth. Las Vegas Blog

However manufacturing conditions will continue to falter. Singapore's productiveness drive has fallen short of official target, still the city-state's productiveness growth has nonetheless comfortably outpaced different high-income economies within the last 15 years of time of time. In accordance to … Read the rest

Pretty Skies…

Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends. Because we have 4,000+ postings, I've invited her to continue posting entries on this blog. My RVing lifestyle is changing, For more info click Here The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails RV Resort in Seaside, Oregon, Oregon. I've been here several

10 Best Tech Gadgets For Your Home

These awesome upgrades will transform your house into a futuristic smart home.

The post 10 Best Tech Gadgets For Your Home appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

THEATER TALK to Welcome Gabriel Byrne, Robin Wagner & David Rockwell This Weekend. Las Vegas Blog

The newest edition of THEATER TALK presents an interview with actor Gabriel Byrne, TONY nominee for Best Actor in A Play for his powerful performance as the alcoholic James Tyrone in the Roundabout Theatre revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's … Read the rest

Maya Rudolph Describes Martin Short's Canadian Cottage Where They Worked On Comedy Material For 'Maya & Marty'. Las Vegas Blog

When Maya Rudolph and Martin Short debut their new assortment show Maya & Marty on Tuesday night, they won't be the only Saturday Night Live alumni on hand. Kenan Thompson and Jimmy Fallon will guest star. On future installments, Steve … Read the rest

Quick Snacks for Unexpected Guests

Ever have impromptu guests come over? Reach in your pantry for these items and whip up some easy to make, but delicious snacks.

The post Quick Snacks for Unexpected Guests appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

Florence, Oregon

Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends. Because we have 4,000+ postings, I've invited her to continue posting entries on this blog. The motorhome is  parked at Thousand Trails South Jetty RV Resort in Florence, Oregon. I'll depart here May 23rd. I've been here several times over the years

Celebrate National Burger Month at these Vegas restaurants

It's May and that means it's our favorite of all those national food holidays: Burger Month.

Sure, there's everything from a National Broccoli Day to a National Spam Day, but burgers are so good they've actually got a whole month devoted to them. And we intend to celebrate all month. Here's where you can do your part to participate in National Burger Month in Vegas:

The Hog Burger at Gordon Ramsay BurGR, photo courtesy of Planet Hollywood.

Gordon Ramsay BurGR at Planet Hollywood

Celeb Chef Gordon Ramsay cooks everything with flair, including his hamburgers. The burgers here are cooked over an open flame fueled by hard woods, which gives them their signature flavorful taste.  There are lots of options including the Uber Cheese Burger with asadero cheese, fontina cheese, boursin cheese and vintage white cheddar cheese. That's a whole lotta cheese.

If spice is your thing, try the Hell's Kitchen Burger, made with asadero cheese, roasted jalapeños, avocado, jalapeño pesto aioli and roasted tomato.

The classic ShackBurger, photo courtesy of Shake Shack.

Shake Shack at New York – New York

When this New York institution opened up in Vegas we were all excited – and for good reason.  These hormone and antibiotic-free Angus burgers are delicious. Especially with that secret Shack Sauce on top.  We prefer the original ShackBurger, but you can also choose burgers like the SmokeShack with smoked bacon and cherry pepper or the Shack Stack with a cheeseburger and 'Shroom Burger stacked together.

The signature Umami burger, photo courtesy of SLS Las Vegas.

Umami Burger at SLS Las Vegas

Umami  Burger was once named “Burger of the Year” by “GQ” Magazine, so you know these burgers are tasty. The burgers are made with house-ground premium steak and enhanced with seasonings and sauces. You'll want to try the Umami with Parmesan, shiitake mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and house ketchup. Other favorites include the Manly, with house beer-cheddar, bacon lardons, smoked salt onion strings, house ketchup and mustard spread.

Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay

This restaurant by acclaimed Chef Hubert Keller features a build-your-own burger concept. Choose your meat –  with options including beef, lamb and buffalo – then choose a bun, and load it up with toppings, which include everything from chopped jalapeño and pineapple to fried eggs and portobello mushrooms. Finish your burger off with sauces including aioli, truffle mayo, pesto and guacamole.

