DAVID

w w w. d a v i d l v. c o m JAN | FEB 2022

Snow ’scapes

Fresh Powder for Day-Trippers or Weekend Adventurers.

The Band Plays On

Chef Gina Marinelli

Wellness Check-Up

At the Gym or at Home

The Largest Medical School and Physician Assistant Program in Nevada • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine • Doctor of Physical Therapy • Doctor of Nursing Practice • Doctor of Education · Education Administration and Leadership • Occupational Therapy Doctorate • Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies • Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences

• Master of Science in Nursing · Family Nurse Practitioner • Master of Education · Curriculum & Instruction • RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Post MSN Certificate • Education Advanced Studies Certificate Programs

LEADING THE WAY IN TEACHING THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND EDUCATORS OF TOMORROW WHILE CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

tun.touro.edu Touro University Nevada

@TUNAdmissions 874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson, NV 89014

702-777-1750

Touro University Nevada is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) as a branch campus of Touro University California and licensed in Nevada by the Commission on Post-Secondary Education. Touro University Nevada does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, color, creed, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

VALLEY-WIDE LOCATIONS NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED

umcsn.com/quickcare

Enterprise Quick Care 1700 Wheeler Peak Drive Nellis Quick Care 61 N. Nellis Blvd.

Peccole Ranch Quick Care 9320 W. Sahara Ave. Rancho Quick Care 4231 N. Rancho Drive Spring Valley Quick Care 4180 S. Rainbow Blvd., Ste. 809 & 810

Summerlin Quick Care 2031 N. Buffalo Drive Sunset Quick Care 525 Marks St. Blue Diamond Quick Care 4760 Blue Diamond Road, Suite 110 Centennial Hills Quick Care 5785 Centennial Center Blvd.

UMC Express Care @ LAS LAS Terminal 1, Level 2

JAN|FEB 2022

Pulse 12

17

18

Explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay.

Devour Where to find some of the best eats, drinks, and foodie happenings in the Valley.

Desire Sin City abounds in worldclass shopping...these are a few of our favorite things.

20 Discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the world.

Live 24 Know Oren Wolf, producer of the 10-time Tony-winning Broadway musical The Band’s Visit.

28 Sense Hair loss, embrace it or deal with it. From geriatric ponytails to hairpieces and tonics, the search for eternal youth continues.

32 Taste Chef Gina Marinelli of HARLO Steakhouse & Bar talks about her menu building process.

48

54

Think 38 Wellness Check-Up Maintaining optimum health for adults requires regular check-ups.

44 Quality of Life for Seniors Senior Celebrations @ UMC offers a wide range of programs for seniors.

48 At the Gym or at Home A hybrid approach to fitness ranks high In 2022.

60 Shelley Berkley CEO & Senior Provost, Touro University, Nevada.

The month’s spotlight on someone to know.

54 Snow ’scapes Skiers and snowboarders find powder stashes close to home.

Snow ’scapes

On the Cover

Skier enjoying a powder day at Eagle Point, Beaver, Utah.

Photo: courtesy: Eagle Point.

Copyright © 2022 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.

4 | www.davidlv.com

Grill

w w w. d a v i d l v. c o m

32

JAN | FEB 2022

20

Fresh Powder for Day-Trippers or Weekend Adventurers.

The Band Plays On

Chef Gina Marinelli

Wellness Check-Up

At the Gym or at Home

12 world-class wines for $79.99

100

$

SAVE

Includes Shipping

Your direct access to the world’s best winemakers gets you better wine for less.

Scott Peterson

AWARD-WINNING SONOMA WINEMAKER INDEPENDENT SINCE 2012

SCAN ME

Redeem this deal at:

nakedwines.com/deal16

100%

HASSLE-FREE REFUND

GUARANTEE

If you don’t enjoy any wine, just let us know and we’ll credit it back no questions asked

Voted America's #1 Wine Club

"Excellent" Trustpilot rating

2019, 2020 & 2021

7,500+ Reviews

Terms and Conditions: $100 off a preselected twelve-pack valued at $179.99. Wines pictured in the advertisement may not be available. First time customers and 21+ only. Void in AK, AL, AR, DE, HI, IN, MI, MS, MO, NJ, OH, RI, SD, TX, UT and where prohibited. By redeeming this offer, you agree to make a $40 monthly contribution to your Naked Wines account (charged until you cancel) that you can use to buy wine. Unused contributions are fully refundable. Additional restrictions apply and vary by state, see complete details at nakedwines.com/terms.

Publisher/Editor Publisher

Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland In memoriam.

EDITORIAL

Calendar Editor Copy Editor Pulse Editor Contributing Writers

Zoë Friedland

zoe@davidlv.com

Jaq Greenspon Marisa Finetti

Stacy D’Alessandro Stephanie Forte Aleza Freeman Jaq Greenspon Paul Harasim Jason Harris Scott Kerbs

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Sales

ads@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS 702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com Volume 11 Number 3 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 10 times a year.

Copyright 2022 by JewishINK LLC. 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459 Las Vegas, NV 89134 (p) 702-254-2223 (f) 702-664-2633

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

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.

6 | www.davidlv.com

Contributors STACY D’ALESSANDRO is a freelance writer who lives in Las Vegas with her family and two rescue dogs. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she moved to Las Vegas in 1992 and spent more than 25 years in the public relations industry. She is the author of the middle-grade fantasy/adventure series Journey to Zentobia.

STEPHANIE FORTÉ has authored numerous articles and essays for national and local publications like Prevention, Climbing Magazine, and Desert Companion. A former professional rock-climbing athlete and avid cyclist, snowboarder, and peak bagger, Stephanie’s life and writing have been inspired by her passion for the great outdoors. She’s lived in Las Vegas for more than two decades and still believes it’s America’s best city for outdoor recreation. Connect with her at www. stephanieforte.com.

ALEZA FREEMAN is a true product of the desert, conceived in the Negev and born in Vegas. She worked for many years as a reporter, editor and copywriter for newspapers, ad agencies, internet startups and casino creative departments before branching out on her own as a freelance writer. But it’s her role as mommy that excites her most (even more than reporting on-assignment in Israel, interviewing “Weird Al” Yankovic or riding every thrill ride in Vegas with a video camera pointed at her face). Aleza’s squad includes her husband Howard, son Evan, two cats, one dog and the occasional spider.

JAQ GREENSPON is a father as well as a world traveling, dog loving, scuba diving, book collecting, writer currently residing somewhere in Eastern Europe. His words have been spoken by Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and Robin Hood, been read by David Copperfield, and criticized by his 7th grade English teacher. He’d like to thank the members of the Academy, although he doesn’t know why. In his spare time, he’s a university professor and a kick ass uncle.

PAUL HARASIM is the editorial associate director for the UNLV School of Medicine. Following a stint in Houston in print and TV journalism as well as public affairs -- the Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring his work -- he spent more than a decade at the Las Vegas Review-Journal as an award-winning medical writer and columnist. A Vietnam veteran who covered the war for military publications, he is the author of “Standing Tall.”

JASON HARRIS writes for a number of publications and websites. He specializes in food, music, and comedy writing. He has worked in almost every aspect of the entertainment industry. He has sold multiple screenplays, written awards shows and had a tv show on ABC for a minute. He’s still broke. And he loves his daughter Scarlett the most.

SCOTT KERBS is a Physician Experience Coordinator at UMC. He works closely alongside physicians, gathering feedback and addressing concerns to ensure they have the best possible experiences at UMC. He also serves as a member of UMC’s marketing team, drawing upon his experience as a journalist to share valuable information with members of the community.

8 | www.davidlv.com

Call to get an ADT Security System + Get a $100 ADT Visa Reward Card FREE* ADT’s 24/7 monitoring plus top of the line security cameras help ensure your loved ones are safe – whether you’re out and about or in the next room.

$100 ADT Visa Reward Card

FREE

*

*With 36-month monitoring contract. Early termination and installation fees apply. Reward card issued

by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC. Card terms and expiration apply. For full terms, see below.

$100 value

BONUS ADT Visa Reward Card

† Choose ADT today and receive a $100 Visa Reward Card to spend on anything you want!

Call today to speak with a home security expert

1-888-969-7719

*$100 ADT Visa Reward Card: Requires 36-month monitoring contract starting at $28.99/mo. (24-month monitoring contract in California, total fees from $695.76), and enrollment in ADT EasyPay. Requires minimum purchase price of $449. One (1) Visa Reward Card valued at $100 is redeemable seven (7) days after system is installed, wherein an email is sent to the customer’s email address associated with their account with a promo code. The customer must validate the promo code on the website provided in the email and a physical card will be sent in the mail. Installation must occur within 60 days of offer expiration date to receive card.

Applicable to new and resale sale types only. Card is issued by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Card valid for up to 6 months; unused funds will forfeit after the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply.

Interactive Services: ADT Command Interactive Solutions Services (“ADT Command”) helps you manage your home environment and family lifestyle. Requires purchase of an ADT alarm system with 36-month monitoring contract ranging from $45.99-$59.99/mo. with QSP (24-month monitoring contract in California, total fees ranging $1,103.76-$1,439.76), enrollment in ADT EasyPay, and a compatible device with Internet and email access. These interactive services do not cover the operation or maintenance of any household equipment/systems that are connected to the ADT Command equipment. All ADT Command services are not available with all interactive service levels. All ADT Command services may not be available in all geographic areas. You may be required to pay additional charges to purchase equipment required to utilize the interactive service features you desire.

General: Additional charges may apply in areas that require guard response service for municipal alarm verification. System remains property of ADT. Local permit fees may be required. Prices and offers subject to change and may vary by market. Additional taxes and fees may apply. Satisfactory credit required. A security deposit may be required. Simulated screen images and photos are for illustrative purposes only. ©2021 ADT LLC dba ADT Security Services. All rights reserved. ADT, the ADT logo, 800.ADT.ASAP and the product/service names listed in this document are marks and/or registered marks. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Third-party marks are the property of their respective owners. License information available at www.ADT.com/legal or by calling 800.ADT.ASAP. Licenses: AL 233, 234, 458, 506, 1519, CA ACO7155, 974443, PPO120288; FL EF0001121; LA F1639, F1640, F1643, F1654; MA 172C; NC Licensed by the Alarm Systems Licensing Board of the State of North Carolina; 2736-CSA, 2397-CSA, 2381-CSA; NJ Burg & Fire Business Lic. #34BF00048300, 200 East Park, Ste. 200, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054; NY 12000305615; PA 090797; MS 1501951.

DF-CD-NP-Q421

From the Publisher

Max Friedland

I was born in a part of the world that had no snow. As a kid I was hooked on the surf, and we had some of the best. Friends of mine had boats and I remember how proud I was the first time I got up on one ski. Now that I think about it, I spent most of my youth wet, and not only behind the ears.

That changed a lot. At the first opportunity, upon relocating to Europe, I hit the slopes. More accurately, the slopes hit me. Very soon, young Max was getting his groove on, on the piste.

Flash forward to life in Southern Nevada, where snow time for my family was a day trip to Mount Charleston and Lee Canyon.

For this month’s issue, I approached outdoor aficionado Stephanie Forté to show us the snow. In her piece, Snow ’scapes (pages 54-59), she spotlights three skiing and snowboarding hot spots a day-trip or an overnight away. Vegas, it’s time to get your lift passes.

