Everything Las Vegas: Issue # 646
November 15th, 2007
Thousands watch as historic casino imploded.
A mere five seconds after a flurry of fireworks ended early Tuesday morning, the Las Vegas Preservation Society did what it does best - pulverizing yet another legendary landmark.
At 2:37 a.m., the 65-year-old New Frontier met its final resting place in its own parking lot at 3120 Las Vegas Boulevard South.
"It's going to be explosive," quipped Brett "Gank" Jungblut, a professional card player, who gathered with more than 20 of his friends to tailgate on the roof of the Wynn's parking garage.
"Tequila and beer is exactly what a night like this calls for," continued a festive Jungblut, who reminisced about personal memories of the Frontier's country-western bar known for its bikini bull riding.
But not everyone in the crowd of a couple thousand revelers was quite as ecstatic to see the second-oldest property on the Las Vegas Strip go down.
More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/consumer/2007/nov/13/566614999.html
Demolition experts prepared New Frontier for final fall
Officials work to get hotel-casino's supporting cores to collapse just right.
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY /LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The New Frontier was built with large amounts of reinforcing steel, running vertically and horizontally, up its concrete columns, Controlled Demolition President Mark Loizeaux said Monday, just hours before the resort was scheduled to be imploded at 2:30 a.m. today.
Also, the hotel tower, which was rectangular with an open air atrium at its center, had three separate supporting cores running the height of the tower that contained elevator bays and stairwells, he said.
More Here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/11232251.html
Hunter's Live Coverage Of The New Fontier's Implosion:
http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/2007/11/new_fronter_imp.html
TERRY FATOR SELLS OUT BOTH OCTOBER SHOWS ADDS THIRD SHOW DECEMBER 3 IN HILTON THEATER.
Entertainer Terry Fator, who gained national popularity when he recently won NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent” show and promptly sold out his shows at the Las Vegas Hilton, October 14 and 15, has now added another performance on December 3. Fator’s special guest for the December show is Bobby Badfingers.
Fator has spent 32 years honing his skills as a ventriloquist, comedian, singer, and celebrity impressionist, but his key decision to blend those skills with his incredible ability to mimic famous singers put him over the top. His unique talent won over the judges on NBC’s “American’s Got Talent” and generated such demand from fans that his first Las Vegas show sold out in a matter of days.
Some of his “characters” include the voices of Garth Brooks, Elton John, members of the Rat Pack, Etta James, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Elvis, Richard Marx, James Blunt, Roy Orbison, Keith Urban, Nat King and Natalie Cole, Brooks & Dunn, Maroon Five, Tracy Chapman, Louis Armstrong, and even Kermit the Frog. Fator has shared the stage with top performers such as Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Neal McCoy, and Styx.
Fator’s special guest, Bobby Badfingers, is a unique, multi-talented performer who has snapped his way into the hearts of fans. He reached the semi-finals of NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent.” Fator also will include several Christmas songs in this show.
Terry Fator, with special guest Bobby Badfingers, performs Monday, December 3 at 7 p.m. in the Hilton Theater. Tickets are $39.95-$99 (plus tax and service charge). The $99 ticket price includes VIP seating and an after-show meet-and-greet. Tickets can be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office or by logging onto www.lvhilton.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or phone at 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361.
Spa for the Holidays.
Fall into a luxurious spa experience this season with treatments designed to evoke the warmth of the holidays. Don’t delay – these indulgent services are available for a limited time.
Warm yourself from the outside in with a Hot Spiced Rum Stone Massage at BATHHOUSE inside THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. This cozy treatment combines traditional stone massage with essential oils of cinnamon, clove and arnica.
Guests of WET – The Spa & Salon at TI are invited to indulge in a Tea Party or enjoy a Double Shot of two salon favorites – a manicure and pedicure. Tea Party features the soothing elements of green tea while Double Shot offers the stimulating effects of coffee. During the service, guests enjoy complimentary tea cookies, coffee cake and a beverage befitting the experience.
At Spa Bellagio, guests are invited to purify with pumpkin or relax with cranberry. A Purifying Pumpkin Facial energizes the skin with a delectable blend of botanicals, while cranberry lovers can choose between an exfoliating Cranberry Vichy Shower, Cranberry Hydrotherapy Bath or Cranberry Relaxation Massage.
Visitors of MGM Grand Spa can enjoy a luxurious Cocoa Mud Massage – a sinful cocoa mud body wrap followed by a heavenly massage with creamy Swiss chocolate body butter.
Fall Arrives at Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens welcomes fall with a serene exhibit celebrating one of nature’s most colorful seasons. Powered by a slow-flowing stream, the centerpiece of this charming display is a towering, 35-foot-tall cider mill set amidst a stand of regal white birch trees. Just steps away, a bountiful harvest of more than 1,000 Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples evokes memories of piping hot cider and homemade pies. An unexpected surprise resting atop a bed of pumpkins awaits guests. A 10-foot-tall Ent, a mythical talking tree, sits amongst the colorful gourds and enchants passers-by with a sweet smile, gentle eyes and wild botanical hair made of moss and bittersweet root. Visitors are invited to enjoy this picturesque exhibit celebrating the sights of the season through November 24.
Go Deep Behind-the-Scenes at Shark Reef Aquarium
In addition to more than 2,000 exhibits, Shark Reef Aquarium now offers a 30-minute, behind-the-scenes guided tour. Guests 13 years of age and older are invited to learn about the facility’s chilling predators and the place they call home. This in-depth, fully guided tour explores the wonderful worlds of water filtration, saltwater-making, food preparation, SCUBA diving and animal care. Visitors will see what it takes to operate a 1.6 million gallon aquarium in the middle of the desert. Tours are available every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 with the purchase of an admission.
Laugh It Up
Well-known comedians have been making permanent homes on the Las Vegas Strip and entertaining tourists and locals alike. When Carrot Top debuted at Luxor, he unpacked his trunk of inventive props and wowed audiences with his in-your-face energy. Louie Anderson also claimed his stage at Excalibur, bringing his larger-than-life persona to his new home. The new addition to the Las Vegas comedy culture is ventriloquist Ronn Lucas, showing off his amazing skills at Luxor. With his sidekicks Buffalo Billy (the puppet comedian who thinks he’s a ladies’ man) and Scorch (the loveable, green teenaged dragon), Lucas mixes stand-up comedy, improvisation, audience participation, puppetry and vocal gymnastics to astonish and delight audiences.
Fall in to a New Dining Experience This Season
Enjoy Las Vegas’ fabulous fall weather by dining al fresco at these new venues:
Social House at Treasure Island is a cool celebrity hotspot specializing in contemporary Pan Asian cuisine and sushi. Offering late-night dining as well as standard dinner service, this multi-room restaurant adds a nightlife element to the full-dining experience with a terrace overlooking the Las Vegas Strip and the outdoor production, The Sirens of TI.
Dick’s Last Resort at Excalibur is the quintessential vacation hangout serving up massive cocktails and finger foods by the bucket with a heaping helping of sass on the side. Wacky-tacky décor, live music and feisty service create a raucous dining experience not soon forgotten.
Diablo’s Cantina at Monte Carlo is “Party Central” for those looking to let loose in a lively fiesta-like atmosphere. Downstairs guests find the main dining area with a hip bar and lounge while upstairs an open-air bar area overlooking the Las Vegas Strip features a stage for live music and DJs to keep the energy going all night.
By Bill Burton
Slot machines are the most popular casino game. They are easy to play and they account for the majority of the money taken in by the casinos. While many people enjoy playing the slot machines, most are not aware of how they operate. There are many myths surrounding how they work and how they pay off. Here is some information to help show you how a slot machine works.
http://casinogambling.about.com/od/slots/tp/slotbasics.htm
Impressionist Rich Little, dean of impersonators and master of more than 200 voices, will headline with his brand-new show at the Golden Nugget during a 20-week performance schedule starting on Oct. 25. A professed classic movie buff, Canadian born Little is known best for his vast repertoire of celebrity impressions. His shows will run Thursdays through Sundays at 7 p.m. through April 6, 2008, with breaks from Dec. 3 - 26 and Dec. 31 - Jan. 9, 2008. Tickets start at $39, call (866) 946-5336.