There are also specialty options like The Rossini Burger, a Kobe-style Wagyu beef burger with sauteed foie gras and shaved truffles on an onion bun. The burger is topped with black perigord truffle sauce.

Order a secret Molto Burger at B&B Burger & Beer and you won't be disappointed. Photo courtesy of B&B Burger & Beer.

B&B Burger & Beer at The Venetian

Want a burger from Mario Batali? So do we. He and Joe Bastianich have collaborated to create B&B Burger & Beer, a casual restaurant serving high-quality burgers and a variety of beers. The burgers are made from American beef, served on a charred bun and accompanied by signature side dishes, salads and shakes. If you're brave, try the Bottom Burner, a spicy combination of pepper jack cheese, jalapeño pesto, onion rings and Mario's hot sauce. While supplies last, B&B is also currently serving its secret item, The Molto Burger. It is not included in the menu but it is a favorite among guests who know to ask for it. This secret burger is made from ground 90-day dry aged beef.

Flippin' Good Burgers and Shakes, 505 Fremont St.

The name says it all – these burgers are flippin' good. Burgers are made with 100 percent fresh Angus beef ground with chuck, brisket and short rib. You can get a regular burger, cheeseburger, sliders, turkey burger or, if you like things spicy, the Flame Burger with jalapeños and melted pepper jack cheese.

Burger toppings include grilled onions jalapeños, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, ranch dressing and Flippin' Sauce.

The Billy Burger , photo courtesy of Holstein's Shakes & Buns.

Holstein's Shakes and Buns at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

All of the toppings, buns and condiments here are made in-house and the burgers are made with premium meats. Try the Gold Standard Burger, a hamburger made with dry-aged beef sirloin and topped with smoked bacon, aged goat cheese, tomato confit and garlic chive aioli. For something a little different, check out The Rising Sun with Kobe beef, teriyaki glaze, nori furikake, crispy yam, spicy mayo and tempura avocado.

The Santa Barbara-style burger at Habit Burger Grill, photo courtesy of Habit Burger Grill.

The Habit Burger Grill

Ever since this place opened, it has become a habit for us. We love their made-to-order charbroiled burgers, which are grilled over an open flame, then topped with mayo, pickles, tomato, lettuce and caramelized onions.  You can get an original or a double. Other varieties include the popular Santa Barbara-style with avocado and cheese or teriyaki-style with grilled pineapple. There's also a veggie burger option. You'll want to pair your meal with a side like fries or onion rings. We highly recommend the tempura green beans with a side of ranch.

Bobby's Burger Palace at CityCenter

Bobby's Burger Palace is celebrity chef Bobby Flay's fast-casual burger concept. The restaurant serves unique burgers like the Bobby Blue with blue cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato and the Crunchburger with double American cheese and potato chips. In fact, you can get any burger “crunchified” with potato chips on top. Who says you can't have a burger for breakfast? Get the Brunch burger with fried egg, smoked bacon and American cheese.

Burger Lounge at Aria

This burger joint is the new kid on the block. It just opened at Aria last weekend, but we've already heard good things about it. All burgers are made with 100 percent fresh American, single-source, grass-fed beef. Choose from a classic burger with organic American cheese and add toppings like nitrate-free bacon. Other choices include a turkey burger, a lamb burger and an organic quinoa veggie burger.

These are all some of Vegas' top restaurants that specialize in burgers, but you can also find a great burger at lots of other places in town. Several restaurants are offering special promotions for National Burger Month. Here are a few more places to check out if you're looking for a burger fix:

Celebrate National Burger Month at Michael Mina's PUB 1842, photo courtesy of MGM Grand.

Michael Mina's PUB 1842 at MGM Grand

Michael Mina's PUB 1842 will celebrate National Burger Month the entire month of May. For $32, burger enthusiasts can enjoy “The Beast,” a delicious burger piled high with two Black Angus patties, Swiss cheese, onion rings and bacon and accompanied by a 33-ounce boot of Pilsner Urquell beer.

The Cinco de Mayo burger at Morels Steakhouse & Bistro, photo courtesy of Morels.

