DAVID by Max Friedland

w w w. d a v i d l v. c o m D E C E M B E R 2 013

LITTLE BLACK DRESS 2013 JAVA VERSE & RHYMES HITTING THE SLOPES CHAMPAGNE & FIREWORKS

GRAND EXPECTATIONS HOTEL CEO SETH SCHORR TAKES US DOWNTOWN

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T H E

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THE VENETIAN LAS VEGAS presents

LA CUCINA ITALIANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL DECEMBER 5-8, 2013 Winter in Venice – in conjunction with Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada and with La Cucina Italiana Magazine – is offering a landmark collaboration of the best Italian chefs on these shores and in Italy. Join us and indulge in four days of colorful events and sumptuous culinary experiences.

For event and ticket information: venetian.com/lacucina 702.414.9000

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Megan Milligan

Robyn Andrzejczak

DECEMBER

pulse

live

think

grill

12 explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay

26 know CEO Seth Schorr takes us on the grand tour of the recently opened Downtown Grand. He gives us his perspective on the property’s metamorphosis from vacant hulk to hipster boutique hotel.

42 High Spirited Max Solano, mixologist and beverage manager at Emeril’s Delmonico Steakhouse kicks it up for this holiday season.

58 Santa Ron, An accidental Santa. The month’s spotlight on someone to know.

22 discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the World

32 sense Of vagabonds and poets, Las Vegas boasts a vibrant poetry scene.

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52 Auld Lang Syne... Every now and then it is cool to call Las Vegas home. This is especially true on New Year’s Eve.

LITTLE BLACK DRESS 2013 JAVA VERSE & RHYMES HITTING THE SLOPES

on the cover

CHAMPAGNE & FIREWORKS

GRAND

D E C E M B E R 2013

Seth Schorr, CEO Downtown Grand, Las Vegas Photo by Steven Wilson

EXPECTATIONS

www.davidlv.com

36 play Tired of hitting the tables, why not dust off the old ski and snowboarding equipment and hit the slopes. There are excellent trails just a short drive from your doorstep.

The Little Black Dress In 1926 Coco Chanel shocked the fashion world by making widows wear fit for the most elegant cocktail party.

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20 desire Sin City abounds in world-class shopping ... these are a few of our favorite things

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18 devour Where to find some of the best eats, drinks and foodie happenings in the Valley

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Copyright 2013 by JewishINK LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. DAVID MAGAZINE is protected as a trademark in the United States. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we are under no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged for in writing. DAVID MAGAZINE is a monthly publication. All information regarding editorial content or property for sale is deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.

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A N

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AB HO W

MANAG E D

C O MMUNI T Y

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Nevada’s only Funeral Home and Cemetery combination dedicated exclusively to the Jewish Community

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Publisher/Editor Associate Publisher

Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIALllllllll

Calendar Editor

• Southern Nevada consecrated Jewish cemetery • Proudly serving all Jewish denominations • Elegant 250 seat Allen Brewster Memorial Chapel • Knowledgeable and caring Jewish staff • Special Veterans Pricing Plan • Special Synagogue Pricing Plan • Burials out-of-state and Eretz Yisrael

Copy Editor Pulse Editor Contributing Writers

Brianna Soloski

brianna@davidlv.com

Pat Teague Marisa Finetti Marisa Finetti Jaq Greenspon Marilyn LaRocque Valerie Miller Brian Sodoma Nikki Stephens Lynn Wexler

Endorsed by the entire Rabbinic community, meeting the needs of every denomination with tradition and compassion.

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

Contributing Photographer

Tonya Harvey

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director Account Executive Jay Poster Funeral Director, Manager & Founder

Irv Weinberger Counselor, Family Services

Sheryl Chenin-Webb Counselor, Family Services

Kacia-Dvorkin Pretty Counselor, Family Services

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

Gina Cinque

gina@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS 702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com

Volume 04 Number 08 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

To advertise in DAVID Magazine, call 702-254-2223 or email ads@davidlv.com To subscribe to DAVID Magazine, call 702.254-2223 or email subscibe@davidlv.com

A Dignity Memorial® Provider

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DAVID Magazine sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This copy of DAVID Magazine was printed by American Web in Denver, Colo., on paper from well-managed forests which meet EPA guidelines that recommend use of recovered fibers for coated papers. Inks used contain a blend of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards and is a certified member of both the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. When you are done with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it.

Chanukah brings light into our lives. When

THIS

you make a generous donation to the Jewish Federation, you share that light with

CHANUKAH,

those who need it most right now. Help an

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unemployed neighbor learn new job skills. Deliver hot meals to a homebound senior. Give a young child a Jewish book. Send a young jewish adult to israel. Your gift to the Jewish Federation does all of that and much more. Be the light at www.jewishlasvegas.com or call 732-0556

IN SOMEONEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LIFE.

Happy Chanukah

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contributors

Marisa Finetti is a local writer, marketing professional and blogger. The Tokyoborn Finetti has called Las Vegas home since 2005. She has written for such publications as Spirit and Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and has a healthy-living blog at bestbewell. com. When she’s not writing, Finetti enjoys family time with her husband and two boys.

Jaq Greenspon is a noted local journalist, screenwriter and author with credits on The New Adventures of Robin Hood and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also is a literary and movie critic, has taught and written about filmmaking but is most proud of his role in the film, Lotto Love. A Vegas resident for most of his life, his native language is Hebrew, but he doesn’t speak it anymore.

8 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

Tonya Harvey hails from Fontana CA but now makes Las Vegas home base. Photography by Tonya Harvey was founded in 2003 as a part-time business. In 2009, she left the Las Vegas Review Journal to realize her longtime passion of running her own professional photographic business full time. Tonya’s projects focus mainly weddings, portraits, and events.

Marilyn LaRocque is Contributing Editor for Gastronomique en Vogue and former Senior Food and Wine Editor for LUXURY Las Vegas. She’s traveled extensively around the world, visiting great wine regions and enjoying fantastic food. She’s also Vice Chargée de Presse Nationale des Etats Unis for Chaîne des Rôtisseurs USA.

Valerie Miller is a journalist based in Southern Nevada. She writes for media outlets including David Magazine, Bloomberg News and the Henderson Press. A University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate, Valerie was a staff writer for the Las Vegas Business Press and the Las Vegas ReviewJournal. Originally from Chicago, Valerie has hosted a local radio music show, and is the Small Business Administration Nevada’s Michael Graham Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner.

Lynn Wexler has been a feature writer and contributor for magazines and newspapers, locally and nationally, for over 20 years. She writes a monthly online column entitled Manners in the News, which comments on the behavior of politicians, celebrities and others thrust in the public arena. She is the Founder and President of Perfectly Poised, a school of manners that teaches social, personal and business etiquette to young people. She is a former TV Reporter and News Anchor. Of her many accomplishments, she is most proud of her three outstanding teenaged children.

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Affordable classes. Flexible times. Subjects by request. > Browse personal and professional classes and sign up at continuingeducation.unlv.edu

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from the publisher It’s that time of year, folks. Before we pop the corks and ring in the New Year, let’s review some of the events that will mark 2013 as a time of tumult and transition. Afterward, perhaps, you’ll understand why we included so many liquor references in this issue. A wave of couples wed in Maryland just after midnight on Jan. 1, as that state’s same-sex marriage law took effect. “This is better than I even imagined it could be,” said Nina Nethery, who tied the knot with Ruth Siegel, her partner of 15 years, at 12:02 a.m. Other states, buttressed by U.S. Supreme Court rulings, enacted similar legislation as the nation moved closer to full civil rights recognition. At February’s end, Pope Benedict XVI resigned, precipitating the first instance in more than 600 years that white smoke would rise without a previous pontiff’s demise. History was made March 13, as the first Latin American pope was elected. Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, a chemist by training and public transit-riding Jesuit (now called Pope Francis), quickly set about reformulating the church. On April 2, two homemade bombs at the Boston Marathon killed three and injured 264. The hunt for the perpetrators virtually shut down a major U.S. city. What began as a shocking tragedy became a triumphant narrative of human survival. Is anyone, by now, still unfamiliar with Edward Snowden’s name, the goings-on at the National Security Agency or the fugitive computer specialist’s safe haven search that landed him in Russia? Some call him a traitor, others a hero, for his release of highly classified U.S. documents he considers emblematic of eavesdropping gone amok. In July, Egypt took center stage — again — with the ouster of Mohamed Morsi, its elected Muslim Brotherhood president. The boys in military green are back, and a general is running the show — again. Simultaneously, Syria’s savage civil war continued apace, as the U.S. demanded an accounting of the regime’s chemical arsenal — some of it used to kill men, women and children — in exchange for stopping a payback attack on Damascus. In September, Islamic militants attacked Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, killing 62 and wounding more than 170. French forces, evoking colonial times for some, re-entered the African continent to restore law and order in jihadist Mali. Mother Nature showed her might and fueled the climate change debate again, lashing northern India, Canada’s Alberta Province, La Plata in Argentina and large swaths of the U.S., while unleashing modern history’s biggest, perhaps most destructive storm on the vast Philippine archipelago. Finally, for obvious reasons, I won’t go into our national political mess. So drink up, my merry mates. Let’s celebrate a New Year that offers the promise of good things to come. If we party hard enough, that might just be the case. Happy New Year! Max Friedland max@davidlv.com 10 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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pulse explore @ 12 devour @ 18 desire @ 20 discover @ 22

