DAVID

M AY 2015

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CELEBRATING OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY SMOTHER’S DAY BRINGING THEM HOME STRIP CHEF SORORITY

Daughters in Charge

Women whose Career Paths Led Them Back to the Family Business

SHOWGIRLS TO GO-GIRLS

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Street fest Streetfest

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Mother’s Day BUFFET

SUNDAY, MAY 10

Featuring New York Sirloin of Beef and lots of carving station favorites!

16.99

$

*

*B Connected card price is valid for card holder and one guest 21 years of age or older.

Management reserves all rights. See B Connected club for complete details.

ALTA & RAMPART

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MAY

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

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

28 speak We all have them, where would we be without them?

An ode to motherhood.

32 sense Remembering those cut down in their prime and honoring their service.

36 taste Interviews with four female executive chefs who challenge the culinary glass ceiling.

42 Showgirls to Go-Girls Women leaders discuss the fairer sex and the evolution of their status in Las Vegas.

58 Cantor Jessica Hutchings, Congregation Ner Tamid The month’s spotlight on someone to know.

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

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52 Daughters in Charge Three young women whose career paths led them back to the family business.

in Charge

BRINGING THEM HOME

Women whose Career Paths Led Them Back to the Family Business

STRIP CHEF SORORITY M AY 2 015

Amanda Litt, Polly Weinstein, and Rozanne Sher. Photo by Steven Wilson taken at Tivoli Village.

SHOWGIRLS TO GO-GIRLS

www.davidlv.com

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Daughters

HAPPY SMOTHER’S DAY

on the cover

Copyright 2015 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.

CELEBRATING OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

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

46 Dive In New takes on old staples, 2015 promises to raise the temperature at the beach.

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Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIALllllllll

Calendar Editor

Brianna Soloski

brianna@davidlv.com

Copy Editor Pulse Editor Production Assistant

Pat Teague

Contributing Writers

Marisa Finetti

Marisa Finetti ZoĂŤ Friedland

Ruth Furman E.C.Gladstone Jaq Greenspon Corey Levitan Lynn Wexler

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director

Joanne Friedland joanne@davidlv.com

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

Volume 06 Number 1 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

Copyright 2014 by JewishINK LLC. 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459 Las Vegas, NV 89134 (p) 702-254-2223 (f) 702-664-2633

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

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

6 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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contributors

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

Ruth Furman Ruth Furman is a writer and marketing communications/PR pro. She’s active with many area charities and professional associations and is a new member of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Furman said she loved interviewing the women featured in this month’s cover story because they are great examples of women “with no ego and no sense of entitlement.”

According to Furman, “ The women we featured are active in the community and are flourishing in business. This assignment was very inspiring to me on a very personal level.”

E.C. Gladstone is a Las Vegas-based writer/photographer and social media consultant. Covering the ever-growing worlds of travel, food, wine & spirits, he has contributed recently to BonAppetit.com, About.com, Thrillist, Everyday With Rachael Ray and multiple local Vegas outlets. Previously, he helped launched JLiving magazine and has held editorial positions with many websites and magazines including AOL.com, US Weekly, and Alternative Press.

His ideal day involves a busy kitchen, soul music, laughter and cask spirits. Currently he is compiling a book of his rock journalism from the ‘90s. Find more of his writing on food and beverages at nowimhungry.com and sipsavorswallow. com.

Jaq Greenspon is a world traveling, dog loving, scuba diving, book collecting, writer currently residing somewhere in Eastern Europe. His words have been spoken by Capt.

Jean-Luc Picard and Robin Hood, been read by David Copperfield, and criticized by his 7th grade English teacher. He’d like to thank the members of the Academy, although he doesn’t know why. In his spare time, he’s a university professor and a kick ass uncle.

Corey Levitan is a regular contributor to Men’s Health magazine.

