BLVDS "Giving" Dec 2011/Jan 2012 by BLVDS LV

MAKING LAS VEGAS HOME

COMMUNITY

C U LT U R E

DESIGN

F L AVO R

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE RTS Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell

Lily Tomlin

Savion Glover

Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott with The Assad Brothers

MOMIX - Botanica

The Cleveland Orchestra

David Sedaris

PSY by 7 Fingers

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Straight No Chaser

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCKTM

Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan

Now you can share all the grandeur and wonder of The Smith Center’s very first season with your friends and family. With a holiday gift certificate, you’ll be giving them an experience like no other — a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this new Heart of the Arts from the very beginning. There are 26 must-see shows to choose from this season, many starting at only $24. Visit TheSmithCenter.com or call 702.982.7805 to purchase your holiday gift certificate in any denomination you wish. D e b u t i n g , M a rc h 2 0 1 2

70 2 .9 8 2 . 7 8 0 5

T h e S m i t h C e n t e r. c o m

The Pink Floyd Experience

The Canadian Tenors

Paco de Lucía

Michael Feinstein The Sinatra Project

We’re proud to give back to the community we call home. At Bank of America, we’re committed to giving back to the neighborhoods where we live and work. That’s why we contribute our time, energy and support to these area organizations: After School All-Stars American National Red Cross Assistance League of Las Vegas Big Brothers Big Sisters of S. Nevada Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer Child Focus Community Action Against Rape Community Services of Nevada Consumer Credit Counseling of S. Nevada Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow Gay and Lesbian Community Center Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada Habitat for Humanity International HELP of Southern Nevada Housing for Nevada, Inc. Huntridge Teen Clinic Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada Las Vegas Natural History Museum Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada Lied Children’s Discovery Museum Lutheran Social Services of Nevada Make A Wish of Southern Nevada Nathan Adelson Hospice

Nevada Cancer Institute Nevada Fair Housing Center, Inc. Nevada Homeless Alliance Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth Nevada Public Radio Nevada Rural Housing New Vista Ranch Opportunity Village Rebuilding Together of S. Nevada Rural Nevada Development Corporation Salvation Army Shelter Providers of Southern Nevada, Inc. Southern Nevada Children First Special Olympics Nevada Spread the Word Nevada St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation Teach for America The First Tee of Southern Nevada The Smith Center Three Square United Way of Southern Nevada Variety Early Learning Center Vegas PBS Women’s Development Center YMCA of Southern Nevada

For more information, stop by any of our convenient banking centers or visit us at www.bankofamerica.com/opportunity. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. © 2011 Bank of America Corporation. Equal Housing Lender SPN-107-AD ARD1J1U2

The only thing you have to fear is fescue. Go to the water-smart photo gallery at snwa.com. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a desert out there. Be

Community 11 Spotlights Stacey Wedding Michael Cornthwaite

what’s inside ISSUE 29: GIVING

14 The Outlook Foundation Changing lives through technology

18 White Horse Youth Ranch Currying hope and healing

Culture 24 Downtown 2012 27 An Empire in Cardboard Justin Favela creates high level art with low-budget materials

32 Upcoming Events

Design

36 Design of the Times

36 Retro Vegas A mid-century treasure trove

Flavor 42 Mundo

Las Vegas Design Center educates and inspires.

A cultural push forward

28 Winchester Cultural Center’s Skate Park Program

Latin chic brings the heat downtown

43 Let’s Do Lunch! 48 IMHO In my humble opinion

On the Cover

Jennifer Reichert Ortiz took People’s Choice for her photo Martini in the Symphony Park Capture Downtown photo contest blvdslv.com

BLVDS Las Vegas GIVING 5

from the publisher and cultural groups who have worked tirelessly for that special moment—a moment we can all enjoy. 2012 is going to be amazing for this city!

We welcome Victoria Hart to our team as our Creative Director. She’s logged countless hours to bring you a great visual experience. Please check out our website (blvdslv.com) for the latest updates and information on your favorite community and cultural events. And if you want to be in the know, sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter Out on the BLVDS also at (blvdslv.com) for community updates and to learn about must-see events. Happy holidays to all, and wishes for a wonderful and meaningful 2012!

One example of something wonderful is the coming together of community and culture as we begin the next chapter in the history of Las Vegas—the coming of age of the arts in Las Vegas. When the curtain rises at the Smith Center in March, it will be a monumental achievement for the various community

Copyright 2011 by BLVDS, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from BLVDS, Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however, BLVDS, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. BLVDS, Inc. accepts editorial and photography submissions. Send all submissions to: editor@blvdslv.com.

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thE BLVDS tEam Jan Craddock President & Publisher sherri Kaplan COO & Co-Publisher Pat marvel Consulting Editor Hektor D. esparza Managing Editor victoria Hart Creative Director Checko salgado Photo Editor greg Warden Senior Photographer

EDITORIAL BOARD

Brian Paco Alvarez Tracy Bower Durette Candito Shelly Cochran Chris Cutler Audrie Dodge Gina Gavan Nancy Higgins Wendy Kveck Pam Lang Rob McCoy Jason Roth Kimberly Maxson-Rushton Karen Rubel Rick Sellers Kimberly Trueba

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jack Chappell John Dunia Amey Esparza Dayvid Figler Al Gibes Jarret Keene Jillian Plaster

PHOTOGRAHY & ILLUSTRATION Lucy Glover Dany Haniff Krystal Ramirez Checko Salgado Ashley Sewall Greg Warden Mike Weintz Thomas Willis

Scan with your smart phone using a QR Code reader app >

This is the best time of year— the music, the lights, festivities with family and friends— all to celebrate the holidays and the hope of the new year. All of us have been tested in some way over the last few years, and we here at BLVDS hope the holiday season brings a break from the craziness and affords the opportunity to reconnect with yourself, family and your city. I believe if this economy has taught us anything, it is the need for a strong and connected community during difficult times. After all, those two attributes usually give rise to the wonderful things that come during recovery.

In this issue of BLVDS we introduce our new look for the new year! As we go into our fifth (yes, count ‘em) year of publishing, we invite you to let us know what you think and what you would like us to talk about (jan@blvdslv.com). After all, this is a magazine about our community, of which you are an important part as readers and advertisers.

maKing las vegas Home

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editor@blvdslv.com 702.386.6065 blvdslv.com facebook.com/blvdslv twitter.com/blvdslv 241 W. Charleston Blvd., #173 Las Vegas, NV 89102

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Inspiration. Leadership. Results.

We help prepare low-income children to succeed in school and life by providing access to a high-quality preschool education. When you support United Way of Southern Nevada, you help local students graduate, provide individuals financial support and guidance, ensure families are healthy and their immediate needs are met.

Visit uwsn.org/give or call 702-892-2300 to make a difference today!

Wells Fargo is proud to support United Way of Southern Nevada

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community people + places IN THIS SECTION 10 Stacey Wedding Giving is not only her lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big part of who she is.

12 Michael Cornthwaite Meet this business owner and passionate proponent of downtown Las Vegas.

14 The Outlook Foundation Learn how a local Las Vegas couple is changing the lives of children and military families.

19 White Horse Youth Ranch Fostering relationships between horses and children affected by economic or emotional disadvantages.

* Share your photos that define

COMMUNITY in Las Vegas; email them to editor@blvdslv.com.

< Painting by Kristine McCallister, available at BrettWesleyGallery.com

STACEY WEDDING

ÂŠ Dany Haniff

The Philanthropy Matchmaker

Like many people who are wellrespected in their profession, Stacey Wedding’s work in philanthropy is more an extension of her personality than a mere occupation. The roots of her success can be traced back to a humble perspective developed early in her childhood. As she says, “Our family began volunteering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation after I was diagnosed with Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes at the age of 2, so giving back was a significant part of my childhood and, then, my entire life.” Wedding, a Nevada native, is founder and principal of Professionals in Philanthropy, LLC, a philanthropic consulting firm formed in 2006. The organization’s mission is to help donors and nonprofits become the catalyst for change through strategic, effective and thoughtful planning and action. The organization’s guiding principles reflect a practical sensibility gained from experiencing how a well-run nonprofit can improve the quality of life for a community. Wedding knows that it takes much more than good intentions to accurately identify a community’s needs, and then

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meet those needs with programs and services that yield value proportionate to their cost. She says that as a relatively young community, Southern Nevada presents a special set of challenges and opportunities. There are fewer obstacles to innovation in Southern Nevada simply because the region’s institutions have not existed long enough to establish rigid traditions or narrowly defined methodologies. But there is a flipside to that coin. As she explains, “At times it can be problematic when people become so anxious to create something new that they don’t do the research needed on the front-end to develop a sound philanthropic business model and explore how they can collaborate instead of duplicate.” On the giving side of the equation, Wedding says that emerging trends include a higher level of sophistication among donors. In tough economic times, people are reluctant to give without careful consideration of a nonprofit’s effectiveness and management model. For donors wanting to be sure they are making a good decision about where to give, Wedding advises volunteering for the organization they are considering. In this way, the donor can gain an intimate understanding of what the organization needs and how effectively and efficiently it delivers on its mission statement. Those who desire a giving relationship with a nonprofit but lack the time to volunteer are advised to carefully consider how their own values line up with those of the prospective organization and then come up with a well thought out, sustainable, annual personal giving plan.

is similar to any other relationshipeveryone will be happy if there is good communication, openness and transparency. When a well-suited match is developed between a nonprofit and a donor, the experience transcends the financial transaction. As Wedding says, ”It’s incredibly rewarding for both parties. The giver/funder and nonprofit view it as a long-term relationship: as a true partnership.“

What makes you get out of bed in the morning? My family and friends. My work that really doesn’t feel like work most of the time. The opportunity for self-growth and self-discovery. The desire to make a positive difference in someone’s life each day.