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS 12.28

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eXplore L A S

Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com JOURNEY OF THE HEART BY JANE ASARI: Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 am.-6 p.m, free. Spring Valley Library, 4280 South Jones Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-5073820. lvccld.org

V E G A S

ANNUAL WOODTURNERS EXHIBITION: Through Dec. 8, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, Las Vegas. 702-507-3860. lvccld.org PRIMITIVE CONTEMPORARY BY SHARI BRAY: Through Dec. 8, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Enterprise Library, 25 East Shelbourne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3760. lvccld.org MOODS IN COLOR BY RITA STEFFEN: Through Dec. 3, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Windmill Library, 7060 West Windmill Lane, Las Vegas. 702-507-6030. lvccld.org GLIMPS BY SONYA YOUNG: Through Dec. 10, Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., free. Centennial Hills Library, 6711 North Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas. 702507-6100. lvccld.org CATHRYN SUGG - “CHAUVINISM AT WORK: ROLE EVOLUTION?”: Through Dec. 6, Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. & Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free. CSN Cheyenne Campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-6514146. csn.edu/pac GLITTERING LIGHTS AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY: Through Jan. 15, Mon.-Thu. 5:309 p.m. & Fri.-Sun. 5:30-10 p.m., $15-$20. Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd. N., Las Vegas. 702-644-4444. lvms.com

MAROON 5: Through Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $99.50-$224.50. Mandalay Bay Events Center, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 855-693-5177. mandalaybay.com

December 1

ETHEL M CHOCOLATES HOLIDAY CACTUS GARDEN: Through Jan. 1, 5 p.m., free. Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Garden, 2 Cactus Drive, Henderson. ethelm.com WINTER IN VENICE: Through Jan. 5, free. The Venetian and Palazzo, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. venetian.com/wiv COSMOPOLITAN ICE RINK: Through Jan. 5, Mon.-Fri. 3 p.m.-midnight & Sat.-Sun. 12 p.m.-midnight, $10-$15. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 800-627-7468. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

MYSTIC FALLS WINTER WONDERLAND: Through Jan. 1, free. Sam's Town, 5111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas. 702-456-7777. samstown.com SISTERS CHRISTMAS CATECHISM “THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI’S GOLD”: 2 & 6 p.m., $35+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com AN EVENING OF POP AND DOO WOP: 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com HENRY ASENCIO, “RAVISHING”: 11 a.m., free. Exclusive Collections Gallery at Caesars

JFSA LIGHT OF LIFE MENORAH LIGHTING: 5:30 p.m., free. Magical Forest at Opportunity Village, 6300 West Oakey Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-732-0304. jewishlasvegas.com

ITALIAN ART — FROM ETRUSCAN TO MODERN: 11 a.m., free. Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-483-6055. keepmemoryalive.org DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS’ ORCHESTRA: 7:30 p.m., $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn. edu/pac YOGA WITH JEWEL: 7 p.m., free. Amanda Harris Gallery of Contemporary Art, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. marni@ jewishlasvegas.com jewishlasvegas.com

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‑ THE THERAPY CONTINUES: Through Dec. 8, times vary, $25+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. thesmithcenter.com 2013 NFR COWBOY CHRISTMAS GIFT SHOW: Through Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., free. Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-892-0711. lvcva.com 2013 WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO: Through Dec. 14, times vary, costs vary. Thomas and Mack Center, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-895-3761. thomasandmack.com COUNTRY CHRISTMAS: Through Dec. 15, 10 a.m., free. Sands Convention Center, 201 Sands Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-733-5556. sandsexpo.com COWBOY MARKETPLACE GIFT SHOW: Through Dec. 14, 10 a.m., free. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6327777. mandalaybay.com

Wynonna and the Big Noise 12.6

A MARI-ACHI CHRISTMAS: 7:30 p.m., $26+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com UNLV HILLEL MENORAH LIGHTING: 5:30 - 6 p.m., Pida Plaza, UNLV. andrewspivak@ jewishlasvegas.com

27TH ANNUAL FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN HOEDOWN: 4:30 p.m., free. Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-678-5777. vegasexperience.com JEWISH SENIOR SINGLES: 6:30 p.m., free. For more information, call Jeanne Schomaker at 702-233-8618. ethelm.com

JEWISH FEDERATION ANNUAL MEETING: 7 p.m., free. Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane, Las Vegas. info@ jewishlasvegas.com

RON WHITE: Through Dec. 7 & Dec. 13-14, 10 p.m., $59.99-$79.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-792-7777. mirage.com WYNONNA AND THE BIG NOISE: Through Dec. 7, 8 p.m., $74.95. Orleans, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com

LA CUCINA ITALIANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL: Through Dec. 8, times & prices vary. The Venetian, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-414-9000. venetian.com/ lacucina

Come in for Holiday Favorites Jelly Donuts Potato Pancakes

RODNEY CARRINGTON: Through Dec. 14, 9 p.m., $69.99-$89.99. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-7777. mgmgrand.com

301 N. Buffalo Drive 255-3444

YOUNG ISRAEL AISH YEAR END COCKTAIL PARTY HOSTED BY THE MILLMANS: 7 p.m., $180. Palms Place Penthouse, 4381 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-360-8909. yaishlv.com MY MOTHER’S ITALIAN, MY FATHER’S JEWISH & I’M HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

HAPPY Chanukah

www.thebagelcafelv.com

Ron White 12.6-7

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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Willie Nelson 12. 10-11

RAINBOW COMPANY YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS “SCROOGE, THE MUSICAL”: Through Dec. 15, times vary, $5. Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 South Brush Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-6383. artslasvegas.org

ETHEL M CHOCOLATES HOLIDAY CACTUS GARDEN: Through Jan. 1, 5 p.m., free. Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Garden, 2 Cactus Drive, Henderson. ethelm.com DOODLEBUG CRAFT BAZAAR: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., free. Boulder City Recreation Center, 900 Arizona Street, Boulder City. ethelm.com

GRETCHEN WILSON: Through Dec. 7, 10 p.m., $42.90-$108.90. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. goldennugget.com CLINT HOLMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Through Dec. 8, 2 & 8:30 p.m., $35+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

LAS VEGAS GREAT SANTA RUN: 8 a.m., $25-$40. Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. http:// opportunityvillage.donordrive.com/ index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive. event&eventID=500

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

MARK & MERCEDES' NOT SO SILENT NIGHT: 7 p.m., $29.50. Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

ALL 4 ONE: Through Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com

Tickets: 702.749.2000 NevadaBallet.org

BILL ENGVALL: Encore show Dec. 13. 9 p.m., $59.95. Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

December 14 – 22, 2013

FALL DANCE CONCERT: Through Dec. 7, times vary, $8-$10. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas. 702-6515483. csn.edu/pac BEYONCE WORLD TOUR - THE MRS. CARTER SHOW: 8 p.m., $62.10-$277.15. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-7800. mgmgrand.com

LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC — POPS II —WE LOVE THE HOLIDAYS: 7:30 p.m., cost TBA. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

DWIGHT YOAKAM: Through Dec. 9, 10 p.m., $86.90-$163.90. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. goldennugget.com JNF SUNDAY BRUNCH ON THE EASTSIDE: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Congregation Ner Tamid, 55 N. Valle Verde Blvd., Henderson. 702-4346505. jberkowitz@jnf.org

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JAZZ COMBOS & JAZZ SINGERS: 2 p.m., $5$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

WILLIE NELSON: Through Dec. 11, 10 p.m., $130.90-$218.90. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. goldennugget.com

BIG BAND & STEEL DRUM CONCERT: 7:30 p.m., $5-$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

MERLE HAGGARD: Through Dec. 13, 10 p.m., $86.90-$174.90. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. goldennugget.com WINTER CHORAL CONCERT: 7:30 p.m., $5$8. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on the Cheyenne campus, 3200 East Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas. 702-651-5483. csn.edu/pac

COMEDIAN TOM DREESEN IN “AN EVENING OF LAUGHTER AND STORIES OF SINATRA”: Through Dec. 14, 7 p.m., $39+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

SINBAD: Through Dec. 14, 8 p.m., $49.95. Orleans, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com SHOES FOR CHILDREN DRIVE AND BENEFIT PERFORMANCES: Through Dec. 14, times vary. Admission is one new pair of childrens shoes. West Las Vegas Library, 951 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-5073980. lvccld.org CULINARY CLASH MASTER CHEF COMPETITION & MASTERS OF MIXOLOGY: Through Dec. 14, times & prices vary. The Venetian, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-414-9000. venetian.com THE BLACK CROWES: 8 p.m., $39.50. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

MARTIN NIEVERA: Through Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com MONTGOMERY GENTRY & CHARLIE DANIELS BAND: 9:30 p.m., $10-$60. Orleans Arena, 4500 Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. orleansarena.com THE NUTCRACKER: Through Dec. 22, times vary, $52+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com

The Nutcracker 12.14-22 www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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contact Mimi Katz at mimikat@cox.net ethelm.com

LAS VEGAS CHALLENGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Through Dec. 19, times vary, $8-$10. Orleans Arena, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7469. orleansarena.com

DEANA MARTIN: Through Dec. 22, 2 & 7 p.m., $37+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com THE 10 TENORS: Through Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com