He wrote the most popular newspaper humor column in Las Vegas history, “Fear and Loafing,” which ran 176 times in the ReviewJournal from 2006-2011. At home, however, he is referred to as “Mr. Poopyhead” by his four-year-old daughter, and something much less printable by his wife. Follow his latest adventures here and at coreylevitan.com.

Lynn Wexler has been a feature writer and contributor for magazines and newspapers, locally and nationally, for over 20 years. She writes a monthly online column entitled Manners in the News, which comments on the behavior of politicians, celebrities and others thrust in the public arena. She is the Founder and President of Perfectly Poised, a school of manners that teaches social, personal and business etiquette to young people.

She is a former TV Reporter and News Anchor. Of her many accomplishments, she is most proud of her three outstanding teenaged children.

8 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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feedback To the editor:

As Touro University Nevada Celebrates 10 Years Serving Southern Nevada, We Wish DAVID Magazine A Happy 5th Birthday!

Phil Meisel was my mentor. I wish to reflect on his everlasting impact, the transcendence of his spirit. Without question, Phil and his “most profound influence” Blanche (as he would always imply) positively contributed to the evolution of the Las Vegas Jewish and broader community in myriad ways. Phil took a sincere interest in my professional development when he served on the board and I was director of the Jewish Family Service.

He believed that developing strong community involved productive personal relationships and helping others pursue and achieve important, shared goals. Phil’s long-term interest in our local Jewish Film Festival is a primary reason it has thrived for 14 years. Phil favored films that would reflect and stimulate the continuity of questioning inherent in Jewish life. He loved the public discourse after provocative films were screened. My fortunate experiences with Phil represent but a fraction of his caring and constructive influence on countless individuals, groups, organizations and cultural activity throughout our community. May his kindness and wisdom be an inspiration to us all.

Joshua Abbey, director Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival

TO SERVE

Serving the community through partnerships with commmunity organizations for free health screenings, providing quality healthcare in the Health Center and diagnosing and treating children in the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities

TO LEAD

Leading the way in addressing the state’s critical healthcare provider and education needs by filling gaps in education and services

TO TEACH

Teaching Nevada’s future healthcare and education professionals and educating the community on healthcare concerns

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

We want to hear from you!

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 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age in its employment, programs, or activities.

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 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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RESEARCH IS THE HEALING EDGE OF CANCER TREATMENT.

Ann Larson

Diagnosis: Breast Cancer

UNITED TO REDEFINE CANCER CARE Through our affiliation with The US Oncology Network, we draw from nearly 1,400 clinical research trials involving more than 60,000 patients.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada conducts more research in Nevada than all other treatment centers combined. We also participate in and benefit from the robust research capabilities of The US Oncology Network.

No matter what you face, chances are we’ve faced it before. We possess the absolute latest medical research to support your course of individual treatment. And if your participation in a research study could benefit you, we can give you opportunities that simply don’t exist elsewhere.

Ask your doctor about Comprehensive. Visit cccnevada.com for more information or call 702.952.3350 to schedule an appointment today.

United in Healing

The US Oncology Network is supported by McKesson Specialty Health. © 2015 McKesson Specialty Health. All rights reserved.

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from the publisher My personal blood is all over this month’s gorgeous cover. As in life, Plan B’s often become Plan A’s. We had other cover arrangements that failed to materialize, requiring a last-moment photo shoot at Tivoli Village with our three “Daughters in Charge” (pages 52-56). In a perfect storm, mid-shoot, to save a blown-away reflector-umbrella, I impaled my most used digit. As luck had it, we were on the patio of a steakhouse with staff ready and able to bandage my butchered hand.

Drama aside, one of the great pleasures of a publisher’s professional life is to meet interesting and attractive people, as evidenced by the attached photograph. This month’s magazine is full of said people, more specifically women.

We welcome back Corey Levitan; his motherhood piece is engaging and personal, essaying everything from births in the Alien series to his relationship with his mom — a lens through which the rest of us can view our own mother-child experiences.