What’s on the horizon for nonprofits and philanthropy in Nevada in 2012? For philanthropy, we’ll see more highly engaged young donors, a greater focus on online giving through efforts like Nevada’s Big Give, and donors who want to see the return on the investment of their donation dollars.

What are your goals for the New Year? I have a goal of volunteering at least 500 hours per year. In 2011, so far I’ve volunteered just over 1,100 hours to date.

From Wedding’s perspective, the exchange between donor and nonprofit

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With so many options for how to give and so many worthy charities deserving of support, where do you begin?

ÂŠ Checko Salgado

Making downtown chic, hip and happening Michael Cornthwaite, owner-operator of the Beat Coffee House, Downtown Cocktail Lounge and co-manager of Emergency Arts, grew up 100 miles west of Chicago in Princeton, Ill. He attended Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., and spent his junior year in Spain before earning his B.A. in Spanish from Knox. After finishing college he encouraged a friend to apply for a fellowship grant with a proposal to study the impact of the fall of communism on the Eastern Bloc. His friend was awarded the grant, securing funds for their travel and research in Budapest, Prague and Warsaw. Already a seasoned world traveler by the age of 22, when Cornthwaite arrived in Las Vegas in 1995 he was immediately engaged by what the city had to offer in the way of access and opportunity. “I was pretty blown away by what I saw. I have lived in Chicago and in Barcelona and it’s not easy to meet people and there’s not a whole lot of impact one person can have.”

What would you say are the most critical elements of a culturally and commercially viable downtown? It’s the small businesses, the shops, the restaurants. It’s about connecting with people.

Has the downtown scene reached a level you would describe as its critical mass?

A job fair led him to work as a valet at the Stratosphere, but it wasn’t long until he became bored with the job. Fondly remembering the restaurant work he enjoyed while living in Chicago, he offered himself as an unpaid intern and worked at several of the property’s modest eateries until eventually being asked to interview for an open position as assistant manager at the upscale Top of the World restaurant. Six months into that position he was promoted to general manager.

I wouldn’t say we’ve reached it yet, but we are starting to see what that is going to be like. I think when the true critical mass hits it will be off the charts. I mean literally, I think it’s going to be so big that people won’t believe it.

He recalls, “So with about a year of restaurant management total experience I was running a 15 million dollar-a-year operation with 140 employees.”

How does it make you feel seeing what you envisioned becoming a reality in downtown?

Despite receiving many offers from around the country and the world, Cornthwaite remained in Las Vegas. He was a firm believer in the city’s potential, with a particular appreciation for the possibilities downtown represented. He wanted to own a business in the area and inspire others to do the same. By 2002, the Business Improvement District had become a reality. Eventually he became such an effective proponent of downtown as an area where new businesses could thrive that the Office of Business Development asked him to share his vision with people who expressed interest in setting up shop in the area.

It makes me think you can actually will things into existence if you believe in them enough.

In 2007 he opened Downtown Cocktail Room. Today, he says the chic lounge is doing better than ever. Emergency Arts and The Beat were opened in 2010 and serve as an anchor and cultural hub to Fremont East Entertainment District. blvdslv.com

BLVDS Las Vegas

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COMMUNITY the local spotlight

Michael cornthwaite

the local spotlight COMMUNITY

The Outlook Foundation

changing lives through technology

ut a computer in the hands of those who only dreamed of having one and magic happens. Report cards that used to carry columns of Cs and Ds get sprinkled with As and Bs. Families separated by the call of military duty are able to talk with each other across the oceans and share the miracle of birth. Lives are changed. Stories like these flow from John and Christine Iasiuolo as they talk about how they’re fulfilling their dream of making a difference. Each of the 75 computers they’ve put in the hands of needy children and deploying military personnel and their families comes with a story. The couple formed the Outlook Foundation just over a year ago, after John faced serious health issues in 2007, including kidney failure and congestive heart failure. “I woke up one day and asked myself what I could do to give back,” said John Iasiuolo who, on December 2, marked the 10th anniversary as creator and host of the Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show. He decided to tap into his network of friends at the many technology companies he’d come to know through his talk show. The Internet

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radio program’s goal is to simplify the complicated world of computing. It has a quarterly audience of more than 5.5 million listeners of the online streams and program downloads. The response has been overwhelming. Companies and individuals have donated computers, software, services, financial support and networks of industry professionals and volunteers. John said it’s not hard to get people to support the mission of putting computers into the hands of children in need and deploying military personnel and their families. “You know what I like about these children that receive the computers?” asked John, through a voice cracking with emotion. “They have their goals established. We gave computers to four children in foster care with the Clark County Department of Family Services last week. One already knew he wants to be a corrections officer, another wants to be an orthodontist, one a model, and the last one a civil engineer. The first thing the children always say is that the computer will be used for their education and research.”

By AL GIBES

The foundation’s affiliation with the 820th Red Horse Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base and with the Nevada National Guard has put compact netbook computers in the hands of fathers and mothers headed to posts across the globe and, when needed, desktop computers in the family’s home. Thanks to the video conferencing software Skype, an airman in Afghanistan got to witness the birth of his first child, delivered in October at the Nellis Air Force Base hospital. Among the biggest contributors is Lenovo, which has provided dozens of laptop, desktop and netbook computers. The machines had been issued to Lenovo employees for testing, and are about a year or two old by the time they make it to Las Vegas. Trend Micro provides security software, CMS Products provides backup software, Kingston supplies flash drives and Seagate donates external hard drives. Foundation volunteers recently needed a rental truck to pick up pallets of new computer gear from the CDW warehouse in North Las Vegas. A full list of companies and individuals supporting the foundation will soon be added to its website, which was created and is updated as an in-kind

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ÂŠ Dany Haniff

The Iasiuolos said the key to the foundation’s early success was securing the 501(c) 3 nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service. “When that went into play, our whole world changed,” John said. “It gave people the comfort level to donate at any level. “Most people relate to our mission, but the second biggest thing is our commitment to the environment,” John said. “We pledged that we wouldn’t put anything into a landfill.” That promise is easy to keep thanks to a new, strategic partnership with U.S. Micro, a company that recycles, recovers or reuses old technology and recently opened a 130,000-squarefoot facility in Las Vegas. Now that the Outlook Foundation has grown from crawling to walking, it’s about ready to run. John said he’s been asked to open chapters in Phoenix and San Diego, and has received inquiries about expanding into Oregon, Utah, Connecticut and Florida. “We’re working on setting up standard operating procedure manuals,” John said, “I want every chapter to be an exact image of this one, and we’ll treat this (Las Vegas location) like a corporate headquarters. “The pendulum has swung. We’re starting to get the financial support we need, and we’ll start doing community events in 2012,” he said. John plans to continue doing his four weekly radio shows, and will funnel some of the profits into the foundation. The Iasiuolos said they expect the foundation will continue to grow, as more companies are ready to

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the local spotlight COMMUNITY

donation from Randy Skoglund and Brad Summey of the Orange Hat Group.

Visit the Outlook Foundation website: outlookfoundation.org

Visit the Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show website: help. John is looking forward to the International Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas, where he plans to garner more foundation support and announce new partnerships. He imagines the day when returning veterans are trained in the technology field and given jobs in the industry.

computeroutlook.com

Contact the Outlook Foundation: 517 S. Tonopah Drive Las Vegas, NV 89106 1-888-782-3610 Donations: 1-888-885-8284

The Iasiuolos have a way of turning dreams into reality.

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SKIP THE HOLIDAY STRESS. COME FLAKE OUT AT THE

Here, the holidays include snowflakes floating in the air, carolers singing favorite tunes, skaters doing figure eights on the ice and getting some one-on-one time with Santa Claus. Are you ready for your break? Then come to the Springs Preserve.

