DAVID by Max Friedland

www.davidlv.com JULY 2011

Holy Bagels, Batman! Marvelous Comic Book Mavens

Steppinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Up ...

Senior Volunteers Play Vital Role

Mesmerizing Magic From the Golden Age to the Vegas Stage

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My Life. My Choice. My Doctor. I have been with the same doctor for a long time. We have a relationship.

Continuity of Care

My doctor makes my needs a priority. He guides me through my health Issues one step at a time. I know I will live my life to the fullest, because I choose a doctor who will make sure of that.

Quality Care Starts Here.

HELPLINE (702) 932.8585 1 (800) 268.0864 keepmydoctornv.com Twitter/HCP_Nevada Facebook/healthcarepartnersnevada

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Recovered Stroke Patient St. Rose Dominican Hospitals Siena Campus

Expect only the highest level of stroke care when you or a loved one need it most. One morning while exercising, Jenny experienced a sudden weakness in her body and loss of vision. Her husband made sure she got to St. Rose Dominican Hospitals - Siena Campus immediately where it was confirmed that she had suffered a stroke. After receiving the highest level of stroke care, Jenny is back to enjoying her active, healthy lifestyle. When it comes to a stroke, getting to the right place at the right time is critical to receiving the life-saving treatment needed to ensure a full recovery. At St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, we provide the full spectrum of care, from acute intervention and neurosurgery at our Siena Campus, to one-on-one acute rehabilitation at our Rose de Lima Campus. St. Rose Dominican Hospitals’ Siena Campus, the valley’s newest Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center, is the Stroke Center for Henderson. To learn more about Jenny’s story and our Certified Stroke Center:

strosehospitals.org/Jenny

Do you have a St. Rose doctor? Call 616-4508. 03_12_FOB.indd 3

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July

20 42

live

think

grill

14 explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay 19 devour Where to find some of the best eats, drinks and foodie happenings in the Valley 20 desire Sin City abounds in worldclass shopping ... these are a few of our favorite things 22 discover Hot spots to go, cool things to do, hip people to see — the Entertainment Capital of the World, need we say more? 23 mingle Snapshots of the latest, greatest Vegas events

28 give Philanthropy and volunteer efforts within the community

42 Making Magic Spellbinding Stars of Past & Present Fascinate World with Art of Conjuring

58 Rita Rudner: Stand-Up Comedian The month’s spotlight on someone of interest

www.davidlv.com

36 taste Inside view of some of the city’s top restaurants, cafés, diners and eateries

50 Wham! In a faraway desert, a tribe of people envisioned a humanity that was extraordinary, and they chronicled these “superheroes” ... this is their story.

JULY 2011

32 empower Improving health through awareness and education

1 .. 53 2

pulse

on the cover

Holy Bagels, Batman! Marvelous Comic Book Mavens

Steppin’ Up ...

Senior Volunteers Play Vital Role

JULY 2011

Mesmerizing Magic

www.davidlv.com

Our cover was created from an original gelatin silver print of Harry Houdini, circa 1920, provided by The National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

From the Golden Age to the Vegas Stage

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Copyright 2011 by JewishINK LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. DAVID MAGAZINE is protected as a trademark in the United States. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we are under no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged for in writing. DAVID MAGAZINE is a monthly publication. All information regarding editorial content or property for sale is deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.

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DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

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“Energy independence... one roof at a time,”

Publisher Associate Publisher

Max Friedland max@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Editorial Board

Why Go Solar?

Paige Dailey editor@davidlv.com Andrea Behrens Stewart Blumenfeld Nancy Katz Ellen Kominsky Lori Nelson

No more increases in electricity costs

Contributing Writers

Jim Begley Josh Bell

Increase the value of your property

Marisa Finetti Jaq Greenspon

Reduce your carbon footprint

Brianna Soloski Pat Teague ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

We offer a wide variety of solutions to help you save money! • Solar Power • Wind Power

Graphic Designers

Andrew Benson Steven Wilson

Contributing Photographers

Steven Wilson

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director

• Energy Efficiency Audits

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

• LED Lighting

702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com

• Solar Heated Water • Variable Speed Pool Pumps

Volume 02 Number 02 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

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

The things that helped to get this issue out: Major collaboration! Special thanks to: Everyone who has seen the magazine and has responded with honest criticism

702-227-9205 • apsolar.net

Let Nature Power Your Home, Business, and Investment. 6

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.

DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

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Thank You!

‫תודה רבה‬ Your generous gift to the 2011 Jewish Federation of Las Vegas Campaign has made a difference! You help to feed the hungry, care for our senior adults, assist those in economic crisis, offer scholarship support and provide programming that inspires a love for Jewish life, culture and community. On behalf of all those we help with your generous support...THANK YOU!

Get involved. Leonard Stone Chairman of the Board

Elliot B. Karp President & CEO

It’s not to late to still make a generous gift. To learn more please contact us at:

Donate. Volunteer. It’s what being Jewish feels like. Thank you.

www.jewishlasvegas.com or 732-0556.

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contributors

Brianna Soloski has loved to read and write since she was a kid. Today she can be found blogging at girlseeksplace. wordpress.com. She used to want to be the editor of Vanity Fair, but is pretty sure Graydon Carter is going to be editor forever. She also wanted to run the Library of Congress, but the same person has been doing it since 1982. So, for now, she writes.

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

Jim Begley is an avid food lover who has recently taken up food writing in a feeble attempt to defray his obscene restaurant spending. If you like what you’ve read, follow him at splurgemonkey.com or via Twitter@ splurgemonkey

Pat Teague has been a practicing journalist, manager and editor for international and regional wire services, and has worked for several metropolitan daily newspapers. He also has worked for one of the world’s largest corporations and was one of five Southern Californians in the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists honored in 2000 for career achievement.

Josh Bell Josh Bell is a film editor for the Las Vegas Weekly. He also writes about film and TV for other various publications and for filmcritic.com. Bell can be found at facebook.com/I/ 4bb54TNXX15z_ 0GPux8QXt_O-UA; joshbellhatesevery thing.com

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

DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

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SPIRITED Las Ventanas residents Jerry and Kay Harmon have been all around the world, hiked nearly every canyon and mountain theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve encountered and continue to take their travels to new heights. Their approach to living life? Same as their approach to retirement living.

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feedback “Thank you for your time and consideration and for all the good work you do in DAVID. I shall look forward to next month’s edition.” – Monterey Brookman

want to compliment you on many good editions of DAVID, and I wish I could leave it at that—but I cannot. Last month’s cover story, “Life as a Gay Jew in Sin City,” encumbers me to respond. I’ll qualify my response by saying I have tons of gay friends, whom I love, who are smart and talented, and who will always be my friends. And this they know about me: I love them, but I believe their lifestyle is wrong, because it is completely unacceptable to G-d; on this, the Torah is clear. I take issue with your last issue because it validates homosexuality as an acceptable Jewish lifestyle. Being Jewish is about living in Torah, living with a Shamah, a call to worship One G-d—not a dozen nor a thousand— and living a set-apart lifestyle. Judaism is a religion; Jews are a people given and/or gifted rules and regulations to help us, not to hurt us, and blessings and curses to make us happy and prosperous, not to enslave us or take away freedom. G-d looked upon Avraham and led him to serve as an example. G-d did not give Moses some feel-good suggestions; Moses was given a set of protocols for healthy and sensible living. G-d gave us a lifestyle—not impossible, impractical rules, but a wise prescription for life! I especially have to smile at the woman who denounced her Mormonism and is thinking of becoming Jewish like her lesbian lover; where in heaven’s name does she think Mormons got their rules? Some arbitrary machinations? All of Christianity derives its rules and foundation from Torah and the Jews. Our Reconstructionist friends can eat latkes and bagels, make a zillion trips to Israel, learn Hebrew and be as Yiddishkeit as ever, but they have left Judaism. Interestingly, some of the people in your article said they are not religious but like being Jewish. That’s like saying I refuse to join The Rotary Club, because I don’t want to do all that work, but I love calling myself a Rotarian—and I want the Rotarians to like me and invite me to their meetings on holidays and for parties. That’s goofy. So is wanting to redefine Judaism, re-create Torah to suit our politically correct needs and putting The Almighty

in a box of a convenient size rather than one that befits the Creator of the Universe. A cover (image) with a chuppah like the ones on pages 32-35 would have been sufficient and would have extolled the virtues and values of Jewish life and love. The “opportunity missed” in this edition was (that) the alternative of Torah (was not) included. Thank you for your time and consideration and for all the good work you do in DAVID. I shall look forward to next month’s edition. Monterey Brookman Las Vegas

read with interest your article on the LGBT community in Las Vegas. I wanted to offer a reflection in response to the comment by Mr. Friess. Despite the fact that I have received many, many phone calls about marriage through the years, I still distinctly remember his call. I remember not declining to officiate but stating that, at the time, I never had been asked to officiate and had not decided yet on my policy. I remember inviting him and his partner to come meet with me, so that I could understand better the nature of this relationship. It was many years ago, and the reform movement was just beginning to develop guidance and policy regarding officiation at such marriages. In any case, through the years I have shaped my policy and do officiate at a ceremony called a brit ahava, or covenant of love. In officiating as a rabbi, I do so under the authority of the state of Nevada, in addition to the principles of Judaism. As of now, same-gender marriages are not legal in Nevada. As you noted correctly in your article, our congregation, its clergy and staff are very welcoming of diversity within the Jewish community. In fact, such values are a part of our mission statement as a congregation. Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Congregation Ner Tamid

We want to hear from you! Compliments and complaints are welcome, but only if we get them. Send them to the editor at editor@davidlv.com with “Letter to Editor” in the subject line or mail them to DAVID, 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459, Las Vegas, NV 89134 10

DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

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from the publisher DAVID Magazine follows in the grand tradition of city lifestyle publications; we pride ourselves on covering life in all its multifaceted glory. Our perspective may be Jewish, but our focus is everything that makes this 24/7 city the dynamic metropolis that it is. When we cast our spotlight on Las Vegas, we do not discriminate where it may fall. We chronicle life as it is, as we find it, without judgment. It is clear that we have, in our short existence, caused some consternation in some quarters, which sadly has resulted in our publication temporarily being removed from a few valued distribution locations. Not withstanding this, our distribution never has been stronger. It is not our intention to be sensational but simply to engage our readers in a conversation about life in this valley, a decade into the 21st century. As with our cover story “The Skinny on Jews & Tattoos,” last month’s cover story, “Alternatively Speaking” about gay Jews in Las Vegas has had our phones ringing, email inboxes inundated and the mailman wondering what is up with all the extra mail. Pj Perez’s outstanding piece in our last issue highlighted the experience of a number of gay Las Vegas Jews who are attempting to reconcile their sexuality with their faith. This is, by the way, an issue for heterosexual people as well. We are most grateful to Frank Marino, a “professional Jewess,” for volunteering to be our “most fabulous” cover art. As is traditional for June, we focused on weddings. We covered the many unusual ways of saying “I do” in Vegas, demystified the custom of the traditional Jewish marriage chuppah and went behind the scenes at a premier wedding cake bakery. This month, in addition to highlighting senior health and volunteerism, we focus on the arts, specifically stage magic and comic books. It was especially exciting for us at DAVID to discover that each of the aforementioned art disciplines’ have Jewish roots. What connects them is the power of human imagination. On our cover, Harry “Handcuff ” Houdini’s piercing blue eyes still, after all these years, mesmerize us. Covers are designed to scream, “Pick me up!” We spend hours tweaking all their elements to get them just right. It is important to our readers and our advertisers that we hit a home run every month. So … grab your favorite cold beverage, find a shaded corner and curl up with this months issue of DAVID. Allow yourself the time, and we promise an experience that won’t disappoint. Our magazine, designed as food for the senses as well as the intellect, covers the relevant issues of the day. At water coolers around the Valley, people will be talking; copies of DAVID will be passed about. It is such an honor and privilege to be contributing to this dynamic, allowing us all to be connected for a while, in this wonderful conversation called Life.