Stacy D’Alessandro comes on board this month to highlight health and fitness options in 2022. In her piece, At the Gym or at Home (pages 45-53), she reviews local fitness clubs and writes about how they have embraced a hybrid approach to training.

Also on that front, Paul Harasim provides us, with the help of professors at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, a roadmap for optimum health maintenance. In his piece Wellness Check-Up (pages 38-43), he provides a detailed user’s manual for the body and the mind, and what to look out for as we age.

Allied to this study, we are happy to provide content showcasing UMC’s efforts in the field of senior wellbeing. In his piece Quality of Life for Seniors (pages 44-47), Scott Kerbs describes the wide range of programs they offer for our elders.

Impacting our elders, and not only them, the loss or thinning of our youthful manes can be depressing. Some embrace it and go full Kojak and others resort to endless interventions. Inspired by his father’s grandpa ponytail, Jaq Greenspon submitted My Hair Piece (pages 28-31). Is there something you’re trying to tell us, Jaq? This month our food writer, Jason Harris, got to sit down with Chef Gina Marinelli of Harlo Steakhouse & Bar and Trattoria La Strega fame. In his tastebud teasing piece, Head Witch in Charge (pages 32-36), Marinelli offers our readers a sneak peak into her creative process and the sweat and tears that go into the delights on each plate her diners are served.

Finally, in The Band Plays On (pages 24-27), Aleza Freedman interviews Broadway producer Oren Wolf, who brings his 10-time Tony-winning Broadway musical The Band’s Visit to Las Vegas. This show was originally due to play in March 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Smith Center and DAVID magazine share this in common, that they both shut down and reopened at the same time.

Sadly, due to temporary supply-chain related circumstances out of our control, we are forced to publish this issue digitally.

As always keep safe, take care of each other. We’ll soon be back in the racks. In the meantime, enjoy this on your devices, wherever you are.

Max D. Friedland max@davidlv.com

10 | www.davidlv.com

Pulse

Las Vegas Philharmonic www.davidlv.com | 11

Explore JANUARY•FEBRUARY

SAT

January 1

KATY PERRY: PLAY LAS VEGAS Through Jan. 15, 8 p.m. Resorts World, 3000 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 800-445-8667. http:// rwlasvegas.com USHER 8 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

866-227-5938. http://caesarspalace.com

FRI

7

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO Through Jan. 8, 8 p.m. Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http://wynnlasvegas.com

SUN

16

702-255-3444

www.thebagelcafelv.com Winner in 8 Categories

Gold: Best Bagels, Best Deli, Best Cookies Silver: Best Desert Best Curbside Restaurant Bronze: Best Bakery, Best Brunch, Best Sandwich

12 | www.davidlv.com

Bagel_Cafe_11.21.indd 1

11/8/2021 11:37:37 AM

PATTI LUPONE 8 p.m. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

TUE

25

MY FAIR LADY: THE LINCOLN CENTER THEATER PRODUCTION Through Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

WED

26

LIONEL RITCHIE Through Feb. 5, 8 p.m.

Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http:// wynnlasvegas.com

FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS 8 p.m. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

THE MARIAS 8 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

FRI

28

21 301 N. Buffalo Drive

Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-770-7000. http://wynnlasvegas.com

FRI

KATT WILLIAMS Through Jan. 22, 8 p.m. Park Theater, MGM Grand, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 844-600-7275. https://parkmgm.com

STORIES-THE WORK OF CIG HARVEY Through Feb. 26, by appointment. FreyBoy Art Salon (FAS44), 4044 Dean Martin Dr., Las Vegas. 702-735-8322.

GARRISON KEILLOR OF PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

BERT KREISCHER: THE BERTY BOY RELAPSE TOUR 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http:// virginhotelslv.com

DAVID FOSTER 8 p.m. Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-770-7000. http://wynnlasvegas.com

STYX & NANCY WILSON Through Feb. 5, 8 p.m.

Venetian, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-414-1000. https://venetian.com

SAT

FRI

BRIAN MCKNIGHT 8 p.m. Encore Theater, Wynn

GARTH BROOKS Through Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Park

22

February 4

Theater, MGM Grand, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 844-600-7275. https://parkmgm.com DINOSAUR JR. 8 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas 2022 HONDA NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND Through Feb. 5, times vary. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-6921300. http://t-mobilearena.com SHINEDOWN 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://virginhotelslv.com

SAT

5

YELLOWJACKETS 6 & 8:30 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com NEVADA BALLET THEATRE - TWO WORLD PREMIERES 2 & 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

SUN

6

2022 NFL PRO BOWL 12 p.m. Allegiant Stadium, 3333 Al Davis Way, Las Vegas. 725780-2000. http://allegiantstadium.com

TUE

8

POLO & PAN 8 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas LAS VEGAS ACADEMY: LET MUSIC LIGHT THE WAY 7 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com

THU

10

JIM BRICKMAN: SHARE THE LOVE Through Feb. 12, times vary. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter. com

FRI

11

GEORGE STRAIT: STRAIT TO VEGAS Through Feb. 12, 8 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300. http://tmobilearena.com SHANIA TWAIN Through Feb. 26, 8 p.m.

Planet Hollywood, 3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-785-5555. http://caesars.com/ planethollywood www.davidlv.com | 13

Stories-The Work of Photographer Cig Harvey, January 28 - February 26

2022 NHL All Star Weekend, February 4-5

MATT FRASER Through Feb. 12, 8 p.m.

Venetian, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

702-414-1000. https://venetian.com

SAT

TUE

DANIEL TOSH Through Feb. 12, 10 p.m. Aces of Comedy, Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. http://mirage.com

LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC: CABRERA CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN NO. 4 & 5 AND MONTGOMERY 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

TONY AWARD WINNING MUSICAL: THE BAND'S VISIT Through Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

THE BLACK CROWES: TWICE AS HARD Through Feb. 12, 8 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http:// mandalaybay.com LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m. Resorts World, 3000 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 800-445-8667. http://rwlasvegas.com

14 | www.davidlv.com

12

AFI: BODIES TOUR 2022 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://virginhotelslv.com EMO NIGHT TOUR 9 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-6935000. http://virginhotelslv.com

15 WED

16

CHICAGO Through Feb. 26, 8 p.m. Venetian, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-4141000. https://venetian.com GALACTIC 8 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las

Justin Bieber Justice World Tour, February 20

Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

THU

17

COHEED AND CAMBRIA & SHEER MAG 8 p.m.

Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas

The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

SAT

ANDREA BOCELLI 8 p.m. MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand, 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-892-7575. https://mgmgrand.com

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS: THE RIVER IS RISING TOUR 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http:// virginhotelslv.com

FRI

BILL MAHER Through Feb. 19, 10 p.m. Aces of Comedy, Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. http://mirage.com

THE COLOR PURPLE PRESENTED BY BROADWAY IN THE HOOD Through Feb. 19, times vary. Troesh Studio Theater,

VAN MORRISON Through Feb. 29, 8 p.m.

The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938. http:// caesarspalace.com

18

19 SUN

20

JUSTIN BIEBER: JUSTICE WORLD TOUR 7:30 p.m. T-Mobile Arena, 3780 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-692-1300. http://tmobilearena.com www.davidlv.com | 15

TUE

22

STRAIGHT NO CHASER - BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE TOUR 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas.

702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

WED

23

THE COMPOSERS SHOWCASE OF LAS VEGAS 9 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter. com PANDORA PRESENTS - DISNEY PRINCESS THE CONCERT 7 p.m. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas.

702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com JOHN FOGERTY Through Feb. 26, 8 p.m.

Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-770-7000. http:// wynnlasvegas.com

THU

24

ALLMAN FAMILY REVIVAL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS RIVER KITTENS 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://virginhotelslv.com

FRI

25

METALLICA 8 p.m. Allegiant Stadium, 3333 Al Davis Way, Las Vegas. 725-780-2000. http:// allegiantstadium.com TOTO: DOGZ OF OZ TOUR 8 p.m. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://virginhotelslv.com SONDHEIM MORE SUBLIME: MELISSA CELEBRATES STEPHEN 7 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com SHEN YUN Through Feb. 27, times vary.

Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

SAT

26

BILLY JOEL 8 p.m. Allegiant Stadium, 3333 Al Davis Way, Las Vegas. 725-780-2000. http:// allegiantstadium.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.

16 | www.davidlv.com

Valencian Gold

Devour

The smartest thing Chef Jeffrey Weiss has done with his Spanish restaurant, Valencian Gold, is pivot. Before the pandemic, it was a fast casual paella graband-go joint. It was a fun idea, but told little of Weiss’s story. The chef has cooked with Spanish masters, including José Andrés and Dani García. He wrote a book on Spanish-style charcuterie. Now, that knowledge and passion are on display in the rebooted Valencian Gold, a major addition to the Spanish dining scene in Las Vegas. Weiss mixes classic with funky, traditional with eclectic, tried-and-true with ultra-modern. One can partake in a by-the-book Paella Valenciana on the one hand, or just as easily indulge in foie gras rice crispy treats.

Loren Jobe Photography

Valencian Gold, 7960 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 8000A, Las Vegas. 702-776-7707. valenciangold.com

www.davidlv.com | 17

Desire

Exploring the Great Outdoors

Do you wish to enjoy the wonders of a campfire with loved ones without worrying about the mess, dwindling flames, and dangerous, flying embers? Radiate Portable Campfires can do just that. These campfires are compact and easy to pack, user-friendly, and reusable. Made from recycled soy wax and paper briquettes, Radiate Campfires have no smoky smell or embers and can burn for up to five hours. Campfires start at $27.99 with added discounts for bulk ordering. http://radiateportablecampfire.com

Staying hydrated on a long outdoor adventure is as crucial as it is challenging. Before LifeStraw, campers had to either tote around liters of water along with all of their wilderness supplies or rely on boiling natural, untreated water found along the way. LifeStraw changes all that. LifeStraw is the ultimate hydration survival tool, protecting against bacteria, microplastics, dirt, sand, and cloudiness. Inside is a replaceable filter, which can treat up to 1,000 gallons, enough drinking water to last an individual for over five years. http://lifestraw.com

Known as the “swiss army knife of camping gear,” the VSSL Camp Supplies Kit looks, at first glance, like any ordinary flashlight. But when the top cylinder of the VSSL flashlight screws off to reveal several screw top cylinders stacked inside, you begin to understand the difference. These compartments include a total of 72 camping essentials in one compact piece of equipment, which weighs less than a pound. With fishing gear, fire starters, water purification tablets, wire saws, marine grade rope, and oodles of other survival essentials, even Bear Grylls would be proud. http://vsslgear.com

The original Luminoodle is a waterproof and flexible ambient light system that will keep nighttime activities going whether you are out camping, on the beach, or enjoying some fresh air in your backyard.

This lighting system has multiple hanging options including ties, utility loops, and heavy-duty magnets. Hang it around the inside of your tent, magnet it to the side of your camper, or stuff it in the nylon stow pouch to make a handy, diffused lantern. http://powerpractical.com

18 | www.davidlv.com

The Thermacell Portable Mosquito Repellent effectively repels mosquitoes by creating a 15-foot protection zone. This lightweight device can be taken anywhere outdoors to protect hikers and campers from itchy welts and sleepless nights in their tent. With no spray or mess, this system is entirely DEET- and scent-free.