Jaq Greenspon’s fiction piece, “Tears a Land Hath Shed,” (pages 32-35) chronicles

the gradual recognition and acceptance of the ultimate sacrifice a relative made on the beaches of Normandy.

Memorial Day celebrates our country’s fallen with pomp and ceremony, but for some families it demands more intimacy and solemnity.

Four of our stories highlight the upward trajectory of women in Las Vegas. Historically, the commercial kitchen was a man’s world, with women in charge of the range at home. This paradigm has shifted unalterably. Now, female executive chefs showcase their talents in important culinary centers on the Strip. We interview four talented women who’ve flambéed the trail for others sure to come. From the pioneer days of rancher Helen J. Stewart to present-day

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fashion designer Ermelinda Manos, women occupy an important place in the Las Vegas story. In “Showgirls to Go-Girls” (pages 4245), E.C. Gladstone interviews contemporary power women and shares their unique takes on this phenomenon. The three women featured in “Daughters in Charge” have returned to their family businesses. Youthful energy and a contemporary perspective also have had positive impacts on venerable Vegas institutions. Congregation Ner Tamid recently appointed its first homegrown cantor; we feature Jessica Hutchings as this month’s Grill.

In preparation for these scintillating musings, I reread my past comments on the anniversaries of DAVID’s founding. Our past 60 covers lined up on a ledge in our office is most impressive; but these monthly comments trace a more personal journey. Most of you who know me realize I come from a profession (architecture) whose intellectual and creative product is realized in wood, glass, steel and concrete. What I’ve been involved in the last half decade has been far more abstract.

We pay our writers for each word they craft into our content. This collaboration of voices reflects a simple imperative: to entertain, inspire and inform, advance causes, promote ideas and, most importantly, inspire dialogue. I hope, in some measure, we’ve succeeded in this. Happy Mother’s Day. See you on the Racks.

Max Friedland max@davidlv.com

12 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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pulse explore @ 14 devour @ 19 desire @ 20 discover @ 22

AIR SUPPLY 5.22

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eXplore L A S

JO KOY: 9 p.m., $49.95. Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com WHILE I AM STILL ART EXHIBIT: Through May 9, times vary, free. Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3630. lvccld.org JOE BONAMASSA: Through May 2, 8 p.m., $89. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-944-3200. palms.com

V E G A S

COUNTRY NATION BAND: Through May 2, 10 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8947111. treasureisland.com

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BLACK AND BROWN COMEDY GET DOWN: 11 p.m., $69.50-$195. Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com SUSAN G. KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE: 8:15 a.m., for price call. Freemont Street Experience, Las Vegas. 702-822-2324. komensouthernnevada.org LIPSHTICK COMEDY SERIES PRESENTS ILIZA SHLESINGER AND SARAH COLONNA: Time TBA, cost TBA. Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd.

S., Las Vegas. 702-414-1000. venetian.com DAVID PERRICO: Saturdays through May 30, 10 p.m., free. Red Rock, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7777. redrock.sclv.com

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THE MOODY BLUES: 8 p.m., $63. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-944-3200. palms.com

MAY 1

GEICO ENDUROCROSS: 8 p.m., $38. Orleans Arena, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas.

702-284-7777. orleansarena.com

RAINBOW COMPANY YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS: Through May 3, times vary, $5. Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush Street, Las Vegas. 702-229-6383. artslasvegas.org JEFF DUNHAM: Varying dates through May 31, times vary, $72. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 877-333-9474. planethollywoodresort.com JUSTIN MATHER: 8 p.m., free. Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson.

