The M Point of View » Holidays

Eight Days of Light

M Social Media Team — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:16:06 +0000

There are many different ways to celebrate the holiday season. Next Tuesday night, we will host our third annual Menorah lighting to celebrate the start of Hanukkah. The eight day festival of lights begins at sundown on December 20.

For readers who may not know, Hanukkah, which translates to "dedication" in Hebrew celebrates the recapture and redirection of the Temple in Jerusalem by Judas in 164 BC. Once the Temple had been reclaimed, a lamp was lit for its rededication. The lamp miraculously burned for eight nights despite only have enough oil for one. To commemorate this, a Menorah is lit during each night of Hanukkah.

Our Menorah stands approximately five feet tall in our hotel lobby. One each night of Hanukkah one candle is lit on the nine-brand candelabra. The ninth branch or shamash is the servant light, which is lit first and used to kindle the other lights on the Menorah. Candles on a Menorah must be the same height and in a straight row. The shamash should stand out from the other eight candles either being higher or lower than the others.

We invite you to help spread the holiday cheer and join us in our lobby at 4 pm on Tuesday Dec. 20. Assistant Rabbi Zukrow of Congregation Ner Tamid will lead the lighting and prayer. Hot chocolate and sugar cookies will be served after the ceremony.

Put a Little M in Your Holidays

M Social Media Team — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:25:41 +0000

The holidays are always the perfect time to indulge, especially while you're in Las Vegas. Our thoughts frequently turn to food - what to eat and where to eat it. At M, we're providing our guests with an appetizing assortment of dining choices for the Christmas holiday. From all-you-can-eat, fine dining and even a meal to bring back to your own home, there's no need to cook this Christmas.

Marinelli's

Spend the yuletide day with a meal of Italian favorites. Marinelli's is offering a three-course dinner filled with some of their signature family recipes. Each course also has a custom wine pairing.

First Course

RAVIOLI D'ARAGOSTA paired with Marinelli's Pinot Grigio

Spinach pasta filled with Maine lobster, leeks, scallops, vodka tomato cream sauce

Second Course

Choice of…

PESCE BIANCO

Pan-roasted Chilean sea bass, herbed gnocchi, English peas, heirloom carrots and roasted tomato-tarragon cream sauce

IL GRANCHIO E' INCROSTATO IL FILETTO DI MANZO

Crab crusted beef tenderloin, cipollini onions, pancetta, risotto cake and Brunello di Montalcino reduction

Either paired with Marinelli's Sangiovese.

Third Course

PANETONE CON CIOCCOLATO paired with Michele Chiarlo Moscato D' Asti

Warm homemade Italian panettone filled with chocolate nutella & cr?me anglaise

Studio B Buffet

Since the holidays are about indulgence, why not indulge in a buffet (the best in town, no less) including over 200 food selections and did we mention, unlimited wine, beer, hard cider, espresso drinks (and more).

Studio B will be serving up special traditional dishes on Christmas day including: parsnip-leek soup, lobster bisque with parmesan cheese twirls, roasted turkey, Yukon gold mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, wild mushroom and chestnut stuffing, green bean casserole, brussels sprouts, maple-glazed sweet baked yams with cranberries, sliced pit ham with apple raisin sauce, rosemary leg of lamb with lamb au jus or mint jelly, truffled potatoes au gratin and orange-glazed duck breast.

The buffet will also add some new favorites to the traditional Christmas feast including: lobster ravioli with lobster cream sauce and osso buco gremolata.

For those who wish to celebrate at home, we have brought back our popular Christmas Feast To Go package that many enjoyed at Thanksgiving. For the Christmas Holiday we are offering your choice of two different menus.

Roast Turkey Menu

Soup

Lobster corn chowder

Main Course

Whole roasted tom turkey

Side Dishes

Savory stuffing & giblet gravy

Yukon gold mashed potatoes with sour cream & white cheddar

Maple-gazed sweet potatoes

Cranberry sauce

Asparagus with lemon zest

Honey-dill carrots

Hawaiian sweet rolls and honey butter

Dessert

Chiffon raspberry roulade

Christmas cupcakes

Gingerbread cookies

Prime Rib Menu

Soup

Lobster corn chowder

Main Course

Roasted prime rib of beef

Side Dishes

Creamed horseradish & au jus

Yukon gold mashed potatoes with sour cream & white cheddar

Maple-glazed sweet potatoes

Asparagus with lemon zest

Honey-dill carrots

Hawaiian sweet rolls and honey butter

Dessert

Chiffon raspberry roulade

Christmas cupcakes

Gingerbread cookies

Treat yourself to one of our Christmas dining options and leave all the work up to us! You'll have more time to spend with the family and if you make it down to M on Christmas Day you can see our festive display of decorations all throughout our resort.

