Miranda Boyd
Q & A with Miranda Boyd
I came from a little town in the Midwest. And believe me, I’m never going back. It’s probably nice if you love grass and snow; but I love the lights, the glamour, and the flocks of tourists seeking fun and fortune. Once the sun goes down, I’ll be the first one out hitting the clubs or just wandering the Strip for a little nighttime adventure. Passing through Bond on my way to Lily Bar, or taking a shortcut through Double Helix before landing at Parasol Up/Down, I’m the one you’ll randomly bump into – only sometimes literally – strolling through Sin City’s liquored veins – and loving every minute of it.
Why/when did you move here?
I moved here in August of 2012 because I was tired of not living in Las Vegas. I’d lived here before many years ago and I always felt a connection to this place. There’s no realistic reason that a city like Las Vegas should exist in the middle of the desert -- yet it does. That surreal nature always spoke to me.
When did you start at , and what does your job entail?
I started at the end of August, 2014, nearly two years to the day after moving to Las Vegas. I cover nightlife, bars and clubs. That basically means I get paid to party and then tell you about it. Scroll down to the insider tips section to learn from some of my better mistakes.
What are your hobbies?
When I’m not sipping a fine scotch, I enjoy writing fiction (stay tuned for some hopefully exciting updates on that front) and playing music. I play guitar and piano. And I collect stuffed animals that I win from claw machines. If there were such a thing as a professional claw machine player I’m pretty sure I’d win the plushy cup.
Give us a random fact about yourself
I once ate nothing but cereal for more than a month.
Give us your top insider tips about Vegas
- Take a day to wander. When I first moved here I spent hours wandering the Las Vegas Strip and downtown. It’s definitely important to plan some things like show tickets and high-end dinner reservations, but this town is too quirky to ignore improvisation. You could find yourself doing shots with strangers or catching some surprisingly good street performances. Sometimes it’s best to just let the night unfold as it will.
- Watch out for sugary drinks. The big novelty cups, like the ceramic hot air balloon or the plastic guitar, are neat souvenirs. But the drinks that come in them are pretty much syrup and ice with a few drops of alcohol. You may get a little buzz, but you also might end up with a big stomach ache. If you want the souvenir cup they’ll sell it to you anyway. Just skip the sugar-filled skunk booze and top it off with your own drinks later.
- When the sign says “Don’t walk,” DON’T WALK! I’ve seen way too many tourists get bumped by cabs that weren’t paying attention (but did in fact have the right of way). And I’ve spent too much time sitting at intersections waiting for inconsiderate jaywalkers. So when you’re standing on the street corner and you see a bunch of people strolling into traffic, just do what I do: hold your ground, shake your head, and get a smug look on your face like you’re thinking, “If ya’ll get clipped it’s not on me.”
- Ditch the heels. I know you wanna look sexy. But seriously, Vegas is a walking town. The Strip is covered in curbs, carpets, stairs, steps, escalators, elevators and who knows what else on a given night. And no one should have to pretend that their feet aren’t killing them just to appease some silly societal notion of beauty. Your night is YOUR night. You deserve to have fun and be comfortable. And you and I both know we’re just as sexy in flats.
- Stay on the Strip. This sounds like a plug for the Strip hotels, but it’s really not. It’s about the ability to party as hard as you want then stumble back to your room without having to hail a cab or even consider driving yourself. It may sound simple, but it really does change the experience. The nights that I know my bed is right upstairs are the nights when I can really let loose and enjoy myself.
- Don’t try to climb stuff. Ok. This one might take some explaining. I have a problem where, once I get a few drinks in me, my brain goes, “Hey! I could climb that!” Don’t do that. Whether it’s the chains at Bond, a wall at Aria or really anything at all, you will get in trouble. And I’m really just using this as an example of the general attitude to convey in Vegas. I know we’re all party central for the whole world, but keep it civil. You want to be the person who oozes class and gets invited to the super swanky after party, not the jerk who gets escorted out by security.
Must-Do's
I’ve got a lot of places to party, but I go to Mandarin Bar to melt. The view is unbeatable. The drinks are alcoholic, which ticks all my boxes. And the whole space makes me feel like I belong somewhere that beautiful all the time. I probably don’t. I’m kind of a hot mess. But it’s nice to pretend. And it’s the perfect date spot… ladies.
It’s been around long enough to understand how to make it as a club, but it’s mature enough to know how to just be cool and have a good night. That’s what you get at Tryst. If you’re looking for something crazy you can always hit up XS later in the night, but Tryst, with its waterfall and lagoon is still my favorite. If they would let me live there I totally would. Wait, will they let me live there? I gotta go check on that. Bye!
My other picks are alcohol, so I figure I should put some carbs on here to soak it up. Five50 Pizza is quite possible the best pizza I’ve ever had—next to this bomb pie I made one night when drunk. Five50 has the big oven thing. The pizza is super greasy and delicious. And everything else on the menu is spectacular too. I like to grab a slice on my way out of Aria, though it’s usually devoured by the time I get to my car.