DECEMB– E11R, 17 – 23

3 – 4, 10

from 5-9 p.m.

$8 adults, $5 children 5 – 12, free for age 4 and under.

Daily admissions may be limited to avoid overcrowding. Arrive early. Skip the lines by prepurchasing tickets online. Springs Preserve members get half off event admission.

Events at the Springs Preserve are supported by the generous contributions of our sponsors.

the local spotlight COMMUNITY

White Horse Youth Ranch

Currying hope and healing By JACK CHAPPELL It was Ronald Reagan who famously observed: “There’s nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.” The White Horse Youth (WHY) Ranch, a nonprofit organization in Las Vegas, has put that concept to work to help kids disadvantaged by societal or personal circumstance.

by grandparents following a breakup of their nuclear family. Others need help overcoming learning difficulties or developing self-confidence. It’s a program for disadvantaged youth, but you wouldn’t know it observing the diligence and care with which the kids are currying and tending to their horses.

The organization’s motto is “Healing Hearts. Inspiring Minds. Preserving History.”

At a recent session, as 13 kids began their day in the Cowboy Trail Rides corral, Meyer said, “It’s our mission to educate, inspire creativity and encourage integrity through interaction by building relationships with the horses.” According to Meyer, the kids learn responsibility, team work and commitment to something greater than themselves.

WHY Ranch is a nondenominational faith-based program modeled after a program in Oregon with an 18-year track record. Amy Meyer, president and founder of the nonprofit, came to Las Vegas to care for her grandparents following graduation from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in filmmaking. After their passing, she stayed to direct the Paul E. and Helen S. Meyer Foundation, now a major supporter of WHY Ranch. WHY Ranch’s “Diamonds in the Rough” is a free program for underprivileged Las Vegas youth ages 8 to 18, where each child is matched up one-to-one with horses, trainers and mentors. Some of the children are from abusive homes. Some are autistic. Some are being raised

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It all started three years ago with only three students. The riding program now has 22 students in western and English riding courses, meeting at Cowboy Trail Rides in Red Rock Canyon and Four Views Equestrian. (They are currently in a capital campaign with the goal of obtaining their own ranch property.) “Those first three students are still involved and serve as mentors to those in the current classes,” Meyer said. “That’s one beauty of the program. It’s not just getting guidance and building team work

under direction of an adult, but also developing peer-to-peer relationships.” Participants are selected following outreach by members of the nonprofit’s board of directors and local social service organizations. They and their parents are interviewed and matched up with either the western riding or English riding programs. Today, Lauren Sokolowski is a confident, outgoing and happy young lady of 13 years, an eighth grader at Cadwallader Middle School. Her father, Mark, says that she is a greatly changed teen after two years in the English riding program. “I think it is great to get out there, get away from problems and for kids to enjoy their childhood. It helps my communications with others. I love to just get out there and make a bond with an animal that’s way bigger than me,” Lauren said. At the end of her first year in the program, Lauren won two second places and one third in her first horse show. “I like the pressure and the need to do what you have to do to be perfect,” she said. Peggy Paullin, WHY Ranch’s executive director, sums it up: “It is a riding program, not an animal therapy program, but it ends up being very healing and very inspirational for them, physically touching the animal, giving love and trust to the animal and getting their love in return.”

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and foun der of W HY Ranch

Brit ta ny

Cheek en joy ing

a d a y wit h the h ors es

Renoka

e or a rid ea d y f r g in t t h n ge Lit t lejo

Amy Meye r, preside nt

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culture entertainment + activities IN THIS SECTION 24 Downtown 2012 From Emergency Arts to the revitalized First Friday, from the Smith Center to the Neon Museum, Las Vegas’ cultural landscape is richer and more colorful than ever.

27 Artist Justin Favela Meet Justin Favela, a local artist who not only thinks outside the box, he creates art with it.

28 Winchester Cultural Center’s Skate Park Program By blending skateboarding and the arts, the Winchester Center’s skate park program is transforming young lives through positive cultural influences.

* Share your photos that define CULTURE in Las Vegas; email them to editor@blvdslv.com.

< Fine art photograph by Heather Protz, available at BrettWesleyGallery.com

f ever there were a time when we as a community could firmly put to rest the notion that Las Vegas lacks culture, that time is now. Though it hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride it’s accurate to say we’ve finally arrived as a culturally complete city. Over a period of about ten years, through the collective efforts of countless individuals, our city has transformed itself from a place where significant effort was required to experience community and culture, into a city where there is so much going on the challenge is now deciding which thing to do.

Though tough economic times have presented challenges to the Arts District causing some venues to close, new galleries are also opening. First Friday is enjoying a second wind under new ownership with greater efforts to draw in even bigger attendance. And the local music scene is in what many describe as a golden era with a number of bands attracting major label attention and playing to capacity crowds at venues in the Fremont East Entertainment District To say we have arrived culturally, however, is not to suggest the transformation is complete, but that the 24

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lgado

BY HEKTOR D. ESPaRZa

Fremont Ea st cont inues to see new development

city now offers the necessary critical mass of institutions and infrastructure to serve as a platform for the wellspring of ideas and endeavors surfacing everyday. From world class institutions such as the Smith Center, to little nonprofits like ActionRed, downtown Las Vegas is leading the charge to cultural completeness. The following businesses, nonprofits, and cultural institutions are but a few examples of what many forward thinking Las Vegans have contributed to the cultural landscape of Southern Nevada.

Fremont Bike Clinic Fremont Bike Clinic is a nonprofit community workshop dedicated to empowering downtown residents by offering a facility where anyone can learn to maintain and repair their bicycle. They also do repairs, tune-ups and bike

entertainment & activities Culture

DOWN tOWN 2012 I

fittings, asking only for donations in return. Through FBC, anyone can buy a bicycle or earn one through various volunteering opportunities. They wish to promote cycling as a fun, economical and healthy way to get around. Find out more about events, volunteer opportunities, and monthly group bike rides through the FBC Facebook page.

Actionred This organization, part of the Emergency Arts co-op, operates under the nonprofit fiscal sponsorship of Latino community organization LUZ Coalition. Its mission is to address the needs of those newly diagnosed with HIV. Through various programs it helps connect people to treatment and services that are otherwise hard to find. It also showcases its clients artwork in its gallery in Emergency Arts.

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ko S alg

ado

If you bring up the subject of coffee houses with anyone who has lived in Las Vegas for more than ten years, chances are they will bring up names like Enigma Garden Café, Café Copia, Café Espresso Roma and Café Rejavanate. Sadly, for one reason or another, all of these beloved coffee houses met their end too soon, leaving Las Vegas with a void that couldn’t be filled with a hundred Starbucks. You could walk into any one of these establishments and count on seeing someone worth talking to every time.

ee a t Cof f Th e B e y jo n e t ow n er s

H o u se

Places like these serve as cultural hubs to almost every major city in America. Without at least one real coffee house the intellectual and cultural life of a city is hobbled. During the recent period when Las Vegas lacked a centrally located coffee house, it was downright depressing, even embarrassing when you had to explain to out-of-town visitors that we simply didn’t have one.

Filling the void now is The Beat Coffee House located inside the Emergency Arts building downtown. And though nothing could ever replace our favorite old haunts, this place serves as one heck of a cultural hub and then some. Located in the heart of downtown and housed inside Emergency Arts, The Beat benefits from being in the same location as a number of art galleries and nonprofits. One thing The Beat has that none of its predecessors could claim is a limited liquor license, serving craft beers and wine after 7 p.m. daily.

D ow n

First Friday After almost a decade of bringing the rest of Las Vegas to the Arts District once a month, First Friday was recently bought by a group of three Zappos execs. Under their leadership First Friday has been expanded to incorporate Fremont East Entertainment District and aims to draw more people from all areas of the Vegas Valley.

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Taking the position that historical objects need not be ancient in order to be valuable, the Neon Museum has been preserving Las Vegas’ most iconic art form, the neon sign, since 1996. The Neon Museum broke ground in November on its new visitor center and construction will include rehabilitation of the historic La Concha Motel lobby and Neon Boneyard. Look for a new Neon Museum and Boneyard campus in early summer 2012.

ado

Neon Museum

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Culture entertainment & activities

the Beat, emergency Arts

From a new menu to old miners; from beaks to broccoli. Nevada State Museum Artifacts give you a million-year glance into Nevada’s past. Voted “One of Vegas’ Best New Attractions” by CNN.com and Travel + Leisure. Wings over the Springs Feel the breeze from raptors’ wings as they swoop over your head. Bet on the Farm Market Sustainable suppliers bring you the best of their fruits, vegetables, eggs and nuts. Springs Cafe Enjoy culinary creations at our new cafe with a view overlooking the Springs and Las Vegas.

