Thursday, May 15, 2008

TR Snippet- Barbers and Pinball

I like getting my haircut in Vegas, but I don't often have a car to manage the less expensive places. The El Cortez barbershop on the Vintage room floor did remind me a bit of those barbershops in the mob movies. But I remember it was a bit pricey and the barber was friendly but a bit too definitive in conversation. I felt as if I was part customer and part annoying tourist.
I also felt that he did not think he really had to listen too much to what I wanted.

Besides, being frugal I really like the bargain haircut shops.

Years back I used to go quite a ways our Tropicana to a woman name Linda at a Magic Nails spot in one of those plazas. I went looking for her.
Instead at Tropicana and Pecos I saw a sign for a haircut $8 and nothing on it about nails. I don't really want to smell nail polish while I get my haircut.
In the small plaza I found two barbershops. The traditional male barbershop was closed and the posted prices were much higher than $8, so I waited for the Unisex cutting place to open. I was ten minutes early, so I took a bit of a walk. This was a mistake. When I got back, there were four people ahead of me.
And yet the waiting was short and the cutting went quickly; soon it was my turn.
The woman fussed with my hair and beard (extra $6) really listening to what I wanted and taking time to make it right. I am not fussy. I never complain. Still it is fine to be fussed over.
So I recommend that shop if you would like an inexpensive haircut.

And here is the real draw.
Kitty corner from the $8 barber is the finest playland in Vegas.
http://www.pinballmuseum.org/
Assembled are rows of old functional antique pinball machines; $20 in quarters can easily take you back in time.
My favorite are cartoon themed machines, especially the one based on the old Daffy Duck evening cartoon show from the 60"s which was watched by my high school friends.
Next in line of my favorites are the old fashioned shooting gallery machines with the little round targets mounted in the center of moving animals.
I also like the simple baseball machines where the flapper is the baseball bat.
Some I cannot figure out. There is one where you fire a continuous flow of small beads rather than a ball at a time.
I never understand how the scores total. I just know that however I will play I will get a million zillion points. Pinball is a point inflation sport.
I am no good at playing. I do not know when to shake and when not to. On the other hand, I never put the machine on tilt.
Hmmmm...pinball may be the source of that poker expression.
What I do is have a great time.
I can imagine spending an afternoon betting against a buddy on who could get high score.
Or better yet, if I could just find the pinball playing companion who is featured in this poster I found on the museum wall:





And in that same plaza, closer to Tropicana is the barbershop I will visit next time. It is part barbershop and part western museum. There are just two chairs, two very small rooms, and a very friendly barber. And all around is every Western decoration you could imagine, much of it real pieces.

He charges $15, but he said the beard trim would be included.
I'll certainly try him next time.
So there is an unusual spot to investigate in Vegas, if you are staying near the Tropicana and don't mind a short bus ride to Pecos, or if you rent a car.

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DC Ghost, a cabbie who posts on Las Vegas Talk board added this informaion:

Cliff's Barber Coral
3330 E Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89121

(702) 456-7300

Cliff has no prices. When you ask what you owe, Cliff says just give me what you think is right. I usually give cliff a twenty for a shave. Cliff has been in Las Vegas for many years. Cliff used to cut the movie stars hair in Hollywood. Red Buttons and many others have been customers of Cliff. Cliff is a western buff. Walking into his shop is like a stepping into the old West. There is a big screen in Cliff's place and he usually has a western on but if there are no women or kids in the place you can ask Cliff to turn on a porno flick. Walk over to the old time coke box and get a soda. They're free. Cliff's Barber Coral is located across from the old Walmart on East Tropicana (Closed).

Say Hi to Cliff for me.

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