The Thermacell Repellent is ideal for use while camping, fishing, gardening, or even enjoying some fresh air around the backyard. http://thermacell.com

The One Bag by The North Face is appropriately named because it is the only sleeping bag serious campers will ever need. This bag has multiple layers and configurations depending on weather conditions. Use the insulated blue cover for temperatures around 40 degrees, the yellow layer for temperatures around 20 degrees, or both for more adverse weather around 5 degrees. The down layer can be used as a stand-alone quilt for camp-side lounging, while the compression sack is fleece lined and can be converted into a pillow. http://thenorthface.com

Gone are the days of campers sustaining themselves with protein bars and dry granola. Thanks to the GSI Outdoors Destination Kitchen Set, a campsite can function almost as well as a kitchen does. This set contains everything a group of four would need for a post-hike feast: 16 utensils, a collapsible whisk, a pivot spoon, a pivot spatula, waterproof spice shakers, condiment containers, a cutting board, utility knives, a scrubber and more. All of these items are stored in a ballistic nylon case and the whole kit weighs less than two pounds. http://gsioutdoors.com

Whether you’re camping, glamping, or picnicking in the park, you deserve bar-quality cocktails. The Jillmo Bartender Travel Kit includes an 11-piece, stainless steel tool set, three padded slots for liquor bottles, and additional pockets for syrups, garnishes, and a cutting board. This travel bar is insulated and padded on all outer walls, so your “party in a bag” is well protected. http://jillmobrand.com www.davidlv.com | 19

Discover

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park At the end of the long, dirt Cave Valley Road, 12 miles south of Ely, Nevada, six 30-foot-high, beehive-shaped stone structures rise from the high desert as a tribute to the Wild West. The 19th century charcoal ovens were once used by fortune seeking miners to help process silver ore discovered in the Willow Creek Basin area. But around 1876, as deposits and timber were depleted, the kilns were abandoned. The historical remnants then took on other purposes, such as emergency lodging and a hideout for notorious stagecoach bandits. In 1994, the site received a historical designation from The Nevada Division of State Parks and today, the photogenic ovens—and adjoining Willow Creek Campground with picnic tables, restrooms, grills, trails for hiking and biking, and diverse wildlife like mule deer and elk—are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

20 | www.davidlv.com

Mingle Jewish Nevada & the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada Vodka Latke Celebration XS Nightclub @ Encore, Las Vegas Saturday, November 27 Event co-chairs Sam Glaser, Ardi Najmabadi and Colleen C. Freedman welcomed attendees to this signature event in the Las Vegas Jewish community social calendar.

The show got under way with a Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony, featuring a special floral menorah designed by Jessica Marshall and Miss Daisy. Now in the holiday spirit, guests danced the night away whilst enjoying the Vodka and the Latkes this event is famous for. Specialty cocktails were enjoyed and the food were provided by Jerusalem Grill, Trattoria La Strega, Al Solito Posto, and Vasari.

Photos: Courtesy Jewish Nevada. www.davidlv.com | 21

No Clipping Required.

ON AVERAGE, AARP MEMBERS ENJOY

$$449

*

SAVINGS

ON AUTO INSURANCE

when they switch from companies like

GEICO, State Farm and Allstate Your savings could be even more!

Call The Hartford 1-844-530-1658

The AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford.

1

®

Saving is easy! With this policy, experienced drivers who switch save an average of $449* in the first year alone — and they get all the benefits and privileges you’d expect with the AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford.

■ 24/7 claims service ■ Lifetime renewability† ■ Lock in your rate for a full 12 months

Your own savings could actually be greater.

■ New car replacement§§

96%

The only national auto insurance program endorsed by AARP.

of customers recommend The Hartford**

Call The Hartford now to request a FREE money-saving quote.

1-844-530-1658 No coupon necessary.

Not an AARP member? If you’re 50 or over, request a FREE quote and more information today!

FREE duffel bag when you request your free quote!*** * Savings amounts are averages based on information from The Hartford’s AARP Auto Insurance Program customers who became new auto insurance policyholders between 1/1/18 and 12/31/18 and provided data regarding their savings and prior carrier. Your savings may vary. ** Based on customer experience reviews shared online at www.thehartford.com/aarp as of April 2019. *** The gift offer is good for first time responders who provide a valid email address. Responders will be sent an email to confirm the gift. All responders in IA, IL, MA and RI who do not provide an email address are still eligible to receive the gift. The gift offer is not available in GA, ND, NM or PA, but residents may still request a quote. The gift is available only as a limited time offer. Please allow 4-7 weeks for delivery. Bottle not included. † If you are age 50 or older, once you’re insured through this Program for at least 60 days, you cannot be refused renewal as long as applicable premiums are paid when due. Also, you and other customary drivers of your vehicles must retain valid licenses, remain physically and mentally capable of operating an automobile (not applicable in MA), have no convictions for driving while intoxicated and must not have obtained your policy through material misrepresentation. Benefit currently not available in HI, MI, NH, NC and TX. §§ Limitations apply.

AARP and its affliates are not insurers. Paid endorsement. The Hartford pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program eligibility in most states.

The AARP Automobile Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. It is underwritten in CA by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company; in WA, by Hartford Casualty Insurance Company; in MN, by Sentinel Insurance Company; and in MA, MI and PA, by Trumbull Insurance Company. Specific features, credits, and discounts may vary and may not be available in all states in accordance with state filings and applicable law. Applicants are individually underwritten and some may not qualify. The program is currently unavailable in Canada and U.S. Territories or possessions.

1In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company, through Hartford Fire General Agency. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company.

006131

Photo by Evan Zimmerman, Murphy Made

Live

The Band Plays On | 24 www.davidlv.com | 23

Know

TheBand On

Plays

Photos by Evan Zimmerman, Murphy Made

After a Yearlong-Plus COVID Pause, Broadway Hit The Band’s Visit Hopes to Strike a Note at The Smith Center

24 | www.davidlv.com

By Aleza Freeman hat do coronavirus-era theatergoers and Bet Hatikva residents have in common?

They’re all experts at waiting.

Theatergoers waited nearly two years for the return of live stage performances, post-COVID, with theaters nationwide—from Broadway to off-off-off-Broadway and beyond—finally welcoming back audiences in September (though a slew of positive COVID-19 tests shut down production on some Broadway shows in late December).

As for residents of the imaginary village of Bet

W

Hatikva? You’ll just have to wait to find out when the 10-time Tony-winning Broadway musical The Band’s Visit arrives at Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Las Vegas, February 1520, 2022.

Originally scheduled to come to the Smith Center in March 2020, the celebrated musical is now part of a nationwide tour that includes eight shows a week in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. “It’s exciting to finally watch these cities around the country embrace it,” said longtime Broadway producer The company of The Band’s Visit North American Tour.

www.davidlv.com | 25

Orin Wolf, noting that the COVID pandemic has been “extraordinarily damaging” to Broadway and touring shows, and The Band’s Visit is no exception.

Wolf (Fiddler on the Roof, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Orphans, Once, That Championship Season, A View From the Bridge) called the nearly two-year pandemic pause “a long and arduous journey,” mostly spent trying to find a way to put live shows back in theaters.

“A lot of The Band’s Visit is about isolation and loneliness and feeling stuck; the first song in our show is called ‘Waiting,’” he says. “Coming out of a year and half of quarantining and isolating, I think people can appreciate that feeling of isolation in a way that makes [the show] feel even more universal.”

But The Band’s Visit held a special place in Wolf’s heart long before the COVID era. It was his idea to adapt it for stage from a 2007 award-winning independent Israeli film of the same name by Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin.

The musical opened to critical acclaim off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017, with music and lyrics

by David Yazbek and a book by Itamar Moses. It is one of the most Tony Award-winning musicals in history, including a Tony for Best Musical and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

In this offbeat tale of love, loss, and day-to-day living, an Egyptian police orchestra is stranded for the night

FREE 55-

MASSAGE, FACIAL OR TOTAL BODY STRETCH *

www.dav idlv.com NOV / DEC 2021

60-MIN INTRO SESSION 60 min session

11.2

$

in a remote Israeli village, the fictional Bet Hatikva. With nowhere else to go, the foreign musicians stay and are welcomed in for the night by the small, sleepy town.

The characters are from disparate cultural groups and speak different first languages, Arabic and Hebrew, communicating through a shared second language, English. The short time they spend getting to know one another erases any barriers (predisposed, political, or otherwise) between them.

Complex characters, relatable storylines, and seductive Klezmer-inspired Mediterranean music performed live on stage, add to the show’s allure, making for a performance that is humorous, human, and as Wolf puts it, contemplative.

“You don’t typically think about Broadway musicals being contemplative or quiet, but that’s what we are here, a contemplative and quiet show,” he says. “When you watch the characters struggle to finding the right words, I believe, as an audience, you begin to pay attention to words, and in a way, words have more meaning because they’re more carefully selected.”

It’s “the antithesis of Twitter, where everyone is just shouting all the time… and words are so overused that they have lost their meaning and their power,” says Wolf, calling the show his respite. “It’s impossible for art not to be political because we’re political beings and

*

when you join today.

Back on

CENTENNIAL GATEWAY

Stage

(702) 228-3689

NOV / DEC 2021

Offer valid January 8–February 11 CENTENNIAL HILLS

www.dav idlv.com

(702) 839-9997

BALANCE THERAPY • POST-ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY STROKE • VERTIGO • GENERAL WEAKNESS

the Arts

WATER WISE

LET’S GET OILED

1

11/11/2021 4:13:43 PM

Contact: Max Friedland

702-254-2223

9310 Sun City Blvd., Suite 103, Las Vegas, NV 89134

26 | www.davidlv.com

THE UNSEEN ENEMY

We are seeking extraordinary ad sales professionals who are passionate about results. The positions are offering a strong book of business and generous commissions.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

MassageEnvy-Active-RX 08.18.indd 1

CALLING A PAL

Come Play on Our Team!

1 Cover.indd

*Offer valid for first-time guests only. All session times include up to a total of 10 minutes for consultation and/or dressing, which occurs both pre and post service. Prices subject to change. Rates and services may vary by franchised location and session.

Additional local taxes and fees may apply. Not all Massage Envy locations offer all services. For a specific list of services available or additional information about joining as a member, check with the specific location or see MassageEnvy.com. Each location is independently owned and operated. ©2018 Massage Envy Franchising, LLC. M03-00185, M03-00167

702.982.0079

Celebrating the Return of

max@davidlv.com

www.activerxlv.com

8/20/18 10:31 Quarter AMPage Sales Rep Ad 01.22.indd 1

1/27/2022 12:30:32 PM

we’re creating expressions of ourselves; it’s inherent.

That said, The Band’s Visit is ultimately a piece about humanity and about behavior and it really is, in many ways, devoid of all talks of conflict and politics. It’s just about how one group of strangers takes in another when in need.”

His perspective echoes that of the show’s director, David Cromer, who told him that “really this is a show about that common decency that, in private, we all have.”

Wolf adds: “We may have grandiose political ideas about who we are, about this country and that country, but at the end of the day, if you’re sitting in your home and somebody comes up to your door in need of something, I’d like to think that most people, that first impulse is ‘How can I help?’

Maybe that’s a naïve and optimistic look at where we are [in the world], but that is the story of The Band’s Visit.”