Master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is bringing his critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant CUT to Las Vegas. The Beverly Hills, super-chic steakhouse will open at the new $1.8 billion Palazzo in late December. CUT will mark the sixth fine-dining restaurant from the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in Las Vegas.
Noted food critic John Mariani awarded CUT, "Restaurant of the Year" in the November 2006 issue of "Esquire" magazine, less than six months after it opened. In April 2007, CUT was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation, considered one of the highest marks of distinction within the culinary community, and in August 2007, "Bon Appétit" magazine named CUT one of the top three steakhouses in the nation.
The interior will be a modern interpretation of a classic steakhouse with welcoming custom-made, large, bronzed glass doors, custom-designed lighting and rich textures such as a basket woven felt wall that will provide a soft white architectural envelope accented by bronze mirrors, honed limestone and custom-walnut flooring. Sculpted chairs of minimalist design will offer a unique form that combines the warm texture of aged leather with glossy ebonized ironwood. Leather table tops framed in brushed metal will provide a contrast to the English Windsor wood slab tables that will occupy the center of the space.
Adjacent to the 160-seat main dining room will be an upscale 60-seat bar and lounge showcasing exclusive custom cocktails, classic drinks and a smaller menu featuring CUT's popular appetizers such as the Mini Kobe Beef Sliders. The lounge will feature an eight-foot tall upholstered sofa in rich black pony-style fabric offset by vibrant cherry lacquer cocktail tables providing a perfect vantage point to people watch.
Private dining space also will be available featuring a fully retractable bronze glass wall that will open to a contemporary wine wall located just outside the kitchen, offering patrons a backstage glimpse into the bustling kitchen.
Penn & Teller, the bad boys of magic who have spent most of their career playing with knives, guns, livestock and fire-eating showgirls, are now celebrating five years of performances in the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio.
Performing together for more than 30 years, the duo have been combining Teller's silent and occasionally creepy magic with Penn's carnival barker zeal and juggling expertise. After three decades together, they show no signs of slowing down. Their latest project, "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" for the Showtime network, will begin its sixth season in early 2008. The controversial show, which has received 11 Emmy nominations and the Writer's Guild award for Outstanding Comedy / Variety Series, tackles the frauds and fakes behind such topics as talking to the dead, alien abductions and feng shui.
Chippendales®, the longest running male revue celebrated its 2,000 performance milestone at the Rio this weekend. In addition, 2007 also marks the fifth anniversary of the Chippendales at the Rio. Each year the men bench press more than 3,300 pounds in the gym, discard 57,408 garments during their performances and bring more than 5,200 girls on stage to be a part of the show. They excite the ladies in their very own multi-million dollar Chippendales Theater.
Chippendales, one of the world's most recognized brand names, is the premier provider of entertainment for women. The Company licenses its intellectual property for select consumer products ranging from apparel and accessories to slot machines and video games. It also operates Chippendales.com, an online lifestyle and entertainment destination for women. Chippendales was established in 1978 and has headquarters in New York, with offices in Las Vegas and London.
Once again, Ethel's® / Ethel M® Chocolates will create its annual "Chocolate Wonderland" and transform its three-acre Botanical Cactus Garden into a wondrous free-to-the-public holiday experience at its Henderson factory from Nov. 21 until Jan. 1, 2008. Families will be able to stroll along the illuminated cacti pathways from sundown to 10 p.m. Part of the experience is the free factory tour with a free piece of candy at the end in the gift shop. At various times during the holiday season, local choirs will perform holiday tunes, and Santa will be making appearances in the garden every Friday and Saturday evening through Dec. 22. For information, call 800-471-0352.
Since 2004, the Hilton has spent more than $100 million dollars in construction and renovation projects creating a new lobby, remodeled porte-cochere, enhanced and modernized casino, new Tempo lounge, Fortuna - a coffee and wine experience, and an expansion of the SuperBook. Now the resort is introducing new room product in its North and East towers.
The completely renovated and refurbished rooms feature new luxurious beds, premium bed linens, an elegant pillow package, 37" plasma TVs, wireless Internet access, high-end amenities and MP3 ports for digital players. Now 923 North Tower and 600 East Tower rooms are updated. In addition, 221 executive level "Resort Club" rooms have been added, offering additional exclusive amenities and access to the "Resort Club" lounge on the 24th floor that features complimentary food and beverage selections.
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm
From:Vegas4Visitors
Moulin Redux
In the decade that I’ve been writing about Las Vegas there are few stories that I have written as many times that start like this one: there is a plan to resurrect the Moulin Rouge in Las Vegas.
A brief history: The Moulin Rouge opened in 1955 as the city’s first and only black casino when Las Vegas was still segregated. It became a wildly popular hangout for entertainers like The Rat Pack but it closed just a few months after it opened, long rumored (but never proven) to have succumbed to pressure from the white mafia owned casinos in town. It was the location of the historic pact in 1960 to end segregation in Vegas but it never reopened as a casino again and most of it burned down in 2004.
Over the years a nearly endless parade of businesspeople, activists, and historic preservationists have held grand pronouncements about plans to build a new Moulin Rouge but nothing has ever come of it.
Now, the owner of the property says he is finally ready to start tearing down the remaining vacant buildings on the lot and construction on a new Moulin Rouge could begin in 2008.
Although the plans are sketchy at this time, the new resort will be a modern version of the old one albeit much larger with 750 rooms and a 100,000 square-foot casino plus restaurants, a showroom, and more.
The biggest hurdle the plan faces (besides things like financing) is the location of the property. Situated just west of Downtown Las Vegas, the Moulin Rouge site sits in one of the toughest, most run-down neighborhoods in the entire city. The question is this: would a new hotel casino could turn around the neighborhood or would the neighborhood keep the new hotel casino from succeeding?
Nightclub News & Notes
This is getting exhausting.
So just to bring you up to speed… Ra at Luxor closed, remodeled, and reopend as LAX. La Bete at Wynn Las Vegas closed, remodeled, and reopened as Tryst. Lure, also at Wynn, closed, remodeled, and reopened as Blush. Tangerine at Treasure Island will close at the end of this year, remodel, and reopen as something else. Light at Bellagio is closed and will remodel and reopen as Bank. And I’m sure there’s probably a bunch of others that I’m forgetting.
Now, add yet another one to the list as OPM, the hip nightclub at the Caesars Forum Shops is closing, will undergo a major remodeling, and will reopen later as Love & Money. It promises to be hipper and swankier and more luxurious than all of the other ones who are promising to be hipper, swankier, and more luxurious than the rest.
Can you tell I’m getting tired of writing about this nightclub merry-go-round?
By the way, if you’re going to be in Vegas for Halloween and are having a hard time deciding which hip, swank, and luxurious club to go to you may want to consider Pure at Caesars Palace. Not only are they having illusionist Criss Angel as their host, they are giving away $20,000 in cash and prizes for the best costumes. The event will happen on Tuesday, October 30, and cover will run you $20 if you’re of the female persuasion, $30 if you’re a dude.
5 Vegas Tips
This fall I mark ten years of writing about Las Vegas, with my “career” (if that’s what you want to call it) starting with the publication of the 1997 Frommer’s Las Vegas (co-authored by Mary Herczog).
Over the years, lots of people have asked me lots of questions and I like to think that I have offered some decent advice on practical ways to enjoy Las Vegas – things that can turn an ordinary vacation into a special one or simply things that most people forget when they head to Sin City. To test that theory and to celebrate my ten years of Vegas know-it-all-ness I offer you my Top 5 Las Vegas Tips:
1. Rent a Car – You can get an economy car rental for as little as $19 a day, less than what a round trip cab ride to and from the airport will cost you in most cases. Not only will you save money in the long run, but it will increase your options on everything from dining to sightseeing to shopping and more.