Max Friedland max@davidlv.com

Early detection is vital.

No matter what your imaging needs are, we provide fast, accurate diagnosis and treatment using the most advanced technology available.

702.759.8600

www.desertrad.com JULY 2011 DAVID

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For problems or story ideas email us at: 13INVESTIGATES@KTNV.COM

Watch Nina weeknights at 6:00 & 11:00 on Action News. 03_12_FOB.indd 12

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pulse INSIDE explore @ 14

Bob Dylan, Pearl at Palms

devour @ 19

Atomic #7, Tenya Creek’s Belgian Ale, TC’s Rib Crib

desire @ 20

Fun in the Sun Finds

discover @ 22

Super Summer Theatre, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, Hard Rock Hotel pool parties

Gimme the ’Works Get fired up this Independence Day when “Station Casinos’ 35th Anniversary, 4th of July Blast” illuminates the Las Vegas sky with a nine-minute valleywide fireworks display. Aliante Station, Fiesta Rancho, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Resort and Texas Station. 9 p.m., free. JULY 2011 DAVID

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eXplore L A S

V E G A S

DJ Who & Paulo da Rosa. Through July 4, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Outdoor Picture Show: Alpha and Omega. 8 p.m., free, all ages. The District at Green Valley Ranch, 2240 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 702-564-8595. thedistrictatgvr.com Wild Celts. Through July 2, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., free, 21+. Brendan’s at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com Comedian Mike Epps. 10 p.m., $50-$85, 21+. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com Rumors of an American Housewife art exhibit by Gia Ray. Through July 29, 6-10 p.m., all ages. Blackbird Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St., Las Vegas. 702-782-0319

7.2

Beer & Barbecue with Bellagio Executive Chef Edmund Wong. Noon, $85, 21+. Tuscany Kitchen at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7871. bellagio.com Clint Holmes. Through July 3, 7:30 p.m., $15.95, 21+. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7111. suncoastcasino.com

You’ll Not See Nothing Like the Mighty Zim ... Bob Dylan. July 16, 8 p.m., $100-$200, 21+. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com

7.1

Outdoor Picture Show: Rudy. 8 p.m., free, all ages. The District at Green Valley Ranch, 2240 Village Walk Drive, Henderson. 702-564-8595. thedistrictatgvr.com Bill Maher. Through July 3, 8 p.m., $54.95, 21+. The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

Celine Dion. Through July 31, 7:30 p.m., $55-$250. The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8661400. caesars.com

Hershey Felder: George Gershwin Alone. Through July 10, times vary, $66$90. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org

Much Ado about Nothing. Through Sept. 24, times vary, $29-$85. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org

Fourth Annual Grand Poker Series. Through July 4, times vary, buy-ins varies, 21+. Golden Nugget, 129 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas. 800-777-4658, ex. 8164. goldennugget.com

The Tempest. Through Sept. 25, times vary, $29-$85. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org

Tuff ‘n’ Uff Mixed Martial Arts Tribute to Randy Couture. 7 p.m., $23-$55, 21+. Cox Pavilion, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-739-FANS. tuffnuff.com

Ted Nugent. 8 p.m., $22.50-$49.50, all ages. Sunset Station, 1301 W. Sunset Road, Henderson. 702-547-7982. sunsetstation.com

Amadeus. Through Sept. 22, times vary, $29-$85. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org

Royal Bangs. Through July 3, 10-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

UFC Rematch: Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber. 6 p.m., $75-$800, 21+. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-1111. mgmgrand.com

Absolutely ’80s Summer Music Festival featuring Colin Hay of Men at Work. 9 p.m., free, 21+. Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-678-5600. vegasexperience.com Tribal Seeds and For Twenty Daze. 7 p.m., $10, 21+. Sway Pool at Silverton, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas. 702-2637777. silvertoncasino.com

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7.3

The Anti-Social Network Comedy Tour. 8 p.m., $65-$85, 21+. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com Independence Day Celebration. Fun and games all day, concluding with fireworks. 3 p.m.-9 p.m., free. The Village Walk at Lake Las Vegas, 15 Costa di Lago, Henderson. 702564-4766. lakelasvegas.com

7.4

The Diamond Light. Through July 5, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Show Time by the Lake. Music presented by DeBlanc Music. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., free, all ages. The Village Walk at Lake Las Vegas, 15 Costa di Lago, Henderson. 702-564-4766. lakelasvegas.com

7.5

DJ Supra. 10 p.m.-2 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Crush. Through July 10, 9 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bourbon Street Cabaret Lounge at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

7.6

The Soft Pack. Through July 9, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.7

Norm MacDonald. Through July 10, 8 p.m., $24.95-$49.95, 21+. The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

Against the Grain. 10:30 p.m. Thurs., free, 21+. PBR Rock Bar at Planet Hollywood Resort, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-785-9005. planethollywoodresort.com Celebrate Life! art exhibit. Through Aug. 25, 12:30-9 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat., free. Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 Brush St., Las Vegas. 702-229-1012.

7.8

Puddle of Mudd. 9 p.m., $30, 18+. Sandbar at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7598. redrocklasvegas.com Dave Koz. 8 p.m., $29-$59, all ages. The Railhead at Boulder Station, 4111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas. 702-432-7710. boulderstation.com

America’s original

hookah lounge Open Every day from 5pm-1am, Happy Hour every day 5pm-7pm & Tuesdays from 5pm-1am

Featuring Specialty Cocktails, Beer, Wine, Mixed Drinks, Hookahs and Food.

’70s Soul Jam hosted by Jimmie “JJ” Walker. 8 p.m., $22.50-$49.50, all ages. Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane, North Las Vegas. 702-638-3492. texasstation.com Billy Gardell. Through July 9, $39.99$59.99, 21+. The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com

7.9

John Ford Coley. Through July 10, 7:30 p.m., $15.95-$39.95, 21+. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7111. suncoastcasino.com

7.10

The Nervous Wreckords. Through July 12, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.11

DJ Beej. Through July 12, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.12

Las Vegas Hadassah National Business Meeting 2011. Through July 13. For additional information email meetingandtravel@hadassah.org or call 212-303-8239. Register online at hadassah.org/nationalbusinessmeeting. The Palazzo at The Venetian, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

7.13

Graffiti6. Through July 15, 10-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

™

hookahlounge.com paymons.com 702.731.6030 4147 S. Maryland Pkwy.

702.804.0293 8380 W. Sahara Ave. JULY 2011 DAVID

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7.14

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Globe Guilders Fashion Show: Celebrating Couture 2011. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, 1 Park Blvd., San Diego. 858-454-0014. theoldglobe.org DJ Mel. Through July 17, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Full-Time/Part-Time Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com On-Call

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Meticulouslyof Screened Celebration Science and SkeptiOn-Call cism Expo. Through July 17, time and costs Immediate Availability vary. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Meticulously Screened No Deposit and amazingmeeting.com Vegas. 702-797-8010. Immediate Availability

7.15

The Art of Leonard Bernstein. Through Aug. 28, & Fully Insured Licensed, Bonded times vary, $39-$90. Old Globe Theater, 1363 & Fully Insured Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org

(702) 451-0021 Finnegan’s Wake. Through July 16, 9 (702) 451-0021 35853585 EastEast Flamingo 204,Las Las Vegas, 89121 FlamingoRd., Rd., Suite Suite 204, Vegas, NV NV 89121

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7.18

Olin & The Moon. Through July 19, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com DJ Supra. Through July 19, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

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Norm Crosby. Through July 17, 7:30 p.m., $15.95, 21+. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7111. suncoastcasino.com

free, Brendan’s at The Or™21+. Wea.m., care for you. Wep.m.-1 care for you. ™

leans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702365-7111. orleanscasino.com

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p.m., SINCE 2000 $19-$35, all ages. Aliante Casino + Hotel, 7300 Aliante Parkway, North Las Vegas. 702692-7484. aliantecasinohotel.com Ben Folds. 8 p.m., $35, 18+. Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.19

Klique. Through July 24, 9 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bourbon Street Cabaret Lounge at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

7.20

Uh Huh Her. Through July 23, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.21

DJ JayCeeOh. Through July 24, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.16

UV Safety Month at Bodies … The

No Deposit and Exhibition. 9:30 a.m.-10 a.m., $16 includes early entry to Bodies. Luxor, 3900 Up to One Year Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-262-4444. FREE luxor.com ors shown on this page are not Replacement accurate representations of PANTONE, MADEIRA, FUFU, JUNHUEI or PARIS Guarantee andards. Whatever process or materials you use, please match your colors to the PANTONE®

2747 C

ONE, MADEIRA, FUFU, JUNHUEI or PARIS numbers indicated on this page.

HoneyHoney. 9:30-10 p.m., free, 21+.