Putting the Sparkle in the Holiday Season

M Social Media Team — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:20:46 +0000

Las Vegas may be known for its lights year-round but during the Holiday season we like to kick it up another notch. We're decking our halls, trimming our trees and transforming our resort with our annual display of Holiday d?cor. Tis' the season to fill M with holiday cheer from top to bottom and we're able to do so with a little help from Ralph Jones Display Company.

Decorating a resort our size definitely doesn't happen overnight. It takes a team of 12 people over two and a half days to adorn our property for the Holiday season. They use lifts, ladders, lights, garland and more to festoon M for holiday festivities in hues of champagnes, reds and browns.

Think you've got a tall tree? Our holiday display includes two 14-foot trees with oversized custom glass ornaments. From the ceiling of our lobby we have 15-20 foot garland drops, also embellished with oversized glass ornaments.

Hanging above the entrance of our porte-cochere, inside and out are giant wreathes, wrapped in lights, ribbons and ornaments. On the lobby floor you can see a full sleigh on display, filled with presents and complete with reindeer.

We invite you to stop by M to see our holiday decorations in person. They will be on display until January 1. For more holiday happenings at M, join us on December 20, for our Menorah Lighting Ceremony. We'll mark the first night of Hanukkah in our lobby with a giant menorah lighting. Watch the ceremony and enjoy hot chocolate and sugar cookies.

We wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and hope to see you at the M soon!

Team Members Give Thanks

M Social Media Team — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:57:05 +0000

The Thanksgiving holiday is our annual opportunity to feast on turkey, catch up with family and friends, watch a little football, get a head start on holiday shopping and of course give thanks. We asked our M Team Members what they are thankful for this year and below are some of their answers.

Nita N.

I'm so thankful for this Thanksgiving because my family is always there to support each other. With all the economic problems, I've been blessed that I still have a wonderful job, family and friends. Thanks to almighty God for giving me these abundant blessings. Peace to everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

Dorcas F.

I am most thankful for the strength that my daughter, also named Dorcas, has. She has not had an easy life. She was born with Hirschsprung's disease and had to endure multiple surgeries up to the age of 9 to correct it.

At the age of 16 she was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to have a lung removed. If that wasn't enough, at the age of 20 she had a bout with ovarian cancer and had major surgery. She has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and she is only 23 years old.

My daughter has never complained at anytime about what she has had to go through. She has done nothing but worry about how her family was holding up. My daughter works three different jobs and one of those is being a caretaker for others. She lives in Buffalo, NY and never lets the cold bother her.

She is coming to see me in November and as a treat for her I am taking her to Disneyland – her first trip to California ever. As a parent, watching a child suffer is the worst but she has taught me so much and I would be so lost without her.

Ikram B.

I'm thankful for my family, my friends and life. Most of all I am thankful for my job because I was granted a second chance and there are always people who support me.

Victor H. C.

I thank God for my family, my children and the blessing of having such an excellent job. I hope you are able to spend a day giving thanks for your family and everything you have like I am.

Maria A.

This year I am thankful that my sister in Texas is doing better. She has been treated for cancer in her right arm. I am also thankful that all of my grandkids are doing well.

Yadimir S.

I want to say I'm thankful because I have a beautiful family and I have the opportunity to be alive and see my daughter grow up. I have a very good job with amazing coworkers and managers and I have a wonderful God who supports my family and my whole life every single day.

Eileen B.

I am thankful for my job and all the wonderful people I work with everyday.

Erica S.

I am thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful for the new people I meet here at work and to have a job I enjoy.

Jeanie H.

I'm thankful that all my family has their health and we all have a home when so many do not.

Carlos M.

I am thankful for the chance to work in this beautiful hotel.

Mayra S.

I thank God for everyday of my life, for the amazing family I have and for giving me the job I have.

Hector G.

I am thankful for everyone at the M Resort for giving me a job. I am really happy to work here with all of my coworkers.

Michelle M.

I am thankful for my health, still being here on Earth, working at M for the third Thanksgiving. I am also thankful for being able to smile and laugh with my coworkers.

Isabel T.

Fourteen years ago my daughter was born with a heart condition and was given a 25% chance of living. Today she is a strong and healthy child. Eight years ago my husband was nearly killed in a car accident, and today he is much healthier than ever. I am thankful for those things as well as my job, my home, my family and friends. I thank God today and forever.

We would like to wish all our readers a very happy Thanksgiving and a special thank you to our Team Members for their submissions. We encourage you to share what you're thankful for in our blog comments below.

Trick or Drink at M

M Social Media Team — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:08:43 +0000

Out with the candy and in with the cocktails! Our bars are stocked for Halloween and some haunting holiday fun. While you may have outgrown going door-to-door for candy, you can celebrate Halloween right at any of our casino bars. Order up one of the ghoulish concoctions below or serve these slightly spooky cocktails at your very own Halloween bash.