2. Stay Safe – I know this is a boring one, but Vegas is so “unreal” that people often forget about reality and take chances that they shouldn’t be taking. Pay attention to cross-walk signals, beware of pick-pockets in major crowds, don’t accept a drink from a stranger, and know where the exits are in your hotel tower. These are simple things that will take a couple of minutes of your time but could save your life.
3. Get off The Strip – This is closely tied to number one on the list, but if you want to save yourself some big bucks you have to get off of Las Vegas Boulevard. Everything is cheaper in other parts of the city and with that rental car I recommended you’ll be able to explore all of it.
4. Do Your Homework – Before you go on any vacation, no matter where it is, you should take the time to fully research your destination. In Vegas the sheer number of options of everything from hotel rooms to restaurants to shows can be overwhelming, but if you expend some effort up front you can design a trip that is perfect for you. And don’t trust just one person or book or website’s opinion – not even mine.
5. Don’t Overdo It – Las Vegas is a city built on the concept of overindulgence – from gambling to drinking to eating to gambling some more, people seem to make a sport of how much vice they can rack up while in town. Enjoy yourself, but every now and then ask questions like “do I really need to make a fourth trip to the all-you-can-eat crab leg station?” or “do I really want to drink this fourteenth shot of tequila?” I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to ignoring the concept of moderation in Vegas but if you can do it you can head back home at the end of your trip feeling a little better about yourself.
http://vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm
The Highs and Lows of Wayne Newton.
It's easy to understand why Wayne Newton is called Mr. Las Vegas. First of all, there are the more than 30,000 solo shows the guy has played here over the last 40 years. (That's an average of 750 a year!!)
Then there's the fact that he's the consummate entertainer. Even if you are seated in the very back of the venue Wayne is playing, he has an innate ability to make you feel like you're in the first row.
And just like Vegas, Wayne has had his share of "not so great" moments. Vegas had that bizarre moment in the '90s, when it tried to become "kid friendly," while Wayne has his recent stint on 'Dancing With the Stars' to answer for.
But, even though he's had some lows, there have been far more highs in the life of Wayne Newton, the man who continues to be the archetype of the Vegas entertainer. The man who has more than earned the moniker Mr. Las Vegas.
More Here:
http://www.vegaspopular.com/
LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT
Born too late to see Elvis alive, singer reprises King's whole career.
By Jerry Fink Las Vegas Sun.
Las Vegas has more than its share of Elvis impersonators , including Big Elvis at Bill's Gamblin' Hall, Mini Elvis at the Krave Theatre and Trent Carlini, the Dream King Elvis, at the Sahara.
You might call Brandon Bennett the "Under the Radar" Elvis. He's been performing at lounges here off and on for more than two years, coming to Las Vegas from his home in Ponchatoula , La., every other month or so with his four-piece band and performing at venues such as the Suncoast and the Stardust, before it was imploded.
He'll be at Roxy's Lounge at Sam's Town with his crew Tuesday. Then he heads to the Orleans' Bourbon Street Cabaret to finish out the week. He'll be back in February, performing at the Suncoast, and then in March at the Gold Coast. At the Gold Coast he's adding a four-piece horn section and two backup singers, creating a bigger production than he normally does.
Bennett is an impressive Elvis, always drawing big crowds without a lot of fanfare. He does a full spectrum of Elvis, the way Carlini does it. He starts out in the '50s and progresses through the '70s.
Bennett placed fourth in the first Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition in Memphis, Tenn., during Elvis Week, which commemorates the singer's death on Aug. 16, 1977. The winner was Shawn Klush of Pittston, Pa. Carlini placed second and another Las Vegan, Donny Edwards, placed third.
"I try to do a show that can remind people of what Elvis was, for those who remember him," Bennett said by phone from his home. "And for those who've never seen Elvis, to show what he was really like - all the positive aspects of it, because he had so many positive aspects."
Bennett falls into the never-seen-Elvis category. He's 25, born five years after Elvis died.
"I always knew who Elvis was because my mom was a fan, and through television and movies," he said. "But I didn't become an Elvis fan until I decided to get into the business and started researching his life and learned what he did for other people. "
Bennett began performing Elvis music in high school and started doing it professionally when he began college. He did well enough to quit college and pursue his Elvis career full time.
He wouldn't mind stepping out from behind Elvis and performing as himself.
But "I enjoy what I do for a living," Bennett said. "If I never progress any further, if I can continue making the living I'm making now, I'd be happy with it."
Details: Brandon Bennett's "Elvis My Way"; 8 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday, Oct. 23; Roxy's Lounge at Sam's Town ; free; 456-7777 ; and 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, Oct. 24-28; The Orleans' Bourbon Street Lounge; free; 365-7075.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/oct/18/566654806.html
Fifth diamond for Venetian equals Wynn
By Liz Benston/Las Vegas Sun
What a difference a diamond makes.
Casting its eyes jealously up and down the Strip for years, the Venetian has longed to join the highest tier of luxury hotels by winning top honors from AAA and the Mobil Travel Guide.
The competition grew more serious a year ago after the two-year-old Wynn Las Vegas next door won its first AAA Five Diamond. Wynn and the Venetian are engaged in a rivalry for the same customers, from high rollers to spa aficionados. And even though the Venetian's four-diamond shadow falls across Wynn's five-diamond property, Wynn has held superior bragging rights to those who keep score of diamonds and stars.
But for more than a week, the Venetian has been biting its lip - quietly savoring but not announcing that it has won AAA's Five Diamond award. The resort got the heads-up from AAA, which doesn't reveal the Five Diamond winners until Nov. 9.
More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/consumer/2007/oct/17/566673799.html
Vegas TV this week!
From The Las Vegas Advisor.
How popular is Las Vegas and gambling? Just take a quick scan of all the
programming built around them on this page. We list everything from dramatic series
to poker tournaments, from travel specials to sit-com cameos. Check your local
listings for the channels and to verify times.
http://lasvegasadvisor.com/vegastv.cfm
LIFE ON THE COUCH: Criss Angel preparing to pull lots of tricks from up his sleeve.
By:Christopher Lawrence/Las Vegas Review Journal.
At this point, we should just be thankful that Criss Angel is using his powers for good.
"Mindfreak," the magician's made-in-Vegas A&E series, is a ratings powerhouse. He's set to star in a big-screen version of the comic strip "Mandrake." He's the first performer Cirque du Soleil ever built a show around. And he's conjured up plenty of tabloid headlines by allegedly spending a couple of nights with Britney Spears. (Although, some would argue the bigger trick would have been getting her to spend those nights alone. Or that he made her talent disappear.)
Now, he's attempting his greatest feat yet: creating some ratings magic for beleaguered NBC with "Phenomenon" (8 p.m. Wednesday, KVBC-TV, Channel 3).
The reality series sounds like an "American Idol" for mentalists, with Angel and famed spoon bender Uri Geller sharing the roles of Randy, Paula and Simon. Sounds like, because the series will air live on the East Coast, meaning no one has seen it, and Angel wants to be kept in the dark.
More Here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10711606.html
MIKE WEATHERFORD: Las Vegas acts leave lasting impression.
For the past few years, impressionists have been preserving classic Vegas entertainment for us with their Rat Pack and George Burns bits.
But next weekend, a couple of marquees around town will force us to revise that notion. Rich Little launching an extended run at the Golden Nugget? Fred Travalena playing the Suncoast?
Some impressionists are classic Vegas.
Little, 68, has lived and performed in Las Vegas for years. Travalena, playing the Suncoast Friday through Oct. 28, is more of a novelty. And a delayed (from Oct. 6) 65th birthday party planned for Saturday will have extra resonance for his local friends.
More Here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10701226.html
Las Vegas Q and A by Rick Garman
Question: I was in Downtown Las Vegas recently and saw a lot of work happening at The Golden Nugget. Didn’t they just finish a big renovation? Are they doing more?
Answer: Oh yes, Mark, they are doing a lot more.
Landry’s Restaurant chain bought the hotel in 2005 and dumped $100 million into a massive renovation of the property, redoing all of the public areas of the casino and lobby, adding new restaurants and lounges, and putting in a big, fancy new pool area.