21 Merle Haggard 12.12-13

HOUSE OF BLUES 20TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS THIRD EYE BLIND: 8 p.m., $31$35. House of Blues, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. houseofblues.com/ lasvegas JUNIOR ACHEIVEMENT SUITE HOLIDAYS EVENT: Time TBA, $100. Palms Hotel, 4321 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. jalasvegas.org

LAS VEGAS FOOD & WINE TASTE OF THE TOWN: 12 p.m., $50. Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7111. bellagio.com

CONTINENTAL TIRE LAS VEGAS CLASSIC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Through Dec. 23, times vary, ticket packages start at $50. Orleans Arena, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. orleansarena.com

CARNIVAL OF CUSINE BENEFITTING THE THREE SQUARE FOOD BANK: 1-4 p.m., $60-$85. The Venetian & Palazzo, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-414-9000. venetian.com or palazzo.com

KOMP TOTALLY POLITICALLY CORRECT HOLIDAY BASH: 7 p.m., $39.50. Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-6935000. hardrockhotel.com DANNY WRIGHT “JUST WRIGHT FOR THE HOLIDAYS”: 2 & 7 p.m., $30+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com

HOLIDAY SPECIAL TOPIC — SEASON OF LIGHT: 11 a.m., free. Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-483-6055. keepmemoryalive.org TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM ACTIVE SENIORS: Guest Speaker: Jon Ralston. 1:30 p.m., free. Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane, Las Vegas. For more information,

Britney Spears 12.27-31

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STEVE MILLER BAND & THE DOOBIE BROTHERS: 7:30 p.m., $59.50. Hard Rock, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-6935000. hardrockhotel.com KENNY B: 7:30 & 10:30 p.m., $48-$128. Wynn Theater, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. wynnlasvegas.com

CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER: Through Dec. 30, 10 p.m., $65.99-$95.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com BRUNO MARS: Encore Dec. 31, 9 p.m., $95-$150. The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY: Through Dec. 30, 8 p.m., $19.95. Orleans, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-365-7075. orleanscasino.com

30 Bruno Mars 12.29-31

JFLV - JEWEL SERVES XMAS LUNCH AT SHADE TREE: 11 a.m., free. Shade Tree Shelter, 1 West Owens Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-732-0304. jewishlasvegas.com

FLEETWOOD MAC: 8 p.m., $99.50-$224.50. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-1111. mgmgrand.com

MAROON 5: Through Dec. 31, 8 p.m., $99.50$224.50. Mandalay Bay Events Center, 3950

Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com IMAGINE DRAGONS: 8 p.m., $79.50. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

31 NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT WITH KRISTIN CHENOWETH: 7:30 p.m., $49+. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2000. thesmithcenter.com THE SWON BROTHERS: 8 p.m., $114-$149. Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & Bar-B-Que at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7722. treasureisland.com KELLY CLINTON: 12 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com VEGAS SUPER BAND NEW YEAR'S PARTY: 10 p.m., $29.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7075. suncoast.com

To submit your event information, email calendar@ davidlv.com by the 15th of the month prior to the month in which the event is being held.

JERRY SEINFELD: Through Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m., $75-$150. Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com

JOE ROGAN: 10 p.m., $39.99-$49.99. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-792-7777. mirage.com MICHAEL FLOHR, "NIGHT ON THE TOWN": Through Dec. 29, times vary, free. Exclusive Collections Gallery at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com BRITNEY SPEARS: Through Dec. 31, time TBA, $59-$179. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 877-333-9474. planethollywoodresort.com

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KWANZAA 2013 - “A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN VALUES, CULTURE, & COMMUNITY”: 11 a.m., free. West Las Vegas Library, 951 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-229-4800. artslasvegas.org Body Contouring.indd 1

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Korean BBQ – Tofu Hut When outdoor grilling season gives way to indoor feasting time, nothing beats the Korean barbecue. Roasting beef and chicken on gas or charcoal grills built right into the table offers patrons a chance for a savory repast and a social gathering. A hidden gem in Chinatown is Tofu Hut. Forget the aesthetics. This joint’s all about the food. For about $17, the all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ is a treat for any hungry belly. Choose from short ribs, marinated rib eye, spicy chicken and brisket, paired with plenty of traditional sides, including kimchee and a crunchy green leaf and cabbage salad. And if you’re still hungry after 10 p.m., the price of the buffet is reduced. Happy grilling! Tofu Hut, 3920 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas. 702-257-0072

Duck & Waffles, Anyone? Yes, leave it to chef Brian Massie of FIX Restaurant & Bar to turn a simple American soul food dish into a culinary delight. He just added this and other new delectable items to the menu for the 2013 fall and winter dining season. Also new to the bill of fare are crispy truffle foccacia and chorizo-stuffed dates; or try a long-time favorite, the Very Adult Mac & Cheese, with truffle oil, prosciutto and four cheeses. When your sweet tooth kicks in, savor warm, sugar-coated doughnuts. Ahh, the perfect finish! FIX Restaurant & Bar, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas. 702-693-8300

Making Spirits Bright No offense to the usual mulled wine and eggnog during the holiday season. There’s a time and place for them this winter. During cocktail hour, however, for something more crisp and clean, try the Winter White Cosmo. Besides the obvious delicious factor, there’s an added value to this drink: You won’t have to worry about the prospect of a traditional Cosmopolitan’s red cranberry stain on your holiday attire. The folks at Bonefish Grill at Town Square were so generous to share their recipe. Display the drinks in martini glasses on a silver tray, and garnish with a few cranberries on a stirrer. Ingredients 2 oz Your favorite cranberry vodka .75 oz Cointreau 1 oz Fresh lime juice/simple syrup mixture 2 oz White cranberry juice 3 to 4 Cranberries (floating as garnish) Combine ingredients over ice in shaker tin. Shake and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with three or four frozen cranberries, floating on top. ** For a stronger Cosmo flavor, substitute your favorite citronflavored vodka. 18 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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Golden Rings And Things With beautifully sculpted leaves in 18k gold surrounding a citrine stone, Paloma Picasso honors the olive branch, a symbol of peace and abundance for the holiday season. $850. Tiffany & Co. at Crystals, 3720 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-590-9299.

Lanvin’s must-have statement necklace is spelled out this season with this pendant necklace that proclaims “cool.” $945. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-3636.

Sparkle takes on sophistication with these flirty gold glitter peep toe pumps. $365. L.K. Bennett at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702- 359-0660.

20 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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A classic chain necklace by Tory Burch, updated with chunky utilitarian oversized links for a modern flair, this 16K gold-plated piece will transform any day-to-night outfit. $265. Saks Fifth Avenue at Fashion Show, 6635 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-948-8006.

Why buy multiples when you can get one? Pamela Rose’s rose goldplated brass hinged ‘Double Cage’ ring with rows of variegated etched detail adorns the entire finger. $565. Barneys New York at The Shoppes at Palazzo, 3327 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-629-4200. Winged beauties make their way into the everyday wardrobe this season, like this theatrical neo-Bohemian dragonfly cuff bracelet by Alexis Bittar. $395. Nordstrom at Fashion Show, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2525.

A hexagonal clutch with flecks of gold enjoys the night out alongside a pair of heels and your favorite LBD (little black dress). $35. Charming Charlie at Town Square Las Vegas, 6521 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-269-5342. www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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Close Encounters Ever wanted to look inside a kangaroo’s pouch? To kiss a camel? Hold an armadillo? Not too far north of the city is a haven for animals. Roos-N-More in Moapa is a privately owned nonprofit zoo accredited by the Zoological Association of America. With more than 160 animals to meet, including camels, zebras, goats, armadillos, wallabies, kangaroos, tortoises, a sloth, a lemur and more, there’s something for everyone in the family. In December, there are only two days when Roos-N-More is open to the public. But for a more “ed-zoocational” experience, book a private tour on a day of your choice. Two hours of fun and hands-on experience will provide an up-close experience unlike any other. Roos-NMore, 746 Snowden Ranch Road, Moapa Town. 702- 467-3585. www.roosnmore.org.

Peppermint Therapy As we shift away from pumpkin in this culinary season, peppermint takes center stage. That makes it the perfect time to assess the other assets this amazing ingredient affords. Peppermint is one of the oldest medicinal treatments known, and can be used to aid digestion and to soothe skin. For a limited time, Costa del Sur Spa and Salon at South Point Hotel & Casino is offering signature treatments to invigorate the body, mind and soul, using peppermint. Go for a quick, 25-minute peppermint body exfoliation to remove rough spots, or a 50-minute peppermint relaxation massage, a good knead for sore muscles. Eliminate tension and go for that polished look this season with a facial, manicure and pedicure — all using this month’s celebrated ingredient. This holiday season, are you ready for a little dose of ahh? Costa del Sur Spa and Salon at South Point Hotel & Casino, 9777 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-8030.

Paint-ertainment Talk about different strokes. Something phenomenal happens when you take a three-hour painting class (with no prior experience) and produce a 16-by-20-inch masterpiece to call your own. With a bit of guidance and encouragement, Design & Wine studio makes it happen, all in a fun and relaxing setting. As the first canvas-painting studio/restaurant in Las Vegas, Design & Wine offers open classes and private parties for the artist within. Owner Rachel Roberts has made the grouppainting concept even more fun by adding food and wine to the experience. Design & Wine, 7520 S. Durango Drive. 702-3277325 www.mydesignandwine.com

22 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SOUTHERN NEVADA BARBEQUE COOKOFF & FESTIVAL Venue Temple Beth Sholom

Date Sunday, October 27

Photos 1.

