Readaloo

AZURE at The Palazzo Las Vegas

Open: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in pool season.

Topless: No.

Entrance fee: The usual charge is $20. As at many adult pools, the fee does not include use of lounge chairs.

Cool pool amenities: Nibbles by Wolfgang Puck, including $35 lobster salad and Sunday brunch; poolside massages by Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

Best for: Those seeking a sophisticated pool with more serenity than most. Its tagline: "Where the high high-profile keep a low profile."

Information: azurelasvegas.com

The skinny on dipping: It's small (around 400-500 guests max) and in a garden setting, with a rotunda overlooking the Strip, comfy terrycloth-covered lounge chairs, not known as a party pool. However, hunky actor Gilles Marini ofSex and the City, Brothers & Sisters and Dancing With the Stars fame did host a Memorial Day fete and visited again last weekend. Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl and E! network anchor Giuliana Rancic have been spotted.

Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage

Open: Daily, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Topless: Yes.

Entrance fee: Women, free; men, $20 Monday-Thursday and $40 weekends. Local men free Mondays.

Cool pool amenities: Plunge pool for VIPs in an elevated cabana area overlooking the action; unlike many other adult pools, use of chaises is complimentary Monday through Thursday.

Best for: Oglers and socializers in mid-20s to mid-30s.

Information: barepool.com

The skinny on dipping: At this small pool, feasting eyes on exposed flesh — openly or discreetly — is a draw. It was built so everyone can see most everyone. There's not as much privacy for VIPs as at some other pools, but Britney Spears, Courtney Love, Fergie of the Black-Eyed Peas and Orange County Desperate Housewife Gretchen Rossi have been spotted here.

Beach Club 25 at the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

Open: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Topless:  Yes.

Entrance fee: Women, free; men, $10.

Cool pool amenities: High up on the 25th floor; you don't have to pay for lounge chairs.

Best for: The value-minded who don't need all the "ultra-lounge" bells and whistles.

Information: stratospherehotel.com

The skinny on dipping: Don't expect to see celebs and Woodstock-style revelry. Enjoy the views over Vegas.

"Ditch Fridays" bashes at Palms Casino Resort

Open: Fridays from noon to 7 p.m. from May through Labor Day. The party is for those 21 and older, but younger hotel guests may enter but not drink. At other times, the pool welcomes kids.

Topless sunbathing: No.

Entrance fee: $25; local women and hotel guests are free.

Cool pool amenities: A VIP area with glass-bottom pool; in-pool loungers to dance on; poolside bungalows that rent by the night.

Best for: Young party animals in their 20s and 30s who don't mind being shoulder-to-shoulder and trying to carry on a coversation while music blasts.

Information: palms.com

The skinny on dipping: Started in 2006 to draw locals looking to get a head start on the weekend, it attracts a diverse crowd and has evolved into a tourist attraction, too, maybe because of The Palms' MTVReal World fame and the resort's cameo appearance in rapper Lil Wayne's hit Lollipop. Name entertainers such as rapper Sean Paul add to its allure.

Encore European Pool at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas

Open: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily for Encore guests 21 and older from April through September; more limited hours in fall and winter.

Topless sunbathing: Yes during the day; not on the Sunday nights through Labor Day when partiers at XS nightclub can take swims, too.

Entrance fee: Guests only during the day, and it's free to them. Sunday nights, there's a nightclub cover charge of $20 for women and hotel guests, $30 for men, to swim. Locals get in free Sunday nights.

Cool pool amenity: An underwater ledge where poolgoers can sit and keep cool; gaming tables; and how many nightclubs let you take a dip?

Best for: Sophisticated adults during the day; upscale clubbers Sunday nights.

Information: encorelasvegas.com; xslasvegas.com

The skinny on dipping: This curved pool is larger than its counterpart at sister property Wynn Las Vegas.

Encore Beach Club at Encore Las Vegas

Open: Friday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday evening pool party starting at 10 p.m.

Topless sunbathing: No.

Entrance fee: Women, $30; men, $40. But prices may vary.

Cool pool amenities: Three linked pools, dancers on pool shower platforms, two-story VIP bungalows and a gaming pavilion.

Best for: Upscale fun-lovers.