The construction you saw is part of a separate $70 million expansion that will add more casino space, convention rooms, and a brand new 4,500-square-foot nightclub that will overlook the Fremont Street Experience from the second floor of the hotel. That’s all expected to open by December and includes a revision of the Fremont Street façade of the hotel.
But they aren’t stopping there. Next year Landry’s is going to pump another $150 million into the hotel to build a new 500-room hotel tower with even more casino space. That will be constructed next to the existing parking garage, across the street from the current hotel. It is expected to open by 2009.
When it is all complete Landry’s will have spent more money on the hotel’s makeover than they spent to buy it.
This is great news for not only the hotel but for the Downtown Las Vegas area, which needs an influx of money and development like this desperately. Whether it will be enough to lift the sagging fortunes of the neighborhood is yet to be seen.
Question: You seem to be a fan of dessert. Me too! What are your favorites in Las Vegas?
Answer: I don’t know how to answer that question, Justin. Not because I don’t know the answer but because I don’t want to get chocolate on my computer keyboard.
Anyway, almost every restaurant in town has a dessert worth skipping dinner for, but there are a couple of places that specialize in sweet and therefore win my heart and my stomach.
The Chocolate Swan at the Mandalay Place mall (between Luxor and Mandalay Bay) serves up the best chocolates that I have ever tasted, bar none – and I’ve tasted a lot of freaking chocolate my friend. Their milk chocolate caramels are perfection in a half-inch square and their Italian inspired gelatos, rich pastries, delicate yet substantial cakes, and everything else on the menu is just a delight from top to bottom. I almost always make a stop here on my way out of town to get some take home with me.
Another frequent stop for things to devour on the car ride home is The Cupcakery, a small storefront that dispenses pure cupcake heaven. Again, not to be a snob or anything, but I know cupcakes and I live in Los Angeles where the designer cupcake is the rage so for me to say that The Cupcakery’s treats are better than anything I’ve tasted here in LA it’s saying a lot. They have a ton of different choices and flavors and I’ve never had one that has disappointed but the Oh My Gosh, Ganache is a particular favorite. Oh, and I nearly drove 300 miles just to try their September special, which was in essence, a Rolo candy in cupcake form. Seriously. More information can be found on their website at www.thecupcakery.com.
Those are my choices – I hope you enjoy them.
Vegas4Visitors Weekly Column by Rick Garman
MARVA SCOTT SALUTES DIANA ROSS IN LEGENDS IN CONCERT.
By: Norm Johnson/Las Vegas Leisure Guide.
One of the best vocal impressionists, and a great friend, has returned to Las Vegas for another couple of months. That's right gang, Marva Scott is once again lighting up the stage at the Imperial Palace with her tribute to The Supremes and, Ms. Diana Ross, in "Legends in Concert."
Having logged more hours on a Las Vegas stage than most of her contemporaries, Ms. Scott possesses an unusual and passionate commitment to her craft seldom seen today. She is a performance artist with the ability to change her persona depending on who she is portraying: be it Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight or an uncanny Whoopi Goldberg. Ms. Scott also enrolled in The Strasberg Institute in New York to further her acting career, and studied voice with Seth Riggs in Los Angeles.
More Here:
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/norm/index.htm
Slot Reviews By Gayle Mitchell.
Lady Orleans: Atronic. 88-92%. 3 spins.
There are four versions of this slot and for this review, we focus on Michelle who holds the key to the top jackpot and is the reigning wild symbol doubling all jackpots.
Five ‘Michelles’ translates into the ‘big strike’ for 260,000 credits at the 21 line version.
The mask symbol, when gathered in threes, starts a 15 free game event where all jackpots are tripled. As usual, these days, re-spins can occur with this free game event.
Also, this slot offers a Mystery Jackpot progressive that hits at random for as much as a whopping $1million. The Sinatra tune comes to mind: “Luck Be a Lady Tonight”.
2) Fountain of Youth: Atronic. 86-96% 3 spins
This slot can be lucrative because of the frequent emergence of a ‘beautiful lady’ wild symbol.
Additionally, the appearance of the Fountain of Youth icon is a scatter pay win.
Line up 3, 4 or 5 Fountains of Youth and begin a 10, 14, or 25 free spin bonus round.
Before you begin, make your choice of a favorite ‘symbol of youth’—deer, water lily, waterleaf or a water cup which will trigger additional freebie spins.
While not necessary to play max coin at all times, this game only requires you to cover all the paylines. This game is a hoot for all players ‘young at heart’.
3) Grizzly: Aristocrat. 88-95%. 3 spins
You are on a fishing trip with a twist—using a grizzly bear character to obtain mounting credits.
Set in the wilderness with the usual outstanding graphics and audio that is an Aristocrat standard, you search for three bear paw icons to move to the bonus round.
At that time, you move the bear to capture fish moving upstream. Your final bonus reward is based on color and number of fish captured.
There’s more…12 free games at which time, re-triggering can occur for added free games.
Making a ‘great catch’ can result in a 50X generous award.
4) It’s Raining Cash: AC Coin. 83-93%. 3 spins
Another addition to the popular Slotto series, the lottery themed game with a giant sphere features a chamber with an umbrella that, when triggered, ‘rains cash’.
The three reel version is the game Triple Stars, while the five reel version is Double Diamond.
Triple Stars includes wild symbols that triples the jackpot and multiplies the win X 9 if two land on a payline with a jackpot symbol. The five reel Double Diamond doubles the jackpot in a nine line format.
Three “It’s Raining Cash’ symbols activate the main bonus event where 3 umbrellas rotate displaying cascading bonus amounts.
The bonus is accompanied by the music of the Weather Girls singing “It’s Raining Men”.
In the end, all this rain ‘drops’ a multiplied credit into your winning hands.
5) The Big Game Show Bonus Slotto: A. C. Coin
This is a slot machine with a lottery-style bonus Slotto game that is unlike any other Slotto-style game and has earned its top spot as one of AC Coin & Slot’s most popular product launches.
Big Game Show offers a slot experience coupled with a game board event and a lottery bonus ball event, resulting in a slightly different activity for players with each event and increased excitement overall.
As a themed lottery-style bonus game, The Big Game Show Bonus slot simulates a television game show, enhanced with a lottery sphere bonus event. Once a player engages the game and initiates the bonus event, he or she experiences a simulated skill-stop feature that allows that player to control the start of the bonus. The patented Slotto feature then drops down the winning symbol on a lottery ball.
Big Game Show has since been released to jurisdictions across North America and has enjoyed rapid acceptance in numerous gaming jurisdictions. In fact, Big Game Show boasts the highest order rate for an AC Coin product thus far in 2007.
There is always a welcome mat out to new subscribers.
I encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us.
TO SUBSCRIBE: Send a blank e-mail to: CPon@casinoplayersezine.com
A confirmation message will be sent and require your reply.
From :The Vegas Eye
The Mirage Reveals Spectacular Living Seas.
New Lobby Aquarium Features Sea Creatures From Around the World.
After a two-month transformation, The Mirage’s famed lobby aquarium – already one of the most elaborate and technically advanced in the world – now offers visitors a new sensory escape.
The addition of hundreds of new sea creatures to the exhibit provides a rare glimpse into the aquatic wonders of our planet. Nearly 1,000 marine life forms now comprise a thriving undersea community within the 20,000 gallon display. Sharks, stingrays and porcupine fish now can be seen swimming side-by-side with eels, sea bass and puffer fish behind four-inch thick acrylic walls.
Top aquarium design experts, noted for their work at such distinguished facilities as California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium and The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md., collaborated to enhance the 53-by-8-foot display.
New, brighter artificial corals call to mind the exotic beauty of such tropical locales as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. In order to protect the environment it celebrates, The Mirage donated the exhibit’s old reef system to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. The aquarium’s filtration and life support systems also were replaced with technology that improves visibility and monitoring.