Cheryn and Michael Serenco

Dr. Kiarash Mirkia on a mechanical bull.

It’s all about the brisket.

Team Brisket of Oz includes the entire Sidranski Family.

Team Hava NaGrilla from the Melton School of Adult Learning, (left to right) Nancey Kasse, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz and Roz Tessler; missing Lynn Wexler (key player) - 3rd place winners of the BBQ Cook-off.

Team Bris-Kids from Young Israel AISH, (left to right) Adam Chuckrow, Peter Dubowsky and Rabbi Yitz Wyne - 5th place winners of the BBQ Cook-off.

Team MOB - Mavens of Barbecue , (left to right) Merle Mitzmacher, Linda Ginsberg, Marsha Cohen, Brenda Katz, and Nadolyn Karchmer.

Team Beverly Grill Billy’s, (left to right) Jennifer Weissman, Joseph Woodward, Jennifer Garshofsky and Jadyn Garshofsky - 2nd Place winners in BBQ Cook-off.

Team Just Plain Sauced, (left to right) Mike Murdock, Ryan Sterling, and kids - 1st place winner of the BBQ Cook-off. Also shown, Cook-off bosses, Michael and Cheryn Serenco.

Photos by Tonya Harvey & Paul Sleet.

24 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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MAKE YOUR MOVE TO DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS

RESOLVE TO HAVE FUN IN 2014! BOOK YOUR RESERVATION TODAY BY CALLING 855.DT.GRAND Feel like a regular the moment you walk through the door. The brand new Downtown Grand Las Vegas redefines what a hotel & casino should be. Unique restaurant and bar options delight every taste. Stylish hotel rooms feature an upgraded sleeping experience, modern amenities and comfortable furnishings. The industrial chic casino features brand new slot machines and all your favorite table games in a high-energy and intimate environment. Located in the center of downtown Las Vegas, Downtown Grand is steps from the Fremont Street Experience, The Mob Museum, Fremont East Entertainment District, The Las Vegas Premium Outlets and many more must-see sights.

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HEARTS OF HADASSAH GALA 2013 HONORING RABBI YOCHEVED MINTZ Venue Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa 3

Date Saturday, November 2

Photos 1.

The Mustang Sally Girls, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz and her daughters-in-law.

Julie Ostrovsky and Ellen Burke.

Lee Schreiber and Beth Asaf

Rabbi Yocheved Mintz and her family.

(left to right) Representative Dina Titus,

Barbara Hollander and Phyllis Friedman. 6.

(left to right) Judge Elissa Cadish, Dr. Leon Steinberg, Faye Steinberg, Representative Steven Horsford, Former Representative Shelley Berkley and Dr. Larry Lehrner.

(left to right) Dr. Randi Lampert, Dr. Chaim Lotan, Elliot Karp, and Sharon Karp.

(left to right) Fran Fine, Dr. Hugh Bassewitz

and Barbara Raben.

Photos by Tonya Harvey.

26 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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Grand

Expectations Grand Gamble: Downtown Grandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inclusive Approach By Brian Sodoma Photographs by Tonya Harvey

28 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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Left: Downtown Grand Las Vegas, Above: Hotel CEO Seth Schorr.

howing that you care in the hotel business can be expressed in many ways — a container with complimentary earplugs, for instance. And if you place a note next to it that reads “Here’s To a Grand Night’s Sleep,” you’ve taken that air of care to a new level. That’s per Seth Schorr, CEO of the new Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino. Recognizing that a concert at the nearby Fremont Street Stage could ruin a night of sleep is the type of intuition Schorr brings to the property as a hotelier. But the note wasn’t his idea. He stumbled across the detail while conducting a Grand tour. He’s clearly impressed. “I didn’t think of that,” he offers, snapping a photo with his phone and sending a job well done message to a staffer. “I love it!” The room Schorr is talking up is a small suite with a going rate of about $79. The average rate for the entire 634-room property is $69, and it’s the best value in downtown, Schorr claims. The Downtown Grand’s rooms are indeed slick, with high-definition flat-screen TVs, marble bathroom counters and plenty of other touches, including the red classic chair that’s been redesigned eight or nine times, according to Schorr. The linens feature a thread count that matches those in a room at Wynn. “I stay in a lot of hotels,” Schorr says. “When you get into that bed and turn on that TV, you want it to be right.” Schorr has been paying attention to perhaps far too many details since he was a child. He lived in the Golden Nugget for about a year in the 1980s, while his father Marc settled into working for Steve

Wynn. It was there that the younger Schorr learned a lot about the small things that add up to a big deal property. He was groomed by arguably the best in the business. And the Downtown Grand is now his big stage. Yes, he’s worked for Wynn, delving into interactive gaming and helping set up Wynn operations in Macau. But this project is his to shape, without a mentor peeking over his shoulder. Schorr’s job is to make the Grand great. And it does indeed look a lot better than what Oscar Goodman called it a “carcass” a few years ago — back when it sat idle as the shuttered Lady Luck, which closed in 2006. When Los Angeles-based CIM Group bought the site in 2007 hopes were high. But with the Great Recession, the $100 million revamp took much longer than expected. Goodman once threatened to pull the plug on Mob Museum land as part of the redevelopment deal. Now, Schorr says that parcel — it horseshoes around the museum — will have 100,000 square feet of retail and convention space that his team will oversee, hopefully within a couple of years. “My obligation is to make the Downtown Grand as successful as it can be,” he says. “We have a multiyear ramp-up period, plan and strategy. We have a lot of opportunity.” Much of that opportunity lies specifically along Third Street, or Downtown 3rd as it’s known. Third Street makes up the western border of the Grand’s casino and first tower. The Grand’s Commissary, at the base of its second tower across Third Street, will open www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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Seth Schorr assisting a guest.

this month. It will have five quick-serve food concepts under one roof, with a yet-to-be-named chef tied to it. The space will have some uniformity, sans the competing brands feeling you get at a food court. A single point-of-sale system will enable one group to pay for a variety of cuisine choices under one tab, if desired. There will also be 35 beers on tap, and it all rolls up at night for tapas and a DJ. Along Third Street, the Grand will provide food service from The Spread, its deli with adjacent sportsbook, as well as outdoor gaming that includes a patent-pending dice game that uses the brick façade of the Downtown Grand. “You’ve left the Mob Museum. You’ve heard about some old gangster shooting dice in the alley of Chicago or New York. This is our version of that game,” Schorr says. He walks a fine line in a downtown whose redevelopment garners mostly positive headlines. But there are detractors, too, including long-time, lower income residents and business owners who view

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redevelopment efforts as ushering them out. The Grand’s industrial-chic décor is a careful approach to making sure all walks of life feel welcome. The Stewart + Ogden restaurant is perhaps the biggest attempt to appeal to all of downtown in one food offering. It’s named for Peter Ogden and Archibald Stewart, Helen Stewart’s husband. Stewart was a rancher with simple tastes, but he demanded consistency. Stewart supposedly had debates with Ogden about how to prepare meats. Ogden was a fur trader and explorer who enjoyed exotic spices and mixing things up. At the Grand, Stewart + Ogden brings both styles to its menu, without the quibbling. “It’s a creative way to have a diverse menu that doesn’t seem schizophrenic,” Schorr says, chuckling to himself. The concept “allows me to speak to Downtown Bob, who has certain expectations and wants prime rib, as well as a newer progressive person coming out of downtown. I didn’t want one or the other.” But the Grand also appeals to a potential higher-end customer on some levels. The summer pool party crowd may try PICNIC this spring. The urban rooftop pool retreat is modeled heavily after a beer gardens concept Schorr studied at The Standard, High Line Hotel in New York’s Meatpacking District.

The Mob Bar

The Red Mansion Chinese Restaurant promises authentic dishes, and it’s a few steps from a baccarat room and high-limit poker venue. Schorr majored in Chinese Studies in college, and he runs a business that books Las Vegas tours for Chinese gamblers. The CEO’s high-end understanding shows in other ways, too. Many of his 800-plus hires are from Strip resorts. Among them is Ricardo Ramirez, who brings 15 years of Food and Beverage experience from the Four Seasons. Schorr looks to his guests for guidance. He’s a magnet for comments, solicited or not, when he walks the property. On the tour he asks a couple near the valet, “How’s the shaved ice? What flavor did you get?” “All of ‘em,” the guest replies, showing off the myriad colors in his dessert cup. “Did you get the ice cream?” “Uh, no,” the guest says, seemingly unsure that there was an ice cream option. “They should’ve offered it to you,” says Schorr, a hint of disappointment in his tone. This time the phone stayed in his pocket.