Exhibits $9.95 for adults, $4.95 for kids 5 yrs. and older. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 702-822-7700 U.S. 95 and Valley View Blvd. For our calendar of events, visit springspreserve.org.

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mark baugh-sasaki: transﬁgured lands december 3, 2011- january 21, 2012

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Culture entertainment & activities

An Empire in Cardboard: Justin Favela creates high level art with low-budget material Inspiration gives rise to every real work of art, and thankfully, comes without guidelines or limitations. BY JOhn Dunia For artist Justin Favela, inspiration comes from a simple piece of cardboard and the city he calls home. “It’s not only a versatile medium to work in,” says Favela, “It’s also a great metaphor for Las Vegas.” Favela points out that many things in Las Vegas are temporary and creating art out of reclaimed cardboard reflects the city’s transient, throw-away nature. His recent exhibition “County Center” was a tongue-in-cheek version of the CityCenter art collection, with miniature reimagined versions of the $40 million collection in cardboard, chicken wire and paper-mache. Displayed in the Clark County Government Center from May to August of this year, the show brought Favela national attention and critical acclaim. Favela began college at UNLV with plans to pursue a teaching career, majoring in history and secondary education. He took a drawing class as an elective and discovered a hidden talent. After changing his major to Fine Art, he found himself in Danielle Kelly’s 3D Design course which included using cardboard in unusual ways. Humble and unpretentious by nature, the medium matched the artist.

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Although cardboard has been his goto material, he also works in canvas, sculpture and photography. For the recent show Too Soon! at Mundo at World Market Center, he partnered with local artist Sam Reza to honor well-loved deceased celebrities by rendering them in piñatas. Favela’s piece “Untitled (Red Piñata)” is on display in Emergency Arts throughout December and will eventually be auctioned off to benefit local organization ActionRED for World AIDS Day. Unlike the future of some of his cardboard pieces, Favela is making a permanent mark on the Las Vegas art scene.

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Winchester Cultural Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Skate Park Program

ADS a

Cu LT uR aL Pu SH FO RW aRD BY HEK TOR D. ESPaRZa

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As Winchester Cultural Center’s head honcho, Gaffey was familiar with some of the area teens’ accomplishments even before the current skate program was launched. He recalled that the skaters around Winchester had, under the leadership of poet, musician and skater Ashley Sewall, impressed him by organizing and hosting their own skate contests and volunteering for workdays in the center’s xeriscape garden. But getting teenage skaters to sit respectfully through lectures from visiting artists at weekly team meetings and maintain a certain level of academic performance—all while skateboarding at a competitive level and studying a visual art form or learning to play a musical instrument— seemed too much to expect from a social group that is by-and-large marginalized, even vilified, by much of “respectable” society.

The conversation was then guided to reflection on the skate team’s activities throughout the year and how these experiences had broadened their world view. During their year on the team, members had gone on a college campus tour and participated in art workshops and presentations by Marty Kreloff, Lolita Develay, Abraham Abebe, Sam Reza and Rachel Sparrow. On an arts field trip, they visited Trifecta Gallery hosted by Marty Walsh, and Space gallery hosted by Jana Cruder and Janis Hansen.

To qualify to be on the team, the teens had to audition in January at the skate park and bring proof they were enrolled in school and passing all of their classes, studying a visual art form or musical instrument, and were able to skate at a competitive level. Eleven of the twelve teens who made it onto the 2011 team fit the “at risk” designation, in that they would be the first in their nuclear families to graduate high school, are being raised by a single parent, or are exposed to other risk factors such as living in neighborhoods with rampant drug use, gangs or crime. In return for maintaining the above criteria, skate team riders receive decks and other skate products as needed and available. In effect, they become “sponsored” by the Winchester Skate Program.

hen I first broached the idea of using the culture of skateboarding to help prepare area teens for highly productive lives to Clark County Parks and Recreation’s Cultural Program Supervisor Patrick Gaffey, he was more than a little doubtful. When I said there was a cultural side of skateboarding that had the power to influence young people to stay in school, plan for college and consider careers in the arts, Gaffey expressed skepticism but gave the ambitious new program a shot. Almost five years later, as the skate staff and youth skate team members rack up official proclamations from the County Commission, honors from local press, and athletic, artistic and academic accomplishments, I’m happy to say Gaffey is glad he took the risk.

time as members of the skate team. To close the meeting, I brought up a goldfish analogy, and the team unanimously agreed that the year’s experiences had given their lives a bigger tank in which to grow.

At the annual board recycle in July, the skaters broke the 2010 record by building 25 complete skateboards out of new and reclaimed parts and giving them to underprivileged youth. In October, the skate team took a field trip to Venice Beach skate park followed by a visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to see the Tim Burton collection. Many of the skate team had never taken in a First Friday, enjoyed an art gallery or seen the ocean in person until they experienced these things for the first

Culture entertainment & activities

By November 2011, the Winchester skate team had met to study skate culture and history, the arts, the value of higher education and nutrition once a week for 44 consecutive weeks. This week’s meeting began with planning of the team’s year-end banquet. After the team voted to decide who would be named best Skater-Artist, SkaterVolunteer and Skater-of-the-Year, a discussion on the value of reading books spontaneously broke out. The discussion evolved into an examination of the benefits of acquiring knowledge from many different sources including books, television and the Internet. The underlying theme was that knowledge is both cool and empowering.

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In addition to field trips, workshops and lectures, the team puts on several skate contests each year which give its members a chance to apply DIY skills setting up component art shows and education fairs. The program’s flagship event, “The Las Vegas Good Games,” showcases everything the program has to offer from arts to education, crime prevention and nutrition. Partners and participants have included Stoodeo Graphics, Southern Nevada Health

ll © Ashley Sewa

entertainment & activities Culture

The Winchester Cultural Skate Program’s mission statement is: “To provide an environment of self-cultivation through skate culture and the arts, showing young people many paths to success.” It is carried out under the direct supervision of Clark County Cultural Specialist Joseph House, and guided by the cultural skateboarding principles I developed when creating the program. As the skate team is required to actively study art or music, so is each member of the skate staff. This allows the staff to model productive, creative lifestyles for the skate team and other daily users of Winchester skate park.

Ollie Benihana Richie Gutierrez ate Park at Winchester Sk 30

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da e of Southern Neva m and staff at Colleg Winchester Skate tea District, Emergency Arts, Traders Joe’s, CSN, Zumiez, Let It Roll Skate Shop, Elemental Awareness, and locally owned skate deck companies: Point Distribution, Hokum, Society, Platonik Skateboards, Flock skateboards. Former skaters and current attorneys Eric Palacios and Kalani Hoo have provided direct funding for tuition for skate team riders to attend CSN after graduating high school. Winchester’s program has had a direct, positive impact on the lives of its skate team members. It has verifiably led drop outs to return to high school and go on to college, and has encouraged those already achieving to stay on track. Through events and regular programming, its influence has grown to expose thousands of Valley skaters to ideas of personal exploration and growth through skateboarding, the arts and education. The impact of the program validates academic research that says young people, especially those lacking strong parental guidance, get much of the information used to form their world views from other young people. In short, children and teens exposed to a variety of positive cultural influences become better influences on those around them.

In an effort to benefit even more at-risk skaters in Southern Nevada, I formed a nonprofit called Push Forward under the fiscal sponsorship of Metro Arts Council of Southern Nevada, a local 501(c)3. The organization aims to start similar skate teams in the Valley’s most needed areas, where nearly 30 public skate parks presently lack supervision and programing. The goal is to transform potentially selfdestructive environments into places where young minds can truly flourish.

the annual Winchester Skate team awards banquet and fundraiser will be held on thursday, December 22. For ticket information, email “Friends of Winchester” volunteer coordinator and Secretary of Skate Amey esparza at ameyesparza@gmail.com. For more information on Push Forward, visit pushforwardskate.org.

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STAND UP FOR VEGAS

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BY HEKTOR D. ESPaRZa Doing its part to support the local skateboarding scene, the Tony Hawk Foundation (THF) hosted its third annual Stand Up For Skateparks benefit on Saturday, November 5 at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa. The goal of Stand Up For Skateparks is to raise funds needed to help build free, public skateparks across the United Sates. This time around, the event raised about $37,000 to help build a new skatepark in Las Vegas. According to THF Executive Director Miki Vuckovich, Tony Hawk wanted to make a more personal connection to our city’s skateboarders by waiving the $400 ticket price for approximately 50 local at-risk youth. While there, these kids got to rub shoulders with the likes of motocross icon Travis Pastrana, BMX mega-ramp pioneer Matt Hoffman and 14-year old vertical skateboarding prodigy Mitchie Brusco. Pleased with how it all turned out, Vuckovich commented, “Stand Up For Skateparks is a unique event, even by Las Vegas standards. I think we’ve brought something valuable to the community, both for skatepark advocacy and through construction dollars we’ve committed to the area.”