Rock The Block Music Festival
The revitalization of downtown Las Vegas continues to expand as both national and local bands come together for the inaugural Rock the Block Music Festival in downtown’s newest entertainment mecca; the Fremont East Entertainment District on Saturday, November 17th from noon – 10pm. Famed rockers Flyleaf will headline the daylong music festival with additional performances by Smile Empty Soul, Franky Perez, Searchlight, Left Standing and Conflict of Interest. Food and drink will be available for purchase on site, as well as additional activities taking place within Beauty Bar and The Griffin throughout the day. Tickets go on sale this Friday (10/26) through all Ticketmaster outlets.
The Real Thing Coming
SUSHI SAMBA a unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine, music and design is finally coming to Vegas. Sushi Samba with its centerpiece sushi and seviche bar is going to be located in The Pallazo at The Venetian. Vegas has had a taste of Sushi Samba over the last few years because Chef Eiji Takase at Shibuya in the MGM was formerly of the Sushi Samba restaurant group. Takase is mastermind behind the menu at Shibuya that gave the traditional Japanese recipes American flair.
SUSHISAMBA Carnaval-inspired colors born of the energy and spirit of three distinct cultures that took root in the early 20th century. Thousands of Japanese emigrants traveled to South America's fertile soil to cultivate coffee plantations and find their fortune. In bustling cities like Callao and Lima in Peru, and São Paulo in Brazil, the integration of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cultures flourished.
This launched a culinary coup. Hearty moquecas and colorful seviches found a place at the table along side simple miso soup and tender sashimi. SUSHISAMBA serves these traditional dishes, plus more inventive fare, including Sashimi Seviche, Sushi Salada, and South American Beef Maki Rolls; all with a samba beat.
O'HURLEY OUT UNTIL JANUARY
By: Norm Clarke
John O'Hurley is stretching his hiatus from "Monty Python's Spamalot" at Wynn Las Vegas to four months.
He left the show and his role of King Arthur a month ago to promote his new book, "Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have To Do It — Life Lessons from a Wise Old Dog to a Young Boy."
The book will be released on Tuesday as a follow-up to O'Hurley's 2006 New York Times best-seller, "It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump."
O'Hurley will be co-hosting the Halloween-themed "Family Feud" next week with infant son William. They will be wearing coordinating costumes each day. The show airs on Channel 6 at 11 a.m.
Randal Keith has assumed the role of King Arthur. Keith is best known for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in the long running musical "Les Miserables" on Broadway.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/10814396.html
SHOW REVIEW: Penn & Teller
Wonderfully Warped: Penn & Teller still drawing laughs with magic, humor.
By MIKE WEATHERFORD /LAS VEGASREVIEW-JOURNAL
Penn & Teller have the only show in town with a jazz piano score. You can say "only" a lot when it comes to their offbeat act, but this qualifier is the one that sets the tone for the comic magicians and their place on the Strip nowadays.
Like the Mike Jones' piano music that underscores it, the show is at once complex and high-minded, but also loose and informal. Audiences come to see two guys in their 50s do a well-established routine, but one that mixes new stuff with greatest hits in a seemingly random shuffle. There's no big production or drama, at least not before a finale that trots out handguns.
Penn Jillette just ambles out at the beginning, assuming you probably know who he is by now. And if you don't, the fact that he barely acknowledges that his single-named partner Teller is standing there with some kind of concrete block over his head gives you a clue of what you're in for.
Penn, the tall one, calls plastic Solo cups "petroleum byproducts." He sets up his juggling of broken liquor bottles by riffing on "a cursory look at strict Darwinism" and life on the "earliest multicellular level."
More from The Las Vegas Review Journal here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/10814316.html
NORM: Morals clause might come into play.
Allegations of sexual misconduct against David Copperfield have the MGM Grand weighing a morals issue.
"There's a morals issue in every performer's contract," said a local entertainment insider who has negotiated major deals. "If his case continues down the path it's going, they'd have to take a look at doing something."
There's too much at stake "with impropriety involved," the source said. "That's why Michael Jackson had a tough time getting a deal here."
Copperfield, a longtime headliner at the MGM Grand, had a digital camera system and computer hard drive seized last week during a raid at his Las Vegas warehouse.
The confiscated equipment might be tied to "a system for picking up women," according to the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
The raid is believed to be connected to the sexual allegations made by a Seattle woman, who claims she was attacked at the magician's home in the Bahamas.
TMZ.com reported Tuesday that Copperfield often chooses women out of his audiences who are taken backstage, interviewed and photographed with a digital camera.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/10786781.html
MIKE WEATHERFORD: Gordie Brown beating the odds.
When his show opened at The Venetian a year ago, Gordie Brown knew he had some name-building to do.
He didn't anticipate a midyear boost from the new prime minister of the United Kingdom. But one of them is going to have to get on track with the "Gordon" versus "Gordie" thing.
"I'm the guy in jeans. If we can make him say he does some voices as well, this will be great," says the Canadian impressionist, who was scheduled to toast a year's anniversary at The Venetian Wednesday night. The Piper Heidsieck should have tasted especially savory, after Brown beat the long-shot odds of going into the same casino as the better-branded Blue Man Group and "Phantom — the Las Vegas Spectacular."
If that wasn't enough competition for foot traffic, Wayne Brady came along midway through the year to share Brown's theater. For Year Two, Brown finds himself working across town from his mentor, Rich Little, who launches at the Golden Nugget today.
More Here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10786686.html
Dazzling Musical Production Opens at Harrah's on January 12
Friendship, fun and fabulousness meet in HATS! at Harrah's Las Vegas. This witty stage show chronicles one woman's anxiety over her impending fiftieth birthday and how she chooses to embrace this landmark event with the support of her friends. Already a smash hit with audiences and critics across the country, the 75-minute comedic musical production has been designed with a Las Vegas flair and will hit The Strip on Jan. 12, 2008.
HATS! features seven dynamic and compelling women whose unique approach to celebrating life appeals to audiences of all ages. The show centers around Maryanne and the wild cast of characters who accompany her on her journey toward the dreaded 50. The zany and unpredictable Ruby introduces Maryanne to the outrageous La Contessa Confessa, and the bold and brassy Dutchess DeLovely. The Baroness, a diligent corporate executive, offers her own brand of "real world" wisdom and experience. Maryanne's mother, Lady, is filled with optimism and enthusiasm for her daughter to embrace 50 and is supported by her best friend, the tireless Dame.
Outrageous costumes, scenic design, clever choreography and memorable music make HATS! a truly unique production. The story is told through the music by an acclaimed songwriting team of Grammy, Golden Globe and Tony award-winning artists including Susan Birkenhead, Kathie Lee Gifford, Melissa Manchester, Henry Krieger, Pam Tillis and many others.
The Chicago Tribune raves that HATS! is a "classy look at getting older and better! A music-and-comedy celebration! It will make a lot of people feel empowered. It does so with integrity, craft and heart."
On her morning radio show, Whoopi Goldberg praised HATS!: "If you want to see something really magnificent, not just a great musical but a magnificent presence, go see HATS!"
HATS! is inspired by the fun-loving lifestyle encouraged by the Red Hat Society. According to founder Sue Ellen Cooper, the Red Hat Society (RHS) is a worldwide organization with over 30,000 chapters in all 50 states plus 25 countries offering fun, community and empowerment for passionate, likeminded women who believe in the joys of sisterhood at any age. With distinctive red hats and purple outfits, RHS members can be found everywhere. The organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.
HATS! is presented by Dick Foster Productions, in association with Sibling Theatricals Inc. [SIBE]. Dick Foster Productions and Producer David Gravatt are responsible for dozens of theatrical shows around the world.
HATS! performs Saturday - Thursday at 6 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets for HATS! are $49.95 (plus tax and fees). Special HATS! and Rita Rudner packages are available for $99 (plus tax and fees). RHS members with Purple Perks may purchase tickets for $39.95 (plus tax and fees). Tickets are available at the Harrah's Las Vegas box office or by calling (800) 392-9002.
http://www.casinotravelnews.com
Wolfgang Puck Continues To Revolutionize The Fine Dining Scene Master Chef to Open Award-Winning Steakhouse CUT In Las Vegas.