Information: encorebeachclub.com

The skinny on dipping: New on Memorial Day Weekend, it is aiming for the hip, hedonistic vibe of Ibiza, Spain. Melded with the new Surrender nightclub and revamped SWITCH restaurant, it has a separate entrance on The Strip. Paris Hilton danced opening weekend; Sam Worthington of Avatar fame stopped by.

Fortuna and Venus at Caesars Palace

Open: The Fortuna gaming pool in Caesars' just-revamped Garden of the Gods (non-guests can come play) is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Venus Pool Club is open daily in season (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday). Pool season at Caesars can run from March or April until September or October.

Topless sunbathing: At Venus Pool Club, except during special events such as the Memorial Day Weekend concert with Snoop Dogg.

Entrance fee: None at Fortuna; typically $10 for women and $30 for men at Venus. Free to locals on Monday and Tuesday. The price goes up for special events.

Cool pool amenities: Swim-up blackjack at Fortuna. Caesars has a Garden of the Gods room special from $110, including beach bag and $25 credit toward pool food or drinks.

Best for: Gamblers (Fortuna) and those who like the lush pool lounge life (Venus).

Information: harrahs.com/gog; venuspoolclub.com

The skinny on dipping: Venus, a spacious area separated from the rest of Caesars' redone, bigger Garden of the Gods pool complex, is hidden behind cyprus and olive trees and a wall. It attracts celebrities, including sports stars, Kardashians and Hiltons. Fortuna is not topless and is next to a family pool. It has five shaded swim-up blackjack tables and a semi-circular waterfall.

LIQUID Pool Lounge at ARIA Resort & Casino

Open: Daily, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Topless sunbathing: No.

Entrance fee: Women, $10; men, $20 most days. Women, $20; men, $40 on Saturdays. Locals free Thursdays.

Cool pool amenities: VIP cabanas with banquettes, TVs and plunge pools; Super Soaker squirt guns provided for VIP partiers.

Best for: Party people in their 20s and early 30s.

Information: liquidpoollv.com

The skinny on dipping: Opened in March, this CityCenter splashatorium has a state-of-the-art, nightclub-style sound system that projects sound horizontally to heighten the "ultra lounge" experience and limit annoyance to guests outside its walls. A Grand Cabana where stars hold court is within the sight of poolgoers.

Moorea Beach Club at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

Open: Daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Topless sunbathing: Yes.

Entrance fee:  $10 for women hotel guests Mondays through Thursdays; $20 on weekends. Male hotel guests $40 Monday-Thursday; $50 on weekends. Non-hotel guests are $125 daily. Holidays: women hotel guests, $30; men, $60; non-hotel guests, $150.

Cool pool amenities:  Mandalay Bay guests can walk next door to the resort's sandy beach and swim there, too (not topless, of course). Moorea's star villa — musician John Mayer hung out here — has a stripper pole, mirrored ceiling and a round bed overlooking the Mandalay Bay beach. It can rent for $2,000 a day.

Best for: People not looking for a wild party scene. Moorea's friendly staff aims to keep the mood classy. Convention-goers love it, and it attracts a wide range of ages.

Information: mandalaybay.com

The skinny on dipping: Moorea, named after an island in French Polynesia, opened seven years ago. Expect to see convention-goers on break from Mandalay's big convention center discreetly eyeing mammaries. The atmosphere is intimate and upscale, with teak chaises topped with red cushions and servers in nautical-themed red-and-white two-piece suits.

"Rehab" party at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Open: Sundays from 9 a.m. until sunset from April through September.

Topless: No.

Entrance fee: Generally, $20 for women, $50 for men. Reduced rate for male locals. Local women and select guests are free. Entrance fees can vary; hotel guests bypass the line via a separate entrance.

Cool pool amenities: An elevated VIP cabana area with great view of the pool that's dubbed "Rodeo Drive;" center island great for show-off dancing; "Rehab" shots of alcohol in a syringe.

Best for: Young, hard-core partiers or anyone who likes an outrageous bash.

Information: rehablv.com

The skinny on dipping: This is Vegas's monster pool party, which has been called "Spring Break on Steroids." Now in its seventh year, it attracts an average of 4,000 locals and tourists a week and is fodder for a reality show on the TruTV channel. Expect a 3-acre tropical pool complex, strippers shimmying on their day off, a whole lotta grinding and making out, outrageous tattoos, rowdy drunks and a rock-festival-happy mood.