Wolf is hopeful that the show’s universal message of acceptance, award-winning score, and talented cast (including Israeli actor Sasson Gabay, who starred in the original film and the Broadway production) will strike the right chord with its diverse audiences across the country, just as it did on Broadway.

“We are now embarking on this great national tour and we have to reach audiences across so many different social circles, religious circles, cultural circles, socioeconomic circles, racial circles,” says Wolf. “It’s our job to create something universal. It’s our job to find the essence of what makes any specific situation feel deeper, feel more like it’s about the human experience and ultimately touch on the things that remind everyone in the audience how were all so much more alike than not.”

He is already looking forward to bringing the show to the Smith Center as part of its Broadway Las Vegas lineup, which includes My Fair Lady in January, Tootsie in May and The Play that Goes Wrong in June.

“I love the venue and I think Vegas audiences are terrific; it’s going to be exciting to be there and I can’t wait,” he says, adding, “I love the idea that Broadway promoters are…presenting the best of Broadway and I think it’s great for the people in Vegas to be able to expand their understanding of what makes a musical.”

Broadway smash hit The Band’s Visit runs Tuesday, Feb. 15 – Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $30.

Above: Janet Dacal and Sasson Gabay.

www.davidlv.com | 27

Sense

My Hair

Piece

“I looked in the mirror today My eyes just didn’t seem so bright I’ve lost a few more hairs I think I’m going bald” — Neil Peart, Rush

By Jaq Greenspon hat quote above is from the Rush album Caress of Steel, released in 1975 when the band members were at the well-advanced age of (checks notes) 22 and 23. This was the band’s second studio album and already they were hitting that strongest trope of rock and roll songs, male pattern baldness.

The three guys in Rush, who went on to have a career spanning another 40 years after this album was released, never actually lost their hair. To this day, while it may be receding, the remaining members are still rocking significant coifs. So what’s the deal?

Why were they so worried about losing their hair? Why are any of us?

T

28 | www.davidlv.com

For as long as I can remember, anytime I went to the barber, I was told my hair was thinning and I should appreciate it now because it wasn’t long for this world.

And yet, while it may be thin, it’s still here. My dad, on the other hand, has been sporting a chrome dome since the 70s, and now, at 80, he’s letting his Franciscan Friar Fringe grow out into a ponytail! Let that freak flag fly, pops!

At the very least, he’ll have enough for a comb over, right? I mean, that’s where we are, as a society, that if we don’t embrace that baldness, we try to do everything we can to hide the fact it’s there. That’s what the comb over is all about – it’s taking the hair you do have and flipping it up and over the bare spots, like pulling a blanket up in the middle of a cold winter’s night.

Above left to right clockwise: Jaq’s dad sporting his ponytail. A Capillus laser hair growth stimulation cap.

A male hairpiece solution.

Rogaine, a 5% Minoxidil topical solution.

Where does this insecurity come from? Is it biblical? I remember when I was in Sunday school and learning all about the various stories, the heroes and villains in these pieces, one of the standouts was Samson. Here was a guy whose entire strength – his entire identity, really – was wrapped up in his head of hair. To be fair, every time you saw Samson rendered, he looked like a cover model for any one of a number of romance novels. That hair made him so strong he could literally bring down the

granite pillars of buildings and his great undoing came about when Delilah gave him a little trim. Lose the split ends, lose the super strength.

Long hair and virility, then, seem to go hand in hand, right.

Therefore, it only makes sense to discover we might have gotten it completely wrong? It seems there’s a relationship between testosterone and baldness, or so the story goes.

The logical extension here says that the more testosterone one has in their system, the more likely they are to go www.davidlv.com | 29

SPEND A SUMMER IN ISRAEL

at Alexander Muss High School in Israel

Generous Grants Available to Las Vegas Teens For more information contact Jennifer Sosnow at jsosnow@jnf.org or 480.447.8100 amhsi.org

discover@amhsi.org ∙ 800.327.5980

30 | www.davidlv.com

bald which creates the corollary then, that the more testosterone one has, the more virile they are (including a stronger sex drive). It would seem, if this were the case, if you were looking for a strong, able-bodied man just check under the hood. If it’s looking like Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, you’ll know the guy has got the goods.

Except that’s not true either. There is no physical proof that having or not having hair equates to virility in any way.

This myth has been debunked repeatedly and yet it keeps cropping back up. It’s almost like we, as men, are so afraid of not having hair, we’re do anything we can to alleviate the stigma. But why are we so concerned about it?

To be honest, I’m not sure, but it’s been going on for a while.

Seems that even Hippocrates himself, the “father of modern medicine” from about 2500 years ago, had his own way of dealing with the problem. Allegedly, he suffered from male pattern baldness and since his own prescription for what a physician should look like included the phrase “healthy,” we can assume, maybe, that not having a full head of hair was not playing into this image.

So, he came up with a “cure.” This cure involved a number of different ingredients but always included pigeon droppings. Go with what’s plentiful, I guess? Or maybe he noticed that guys who had a full head of hair were always getting pooped on by passing pigeons and did some deductive reasoning? I’m pretty sure we’ll never know.

Beyond that though, depending on the source, you could be mixing those droppings with anything from cumin or other spices to horseradish or beetroot or even opium.

Even before the old Greek, the Egyptians were also getting into the hair restoration act. The Ebers Papyrus, a medical text from around 1000 years before Hippocrates, lists not one, not two, but 12 different remedies to cure baldness, from the relatively boring application of a bunch of fish guts to the head of the patient or mixing hedgehog hair and oil and rubbing that into the scalp for four days. It does get a bit more complex with one possible remedy requiring the mixture of the fat of a few different animals, including a lion, hippo, crocodile, snake, mountain ibex, and a cat (it’s ancient Egypt, there had to be a cat in there somewhere).

All to make yourself look a little better. Maybe it is all about self-image. That ancient text listed the reason for needing hair to grow is because baldness was a sign of old age. Is all of this really due to a nostalgic desire to return to our youth?

Maybe.

Of course, we all know now these ancient cures are a lot of hogwash and might even be dangerous, right? As the saying goes, we must be careful of snake oil salesmen, because they mean us no good…unless what they’re pedaling is real snake oil?

You gotta be kidding me!

While researching this hair piece, I came across literal

Snake Oil, which, according to Amazon, “is for growing hair product.” The reviews say it all: “When I used this item, my skin itching.” And yet, it’s still there, still for sale.

And I’d bet someone has it in their virtual shopping cart at this very moment. Such is the draw of making sure we don’t succumb to looking old.

Back in the 80s, there was a commercial running all the time featuring Sy Sperling, president of Hair Club for Men, which ended with the fully follicled Mr. Sperling showing an older picture of himself with a shiny pate and exclaiming “I’m not just the president, I’m also a client.”

By most accounts, Hair Club does work, at least to some extent. They have several different procedures, all of which are medically tested and approved.

But at the same time Sperling was running his ads, there were also ads promoting Hair in a Can, which is basically spray painting your head and hoping no one gets close enough to figure it out. Time Magazine, in 2010, named Hair in a Can as one of the worst inventions of all time. Sure, the technology has improved these days, to a powderlike substance brushed over your head and adhering to whatever follicles are still there, but it’s just a quick fix. It’s not for restoration or permanent replacement.

Yes, there are medically approved resources to help with hair restoration, but nothing is 100% guaranteed to work. Ultimately, if your head stays covered by hair is based on a number of factors including genetics and

whether or not you’ve done anything to damage the scalp in that misspent youth of yours.

But even if you don’t use a medically approved method, if you want to keep your youthful looks there are other ways to achieve it. We’ve already mentioned the comb over, a method used to varying degrees of effectiveness throughout the years. The late Johnny Thompson, a former Las Vegas based magician, was so adept at getting his hair to cover his baldness that Penn & Teller featured him on one of their programs to show off the method, which is nothing short of magical. Then you have others, politicians and media personalities who you can name for yourself, whose vain attempts at tossing three strands of oily hair across their scalps and calling it a day, should be called out for lack of trying.

Ultimately, yeah, having hair does make you look a bit younger. But it’s a fact that a high percentage of men (and some women) are going to lose some or all of their hair by the time they reach 35 and it’s only going to get worse as they get older.

If you’re one of these people, you’re left with a choice. Either start looking for a steady source of hippo fat or embrace the new look. Showing any kind of confidence in yourself always makes you look and feel better, and if you can do that with own baldness there’s nothing in the world that can stop you.

Not even a 70s era rock band who seem to be speaking directly into your soul.

With a commitment to educate and a passion to heal, we are

Transforming Healthcare in Southern Nevada

Call 702-660-UNLV for a primary or specialty care appointment. unlv.edu/medicine | unlvhealth.org www.davidlv.com | 31

Taste

32 | www.davidlv.com

Head Witch in Charge

A Conversation with Chef Gina Marinelli of Harlo Steakhouse & Bar & Trattoria La Strega.

By Jason Harris hen last we spoke with Gina Marinelli, the chef was just opening her first restaurant, the Summerlin Italian hot spot, La Strega (“the witch” in Italian). Many television appearances and accolades later, we now find her expanding her restaurant portfolio. Her pasta and fish-forward La Strega earned her such a following that she has now opened Harlo Steakhouse & Bar, a throwback feeling chop house in Downtown Summerlin with modern takes on classic dishes. We caught up with the chef to discuss the new restaurant, her plans for this year, and if many Las Vegas Raiders - her dad, Rod Marinelli, is the defensive line coach for the football team — have found her proteincentric steakhouse yet.

W

Tonight, you brought me out a dish I’ve never seen before. Tell me about it.

I thought it would be something a little fun. I love the idea of a bone marrow all’Amatriciana and using the bone marrow as the fat. The presentation is stunning. With the pasta, it’s a riff off La Strega and bringing it in here for a mid-course pasta before your steak. It’s very playful and whimsical. With La Strega, we always cook on the edge of

our seats. That’s what we wanted to do tonight.

Is this the philosophy here as well? Cooking on the edge of your seat?

Always. We’re a neighborhood restaurant so we can do that. The Strip is Groundhog’s Day. You get new people but the same courses. Here, we get the same people 2 - 3 times a week, so you have to be innovative and thoughtful with what you send out to them. We try to make every experience like it’s their first experience. For a chef, that’s great. That feels fun. If you came back in two days, you would not be getting the same meal.

How long did this concept take to develop?

It went back and forth for about 2 years. Just kind of figuring out what we wanted to do and who we wanted to be. I like that it took that much time. To do it right, with everything, we settled on the design first. The room makes the first statement. And then with the food, we can look at it separately.

Speaking of the food, many of these are known dishes from the 1960s but you are doing different spins on them.

We want to reinvent and also give ourselves our own

www.davidlv.com | 33

identity. We want to be playful - with pasta, with seafood, with seasonality. So, when you come to Harlo in April, May, and June, the menu is going to look different than it does in November and December. We need to be that chef-driven place and celebrate who we are as a team. We’re flexing.

How we do seafood at La Strega is how we’re going to do meat here. We’re going to celebrate different farms, different cuts, different things and push the boundaries.

Vegas is a steak town. Why would I choose Harlo over the other options?

There are so many great steakhouses here, but I think the room is exceptional. I think the service is impeccable.

Our front of the house management team is great. The

source their meats?