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DeCeMBer

Oliver

NOW - DEC. 11, 2011 2 OR 7 P.M. Rainbow Company Youth Theatre, rainbowcompany.org

Honoring a legend Steve lesnick

NOW - FEB. 29, 2012 Elayne La Porta Fine arts 121 S. Water Street

JAN. 06, 2012 Downtown & 18b arts District ﬁrstfridaylasvegas.com

Firenze Sextet

A Christmas Carol

NOW - DEC. 18, 2011 nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley Theatre nct.unlv.edu

Snow in the Square

DEC. 16, 2011, 12 P.M. City of Las Vegas Lloyd George u.S. Courthouse artslasvegas.org

Pops II - A Holiday Celebration

DEC. 17, 2011 Las Vegas Philharmonic

NOW - DEC. 23, 2011 MON - THURS 7 P.M. FRI - SUN, 7 AND 8 P.M. Town Square mytownsquarelasvegas.com

artemus W. Ham Hall lvphil.com

Magical Forest Opportunity Village

the Nutcracker DEC. 17 - 24, 2011 nevada Ballet Paris Theatre nevadaballet.com

NOW - DEC. 31, 2011 Opportunity Village opportunityvillage.org

events

the Scoop on Poop exhibit

Walt Boenig Big Band Holiday Concert

NOW - JAN. 08, 2012 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. DAILY Springs Preserve springspreserve.org

DEC. 18, 2011, 2 P.M. CSn, nicholas J Horn Theatre csn.edu

exploring Photographic Alternatives NOW - JAN. 08, 2012 unLV Barrick Museum barrickmuseum.unlv.edu

lost Places in the Mojave: Photographs by Julian Kilker NOW - JAN. 22, 2012 unLV Barrick Museum barrickmuseum.unlv.edu

Wings over the Springs – live Birds of Prey Show NOW - FEB. 28, 2012 11 A.M. AND 1 P.M. Springs Preserve springspreserve.org

NOW - JAN. 20, 2012 Clark County Winchester Cultural Center clarkcountynv.gov

First Friday

‘the Spirit of Christmas’ live Musical Show NOW - DEC. 18, 2011 NOON - 5 P.M. The District shop-the-district.com

“to the Neon Gods they Made”

Kwanzaa - rites of Passage Graduation DEC. 22, 2011, 7 P.M. West Las Vegas Library Theatre artslasvegas.org

the Night Before Christmas

DEC. 22 - 23, 2011, 7 P.M. Winchester Cultural Center clarkcountynv.gov

JANuArY the reAl Mob Wives of las Vegas JAN. 03, 2012, 7 P.M. Clark County Library lvccld.org

los Angeles Guitar Quartet (lAGQ)

JAN. 07, 2012, 8 P.M. unLV PaC artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, pac.unlv.edu

How the FBI and IrS took Down the Mob

JAN. 10, 2012 , 7 P.M. Clark County Library, lvccld.org

Measure for Pleasure JAN. 20 - FEB. 5, 2012 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

Premiere Screening of uBAtZ Documentary JAN. 24, 2012, 7 P.M. Clark County Library lvccld.org

europa Galante with Fabio Biondi featuring Mezzo-Soprano Vivica Genaux

JAN. 26, 2012, 8 P.M. artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, pac.unlv.edu

“Occupy Your life… NOW!” Workshop Promises Help for Small Business Owners Sylvia

JAN. 26 - 28, 2012 Hampton Inn denisemichaels.com

Maya - A thirty Year retrospective: Photographs by Michael Plyler

the Seagull

JAN. 13 - 29, 2012 Las Vegas Little Theatre, lvlt.org

JAN. 13 - APR. 02, 2012 unLV Barrick Museum barrickmuseum.unlv.edu

JAN. 27 - FEB. 05, 2012 nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley Theatre nct.unlv.edu

Jewtopia live

JAN. 14 - 15, 2012 Jewish Repertory Theatre of nevada, Suncoast Theatre 243-6950, jrtn.org

the untold Story of Billy Cutolo Jr. and Andrew DiDonato

laura taylor Band in Concert

JAN. 17, 2012, 7 P.M. Clark County Library, lvccld.org

JAN. 28, 2012, 2 P.M. Charleston Heights arts Center, artslasvegas.org

red

From Medellín to the Mob

JAN. 19 - 22, 2012 unLV Barrick Museum barrickmuseum.unlv.edu

JAN. 31, 2012, 7 P.M. Clark County Library lvccld.org

Get even more event listings and information, visit BLVDSLV.COM and select Calendar/Events. 32

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Nevada Chamber Symphony - For the love of Music

FEB. 12, 2012, 5 P.M. Clark County Library Theatre lvccld.org

Seven Guitars

MAR. 02 - 11, 2012 nevada Conservatory Theatre Judy Bayley Theatre nct.unlv.edu

Young People’s Concert

MAR. 30, 2012, 8 P.M. Henderson Symphony Orchestra Henderson Pavilion hsorch.org

APrIl

Gamble-Aires Quartets First Friday

FEB. 03, 2012 Downtown & 18b arts District ﬁrstfridaylasvegas.com

A Mid Summer Night’s Dream

FEB. 03 - 04, 2012 CSn, nicholas J Horn Theatre csn.edu

Kt Sullivan & Mark Nadler- love is Here to Stay

FEB. 04, 2012, 8 P.M. Historic Fifth Street School artslasvegas.org

Henderson Symphony Orchestra

FEB. 10, 2012, 8 P.M. Henderson Convention Center hsorch.org

FEB. 17, 2012, 12 P.M. Lloyd George u.S. Courthouse artslasvegas.org

MARCH 2 - 18, 2012 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org FEB. 18, 2012, 2 P.M. West Las Vegas Library Theatre, lvccld.org

Masterworks III

FEB. 18, 2012, 8 P.M. Las Vegas Philharmonic lasvegasphilharmonic.com

tuck & Patti in Concert FEB. 25, 2012, 2 P.M. Charleston Heights arts Center, artslasvegas.org

St. Valentines Dance with the Gene White Octet FEB. 11, 2012, 7 P.M. Charleston Heights arts Center, artslasvegas.org

Itzhak Perlman, Violin

FEB. 11, 2012, 8 P.M. artemus W. Ham Concert Hall pac.unlv.edu

First Friday Yankee tavern

FEB. 24 - MAR. 11, 2012 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

FEB. 10 - 11, 2012 West Las Vegas Library Theatre, lvccld.org

APR. 01, 2012, 5 P.M. Jewish Repertory Theatre of nevada, Smith Center for the Performing arts, jrtn.org

FEB. 17 - 19, 2012 Rainbow Company Youth Theatre Historic Fifth Street School, rainbowcompany.org

Play Dates

las Vegas Contemporary Dance theatre

tovah Feldshuh “Golde’s Balcony”

Nevada Series tour Show

the Ink Spots in Concert

MArCH A Choreographers’ Showcase

MAR. 01 - 21, 2012 nevada Ballet & Cirque Du Soliel, nevadaballet.com

First Friday

MAR. 02, 2012 Downtown & 18b arts District ﬁrstfridaylasvegas.com

turtle Island Quartet

MAR. 02, 2012, 7 P.M. Historic Fifth Street School artslasvegas.org

events

FeBruArY

APR. 06, 2012 Downtown & 18b arts District ﬁrstfridaylasvegas.com

the KWAK Ballet

MAR. 10, 2012, 2 P.M. Charleston Heights arts Center, artslasvegas.org

Xuefei Yang

MAR. 14, 2012, 8 P.M. Doc Rando Recital Hall, pac.unlv.edu

Driftwood Fire

MAR. 16, 2012, 12 P.M. Lloyd George u.S. Courthouse artslasvegas.org

Blithe Spirit

APR. 6 - 22, 2012 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

luis Zea

APR. 11, 2012, 8 P.M. Doc Rando Recital Hall, pac.unlv.edu

Pops III

Sylvia

MAR. 16 - 25, 2012 nevada Conservatory Theatre Black Box Theatre nct.unlv.edu

APR. 14, 2012, 8 P.M. Las Vegas Philharmonic lasvegasphilharmonic.com

Brass roots Quintet Concert

APR. 14, 2012, 8 P.M. unLV PaC, artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, pac.unlv.edu

MAR. 24, 2012, 2 P.M. Charleston Heights arts Center, artslasvegas.org

Masterworks IV

MAR. 24, 2012, 8 P.M. Las Vegas Philharmonic The Smith Center for the Performing arts lasvegasphilharmonic.com

Houston Ballet II

the Studio Series

APR. 17 - 22, 2012 nevada Ballet, Smith Center for the Performing arts nevadaballet.com

A Voyage round My Father

APR. 20 - 29, 2012 2 OR 7:30 P.M. CSn, Backstage Theatre csn.edu

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SAMPLE SALE EVERYDAY. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

adj \' r-b n\ : noun \â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ranch\ :

urâ&#x20AC;˘ban ranch

of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a city; a farm or area devoted to a particular specialty, typically in the Western U.S.; EXAMPLES OF USE: specializing in bringing hand-selected, artful and sustainable details for the urban ranch lifestyle, including, but not limited to, specialty door and cabinet hardware, lighting, custom wine cellars, gourmet food, candelabras, gifts and other decorative accessories, as well as personal adornments like jewelry and unique clothing; ORIGINS: 1610-20; <Latin urbanus, from urbs city and 1800-10, Americanism; <Spanish rancho rancho.