UNCOMMON CANVAS: Sun. through May 31, 6 p.m., $30. Commonwealth LV, 525 E. Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-4456400. http://www.commonwealthlv.com/ uncommon

702-617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com

THE MOODY BLUES: 8 p.m., $63. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-9443200. palms.com

KINGSTON TRIO: Through May 3, 7:30 p.m., $20. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: Through May 3, times vary, $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: 7 p.m., $39.50 & $125. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com STEPHANIE HIRSCH - LIGHTSEEKER: Through May 10, times vary, free. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

LI LIN HONG CHINESE MUSIC ENSEMBLE: 2 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org

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THE BARRICK LECTURE SERIES - EHUD BARAK 7:30 p.m., free, Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas. 702-895-2787 unlv.edu/pac/barrick SEVENS LIVE! MUSIC, COMEDY, AND SPOKEN ART: 7 p.m., free. Silver Sevens Hotel & Casino, 4100 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702733-7000. silversevenscasino.com RYAN WHYTE AND CALI TUCKER: 9 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las

14 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson.

702-617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com SOUL MEN AND LADY SOUL STARRING SPECTRUM AND RADIANCE: Through May 10, times vary, $37. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. thesmithcenter.com IN ITS ENTIRETY - LED ZEPPELIN V: 7:30 p.m., $15. Red Rock, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-797-7777. redrock.sclv.com KELLY RAE BAND: Through May 9, 10 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com BRUCE BRUCE: Through May 9, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas.

702-284-7777. suncoast.com GOLF SUMMERLIN’S CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC: To benefit Ronald McDonald House.

Through May 9, 8 a.m., $200. Palm Valley and Highland Falls Golf Courses. For more information, 18holers.com

Wierd Al Yankovic 5.12

Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

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NIGHT TO HONOR ISRAEL - CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL: 7 p.m., free. Word of Life Christian Center, 3520 N. Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas. For more information, call Marni at 702-479-4437. jewishlasvegas.com

13TH ANNUAL GIRLS NIGHT OUT GALA: 6:30 p.m., $175. Hyde at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. friendsoftheshadetree.net MARIAH CAREY: Varying dates through May 24, 8 p.m., $55-$250. Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-731-7110. caesarspalace.com

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BLACK MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE - LECTURE - WALTER MOSLEY: 7 p.m., free. UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. blackmountaininstitute.org EASY 8S: 9 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

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ROCK IN RIO: Through May 9, times vary, $169-$498. City of Rock, The Strip near the corner of Sahara Avenue. rockinrio.com MARTY FEICK: 8 p.m., free. Green Valley

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BURTON CUMMINGS: Through May 10, 8 p.m., $39.95. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. orleanscasino.com SPRING INTO HEALTH WELLNESS FAIR: 11 a.m., free. The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-733-9800. thecenterlv.org SHAUN SOUTH: 8 p.m., free. Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson.

702-617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com NEVADA BALLET THEATRE - GISELLE: 5.9 - 7:30 p.m., 5.10 - 2 p.m., $29. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com SAFE NEST'S 4TH ANNUAL SPRING HIGH TEA: 2 p.m. For more information, visit safenest.org.

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CELEBRATE ISRAEL FESTIVAL 2:00 p.m., free. Sands Expo Hall "A" & Venetian Theater, 201 Sands Ave., Las Vegas. 702-786-6700 celebrateisraelfestival.com

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THE PIANO GUYS: 7:30 p.m., $24. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com RYAN WHYTE AND CALI TUCKER: 9 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s in our community!

301 N. Buffalo Drive

255-3444 www.thebagelcafelv.com

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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WEIRD AL YANKOVIC: Through May 16, 8 p.m., $59 & $89. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 877-333-9474. planethollywoodresort.com

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UNLV JAZZ CONCERT SERIES FEATURING VOCALISTS AND SMALL COMBOS: 7Â p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3459. lvccld.org ANAAL NATHRAKH: 8 p.m., $11-$15.

