Strip Tips: Friends, freebies, benefits and more

Nothing says "best friends" like taking your BFF for a mechanical bull ride. Luckily, Ranch House Kitchen at Town Square is offering free bull rides on National Best Friends Day Wednesday. There's a tiny catch: You must purchase a $1 certificate to benefit the Best Buddies organization, a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. So technically, those complimentary rides on the mechanical bull will cost you $1 each. But it's for a great cause; your $1 could help someone gain a friend. For more information, visit ranchhousekitchen.com.

Scoot your boots

Don't forget, Gilley's at Treasure Island is hosting the "Boot Scootin' Benefit" for HELP of Southern Nevada from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. For $25, you can enjoy an afternoon of line dancing, raffles and a variety of activities. The cost of admission comes with a free raffle ticket and drink. Attendees can enter marathon dance competitions, costume contests and more. For $10 each, you can ride the mechanical bull or get a psychic reading. Pirates and Sirens of TI will be on hand to mingle with the crowd. The event is open to ages 12 and older. For more information, call 369-4357 or visit www.helpsonv.org.

'Viva Elvis'

If you have not yet seen Cirque du Soleil's "Viva Elvis" at Aria, you are running out of time. The show closes with a final performance Aug. 31. The show is a tribute to Elvis Presley using live acrobatics, dance and music. Tickets, starting at $99, are still available through cirquedusoleil.com or by calling the box office at 590-7760. In November, "Viva Elvis" will be replaced by a new Cirque show called "Zarkana."

Birthday present

Attention, over-the-hill people: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas wants to reward you for making it to 40. If you're celebrating your 40th birthday during August, you can get free admission into the attraction through the end of the month. You must present your valid identification at the box office to receive the offer. For more information, visit madametussauds.com/lasvegas or call 862-7800.

Fresh ingredients

Good news for frozen hot chocolate lovers: You never have to feel guilty for indulging at Serendipity 3 again. The restaurant at Caesars Palace, which is famous for its sweets, recently planted a seasonal garden. Chefs will incorporate this homegrown produce into the restaurant's dishes. Among the items in the garden are sunflowers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, globe artichokes, a variety of herbs and more.

Granted, this doesn't subtract the calories from the frozen hot chocolate but at least you can feel good about supporting a restaurant that reduced its carbon footprint.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.