INSIDE THE WORLD MARKET CENTER 455 S. Grand Central Parkway, C-140, Las Vegas, NV 89106 702-457-0500 www.plumelvdc.com

Open Tues through Fri 10-6 and Sat 10-4 6985 W Sahara, Ste 105, Las Vegas, NV 89117 702.368.2601 | www.urbanranchgeneralstore.com Formerly Durette Candito Design

design architecture + style IN THIS SECTION 36 Design of the Times Part of the World Market Center, the 40 showrooms of the Las Vegas Design Center are open to the public and offer everything to feather a nest, including expert design advice.

39 Retro Vegas Lovers of mid-century modern need look no further than Retro Vegas, a boutique wonderland of furniture, art and collectibles.

* Share your photos that define DESIGN in Las Vegas; email them to editor@blvdslv.com.

< Painting by Frank Perkins, available at BrettWesleyGallery.com

architecture & style Design

Design of the Times

Las Vegas Design Center Educates and Inspires

Many visitors and residents of this city still haven’t absorbed the news. World Market Center offers an open-to-the public campus called Las Vegas Design Center, where you don’t need to be a licensed industry professional to gain access. 36

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BY Jarret Keene

Don’t let the pressure of limitless choice scare you away, however. Help is, literally, right around the corner from the center, nestled next to Mundo, an incredible Latin chic restaurant in World Market Center where you should definitely have lunch. “For those consumers who’ve never visited a design center, we have a salon where you can consult with accredited interior designers,” says Justin McVay, World Market’s PR manager. McVay leads me

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After a consultation, customers can arrange to work with designers on an extended basis. Hopefully, at this point, you don’t still imagine you’re limited to just lamps and chairs! “The showrooms offer everything from fine art to accessories to chandeliers,” says McVay, as he leads me through Safavieh, where gorgeous rugs—classic Persian, Tibetan, Oushak, Nepalese, Peshawar—are displayed. “The center’s showrooms also offer an array of niche options, including floor coverings, floor-to-ceiling décor, and one-of-kind rooms. If you’re looking for a great lamp, you’ll find it here, too.” Indeed, LVDC has it all. Consider the exquisite and otherworldly hand-blown European art glass of Josefina West, or the cascading crystal chandeliers inside The Art of Lighting. There are the Zeninducing lighting fixtures at Kalco, where Buddha Leaf, Iridescent Shell and Penshell shades are hand-laid by skilled Philippine artisans. Lending even more aesthetic heft to the Design Center is Left Bank Art, with its dazzling line of more than 2,400 works of fine art including original paintings, giclée and canvas prints.

Indeed, walking through the incredible LVDC showrooms is an experience you can’t get anywhere else in Las Vegas, or in most of the country, come to think of it. When you shop for a chair in a furniture shop, your options include, at best, a mere handful of different styles and fabrics. But in the smorgasbord of the finest contemporary home furnishings, anything’s possible, from upholstery to varieties of wood. Everything can be custom-built to specifications; options are nearly infinite.

architecture & style

Since the design industry’s inception and professionalization, showrooms of high-end furnishings have remained largely off-limits to those of us looking to transform interior spaces into elegant and efficient environments. That’s changing as design centers across the country continue to open their doors to John Q. It’s part of a larger effort to educate consumers about what’s available design-wise, and about the necessity of collaborating with real, accredited designers.

into and through the gorgeous showrooms like the Phillips Collection, specializing in astonishing, organic, eco-friendly furnishings and accessories, indoors and out. “Our onsite designers are available during the hours when the Las Vegas Design Center is open,” continues McVay. “And all designers in our salon offer onehour complimentary consultations.”

Design

All you need is a desire for beauty and functionality, both of which can be found in the more than 40 showrooms throughout the stunning LVDC in downtown Las Vegas.

Taking things in another direction is my favorite, H. Studio, offering vivid, colorful furnishings full of energy, humor and a touch of pop-retro sophistication. Some

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architecture & style Design showrooms do retail business, selling directly to nonprofessionals; others are exclusively wholesale, which means you simply request that one of the onsite designers makes a purchase on your behalf. Offering great value by giving consumers access to World Market floor samples is Plume-Luxury Furniture Samples inside the Las Vegas Design Center. Shoppers can expect to find prices here on all floor samples at or below wholesale. But keep this in mind: LVDC campus wasn’t opened to the public so shoppers could stumble around in search of the Platonic ideal of home furnishings. The reality is that designers, architects and anyone in the industry can come shop for their personal needs, too. Put plainly, LVDC serves a larger role as an industry resource. “Our company is based in High Point, North Carolina,” says Emily Pannell, Phillips Collection sales manager. “Having a showroom here continues to be a great way to expand our West Coast market

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without flying designers all the way back east. We can simply bring them here.” Of course, not all licensed interior designers are happy with the fact that design centers give consumers increased insight into the art of design. Chances are if you’ve socialized with industry professionals, you’ve heard some grumbling: allowing consumers access to the design world could discourage business, as the untrained masses might start thinking they know more about design than they actually do. “We’re facilitators in the whole process, since we help bring shoppers and designers and design firms together,” states McVay. “Honestly, there are few shoppers out there brave enough to shop alone for a specific fabric to reupholster a sofa. That’s why designers are so necessary to this industry, and why they play such an important role for consumers shopping at our design center.”

those trained in high-end design as well as consumers who never had access to anything as vast as this. Once a nonprofessional begins to appreciate what LVDC offers and what a designer brings to the table, that person becomes a better informed shopper. LVDC’s monthly guided tours and instructional seminars also provide learning opportunities for those seeking a higher level of sophistication. “It’s about bringing groups of people together,” says McVay. “What we’re doing is having an impact on home décor, and if we can be one more conduit for uniting consumers and designers to create sales in our showrooms, then that’s an acrossthe-board win for the whole industry and, more importantly, for consumers.” Design Salon services are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, except designated holidays and during the bi-annual Las Vegas Market home furnishings tradeshow. For more info, visit lvdesigncenter.com.

The LVDC concept focuses on giving everyone access to exceptional design— blvdslv.com

BY aMeY eSParza

While spending time in Retro Vegas, it’s easy to pretend you are Samantha Stevens circa 1964, warming Darrin’s gin toddy over the Frigidaire Flair stove as hubby smokes his pipe in the den. The place is a veritable time machine, whisking you away from present day downtown Vegas to an earlier period of urbane style created for homes where decorating and entertaining were art forms in themselves. The furniture, art and collectibles that fill Retro Vegas are the jewels of an ongoing treasure hunt engaged in by owners Marc Comstock and Bill Johnson, who opened the boutique store in June 2008. Following careers in realty and academia respectively, the partners decided to delve more deeply into a shared appreciation and hobby— the collection of mid-century furniture and art. They moved into a fixer-upper on “furniture row” and began building relationships and acquiring inventory. Their taste and knowledge of this niche market

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go hand-in-hand, and local collectors as well as Hollywood set-designers know Retro Vegas is the place to go when looking for all things mid-century. When asked where they get the beautiful furniture, Johnson playfully quotes the 2010 comedy Please Give, “We buy it from the children of dead people.” And it’s true. A solid percentage of what they carry comes from estate sales. More than just furniture, the store is an aesthetic fun-house filled with items like brightly colored vintage plastic TV trays, one-of-a-kind lamps and Salvador Dali ties on consignment from local collector Diane Bush. They also carry ash trays so cool they would almost make smoking worth it. Furniture and objets d’art in the store range from $25 to $5,000, from eye-catching to eccentric–– everything unique and fun.

Bill Johnson reclines on vintage safa inside retro Vegas

retro Vegas is currently located at 1211 S. Main, but on March 1, 2012 they will move into a building with double the square footage at 1131 S. Main, to the delight of collectors, designers and boutique timetravelers alike.

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architecture & style

a midcentury treasure trove

Design

Retro Vegas:

EXPLORING PHOTOGRAPHIC ALTERNATIVES Holly Roberts, Darius Kuzmickas, and Diane Bush

November 18, 2011 - Januar y 8, 2012 ARTIST TALK AND CLOSING RECEPTION JANUARY 8th 3 - 5p CURATED BY: Diane Bush UNLV MARJORIE BARRICK MUSEUM

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10 am - 6 pm Thursday 10 am - 8 pm Saturday - Sunday 10 am - 4 pm Closed MONDAY and state and federal holidays.