Skybar at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Open:  Noon to midnight Friday-Sunday. Noon until sunset Monday. Swimming not allowed after 8.

Topless: No.

Entrance fee: Free to hotel guests; $20 for nonguests. Locals who work in the hotel, casino and nightlife industries are free on "Relax Mondays."

Cool pool amenities: An infinity pool by the bar has "windows" on the bottom to reveal bathers to those in an HRH Beach Club below. The bar has Italian furniture and cool views of The Strip at night. Another pool is surrounded by cabanas.

Best for: Those looking for a quieter, more sophisticated atmosphere than that at Hard Rock's Rehab.

Information: hardrockhotel.com

The skinny on dipping: The third in a chain of cool lounges — it's sister to the first in L.A. and second in South Beach, Fla. The look is contemporary and chic.

TAO Beach at The Venetian

Open: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in spring, summer and early fall. It's a swimming area by day; an extension of TAO nightclub Thursday through Saturday nights, with no swimming allowed at night.

Topless: Yes, Monday through Thursday only.

Entrance fee: $20 for non-local males Saturday and Sunday.

Cool pool amenities: There's a staffer who mists guests with cool water, and food from the TAO kitchen, including sushi, and $8 red mango frozen yogurt. You also can get a "sun recovery" massage for $85, and even get married.

Best for: A clubgoer crowd (no drinks allowed in the small pool). Celebs including Jamie Foxx and Reggie Bush have populated the cabanas. Pamela Anderson is scheduled to host a birthday party for herself July 10. No surprise, Paris Hilton has been there, too.

Information: taolasvegas.com

The skinny on dipping: An intimate extension of the popular TAO nightclub, the space is small but sophisicated, with Asian-inspired furnishings and décor and cabanas with Balinese daybeds.

Sunset Pool at Wynn Las Vegas

Open: Daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through September; more limited hours in the offseason.

Topless: Yes.

Entrance fee: None. It's for Wynn and Encore hotel guests 21 and over only.

Cool pool amenities: "Lilypad" round loungers surrounded by water that usually rent for $300 and up; gaming tables.

Best for: An upscale visitor who doesn't want rap music or crowds.

Information: wynnlasvegas.com

The skinny on dipping: Tucked away and surrounded by topiary, it attracts an upscale crowd who swim (there are lap lanes, rare for an adult Vegas pool), sun, listen to pop hits and gamble at tables by the popular sunset bar. Servers wear one-piece suits and can't have visible tattoos, signaling that this pool is more dignified than others.

WET REPUBLIC at MGM Grand

Open: Daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. from March to October.

Topless: No.

Entrance fee: Generally during the week, men pay $20, non-local women, $10. Local women free. Rates may rise on weekends and for special events.

Cool pool amenities: In-water loungers; VIP bungalows with daybeds and dipping pools overlooking the action.

Best for: Young and noisy partiers. A deejay is always on duty. Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and reality TV's the Kardashian sisters have been on display here; rapper Diddy has performed; weekly bikini contests on Fridays are currently popular.

Information: wetrepublic.com

The skinny on dipping: A WET REPUBLIC on a Vegas boulevard declares war on nightlife. The music is high, there are two saltwater pools, special events abound and the space gets packed. Spring for a cabana if you can. It can hold about 1,600 people, and food isn't exorbitant (four sliders with bacon and cheese are $16; Thai chicken salad, $17).

The day before, mohawked Jamaican music star Sean Paul headlined a more raucous pool party — the season's grand opening of "Ditch Fridays" at Palms Casino Resort. Started four years ago to coax locals to leave work early to blow off steam and money on Fridays, the bash now is a Vegas institution. Before going onstage, Paul, 37, watched two go-go dancers in bikinis and thigh-high stiletto boots warm up the crowd, packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

"A lot of drunk people," he observed with a smile, adding that "I'm holding my drunk awhile" until after performing. While he belted out lyrics, partiers belted down beer or had sunscreen sprayed on by roving Hawaiian Tropic models. Their bikinis seemed modest next to the plunging lamé suits, spike heels and surgically-enhanced décolleté displayed by more than a few Ditch Fridays attendees. "Yo, sexy ladies!" Sean Paul yelled.