Morels Steakhouse & Bistro at The Palazzo

Morels is celebrating burgers and beers with its annual popular Burgerfest now through May 30 in honor of National Burger Month. Executive Chef JL Carrera has created six gourmet burgers made with Snake River Farms American Kobe beef, each paired with a craft beer. The special menu is available during lunch from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Burger and beer pairings include the Hawaiian with grilled pineapple, onion, Swiss cheese and teriyaki paired with Pennsylvania Tuxedo from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; and the Cinco de Mayo with pico de gallo, avocado, queso fresco, cabbage and chipotle mayo paired with Upright Six from Upright Brewing.

ATOMIC! Burger, photo courtesy of Hard Rock Cafe.

Hard Rock Cafe's World Burger Tour

Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas Strip and The Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas at Hard Rock Hotel are celebrating National Burger Month with a menu showcasing international Local Legendary Burgers. Check out Las Vegas' own ATOMIC! Burger featuring beer-battered peppers, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, garlic chipotle ketchup and chipotle mayo. Other options include the English Breakfast Burger, which pays homage to a classic English breakfast, and the Jamaican Jerk Burger, which features mango jalapeño cream cheese and jerk seasoning inspired by Montego Bay. The limited-time menu is available through June 30.

The Creole burger, photo courtesy of Lagasse's Stadium.

Lagasse's Stadium at Palazzo

Any good sports bar and restaurant has to have great burgers and Lagasse's Stadium doesn't disappoint.

We love the Creole burger, a half-pound patty of blended Angus beef topped with traditional Louisiana Andouille sausage, caramelized onions and three chile pepper gouda cheese with a spicy garlic mayo; or the foie gras burger, topped with seared foie gras, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions with a foie gras black truffle aioli.

The Frenchie burger, photo courtesy of db Brasserie.

db Brasserie at The Venetian

Burgers aren't traditionally a French food, but French Chef Daniel Boulud created his twist on the American favorite. The Frenchie Burger is an 8-ounce Angus beef patty with Morbier cheese, confit pork belly and arugula on a black pepper bun. Bon appétit!

The RICO burger at Oscar's Steakhouse, photo courtesy of the Plaza Hotel & Casino.

Oscar's Steakhouse at the Plaza Hotel & Casino

This summer Oscar's is featuring a special RICO burger that is an all-beef, half pound burger on a brioche bun with Muenster cheese, tomato chutney, crispy onions, spicy pickles, arugula and smoked bacon. Guests can enjoy this mouthwatering gourmet burger with a domestic beer for $20.

The Meyer Lansky burger, photo courtesy of El Cortez.

Siegel's 1941 at El Cortez

We love the burgers at Siegel's, which are inspired by some of the famous characters from Vegas' past like the Bugsy Siegel burger with applewood bacon, grilled onions, sharp cheddar, tomato marmalade, housemade pickles, and Dijon mustard. We also recommend the Meyer Lansky with pastrami, Swiss cheese, house-made cole slaw, pickles, and Russian dressing on a ciabatta bun.

Find even more burger restaurants in Las Vegas.

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The post Welcome to the House that Herman Built appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

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Just when things between Kailyn Lowry and her ex Jo Rivera rad down, tension between her and her husband Javi Marroquin heats up in a sneak peek for the upcoming season premiere of MTV’s “Teen Mom 2.” By Emma Hernandez … Read the rest

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Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends. Because we have 4,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog. The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails RV Resort in Palm Desert, California. I’m scheduled to depart here March 17th. Recently I’ve been running blogs about my

Tip of the Week: Online Professional Development Plan

You must be an activemember of The Nevada Registry in order to create or update your online Professional Development Plan.When creating a new account, you will need to enter your Registry ID and the email that is listed in your membership...

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Taking a page out of the songbook of the hit film “Pitch Good,” Lifetime’s new reality TV collection documents two rival New Jersey highschool acapella teams as they face off in a collection of aca-battles for the prospect to be … Read the rest

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Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends. Because we have 4,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog. The motorhome is parked at Shady Acres Mobile Home and RV Park in Yuma, Arizona. I expect to be here a couple of months hiding out from