ADEIRA, FUFU, JUNHUEI or PARIS numbers indicated on this page.

mopolitanlasvegas.com

E®

Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Licensed, Bonded wn on this page are not accurate representations of PANTONE, MADEIRA, FUFU, JUNHUEI or PARIS Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cos& Fully Insured s. Whatever process or materials you use, please match your colors to the

(702) 451-0021 We care for you.™

The Pointer Sisters. Through July 17, 8 p.m., $29.95-$49.95, 21+. The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

SERVING WITH EXCELLENCE SINCE 2000

Inna Visions and Mishka. 7 p.m., $10, 21+. Sway Pool at Silverton, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas. 702-263-7777. silvertoncasino.com

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The Blow. 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. The Chandelier at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Engelbert Humperdinck. Through July 24, 7:30 p.m., $62.20-$5026.70, 21+. Paris Las Vegas, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-946-7000. parislasvegas.com Whitechapel, Oceano and Within the Ruins. 5:30 p.m., $15, all ages. Hard Rock Café, 771 Las Vegas Boulevard S., Las

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Vegas. 702-733-7625. hardrock.com

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WILD CELTS. Through July 23, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., free, 21+. Brendan’s at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com THE AVETT BROTHERS. 8 p.m., $35, 21+. Silverton, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas. 702-263-7777. silvertoncasino.com ALKALINE TRIO, SMOKING POPES AND DEAD COUNTRY. 6 p.m., $20, all ages. Hard Rock Café, 771 Las Vegas Boulevard S., Las Vegas. 702-733-7625. hardrock.com

7.23

ABSOLUTELY ’80S SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL FEATURING WANG CHUNG WITH NAKED EYES. 9 p.m., free, 21+. Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-678-5600. vegasexperience.com OASIS OLD SCHOOL SUMMER JAM. 8 p.m., $29-$65, 21+. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE. 8 p.m., $39.50, 18+. Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.24

TONY BENNETT. 8 p.m., $66-$126, 21+. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. palms.com USA HIP-HOP DANCE CHAMPIONSHIP. Through July 29, times vary, $20-

$59.50, 18+. Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-7977598. redrocklasvegas.com

7.25

CLOUDED VISION. Through July 26, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com 19 SIXTY. Through July 26, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.26

JUKEBOX HEROES. Through July 30, 9 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bourbon Street Cabaret Lounge at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.com

7.27

SAINT MOTEL. Through July 30, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Alternates with The Silent Comedy. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com THE SILENT COMEDY. Through July 30, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. & midnight-1 a.m., free, 21+. Alternates with Saint Motel. Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.28

DJ ELEVEN. Through July 31, 10 p.m.-3 a.m., free, 21+. Bond at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

Happy INdependence day 301 N. Buffalo Drive 255-3444 www.thebagelcafelv.com

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

JULY 2011 DAVID

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FIGHT NIGHTS. Times vary, $20-$250, 21+. Chelsea Ballroom at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

ENGAGING SHAW. Through Sept. 4, times vary, $29-$67. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-23-GLOBE. th oldglobe.org LIFEHOUSE. 9 p.m., $30, 18+. Sandbar at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7598. redrocklasvegas.com

7.30

KILLIAN’S ANGELS. Through July 30, 9 p.m.1 a.m., free, 21+. Brendan’s at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-3657111. orleanscasino.com COMEDIANS LOU MAGELOWITZ AND DON BARNHART JR. 7 p.m., free, 21+. Casablanca Resort, 950 W. Mesquite Blvd., Mesquite. 800-459-7529. casablancaresort.com

THE 2011 GLOBE GALA HONORING AUDREY GEISEL. Old Globe Theater, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. 619-231-1941, ext. 2303. theoldglobe.org LOVIN’ SPOONFUL. Through July 31, 7:30 p.m., $15.95-$39.95, 21+. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. 702-636-7111. suncoastcasino.com ILIZA SHLESINGER. 8:30 p.m., $20, 21+. Club

Madrid at Sunset Station, 1301 W. Sunset Road, Las Vegas. 702-547-7982. sunsetstation.com HEIDI NEWFIELD. 8 p.m., $TBD, all ages. Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas. 702-658-4900. santafestationlasvegas.com

7.31

WORLD HIP HOP CHAMPIONSHIPS. 7:30 p.m., $25-$59.50, 21+. The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.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.

Candlelighting Sivan/Tammuz 5771 FRI., JULY 1, SIVAN 29

FRI., JULY 8, TAMMUZ 6

FRI., JULY 15, TAMMUZ 13

FRI., JULY 22, TAMMUZ 20 FRI., JULY 29, TAMMUZ 27

Light candles at 7:44 p.m.

Light candles at 7:43 p.m.

Light candles at 7:40 p.m.

Light candles at 7:36 p.m.

SAT., JULY 2, SIVAN 3

SAT., JULY 9, TAMMUZ 7

SAT., JULY 16, TAMMUZ 14

SAT., JULY 23, TAMMUZ 21 SAT., JULY 30, TAMMUZ 28

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Shabbat ends 8:47 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:45 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:42 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:37 p.m.

SUN., JULY 3, TAMMUZ 1 Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

TUES., JULY 19, TAMMUZ 17 Fast of Tammuz 17 Begins 3:51 a.m. Ends 8:30 p.m.

Light candles at 7:31 p.m. Blessing of the New Month Shabbat ends 8:30 p.m.

Our 2011 Season June 23 — October 22 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Richard III Romeo and Juliet The Music Man The Glass Menagerie Noises Off! The Winter’s Tale Dial M for Murder

800-PLAYTIX • www.bard.org 18

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FIGHT NIGHTS. Times vary, $20-$250, 21+. Chelsea Ballroom at The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

7.30

7.31

WORLD HIP HOP CHAMPIONSHIPS. 7:30 p.m., $25-$59.50, 21+. The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-365-7111. orleanscasino.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.

Candlelighting Sivan/Tammuz 5771 FRI., JULY 1, SIVAN 29

FRI., JULY 8, TAMMUZ 6

FRI., JULY 15, TAMMUZ 13

FRI., JULY 22, TAMMUZ 20 FRI., JULY 29, TAMMUZ 27

Light candles at 7:44 p.m.

Light candles at 7:43 p.m.

Light candles at 7:40 p.m.

Light candles at 7:36 p.m.

SAT., JULY 2, SIVAN 3

SAT., JULY 9, TAMMUZ 7

SAT., JULY 16, TAMMUZ 14

SAT., JULY 23, TAMMUZ 21 SAT., JULY 30, TAMMUZ 28

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Shabbat ends 8:47 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:45 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:42 p.m.

Shabbat ends 8:37 p.m.

SUN., JULY 3, TAMMUZ 1 Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

TUES., JULY 19, TAMMUZ 17 Fast of Tammuz 17 Begins 3:51 a.m. Ends 8:30 p.m.

Our 2011 Season June 23 — October 22 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Richard III Romeo and Juliet The Music Man The Glass Menagerie Noises Off! The Winter’s Tale Dial M for Murder

800-PLAYTIX • www.bard.org 18

DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

Light candles at 7:31 p.m. Blessing of the New Month Shabbat ends 8:30 p.m.

desire

Fun in the Sun Finds Men’s swim trunks with navycolored ink stains, $200. Vilebrequin at The Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-9460.

Men’s Manuka Wrap flip-flop sandals by Cushe, $59.95. Nordstrom at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2525. about.nordstrom.com

A summer combination of woven raffia and leather creates the Napoli Clutch, $128. Tommy Bahama at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-6868; The Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-9336888; Town Square, 6635 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-948-6828.

Maui Jim’s Kula lightweight shields put a cool strip of technological shade where you need it most, $279. Solstice Sunglass Boutique, Town Square, 6659 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702263-5070.

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Tahitian Jelly Bean Chronograph Watch by Michele Watches, available in assorted colors, $295. Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702731-3636. neimanmarcus.com

The Pentax Optio WG-1 with GPS is resistant to shock, water, cold and dust, $399.99. Best Buy, several Las Vegas locations. bestbuy.com

Refillable, reusable and recyclable, Bobble water bottles purify tap water on-the-go with a reverse carbon filter that helps reduce waste one sip at a time, $19.95 for set of two. Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at The Boulevard Mall, 3634 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-791-2100; Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-5111; Galleria Mall at Sunset, 1304 Sunset Road, Henderson. 702-458-7300; Meadows Mall, 4100 Meadows Lane, Las Vegas. 702-258-2100. macys.com

Bass Pro Shops XPS Titan 76-inch four-person towable tube, $159.99. Bass Pro Shops at Silverton Casino Lodge, 8200 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas. 702-730-5200. basspro.com

The new REI Half Dome 2 backpacking tent is lightweight, weather-worthy and sleeps two people, $179. REI at Boca Park, 710 S. Rampart Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-951-4488; The District at Green Valley Ranch, 2220 Village Walk Drive, Suite 150, Henderson. 702-896-7111. rei.com

JULY 2011 DAVID

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discover Ready for Rehab?

Now that the heat of the season is here, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important than ever to stay cool. Offering a variety of live music concerts and deejays at Rehab, the Hard Rock Beach Club and Soundwaves Poolside Stage, the Hard Rock Hotel has a little something for everyone. Spend the summer rocking out to the sounds of Widespread Panic, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Matisyahu and more. And, be sure to check out the pool party at Rehab every Sunday, where you can rent a cabana for the day and enjoy the sun and fun in comfort. Times and costs vary. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

Making a Scene For 36 years, the folks behind Super Summer Theatre have been bringing a variety of favorite Broadway-style productions to Spring Mountain Ranch, located in Blue Diamond. This year, Annie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Fiddler on the Roof and Five Guys Named Moe grace the stage throughout the summer months. Pack a picnic, grab a blanket and come enjoy an evening of fun under the stars. June-Sept., times vary, $12. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, Highway 159, Blue Diamond. 702-594-7529. supersummertheatre.org

A Really Cool Spot Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely a scorcher out there! But a visit to the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, where you can escape into the lush landscapes of brilliant artists such as Claude Monet and David Hockney, is a great way to beat the heat. A Sense of Place: Landscapes from Monet to Hockney currently is on display at the gallery, which is a perfect spot to pass a blistering summer afternoon. In addition to the paintings, a video installation and variety of photographs from more modern artists are available for viewing. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.-Tues. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed. & Fri.-Sat., $10-$15. Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-693-7871. bellagio.com

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Ed Graff

David Becker/WireImage

mingle

LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian at N9NE Steakhouse

Celebrity siGhtings Around Town

Laura Croft at Posh Boutique Nightclub

Scott Jorgensen, Criss Angel, Anthony Pettis at Rain Nightclub

Kevin Smith at the 2011 NHL Awards at Pearl

Denise Truscello/WireImage

LaKeisha Sabol/Spiegel World

Joe Rogan and Laura Wiggins at Moon Nightclub

Aaron Garcia

Ed Graff

Vienna Girardi at Sugar Factory American Brasserie

David Arquette and the cast of Absinthe at Caesars Palace

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick at Gallery Nightclub

JULY 2011 DAVID

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mingle

cosmopolitanconnections.COM Hosted by Yvette Brown

Fleur at Mandalay Bay June 9

Photographed by Corey Fields www.fieldsphotographylv.com

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mingle

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE AGENCY Tzedakah Brunch

Four Seasons Hotel June 5

Photographed by Tonya Harvey

JULY 2011 DAVID

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mingle

Community KOLLEL of Greater Las Vegas DINNER

World Market Center March 27

Photographed By Anne Lubin

DAVID SIVAN/TAMMUZ 5771

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live INSIDE give @ 28

That’s the Spirit!

empower @ 32 Save Your Skin

taste @ 36 Get in Line

Safety Rules With the intense summer sun beaming down upon us, it’s important to know how to keep you, your loved ones and your pets safe and healthy.