Where tops are doffed

Deejays spin at most Vegas adult pools, including TAO Beach at The Venetian and WET REPUBLIC at the MGM Grand resort. The two are happening spots in the spring, summer and early-fall pool season.

But there are more tranquil waters with eye candy you can't get at most U.S. swimming holes.

At the AZURE pool at The Palazzo, guests and outsiders can get massages or nibble on Wolfgang Puck's $35 lobster salad served by young ladies in white bikinis. At the Fortuna pool in the just-expanded Garden of the Gods at Caesars Palace, gamers play at swim-up blackjack tables.

Those expecting rowdy orgies at topless pools are in for a surprise. The one at Wynn Las Vegas is for guests only, and owner Steve Wynn bans rap there, staffers say. An older, upscale crowd — all but one fully clothed on a recent day — lounges on in-pool "lily pads" or gambles at tables by the bar.

Topless venues are far less titillating than most imagine. Women aren't required to doff tops, and many choose not to. Behavior often is more refined than at big party pools (but what goes on behind closed curtains of pricey cabanas with daybeds at Vegas adult pools is a different story).

The most licentious behavior seen on a recent tour: a man caressing his companion's upper region at the Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage. Pool managers say X-rated acts aren't tolerated: A topless pool at the Rio resort run by the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club voluntarily closed last summer after undercover police reported being solicited.

'Spring break on steroids'

The monster party is Rehab, which has been described as "spring break on steroids," even though bare breasts are taboo. Now in its seventh season, it started for locals who worked in casinos and elsewhere to let loose on their day off, says Vegas Hard Rock chief marketing officer Phil Shalala, 37, sipping a Red Bull energy drink. Word spread, and now "we might get 4,000 on an average day. Last year, in one of the worst years for this economy, Rehab (revenue) was up 20%."

This season, it's up 19.6% over last year, he says. Admission typically runs $50 for non-local men; $20 for women who don't live in Vegas. Locals get discounts or get in free.

Shalala credits Rehab with turning on the spigot for Vegas adult pool parties. The trend is "a positive one for this town," he says, "helping everyone out" with revenue to supplement gaming, dining, clubbing and shopping. Indeed, pools keep popping up, from the just-opened Encore Beach Club (a party pool at the Encore resort) to the Nikki Beach pool complex, due at the Tropicana resort next season.

Over at Rehab, the bathing-suited are cavorting in the Hard Rock's 3-acre pool complex. They include bachelor partiers and swingers' convention attendees. Murphy, 29, who says she was not brought in to entertain (as is said to occur at some Vegas pools), engages in sexy dance moves with just-made male and female friends. Up on cabana row, a brunette in yet another bikini — tips stuffed into her cleavage — pours free Grey Goose vodka samples.

It's not even 3 p.m., but Rehab rages on.

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Park Hyatt Tokyo

Park Hyatt

Why It's Cool: Sure, Bill Murray took a dip here in Lost in Translation, but it's the view from this sleek, 47th-floor swimming pool that's truly remarkable: Floor-to-ceiling windows frame jaw-dropping vistas of Tokyo, and even venerable Mount Fuji, while the steel-and-glass pyramid-shaped ceiling floods the pool with natural light. The 65-foot-long, four-lane pool is striking at night, too, when the city's skyscrapers light up.

San Alfonso del Mar, Algarrobo, Chile

Why It's Cool: You can take small sailboats out on this saltwater pool that Guinness World Records calls the largest in the world. At two thirds of a mile in length, the massive stretch of water has room for several man-made sand beaches. For nighttime swimming, head to the temperature-controlled beach inside the pool's centrally located glass pyramid—the water and the sand are heated.