I think they are. At La Strega, I wanted people to get away from farmed and wild. That was a big thing. Here, it’s getting away from choice and prime. And what that means. If it’s choice and USDA approved, what does that mean? We’re going to educate them that it’s okay to eat the highest echelon choice meat. It doesn’t make it bad or mean that the cows were raised improperly. We had the farmers come out here and talk to the team. It’s important.

With La Strega, in the past, you and I have talked about how you’re pushing the boundaries of what we consider in an Italian

food is going to change over the seasons and over the course of a month. And that’s what’s going to make it beautiful. We’re not going to serve food just to serve food.

We’re going to celebrate global cuisine and keep pushing ourselves. We want to celebrate the right farms for our meat program. If you go to most places, it’s like, filet, ribeye, New York. But we’re celebrating Flannery, Western Reserve, Allen Brothers. We’re bringing in tomahawks from Westholme. We have Australian wagyu and Miyazaki A5. We’re connecting our guests with these farms. I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for us.

restaurant. How do you do that in a meatcentric restaurant, one that is so steeped in what is traditional in this town?

Are eaters educated to the point where they care about which farms are being used to

When you look around, you can see this is a beautiful brunch space.

34 | www.davidlv.com

I think, give them what they are already expecting.

Doing a wedge, doing a Caesar, doing a filet and on top of that, pushing it. Put them on the menu so people come in.

Once they come in, then I’m going to get you. Same thing here. If they come in and just want a Caesar salad and a filet, guess what, we want to cook for you over and over again, so we’re gonna get you. That’s the best way.

Menu items to enjoy at Harlo Steakhouse & Bar: Far Left: Truffle Ricotta Raviolini.

Left: Fire-Roasted Seafood Tower.

Right: 40oz Bistecca Alla Fiorentina, 28 Day Dry-Aged Flannery beef.

Far Right: The Hills Park cocktail.

It’s coming.

Is it going to be classic brunch food?

With the Harlo reputation, we’re going to do something outside of the box. We will have the steaks that will always bring everybody in. But it’s going to really be outside the box - thoughtful, indulgent - it’s a steakhouse. If you’re coming here for brunch, you’re not coming here to eat light. You’re coming here to indulge and have a great time. That’s how we’ve built the brunch menu. Make it fun, cool, and sexy.

As for the look of the place, it’s a place you want to get dressed up for. You want to come in with your girlfriends, your friends, and make it an occasion. The other brunches are just places to go and drink champagne.

Will you be doing special events similar to what you do at La Strega with the fish market?

We’ve talked about doing a meat market here. That’s down the line. Imagine coming in here, buying your steaks, meeting the chefs and learning how to cook everything.

What’s the one dish right now that showcases where you think Harlo will go in the future?

I’m not going to pick a cut of meat. I love the hot shellfish tower. I think it’s really unique and different. You can go get a cold shellfish tower anywhere. But to come in and get everything put together almost like an al Forno, that’s

so beautiful. And if I’m here in the kitchen and some of it comes back, I’ll cook with that actual pan on the stove, burn everything off and make a pasta for you with what’s in there and send it back out. That’s what is really beautiful. We’re tying in Italian but also who we are as a restaurant – celebrating fresh seafood, fresh meat, and being thoughtful and creative.

With so much focus on protein here and your ties to the Raiders, are you seeing a lot of players and coaches come through the doors?

We haven’t quite seen it yet. We see it a lot at La Strega.

They’re going to come after the season is over, hopefully

after the Super Bowl.

(This interview was conducted the night before the Raiders lost in the Wild Card playoff game to the Cincinnati Bengals 26 -19 to end their season).

Is there a big crossover between patrons of La Strega and here?

100%. We see a lot of the same faces here. If they’re at Harlo on Friday, they’re at La Strega on Saturday. That’s the biggest compliment to myself as a restauranteur, to see the same people going back and forth.

How much time are you spending at Harlo and how much at La Strega currently? www.davidlv.com | 35

I try to split my day about 50/50. I usually start my mornings at La Strega and check in with my team there. Without La Strega, I’d have nothing. I always want to make sure my team sees me. Then I usually come here, and we go through service. I go where the need is, where my team needs me the most. It’s hard but it’s a good balance.

It’s interesting that you are getting a lot of the same customers at both, considering that Downtown Summerlin is quite a different social scene.

I think being on the backside of Downtown Summerlin and having that valet right there, it does make it kind of a destination. You can drink at the bar and get up and go talk to a table. The nice thing about this room is that you can come in and have a filet and a martini at the bar or a Caesar salad and everybody walks around and talks to each other. It’s a country club in certain ways. But also, if you’re not part of the country club, you can just walk in and be a part of it, if that makes sense.

www.da vidlv.com

11.2

The cocktails are a big part of the experience in that “everything old is new again” style.

What’s your favorite cocktail on the menu?

NOV / DEC 2021

My favorite, hands down, is The Hills Park. (It features Michters bourbon, sazerac rye pedro ximenez carpano antica umeboshi plum, cherry, smoke). David Bonatesta did such a good job at developing from vintage Vegas, antique Vegas, and bringing everything forward.

Back on

Stage

NOV / DEC 2021

One of your secret weapons here is Ivo Angelov. I don’t think there’s a better front of house person in this city.

www.da vidlv.com

Celebrating the Return

Ivo reminds me of a throwback to a generation that kind of got lost. I love his presence, what he brings to the table, what he brings to the experience, what he makes people feel. That could get lost at times. He’s done such a good job and everybody loves him. It makes the room feel powerful.

You have a steakhouse and an Italian restaurant. Do you have a third concept on the horizon?

I would love to but there’s one of me. I think with these two teams, giving them all my love is what I want to focus on in 2022.

1 Cover.indd

CALLING A PAL

THE UNSEEN ENEMY

of the Arts

WATER WISE

LET’S GET OILED

1

11/11/2021 4:13:43 PM

UPCOMING ISSUES ADVERTISING DEADLINES

MARCH APRIL MAY

TRAVEL ISSUE DESIGN ISSUE WOMEN’S ISSUE

FEB. 15 MAR. 14 APR. 15

To advertise, please call

702.254.2223

What’s your dream concept that you haven’t done yet?

Ads@davidlv.com • www.davidlv.com

Obviously, building off of La Strega, I think a fish house would be amazing. But I’m blessed with these two.

36 | www.davidlv.com

PAS_January.February_2022.indd 1

1/27/2022 12:28:23 PM

Photo courtesy Eagle Point.

Think

Snow ‘scapes | 54 www.davidlv.com | 37

Think

Wellness

Check-Up “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure”

W

By Paul Harasim

hile that observation was made in the 1700s by Benjamin Franklin as he discussed fire prevention in Philadelphia – he didn’t spend all of his time helping draft the Declaration of Independence – it reflects the proactive mindset of many of today’s physicians, including Tammera Flores, MD, and Omar Saad Sanyurah, MD, who are now training in an internal medicine specialization offered through the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. They’re physicians who want U.S. healthcare, which traditionally has largely addressed urgent acute medical issues, to include far more focus on prevention and wellness. They know we’re a nation where six in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease, such as heart disease, stroke, or diabetes, and they also know that most chronic diseases, the leading causes of death and disability in America, can be prevented by eating well, being physically active, avoiding tobacco and excessive drinking, and getting regular health screenings.

“I want to help my patients take control of their health by making positive changes at home, so that they can avoid hospitalization,” says Dr. Flores. “Managing chronic disease after it occurs is like holding your child’s hand as you attempt to walk them safely across the freeway; the odds of wellness are already significantly decreased.

Preventative medicine shows patients how to build a walking-bridge over the freeway, addressing root causes of disease before they progress. Many physicians today have adopted a shared-decision making model for practicing medicine, which prioritizes patients’ values and preferences alongside evidence-based information, but this requires that patients show up and share their concerns with their doctor so the best decision can be made.”

Drs. Flores and Sanyurah recently produced preventive

38 | www.davidlv.com

maintenance schedules for adult men and women – based largely on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force – that accompany this article. They wouldn’t mind if you taped the schedules for screenings, counseling, and vaccinations to the refrigerator or placed them in another highly visible place in your home as a reminder of how prevention can help you stay healthy.

Says Dr. Sanyurah: “The earlier we jump on some medical problem that is just getting underway, such as cancer, the better the outcomes for the patient.” Adds Dr. Flores: “Many diseases, like heart disease or diabetes, are decades in the making. By the time you start having fullblown symptoms, the disease is significantly advanced.

Then we’re in the realm of dealing with a full-blown disease that is substantially more expensive for the patient and society, and often means a decrease in the length and the quality of a patient’s life.”

Both doctors point out that even small changes in lifestyle can make a huge health difference.

“Studies have shown,” says Dr. Flores, “that if overweight people reduce their weight by even 5 percent, they can decrease their risk of developing Type II diabetes by more than 50 percent.”

Annual wellness visits, Dr. Flores adds, are a good time for patients to talk to their doctors about weight loss, a time when they may be able to get a referral to a nutritionist.

“I think of obesity not only as a gateway condition to diabetes, but also to heart disease and cancer,” she says. “This is because excess body fat directly creates a chronic inflammatory state within our bodies, which is primed for the development of all the chronic diseases… there is a large body of research showing that people who are overweight and obese don’t live as long.”

Annual visits, Dr. Flores explains, “can also enable early

Dr. Tammera Flores Photo by Alyssa Hill www.davidlv.com | 39

detection of skin cancer…and provide the opportunity to screen for mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression, which are common and affect a growing number of people, especially in the context of the pandemic and our country’s rapidly changing sociopolitical structure.”

Ignorance of the risk factors of any disease, including diabetes, is definitely not bliss, says Dr. Sanyurah. For instance, while diabetes can largely be managed through diet, medications, and an appropriate lifestyle, if left uncontrolled it can be a killer. More than 87,000 people die each year of the disease, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. It is also the main cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputation, and adult blindness.

The annual financial cost of diabetes, which has more than doubled in the U.S. in the last 20 years? More than $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity.

Also, the doctors point out, timely and simple vaccinations can often prevent diseases capable of compromising, and even ending, the lives of young adults.

“The HPV vaccine is the greatest thing since sliced bread, because it protects men and women from contracting the human papilloma virus, which can lead not only to cervical and vaginal cancer in women, but also oropharyngeal, penile, and anal cancer in men. Not to mention anogenital warts that can occur in either sex,” says Dr. Flores. “The introduction of this vaccine in 2006, along with improvements in cervical cancer screening with pap smears, has contributed to a 75 percent decrease in the number of deaths of women from cervical cancer, which is the third most common cause of death from gynecologic cancer in the U.S.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is such a true believer in the preventive medicine concept that last year, during the surging pandemic, it released a paper extolling the importance of chronic disease prevention and care: “An Ounce of Prevention is Still Worth a Pound of Cure, especially in the time of COVID-19.” Observed the authors: “The…pandemic has only further emphasized the importance of …prevention and care…for example, cancer, heart conditions, diabetes and chronic kidney disease, in addition to being among the top 10 causes of death in the United States…increase the severity of COVID-19 outcomes.”