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Java, Verse & Rhyme Poets Gather Nightly in the City That Never Sleeps

Photo courtesy of The Beat Coffeehouse & Records

By Jaq Greenspon Photos by Megan Milligan

32 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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alking into The Beat Coffeehouse, just east of the over-commercialized Fremont Street Experience, is like stepping back in time. The artistic energy flowing through the place is almost palpable. You can feel ideas popping, hissing inside your head, matching the beautiful analog of the vinyl records playing on the counter as you order a healthy sandwich and the first of what you know will be several cups of coffee. Around you are the artists who have offices upstairs and the poets and performers getting ready for the night’s open mic. You find a chair and sit back, unsure of what the evening will bring. But you know one thing for sure: It won’t be boring. See, back in the day, if the poetry flowed through your soul there weren’t many places to let it out. There was the Enigma Garden Café and Café Espresso Roma, two names that elicit wistful, enigmatic smiles from those who remember. But then the drought hit. Enigma closed in ’01 and Roma shuttered its doors in ’03. A couple of places, The Freakin’ Frog on Maryland Parkway and the now defunct ReJAVAnate tried to fill the gap. Alas, there was no traction. At least not for original voices. Sure, the poetry bridge downtown celebrated the scene, but the quickest way to kill anything underground is to give it official sanction. “Being a poet in Vegas [was] like being a minority in a minority,” says Kari O’Connor, who has been a big part of that minority since she was a teenager. She’s seen its peaks and troughs. Today, though, if she were just starting out she’d have plenty of venues to choose from to get her groove on – downtown at The Beat, where Human Experience is the name given to their Monday night showcase; and Provoke Infusion across town at The Coffee House

in Henderson, which is on Tuesdays. Both of these open mic nights cater to the younger crowds, the under-40s whose words and images focus on everything from pop culture to social reform. Over at the Freakin’ Frog’s Word Up, also on Tuesday nights, Mark Snyder hosts a renaissance for the old school poetry lovers. This is where you’ll find wordsmiths in the classic vein, and new readings and interpretations of classic works. “I went to my first reading when I was 16 or 17,” O’Connor says. At that time, her poetry consisted of the typical, angstridden high school student diatribes and exclamations: “I’m in high school, I hate it,” she says in an affected, younger person’s falsetto. “Nobody understands me, it’s all angsty…I think I’m goth, but I don’t know. I like this boy, maybe he likes me?” She laughs at the memory of hanging out with other, more experienced poets five years her senior. She was sure they totally “got” her. “For me, it started off being forced on stage to read my really horrible, angsty poetry. And even now, at 35, I’m still reading my angsty poetry. But now I’m getting scored for it and going around the country.” What’s taking her on tour is the Battle Born Slam Team, which offers tangible proof that poetry is back, stronger than ever, in Sin City. The team, formerly Las Vegas Slam, took 24th place out of the 72 teams competing at the National Poetry Slam in Boston last August. It was a “high mark for Vegas poetry,” says A.J. Moyer, another local bard and leader of the team. “Vegas is still building itself,” explains Vogue Robinson, a recent émigré to Vegas but not to the poetry scene itself, having come from the highly competitive San Diego arena. “They’re competitive out here, but it’s not as big.”

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Slam, a form of competitive poetry where you have to follow a strict set of guidelines, is linked to hip hop, but “it’s also connected to very quick storytelling,” explains O’Connor. Slam isn’t the only type of poetry happening on the Vegas scene, though. Sitting in the audience in front of an unattended microphone, waiting for an event to start, expectations have a way of being subverted. The entertainment offered might include a slam piece or two, but more likely it will be a spoken word artist or stand-up comedian. “Spoken word artists tend to be a little more long-winded. They tend to tell longer stories, they’re more about having an extended metaphor,” says O’Connor. Within the poetry world, Moyer says, people are starting to become more professional: “[They’re] finding their footing, making a career out of their art instead of a hobby.” All of these poetic crowds, though, are merging. Thanks to ubiquitous social media, members of the local scenes are starting to team up. Slam poets have been using the theatricality of their performances to marry up with local theaters to provide unique entertainment. At a recent “cabaret night,” O’Connor and others performed their poetry alongside singers — all of them centered around a theme of “love.” The themes change every time, but the idea of working collaboratively is new and exciting for local performing artists. There’s even talk of trying to put together a “Fringe” style festival that combines poetry, comedy, theater, music and whatever else comes along. The individual pieces are all coming into focus, so it’s just a matter of getting them all together – and having the community grow to support it. In poetry, that doesn’t appear to be a problem. Patrick Ohslund

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“One of the things I like most about our poetry scene,” says Moyer, “is that it’s super supportive.” O’Connor concurs: “For us in slam, we’re very much about new voices coming in.” She enjoys seeing someone take the microphone for the first time. No matter how bad (or good) it might be, she says, just getting on stage makes the difference. “It’s terrifying,” she acknowledges. “Getting up and baring yourself, even if it’s full of clichés and is total crap, it’s difficult.” But when you step up to the challenge, Robinson says, interesting things can happen. “You find out things are bigger than you, and sometimes … they’re the same size.”

Weekly

Monthly

Mondays Human Experience The Beat Coffeehouse 520 Fremont St.

Every Third Saturday The JAM at the Arts Factory The Arts Factory 107 E. Charleston Blvd.

Tuesdays Provoke Infusion The Coffee House 17 Water St., Henderson

Every Second Thursday Writer’s Block open mic New Town Tavern 600 Jackson St.

Tuesdays Word Up Freakin’ Frog 4700 S. Maryland Parkway

Every Third Friday The Poet’s Corner WLV Arts Center 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Lana Hanson

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play

Alpine Heaven in the Desert Hitting the Slopes Instead of the Slots in Sin City By Nikki Stephens

he news hit with avalanche-like force. “You’re moving to Las Vegas?” My Colorado cronies were alarmed. They understood my not wanting to deal with shoveling snow, scraping frozen windshields and enduring surprise storms in June. But the thought of giving up winter’s alpine delights seemed outlandish. After all, we’d spent nearly a decade sharing chairlifts, logging thousands of turns on epic powder days. What they didn’t know is that nestled in the Spring Mountains, deep in Lee Canyon, sits Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, or

LVSSR — the yin to the desert’s yang below. The roughly one-hour drive to LVSSR is a fast and easy escape from hectic city life. On the trip up Lee Canyon Road (Highway 156), Joshua trees give way to bristlecone and ponderosa pines. Cathedral-like limestone cliffs line the mountainside, and clean crisp mountain air welcomes visitors to an alpine experience. At the end of the road sits LVSSR. It offers terrain and services that make the first time skier/snowboarder feel at home, while challenging the most seasoned Colorado ski bum. LVSSR’s base lodge sits 8,510 feet above sea level, just below

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The El Cortez is family-owned and operated, and has stood proud for more than seventy years. So we understand the importance of tradition. Please join us for our special Chanukah Menu.

THE EL CORTEZ WISHES YOU AND YOURS A HAPPY CHANUKAH 11,289-foot Lee Peak. On average, the area’s 445 skiable acres get 210 inches of snow. In big snow years that number has been known to reach 450 inches. Riding one of four chairlifts, skiers/riders can access 30 trails, 16 of them added after the July 2011 approval of the area’s $35 million Master Development Plan. Projected to unfold over 10 to 12 years, the MDP expansion includes 10 lifts, 50 trails and a host of new amenities. Recent improvements include greater snowmaking capabilities, renovations of the Bristlecone Bar, Bighorn Grill restaurant and Lee Canyon Sports, and the retail shop and outdoor patio area have been expanded to 5,000 square feet. Besides the facility upgrades, LVSSR has introduced products and services that make it less intimidating to take that first step into a pair of ski or snowboard bindings. Consider the Get Started package for the “never-ever” neophyte. The annual program starts in January, which is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. For $199, participants get four-days of lessons, lift tickets and rental gear. Once they “graduate,” LVSSR rewards them with an unrestricted 2013/14-season pass. “A person’s first-time experience on skis or a snowboard should be positive, so we’re taking every step to eliminate stress and uncertainty so guests can focus on having fun,” says Maria Jose Norero, LVSSR’s marketing director. The Las Vegas native discovered her love for skiing as an adult. Guests registered for the Get Started program or private one-on-one or group-coaching sessions can expect to be greeted by an ambassador or instructor, she says, and guided through the rental process and on-snow experience. The area recently announced it’s offering a free coaching service. Beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders with a daily or season pass can “drop-in” and ask LVSSR’s staff of instructors for tips and feedback. As one of the first programs of its kind in the ski industry, coaches will be available on Rabbit Peak, an area that serves beginners. Reservations aren’t necessary, and there’s no limit to the number of participants or length of time a person can participate. Las Vegas may be a fashion-forward city, but a ski parka and snowboard pants aren’t exactly wardrobe staples. Fortunately,

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LVSSR has plenty of rental ski/snowboard gear, including clothes to keep skiers and riders warm, dry and comfortable. LVSSR’s performance center also offers the latest in skis, boards and boots that are perfect for more experienced skiers/riders. If black and double black diamonds are your domain, don’t despair. Forty percent of LVSSR’s terrain is for the advanced skier/rider. In fact, LVSSR has 250 acres of “hike-to” terrain that is in-bounds and patrolled. But it’s only accessible by putting one foot in front of the other. Many local skiers and snowboarders use LVSSR to sharpen their skills and warm up their ski and snowboard legs before visiting popular weekend and holiday destinations, including California’s Mammoth Mountain or Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort. “We’ve hosted editors from some of the largest skiing and snowboarding magazines, and the response is always that our hike-to areas offer some very unexpected (and) challenging steep skiing and riding,” says Dan Hooper, LVSSR’s director of skier/rider development. Hooper started his ski industry career in New Zealand and has worked for resorts in California, Colorado and Montana. “I have to admit, I was really blown away on my first visit to LVSSR. It’s the ideal place for locals to prepare for a ski or snowboard vacation.” If the après ski scene is more your style, in late December LVSSR will cut the ribbon on the Las Vegas Valley’s coolest happy hour spot, literally. Chair 4, a rooftop bar and lounge is on the roof of the Bighorn Grill and Bristlecone Bar. It features a menu of small plates and winter-inspired signature cocktails and beer, along with sweeping views of Lee Peak. Guests access Chair 4 by climbing a real chair lift tower; up-cycled ski equipment and vintage ski décor ©2011 Susan G. Komen for the Cure . includes repurposed lift chairs that actually swing. The main bar is made from an old bull wheel. For more information on LVSSR’s lift tickets, season passes, youth and adult programs, check out www.skilasvegas.com. ®

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Winter Road Trips To get to LVSSR from Las Vegas, take U.S. Highway 95 north for about 30 miles to Lee Canyon Road (Highway 156). Follow Lee Canyon Road 17 miles until it ends at the resort. Season: Friday, Nov. 29 – Sunday, April 6 (weather permitting) Lifts: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lift Tickets: Online ticket prices starts at $51.99 for adult tickets and $45 for kids. Purchase in advance for the best pricing. Walk-up price is $70 for adults and $60 for kids. Access to Rabbit Peak is free for kids under 5, when accompanied by an adult with a daily or season pass.

