And now it begins.

The slowest period in Las Vegas -- the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas -- ends abruptly with a swift build-up to the busiest weekend of the year.

Each day, the Strip will get more crowded as more people pour into town and occupancy for hotel rooms inches toward 99-100%. The weekend near the turn to New Year's is traditionally the busiest time of the year in Vegas.

Then nothing beats New Year's Eve, the one night a year the Strip actually closes to traffic and people walk along Las Vegas Boulevard.

 

With road closures and drunken tourists, New Year's Eve and the days around the event can be chaotic; and usually, unless I have to cover something (which I usually do), I leave the resort corridor to the tourists.

A lot of locals feel the same way. But this year, I will be heading into the fray and bringing you New Year's weekend and New Year's Eve in Las Vegas as it unfolds, with regular updates on the Buffet. I could not be more excited. I don't know why I didn't do this last year.

 

On Saturday, December 29, I'll be checking into the Hard Rock, before heading off to the Luxor for the opening of Cathouse, the new restaurant from Kerry Simon (once of Simon's at the Hard Rock).

This particular event is being hosted by Mischa Barton, which I guess means enough of "The O.C." fans are now legal drinking age. But my favorite part of the invitation to the opening of CatHouse is the word "loungerie," used to describe the place, as in "combining a rich opulent loungerie with a world-class restaurant." No, I don't know what "loungerie" means.

Then it is back to the Hard Rock to catch one of my favorite lounge acts: Richard Cheese and his band Lounge Against the Machine.

I'm not sure if what Richard Cheese does is comedy or performance art, but he is brilliant at it.

His latest disc is "Dick at Night," which offers lounge versions of television themes. This is a bit of a departure from his sleazy, oozing lounge versions of metal, grunge and pop hits on earlier discs like "I'd Like a Virgin," "Aperitif for Destruction" and "Tuxicity."

I've always thought Cheese would get a regular gig in Vegas, but instead he has become something of a holiday tradition at the Hard Rock. I love the crowd, as he seems to be appealing simultaneously to lovers of camp, rockabilly revival, comedy and even music snobs.

 

On Sunday, I'll be moving to the Strip to spend two nights at the Luxor.

The first night, I am going to check out nightclubs. The big event will be the grand opening of 40/40 Club, Jay-Z's new Vegas venture at the Venetian's Palazzo expansion. I am hoping to interview him there about his recent departure as label head at Def Jam.

But more important, this will also be my first opportunity to see the Palazzo. Afterwards, I am dropping by the Bellagio to check out the new nightclub the Bank (pictured above) that has replaced Light.

From there, I am heading to Mandalay Bay to see adult film star Tera Patrick (pictured) perform burlesque at Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce.

Finally, I am going to take the exclusive elevator up 43 floors to the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay to see the big Buddha (pictured below) and enjoy what is unarguably one of the best views in Las Vegas.

Of course, this assumes I am on the list for the Foundation Room and make dress code. I've messed up both requirements on previous visits.

Nonetheless, every time I've made it past the dark-suited guardians and onto the elevator, I leave the Foundation Room with a renewed love and appreciation of that spectacular view, which places you on an outdoor balcony adjacent to the gigantic letters atop Mandalay Bay.

After Manson, I went briefly to the after-party at the Playboy Club. Both the Palms' other clubs, Moon and Rain, were closed for the night, which is telling in itself about the popularity of this Wednesday Halloween. The Playboy Club was crowded with costumed people. Vegas is not a place where originality is important. There were literally dozens of women in costumes as Playboy Bunnies. It made figuring out who was on the staff of Playboy Bunny servers a challenge.

The final stop of the evening was the topless bar Spearmint Rhino, because my date wanted to see what costumes the strippers were wearing. She was very disappointed. We found very few dancers in costumes. In fact, the place was packed with men and there seemed to be a dancer shortage. Maybe it was because there was so much prize money to be won on the Strip at nightclubs for sexiest costumes? On the other hand, my date, dressed as a chauffeur (inexplicably in fishnets), seems to have been mistaken by the bartender for a dancer and that resulted in us getting an employee discount on our diet soda: Trick and treat.

Outside of Vegoose, Halloween is sort of anticlimactic in Vegas.

How do you put a mask on the street where one hotel looks like an ancient pyramid and there is another that impersonates Paris and yet another that pretends to New York? Halloween is almost redundant to Vegas.

But Marilyn Manson playing at the Palms on October 31 is certainly a fitting Halloween booking. Otherwise, in Vegas, Halloween means little more than costume contests at all the nightclubs with the usual host celebrities acting as judges.

So, at LAX, Paris Hilton will be spending her Halloween with the costume contest. Adult film star Tera Patrick will be doing a guest DJ set at Tao at the Venetian for what is being dubbed Taolloween. Even a local plastic surgeon is advertising an offer of a "Boo-Tox" special. In short, a typical Wednesday night in Vegas.

Memorial Day Weekend is becoming a major weekend in Vegas. The Review-Journal reports the major hotels on the Strip are near capacity and that 295,000 tourists are expected. But whereas Vegas has become a destination for New Year's Eve, Memorial Day weekend remains an event driven celebration. Here are my picks out of the many holiday offerings:

May 25: Liza Minnelli is back for another run at the Luxor through Sunday. I was not a fan yet was blown away by a show she did last year. She remains one of the last links to old Vegas still on the Strip. Another good choice for a vintage Vegas night is Don Rickles at the Golden Nugget downtown.

May 26: The return of Beacher's Madhouse to the Hard Rock after almost a year sabbatical is the place to be. Also, Tiger Wood's annual benefit Tiger Jam concert this year featuring Bon Jovi is going on at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

May 27: Robin Williams performs at MGM Grand. Also, if you have the scratch and can face the line, Tao at the Venetian offers Tao Beach, the latest hottest poolside party (where private cabanas take  the place of bottle service tables) followed by Erick Morillo.

Have fun. Play safe.

Happy holidays. I will return with the latest from Vegas on December 28. Until then, be well everybody. Yrs., Richard