JULY 2011 DAVID

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give

That’s the Spirit! I

n an era when paying jobs can be as scarce as good economic news, opportunities for volunteering in Las Vegas have never been better. That’s just fine with people like Marian P. Brown, who’ll turn 79 in September and considers herself lucky not to need a salary anymore. She fairly gushes as she describes her gratis work—a minimum of 21 hours per week—for the Barbara Greenspun WomensCare Center and the Paseo Verde branch of the Henderson Libraries. “I can’t even imagine (life) without my volunteering. I’d be in a loony bin,” she says, laughing at herself. “I know once I get (to work, that) what I’m doing is worthwhile,” she adds.

During the past several years, she says, her labors of love at the center have totaled more than 5,400 hours. “My mother lived to be almost 91, just a few days (short of it). And she was volunteering until she couldn’t do it any more, which wasn’t that long before she died,” Brown says. “So I kind of have … the inspiration from my mother. But I’ve always just had that feeling: Whenever I could, I’ve always given time and whatever I could to everybody I thought who needed it.” As a longtime widow, Brown says, “It’s really important for me to be around people.” The self-described “crossword puzzle fiend” and occasional world traveler—she visited Israel and Egypt last fall— works hard to keep her mind alert and to stay active.

Steven Wilson

Valley’s Seniors View Volunteerism as Labor of Love

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Without her volunteering, she says, life would be “just boring as hell.” And without the complement of his hard-working volunteers, including the devoted Brown, Tom Fay’s working life as executive director of the Henderson Public Libraries District would be exponentially more difficult. “If they all walked away,” he confides, “I’d probably have to go with them.” By the district’s reckoning, the volunteers at the Henderson Libraries provide about 40,000 hours of unpaid service per year, the rough equivalent of 18 full-time employees, Fay says. In the real world, he adds, those volunteers would earn about $750,000 annually as a group. “We obviously see them as a very important part of our success,” Fay says. “They’re integrated in almost everything we do in the library and in almost every department.” In addition to the usual chores, Fay says his volunteers coordinate book and online sales, and raise money each holiday season with the Library Tree Lane event. When all is said and done, that’s an estimated $125,000 annual bottom line boost, Fay says, compared with about $3,000 annually a little more than a decade ago. That was before the district organized an integrated campaign to supplement its budget, and a cadre of dedicated volunteers rolled up their sleeves to make it happen. “Many of our volunteers are folks who have retired,” Fay says. “That is not all of them. But that is the vast majority of them. When you look for consistency, as far as being there on a weekly basis, I think you get that obviously (from retirees). Their calendar is a little more flexible. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t get some great volunteers who are still in the workplace. Because we do. No one (group) is better than the other. “We’re looking for skill sets. … Really, I think our biggest challenge is having the types of work that engages and keeps people active, so that they want to stay with us.” According to The Corporation for National and Community Service’s “Volunteering in America 2010” report, about 63.4 million people gave their time to help U.S. communities in 2009. That was 1.6 million people more than in 2008 and represented 8.1 billion hours of service worth an estimated $169 billion. Suzanne Conger Fain is a fifth-generation Nevadan, born in Boulder City. She owns Volunteer Angels in Las Vegas. She was a paid volunteer director for a large hospital before her retirement in 2010. Back in her professional days, Fain supervised more than 200 volunteers and kept a watchful eye over drug screenings and background checks. These days she provides services to babies, children and senior citizens throughout the Valley. She stays in touch with sewing organizations around the country to obtain clothing for needy newborns. She distributes outfits and other items to various hospitals, and hand-delivers clothes to the places contributors want them sent. Her tireless dedication prompted a public commendation from the Clark County commission. “I always volunteered,” she says, and after her retirement from her paying job she “missed the interaction so much, I started Volunteer Angels as a charitable organization (www.volunteerangels.biz).” “There’s a lot of good organizations, such as mine … there’s individuals in the community, whether it’s one or a group of people, who want to help. There’s so much good going on in Las Vegas that you wouldn’t think of it.

To Serve

Serving the community through the Health Center and the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities

To leAD

leading the way in addressing the state’s critical health care provider and education needs

To TeACH

Teaching Nevada’s future health care and education professionals For more information about supporting Touro University Nevada or if you are interested in a campus tour, please call: 7 0 2 . 7 7 7 . 3 1 0 0 or visit our web site at w w w . t u n . t o u r o . e d u

874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson NV 89014 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Licensed in Nevada by the Commission on Post-Secondary Education. Touro University Nevada is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

JULY 2011 DAVID

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Be Yourself. And Then Some. There’s nothing regimented about living at Merrill Gardens. You choose the floor plan for your apartment. Decorate it the way you want. Take part in your favorite activities. Invite friends over, or get to know a lot of new ones. Have a small pet. In short, live pretty much the way you want to. Minus the housework. Call Today for a Tour!

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“Somebody that hasn’t been here, why, they just hear the reputation that we’re just a gambling community or whatever. That’s part of it, but it’s not people’s focus in their lives for the most part.” Fain said one of her volunteer seamstresses is “a wonderful woman” in her mid-80s, who was part of the Rosie the Riveters female factory brigade in the ’40s that stood in for men off at war. “She’s just so delightful. These people who still have something to offer … they want to continue to help. They’re not working or anything, so they start wanting to do charity work. “I think it’s nice to be needed and also to be able to help people who need help. I believe this is the way the Lord would want us to live, to help others,” Fain says. Fain seeks brand-new contributions for newborns and children up to age 3, “including layette items, such as receiving blankets, cribsized blankets, gowns, infant caps, booties and infant supplies, like lotions and creams and diapers. But they also can give me gently used items, such as strollers and cribs, baby carriers, shoes that are in good condition.” The volunteer work is its own reward, Fain says. “I feel thrilled that I could do it, that I could make somebody else happy or provide something for someone in need. … I feel like I’m fulfilling a mission, (one) that anybody can do, if they just think about it.” Robin Kelley, who grew up in Del Mar, north of San Diego, is the director of the United Way Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada (volunteercentersn.org). “I guess, in a nutshell, we help individuals and groups find opportunities where they can create change in the community. We’re the only volunteer center in the state, and we are an affiliate of the HandsOn Network and the Point of Light Institute. We currently have more than 13,000 individuals registered on our website that utilize it to find volunteer opportunities on whatever a ‘regular basis’ is to them. “We’re kind of a matchmaker. We work with over 300 area nonprofits, and, of course, there’s thousands more … and volunteers are looking for an opportunity. And they’re able to go to our website and either find an event or an opportunity or whatever it is by date, by location, by impact area, whatever is best for them.” In May, Kelley said roughly 6,000 visitors came to the website, which just had a name change to HandsOn Nevada.org on July 1. Volunteers are looking to network, learn new skills, meet people and show their children it’s good to give of themselves, Kelley says. Others may be out of work or underemployed, she adds. “You don’t find a job in the newspaper anymore,” Kelley reminds. “You find it by networking … so we want people to get out there and keep skills fresh or learn new skills, so they can find another job.” At SCORE in Las Vegas, recognized as one of the best of the national organization’s 380 or so chapters, volunteers often are current or retired executives, says counselor Raj Tumber, whose own business background is in security investigations and analytical science. Volunteers like Tumber must go through a rigorous vetting process and training before being assigned to assist a “client,” he says. “Now, the areas that we help (clients) with are all the way from brainstorming … to helping them write a business plan, to helping them understand what are the lending options out there,” Tumber says. “We are also a resource partner of the Small Business Administration,” which is a guarantor of loans—up to 75 percent—and a facilitator, if not a direct lender, Tumber explains.

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“So we will walk them through the understanding of the financial options for their business … the next step would be to help them do a successful launch,” he says. “The No. 1 question we get is, ‘How can I get grants to start a business, or grants to operate a business?’ The fact is that there really is no grant out there for for-profit businesses. Most of the grants that are out there are for nonprofit education and more of the greendriven type of businesses. “And, obviously, (the would-be entrepreneurs are) not aware of the process as far as business planning goes. You go to a banker and the first thing the banker asks you is, ‘Do you have a written business plan and financials of two years at least?’ “So all these things, we actually teach them about. We even have seminars that help them learn all of that. Some of our seminars are free, and some are paid. Even the paid ones are very little cost.” Tumber says many SCORE volunteers “are passionate about (offering) the advice from our own experiences. … When we see the results of improvement, then it’s really more a progressive motivation for us to keep doing what we do.” As coordinator for the L’Dor V’Dor (From Generation to Generation) program at Temple Beth Sholom, Shel Kolner knows plenty about motivation and doing things again and again. Five times a year, he and his volunteers put on a luncheon and provide entertainment to a group of 200-250 seniors who are unable to get out and about by themselves. “We provide bus and automobile transportation,” Kolner said. “All this at no cost to the guests. This is funded by an anonymous donor, individual donations and a grant from the Jewish Federation. There is a cadre of (40-50) volunteers who handle these events.” Kolner says the helpers do some of the bus driving, stand curbside at the temple to help guests get off the bus and back on safely, identify where each visitor is from and assist in serving lunch. “If you don’t have it organized,” he says, “it’s utter chaos.” In total during the past four years, the temple has hosted some 5,000 guests, Kolner says. “It’s kind of a great thing to hand down from generation to generation, to honor your seniors,” Kolner says. “We think it’s one of the best outreach programs in the Valley.” Such selflessness recalls Albert Einstein’s long-ago advice, which still resonates. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” –Pat Teague JULY 2011 DAVID

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empower

Save Your Skin

Summertime Tips That’ll Help Keep You Safe in the Desert Sun and Heat

emember the days when smoothing on the sweet-scented coconut SPF 2 suntan oil was the thing to do in the summer? Surely, it was a quick way to get a burn—not that it seemed to matter too much back then. Once one of life’s simplest pleasures, basking in the summer sun has gotten more complicated throughout the years. In fact, the idea of tanning has been an on-again, off-again fad. Said to have started, in part, by designer Coco Chanel who got suntanned during a sailboat excursion, bronzed skin became a much sought after style statement. By the 1970s, an entire generation baked their bodies in the sun, not realizing that the burns they acquired as youths would develop into skin cancers 10 to 20 years later.