Mammoth Mountain Big powder days, plenty of sunshine and 3,500 skiable acres set in the majestic Eastern Sierra Nevada range are a few of the reasons why Mammoth is a favorite destination for local skiers/ riders. There are 28 lifts offering access to Mammoth’s 150 trails that see an average of 400 inches of snow annually. Its longest run checks in at 3 miles, so you’ll want to be in shape for your trip. For the non-skiers, Mammoth offers snowmobiling, tubing, sledding, dog sled rides, snowshoeing and ice skating, among other activities. For more information on ski school, rentals, lodging, dining and entertainment options, visit www. mammothmountain.com. Location: Mammoth Lakes, Calif. Season: November – June (weather permitting) Lifts: 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lift tickets: $79-$109 for daily adult tickets. To save up to 20 percent, buy lift tickets online, at least 14 days in advance.

Park City Mountain Resort In the world of skiing and snowboarding, Utah’s powder is legendary. Park City Mountain Resort boasts an average of 365 inches of snow annually on its 3,300 acres that include 114 trails. Its longest trail is 3.5 miles. For the more adventurous soul, there are nine bowls that include 750 additional acres to be explored. You can be on your way to enjoying a long ski weekend at Park City after a short flight from Las Vegas into Salt Lake City’s airport, which is 35 minutes from the ski area. For more information on ski school, rentals, lodging, dining and entertainment options, visit www.parkcitymountain.com. Location: Park City, Utah Season: Nov. 23 – April 20 Lifts: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Night skiing/riding: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Dec. 25 – March 30) Lift tickets: $55-$88 for full-day adult tickets purchased online and in advance. Walk-up prices are 20 to 30 percent more. Local bonus: Park City is one of LVSSR’s sister resorts so its season pass holders save 20 percent on lift tickets.

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irving.weinberger@dignitymemorial.com www.palmmortuary.com | www.kingdavidlv.com www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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think High Spirited @ 42 The Little Black Dress @ 48 Auld Lang Syne @ 52

HIGH SPIRITED, pg. 42

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think

High

Spirited Mixing it Up with Max Solano By Marilyn LaRocque Cocktail Recipes by Max A. Solano

f ever there were a time to kick up your cocktails, it’s the holidays. And what better place to create “Bam!” for your booze than Emeril’s flagship restaurant in Las Vegas — Delmonico Steakhouse? And who better to shake up cocktail creativity than mixologist and beverage manager Max Solano, whose mastery attracts imbibers as honey does Winnie the Pooh. And when it comes to sparklers, the same can be said of the skills of his colleague Kevin Vogt, master sommelier and Emeril’s Las Vegas wine director. The challenge we gave Solano was to invent cocktails using liqueurs and spirits atypical of cocktail culture: Cointreau, St-Germain, Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach, Macchu Pisco, Disaronno, and Domaine de Canton. How would he start? “When you’re creating a cocktail,” Solano begins, “you consider the purpose — the occasion. Who is going to be drinking it? How easy or difficult it is to make it, how accessible the ingredients are — can you buy them at a local liquor store, or do you have to find them online? How much do you want to spend? If you want to make a showcase cocktail, and cost is not a consideration and you don’t have to hold back, you can do a lot of cool stuff, even do homemade ingredients. What’s important is the cocktail tastes great! “First and foremost, you want balance in a recipe. It can’t just be a cool idea that you put together with a couple of tries. It’s trial and error to get it right. It helps to get others involved in case your palate is off. Is it too sweet? Too acidic? Sweetness and acidity are the yin and yang of a cocktail. You can create a sugar bomb or something that’s so tart it turns people off. When I think I have a recipe down pat, then I ask other people to taste it, as guinea pigs.” Solano says a successful cocktail goes beyond alcohol and taste.

“A cocktail should be aesthetically pleasing and (should) stimulate the senses, the eyes and nose first,” he says. “You want depth and flow of flavor. Ask yourself if it has a short or lingering finish. If one ingredient is holding a cocktail back, consider a different citrus, a different base spirit. Creating a cocktail can be pretty complex as you add more and more ingredients.” What about ingredients? “The beauty of mixology is if you have two totally opposite products, you find an intermediary ingredient that serves as a missing link and makes a drink special, a catalyst,” he says. “Almonds are the primary ingredient in Disaronno. So, as a spirit, what comes to mind is a scotch that has some nutty overtones. As is the case with other liqueurs, the Disaronno becomes a secondary ingredient. However, remember, Disaronno and some other liqueurs are very enjoyable either neat or over rocks after dinner or at the end of the evening. They’re digestifs, and you’ll go

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noirs with foods that are a little fuller in style: fish, chicken, etc. Rosé sparklers generally have more red fruit characteristics because many of them have more pinot noir in them. These go particularly well with quail, game birds, duck and even some red meats.“ For some people, opening the Champagne bottle is the biggest challenge. Once you’ve removed the wire cage, the secret is to place a cloth over the cork, grasp the cork tightly and then TURN THE BOTTLE. Cheers!

Photo courtesy of Moët & Chandon

to bed happy and sleep well!” St-Germain, an Elderflower product, is better in combination than by itself, Solano says. “It adds sweeter, floral characteristics to a drink. It softens champagne. It’s best blended with white spirits, not brown, because its subtle nuances are masked by the darker spirit.” Cointreau, which dates back to 1875, ranks as the premier triple sec. “It’s a big mistake to compare Cointreau with Grand Marnier,” Alfred Cointreau says. “Grand Marnier is cognac-based. Cointreau is a neutral alcohol, a clear liquid, with sweet and bitter orange pieces. Cointreau has a complex nature. We source the oranges from Spain, Africa and South America, choosing the best from the best locations each harvest. Cointreau’s orange flavor reaches far beyond cocktails. It goes with meat, fish, chocolate, my grandmother’s soufflé, even mayonnaise, which we discovered at the company’s 150th anniversary.” When it comes to cocktails, Cointreau is primarily associated with the Cosmopolitan. However, Solano cited the Corpse Reviver #2 – a pre-Prohibition cocktail, the Sidecar, White Lady with gin and Margarita as others that Cointreau enhances. Just in time for the holidays, Grand Marnier has released Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach, infused with fresh fruit. “The fruit adds dimension,” Solano says, “and it’s a good end-of-the-meal or evening drink by itself. But it’s not a substitute for the original Grand Marnier.” Because of its highly concentrated flavor, he recommends using Domaine de Canton “sparingly” until you become accustomed to it. “It’s not a sugar bomb,” he says. “It has complexity and captures natural ginger flavor. It works well with citrus and is bold enough to work with different distillates – bourbon, scotch, gin, pisco, vodka – but not rye, which has a lot of spice.” Not surprisingly, Macchu Pisco is made in Peru. “Pisco is an eau de vie produced from distilled grapes (fruit) as opposed to grain,” Solano says. “It’s similar to un-aged cognac. It has a subtle herbaceous and/or floral characteristic. But you have to use it carefully. It’s 80 proof! Every Pisco is different, based on what grapes are used and how it’s distilled. Some are super-fragrant; others, more like grappa. It’s very versatile.” No holiday season would be complete without sparkling wine. Some of my favorites are: J. Schram 2005 Rosé, a salmon-colored delight, with elegant, bright, crisp flavors of raspberry, cherry and ruby red grapefruit; J. Cuvée 20, Brut, NV, whose flavors of pears and citrus, with a hint of almond, dance on the tongue; Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2004, an effervescent fruit basket of white peaches, lemon, pineapple, green bananas and pears. Lest you think sparkling wine is limited to midnight on New Year’s Eve, master sommelier Vogt suggests exploring the multiple personalities of this bubbly delight. “Depending on the style,” he says, “Champagne/sparkling wine can pair with just about any food. Problems arise when you choose the wrong type of sparkler for a given dish. Too many times, I’ve seen a dry Brut served with wedding cake when a demi-sec (semi-sweet) would be the perfect fit. Brut sparklers with wedding cake is like an acid wash for your palate. Demi-sec is also a good companion for many desserts. “I love ultra Brut/non dosage and blanc de blancs with oysters, caviar, shellfish, etc. The high acidity cuts through the richness of these types of food. I like richer-styled Brut sparklers and blanc de 44 DECEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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The Winter Pomme • • • • •

1.50 oz Remy Martin 1738 Cognac .75 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur 1.25 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice (strained) .50 oz Monin Apple syrup 5 Drops of “Bar Keep Organic baked apple bitters”

Garnish: Cinnamon-sugar rim, thin lemon wheel (floating) Glassware: 6-8 oz Coupe Instructions: Chill the coupe glass with ice and set aside. Next, combine all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with a generous scoop of ice and shake for 10-15 seconds. Discard the ice from the coupe and rim it with a cinnamon-sugar mix (2:1 Sugar to cinnamon). Strain the contents of the shaker into the rimmed glass and serve straight up. Garnish.