Couple that ringing endorsement for preventive care from the country’s top public health agency with the fact that the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act requires health plans to cover highly recommended preventive services without charging a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance, and it doesn’t seem a stretch to assume the majority of adult Americans regularly get checkups and screenings to allow doctors to detect diseases or medical problems before they become serious and much more

40 | www.davidlv.com

difficult, and costly, to treat.

Yet few assumptions could be more wrong.

While Americans embrace the concept of preventive care, a 2018 federal study found that just 8 percent of adults age 35 and older had received all of their recommended preventive services, with only 20 percent of adults receiving 75 percent of recommended services – which include screenings for osteoporosis and several cancers, counseling on tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, and depression, as well as vaccinations.

The study’s authors said the reasons for Americans not getting appropriate preventive care services included finances, lack of health insurance, lack of a usual doctor or nurse, and problems with health care delivery, including wait times in clinics or doctors’ offices.

Dr. Flores said reasons she’s aware of include fear of what certain diagnostic test results might be, falling victim to inaccurate or misleading information found on the internet, and procrastination – “don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow.”

Needless to say, this can have disastrous consequences if, say, a cancer has taken root.

“People can often make it quite a while without symptoms of a disease,” says Dr. Sanyurah. “Unfortunately, when some diseases manifest later in life it can be very serious. As a physician, it’s very disheartening to see someone dealing with issues where there’s little you can do – and it’s because a person wasn’t active in their healthcare.”

Regardless of the reasons for people not getting preventive care, Drs. Flores and Sanyurah say education remains the best tool for convincing people of its worth.

Dr. Sanyurah says he’ll know his patients are sufficiently educated about screenings and other preventive measures when he can help them fully understand the ramifications of not engaging in the recommended course of action.

“I don’t want to scare them, but because they’re not there at the end to see what happens to people, I want them to know about surgeries that may change how they live their lives and difficulties with treatments like chemo.

I want them to know this is what life will look like.”

Dr. Flores is also open with her patients.

“I want my patients to feel empowered by all the wonderful, advanced screening options available to them in the United States and to think of them as tools to help them live healthy lives.”

Dr. Omar Saad Sanyurah

General Notes • • • •

Pap smear consists of a pelvic exam during which your doctor will use a speculum to widen the vaginal canal and use a small brush to sample cells from the cervix which are then examined for changes that may lead to cervical cancer.

Mammography consists of compressing the breasts between 2 plates which take a low-dose X-ray image of the breast tissue.

DEXA is a full-body low-dose X-ray to measure the density of your bones which is then interpreted by a radiologist. *Colonoscopy is a procedure under sedation during which your doctor will insert a camera tube into the anus to examine the colon and remove any polyps that could turn into cancer.

The listed recommendations come from the following references: United States Preventative Services Taskforce, Seventh report of the Joint National Committee, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Preventative Medicine, American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control, Infectious Diseases Society of America, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Thyroid Association, American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American Cancer Society, American College of Chest Physicians, American Academy of Neurology, American College of Radiology, National Osteoporosis Foundation, Society of Gynecologic Oncology, American Society of Breast Surgeons

www.davidlv.com | 41

Preventative Healthcare for Adult Men Over A Lifetime Age

Screening/Preventative Health Recommendations

18-29

Annual physical and depression screening.

Annual BMI monitoring.

Measurement of office blood pressure starts at age 18 and occurs at each subsequent office visit.

HIV and Hepatitis C test at least once per lifetime (any age.)

30-39

Annual physical and depression screening Screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes starts at age 35 in patients who are overweight or obese. Screening for prediabetes & diabetes is done by determining the patient’s A1c or fasting blood glucose level (both simple lab tests.)

Screening for lipid disorders starts at age 35 in men who are not at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Screening for lipid disorders is done by obtaining a lipid panel (simple lab test.)

40-49

Annual physical and depression screening.

Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) begins at age 45. Colonoscopy every 10 years is the classic method used to screen for CRC, but various other methods are available. Talk to your doctor about other options for CRC screening.

Screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes starts at age 35 in patients who are overweight or obese. Screening for prediabetes & diabetes is done by determining the patient’s A1c or fasting blood glucose level (both simple lab tests.)

Screening for lipid disorders starts at age 35 in men who are not at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Screening for lipid disorders is done by obtaining a lipid panel.

50-59

Annual physical and depression screening.

Obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, and thyroid screening done with a simple blood test. Certain medications may be indicated.

Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) begins at age 45. Colonoscopy every 10 years is the classic method used to screen for CRC, but various other methods are available. Talk to your doctor about other options for CRC screening.

Screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes starts at age 35 in patients who are overweight or obese. Screening for prediabetes & diabetes is done by determining the patient’s A1c or fasting blood glucose level (both simple lab tests.)

Screening for lipid disorders starts at age 35 in men who are not at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Screening for lipid disorders is done by obtaining a lipid panel (simple lab test.)

Annual screening for lung cancer via low-dose CT scan starts at age 50 in select patients who smoke or have smoked in the past. Talk with your provider if you have a smoking history.

Zoster (shingles) vaccine is administered at age 50 years. This is a two-step vaccination series Aspirin therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Aspirin may not be safe for those with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding. Talk to your doctor before starting.

60-69

Annual physical and depression screening.

Annual screening for lung cancer via low-dose CT scan starts at age 50 years in select patients who smoke or have smoked in the past. Talk with your provider if you have a smoking history.

Ultrasound to screen for abdominal aortic aneurysm at age 65 for men who have ever smoked tobacco products.

Pneumococcal vaccine is administered at age 65 years.

Exercise interventions to prevent falls in community-dwelling adults starts at age 65 years in patients who are at increased risk for falls.

70+

42 | www.davidlv.com

Annual physical and depression screening.

Colorectal cancer screening ends at age 75 years Annual screening for lung cancer via low-dose CT scan in patients with a smoking history ends at age 80 years.

Preventative Healthcare for Adult Women Over A Lifetime Age

Screening/Preventative Health Recommendations

18-20

Annual physical and depression screening.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing for all sexually active women.

HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer; preferred for women ages 9 to 26 but may be affective for women up to 45.

Folic acid supplementation for all women of childbearing age to prevent birth defects.

Family planning discussion regarding birth control options and specialty referral for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

HIV and Hepatitis C test at least once per lifetime (any age.)

21-29

Annual physical and depression screening.

HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer; preferred for women ages 9 to 26 but may be affective for women up to 45.

Family planning discussion regarding birth control options and specialty referral for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years or 5 years based on your HPV test result. A positive result may indicate a cervical biopsy.

30-39

Annual physical and depression screening.

Obesity, diabetes and thyroid screening done with a simple blood test. Certain medications may be indicated.

Family planning discussion regarding birth control options and specialty referral for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years or 5 years based on your HPV test result. A positive result may indicate a cervical biopsy.

40-49

Annual physical and depression screening.

Obesity, diabetes, cholesterol and thyroid screening done with a simple blood test. Certain medications may be indicated.

Family planning discussion regarding birth control options and specialty referral for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years or 5 years based on your HPV test result. A positive result may indicate a cervical biopsy.

Colonoscopy once every 10 years starting at 45 to screen for colorectal cancer. Talk to your doctor about other screening options.

50-59

Annual physical and depression screening.

Obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, and thyroid screening done with a simple blood test. Certain medications may be indicated.

Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years or 5 years based on your HPV test result. A positive result may indicate a cervical biopsy.

Colonoscopy once every 10 years starting at 45 to screen for colorectal cancer. Talk to your doctor about other screening options.

Mammogram once every 2 years starting at 50 to screen for breast cancer. A positive result may indicate a breast biopsy Screening may be indicated sooner if you have a family history of breast cancer. Additional genetic testing may also be indicated for women with a personal or family history of certain gynecologic cancers.

Lung cancer screening for those who have smoked Zoster (shingles) vaccine is administered at age 50 years. This is a two-step vaccination series Aspirin therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Aspirin may not be safe for those with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding.

60-69

Same as for women in their 50s, plus the following: Bone Mineral Density (DEXA) scan starting at 65 to prevent bone fractures. Medications that reduce bone loss may be indicated. Screening may be indicated before age 65 if you have a family history of osteoporosis or have had certain bone fractures.

Pneumococcal vaccination at 65 to prevent severe pneumonia.

Fall-risk assessment/prevention counseling.

Women aged 65 years and older may consider discontinuing cervical cancer screening.

70+ Pregnant women

Same as for women in their 50s and 60s, plus the following: Women aged 75 years and older may consider discontinuing pap smears, mammograms, and colonoscopies.

Pregnant women or those who plan on becoming pregnant should see their doctor for recommended screenings and prenatal care specific to pregnancy. www.davidlv.com | 43

Think

Quality of Life for Seniors Senior Celebrations Program @ UMC Offers Free Fitness Classes, Wellness Activities & Social Events.

L

By Scott Kerbs ike many other seniors across Southern Nevada, Monica Valerio joined UMC’s Senior Celebrations program to improve her overall level of fitness. After attending her first Senior Celebrations exercise class in 2020, at the Healthy Living Institute at UMC, the 66-year-old Las Vegas woman became an active member of the free wellness program, receiving expert-level guidance from UMC’s team of health care professionals.

Two years later, Valerio continues to attend a number of Senior Celebrations events, including the twiceweekly EnhanceFitness class, and the results speak for themselves.

“I’ve lost 25 pounds since joining Senior Celebrations,” Valerio says, explaining that UMC’s low-impact EnhanceFitness class has also significantly improved her mobility. “Prior to joining Senior Celebrations, I wasn’t exercising at all. I had no motivation to exercise.”

Many local seniors experience serious health issues as a result of inactivity and isolation, says Amy Runge, RN,

44 | www.davidlv.com

who leads UMC’s Senior Celebrations program as the Clinical Manager of the Healthy Living Institute at UMC. Recognizing the importance of providing local seniors with guidance and support on their journeys to better health and well-being, UMC introduced Senior Celebrations more than 20 years ago. Today, the program serves more than 2,000 members, providing community members 50 years old and up with access to a robust selection of evidence-based fitness classes, seminars, and activities. A majority of these events take place at the Healthy Living Institute at UMC, located on the hospital’s campus at 901 Rancho Lane.

“At UMC, we believe seniors should be respected and revered,” Runge says. “Our expertly trained team members take pride in developing resources tailored to meet the unique needs of seniors. We work together to promote their health and well-being in a safe, supportive environment.”

With no sign-up fees and no costs associated with participation, Senior Celebrations offers a wide range of exclusive benefits for local seniors, including

www.davidlv.com | 45

complimentary access to health screenings, fitness classes, private lectures from industry-leading physicians, and social activities, in addition to many other key benefits. Senior Celebrations members may also have their Medicare Part A deductibles waived for inpatient services at UMC. The program continues to grow and evolve to meet the unique needs of local seniors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senior Celebrations program has provided hundreds of local seniors with convenient access to COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots.

With support from Nevada’s most sophisticated hospital, Senior Celebrations serves as a valuable resource for community members. The program offers a unique concierge service for members, providing personalized support during any hospital stays at UMC. “If our members ever have a medical need, our entire team is at their disposal,” Runge says, explaining that her team often helps seniors connect with specialty physicians, community resources, and other important services.

“UMC is really good to the people they serve, especially seniors,” Valerio says, noting that she frequently attends free Senior Celebrations holiday events and movie nights organized by UMC at local theaters.