Today, sun protection awareness has alerted even avid sun worshippers worldwide to take cover. But in Las Vegas and other hot cities, summertime is also the season for heat- and sun-induced illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Having knowledge of these sometimes life-threatening illnesses can make a difference in protecting ourselves and those around us, including our pets. Let’s start with our skin, the first line of defense for our body. The skin is like a double-edged sword. It protects us from external elements that could lead to disease and illness. On the other, if we don’t take care of our skin, it can be damaged, especially from the sun, and lead to unwanted health complications. We all know how sensitive we can be to the sun’s intense rays, but do we

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realize that we are at risk daily? According to the Skin Care Foundation, more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. More than 90 percent are caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This damage is cumulative, so whenever you venture out in the sun, be smart about it. Seek the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is the strongest. Take advantage of early morning activities. Avoid burning; a single sunburn can increase our risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Steer clear of tanning and UV tanning booths. Las Vegas dermatologist Dr. H.L. Greenberg urges us not to go out with the intention of getting a tan. “There is no such thing as a good tan,” says Greenberg. “Spray tanning is a great way to add color, without damaging your skin.” Greenberg continues, “The first few years, you may be able to tolerate the damage that is being done by the sun,” says Greenberg. “However, as the years go on, and that cumulation of damage builds up, your skin is just not as able to adjust as it once was. That is when the UV rays damage the DNA, and your body is powerless to correct that damage, leading to skin cancer. “ Covering up is perhaps the best way to protect the skin, aside from staying indoors altogether. Look for densely woven fabrics or specially designed clothes that come with a Ultraviolet Protection Factor label. For instance, a thin white T-shirt provides a UPF of about 5, which means the shirt lets in one-fifth of the sun’s rays. In contrast, blue jeans have a UPF of approximately 1700. A UPF rating of 30 and up indicates substantial protection. For accessories, consider two of the most important—sunglasses and a hat. When looking for shades, look for the ones that wrap around to help prevent such serious conditions as cataracts or melanomas of the eye and eyelid. Choose hats with at least a 3-inch brim or greater, as they offer significant protection for the face and back of the neck. Certainly, use a sunscreen with an Sun Protection Factor of 15 or higher every day of the year. A sunscreen’s SPF measures how long unprotected skin can be exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet B rays before burning, compared with how long it takes to burn without protection. If used correctly, sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would prevent sunburn 15 times longer than if the product weren’t used. Greenberg recommends using SPF 15 at the very least. “I’m not sure that anything above 60 makes much of a difference,” says Greenberg. “The American Academy of Dermatology has been working for years on adjusting the sunscreen rankings, because SPF only takes UVB rays into account, not UVA.” Look for products that offer “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB” protection and apply and reapply every two hours, or after swimming or excessive sweating. Remember that not all skin is created equally, especially when it comes to infants and kids. A good rule is to keep young infants out of direct sunlight to prevent sunburn. Babies and toddlers are especially susceptible to the sun’s damaging effects, which can possibly lead to dehydration and heat stroke. When the heat becomes too intense, it’s best to play indoors or in the shade and stay hydrated. Creative Play, developers of parks, playgrounds and water parks in Southern Nevada, encourages kids to play outdoors whenever possible, but the company realizes that there is a limit to outdoor activity in the summer. “Kids have a lot of energy, and it’s very easy for them to carry on in the heat,” says Donnie Garritano, owner of Creative Play. “We put kids’ safety first and encourage parents to learn how to recognize symptoms of heat stroke, heat exhaustion and sunburn

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to ensure proper treatment. Water play is a great way to stay cool, but the key is reapplying the sunscreen often, drinking lots of water and wearing protective clothing, if possible.” The Southern Nevada Health District offers tips on its website for recognizing and treating heat-related illnesses, which are serious threats to Las Vegas residents and visitors. The four degrees of heat-related illnesses are heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. “Stay out of the heat as much as possible, reduce activity during the heat of the day,” says Rory Chetelat, emergency medical services and trauma system manager of Southern Nevada Health District. He also includes avoiding caffeine and alcohol on the prevention list. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that, of all the heat-related illnesses that could occur, heat stroke is the most serious. The very young and the very old are most susceptible to heat stroke. It occurs when the body’s temperature is higher than normal. It can be caused by strenuous activity, dehydration, high environmental temperature or other conditions that raise the temperature of the body. “The compensatory mechanism for children isn’t as effective as it is for teenagers and adults,“ says Eric Poleski, Battalion chief and paramedic for the Clark County Fire Department. “Kids are also at higher risk, because they can’t always communicate when they are hot. In the elderly, body systems are slowed down, so they don’t sweat as readily and quickly.” Other factors that put the elderly at risk for heat stroke are their inability to move about and take precautions against heat, due to debilitating illnesses, use of certain medications that affect temperature regulation and chronic diseases that make the body more susceptible to heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness and can develop after exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids, Some symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness and nausea. If unattended, it may lead to heat stroke. This is good enough reason for people to allow their bodies to ease into summer. “It’s best to allow your body to acclimate to the heat,” says Poleski. “Don’t plan a full day, make sure to take breaks often—especially if you are elderly or accompanying kids—hydrate with water and electrolytes and cover up with light, cottony fabrics.” Other things to look for during the summer are heat rash and heat cramps. Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot weather. Heat cramps affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity and suffer from electrolyte imbalance. Yet another issue that doesn’t mix well in the summer is hot cars and young children. We all know that the combination can lead to unfortunate circumstances. A study put out by the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University offered current data about vehicular hyperthermia deaths in the United States. A surprising statistic showed that 30 percent of deaths were a result of

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the child playing in an unattended vehicle. While we all should take safety precautions, let’s not forget about our four-legged companions, too. Whiskers and Spot also can suffer from heat exhaustion, sunburn and skin cancer. In dogs, the beginning signs of excessive heat are panting and heavy salivation. Heat stroke and exhaustion can occur when pets are kept outside in direct sun and heat or during exercise in extreme temperatures. So be sure to save activities for early morning hours or after the sun has set. “Since dogs don’t sweat like we do, they are unable to dissipate excess heat, and heat stroke may soon follow,” says veterinarian Darrell Dawsey at the Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital in Las Vegas. “Every year, thousands of pets succumb to heat stroke, because they were left in cars, while their owner ran ‘just a few’ errands’.” While dogs pant to cool their bodies, cats simply find a cooler place to nap for the majority of the day. And, if you have a sunbather on your hand, keep the children’s sunscreen handy. Pets who love the sun and have short, light-colored hair are at a higher risk of sun damage and should be kept out of direct sunlight, if possible. “The main thing about summer heat is exhaustion and the burning paw pads on the hot ground,” says Dawsey. “If the asphalt is hot to the touch, then it is too hot for the dog to walk on.” As a general rule, during the summer, leave your pet inside to prevent becoming overheated. If your pet is kept outside, provide plenty or fresh water and adequate shade. Most people (and pets) like to get a little sun. Its warmth and light can relax us and boost our spirits. But this sometimes comes with dangerous trade-offs, especially in Las Vegas. So practice summerwise tips to keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe this season. –Marisa Finetti

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Handling the Heat It’s July, it’s the desert and it’s hot. That means we all need to be mindful of dehydration and signs of heat-related illnesses before heading outdoors. The key to staying safe is to take proper precautions and know what to watch for. Here are a few reminder tips on how to stay healthy and hydrated. • Drink plenty of water. Although you may have consumed water before going outdoors, much of it will be lost through sweating. Do not wait until it is too late—hydrate and protect your body. • Drink cool water rather than ice-cold water. Our bodies absorb cool water faster. • Wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing, as well as sunscreen. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, fatigued or develop a headache, get out of the direct sunlight. These are common symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Deaths from heat-related illnesses aren’t exactly common, however, according to Centers for Disease Control, more than 300 Americans die each year from heat-related illnesses. Understand the dangers; take the necessary steps. Dr. W. Jud Fisher, Family Practice, HealthCare Partners of Nevada JULY 2011 DAVID

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taste

New York Deli Night at the Rampart Buffet

Get in Line Las Vegas Serves Up Some Excellent Buffet Options

f you’re like us, you don’t frequent buffets very often. As general eating enthusiasts, we fight the neverending battle of the bulge, so buffets only exacerbate the situation. But in terms of a deal, few better opportunities are available to get “more bang for your buck” than the literal veritable smorgasbord of a buffet. With this in mind, we’d like to highlight some of the better buffet options in town.

New York Deli Night at the Rampart Buffet Probably the most unique local buffet offering is the New York Deli Night at the Rampart Casino’s buffet. The brainchild of New York native and executive chef John Ciborski, a number of items are imported specifically for the event. Ciborski wanted to offer foods that are reminiscent of his time in the Big Apple, so he makes them

available every Thursday evening. Some standard fare is available on New York Deli Night, such as carving stations, pastas and Asian dishes; however, your interest most likely will be piqued by the unique offerings. These include the housemade chopped chicken liver and pastrami, and liverwurst and creamed herring imported from New York. The chopped chicken liver is immaculate, made with real chicken schmaltz, where-

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The Buffet at ARIA

The Thursday buffet at Rampart Casino in Summerlin features a New York-style deli night.

as the pastrami is salty, peppery and has just the right amount of fat. The liverwurst reminds me of what my grandmother bought from the local deli when I was growing up. Other special imports include potato and macaroni salads from New Jersey and whitefish salad from New York. Each of the salads is a great rendition, with the mac salad particularly tangy and addictive. The whitefish salad has a wonderful hint of smoke and is perfect when smeared on the delicious locally baked raisin-walnut bread available at the salad bar. Also, take note of the rope garlic beef sausage, a locally made replica of one available at Katz’s Deli, and the Vienna all-beef frankfurters. Part of the New York-style buffet is the unlimited Dr. Brown’s. You get to pick from a variety of flavors, including Cream Soda, Black Cherry and the surprisingly good Cel-Ray—probably the world’s only celerybased soft drink. It’s a remarkably light drink and complements the generally heavy smorgasbord offerings. Traditional New York egg creams are also available, made with Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup. The name egg cream is somewhat of a misnomer, as it’s made from neither eggs nor cream but rather a mixture of chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer water. The resulting concoction essentially is a fizzy chocolate

milk that is a wonderfully refreshing way to finish your meal. Ciborski has gone to great lengths to provide an authentic ambience for his New York Deli Night. What’s he’s achieved is an experience that is about as close as noshing on Houston Street as you get here in the Valley.

There probably isn’t a more picturesque buffet in the city than the room housing the Buffet at ARIA. The seating area has panoramic views of the rooftop pool deck, and the room is awash in contemporary finishes, providing a serene setting in which to enjoy your meal. The Buffet at Aria is unique in a number of ways. Don’t be surprised to find you can order cocktails to your table. The choices include a Prickly Pear Pisco Sour, Cucumber Collins and a caramelized pineapple Sidecar. It also happens it’s the locale of the Strip’s only buffet-based tandoor oven, which produces a perfectly juicy tandoori chicken served alongside a slightly addictive garlic naan. The highlight of The Buffet at Aria is the endless supply of Alaskan crab legs. Here’s a hint: They are served cold, but you can ask the staff to steam them for you before leaving the buffet line. However, ample other options are available if you’re not interested in shellfish. Hand rolls abound at the sushi station, including spicy tuna, salmon and veggie, while a variety of pizza and pasta choices are offered in the Italian segment of the line. Salad offerings include a particularly memorable summer beet salad that highlights the vegetable’s sweetness; a wellbalanced tomato, fig, and feta salad perfect

One of the desserts available at Aria’s The Buffet. JULY 2011 DAVID

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An assortment of sushi offerings are provided at The Buffet at Aria.

for the season; and a good representation of the classic Caesar. Carving station options include chicken, turkey and a particularly flavorful prime rib with a peppery crust, but don’t pass by the Asian selections that include a memorable beef and asparagus that manages to provide a hint of sweetness, while not being overpoweringly cloying. Be sure to leave room for dessert, as chef Jean-Philippe Maury has a variety of delectable diversions from which to choose. Don’t overlook what appear to be simple cookies; the uncommon butterscotch cookies make you wonder why

The entrance to The Feast at Green Valley Ranch 38

it’s not more popular, while the chocolate chip is a great take on the classic. Even better is the banana cream pie. This condensed version is sweet and creamy in every bite and will have you wanting more. Surprisingly enough, The Buffet has a soundtrack that wanders from the ’90s alternative classic “Steal My Sunshine from Len,” to the recent hit “Daylight” from indie darlings Matt & Kim, with other catchy tunes in between. A delicious spread, great soundtrack and outstanding views make for a setting that you’ll hardly want to leave.

