he says. “It raises the bar. It means we’re not a local or regional museum anymore. Now we’re the nation’s story-keeper and storehouse for all things having to do with nuclear and weapons testing.” Hopefully that higher profile translates into more visitors and more donors. Kathleen Frantz, the museum’s development director, adds, “We expect that with the extra exposure, we’ll be asked to take care of artifacts that people have regarding the history of nuclear testing. And, of course, it opens the door for federal funding.” The museum could use money to grow — and eventually move from its current location on Flamingo Road. That’s why it’s got an eye on the Cultural Corridor downtown. The museum’s new national status has already drawn the attention of one possible patron: Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, whom Palmer said met with museum officials in December to discuss finding a home downtown. Now that would be a mushroom cloud. — A.K.
ON THE TOWN New downtown gallery Multiplexer specializes in a medium you don’t see much in Las Vegas: video art. See page 63 for a preview.
12 | Desert
T H E ANS W ERS
Q: What’s the best crosstown shortcut from north to south?
a
A: In a town where construction is ubiquitous and seemingly planned by sociopathic scientists engaged in a rats/maze experiment, finding shortcuts is essential. Whether it’s darting through a neighborhood to avoid a long light, getting off a freeway at just the right time to avoid construction, or learning to drive at times other people don’t, if you live in Las Vegas, you need shortcuts. The best? If you’ve got to travel south from downtown at rush hour and don’t want to use the crowded freeways, you’ve got to use Main Street. It’s a little rough from Bonanza Road through Charleston Boulevard, where you’re likely to hit a long light. But after that, it’s smooth sailing past furniture and autorepair shops all the way to the Stratosphere. If your destination is the Fashion Show Mall or any of the casinos on the west side of the Strip, turn right on Wyoming Street, then left on Industrial Road, and take that all the way to the mall. You can also hook up
with Frank Sinatra Drive, and from there visit any hotel from Caesars all the way down to Mandalay Bay. (You can take Frank Sinatra all the way to Russell Road to get to Town Square and hop on the I-215 Beltway from Las Vegas Boulevard, too.) If your destination is the Howard Hughes Center, the airport or points south, make the sweeping left onto St. Louis Avenue, which quickly bends right and becomes Paradise Road. From there, you’ve got access to the casinos on the east side of the Strip, and it’s a straight shot directly into McCarran International Airport and the I-215 Beltway. (Warning: During big conventions, watch out for slowdowns in front of the convention center around Desert Inn Road.) Of course, now that transportation authorities know about the Main Street/Paradise/Industrial shortcut, it will surely be closed for repaving. So use it quickly! — Steve Sebelius
Got a question? We’ve got the answer. Email it to editor@desertcompanion.com.
Companion | FEBRUARY 2012
l a ndm a r k p h oto c o u r t e s y o f l a s v e g a s n e w s b u r e a u ; E a s t F r e m o n t s t r e e t: C h r i s to p h e r Sm i t h
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