Senior Celebrations is a health education program, not an insurance plan. Any adult 50 or older can join the program for free, regardless of their insurance coverage.

All members also have the option to receive UMC’s quarterly “Living” magazine, which provides information about upcoming events and resources for community members of all ages.

Like Valerio, many seniors benefit from UMC’s fitness classes. This includes the incredibly popular EnhanceFitness class, which helps seniors improve their balance and mobility. This group exercise class, which is taught across the nation, was designed to help seniors prevent potentially dangerous falls. In addition, Senior Celebrations also offers Stepping On, a more specialized, seven-week fall prevention course taught by a multidisciplinary team of UMC health care professionals.

This course offers guidance on common home hazards, medication management, exercises, and mobility.

“Falls are a huge issue for seniors,” Runge says, explaining the program’s emphasis on fall prevention. “In addition to causing severe physical injuries, falls often lead to reduced confidence and long-term emotional trauma for seniors. In some cases, people who experience falls are afraid to participate in physical activities, leading to isolation and inactivity.”

Runge says she and her colleagues at UMC work closely alongside many Senior Celebrations members after they experience falls, helping them build their strength, balance, and confidence.

In addition to exercise classes and workshops, Senior Celebrations also provides unique social activities,

46 | www.davidlv.com

including group painting classes, movie nights, and holiday gatherings.

“For many seniors, their social circle is much smaller because they are not going to work anymore,” Runge says.

“In some cases, they don’t have much of a connection to the outside world, which can lead to depression and a variety of health issues. By participating in Senior Celebrations, community members have opportunities to interact and form lasting friendships with one another.”

Runge says UMC has taken significant steps to meet the

Above: An instructor leads a UMC Senior Celebrations class with their stretching exercises.

Valerio often attends the EnhanceFitness classes with her boyfriend, 81-year-old Mark Rosenfeld. They both find motivation in the detailed and enthusiastic teaching style of Erin Cheatwood, the UMC Community Relations Coordinator who leads the class.

“Erin is a terrific teacher,” Rosenfeld says.” She has a really great way of explaining all of the motions when you’re doing the exercises.”

Valerio says she and many other seniors have also taken advantage of opportunities to participate in other free courses provided at the Healthy Living Institute at UMC. She recently took UMC’s “Stop the Bleed” class, which provides in-depth training on how to stop lifethreatening bleeding in the event of an emergency.

Looking toward the future, Runge says UMC’s Senior Celebrations program will continue to grow and provide new services for community members. With generous grant funding from the Roots & Wings Foundation, UMC’s Senior Celebrations program plans to focus heavily on mental health in 2022. This will include a large-scale community event in the spring to provide mental health education and support for seniors.

“Our entire team remains committed to empowering local seniors and helping them take ownership of their health,” Runge says.

Program Details Senior Celebrations is a free health and wellness program developed for community members 50 and up.

This UMC program offers a number of exclusive benefits, including: • • • • • • • needs of seniors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to providing seniors with vaccinations, the Senior Celebrations program also introduced online classes to help members maintain their health and fitness. The program now offers both online and in-person classes, providing new levels of convenience for members.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that the classes are available online,” Valerio says, noting that she plans to take online classes whenever she cannot make it to the in-person EnhanceFitness class.

• • • • •

Group fitness classes Health screenings Wellness lectures and seminars Social gatherings and community events Concierge health care navigation services Access to UMC’s physician referral service Medicare Part A deductible may be waived for inpatient care at UMC Community resource referrals Home delivery of UMC’s quarterly “Living” Magazine Office services (copies and faxing) Notary services Café @ UMC discounts

Community members can sign up for Senior Celebrations by calling 702-383-SELF (7353). For more information and a list of upcoming classes, please visit www.umcsn.com/healthy-living-institute www.davidlv.com | 47

Think

At the Gym or at Home Hybrid Approaches To Fitness Rank High In 2022

T

By Stacy D’Alessandro

he landscape of the fitness industry is changing, with several trends on tap for 2022 that some say were amplified by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Nevada, of the 374 health clubs operating pre-pandemic, 67 had to permanently close their doors in 2020, according to IHRSA, the nonprofit trade association representing the global health and fitness industry.

Many athletic facilities that remained open developed appealing alternative options for members, which paved the way for a new fitness routine this year.

48 | www.davidlv.com

Life Time, Inc., which operates two clubs in Las Vegas and more than 155 nationwide, initiated an omnichannel approach to wellness – a blend of virtual and inperson workouts. The company launched an expanded digital platform in December 2020, and the app-based membership receives more than six million visitors each month with more than 450 classes a week livestreamed from 20 clubs across the country.

“Hybrid workouts provide the ultimate flexibility to stay consistent,” says Andrew Becker, senior area lead – Life Time Training. “Wherever you may be and whatever device you have, livestream classes complement the in-club experience.

It’s the foundation of what we are trying to accomplish.”

He says the company is also focused on more valuebased membership opportunities this year, including adding new programming to its digital membership, expanding the Kids Studios and GameFace Sport classes, and providing its signature membership with unlimited small group training classes. In addition, the company plans to grow its nationwide roster of Life Time Work facilities, which integrate where consumers work and live a healthy life. Two new Life Time Work locations are slated to open this year, bringing the total to 11.

Sixty-eight percent of people who began using an online fitness service during the pandemic plan to continue to

do so, according to the 2021 IHRSA Media Report: Part 2.

The report concludes that in order to meet the demands of health club members, clubs will be expected to offer a hybrid or omnichannel approach to delivering fitness, wellness, and sports.

For Jessica Peralta, owner of the FIT4MOM franchise in Las Vegas, transitioning to a virtual platform 36 hours after the COVID-19 shut down gave her nearly 400 members an opportunity to stay connected and not miss their scheduled workouts. She also held game nights, wine tastings, and social meet-ups through Zoom, so moms would have the opportunity to get to know other parents in the Las Vegas Valley.

www.davidlv.com | 49

“We did our very best to try and navigate through the challenge and sustain the experience we provide for our families,” says Peralta, who started FIT4MOM in 2012.

Today, the pre and postnatal health, wellness, and fitness company for moms is focused on building its membership and community partnerships back up. “Covid presented an opportunity to make people realize that workouts can be a little bit more accessible to them. The hybrid model still gives moms that opportunity to come see us and connect on all levels with other moms and then still get that great workout in person when they’re able to.”

The FIT4MOM digital app supplies a library of growing pre-recorded classes to moms at home, including momma and mini workouts, cardio, prenatal and postpartum, yoga and restorative and more, according to Peralta.

Brianna Garcia, a FIT4MOM Stroller Strides instructor and avid runner, says finding other moms to exercise with was essential after she moved to Las Vegas from California in July 2021.

“I could work out all day long by myself at home, but it was getting boring and I was so isolated already that I wanted to find other moms and a community,” says Garcia, who purchased a Peloton during the pandemic. “I will still split my time between FIT4MOM and the Peloton because there are days that I can’t always go.”

FIT4MOM also tailors its services to organizations such local schools and physician groups who request small group classes.

Peralta says she is adapting her fitness model to fit the new norm. “None of us had a playbook. No small business owners knew what to do.”

According to the IHRSA media report, the fitness industry lost $29.2 billion in revenue from March 2020 through June 2021.

Julie Johnston, owner and founder of Camp Rhino, says she offered outdoor bootcamps and online health and fitness challenges as a tactic to engage members and generate new ones.

“I had people from all over the world who participated in the five-day Foodie Fit-in-Your-Jeans challenge where, over the course of five days, I showed people how to lose weight and still eat the foods they love and live a happy life,” says Johnston, who founded Camp Rhino, which focuses on bootcamp, strength, and conditioning, in 2004. When Camp Rhino closed for 79 days, Johnston says she immediately transitioned to virtual workouts and offered classes on Zoom multiple times a day. “Before the pandemic, I had an in-person six weeks challenge, but online I can touch so many more people. I had 226 people participating in the last on-line challenge.”

She says that even though virtual workouts are no longer offered at Camp Rhino, she is noticing more people

50 | www.davidlv.com

are continuing to split their time between exercising at home and online.

“We are seeing more of a hybrid now, where on days they are too busy to come in, members have an at-home option like the Peloton that they acquired during the closures,” she says. “When the gym opened back up, our members couldn’t wait to come back. They say that when they work out at home, they don’t push quite as hard or do quite as much as they do in the classes or in personal training. We can have all of the tools and we can

Previous Page: A Life Time member consults her phone for class time and locations.

Above: Creative ways to develop a sweat at Camp Rhino.

know how to do everything we need to do, but in-person motivation and camaraderie can’t be digitized.”

According to Beker, the two Life Time clubs in Las Vegas have seen a spike in personal training.

Johnston says membership is at 66 percent of what it was pre-COVID. Their Rhino Ninja gym, which features an obstacle course for kids and adults, is attracting new members. “I’m seeing several people come in who are doing things that are outside of their comfort zone to feel alive because they know they made it through a

worldwide pandemic,” she says.

Cheryl Snow, who ran her first Tough Mudder obstacle race just before her 50th birthday, says she joined Camp Rhino in the summer 2021 to help manage and overcome her fears.

“Every time I go in, I’m nervous and I don’t know what kind of hard thing I will have to overcome, and I kind of like that,” says Snow, who tackles the course once a week.

The course features obstacles similar to those found on the television show “American Ninja Warrior,” and www.davidlv.com | 51

in competitions such as the Spartan Race and Tough Mudder. “The ninja gym has allowed me to operate more confidently in the world. I’ve got better balance, and I know how to handle myself in certain situations.”

Snow says it also provides a distraction and offers a feeling of accomplishment for her at a time when other things during the pandemic might be dead ends. “I was in a pretty bad mood from just some stuff that had

52 | www.davidlv.com

happened during the day,” she says. “You don’t remember any of that stuff when you are jumping off, you know, a five-foot platform onto a trampoline to then jump six feet to grab a trapeze.”

Ninety-four percent of people say they plan to return to their gym in some capacity, according to the IHRSA media report. When they do, here’s what they might find topping the list of trends.

Above: A FIT4MOM outdoor workout for mothers and their babies.

Relax your mind. Meditation among gym-goers is expected to grow as more people might be searching for new stress relievers to enhance their wellness routine, Becker says. Life Time plans to add more than 100 meditation sessions to its digital programming this year.

Don’t forget the cool down. Proper exercise recovery will allow you to train harder, according to Beker. Life Time offers foam roller classes to help relieve muscle tightness and soreness and increase joint range of motion.

Let’s be friends. Exercising in small groups of six to eight people is forecasted to grow this year, Beker says.

More people are looking for socialization and a sense of camaraderie they missed during the height of the pandemic. Life Time is expanding its small group training programs this year with additional classes to meet demand.

Get your Zzz’s. The importance of sleep education is part of the Life Time training app. Members can log their hours of sleep and share those results with their trainer. Trainers can make suggestions for more exercise recovery time if needed.

FIT4MOM

1. Body Well eight-week transformation sessions.

The combination of fitness, nutrition, and wellness programs are poised to see an uptick this year, according to Peralta. FIT4MOM’s Body Well program takes a small group of participants on a results-based, eight-week journey. Small group workout coaching, nutritional guidance, and weekly fitness challenges focus on improving the physical and mental well-being of each member.