Backstage Bar and Billiards, 601 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-382-2227. backstagebarandbilliards.com

DAVID PERRICO - POP EVOLUTION: 10 p.m., $15. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com GABRIELLE ST. EVENSEN -TIL DEATH DO YOU PART - MARRY YOURSELF: Through June 7, times vary, free. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com ART AND WINE - FABERGE REVEALED: 5 p.m., $34-$42. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6937871. bellagio.com

The Piano Guys 5.11

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HAL PRINCE'S BROADWAY - AN EVENING IN WORD AND SONG: 7:30 p.m., $24. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com LAS VEGAS HELLDORADO DAYS: Through May 17, times vary, costs vary. For more information, visit elkshelldorado.com.

JEWEL YOUNG COUPLES CLUSTER DINNER: 6:30 p.m., $40. Carson Kitchen, 124 S. 6th Street, Las Vegas. For more information, call Marni at 702-479-4437. jewishlasvegas.com

NMLS 335665

SCOTTY ALEXANDER BAND: Through May 16, 10 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

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ROCK IN RIO: Through May 16, times vary, $169-$498. City of Rock, The Strip near the corner of Sahara Avenue. rockinrio.com COURTNEY LOVE: 9 p.m., $35. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

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SCOTT STARR: 8 p.m., free. Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson.

702-617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com THE BRONX WANDERERS: Through May 17, 7:30 p.m., $15. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com HORIZONS - AN EVENING WITH LISA HILTON AND HER BAND: Through May 16, 7 p.m., $37. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony

Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com SIN CITY OPERA - THE BREASTS OF TIRESIAS & HANSEL AND GRETEL: Through May 24, times vary, $10-$15. Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive, Las Vegas. 702-455-7030. sincityopera.org

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DEBBY BOONE: Through May 17, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas.

702-636-7075. suncoast.com DESERT AUTHOR SERIES - AN AFTERNOON WITH STEPHEN MURRAY: 2 p.m., free. Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-507-3631. lvccld.org ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING: Through May 17, 8 p.m., $19.95. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. orleanscasino.com AN EVENING WITH COMEDIAN MARTY ALLEN & SINGER-COMPOSER KARON KATE BLACKWELL 7 p.m., $36-$54. Temple Sinai, 9001 Hillpointe Rd., Las Vegas. 702-254-5110 ext. 105. pscully@templesinailv.org IAC - ORI HIZKIA COMEDY SHOW 9:15 p.m. $25.Adelson Educational Campus, 9700 Hillpointe Rd., Las Vegas. 702.786.6700 hadas@israeliamerican.org ANNUAL LGBTQ YOUTH PROM: 7 p.m., $5.

The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas. 702-733-9800. thecenterlv.org ARTRAGEOUS VEGAS: 7 p.m., $35.

Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. artrageousvegas.org

16 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com Ira Epstein sixth page 03.15.indd 1

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STEFNROCK: Encore: May 29. 8 p.m., free. Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson. 702-617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com FLIP THROUGH SUMMER KICKOFF: 10 a.m., free. Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-822-7700. springspreserve.org LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC - POPS V - A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA: 7:30 p.m., $26. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com TIM ALLEN: 10 p.m., $59.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com

17

THUNDERING TAIKO DRUM SHOW: 2 p.m., free. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-507-3458. lvccld.org 2ND ANNUAL A-GAMES: To benefit Families for Effective Autism Treatment. Time TBA, free. Sport Social, 7055 Windy Street, Las Vegas. 702-485-5515. lvsportsocial.com NEVADA HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS: 3 p.m., $10. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. thesmithcenter.com

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KRISTIAN BUSH: 9 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

19

JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT OF WWII WITH RARE HISTORICAL PHOTOS: 11 a.m., free. Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas. 702-507-3716. lvccld.org

20

22

9TH ANNUAL HENRY PRENDES CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC: 1:30 p.m., $200-$700.

Spanish Trail Country Club, 5050 Spanish Trail Lane, Las Vegas. 702-296-5078. henrysplace.org AIR SUPPLY: Through May 24, 8 p.m., $39.95.

Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. orleanscasino.com MARTIN SHORT: 10 p.m., $39.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-7917111. mirage.com JOE ROGAN: 8 p.m., $39.99. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8917777. mgmgrand.com RICK FOELL: 8 p.m., free. Green Valley Ranch, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson. 702617-7777. greenvalleyranch.sclv.com JOEY DIAZ: Through May 24, 7:30 p.m., $15.

South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. southpointcasino.com SUBLIME WITH ROME: Time TBA, $49.50.

Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com LIPSHTICK COMEDY SERIES PRESENTS WHITNEY CUMMINGS: Through May 23, time

TBA, cost TBA. Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd.

S., Las Vegas. 702-414-1000. venetian.com NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS: 9 p.m., $35. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. hardrockhotel.com

23

HOTEL CALIFORNIA - THE ORIGINAL EAGLES TRIBUTE: 7 p.m., $19.99-$29.99.

The M Resort, 12300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-797-1000. themresort.com NA YING: 8 p.m., $66-$228. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 877-3339474. planethollywoodresort.com CRAIG FERGUSON’S HOT & GRUMPY TOUR - WALKING THE EARTH: 8 p.m., $25.

Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas. com

24

ROMEO SANTOS: 8 p.m., $59-$175. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

877-333-9474. planethollywoodresort.com JEWEL GOES TO PAHRUMP WINERIES: 9:30 a.m., costs vary. For more information, call Marni at 702-479-4437. jewishlasvegas.com

FR

Grace. Strength. Artistry.

CELEBRATION.

Nevada Ballet Theatre and Cirque du Soleil® Present

A CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE October 11 & 18, 2015

A BALANCHINE CELEBRATION: Serenade / Slaughter on Tenth Avenue / Who Cares?

From Tchaikovsky to Rodgers & Hart to Gershwin

OMPAC ONKAG LY ES

$1

29

THE NUTCRACKER December 12 – 20, 2015

November 7 & 8, 2015

CARLOS SANTANA: Through May 31, 8 p.m., $99.50. House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com

21

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO: 8 p.m., $20.50-$25.50. Fremont Country Club, 601 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-382-6601. fremontcountryclublasvegas.com CHANCEY WILLIAMS AND THE YOUNGER BROTHERS BAND: Through May 23, 10 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

CINDERELLA

February 13 & 14, 2016

THE STUDIO SERIES March 31 – April 3, 2016

ROMEO & JULIET May 14 & 15, 2016

NEVADA BALLET THEATRE

2015-2016 SEASON ON SALE NOW (702) 749-2000 NevadaBallet.org

Photos by Virginia Trudeau. Cinderella photo by Yi Yin, courtesy of Oregon Ballet Theatre. Serenade Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. Programs subject to change.

NEVADA BALLET THEATRE — DAVID MAGAZINE AD — 5.25” X 4.8125” www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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KEVIN HART: 8 p.m., $49-$129. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702632-7777. mandalaybay.com

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ANNIE: Through May 31, times vary, $34. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com BELLAGIO EXECUTIVE CHEF'S CULINARY CLASSROOM - HEALTHY GOURMET: 7 p.m., $135. Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 866-406-7117. bellagio.com

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NEIL DIAMOND: 8 p.m., $59.50-$174.50.

Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. mandalaybay.com

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X107.5'S OUR BIG CONCERT: 6 p.m., $40.

Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas. com GIPSY KINGS: 8 p.m., $39.50. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702693-5000. hardrockhotel.com CHAD FREEMAN AND REDLINE BAND: Through May 30, 10 p.m., $5-$20. Gilley's at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. treasureisland.com

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DEANA MARTIN AND THE BIG BAND SWING: Through May 31, 7:30 p.m., $30.