Dusk In the Mountains • • • •

1.50 oz High West Rendezvous Rye whiskey .75 oz Disaronno almond liqueur .75 oz Averna Amaro .25 oz Cinnamon-infused organic maple syrup (online or make it yourself ) • 4 Dashes of “Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters” Garnish: Brandied cherry Glassware: 5-6 oz Short coupe Instructions: Chill the coupe glass with ice and set aside. Next, combine all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with a generous scoop of ice. Stir, don’t shake, the contents for 35-40 rotations. Discard the ice from the coupe glass and strain the contents from the glass into the coupe and serve straight up. Garnish.

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Le Grand Aperitif • • • • •

1.50 oz Remy V Eau de vie .75 oz Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach liqueur .50 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth 6 Fresh raspberries (for muddling) 1.50 oz Freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice (strained)

Garnish: Fresh raspberry, grapefruit twist on spear Glassware: Oversized Rocks or Double old-fashion Instructions: Chill the double old-fashion glass with ice and set aside. Next, take the raspberries and Grand Marnier raspberry peach and place into a mixing glass and muddle them well. Add the rest of the ingredients, along with a generous scoop of ice, and shake well for 10-15 seconds. Discard the ice from the double old-fashion glass and place a large ice sphere or 2-by-2-inch cube in it. Next, by using both a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer you will double-strain the contents into the glass, capturing all of the pips and raspberry sediment and preventing it from entering the glass. Garnish.

One Night in Lima • • • • • •

2 Macchu pisco .50 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice dram liqueur 1.50 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice (strained) 1.00 oz Honey-ginger syrup .75 oz Pasteurized egg white 4 Drops orange flower water

Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg Glassware: Parfait or Small wine Instructions: Chill the parfait glass and set aside. Combine all of the ingredients into a mixing glass. Before adding ice, shake vigorously for about 10 seconds to help emulsify the egg. Next, add a generous scoop of ice and shake for another 10-15 seconds. Discard the ice from the glass and pour the contents into the cocktail glass straight up. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg on top.

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Tale of Two Cherries • 1.50 oz Grey Goose Cherry Noir vodka • .50 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur • 1 oz Just Tart black cherry juice • .75 oz Perfect Puree of Napa Valley Yuzu Luxe sour • .50 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice (strained) • .50 oz Simple syrup Garnish: Two Luxardo Marasca preserved cherries on a spear Glassware: V-shaped Martini Chill the martini glass with ice and set aside. Next, combine all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with a generous scoop of ice and shake for 10-15 seconds. Discard the ice from the martini glass. Strain the contents of the shaker into the martini glass and serve straight up. Garnish.

S.S.S. (Smoked Spiced Sour) • • • • • •

1.50 oz Balcones Brimstone oak smoked corn whiskey 1 oz Cointreau 1.25 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice (strained) .75 oz Five-Spiced syrup* 2 Dashes Bitter Truth Aromatic bitters 3 Dashes Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas decanter bitters

Garnish: Long lemon spiral, cinnamon stick, freshly grated cinnamon Glassware: Double old-fashion Chill the double old-fashion glass with ice and set aside. Next, combine all of the ingredients into a mixing glass with a generous scoop of ice and shake for 10-15 seconds. Discard the ice from the double old-fashion glass and fill it with crushed ice. Strain the contents of the mixing glass into the double old-fashion glass. Garnish. * Monin Syrup Co., www.monin.com, use organic vanilla syrup as base. Pour one liter into blender; to which add ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg. Blend or puree so spices disperse as evenly as possible. Let it sit so sediment floats to the top and can be removed. Strain several times through cheesecloth to capture flavor and sediment, too. Use 2-3 Tbs. of each spice.

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think

Little Black Dress

The

A Fresh Look the LBD, A Must Have in Every Womans’ Wardrobe By Marisa Finetti Special thanks to Christie Moeller

efore the 1920s, black was strictly for mourning. A grieving widow was expected to wear it for at least two years. But all that changed at the whim of a woman named Coco Chanel. In 1926, she showed off a simple, short black dress in the pages of Vogue. The magazine called the dress “Chanel’s Ford.” Like the Model T automobile, it was meant for women of all social classes. The little black dress, or LBD, has remained timeless ever since, primarily for its simple elegance. An occasional boost from Hollywood hasn’t hurt either. The black Givenchy satin sheath evening gown that Audrey Hepburn wore in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) has been cited as one of the most iconic costumes of the 20th century and film history. LBDs also were popular during the Technicolor craze because the black dress didn’t clash with other colors on screen. Simplicity was always key to the LBD. In today’s fashion world, black is again the new black. And the simple dress is worn with a bit more punch — more fabric options, more lengths, more accessories. Whether it’s in the office, or at dinner parties or a New Year’s Eve celebration, the LBD is a fashion staple. And it remains one of the most revered and versatile pieces in the closet. Frankly speaking, it should make more appearances. Today’s LBD is bold and tough, with standout details. To make it work involves simple formulas. Take one little black dress in an Bypiece Lynn unexpected texture, for instance, like leather. Add a stunning or two of statement jewelry and – voilà! – you’ve got traditional cocktail attire with a twist. Invest strategically and you’ll be able to mix and match your way to a luxe look that works for every date on the holiday calendar. This season, look for dresses with feathers, nylon and spandex,

sequins, lace, wool and, perhaps the most popular, leather. Diane von Furstenburg is perfect for slender silhouetttes and draped styles. Ferragamo, Pucci, Kors and YSL have all fashioned leather for the season. Feathers add a special punch of opulent glam. Gucci, Dreis van Note, Jason Wu and Nina Ricci have added plumage to their runway shows. Besides choosing from a range of luxurious materials, consider an LBD that plays up your best features. Remember, there’s an LBD for any figure. To accentuate your arms, look for a strapless, asymmetrical or halter version. Sheer or lace sleeves are also gorgeous options. A short hemline’s a perfect way to show off your legs. A front or side slit adds a little mystery, and embellishments along the hemline are great attention-getters. For the sexy back, look for rear-view design elements, such as a slit or drape cut. A bow in the back will also attract eyes and ensure an unforgettable exit. Look for romantic silhouettes to flaunt a svelte waist (while hiding the hips). Go for belts, bows and luxurious fabric gatherings that make the middle the focal point. Now that the dress issue is settled, what about hosiery? Go bare or select winter-friendly choices, including sheer black Wexler stockings, opaque black tights or something with texture — dots, herringbone or lace. Finally, there are so many options to rock the black dress. Try a hat, a metallic clutch or colorful heels, perhaps an over-the-knee boot. Consider a statement necklace, a gold belt or a stunning right-handed ring.

Temple Sinai’s Extreme Makeover

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The classic lines of this statement-making silhouette, makes this Burberry dress a no-nonsense choice for the cocktail hour. Burberry at Grand Canal Shoppes at Palazzo, 3327 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-382-1911.

A strong feminine sensibility, combined with luxurious tailoring makes this Paul Smith floral lace shift dress a desirable classic. Paul Smith at The Shops at Crystals, 3720 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-796-2640.

With just the right amount of â&#x20AC;&#x153;swingâ&#x20AC;? on this dress, the night shift is ready to take place on the dance floor. DKNY at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-650-9670.

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Brimming with red-carpet beauty, a showstopping combination of feather and leather rocks any holiday party. Warehouse at warehouseandotherbrands.com.

Sophisticated and sexy, the coutureworthy creation by Diane von Furstenberg takes center stage. Nordstrom at Fashion Show, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas. 702862-2525.

Inspired by the classic tuxedo, the clean monochromatic palette of this sultry dress by L.K. Bennett makes a bold statement of sophistication. L.K. Bennett at Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-359-0660

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think

Auld Lang Syne A Toast to Prodigality & Sentiment

Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty. How can you lose? The lights are much brighter there. You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares, so go Downtown …

By Lynn Wexler

riton Petula Clark’s No. 1 hit in early 1965 may have been written about New York City, but it easily could apply to the dazzle of the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street, especially on New Year’s Eve 2013. The mere thought of the most anticipated party night of the year inspires the urge to revelry, if not downright prodigality. No city anywhere does nightlife quite like Las Vegas, though others certainly try. New Year’s Eve simply ups the ante on America’s year-round party in Sin City. For a dear price, one can enjoy the finest drinks, cuisine, dancing and entertainment in the world, along with 300,000 (according to the Nevada Tourism Commission) like-minded merrymakers, and more celebrities than TMZ could embarrass in a year. Whether gambling away their savings, smooching against the backdrop of the Stratosphere’s stunning views or rollicking into the wee hours in a haze of champagne, Vegas visitors for New Year’s do their best to match the city’s rip-roaring reputation for fun.