702.895.3381 barrickmuseum.unlv.edu twitter/UNLVMuseum facebook/unlvmuseum

This exhibition is funded, in part, by Diane Bush; the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum; Cirque du Soleil速 Cultural Action Department; and by the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Images: Holly Roberts, Startled Rabbit; Darius Kuzmickas, Camera Obscura: Outside In(n) 11 The Mark Spencer Hotel, Portland; Diane Bush, Im-BLEACHment #12.

flavor dining + retail IN THIS SECTION 42 Mundo, a Latin Chic Restaurant

For a taste of Latin chic downtown, visit Mundo in the Las Vegas Design Center. With a warm ambiance, delicious food and creative cocktails, this upscale Mexican restaurant is a find indeed.

43 Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Do Lunch

Tired of the same old place for lunch? We offer three alternatives for something quick and deliciously different.

44 Must Haves For a special gift for the special folks on your list, check out these local artists and causes.

48 IMHO Dayvid Figler shares his thoughts on the evolution of downtown.

* Share your photos that define FLAVOR in Las Vegas; email them to editor@blvdslv.com.

< Fine art photograph by Jana Cruder, available at BrettWesleyGallery.com

Latin Chic Brings the Heat Downtown By JiLLian PLaster Desperation for good eats in the downtown area has driven this foodie to Mundo at least 20 times in their first two years of business. Though modifications to the menu have been made since their opening, the food has remained consistently good. This is due to the attentive and ever present Executive Chef, Robert Solano, who one may or may not recognize from La Madonna, his nearly identical restaurant in the Valley’s southwest that closed prior to the opening of Mundo. The ambiance is warm, with hanging metal lanterns, a welcoming marble bar and massive seasonal fresh flower arrangements at the entrance. Aside from the depressing

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bathroom located in the hallway of the furniture mart, attention to detail sweeps every corner of the restaurant.

and green chile hollandaise. For $20 you can indulge in bottomless mimosas or Bloody Marys.

The atmosphere would be reason enough to come back, at least for a drink, but the food is just as likely to inspire consequent visits. The chicken tortilla soup appetizer is an incredibly flavored broth seasoned with epazote that gives the soup a rich, full-bodied taste and deep red hue. Another excellent starter is the queso fundido ($12), a combination of four melted cheeses garnished with oven roasted cherry tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and a serrano chile drizzle.

Fantastic daily drink and food specials are also a recent development. On Mondays you can enjoy a complimentary margarita made from Alien tequila and fresh sweet and sour with any food purchase. Tuesdays offer complimentary wine tasting and Thursdays complimentary tequila tasting. On Wednesdays and Fridays you can get half off all appetizers and house cocktails, with a complimentary first cocktail on Fridays. The drinks here are stellar and worth the indulgence—especially when free.

Top entrees include the seared scallops and pork tenderloin medallions. The scallops are expertly crusted in avocado leaf and served over spicy Mexican rice. The pork tenderloin is one of the spicier dishes on the menu, as it is coated with an intense ancho chile rub. The tamarind glaze and mango relish help balance the dish with a sweetness that cools the pallet. Mundo’s success has meant the restaurant is now open seven days a week, offering a tasty brunch on the weekends. The benedict Mexicano is a delicious take on the classic, consisting of moist jalapeño corn bread, a poached egg, pork carnitas

For the value and convenience of parking, Mundo is a great find in the downtown area. It has a well-deserved reputation for serving some of the better upscale Mexican fare in town, and continues proving itself over time. Once the Smith Center for the Performing Arts opens across the street, it will surely become a popular place for a pre-theater dinner, so visit now! Mundo, a Latin Chic Restaurant (Inside Las Vegas Design Center) 495 S. Grand Central Parkway Suite A116, Las Vegas 702.270.4400

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Digital Living

If you’re looking to break out of your lunchtime routine, we recommend these delicious, quick and memorable options.

Tech Sense: Apptico

Hot n’ Juicy Crawfish Hot n’ Juicy Crawfish is definitely the messiest eatery in town, but all the more fun because of it. Though this Chinatown restaurant, which features freshly steamed crawfish, crab, and shrimp, may not be the ideal place for a white collar power lunch, if you decide to roll up your sleeves and slap on a bib you’ll be rewarded with delicious seafood at a reasonable price. Diners are free to choose heat level as well as the style of seasoning: Louisiana Style, Juicy Cajun, Garlic Butter or Lemon Pepper. By the time you’re finished with a meal here, it looks like Hurricane Katrina has hit your table leaving a mass of wet, crumpled paper towels in her wake. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty in the name of taste, Hot n’ Juicy is as dirty and tasty as it gets. 4810 Spring Mountain Rd., Ste C-D Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 891-8889 hotnjuicycrawfish.com

Monta Japanese Noodle House The best soup in town is located at the tiniest restaurant in Vegas. Monta offers four types of ramen to choose from; Tonkatsu (rich, cloudy, almost creamy broth); Shoyu (light and delicate soy sauce-based broth); Tonkatsu/Shoyu Mix (perfection); and Miso. All four types of the ramen cost around $7 and come with fresh, chewy noodles, chasu (tender, roasted, fatty pork), scallions, kikurage (mushroom), takenoko (bamboo shoots), and scallions. You can then customize your ramen with little extras that include a perfectly coddled egg cooked in broth (a must), butter, more pork, and Takana, pickled mustard leaf. For even more flavor you can add some of the accoutrement residing in your condiment tray such as pickled ginger strips and minced garlic. 5030 Spring Mountain Rd., Ste 6 Las Vegas, NV 89146 (702) 367-4600 montaramen.com

Sato-ya The restaurant has plenty of charm, but there is nothing fancy about this hole-in-the-wall save the large origami swans at the entrance. Sato-ya has a limited sushi menu, but even the Americanized rolls compete in flavor with more traditional offerings. The warm garlic butter shrimp roll is a fine example of ItalianJapanese fusion, and the spicy yellowtail roll is made with large chunks of the freshest fish rather than the usual mushy mincemeat that graces the inside of a spicy “anything” roll. Foodies will be sold on this place after their first bite, leaving them to question why it hasn’t received more press. Now that you know, however, let’s keep the place our little secret. Shhhh....2550 S. Rainbow Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89146 (702) 222-9617 satoyajapaneserestaurant.ebizz.net By JiLLian PLaster

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FLAVOR dining & retail

Let’s Do Lunch!

The game is tied with four minutes left in the period, and you suddenly crave nachos. You consider heading to the concourse for your snack, but don’t want to miss the action. Stay put. There’s an app for that. Just download the Stadiyum! application; click-in to the event; identify your seat; place and pay for your order; and start munching before the horn sounds. The app is from Apptico (www.apptico.com) and launched with four Las Vegas venues: The Orleans Arena, Thomas & Mack Center, Cox Pavilion and Sam Boyd Stadium. Apptico president Paul Grossi said other local venues are coming soon, with interest from about 15 more across the country. “We have big plans for more installations, as a lot of venues are excited and awaiting the rollout,” he said. In addition to ordering food and beverages, customers can also order merchandise from souvenir stands and watch video clips of the event they’re attending. Customers pay with a credit card, and a $1 service charge is added to the order. Grossi said he anticipates paid sponsorship of the app will cover that cost in the near future. Stadiyum! is available for iPhone, Android-, Windows-, and WebOs-powered phones. Venues pay a small set-up fee and agree to have servers ready to deliver the goods.

By aL GiBes Share your tech tips with Al Gibes at: al@theonlineguy.com.

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dining & retail FLAVOR

Must Haves For special gifts for the folks on your list, check out these local artists and causes.