Hotel Caruso Belvedere, Ravello, Italy

Hotel Caruso Belvedere

Why It's Cool: The Hotel Caruso Belvedere is set at the highest point in the sun-splashed Amalfi Coast town of Ravello, so the open-air infinity pool offers unobstructed, panoramic views of one of the world's most dramatic coastlines—and the sea beyond. It doesn't hurt that the pool itself is flanked by 11th-century Roman ruins.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, India

Umaid Bhawan Palace

Why It's Cool: In a massive, 347-room palace overlooking the Blue City of Jodhpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan, this serene, temperature-controlled swimming basin takes advantage of natural candlelight—with rose petals sometimes strewn on the surface. The hotel is run by the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, which shares the property with the palace's owner, the Maharaja of Jodhpur—who has been known to swim laps with the guests from time to time.

Viceroy Miami

Why It's Cool: In a city loaded with cool pools, the recently opened pool at the Viceroy stands out. The two-acre pool deck—with Japanese blueberry trees and swanky chaise lounges and beds—features three types of pools: an 80-person hot tub, a wading pool, and a football-field-size swimming pool. Perhaps coolest of all, it's 15 floors above the street, with in-the-middle-of-it-all views of downtown Miami and glimpses of Biscayne Bay in the distance.

InterContinental Hong Kong

InterContinental

Why It's Cool: Set on the third floor of the InterContinental Hong Kong, the hotel's three pools—two hot and one cold, but all with underwater music piped in—give the almost unnerving illusion that you're floating in Victoria Harbor. After your swim, park yourself in one of the poolside cabanas and gaze out at Hong Kong's skyline.

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas

Golden Nugget

Why It's Cool: You'll swim with five species of sharks (16 sharks in all) at the Nugget's $30 million pool complex. The Tank, as it's called, houses a three-story waterslide, waterfalls, and the pool's pièce de resistance, the 200,000-gallon shark tank. You're in more danger at the Golden Nugget's roulette wheel: The sharks, stingrays, massive Queensland grouper, and silvery jack crevalle are separated from the swimming pool by a four-inch clear acrylic wall.

Quincy Hotel, Singapore

Quincy Hotel

Why It's Cool: This brand-new, glass-enclosed pool is cantilevered from the 12th floor of the futuristic-looking Quincy Hotel, suspending swimmers high above the passing cars and pedestrians at street level. At night, special lighting effects make the pool appear to glow. Bask and swim for a bit, then retire to one of the rattan chairs at poolside for a nap.

Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat, Muttrah, Oman

Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat

Muttrah, Oman

Why It's Cool: After an extensive 18-month renovation, this InterContinental property in Oman recently reopened with a major pool upgrade—which the roving pool butlers (you heard us) are more than happy to tell you about, after refreshing your rose-scented spritzer. The spacious, 164-foot-long infinity pool is flanked by shady, palm-studded islands. The water is temperature controlled, so it's always an oasis-like 84 degrees.

Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand

Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa

Why It's Cool: You look straight out into the Gulf of Thailand from the 98-foot-long infinity pool at this stylish resort on the island of Samui, Thailand. If the views aren't soothing enough, order a stiff drink at the swim-up bar and laugh it off with the comical, spitting monkey statues along the pool's perimeter.

SkyJump Las Vegas, promoted as the world's highest controlled free fall, plunges the fearless 830 feet from the 108th floor of the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino at speeds of 40 mph. It officially opens Tuesday.

The thrill ride, which costs $99.99 (800-998-6937, skyjumplasvegas.com), is aiming for the Guinness World Record for "highest commercial decelerator descent" facility, currently held by Sky Jump at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Center. The Macau drop is 764.4 feet, Guinness says. SkyJump Las Vegas will be evaluated by Guinness to see if it deserves the crown.

Meanwhile, those who prefer more grounded pleasures — poolside with drink in hand — can drop into the giant REHAB party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The Sunday institution opens for a seventh season this weekend with a bash scheduled to include a performance by Wyclef Jean.

Thousands of partygoers are expected to swarm a 3-acre pool complex that includes stretches of sandy beach, palm trees, cabanas and swim-up blackjack. REHAB cover charges vary, but start at $50 this Sunday for men, $20 for women. Information: hardrockhotel.com or 702-693-5555.

Text EMAIL to 21691 for offers and updates!

"Since its humiliating bankruptcy in January, Japan Airlines has faced mass layoffs, customer fury and national shame, but its worst nightmare may yet lie ahead: a potentially thriving black market for the uniforms worn by its air stewardesses." That's from The Times of London, one of numerous media outlets reporting that demand from fetishists and sex clubs has forced ailing JAL to work to keep its flight attendant uniforms from falling into the wrong hands. 