South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las

Annie 5.26-31

Vegas. 702-796-7111. greenvalleyranch.sclv. com

Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las

JAMES TORME CELEBRATE THE GREATS: Through May 30, 7 p.m., $37. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. thesmithcenter.com

com

RAY ROMANO AND DAVID SPADE: Through May 30, times vary, $79.99. Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-791-7111. mirage.com BILLY CURRINGTON: 9 p.m., $35.

Vegas. 702-698-7000. cosmopolitanlasvegas.

30 CONGREGATION P'NAI TIKVAH L'CHAIM GALA: Honoring Rabbi Yocheved Mintz. 6:30 p.m. $180. The M Resort, 12300 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Henderson. For more information, call 702-436-4900. pnaitikvahlv.org EARL TURNER: Through May 31, 7:30 p.m., $15.95. Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas.

702-284-7777. suncoast.com AGENT ORANGE: 8 p.m., $12-$15.

Backstage Bar and Billiards, 601 Fremont Street, Las Vegas. 702-382-2227. backstagebarandbilliards.com THE SCRIPT: Time TBA, $44.50. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702632-7777. mandalaybay.com

31 DANCES OF INDIA: 2 p.m., free. Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas.

702-507-3631. lvccld.org

Gipsy Kings 5.28

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.

18 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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devour

Baked to Perfection Europeans have been eating fried dough at least as far back as ancient Rome. Could you blame them, confronted by a crunch so delicious giving way to an airy, chewy texture? The beignet and variations of it have migrated around the globe to become an American success.

In fact, it’s the state doughnut of Louisiana. Las Vegas has its own version – the baked beignet. Does baking instead of frying them mean we can eat more? You decide.

Vice Versa Patio & Lounge, Vdara, 2600 W. Harmon Ave., Las Vegas. 702-590-2111.

Salted Caramel Martini

A Patio for Pooch A place for a casual meal, an easy date night and a spot for Fido, too: The Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar has arrived at Downtown Summerlin. Favored for its crave-worthy, house-made dishes and extensive bar program, Lazy Dog has been embraced by Southern Californians for years. Take this entrée, for example: Chicken Poblano, a boneless chicken breast sautéed with sweet white corn, peppers and onions in a roasted poblano cream sauce, served with crispy tamale cakes, micro cilantro and Tapatio crème. And for Fido, who’s sitting obediently at your side on the patio? Feel free to order him an entrée as well.

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, 1980 Festival Plaza Drive, Las Vegas 702-832-1000

The salted caramel combination has become quite an overachiever among other rising flavors, having made its successful run from rarefied Parisian pastry shops to American big-box stores and, now, the cocktail. A hint of salt brings out the soft sweetness and gooey goodness in this heavenly delight, available at Triple George Grill.

• • • •

1.5 oz RumChata 1.5 oz Sobieski Karamel Vodka Sea Salt rim Caramel garnish

Triple George Grill, 201 N. Third St., Las Vegas.

702-384-2761 www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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desire

A Mother’s Love Symbolism of Tree of Life across different cultures is based on discovering a magical key to how life manifests itself. A perfect gift for mom on Mother’s Day is the 14K gold-plated tree of life necklace created by designer Gina Fazio. $89. Available at her booth at Downtown Summerlin Farmers Market, 1980 Festival Plaza Drive, Las Vegas.

Once limited to visiting high-end coffee shops or purchasing prohibitively expensive home brewers, this is perfect for the mom who loves her coffee at home. Cold-brew coffee enthusiasts, like her, can now have an affordable, easy-touse option for enjoying the incomparably smooth, rich and slightly sweet flavors of slow-drip coffee at home with the Cold Bruer Drip Coffee Maker. $79.97. Sur la Table, 1980 Festival Plaza Dr., Las Vegas. 702-448-8611.