Ceramic Jewelry >

< Mixed Media Jewelry Local interior and architectural designer Durette Candito has created unique mixed media jewelry. You can find these at Urban Ranch General Store at 6985 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 105. urbanranchgeneralstore.com

Handcrafted, kiln-fired and glazed ceramic jewelry created by local middle-school art teacher Sierra Slentz. Available at Trifecta Gallery, located in the Arts Factory at Charleston and Arts Way, 107 E. Charleston Blvd. trifectagallery.com

< AFAN Piggy Bank Adopt a five inch ceramic piggy bank, fatten it up with coins or paper money, and return it with a full tummy to its family at the AFAN office. AFAN is now personalizing itty bitty piggies to help kiddos learn the true meaning of fundraising, and they are encouraging parents with children ages nine and younger to purchase personalized baby piggies to teach our little leaders of tomorrow the value of giving back. afanlv.org/every-piggy-counts

< Fine Art Sculpture Local printmaker and artist Robert Arnold has been using his engineering background to create unique mixed media mobiles and “stabiles.” Proceeds from the sales of Arnold’s works benefit Grey Hound Pet Adoption Las Vegas. His work can be found at Gaia Flowers, Gifts, Art, 4 E. Charleston Blvd., gaiaflowers.com

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< Joseph James Brewing Company A great choice for winter, Red Fox Russian Imperial Stout is brewed with chocolate and roasted barley malts. Brewed in Southern Nevada, Joseph James offers a wide variety of beers, ales and lagers available at area Whole Foods, Lee’s Liquor, Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits and other locations. foxbrews.com

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FLAVOR dining & retail

Mid-Century Cinderblock© Jewelry > Customizable necklaces made by local elementary-school art teacher Mary Beth Heishman. Unique sterling silver-casted pendants inspired by Las Vegas neighborhoods. etsy.com/shop/iadornu

Glorious Gift Baskets > Gaia Flowers, Gifts, Art specializes in sustainable floral arrangements and locally made products, like this gift basket featuring Enchanted Cove Couture Apothecary lotion, luxury bathing bar and pure soy candle. Visit Gaia at 4 E. Charleston Blvd. gaiaflowers.com

< Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 20 bag tin set This holiday season, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is supporting one of its favorite non-profits, Keep Memory Alive, with a custom-blended tea. The 20-bag tin will sell for $19.95, of which 100% of the sales price will be donated directly to the charity. Locations: Canyon Pointe in Summerlin, The District in Green Valley and Town Square on Las Vegas Boulevard and I-215. There are only 250 tins of tea; shop early! coffeebean.com

Bloomin’ Desert Herb Farm > Teas, culinary and medicinal herbs, all grown in Henderson, Nevada. Available at Fresh52 at Tivoli Village on Saturdays, Fresh 52 in Green Valley on Sundays, and at the newest incarnation of Mario Batali’s “Bet on the Farm” inside the Springs Preserve. bloomindesert1@yahoo.com

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soaring new media

Creative, Distinctive and Innovative Communications. • Traditional and social media • Oral and written communications • Media relations/crisis communications • Merger communications, brand, market and product launches, employee and customer communications and viral campaigns.

Victoria Soares 702.203.0002 twitter: @SmileyVegas soaringnewmedia.com

ATOMIC TESTING MUSEUM An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution

$2.00 OFF GENERAL ADMISSION Not to be combined with any other offer. An Affiliate of the

Smithsonian Institution Museum Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm Experience History and Science by the Megaton Sunday 12-5pm

Miss Atomic Bomb

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Mon–Sat 9am–5pm • Sun 1pm–5pm 755 E. Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89119 755 E. Flamingo Road 794-5161 (Just East of Paradise Road, South Side) atomictestingmuseum.org

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Dr. Haslett specializes in general Gynecology, General Obstetrics, Essure, Adolescent Gynecology, Abnormal Bleeding, Pelvic Pain, Abnormal PAPS, Menopause, Bioidenticals, Fibroids, Ovarian Cysts, Contraception, and educating women. Accepting most insurances. Katrina Haslett, MD, PC 2940 South Jones, Suite C Las Vegas, NV 89146 243-0202

Mikel Patrik

SLEEK SIMPLE SEXY Dramatic geometric abstract original paintings available from 5”x5” to over 60”x60”. Custom sizes and colors available upon request. Printed reproductions also available. Visit mikelpatrik.com to explore the limitless opportunities. 520 E. Fremont St., Ste. 184 Las Vegas, NV 89101 622-0727 mikelpatrik.com

THE ONLINE GUY

Al Gibes

•Technology coach for businesses and individuals. •Will help you cut through the confusion and be relevant in the digital world. •Reporting on the Internet and new technology for 13 years. al@theonlineguy.com 702-580-6872 TheOnlineGuy.com

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Launching BLVDs’ new editorial page iMHO (in My Humble Opinion), downtown booster Dayvid Figler opines on Vegas past and present. By DayViD FiGLer The tingle is palpable. An odd statement befitting a B-movie tagline or a private exchange between doctor and patient. Though when I walk or drive or ride my bicycle along the very public pathways that criss-cross the urban core of Las Vegas—the downtown of America’s most curious city-state experiment—lately, I can’t help but notice . . . the tingle. It wasn’t always this way. Growing up nearby in the shadow of the Riviera hotel, downtown was just up the road and starting to become a little too seedy. This was the mid-1970s and the then-bustling Boulevard Mall and Maryland Square—much closer to the UNLV—had started to draw the citizenry down and away from the old pharmacy counters, cool movie theaters and department stores of a generation earlier downtown. Fremont Street had become a low-end gambling tourist destination, a sporadic buffet dinner with my parents at the Mint; or a naughty, possibly dangerous excursion on my Schwinn when my parents weren’t home. Fremont was not so clean anymore. The old art house movie theaters on the side streets had turned to porn; the beautiful neon

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Eventually, Maryland Parkway gave way to even farther away commercial developments. The minds (and dollars) of the every decade-doubling population began to forget the roots. With few exceptions, downtown became a chore; a place to grab a lawyer or pay a traffic ticket. The city elders struggled for anything to save it. I can’t imagine the meeting where someone said, “Hey man, let’s put up a giant canopy, yeah, a canopy that flashes with psychedelic lights and plays classic rock!” Good and bad ideas were implemented alike; investments were made, and while arguably successful in keeping downtown on the grid, lasting inspiration was elusive. At best, those of us who moved downtown were cautiously optimistic. Birds of a fledgling feather. Slowly waiting for the . . . tingle? And now it’s here. Pick a random night (or day) and there is bustling. East Fremont is a wall of people; parking is at a premium; hip bicycle masses gather! Sure, the old guard of sadness still wanders about, but they’re outnumbered. Enthusiastic dreamers and benevolent schemers are drawn downtown because something is happening apart from the rapid development. It’s a Willy Wonka

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IMHO

signs on motel row (east Fremont East), had begun to literally lose their luster; the famously depicted first streets of Las Vegas had become mischievous car cruises for my friends. A front row seat to the human parade of the downtrodden and lost. Shuttered buildings. In a word, the cradle of our Las Vegas civilization, the glitter gulched beacon had become . . . sad.

Dayvid Figler at the Downtown rtC Bike Center

adventure that took us through the scary tunnel into the world of pure imagination. In a hometown where constant reinvention and development has hampered the identification of pride, the answer was here all along. Downtown has been the artifact buried under years of “what’s next?” The one that explains “why Vegas; why us?” Finally, the gem has been rediscovered. It’s a marvel to see. The trick, however, is to cultivate and display it with equal parts reverence and innovation; to supplant the tingle of its shine with sustainable pride. It’s a new downtown excursion. The bells of the bicycles chiming the melody of a vibrant ride. A wonderful movie. A possible cure to some of our ills. Dayvid Figler is a downtown booster, lawyer and coffee lover. He produces Las Vegas’ preeminent storytelling series, tHe teLL.

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Help Us Accomplish Our Diamond Studded Goal

Visit www.whyranch.org to donate or find more information, or call our office at 702.644.9177

White Horse Youth Ranch (WHY Ranch) invites you to help us end 2011 with a kick and ring in 2012 with a cheer! WHY Ranch offers Clark County’s only free specialized horsemanship and riding program called “Diamonds in the Rough.” This unique program provides underprivileged Las Vegas youth, ages 8-18, a rare opportunity to experience a safe, healing and inspirational environment where a horse becomes a trusted friend. WHY Ranch develops the leaders of tomorrow by guiding students through learning new life skills which transfer into every area of their lives. We see our students demonstrating a higher level of respect for themselves, others and the community in which we all live. Currently we have 23 children in our life-changing “Diamonds in the Rough” program offered at our partner facilities; Cowboy Trail Rides which is out at beautiful Red Rock State Park and Four Views Equestrian in the Gilcrease area. Each partner provides the location and the horses and we bring our unique program and life changing philosophical approach. In 2012, our capital campaign will be successfully completed allowing us to have our own ranch facility and horses from which to offer our program to 100’s of children per month! Please contact us to ﬁnd out more about our hope-infused program which offers children unique and valuable experiences that result in their hearts being healed, their minds being inspired and our western heritage being preserved. Contact WHY Ranch today to learn how you can help us make a positive impact upon our Las Vegas youth!

whyranch.org

(702) 644-9177

Cadillac

We Don’t Just Sell Luxury Cars, We Sell Cadillac’s

2012 CADILLAC SRX. Brains meets brawn meets beauty. Its potent, new 308 HP power plant is the most powerful engine standard in any luxury crossover. While its brilliant, available glide-up navigation system will make you feel like the future got here early. Each new standard leads to another. See how it all connects at www.ﬁndlaycadillac.com