The problem may be bigger than most would initially think. Scott Mayerowitz of ABC News reports that "in Japan plenty of people are willing to pay top dollar for an experience with a club entertainer clad in an authentic Japan Airlines flight attendant uniform." He adds "people have been known to pay thousands of dollars for the outfits of JAL and rival airline All Nippon Airways, or ANA."

Airlines officials are not only concerned that the issue could tarnish the company's corporate image. ABC's Mayerowitz writes "outside of the fetish factor, JAL worries that in the wrong hands, missing airline uniforms could pose a security risk."

Indeed, an unnamed JAL spokeswoman tells the London Telegraph: "It's a question of security, as anyone wearing a JAL uniform at an airport could quite easily access restricted areas, but we also do not want people misrepresenting the company or damaging our image in any way." 

The Telegraph adds JAL has warned its staff not to sell their uniforms, "fearing that laid-off air crew could try to auction their old stewardess outfits on the internet for a profit." How much could the uniforms fetch? Britain's Sky News writes "Asahi Geinō, a weekly tabloid magazine, reports that a rare full set is on sale on Yahoo Japan's auction site for over £2,000 and there are suggestions the latest uniform could fetch even more." In case you're wondering,  £2,000 is about $3,010 at today's conversion rate. 

To fight the "new flood of uniforms on to the black market," the Telegraph reports JAL is considering sewing tracking computer chips into its uniforms. Fellow Japanese carrier ANA – which faces similar problems – already does that. In the meantime, an unnamed JAL spokesperson tells the Times that the carrier has a series of measures that make it "virtually impossible for an individual to hold on to their uniform after they have left their job."

Still, the spokesperson acknowledges to the Times that at least one uniform belonging to a business-class attendant hit the black market a few years ago after it was reported as stolen. The carrier's solution in that instance? It paid nearly $2,000 to buy it back off the black market.

"He probably wanted a date, but I won't see him," says the poised, perfectly made-up Virgin America flight attendant.

Not that doe-eyed Nguyen, 28, won't date passengers. In fact, she accepts an invite to a Beverly Hills pool party from a handsome flier in the first episode of Fly Girls, a reality series premiering March 24 on the CW network.

Promoted as "Life at 500 mph" or "The Hills on a plane," the show focuses on a quintet of comely Virgin flight attendants, on and off the job. They were introduced to the media last week via red-carpet events in New York and Las Vegas.

Chosen after answering a mass e-mail from Virgin execs and auditioning, the five let cameras follow them for two months. Virgin sanctioned the show, over which it has limited control, to spotlight the 2-year-old airline, which positions itself as a fun, hip, lower-cost alternative to the legacy carriers. In a throwback to days of old, its flight attendants emphasize "smiles in the aisles" and pampering.

"Flying isn't about getting from Point A to Point B — it's about enjoying the ride," says cast member Farrah Williams, a statuesque blonde named after Farrah Fawcett.

The morning of the Vegas premiere, Nguyen and Williams — at 34, the oldest Fly Girl — prepare to work a flight from Dulles airport outside Washington, D.C. An ironing board takes center stage in Williams' hotel room; she'll appear at the gate in perfectly pressed white shirt, curve-hugging black skirt and high heels.

Taking a break in the forward galley of the Airbus 320 with lavender mood lighting, the pair say they have no problem being called "fly girls" — a moniker sure to offend those who lobbied for years to get "stewardess" excised from travelers' lexicon.

"Fly" means "cool," Nguyen says. "It's also what we do." Fly girl is "hip and kinda sexy. It's definitely a compliment."

"It suits the brand," chimes in Williams, a think-before-you-speak sort who calls herself the "senior mama" Fly Girl.

Nguyen says the five "like to go to the hot restaurants and the hot clubs — we're young, and why not?" She planned to be a nurse before being lured by travel's siren song and Virgin's non-stodgy image. Her Vietnamese/Chinese immigrant parents weren't happy. They wanted her to finish nursing school. Her family dynamics are incorporated into the series.