Sterling Brunch at Bally’s Steakhouse Probably the most decadent buffet in the Valley is the storied Sterling Brunch at Bally’s Steakhouse. Your glorious affair begins as you are shown to your table by Ilario Pesco, the steakhouse’s tuxedoed general manager who has been working the brunch since it premiered in 1990. The Perrier Jouët flows freely and constantly, one of many highlights at the Sterling Brunch. You also have the option for unlimited lobster tails, if you prefer. Be sure to get your share of caviar at the sushi station, along with a sampling of freshly made nigiri and hand rolls. You have to be sure to request it, but you’ll get as much as you like, alongside blinis and traditional caviar accompaniments. From the buffet line, we highly suggest the mashed potatoes. This gem of a dish, comprised of Yukon gold potatoes, has just the right amount of jalapeño to provide a bit of a kick. Equally outstanding are the lamb chops with mint demi-glace. Perfectly cooked, the demi-glace provides an ample amount of mintiness, allowing you to bypass the mint jelly. Service is impeccable, with your champagne glass never being near-empty at any time. The servers are both omnipresent and invisible, a remarkable feat in such an intimate, old-school room. The time they are not invisible is when you arrive back to

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Rotating Variety of Delicious Yogurt Flavors

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The ever-popular Sterling Brunch is served up at Bally’s Steakhouse.

your table, after returning from the serving stations. When you return with your food, your server holds your plate, while assisting you in sitting at your table. They say the devil is in the details, and this is not more clearly evident than in these subtle nuances that can easily go unnoticed. Don’t forget about dessert. The brunch has a live dessert station, where you can enjoy freshly cooked crepes and bananas Foster. We actually suggest for expediency’s sake that you combine both to form a bananas Foster crepe, which is hot and cold in every bite, with textural variety that includes the bananas, ice cream and crepe. It’s a fantastic finish to the feast. You can thank us later for that suggestion, as it is as decadent as the Sterling Brunch itself. The Feast at Green Valley Ranch One of the highlights of buffet dining is the whirlwind world tour you can take with every plate. The Feast at Green Valley Ranch provides such an opportunity, without the costly international itinerary, with made-to-order stations such as the Dynasty Grill (Mongolian barbecue), International Market (fajitas and burritos) and Tuscan Trattoria (pasta). The Feast is not exactly a secret to locals as is evidenced by the staggering consumption numbers. The ample crowds at The Feast consume more than 90,000 eggs, 15,000 meatballs, 7,600 pounds of potatoes and 5,100 pizzas on a monthly basis.

Create Your It takes an attention to quality on a conOwn Masterpiece! sistent basis to provide this much food at such a high level, and The Feast provides an Regular, Low Carb, Dairy ample variety from which to choose. & Sugar Free! The Farmer’s Market offers an array of Fruit, Dry & Hot Toppings! salad options, including an interesting ricesalad offering with a mixture of white raisins and cranberries—a good choice, as our hot summer progresses. Equally interesting are the Caesar and mesclun salads. The Mongolian barbecue is a hit, although there can be quite a wait during rush periods. As is typical of Mongolian barbecues, you select your vegetables and sauces prior to passing a bowl to the awaiting chefs, who Summerlin Plaza combine them with the meat. Meat choices 7500 W Lake Mead Blvd include beef, chicken and seafood, along Sun-Thurs 11am – 9pm with daily rotating specials. You also can get Fri & Sat 11am – 10pm made-to-order grilled sandwiches at this same location. The Feast’s potatoes au gratin are an on pre-packs (of equal or lesser value) absolute favorite. Hardly a health food, ($25 value) the potatoes provide ample of yogurt One coupon per person. self serve (of equal or amounts lesser value) coupon per person. ($25 value) Not valid with other offers or specials. both butter and cheese. MultipleOne servppplv-04 Not valid with other offers or specials. One coupon per person. ings of this addictive side are in order. Not valid with other offers or specials. Pair it with one of the carving stationTo advertise in the coupon book call 702-877-9477. ppplv-04 Not valid with other offers or specials. selections, such as chicken, roast beef or turkey, for a hearty meal. To advertise in the coupon book call 702-877-9477. For a finish, be sure to peruse the vari$1 off for spending $5 ety of mini cupcakes—particularly tasty is the red velvet cake—or grab yourself a or lesser value) $2(of offequal for spending $10 made-to-order malt with your choice of ice creams. What better way to finish your One coupon per person. Not valid with trip around the world than with a tradippplv-04 ppplv-04 Not valid with other offers or specials. tional American dessert? –Jim Begley To advertise in the coupon book call 702-

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think INSIDE Making Magic @ 42

Spellbinding Stars of Past & Present Fascinate World with Art of Conjuring

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In a faraway desert, a tribe of people envisioned a humanity that was extraordinary, and they chronicled these “superheroes” ... this is their story.

Magical History Tour From Houdini’s upside-down Water Torture Cell escape, to David Copperfield’s grand illusion of making the Statue of Liberty seemingly vanish into thin air, magic not only has survived the centuries, it’s alive and thriving in Sin City.

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Penn & Teller

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Making Magic Spellbinding Stars of Past & Present Fascinate World with Art of Conjuring By Jaq Greenspon

he art of conjuring has been around, arguably, since the time of the Ancient Egyptians. Reports exist of the cups and balls engraved in hieroglyphs found on the walls of pyramids and ancient tombs. Certainly, Chinese magicians knew of the cups and balls and, according to Masters of Illusion: Jewish Magicians of the Golden Age, a display now on exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the first Jewish conjuror was Aaron, Moses’ brother, who turned his rod into a snake. Magic, then, can lay a responsible claim on being the secondoldest profession in the world—and, oddly enough, the oldest also incorporates the term “trick.” From the moment playing cards were introduced to Europe in the mid-14th century, someone was being asked to “pick one, memorize it and place it back into the pack.” Even the cards themselves place a certain importance on historical notices, which each of the court cards (jack, queen, king) in each suit (hearts, clubs, spades, diamonds) acting as a representation of some past monarch.

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Siegfried & Roy

Magicians have used their effects to tell stories, illustrate solutions to arguments, affect the outcomes of battles and simply entertain everyone from the heads of states to the common man on the street. Even in Las Vegas, a city known for its sordid treatment of history and its disdain for the past, magical entertainment has endured throughout the last six decades to make the city a dream destination for the practitioners of the art. “Las Vegas is where every magician, at some point or another, comes to test themselves,” explains Kevin Burke, who stars in his own comedy-magic show downtown at the Fitz hotel-casino. “This is where all the best magicians end up at some point, one way or another. Where else is there?” Where else indeed? 44

Today, when you think of magic in Las Vegas, there are a halfdozen names that immediately spring to mind: Criss Angel, David Copperfield, Lance Burton, Mac King, Penn & Teller, and Siegfried & Roy. But, in addition to the celebrities, some of whom are no longer even performing, another dozen or so perform regularly in their own shows or in variety spots in larger productions. Today, you can spend a week in Vegas and see two completely different magic shows almost daily. But this wasn’t always the case. “In the early years, there wasn’t much magic in Vegas,” recalls Johnny Thompson, who has been a Las Vegas resident since 1974. And he would know. Under the name The Great Tompsoni (& Company), Thompson is also one of the foremost performers and creators of magic living today. In the 60s, there were only two ‘resident magicians’ in town.

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Mac King

“Johnny Paul was working at the Showboat as the resident magician and became the talent buyer,” says Thompson with nostalgia. “And Jimmy Grippo worked behind the bar at the Desert Inn. His barboy, who set up the drinks and so forth, was Daniel Cross, who later became the resident magician at the bar there. He understudied Jimmy Grippo.” The job of the resident magician basically was to be on-call in case someone wanted to see a trick. Usually, the type of magic performed by these entertainers is what is called close-up magic, a more intimate variety of the art. Close-up magic includes card and coin tricks that often are performed right in the spectators’ hands and in front of their eyes. This is the type of magic that a lot of people first experienced, the kind done at a birthday party or by Uncle Charlie when he produced a quarter from behind the ear.

When executed well, it seems near miraculous. And people like Grippo, who moved from the Desert Inn to Caesars Palace in the mid’60s and stayed there until he died in the 1990s, exemplified the form. Not to be outdone, Steve Wynn brought in magic legend Mike Skinner to be the resident magician when he took over the Golden Nugget in the 1970s. Wynn actually has been a longtime supporter of magic and currently has Israeli close-up master, Shimshi, performing the resident duties at the Wynn and Encore resorts. “It’s the opportunity for me to create greatness for myself,” says Shimshi. Currently, he is one of two close-up magicians working on the Strip; the other is Paul Vigil, who currently does a full close-up show at King Ink tattoo shop and bar room at The Mirage. JULY 2011 DAVID

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Lance Burton

“I really want to show people (the kind of) magic that’s take no prisoners, no holds barred, no way out, please watch as close as you can,” he says. But that intimacy of close-up magic is also part of its limited success in Las Vegas. When you have to fill a showroom of 1,500 people, you need something more than a pack of playing cards. The second type of magic most often seen in the Entertainment Capital of the World—and what Vegas is more famous for—is the full stage-size illusion shows, performances that can be shared by thousands simultaneously. But then again, in Vegas’ early days, it didn’t take kindly to magicians. “Showman-wise, there were very few magicians who were working back in the ’50s and ’60s,” says Thompson. “Orson Wells did a magic 46

act here in the ’50s. They were not a popular item here at that time.” It took the French revue shows, with showgirls in feathered headdresses, to really bring magicians to the forefront—literally. When the Lido de Paris began performances at the Stardust in 1958, the opener and first act to step onstage in front of a paying audience was magician Marvyn Roy. In 1959, the Tropicana opened a competing show, also imported from Paris, called Folies Bergère that, in 1967, hosted the two names who changed magic in Las Vegas forever—Siegfried & Roy. Also during this time, the Dunes featured Johnny Hart in Casino de Paris, and the Thunderbird featured former bellhop Gary Darwin in its production show. “These were the guys who were the early magicians who were