Trip the light fantastic on the famed Strip or along Fremont Street, but be sure to heed the Las Vegas Tourism Bureau’s admonition: Leave your car keys in your hotel room. Both the Strip and Fremont Street are off-limits to traffic, as the thoroughfares are transformed into a pulsating street party with live bands, pyrotechnic displays and laser extravaganzas. At midnight, more than 80,000 fireworks will be launched collectively over the course of eight minutes from the rooftops of Aria, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Stratosphere, TI and the Venetian. And the Fremont Street Experience will feature special effects canopy fireworks. Bars and nightclubs will turn up the volume — along with the ticket prices — for exciting celebrations and famous music acts. For $250 and up, you can catch Britney Spears at Planet Hollywood; DJ Calvin Harris at Hakkasan in the MGM Grand; Miguel at Tao at The Venetian; DJ Vice at Lavo at the Palazzo; Kristin Chenoweth at the

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Smith Center; Bruno Mars at The Cosmopolitan; Celine Dion at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace; and Kaskade at XS at Encore. Lavish fetes are available for the VIP, all-in set, in Las Vegas and beyond – way beyond. Last year, for a beginning price of $10,000, tables were available at the opening of the Bellagio’s Hyde Lounge, with celeb guests ranging from Sofia Vergara to Nick Jonas. To celebrate the most glamorous night of the year at the Mirage’s 1 OAK Nightclub this year will set you back $19,215. A dozen guests can dine, dance and ring in the New Year, though, with two-time, Grammy-nominated hip-hop sensation J. Cole. If that’s a bit rich, try the $12,810 entry fee at Bellagio’s The Bank, with a midnight performance by hip-hop and Hollywood superstar Common. The ultimate VIP package is offered at Andrea’s restaurant at the Wynn, followed by an evening with electronic dance music superstar

DJ Diplo at Surrender the Nightclub. Andrea’s offers what the management calls vibe dining, which it says is achieved through the seamless integration of the nightclub atmosphere with the culinary experience. For $150,000, a total of 10 guests will begin the evening with a dinner tasting menu designed by Andrea’s executive chef Joseph Elevado. The party continues with premium seating inside the posh nightclub, a $100,000 engraved bottle of Dom Perignon Rose Gold, three magnums of Grey Goose and one magnum of Don Julio. The buyer gets to count down the New Year in the DJ booth with Diplo, who will spin hits and provide the evening’s high-energy entertainment. If you’d prefer to ring in 2014 with an old acquaintance, while taking a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne (the good old times), and in more exotic, less frenzied environs, there are plenty of opulent opportunities. www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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Kobby Dagan

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Consider spending New Year’s Eve in Sicily at the privately owned 18th century Baroque style Palazzo Gangi, where Luchino Visconti filmed the iconic ballroom scenes in the 1963 classic Il Gattopardo. Dine on a sumptuous $13,000 multicourse chef’s tasting menu for up to 20 guests, and wash it down with carefully selected fine wines. Music and dancing follow in the very same ballroom, culminating in a fireworks display viewed from the palazzo’s terrace. For an additional $24,000, guests may retire at evening’s end for a weeklong stay at the nearby Villa Tasca. In 1881, Richard Wagner completed the opera Parsifal there. The luxury villa company Think Sicily will handle the arrangements. For the ultra-cool experience, and upwards of $13,699 a person, Holiday Antarctica’s New Year’s cruise aboard the 132-passenger Silver Explorer will depart Ushuaia, Argentina. You’ll dine, black tiestyle, on a five-course gourmet dinner, while surrounded by leviathan icebergs and calving glaciers. Just before midnight, the lights of Antarctica will come into view from the ship’s deck as the countdown to 2014 begins. Music and dancing take you into the morning hours on this 12-day luxurious New Year’s adventure. Have a ball, literally, in classic Viennese style. Le Grand Bal, held in the majestic Hofburg Palace, is a highlight on the international New Year’s circuit. For $5,650 a person, Exeter International will arrange access to this high-brow event in Austria that includes a ride to the ball in a horse drawn fiacre carriage for which the city is famous, a red carpet reception, a gourmet dinner and an elaborate fireworks display. Pyrotechnics are well and good on New Year’s Eve. But witnessing nature’s own extravaganza trumps them all. Some of the world’s best views of the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) are a

quick helicopter ride from the Reykjavik social scene. Uber-hip outfitter Black Tomato will arrange transportation to this spectacular midnight light show. Afterward, the company suggests continuing the revelry back in Iceland’s capital at the Hotel Ranga, and spending the next few days exploring the nation’s glaciers, volcanoes and hot springs. For many people, the New Year’s celebrations ultimately represent an attempt to distinguish the past from the future, the old from the new, the hope of building a better tomorrow. “These are very much Jewish values,” says Rabbi Yocheved Mintz of Congregation P’nai Tikvah in Las Vegas. “Jewish tradition celebrates the ability to begin again and to not be imprisoned by the past. We need to feel hope for new possibilities, and that our future is not governed entirely by our history.” In 1788, Scottish writer and poet Robert Burns, adding to a ballad written by James Watson in 1711, gave us Auld Lang Syne, the nowsentimental song sung round the globe, as the old year flickers away and the new one begins, no matter the culture, nor the simplicity or extravagance of the moment. This Scottish gift to the world recalls the love and kindness of days gone by… We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine; But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since the days of auld lang syne … while giving us a sense of fellowship to carry into the future … And there’s a hand my trusty friend. And give me a hand o’ thine. And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne. For a moment in time, just once each year at the stroke of midnight, from Sin City to Singapore, Auld Lang Syne reminds that as we linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty, we’re more alike than we’re different, and we’re all in this together. www.davidlv.com | DECEMBER 2013

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grill

Santa Ron An Accidental Santa

The life of a Las Vegas Santa Claus is a little out of the ordinary by your typical North Pole dweller’s standards. Santa Ron, as Jolly Old St. Nick, has chilled with boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and gone down the Fremont Street Experience’s Zipline with the Backstreet Boys band. And, of course, this Santa tries to grant wishes of jackpots for Christmas. But he’s also listened to pleas for jobs and better lives. A Henderson resident now, Santa Ron has had no ordinary life himself, even before he was the “Man with the Bag.” Ten years ago, a tree fell on the then-campground employee. Ron, who was nearly killed, says he had an out-of-body experience. After being revived, and while recovering from his injuries, his hair turned completely white from the physical shock. Friends encouraged the bearded Ron to become a professional Santa. DAVID: Where can we find Santa Ron this Christmastime? SANTA RON: I am at the Excalibur (HotelCasino) all season. In the past, I have volunteered at Opportunity Village. I’ll get 750 to 1,000 people on an average day at the Excalibur … and I’ll be wherever the good boys and girls are found. If you don’t see me, that means you were naughty! DAVID: Are there a lot of naughty people in Las Vegas? SANTA RON: Well, it may be Sin City, but the people here are very nice. There’s an odd naughty one, which is to be expected. DAVID: Do you get some surprising wishes? SANTA RON: Yes. I get children wishing their parents find jobs or get back together, and people wishing to save their homes from foreclosure. I get older moms wishing for husbands. Some wishes are beyond Santa’s control, or anyone’s control. But I tell them, “Santa makes wishes come true. But you have to really believe.” DAVID: Do the people ask for a lot of extravagant presents? SANTA RON: I get requests for Porsches, Maseratis and Lamborghinis. Some kids come in with catalogs, with every page marked, so I won’t forget. And I say, “Pick three things!” Some kids also report on their friends and tell me: “Don’t give them anything because they have been naughty.”

DAVID: Have you ever had a celebrity ask you for a wish? SANTA RON: Yes. At one Toys for Tots event, I had (boxing champion) Floyd Mayweather there. We were chilling. He’s a cool guy. DAVID: What did Floyd Mayweather wish for from Santa? SANTA RON: He wished that he could win his fight, and he did win his fight. DAVID: Were you afraid he would come back and punch you if he lost? SANTA RON: No, because I knew I could deliver. But if I couldn’t deliver, then yes! DAVID: Is it different being a Vegas Santa? Do you have to add bling to your suit? SANTA RON: No, I don’t have to add bling. But late at night, I get visits from the naughty adults … newlyweds and those going to clubs. They are living the Vegas dream. DAVID: A few things would be great for DAVID Magazine as well. We’re thinking about some more Nevada Press Association Awards, great stories … and more advertisers are always nice. SANTA RON: I will try to accommodate those wishes. But it depends how good you are going to be, especially in this article! Ho! Ho! Ho! DAVID: Has anybody ever tipped Santa after winning a jackpot? SANTA RON: I tell them, “If you win, don’t forget Santa!” But nobody ever comes back! DAVID: As you have so many international visitors at the Excalibur, do you have people of the Jewish faith, and people from Israel, coming to see you as Santa? SANTA RON: There are lots of people from Israel and of the Jewish faith that visit Santa. I get a lot of Jewish teenagers. They sit on my lap and get a picture, and they laugh because they say, “I don’t believe in you.” I tell them, “That’s OK. You’ll get a present, anyway.” I don’t see Santa as a religious figure. Everybody wishes for happiness and Santa fulfills that wish. DAVID: What is Santa’s entourage like? SANTA RON: We have a couple of female elves and a couple of male elves … You would probably like my male elves! Ho! Ho! Ho! DAVID: Maybe I will have to visit the workshop.

58 NOVEMBER 2013 | www.davidlv.com

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