Master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is bringing his critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant CUT to Las Vegas. The Beverly Hills, super-chic steakhouse will open at The Palazzo in late December. CUT will mark the sixth fine dining restaurant from the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in Las Vegas, recognized as a leader in revolutionizing the dining landscape of the city.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most popular spots in the United States, CUT has raised the bar within the fine dining industry and has garnered high praise from prestigious publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times (Three Stars), Wall Street Journal and Wine Spectator, to name a few.
Puck has named Matthew Hurley to serve as the executive chef of the 160-seat restaurant and 60-seat bar and lounge. Hurley began his more than 12-year career with the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group as a prep cook at Spago. Until most recently, Hurley held the position of Corporate Catering Chef for the Las Vegas-based Private Dining & Catering arm of Puck’s company, a multi-million dollar division catering intimate affairs and extravagant galas.
Hurley has spent the last few months at CUT working alongside Puck and Chef Lee Hefter, Managing Partner and Executive Corporate Chef of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, to develop the Las Vegas menu, which will offer a contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse. From USDA Prime Nebraska corn-fed, 35-day dry-aged steaks to true Japanese Wagyu Beef, CUT will cater to true steak connoisseurs. Guests also will enjoy a wide array of entrees such as the Kobe Beef Short Ribs, Lobster & Crab “Louis” Cocktail with Spicy Tomato -Horseradish and Roasted Wild French Turbot “French Riviera” Style for two. The menu will integrate Puck’s passion for eating and dining “well” incorporating Puck’s philosophy – Wolfgang’s Eat, Love, Live! ™ - utilizing only the freshest, all-natural and organic ingredients possible to create a seasonal menu filled with innovative tastes.
Las Vegas-based design firm Avery Brooks & Associates (ABA) will craft the space for CUT, providing a modern interpretation of a classic steakhouse. Custom -made, large, bronzed glass doors will welcome diners into an environment that captures the contrast of both historical and modern sensibility through design, material and lighting. The restaurant will feature rich textures such as a basket woven felt wall which will provide a soft white architectural envelope accented by bronze mirrors, honed limestone and custom-walnut flooring. ABA will bring a stylistic and contemporary spin to the romance of old lamp-lit dining with a unique custom-designed lighting feature that will evoke a relaxed and intimate ambiance. Sculpted chairs of minimalist design will offer a unique form that combines the warm texture of aged leather with glossy ebonized ironwood. Leather table tops framed in brushed metal will provide a contrast to the English Windsor wood slab tables that will occupy the center of the space.
Adjacent to the restaurant’s intimate main dining room will be an energetic upscale bar and lounge showcasing exclusive custom cocktails, classic drinks and a smaller menu featuring CUT’s popular appetizers such as the Mini Kobe Beef Sliders. The dynamic lounge will feature an eight foot tall upholstered sofa in rich black pony -style fabric offset by vibrant cherry lacquer cocktail tables providing a perfect vantage point to people watch.
Private dining space also will be available featuring a fully retractable bronze glass wall that will open to a contemporary wine wall located just outside the kitchen, offering patrons a backstage glimpse into the bustling kitchen.
The original CUT and ultra lounge sidebar opened inside the acclaimed Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel, in June 2006. Designed by legendary architect Richard Meier, CUT is the 2006 winner of the American Institute of Architects/Los Angeles Chapter Restaurant Design Award, honoring excellence in restaurant design.
http://www.casinotravelnews.com
Bangles, Doobies roll in for New Year's Eve
By: John Katsilometes/Las vegas City Life
Organizers for the Fremont Street Experience New Year’s Eve celebration are partying like it’s 1989.
And even 1979.
Booked to perform under the LED canopy on New Year’s Eve are the Bangles and the Doobie Brothers. Tickets for throwback blowout are on sale for $60 per person, the highest price ever for a New Year’s Eve show downtown but a reasonable sum considering the popularity of the respective bands. And, attendees must be 18 years of age, as this Fremont Street Experience is not a true family experience. Tickets and can be purchased by calling 877.834.2748 or at ticketmaster.com. Information is at vegasexperience.com (but who needs more information than Bangles-Doobies-$60?).
No schedule has been set yet, but the bands will perform at different times on the 3rd Street stage. Local bands will be added to the bill and, in an unrelated attraction, the Riders of the Thunderdome (a pair of motorcycles whizzing around a round, steel cage) will perform. And, of course, Viva Vision will continue its hourly video productions on the overhead canopy.
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m., and guests can access the street celebration at three gates set up along Fremont Street at Casino Center Boulevard, Fourth Street and Main Street. Parking is available at the Fremont Street Experience parking garage on the corner of Fourth and Carson streets. Check your doobies at the door. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com
To anyone who would like to send an extra holiday greeting, I have the address for American soldiers recovering in the states:
Send to:
A RECOVERING AMERICAN SOLDIER
C/O WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER
6900 GEORGIA AVENUE
WASHINGTON, DC
20307-5001
A Vegas Portmanteau
Combining cocktails and entertainment at the Rio.
By: Kiko Miyasato/Las Vegas Magazine
If you’re reading the title of this article and wondering what a “portmanteau” is, here’s a quick explanation. The word dates all the way back to the 1870s and was coined by Lewis Carroll, you know, the English dude who wrote Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. A portmanteau is the blending of two words to make a combined word and meaning. Words like “brunch,” a combination of “breakfast” and “lunch” or “spork,” a combination of “spoon” and “fork” are portmanteaus. So what is Vegas’ contribution to this grammatical movement? “Bevertainers,” a combination of “beverage” and “entertainers.” And this special breed of cocktail servers can be found in Las Vegas exclusively at the Rio.
The day of Daisy serving you a drink while a cigarette hangs from her fuchsia-colored lips saying, “There ya go, doll” is way over. While hundreds of cocktail servers flood the casino floors at major properties, no one does it quite like the Rio.
More than 100 male and female bevertainers disperse on the floor nightly, not only to serve cocktails but to provide entertainment. Ten mini stages are set up throughout the casino, placed right in the thick of the action. Every 10 minutes between pulling the handle at Megabucks and sipping on your rum and Coke, you can catch a free performance by one of the bevertainers as they take to a stage.
Two types of bevertainers are there to keep the party atmosphere going—the dancers and the singers. Each server performs a 90-second routine about eight to nine times a night—dancing and singing to some of today’s hottest music. To ensure the level of entertainment is top-notch, each bevertainer must audition for the position and receive training headed up by Dick Foster Productions. While choreography and training are provided, most bevertainers are already trained professionals in their respected field. Beverly Johnson, who is currently one of the dancing bevertainers, has been performing since she was 2. As a graduate in dance management, she has performed at the Moulin Rouge in France, been a dancer in Bally’s Jubilee! and recently performed for the opening of The Venetian in Macau. She loves pulling double duty of cocktail server and performer, as do her comrades.
“I love that we get to perform because I have been a performer since I can remember. Opposed to a normal cocktail job, everyone that I work with is in the entertainment industry, and we’re definitely a different breed of servers. Everyone is very energetic and very outgoing and we all get along so, so well. We all just have so much fun.”
Recently the whole crew pumped up their image even more by getting new attire. Meg DeAgostini, the wardrobe supervisor for Dick Foster, designed the new outfits. The ladies’ sexy and seductive uniforms consist of black lace and black diamond stones. Sure to get a double take, the outfits extend the bevertainers’ assets in a sophisticated, fun, flirty and fabulous way. “All the girls are in the same costume, so we are much more uniformed now and they’re very classy, they’re glamorous, they’re exciting,” Johnson said.
So, make sure to check out the bevertainers at the Rio tonight—by all guesstimations you’re bound to have one fantabulous time.
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature1.html
Center of attention.
Revolutionizing the casino lounge at Eyecandy.
By: Jack Houston/Las Vegas Magazine
It’s a quaint vision, but one not out of reach any longer. One step into Eyecandy Sound Lounge & Bar at Mandalay Bay and you realize that dream has plunged headlong into reality. And it’s about time.