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Criss Angel

working in town. Of course, Gary stayed on to start the Magic Club, and it’s been running for over 40 years,” says Thompson. Until the 1970s, magicians mostly were relegated to the variety spots in the bigger revue shows and as opening acts for other entertainers. Mac Rooney, the French comedy magician, who was a fixture at the Crazy Horse in Paris, worked the Lido in the ’60s, as did movie star Channing Pollock, who personified the image of the elegant magician bedecked in tails and top hat. “Periodically Kreskin (who was a world-famous mentalist-mind reader) came into town for a few weeks and worked here and there. Never any long-term engagements,” says Thompson, who first performed in Vegas as a magician after moving here. “Also (comedy magician) Carl Ballentine was spotted around as a

supporting act for several stars during the ’50s and ’60s. He came in as the middle act when the new Folies Bergère opened in 1976. Reveen replaced Carl Ballentine, and then Pam (his wife and the “& Company” in his act) and I replaced him in 1976.” Reveen, a firstclass performer in his own right who later went on to manage Lance Burton, had “been in town once before as an opening act for Steve (Lawrence) and Eydie (Gorme); that was his first job in town.” In 1974, Siegfried & Roy came back to Las Vegas after a highly successful run in Puerto Rico and headlined Hallelujah Hollywood when it opened at the MGM Grand. A big change came in 1978, though, when Siegfried & Roy went back to the Lido at the Stardust. “That was during the Lefty Rosenthal mob years. Siegfried & Roy went from Hallelujah Hollywood into the Stardust, and they did 25 JULY 2011 DAVID

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David Copperfield

minutes in the show instead of the traditional 10-12.” The tide was shifting. Suddenly, entertainment directors were able to visualize a magic show holding an audience for a full evening performance. It was Siegfried & Roy who again stepped in to make the leap. “Siegfried & Roy left the Stardust and opened their show (Beyond Belief) at the Frontier in 1981, and that was the first full magic show that ever hit town,” says Thompson, who had more than the obvious reason to wish his friends success. “We were the first successful act to replace Siegfried & Roy after they left the Stardust. We opened in 1982, and we stayed until ’84, headlining in the Lido de Paris. They tried various acts, but no one was successful until we got in. And then we had a run of the show contract for a couple of years.” Lance Burton arrived in Las Vegas in 1980 and spent the next nine years opening the Folies Bergère. During his tenure there, Burton also won the Grand Prix award at 1982’s Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiquesés competition—the Olympics of magic—that eventually led to the opening of his own show at the Hacienda hotel in 1991, making it the second full-length magic show to find a permanent home in a Strip resort. Also in the early ’80s, Doug Henning, who had made a name for himself through his Broadway show and TV specials, made periodic forays into Vegas, playing exclusively at the Las Vegas Hilton, located just off the Strip. By this time, however, Siegfried & Roy had left the Frontier and were about to change Las Vegas entertainment again. “They moved to The Mirage when it opened (in 1980). They put 48

Jan Rouven

on the most expensive show ever produced in Vegas, in conjunction with Kenneth Feld and Steve Wynn,” explains Thompson. “When they opened at the Frontier, it was in conjunction with the Felds, they produced it. When they went into The Mirage, it became the biggest show that ever hit this town—and the most expensive. There was about $29 million onstage, plus the cost of the showroom. They opened the door for Cirque du Soleil, for these spectacular shows.” Meanwhile, at the other end of the street, Lance Burton finished his run at the Hacienda by signing an unprecedented 13-year contract with the about-to-be-opened Monte Carlo. Coming in on the ground floor, he had the 27 million-dollar Lance Burton Theatre built to his specifications. The floodgates had been opened. David Copperfield, perhaps the most recognized magician in the world, went from opening act to headliner. “He moved on to Caesars and did several weeks a year there,” says Thompson, “Then he went from Caesars to the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand. He’s doing 40 weeks a year now there.” Rumors have long circulated that Copperfield, whose magic warehouse is in Las Vegas, would someday have a permanent home for his show here. Penn & Teller also started with limited runs and eventually found a niche at the Rio, where, in their eponymous theater, they continue to fill the room after more than 10 years. The same is also true for The Amazing Johnathan, who continues to draw crowds to his unique blend of comedy and magic even though his show has bounced from downtown’s Golden Nugget to the Sa-

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hara, Riviera, Flamingo and, now, the Harmon Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort. Not wanting to compete in the crowded evening market, Mac King brought the full-length afternoon Mac King Show to Harrah’s in January of 2000. King originally didn’t want to come to Vegas, though. “I just never thought it was the right spot for my show. I didn’t have any dancing girls and wild animals. It was just me and some goldfish. It didn’t seem like the right fit,” says King. It took prodding from Burton, King’s childhood friend, to convince the Kentucky native to make the leap. “But it turns out, like in most things, Lance Burton was correct,” King says with a smile. His show has since been named one of the best shows and best values in town. Criss Angel is the most recent big name to grace Las Vegas Boulevard. His show, Believe, originally was produced in conjunction with Cirque du Soleil, but the mixture proved volatile and bad for business. “Cirque has backed off and let him handle the show, and he’s turned it into a magic show,” says Thompson, who worked as a consultant on Angel’s TV series, Mindfreak, for three years. “He’s got about 38 effects in the show now, and he’s getting good reviews—finally.” There are a number of magic shows in Las Vegas, and the numbers do not look like they are going to decline anytime soon. Twenty-nine-year-old local acromagician Seth Grabel, for instance, recently took his acrobatic magic act to the stage of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, now in its sixth season, in hopes of winning the $1 million-dollar grand prize and a headlining show on the Las Vegas Strip. Grabel received big applause from the show’s audience and was voted on to Vegas by all three judges, so time will tell. German illusionist Jan Rouven opens his show, Illusions, at the Clarion Hotel Seth Grabel at the first of this month. “A show in Las Vegas is the ultimate dream for most performers, and after appearing at Fremont Street Experience for the past two years, I knew a permanent show had to be in the cards,” says Rouven with no hint of irony. “After touring Europe for many years, Illusions will allow me to reach a whole new audience, and I am confident that my new show will be a crowd-pleasing production that will leave audiences in awe, and a little frightened.” Also opening a new show is Arian Black, one of the few women to ever have her own show here. But Black started in a similar way that the others did—as a variety spot in the Riviera’s water-themed Splash production show during the ’90s before opening Secrets downtown at Fitzgerald’s, in the same room now occupied by Burke. On Sept. 1, Black will unveil her Black’s Magic in the Las Vegas Hilton’s 400-seat Giordano Theatre. And, the exotic animals that Siegfried & Roy popularized in magic still are represented in the shows of current magicians , such as Dirk Arthur, who can be seen at O’Sheas, and Rick Thomas, who performs in the Saxe Theatre at Planet Hollywood Resort. Las Vegas has come a long way since magicians were the seldomthought-of fill-in between the dance numbers, and if things continue the way they’re going, we’re going to see a lot more of them in the future.

Houdini & Friends

At this point in history, the idea of Jews being involved in the entertainment industry is such a cliché, there are whole comedy routines devoted to its tropes. But like all clichés, the truth is buried in there somewhere. With magic, the first Jewish name to come to mind is Harry Houdini, son of a Hungarian rabbi and probably the most famous conjurer in history. Certainly, there were others, before and after him, and the two new exhibits at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles focus on Houdini and a host of other Jewish magicians. Houdini: Art and Magic, encompasses the personal and professional life of the man who would become the King of Kards. The touring exhibit, which started in New York in October 2010 and will continue in other venues through May 2012, contains more than 150 artifacts, including some of his most famous props— the Water Torture Cell is an exacting reproduction, because most of the original was destroyed in a fire—and posters from his touring shows. The performance aspect of the exhibit also illustrates Houdini’s lasting influence on the art form and the number of magicians who have been inspired by the man’s myth. The mystery, however, is kept alive as none of the exhibits reveal the methods of his magic. On the personal side, photos and postcards written from a young Erich Weiss, Houdini’s birth name, after he ran away from home, as well as two journals, have never before been in a public display. This collection, assembled from a number of varied sources, provides a rare, unique look into the life of a man who, during his lifetime, was one of the most famous people on the planet. In conjunction with this touring show, the Skirball has added Masters of Illusion: Jewish Magicians of the Golden Age. Focusing on the period between 1875 and 1948, this is “the first museum exhibition to investigate the contributions of Jewish magicians to the development of modern magic.” Here, Houdini is just one in a list of 30 names, each of whom is legendary to current practitioners of the art form. The exhibit showcases the history and careers of these famed prestidigitators through a selection of playbills, broadsides, costumes, props and film and radio clips. Also notable—although not specifically within the purview of the exhibit— is the 1584 first edition of Reginald Scot’s Discoverie of Witchcraft, which is “thought to be the first English language book to distinguish magic as a performance requiring skill and illusion rather than a practice of witchcraft.” The items in the exhibit were culled from the private collections of magicians, magic historians and even family members of the honorees themselves. To add a sense of verisimilitude, the pieces are displayed in “a gallery designed to recall environments where magic was often performed, such as Victorian magic parlors and vaudeville stages.” Masters of Illusion was conceived and created by Skirball curator Erin Clancey, who hopes that “visitors will enjoy the opportunity to view the extraordinary treasures presented in both exhibitions, and that they will come to appreciate the impact Jewish magicians made on entertainment history and on American and European culture, lifestyle and traditions.” Both exhibits run through Sept. 4. JULY 2011 DAVID

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ned o i s i v en e l p o e of p e y Bell b e i h r h t s t o a d J By ert, , an y s . r y e r a d o n i t y s d eir aor rawa r h t t a x f s e i a s s In wa . thi t . . a h ” t s e y ero anit h r m e u p h u a e “s s e h t cled i n o r h c

A H W S

uperman is a Jew. No, you won’t catch Clark Kent attending a synagogue or wearing a yarmulke or

hosting a seder, but like most of the classic superhero

characters created for comic books from the 1930s through the 1960s, the Man of Steel was the product of Jewish imagination

and ingenuity, and he came to embody powerful metaphors about the Jewish experience.

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! M A H Concept drawing by Barry Deutsch

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Superman’s creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were Jewish, and the comic-book industry was dominated for decades by their fellow Jews, including such icons as writer Stan Lee (born Stanley Lieber) and artist Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg), who together created many of Marvel Comics’ most enduring characters. While the Jewish influence on comic books largely was invisible to early readers, it became more prominent with the passing of time and is now an extensively acknowledged phenomenon. Books like From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books, Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form, Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero (by veteran comics writer Danny Fingeroth) and Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero have analyzed every angle of Jewish influence on mainstream superheroes, detailing how both the Jewish experience in America and elements of traditional Jewish folklore and culture made their way into the stories of characters such as Superman, Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. In his 2000 novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, author Michael Chabon, a Jew and lifelong comic-book fan, used the lives of Siegel, Shuster and their fellow early comic-book creators as the basis for a sprawling and moving historical novel that meditated deeply on both Jewish identity and the appeal of superheroes. The novel was a huge success and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, completing the journey of Jews in comics from fringe participants in a disreputable medium to vital parts of highbrow culture. It’s a journey that was decades in the making, starting with the generation of creators that followed Siegel and Shuster. This period is known as the 52

Silver Age of comic books, and it began around the time of DC Comics’ debut of the new version of the Flash in 1956. Rabbi Harry Manhoff of Temple Beth Sholom in San Leandro, Calif., has been collecting comic books since 1992. And, having lectured on the subject both to his congregation and at colleges and comic-book conventions, he is an expert on the role of Jewish identity in superhero comics.

