Las Vegas Weekly

August 16, 2009 · 6 AM

Jaylene’s Fantasy life of community service and away from the Strip

By Robin Leach

Jaylene of Fantasy Girls at Camp Firefly.

Photo: Fantasy Girls

While Mr. Vegas DeLuxe Robin Leach is on vacation and attempting to work as little as possible from afar, Vegas DeLuxe will be featuring celebrity guest columnists for the first half of this month until Robin’s return. If you’re knowledgeable about Las Vegas, the names should be familiar. This weekend, we’re featuring five of the beautiful ladies who make life a lot sexier in Fantasy at the Luxor.

By Jaylene

Hi, my name is Jaylene, and as any Las Vegas local can tell you, vacationing in Sin City and living in Sin City are two entirely different things. I frequented L.V. nearly once a year starting in high school -- aw, the good ol’ days when you would pray the bouncer wouldn’t card and just let you, and all the other “30-year-olds,” in to dance the night away. As an under-age youngin,’ my friends and I would relentlessly walk the Strip and collect all the club promoters’ ladies free cards in hopes that our impressive collection would somehow grant us access. Alas, after many rejections, we’d end up dancing outside the club, usually in the high traffic area of shopping walkways. The music sounds even better out there; that’s where the bass really hits!

For my 21st birthday, my posse eagerly experienced nine hot spots in five nights. Back then, all the chaos of going out in Vegas didn’t shake us. Someone keeps groping my ass -- it’s a crowded dance floor, work it! I just got a bunch of drinks spilled on me -- we’ll wring it out, and you can drink it later! Some chick wants to fight me because her man looked at me -- aw, you made new friends! Why is this creepy guy stalking me? -- He’s just really into you! I’ve since learned to never wear anything short, wear closed-toed shoes and/or accessorize with a poncho, avoid eye contact with all seemingly attached men (gay or straight), and always, always carry pepper spray for potential stalkers.

After several trips to Vegas, I began to find the spots that I enjoyed the most. I was often at the Bellagio to visit my brother and found the beautiful, upscale hotel to be mellow and refreshing. The Conservatory, with its always-changing, extravagant floral design, is best experienced late at night when the flood of tourists is gone. You can truly appreciate its magnificence and all the work that goes into creating such a detailed, living masterpiece. The flowers and plants are rotated out to keep the arrangement fresh, which is evident in the fragrance of the Conservatory. It’s the best of many worlds -- it’s as though you were standing in a meadow full of flowers, or in an orchard surrounded by sweet fruit or on a mountainside full of breezy trees.

As an aspiring pastry chef, I’ve always admired the creations featured at Jean-Philippe Chocolates and Pastries in the Bellagio. Their showcase is astounding, with intricate cakes, delicate cookies, signature chocolates and so much more. Few people can appreciate and recognize the time and creativity that goes into making edible art. I always take my visiting friends to see the impressive chocolate fountain that cascades its delectable warm chocolate from the ceiling to the floor. Whenever I visit the patisserie, I can’t walk away without a mouth-watering crepe. From savory to fruity, the crepes are prepared in front of you and entice all those watching to its light and buttery goodness.

In October 2007, I made the move to live in Las Vegas. I piled everything I could into my little car and was on my way. Luckily my dad, a mechanic, was with me as I was terribly sick at the time. My car broke down on three occasions, all of which resulted in me pushing the car in my flip-flops and then having to chase it down to jump in! The transition was difficult at first -- I had moved away from my family and all my friends, starting anew in a somewhat intimidating city. To ease the transition, I began volunteering with Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation. It has been an amazing experience, to say the least.

My dad and my stepmom had cancer, and it’s truly a battle. My heart goes out to children that are fighting the same battle, only with less knowledge of what is happening. When I reflect on my childhood, I remember playing outside and being carefree. I wish the same for these children with cancer, and I believe they deserve every opportunity to experience as much as they can out of life. Something as simple as playing with them while they wait for their doctor’s appointment can mean the world to them. Every minute counts, and too often, I think a lot of us tend to take the little things for granted.

Having lived in Vegas now for a short while, I often find myself wanting an escape from the glitz and glam of the Strip. Rather than being bombarded with ads and images of things I supposedly need, or attractive people that I’m supposed to want (or want to be), I instead have a desire to feel something real. Ignore the bells and whistles of all the slot machines, and listen to the peaceful trickling of a hillside fountain. Step out of the smoky, air conditioned fog and breathe in the crisp, cool mountain air. You might wonder where to find a place that offers such things, but it’s closer than you think.

After hearing about Spring Mountain Ranch from a friend, I ventured out toward Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. Just as she depicted, a flourishing green field of 520 acres spreads out at the bottom of a rich mountainside; it reminds me of home. The field is perfect for a romantic picnic of wine and cheese or a fun family barbecue. There’s plenty of room to toss around the old pigskin or let your four-legged friends run around. Super Summer Theatre performs annual productions, and various hikes are led all year.

The most magical place I’ve ever experienced is north of Spring Mountain Ranch in Lovell Canyon. At a higher elevation, Torino Ranch is significantly cooler than the Vegas Valley year round. Tucked away from the freeway, the private property is surrounded by the lush Toiyabe National Forest. I was fortunate enough to visit Torino when I volunteered for Camp Firefly the past three years. Several camps are held at this beautiful oasis for children who are challenged with a life-threatening illness or who are living in an at-risk environment. With fresh air and pure mountain water, Torino Ranch offers a safe place for children to escape overbearing parents and doctors and for once to have fun just being a kid.

Hundreds of volunteers give up their vacation time to share precious moments with extraordinary children. Camp is jam-packed with endless activities, from canoeing on the lake or swimming in the pool to rock climbing and archery. Bunkhouses and clean, modern bathroom facilities keep everyone comfortable, while the medical and security staff keeps everyone safe. A stunning greenhouse, numerous fruit trees and wildlife adorn the ranch. Calm fountains and cozy campfires bring peace and warmth to campers. It’s truthfully amazing how much love and hope is shared and how strangers become life-long friends as we re-energize ourselves.

There is often a negative connotation with the idea of community service. Some people think of it as an obligation to meet a court sentence, or think of it as “us” helping “them.” I’m a firm believer in the idea of service learning, where both parties benefit equally from the experience. You only get as much out of life as what you put into it. It’s not that we should feel sorry for a group or guilty for supposed advantages we may possess. The fact is there is a lot to be learned from any opportunity, and we, as individuals, grow and prosper while enriching the community we live in. It’s a win-win situation.

I plan to make the most out of my time in Las Vegas, as well as any place I reside. In some way, I hope to leave it in better condition than when I got here. It may be overwhelming to think that you are just one person, so what difference can you make. But if everyone aimed to help, we’d be better for it. Take a little, give a lot.

It was a sexy weekend of celebrity guest columnists with five Fantasy Girls from the Luxor, and tomorrow, the Luxor trend continues with zany comic Carrot Top.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

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