2. Build your endurance. Endurance training programs, such as FIT4MOM’s Run Club, which focus on cardio endurance, will be at the forefront this year, now that in person races are making a comeback. The program will help participants meet their fitness goals and be ready to compete in one of FIT4MOM’s planned races.

Camp Rhino

Life Time Mix it up. The hybrid workout, a combination of at the gym and at home workouts will continue to take center stage this year.

Sports of course. The fast-growing sport of pickleball is anticipated to be front and center at many Life Time clubs across the country, along with basketball, tennis, and swimming.

Step outside your comfort zone. According to Johnston, more people might try things they were afraid to do before. Making it through a pandemic has prompted many to push aside their fear and see what new things they can accomplish, she says. The Camp Rhino Ninja Gym, which offers obstacle course training for children and adults, has attracted several women over 50 years old who have never trained on an obstacle course before.

Beginner’s luck. Johnston says Camp Rhino has always attracted people who have never worked out before or who want to get started and she expects that to increase this year. The goal to get healthy and survive whatever comes next will be on the mind of many, she adds. www.davidlv.com | 53

Snow ’scapes

Think

Skiers and snowboarders find powder stashes close to home for a day off or a weekend adventure.

W

By Stephanie Forté hen the snow starts to fly, Las Vegas locals looking for a ski/snowboard adventure have plenty of opportunities to carve corduroy or find secret powder

54 | www.davidlv.com

stashes without the headache of heading to the airport.

Whether it’s a day off or a three-day weekend, three great options are within a four-hour drive from Las Vegas.

Please purchase lift tickets and book rentals online and in advance of your visit to all resorts.

LEE CANYON For nearly 60 years, generations of Las Vegans have learned to ski and snowboard at Lee Canyon. Located in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, at the end of SR 156 (or Lee Canyon Road), the resort is about 45 minutes to an hour from the city. It’s a perfect one-day getaway.

Situated on Lee Peak (11,289 ft), Lee Canyon averages more than 160 inches of snowfall annually, with some years seeing as much as 450 inches. The high alpine landscape is unlike the arid desert around the city. Surrounded by giant bristlecone and ponderosa pine trees, white fir and aspen trees, and massive limestone cliff bands, Lee Canyon’s base area is 8,600 feet, so the resort is up to 30 degrees cooler than the city.

With 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s a comfortable place for first-time skiers or snowboarders. Rabbit Peak, designed for beginners and served by its namesake quad chair, even offers a progression terrain park for people who’ve never hit a jib. But Lee Canyon isn’t a beginners-only mountain — more

than 80 percent of its 27 trails, or 195 acres, are intermediate or advanced runs served by Bluebird, a quad chair, and Sherwood, a triple chair.

What also sets this local gem apart from resorts of its size is its hike-to terrain, which is recommended only for expert skiers and riders. Doug Schnitzspahn, in an issue of SKI Magazine, wrote about his experience with Lee Canyon’s hiketo terrain: “It’s true: I could be looking out on the back bowls of the Wasatch. It’s a big-mountain playground, with chutes and cliffs and snow everywhere.”

Lee Canyon’s 10,000 square foot Hillside Lodge in the base area is a favorite gathering spot for the local community, with indoor and outdoor dining options and the Bristlecone Bar, Las Vegas’ most scenic aprés ski spot. Every Friday in March is part of Feel Good Fridays, a benefit for the High Fives Foundation, where lift tickets are just $25 and proceeds support the nonprofit.

Lee Canyon is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit www.leecanyonlv.com.

Photo courtesy Lee Canyon www.davidlv.com | 55

BRIAN HEAD RESORT People love to head north on I-15 from Las Vegas to visit southern Utah landmarks like Zion and Bryce National Parks. But since Brian Head Resort, about a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, cranked up its first chairlift in the mid1960s, it’s been a favorite weekend destination for locals.

Located in the town of Brian Head in the Dixie National Forest, the resort is actually two mountains, Giant Steps and Navajo, each with a namesake high-speed quad chair.

While Brian Head is more affordable and less crowded than Utah’s larger resorts like Park City and Snowbird near Salt Lake City, skiers and riders won’t be shortchanged.

Brian Head perfectly illustrates Utah’s “Life Elevated” slogan, with the highest base elevation in the state at 9,600 feet. The top of Giant Steps is 10,970 feet, and Navajo is 10,575 feet, so skiers and riders should be sure to drink plenty of water to ward off a high-altitude headache.

Brian Head’s 71 trails, covering 650 skiable acres, are served by eight chairlifts and three surface lifts, and get an average of 360 inches of snow annually. It’s a great

56 | www.davidlv.com

spot for groups of mixed abilities; 30 percent of its terrain is “green” or easiest, while the balance is an even split between more and most difficult trails, blue and black.

Navajo is the choice for people looking for gentle terrain or who want to ease into the weekend. The bulk of runs are green, with intermediate trails accessible from the Wildflower chair, which offers stunning views of sundrenched red cliffs. If you’re a seasoned vet, Giant Steps is for you. Its four lifts access intermediate runs and a slew of most difficult and expert trails. If your group has to split up for the ski day, rendezvous at the Last Chair Grill & Brews inside the Giant Steps Lodge for aprés ski.

(The Navajo Lodge also offers dining options.)

There’s a lot to love about Brian Head, but a special treat is night skiing on Friday and Saturdays from 4 to 9 p.m. Brian Head also offers cross-country skiing and snowmobile tours, and the Navajo Tubing Park is an excellent alternative for people who don’t ski or ride.

Lodging options are plentiful. Brian Head Resort is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., mountain time.

Visit www.brianhead.com.

Photo courtesy Brian Head Resort

www.davidlv.com | 57

EAGLE POINT The mistake I made on my first trip to Eagle Point, which is tucked away in the Tushar Mountains about 18 miles outside of Beaver, Utah, was only booking one night. After a day on the mountain, as the snow fell outside and the fire roared inside, the only thing I longed for was more time. The resort and its on-property cabins and condos are secluded and a steal for ski resort accommodations.

Eagle Point is about three and half hours from Las Vegas (more when it snows). Open Friday through Monday, weekend warriors still get plenty of powder from mid-week snowstorms. Its 40 trails and 650 skiable acres get 350 plus inches of snow annually. Like Brian Head, it’s more affordable and far less crowded than the big Utah resorts.

Eagle Point is two mountains, Mt. Holly (12,001 ft) and Lake Peak (11,317 ft.), and the terrain is neatly divided. The Mt. Holly side has gentle green runs, intermediate cruiser corduroy, and ungroomed trails. The terrain park is also on this side. It’s a great place to warm up or spend the day —

58 | www.davidlv.com

after a midweek storm, you can still find untouched snow here on Saturday afternoons.

The Lake Peak side, home to Puffer Lake, is served by the Lookout quad chair and is where you’ll find more challenging terrain – single black diamonds. These wide, ungroomed, steep trails and tree lines seem to never run out of powder.

Canyonside Lodge in the base area is open from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and latenight menus. The lodge’s bar is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. On the Mt. Holly side is Skyline Lodge, which serves food cafeteria-style from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s located at the top of the Skyline double chair and accessible from an upper parking lot.

A memorable way to end any visit to Eagle Point is with a heated sunset snowcat excursion that takes guests to the Lookout Warming Hut (10,138 feet) to watch the Utah sky put on a show.

For more information or to book a condo or cabin,.

Visit www.eaglepoint.com.

Photo courtesy Eagle Point www.davidlv.com | 59

Grill

Shelley Berkley

CEO & Senior Provost, Touro University Nevada

Special to DAVID Shortly after COVID-19 ground the world to a halt nearly two years ago, Touro University Nevada sought ways to help make a difference on the frontlines. Starting March 2020, students provided free health screenings at Cashman Center for the Las Vegas Valley’s homeless population. Touro has made it their mission to bring free healthcare to the Southern Nevada assisting in the fight against the pandemic.

Shelley Berkley, the CEO & Senior Provost of Touro University Nevada, has called Southern Nevada home for more than six decades. A graduate of Valley High School and UNLV, Berkley served in the Nevada State Legislature, the Nevada Board of Regents, and represented Nevada’s First Congressional District in the U.S. Congress from 1999-2013 before joining Touro in 2014. DAVID Magazine recently caught up with Berkley to learn more about Touro’s efforts to help protect the community during COVID-19, and how the university has learned to adapt to the challenges of educating future healthcare providers and educators during a global pandemic.

When was the decision made to have Touro’s students working on the COVID-19 frontlines?

Shortly after COVID-19 forced us to work remotely, students from our College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Health and Human Services immediately expressed their interest in wanting to assist wherever they could. Our students are pursuing careers in healthcare and education, so getting critical, hands-on training during a once-in-a-century pandemic, allows them to strengthen their educational experience while providing care to our most vulnerable populations.

What does that say about your students for showing such initiative before a vaccine was even available? Was there any hesitation?

As the state’s largest medical school, we have always prioritized the health and safety of our campus community over everything else. Since the very beginning, our students have been provided with the proper personal protective equipment to ensure they are as safe as possible working on the COVID-19 frontlines.

Our mission is to provide quality education programs in the fields of healthcare and education in concert with the

60 | www.davidlv.com

Judaic commitment to social justice, intellectual pursuit, and service to humanity. The fact that our students, in addition to our faculty, alumni/ae, and donors, have stepped up to help our community during the pandemic speaks volume to their character. Their actions embody the Touro mission.

What has this experience taught you about the Southern Nevada community you’ve called home for so long?

The COVID-19 pandemic is the worst healthcare crisis we have experienced during our lifetime. Despite the challenges we’ve faced, I am encouraged by the selflessness and kindness shown by many of our fellow Nevadans. In times of crisis, it is critical for us to come together for the greater good. At Touro, I’ve watched our students and faculty administer tens of thousands of free COVID tests and vaccines to the community. I have also watched our donors provide much-needed personal protective equipment to local hospitals and medical offices, as well as scholarships for our students.

Whether I was in the State Legislature, serving on the Board of Regents, or in the U.S. Congress, I have always been proud to represent this community.

In your opinion, how has COVID-19 transformed medical education?

At Touro, we wanted to make sure we did everything in our power to provide our students with the best possible education in a safe environment. Our students are completing their didactic courses online while coming to campus for their necessary lab work. This has helped to limit the spread of the virus and has ensured that our students still have the resources they need to complete their studies. We are educating future doctors, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, medical health sciences professionals, and teachers. We have found new ways to adapt because, as we’ve learned during the past two years, the situation with COVID is always changing.

What’s next for Touro?

I am thrilled to say that despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, our students continue to succeed in their studies and out in the community. They have the resources they need to learn safely and effectively. At the same time, they are getting the frontline experience that will benefit them greatly after graduation. Throughout this pandemic, our students have volunteered at numerous locations to make life easier for those most affected. COVID-19 has certainly provided us with our share of challenges, but Touro continues to show its resiliency in the face of adversity. This pandemic has reminded us all just how important healthcare providers and teachers are to our society. I am proud that this institution continues to educate the healthcare providers and teachers of the future

February 15–20 | TICKETS FROM $30

BROADWAY LAS VEGAS® SERIES SPONSORED BY

VISIT THESMITHCENTER.COM TO SEE THE FULL LINEUP 702.749.2000 | TTY: 800.326.6868 or dial 711 | Group Inquiries: 702.749.2348 | 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106