The seat-belt sign has been illuminated

Though soon to be TV personalities, the young women continue to serve drinks and meals at 30,000 feet, "and we take the business of flying seriously," Nguyen says.

The trip to L.A. looks calm on the surface ("a good flight depends on the energy we put out," Williams says. "If we're smiley, it's happy"). But underneath, there's turbulence. The "teammates" in Virgin lingo deal with a passenger with a spurting nosebleed, one who acts oddly and one who faints.

Medics come aboard in L.A. with a wheelchair for the fainter, who is tended at the gate in a surreal scene, as photographers, bloggers and guests gather for a special Fly Girls party flight to Las Vegas. On board, Nikole Rubyn, 31 — the series' vamp — delivers what's surely the most sultry pre-flight safety briefing ever. "Are you guys feeling fly?" she purrs, rolling her hips while demonstrating how to put on an oxygen mask and cope with a water landing.

Among those served weird-tasting "Fly Girls" cocktails made with Brazilian ac¸ai´ fruit liquor are French actor Gilles Marini (Sex and the City movie, Dancing With the Stars, Brothers & Sisters) and The Real Housewives of Orange County bombshell Gretchen Rossi. They're in first class. Virgin America CEO David Cush is in coach.

He flies in back and says he makes employees do the same to encourage an egalitarian spirit. The low-key former American Airlines exec in a gray suit settles in and says Fly Girls came about after Hollywood folk flew VA and "just loved the crews." He knows the show is "definitely risky" for Virgin, because cameras follow the young women day and night.

But "as a small airline, we don't have huge ad budgets. We hope to drive awareness" of VA's fleet-wide Wi-Fi, touchpad food and drink ordering, seat-to-seat e-chats. (That last toy has resulted in more than one hookup, say the Fly Girls.)

The A&E's reality show Airline raised the profile of Southwest Airlines in 2004. CW "promised a positive show, and I know these girls," Cush says. "They are people you would be proud to have as a sister or a daughter. They live exciting lives, but they'd never do anything to harm the company."

Indeed, the first episode, screened in-flight, is tame compared with other reality shows. No drunken liaisons, no dining tables overturned. Viewers do get inside info, such as the meaning of "IFB" — Virgin attendants' shorthand for "in-flight boyfriend," a cute guy they scope out to make time fly and who may get extra attention.

The only catfight in Episode 1 is a verbal confrontation when perky Mandy Roberts, 26, accuses sassy Rubyn of deviously stealing the limelight at VA's Fort Lauderdale launch. Things do get more reality-show-tacky in Episode 2, when the wine bottle — and claws — come out at the L.A.-area "crash pad" the five share for the show.

Attendants, prepare for your close-up

But all — including Tasha Dunnigan, 29, the show's single mom — share media attention with seeming amity as they walk a red carpet at The Palazzo Las Vegas hotel. (They've been warned by VA to project a positive image and avoid issues such as their pay or spats.) The fete is Oscar-like, with a daunting line of photographers and smartphone-waving bloggers and fans. To clicking shutters, the Fly Girls strut the gantlet with chests out. Their excitement is palpable.

Nguyen tells a reporter she hopes the show gives viewers "a different perception of flight attendants."

Working the carpet in leather jacket and jeans, screen hunk Marini, 34, is mobbed. He is asked if he ever dated a flight attendant. "Never."

Has he ever imagined doing more than dating one? "In my mind," he says. "But look, I've been married for 11 years."

Later, in the party's VIP area, he says he is here because he admires Virgin America shareholder Richard Branson and the "lightness" of VA crews.

"When there is turbulence, they say it in such a nice way that it makes you want to sit down," he says.

At 11:06 p.m., the Fly Girls climb onto a makeshift stage, posing beneath a giant screen running results of a party texting survey asking which Fly Girl will be the most popular. Rubyn wins for a while; Williams takes the lead after saying a few words in breathy tones.

"Whoo, baby!" a male voice yells from the crowd.

Dunnigan hits the dance floor with pals, pumping her fists to solicit votes. "I'm blessed," she says of the TV experience.

All the fuss "is surreal … it's amazing!" Nguyen says.

By midnight, most VIPs have flown. And the Fly Girls — hoping to lift a few glasses and let their hair down in privacy — have flitted away, too.