Taking over the space once occupied by the casino’s center bar, Eyecandy has all the elements of a nightclub with none of the fuss. Better yet, it raises the bar on technology with interactive tables, sound stations and a reactive dance floor. It all sounds like something out of a futuristic movie, but there are no star wars at this nightspot.
Four VIP pods are the only pay-to-play elements of the lounge, but it’s well worth the expense. For a fee (from which your group’s drinks are deducted—which offsets the fee if your friends drink like fish), guests can sit on a circular couch focused around the centerpiece: a 4,000-pound touch-sensitive table that extends 8 feet into the ground. Here, guests can create designs with their hands, view live camera feeds of other pods and parts of the club, including the DJ booth and the go-go cages.
They can also communicate with other pods, taking the ancient art of flirting into a millennium beyond this one. Once you’ve viewed your potential mates on the live video feed and communicated with them through the interactive table, the last step is meeting them in person. Luckily, each pod rotates approximately 45 degrees, the equivalent of 90 degrees when both pods engage the feature. Mingling has never required less physical activity.
The sensory experience continues on the foot-sensitive dance floor where individual squares change color when danced upon. Three tables adjacent to the dance floor have interactive features of their own, plus iPod connectivity that links your favorite playlists directly to the DJ. At peak hours, the DJ conducts so-called iPod wars, pitting guests’ playlists against one another in a peacetime conflict requiring no congressional approval.
Liquid pleasure arrives in the forms of two bars boasting seven wells and 17 specialty cocktails created by master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim. A ridiculously extensive wine list dips into more than 7,000 selections courtesy of massive wine tower at Aureole across the hotel. Also available are rare offerings such as Dom Pérignon by the glass and verticals of vintage wines.
It’s a party paradise that leaves only one question unanswered: Now that you have nothing left to dream about, what will you dream about next?
Eyecandy
Where: Mandalay Bay
When: Open 11 a.m.-6 a.m. daily; Interactive lounge open 6 p.m.-4 a.m. daily
Info: (702) 632-7985
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature3.html
Art Personified.
A chromatic journey through time.
By: Leslie Frisbee/Las Vegas Magazine
A kinesthetic kaleidoscope into the mystery of life, humanism and all of its wonderment, Mystère takes you on a sensuous voyage through time. And in the age of “mediated voyeurism,” Mystère is a feast for the imagination, a mystical journey that merges past, present and future. An emotive 90-minute frolic into infinite personal interpretations, it’s a prophetic introduction into the awe-inspiring world of Cirque du Soleil.
Since its premiere in 1993, Mystère has revolutionized Las Vegas entertainment. Fusing kinetic art and transcendent sounds and lighting with exhilarating acrobatics, the classic Cirque du Soleil production continues to astound audiences and critics alike.
A production unlike any other, Mystère, as described by Annie Wilkins, the head of props, is “the artistry of the body set to music.” She added, “The artists are so amazing; it’s just so fun to come to work every day.” Responsible for more than 180 props, Wilkins, who has been with Mystère for 14 years, said she has been “in awe of the show since day one. We aren’t technical like so many of the other plays in Vegas. The art of Mystère is seen in the performers and the sets.”
Accentuated by poignant lighting, vibrant costumes and quirky props, including oversize bottles, buggies, balloons, drums and puppets, Mystère’s sets are designed to stimulate the senses. And the ethereal backdrop of juxtaposed vibrant lights, appearing through shapes in space, and incessant fog provides the perfect ambience for stirring emotion. Imaginations unfold in the state-of-the-art theater as musicians, who envelop the numinous stage from above and beyond, unleash a musical score that evokes mystery, intrigue and anticipation.
Utilizing the taiko (a Japanese style of drum), “The Big Bang” symbolizes the journey through life, beginning with primitive creatures. Priming the spectacle is a misguided clown who incorporates the audience from beginning to end, much to the chagrin of Moha-Samedi, the master of ceremonies. Aroused in the aura is an international cast of 76 artists, whose characters include the archangels, a dangerously curious jumbo-size baby who yearns for his pa-pa, a roguish imp, giants and the principal character, Red Bird.
Played by versatile Ross Gibson, a former world championship runner-up in tumbling and professional dancer in England, the role of Red Bird becomes, arguably, the star of Mystère. Appearing throughout the entire production, Red Bird weaves the athleticism of the acrobats with the grace of the dancers, moving fluidly from one element to the next, epitomizing the human interaction aspect of Mystère.
“Birds bring a lot of life and fun to the world. They are free-spirited and have no worries,” Gibson said. “I am always interacting with the characters or the audience; there is always a playfulness about Red Bird. Plus, the fact that the costume is such a peaceful color and beautiful adds a lot of focus to the character.”
Red Bird’s performance is symbolic of what makes Mystère so different from the typical Vegas production. Echoing Wilkins’ sentiments, Gibson said, “Mystère is strongly based on human performance and interaction; there’s no crazy technology, visual or overdone lighting effects.” He continued, “The wow factor for our show comes from what the performers can do—it’s the human performance that’s breathtaking in Mystère.”
A signature to Cirque du Soleil shows is the array of mesmerizing athleticism and human artistry displayed throughout the production: Soaring with acrobatic precision is the man in the aerial cube, a celestial being that embodies the universe. Exhibiting tremendous upper-body strength and agility, double-masked creatures glide effortlessly up and down the Chinese poles, which represent the sprouting of life. A testament to human interdependence is the Lorador brothers’ hand-and-body balancing act. Humanity is perfectly displayed through precisely chiseled physiques that radiate power and stamina through gracefully fluid motions all while rotating on a sphere. High above the stage, like majestic birds, bungee aerialists take flight in a synchronized medley of chaos. The Korean plank signifies unity: working and playing together to create spectacular human pyramids, the performers rely completely on trust and courage. A chorus of artists displays spectacular spatial awareness and acrobatic precision while mastering the mammoth winged trampoline in an exhibition of finding laughter amid adversity. Forty feet above the stage, hopes and dreams soar in the aerial high bar act.
Merging past, present and future, the return of the taiko drums at the show’s conclusion is a reminder that the future is built on the memories and mysteries of the past—creating the circle of life.
A theater production without actors and a ballet that defies gravity, Mystère truly is a beautiful, mysterious voyage through life that will leave audiences “rapt in awe.”
Mystère
Where: Treasure Island,
When: 7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat.-Wed.,
Cost: $82.50 and up
Info: (702) 492-3960, (866) 80-SHOWS
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html
LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT
ENDLESS TALENT TO DRAW ON
By Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun
Entertainer Gordie Brown, who recently celebrated his first anniversary at the Venetian, has more talent than one person has a right to have.
Impressionist. Comedian. Singer. Composer. Musician.
Sketch artist.
Before winning a talent contest in Canada and taking to the stage, Brown drew political cartoons for the Ottawa Sunday Herald for five years.
He always had his heart set on performing in Las Vegas , and he even bought a home here early in his career while jobs took him to other parts of the country. He finally landed a gig close to home in 2004 and played two years at the Golden Nugget before moving to the Venetian.
He keeps fans in stitches with a bottomless bag of impressions delivered at a breathless pace. He lampoons everyone from late-arriving guests to Johnny Cash and presidents George W. Bush and Clinton.
Although he often relies on certain routines and characters, his act evolves - sometimes right before your eyes - as he reacts to fans. His spontaneity makes an interesting show even more interesting.
"I'm only onstage an hour and a half, but I spend the whole day trying to come up with new stuff," he says.
Brown has taken up his sketch pad again to create caricatures of the people he imitates and other celebrities. It's not far removed from what he does onstage - take a recognizable person and turn him into a caricature - except he uses a pen and paper.
"When I first started drawing again I was really rusty," Brown says. "I'm proud I was able to sharpen up my skills again."
He has put 120 drawings in "Gordie Brown in Caricature," a book that will soon be available on his Web site (gordiebrown.com ). He's also putting together an album of songs he wrote.
Details: 7 p.m. Fridays through Wednesdays, Venetian Showroom, $79, 414-1000.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/nov/05/566680040.html
Checking out Travalena
By Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun
Could another impressionist be bound for Las Vegas, joining a field that includes some very talented entertainers - Danny Gans at the Mirage, Rich Little at the Golden Nugget, Gordie Brown at the Venetian?
