Letter from the editorS

Las Vegas just might be the world’s most famous paradox. It’s a vibrant city stranded in the middle of the desert, and prior to the recent pandemic, one that could draw over 42 million visitors in a year. Its most popular attractions are borrowed motifs: a replica of the Eiffel Tower looms over the Strip, and iconic hotels evoke modern-day Venice and ancient Egypt. Add Vegas’ notorious nightlife and indulgent consumption to the mix, and the recipe for “Sin City” is seemingly complete. Yet our curiosity got the better of us; we were eager to see if “Sin City” was the whole story. Could there be more to Las Vegas than meets the eye?

Our trip this semester pushed us into a land of extremes. Our days were spent transitioning between sweltering heat and air-conditioned motel rooms set to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Dilapidated buildings were juxtaposed with new developments. We observed natural light pour onto geological features but were penetrated by flashing neon lights in casinos a few hours later. We could not escape the consumerist face of Las Vegas — a place designed to lure you in with its garish displays, kitsch objects, artificial lights, and boundless forms of entertainment. Even so, we strangely admired the sheer existence of this city, one that thrives in the desert through adaptation and continuous reinvention so that it might trap its next prey. Las Vegas, unafraid to be itself, makes the traveler feel both wonder and disgust — a tension we grapple with in our magazine.

These pages are records of the eclectic spaces we traversed over one weekend, our earnest attempts to make sense of a city that defies all expectations, though we barely scratch the surface. You’ll find that we’ve continued to expand our Berkeley Connection articles in this issue, weaving distant experiences with local ones. We invite you to explore Las Vegas through our eyes, and hopefully, discover something about yourself in the process.

We’re beyond proud to present the eighth issue of our magazine, and we look forward to many more adventures as a club.

Safe Travels,

Apollonia Cuneo & Darice Wong

Co-Editors in Chief