Jack-O-Lantern

1 oz Hennessy VSOP

1.5 oz Orange Juice

.5 oz Ginger Ale

.5 oz Grand Marnier

Combine all ingredients with ice in a pint glass, shake and pour into a bucket. Garnish with an orange wheel floating atop the drink.

Jager Monster

1 .50 oz Jagermeister

1 oz Orange Juice

Splash of Grenadine

Combine all ingredients with ice in a pint glass, shake and pour into a bucket. Garnish with an orange wedge dipped in grenadine.

PumpkinTini

1.50 Stoli Vanil

1 oz Pumpkin Spice

Cinnamon-sugar Rim

Combine ingredients in shaker with ice, shake and strain into a martini glass.

If you have a sweet tooth, skip the trick-or-treating and order one of our candy cocktails. Our casino bars offer five different sweet treats for you to sip on and they're garnished with actual candy. Choose from a Liquid Snickers, Peanut Butter Cup Martini, Almond Joy, Milky Way Martini, Jelly Bean or a Cotton Candy Martini.

Turkey To Go, Thanksgiving Takeout from M

M Social Media Team — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:03:40 +0000

Thanksgiving is fast approaching! In fact, we already have Turkey Day menus on the brain. We think the best way to enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is to let someone else do the cooking; us here at M to be more specific. Just imagine a Thanksgiving dinner with your friends and family without having to do any work.

Dining at one of our restaurants may be your first thing that comes to mind when letting someone else prepare your Thanksgiving dinner and you can certainly do that as our restaurants offer many favorites every day and our buffet will have all of your Thanksgiving must-haves. But if you’re looking to enjoy a family feast around your dining table wihtout the kitchen mess that is usually associated with this delicious day we are offering our Thanksgiving To Go Packages for the second year in a row. We're serving up a full Thanksgiving spread (that feeds up to 10 people!) packaged and ready for you to pick up on Thanksgiving Day.

New for this year, we're offering a wine pairing for your Thanksgiving meal. Our team has picked two favorites to complement your dinner; a crisp and clean Chardonnay with tropical fruit and buttery notes and a full-flavored Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of bell pepper and spice aromas.

If you're wondering how popular our Thanksgiving To Go Package really is, last year we fed nearly 3,000 people!

Below is a look at what our Thanksgiving To Go Package includes:

Soup

Butternut Squash

Main Course

Whole Roasted Tom Turkey

Side Dishes

Traditional Stuffing

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Turkey Gravy

Maple Glazed Yams

Cranberry Relish

Creamed Corn

Green Bean Amandine

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls & Honey Butter

Dessert

Apple Pie

Pumpkin Pie

To order your freshly prepared turkey day feast call 702-797-1884 by Saturday November 19. There will be no on-site purchases available and all packages will be available for pick-up from 11:30am-4:30pm on Thursday, November 24 on our loading dock.

'Tis the season…for parties.

M Social Media Team — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:50:32 +0000

The holiday party season is fast approaching once again. And whether you love them or hate them, remember that the holidays are a time to be festive and fun and as our Director of Catering and Conference Services Mark Kaussner points out, a time of goodwill and generosity. For employers, holiday parties are a great way to show that goodwill and generosity in a tangible way to thank your employees for their hard work throughout the year. For employees, holiday parties are a great way to come together socially with a group of people you may not get to see very often and bond a little bit while you're having a great time doing it.

If you're looking for an exceptional place to hold that holiday party, look no further than M Resort. But look quickly, 'cause dates are filling up fast! We provide holiday centerpieces and d?cor as well as a dance floor for your party and you can find some great catering specials for local businesses too on our website here. Call group sales at 1-866-551-1540 and they would be happy to help you make all the arrangements so your holiday party is one to remember.

If you're just starting to plan your holiday party, here are a few tips from Mark that may help you along the way:

As a planner, be sure to enjoy yourself. If you do, your guests will too.
Don’t forget those guests that may have special dietary needs.
Hire a professional to help you plan the event - the time and stress it will save you is worth the expense.
Theme the event - a Victorian Christmas or maybe something from your favorite holiday cartoon.
Give employees holiday gifts and if you can, personalize each one.
Luncheons are typically less expensive than dinners. (And by the way, the M Resort holiday menus are specially priced to give you the best we have at the lowest price point.)
Many companies now hold their holiday parties in January, so don't feel obligated to have your party in December.
Be sure to get an accurate headcount to avoid overpaying for "no shows".
Create the mood by decorating in seasonal deep reds and forest greens.
Special lighting can really enhance an event.
Be sure everyone is having fun, but also watch their alcohol consumption. Some organizations will set up a designated driver program specifically for your party.

We hope your holiday party this year is a great one and we'd love to host it here at M Resort - a spectacular venue and level of service that are sure to impress your guests.