This concept drawing for Hereville by Barry Deutsch depicts Mirka, the trollfighting 11-year-old girl,” riding a hog.

Manhoff recalls talking to late DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, who oversaw many of the prominent series of the Silver Age. “I used to sit with (Schwartz) at the conventions and talk to him, and he used to tell me about all the Jews that were involved in the business then,” Manhoff says. “For him, he would never let Superman win a battle by beating up the bad guy. He always had to outsmart the bad guy. And that he considered to be a Jewish value—he absolutely saw that as a Jewish value that was reflected in his comic books.” The comic-book industry during Schwartz’s time was overwhelmingly Jewish, especially among editors and writers, and other creators made specific efforts to include Jewish themes in their work. “(Editor) Mort Weisinger, according to (Schwartz), created the Krypton story as a Moses-in-the-basket story,” Manhoff says. “So he clearly saw that. “The second generation of editors and writers saw Superman as the Jew in disguise in American society.” That perspective is based on Superman’s status as an alien who comes to embrace American values, but who must also hide his true identity. This reflects on Siegel and Shuster’s backgrounds as the children of immigrants from Eastern Europe who made their mark in a distinctly American art form. It also provides a point of identification for Jews and other minority groups to connect with this seemingly invincible character. Las Vegas comic-book creator Pj Perez, who describes his family as not “actively Jewish,” recalls reading about Superman’s Jewish origins in a book celebrating the character’s 50th anniversary in 1988. “One thing it did do was made me identify with Superman a little bit more,” Perez says. “Because, if you believe that he was created to sort of represent the alienated Jew in

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Scenes from Sarah Glidden’s graphic novel, How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, displays the rich Galilee landscape.

non-Jewish America, maybe I connected to that a little bit, even without really having a strong Jewish connection.” In time, the Jewish influence in comics grew beyond metaphors, and characters like Kitty Pryde of the X-Men were given explicitly Jewish backgrounds and identity. The Israeli superhero Sabra was introduced by Marvel in 1981, and in the same year, the X-Men villain Magneto was revealed to have been a Holocaust survivor, a now-important part of his character

background that plays a prominent role in the new X-Men: First Class movie. Manhoff sees a continued Jewish influence in superhero comics, citing such recent DC releases as Ragman: Suit of Souls, which finds the title character learning about his father’s role as a superhero in the Warsaw ghetto, and the reissued Green Lantern: Willworld, which features “so much Yiddish.” Perez, however, sees Jewish influence in mainstream comic books waning.

“It seems like outside of very specific graphic novels or series that are about specific topics, and usually they’re nonfiction, the subtext isn’t really there anymore, and neither is the overt dealing with religious issues,” he says. If the impact of Judaism on mainstream superhero comic books has indeed faded, then it’s migrated pretty much intact to the world of alternative and independent comics, in which creators are free to tell explicitly Jewish stories away from the JULY 2011 DAVID

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Hereville, subtitled How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch, tells the adventures of a young Jewish girl.

confines of spandex suits and super powers. In 1978, Will Eisner, creator of the superhero The Spirit, wrote and drew what is considered by many to be the first graphic novel, A Contract with God. A set of four interlocking stories about workingclass Jews in the Bronx, Contract drew from Eisner’s own life and set standards for serious, autobiographical comics for 54

decades to come. “That may be the earliest comic I read in which (the fact) that the characters were Jewish was an important part of the comic,” says Barry Deutsch, creator of the Jewishthemed graphic novel Hereville. “What attracted me wasn’t that they were Jewish characters per se, but I loved that they actually had a background, and

it mattered that they were Jewish. Most characters in comics I’d read, up to that point, sort of came from nowhere, and asking what religion they were or what their family background is would be nonsense. Their family background was the Avengers. Eisner’s graphic novel work was one of a bunch of comics that really opened up my eyes as to the possibilities that comics had.” Thanks to Eisner and a whole generation of creators who expanded comics into the realms of autobiography and slice-of-life stories, people like Deutsch are able to deal directly with religious themes, whether in a serious fashion (as in Art Spiegelman’s landmark Pulitzer-winning 1991 graphic novel, Maus, about the Holocaust) or more playfully, as Deutsch does in Hereville. Subtitled How Mirka Got Her Sword, the debut volume of Hereville follows the adventures of a precocious 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who encounters trolls, witches and other mystical creatures, along with more mundane annoyances like a bratty little brother and an overbearing stepmother. It combines the realistic, sliceof-life tradition of creators like Eisner with the mysticism of the Jewish mythology that found its way into superhero comics. “One thing I really wanted to do with Hereville is to do a story that is bursting with Judaism that isn’t about anti-Semitism and isn’t about the Holocaust, and instead is giving people an idea of Judaism as something that’s very joyful,” Deutsch says. For creator Sarah Glidden, the comics form offered a chance to tackle serious issues of Jewish life, which she does in her graphic novel, How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less. An account of her experience on a Birthright Israel trip in 2007, the book engages directly with difficult questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a subject that Glidden says consumed her thoughts at the time. “I was at an age when politics really affected me very personally, especially the IsraeliPalestinian conflict,” Glidden says, “because this is one of those things where, as an American Jew, even if you are raised secularly, and even if you don’t think that your Jewish

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background is a huge part of your identity, that conflict does affect you in a way more powerfully than people who are not Jewish.” Glidden grew up on Mad Magazine and Calvin and Hobbes, and came to comic books later in life after discovering their potential for storytelling in her mid-20s. “I realized that comics was this whole medium that I had really not paid much attention to. It was so versatile, you could really use it to talk about anything,” she says. To promote her book, Glidden has embraced the comic-book community, appearing at conventions and participating in panel discussions. Part of that has meant using her Judaism as an easy marker. “It’s something that I’ve found myself being taken into, these groupings,” she says, although to her it feels a bit artificial. “If someone asks me to identify myself, I would probably identify myself as American or as a Brooklynite, or someone who’s into this or that kind of literature or music, but to me, the Jewish identity thing has never been that strong.” Deutsch, too, says that the idea of a defined organization of Jewish creators is a little far-fetched. “No, we don’t have a club or anything,” he says. But at conventions like this month’s massive Comic-Con International in San Diego, Jewish fans and creators do gravitate toward one another. “I keep saying that I’m going to offer to lead a Jewish minyan on Saturday at ComicCon, and I really mean it,” Manhoff says. He wears a custom-designed superhero yarmulke to the event each year, and people always stop him to ask to take photos of it. “If you know the term ‘yarmulke,’ and you want to take a picture of it, then there’s some sort of connection there,” he says. “I think that the comic book community is almost a religion unto itself,” says Perez, whose graphic novel The Utopian doesn’t deal with Jewish themes. “I think people who are into comics, are themselves sort of a community ... even though the mainstream characters are still very white, I think that the personalities

In How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, Sarah Glidden shares her experiences from a Birthright Israel trip that she took in 2007.

behind them are so diverse that you kind of don’t even see it anymore.” It was Jewish creators like Siegel, Shuster, Eisner and Schwartz, among many others, who paved the way for that diversity, whose efforts allow people like Perez, Deutsch and Glidden to work in such a vibrant art form and to address or not address their Jewish

heritage as they see fit. Whatever the future of comic books, their past is inextricably linked with Jewish identity and expression. As Perez puts it, “It just amazes me how much of what has become such a huge industry these days started with a bunch of poor Jewish kids.” JULY 2011 DAVID

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grill Rita Rudner Stand-Up Comedian

DAVID: When starting in stand-up, could you ever have imagined you’d one day be a resident headliner in Vegas? RUDNER: I never would have imagined anything that’s ever happened to me to have happened to me! I thought it would be a good idea to try something where there weren’t lots of people in it. There were only two female stand-up comedians I knew of—Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. So, luckily, I just found this runway, and there was no traffic down it. DAVID: After entertaining on so many stages here throughout the years, what keeps you coming back for more? RUDNER: This is my favorite place on Earth, because I’m able to be a mother ... and I take a car to work, not a plane ... and I’m home all the time. I don’t want to be away—I want to be at home. DAVID: If you were mayor of this city, what would you most want to accomplish while in office? RUDNER: I would love to get those horrible pamphlets off the streets, with the men flapping them and putting them in my face. I live near the Strip, and there’s a lot of wind here. When I go with my daughter to the doggy park on a windy day, and she starts to pick up the pamphlets with the women with the stars covering up their nipples, I get annoyed. DAVID: Any extraordinary recollections you have of performing in Vegas? RUDNER: I performed for President Obama at Caesars Palace, and that was exciting, because I had never met a president before. So that was kind of special. DAVID: Do Vegas audiences differ from those in other cities? RUDNER: Not anymore. They used to, because it was a gambling town, but now it’s an entertainment town. People come for all sorts of reasons—nightclubs, golf, spas, shopping, restaurants and entertainment. So, really, I think audiences are better here, because they’re out to have a good time. DAVID: What’s the funniest question you’ve ever been asked during the Q&As you hold at the end of your performances? RUDNER: I did have one guy say, “I really enjoyed your show. My wife was having a baby tonight, and I came to see you instead.” And I said, ‘I’m sure she’s very pleased about that!’ I thought immediately, ‘Go to your wife.” So, yeah, that was weird. DAVID: You obviously keep in good shape. What does your exercise routine entail? RUDNER: I do a lot of running around. I try to do something every day. We play tennis a lot. If I don’t play tennis, I go to the gym. If I don’t go to the gym, I walk. If I don’t walk, I stretch.

Although she once dreamed of being a dancer, Rita Rudner now spends her time performing stand-up, writing and being a wife and mother. Rudner has performed in the showrooms of at least 10 Las Vegas resorts (that she recalls), since first performing here in 1987. This month, she presents her relatable, everyday life-style of humor about marriage, family, pets and shopping at The Venetian. 58

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DAVID: Has talking about your loved ones onstage ever gotten you “in trouble” at home? RUDNER: There was one joke I did a long time ago that Martin didn’t like, so I stopped doing it. I can always think of another joke, but I can’t always find a new husband!

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Be a part of something amazing. Something monumental. Something that will change Southern Nevada forever. You can be a part of the group that puts the Capital Campaign over the top. Opening a world-class performing arts center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. By donating today, you’ll help shape Nevada’s future, inspire and educate our children, and better our community for generations to come. Please visit TheSmithCenter.com to make a gift and explore the benefits, such as priority access to season tickets. Gifts of all sizes are welcome and greatly appreciated.

TheSmithCenter.com • Opening March 10, 2012 • 702.614.0109 • Find us on facebook.com/thesmithcenter

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