Cars pass a welcome sign at the border crossing between the USA and Canada in Blaine, Wash. Some Canadians drive across the border to fly out of the USA because fares are lower.

Never mind that he has to drive roughly 90 minutes to board a plane. The trip is usually $300 cheaper than if he'd flown out of Montreal.

"The client agrees to pick up the expenses, but this saves them money," says Khanna, 38, who has his own consulting firm. "It's an hour and a half out of my time, but it keeps the client happy, and if the client is happy, they keep me employed."

Khanna isn't the only Canadian making frequent treks across the border to catch a flight. A growing number come for lower fares, fewer hassles with airport security — because they are flying domestically inside the U.S. instead of coming from abroad — and for the smaller U.S. airports that can be easier to navigate than ones in Canada's big cities.

"We're 30 miles from the border, so there's always been a base of Canadian business at this airport," says Brian Searles, director of aviation for the Burlington airport, where 40% of the passengers are Canadian. "But what's happened in the last few years ... is a significant increase in that business."

The Canadian Airports Council estimates more than 2.5 million Canadians use U.S. airports.

People in eastern Canada can make their way to Bangor, Maine, while would-be fliers in Quebec drive to Burlington or Plattsburgh, N.Y., says Tony Pollard, president of the Hotel Association of Canada. Those living in Windsor can cross a bridge to Detroit, while travelers living in Toronto might head to airports in Buffalo or Syracuse, N.Y.

"It doesn't really matter if you have to travel an hour or an hour and a half, people will do it (to save) money," Pollard says.

A survey by his organization found 18% of Canadians plan to travel to the U.S. to fly in 2010.

U.S. airports make great efforts to woo and welcome Canadian travelers. Plattsburgh International Airport, which says that 85% of its passengers are Canadian, bills itself as "Montreal's U.S. airport" and sometimes broadcasts a Montreal radio station, with songs in French and English, in its terminal.

Others in the travel sector have taken notice. Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air started service out of two airports — Plattsburgh and Grand Forks, N.D. — to tap into interest from Canadian travelers.

Taxes, fees add to higher costs

The Canadian traffic is good for those living in the U.S., says Tom Long, Plattsburgh's airport manager.

"It opens the door for our locals to be able to fly to Florida" and other destinations, he says.

The main reason Canadians make the trek is to save money. Fares between U.S. cities can be hundreds of dollars less than flying directly from a Canadian city.

Even with gas, long-term parking and possibly a night's stay in a U.S. hotel, some travelers say they still come out ahead.

Higher fees paid by Canadian airports and Canadian taxes combine with less competition among carriers to make for costlier plane tickets out of Canada. Also contributing: The traditionally weaker Canadian dollar has been holding its own against the U.S. dollar recently.

Canada's travel industry isn't happy with losing locals who'll drive across the border to fly.

"We're tremendously concerned," says Daniel-Robert Gooch of the Canadian Airports Council. "We have higher fees and taxes. All these things add up to make for a more expensive ticket."

Jay Udow always checks how much it will cost him to fly to the U.S. from his local airport in Toronto. But he frequently winds up driving to Buffalo to head to cities in other parts of the U.S.

Even though Buffalo offers fewer non-stop flights to fewer destinations than he can get in Toronto, Udow says, he checks.

"And then I make a call based on price and convenience as to which way I should do it," he says. "But 50% of the time, I end up choosing Buffalo over Toronto."

Making a trip 'affordable'

It's an open secret in many Canadian cities that crossing the border to fly can be cheaper, says Udow, who does marketing and product development in the toy industry and travels from Buffalo for both business and vacations.

But Udow says he also drives the roughly 60 miles to and from Buffalo to take advantage of a smaller airport that he finds easy to get through. And he says he prefers to avoid the lengthy airport screening that comes with flying from Canada to the United States.

"There's much less hassle and aggravation," he says.

Brandon Smith, 29, also often drives from his Toronto home to Buffalo to fly to such cities as Fort Lauderdale or Las Vegas.

Smith, a trustee in bankruptcy cases, says those Buffalo-based flights have saved him thousands of dollars the past five years.

"At the very least, it made a trip affordable where I wouldn't have taken the trip had that option not been available," he says.