Veteran Vegas performer Fred Travalena made a triumphant return, selling out almost every performance at the Suncoast Showroom and receiving standing ovations from fans.
Travalena, a Vegas fixture from the '70s through the '90s, packs a lot into a 90-minute show, doing impressions of not only all the usual suspects but characters from "Star Wars," a Smurf, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, every president since John F. Kennedy and even a presidential adviser - Henry Kissinger.
Travalena wound up the impressions with a rapid-fire list of 15 or 20 celebrities, including Michael Crawford and television characters Archie and Edith Bunker.
Now, if he only had a room large enough to put all those people.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/nov/05/566680040.html
Brett's Vegas View's by Jackie Brett
Impressionist Rich Little, dean of impersonators and master of more than 200 voices, will headline with his brand-new show at the Golden Nugget during a 20-week performance schedule that started on Oct. 25. A professed classic movie buff, Canadian born Little is known best for his vast repertoire of celebrity impressions. His shows will run Thursdays through Sundays at 7 p.m. through April 6, 2008, with breaks from Dec. 3 - 26 and Dec. 31 - Jan. 9, 2008. Tickets start at $39, call (866) 946-5336. Master chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is bringing his critically acclaimed, award-winning restaurant CUT to Las Vegas. The Beverly Hills, super-chic steakhouse will open at the new $1.8 billion Palazzo in late December. CUT will mark the sixth fine-dining restaurant from the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in Las Vegas. Noted food critic John Mariani awarded CUT, "Restaurant of the Year" in the November 2006 issue of "Esquire" magazine, less than six months after it opened. In April 2007, CUT was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation, considered one of the highest marks of distinction within the culinary community, and in August 2007, "Bon Appétit" magazine named CUT one of the top three steakhouses in the nation. The interior will be a modern interpretation of a classic steakhouse with welcoming custom-made, large, bronzed glass doors, custom-designed lighting and rich textures such as a basket woven felt wall that will provide a soft white architectural envelope accented by bronze mirrors, honed limestone and custom-walnut flooring. Sculpted chairs of minimalist design will offer a unique form that combines the warm texture of aged leather with glossy ebonized ironwood. Leather table tops framed in brushed metal will provide a contrast to the English Windsor wood slab tables that will occupy the center of the space. Adjacent to the 160-seat main dining room will be an upscale 60-seat bar and lounge showcasing exclusive custom cocktails, classic drinks and a smaller menu featuring CUT's popular appetizers such as the Mini Kobe Beef Sliders. The lounge will feature an eight-foot tall upholstered sofa in rich black pony-style fabric offset by vibrant cherry lacquer cocktail tables providing a perfect vantage point to people watch. Private dining space also will be available featuring a fully retractable bronze glass wall that will open to a contemporary wine wall located just outside the kitchen, offering patrons a backstage glimpse into the bustling kitchen. Penn & Teller, the bad boys of magic who have spent most of their career playing with knives, guns, livestock and fire-eating showgirls, are now celebrating five years of performances in the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio. Performing together for more than 30 years, the duo have been combining Teller's silent and occasionally creepy magic with Penn's carnival barker zeal and juggling expertise. After three decades together, they show no signs of slowing down. Their latest project, "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" for the Showtime network, will begin its sixth season in early 2008. The controversial show, which has received 11 Emmy nominations and the Writer's Guild award for Outstanding Comedy / Variety Series, tackles the frauds and fakes behind such topics as talking to the dead, alien abductions and feng shui. Chippendales®, the longest running male revue celebrated its 2,000 performance milestone at the Rio this weekend. In addition, 2007 also marks the fifth anniversary of the Chippendales at the Rio. Each year the men bench press more than 3,300 pounds in the gym, discard 57,408 garments during their performances and bring more than 5,200 girls on stage to be a part of the show. They excite the ladies in their very own multi-million dollar Chippendales Theater. Chippendales, one of the world's most recognized brand names, is the premier provider of entertainment for women. The Company licenses its intellectual property for select consumer products ranging from apparel and accessories to slot machines and video games. It also operates Chippendales.com, an online lifestyle and entertainment destination for women. Chippendales was established in 1978 and has headquarters in New York, with offices in Las Vegas and London. Once again, Ethel's® / Ethel M® Chocolates will create its annual "Chocolate Wonderland" and transform its three-acre Botanical Cactus Garden into a wondrous free-to-the-public holiday experience at its Henderson factory from Nov. 21 until Jan. 1, 2008. Families will be able to stroll along the illuminated cacti pathways from sundown to 10 p.m. Part of the experience is the free factory tour with a free piece of candy at the end in the gift shop. At various times during the holiday season, local choirs will perform holiday tunes, and Santa will be making appearances in the garden every Friday and Saturday evening through Dec. 22. For information, call 800-471-0352. Since 2004, the Hilton has spent more than $100 million dollars in construction and renovation projects creating a new lobby, remodeled porte-cochere, enhanced and modernized casino, new Tempo lounge, Fortuna - a coffee and wine experience, and an expansion of the SuperBook. Now the resort is introducing new room product in its North and East towers. The completely renovated and refurbished rooms feature new luxurious beds, premium bed linens, an elegant pillow package, 37" plasma TVs, wireless Internet access, high-end amenities and MP3 ports for digital players. Now 923 North Tower and 600 East Tower rooms are updated. In addition, 221 executive level "Resort Club" rooms have been added, offering additional exclusive amenities and access to the "Resort Club" lounge on the 24th floor that features complimentary food and beverage selections. http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm From "The Las VegasEye" The Massachusetts-born Las Vegas resident looked beyond thrilled when host Padma Lakshmi informed him that his knives were there to stay during the live finale in Chicago. "I am so excited!" Huynh exclaimed. "I worked so hard to get here and prove myself…I'm speechless, but I'm sure you'll hear more from me later." In addition to bragging rights, Huynh wins $100,000 to put toward his culinary-minded dreams, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and an epicurean dream tour of the French Alps. Company For Dinner Pure Management Group sharpens its knives as it sets to open Company American Bistro in November 2007 at Luxor with celebrity investors Nicky Hilton, Wilmer Valderrama and Nick Lachey. Located adjacent to LAX Nightclub, Company American Bistro will boast a rustic feel in a chic organic environment while offering diners contemporary twists on classic American entrees.
Vegas Wins Top Chef
My friend 29-year-old Hung Huynh was named the winner of the third season of Bravo's Top Chef on Wednesday. Hung is the third contestant that I was able to place on the show Steven and Marcel gave a great show in the two previous seasons but, in the end, Hung took the crown. I am very proud of him.
“We are excited to be opening a restaurant next to LAX Nightclub and couldn’t be happier with our celebrity partners,” said Robert Frey, Managing Partner of Pure Management Group. “The restaurant will be very hip and modern in design and have a flavorful menu with something everyone can enjoy.”
A team of talented chefs lead by Executive Chef Adam Sobel, formerly of Restaurant Guy Savoy, will dish up a wide range of tantalizing entrees giving patrons a coast-to-coast taste of America. Cooking by season and using the freshest ingredients available will enable Sobel and his staff to offer an innovative and diverse menu with twists on traditional recipes.
Crafted by the award-winning, New York-based design firm AvroKO, Company American Bistro will encompass more than 10,000 square feet featuring a fireside lounge surrounded by aspen trees and hurricane lamp candles. The main dining room will be highlighted by a state-of-the-art wine wall and silver-leafed chandeliers. Comfort will be of the essence at Company American Bistro as customers will settle in to custom made high-back leather chairs and cozy couches to enjoy their meal while an abundance of fashioned tree logs and stack stone add to the restaurants décor creating a warm, soothing environment.
Whether making an evening out of dinner or stopping in for a bite before heading next door to LAX, Company American Bistro will be the restaurant of choice on The Strip. Company American Bistro will be open nightly from 5 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Posted on November 15th, 2007 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter

Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.