Surprise mom with a basketful of luxurious bathroom treats, wrapped in a new Knot-Wrap - a silky feeling scarf made from recycled plastics. Contains: Rose Bombshell and Secret Garden Bath Bombs, Rose Bubble Bar, Dreamtime Luxury Bath Melt, Jason And The Argan Oil Shampoo Bar, Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion, Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie, Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, 9 to 5 Facial Cleanser, Celestial Facial Moisturizer $89.95 Lush, Downtown Summerlin, 702-869-1118

A little retro and a hint of tomboy, the Vintage Round Sunglasses in blonde/chestnut by Tory Burch can easily work a bit of understated glamour into any outfit. $175.

Tory Burch, Grand Canal Shoppes, 3377 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-369-0541.

20 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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The colorful and brilliant Garden Bed Gems cuff by Kate Spade New York is arm candy that she might tempted to eat. $148. Kate Spade, Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-691-9968. (Also at Grand Canal Shoppes.)

Give mom all the warmth she deserves with this delicious raspberry rose hisbiscus tea. Each unbleached bag contains a blend of flavorful and healthy Nigerian hibiscus fused with sweet raspberries and rose petals. $14.95. Paper Source, Town Square Las Vegas 6543 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-262-1379.

This new Limited Edition Lalique de Lalique Parfum “Plume” expresses Lalique’s peerless know-how and exacting standards of design - no fewer than four master glassmakers were needed to fashion this crystal bottle. The scent is exhilarating fruit-tinged rose and the sensual headiness of jasmine, iris blows a delicate floral harmony with night-scented stock. $1,800. Neimanmarcus.com

She can playfully carry her flowers everywhere with the Kate Spade Spring Forward Flowerpot cross-body bag. The sign reads “No shrinking violets.” $328. Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-691-9968. (Also at Grand Canal Shoppes).

This fabulous abstract flower statement necklace reflects mom’s fun and outgoing personality. $54. Bebe, Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-892-8083 (Also at Grand Canal Shoppes)

www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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discover Chalk it up for Art’s Sake Find your inner artist at the annual Art Festival of Henderson, which will feature more than 80 fine artists, temporary chalk art “masterpieces,” live entertainment, food trucks and children’s activities. If you think you’ve got the artistic inspiration to create a “masterpiece” in chalk, you can still submit an application by May 8.

The festival takes place at the Henderson Events Plaza and Convention Center, 200 Water St., Henderson, May 9-10. Admission is free.

For more information visit, www.cityofhenderson.com.

Elvis is in the building Elvis is back after 40 years, with the first-ever permanent Graceland exhibition outside of Memphis. “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition - The Show - The Experience” includes hundreds of rotating artifacts from the Presley family’s treasured Graceland Archives, such as his high school yearbooks and his 1957 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, jewelry and iconic stage wear. Visitors also will experience a 26-minute retrospective film featuring Elvis’ greatest performances. The exhibition is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Westgate Las Vegas, 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 800-732-7117

Four Elements of Earth Basalt, a form of lava that has cooled on the volcano’s surface, frequently is found in Japanese art, where it represents the island nation’s origins. Now, Bellagio has unveiled a striking new art installation — A Gift From the Earth — by Japanese sculptor Masatoshi Izumi, whose works have been showcased worldwide. His latest creation can be seen outside the hotel’s main entrance. Each distinct stone sculpture represents one of Earth’s four elements (wind, fire, water and land) and weighs between 17,000 and 27,000 pounds.

Bellagio, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 800-987-6667 22 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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Every Night Is A Friday Night No more rush hour, no more morning meetings, no more rat race.

You’ve done more than your share of work. Now, it’s time to play. At Las Ventanas, every day is a weekend. Meet some new friends, have some laughs, and enjoy life. Oh, but don’t worry. Even though we’ve abolished weekdays, we still have happy hour.

Call 1 (888) 294-2123 to schedule your personal tour today!

Active Adult Living | Assisted Living | Memory Support | Skilled Nursing

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10401 West Charleston Boulevard Las Vegas, NV 89135 | www.lasventanaslv.com

4/23/15 3:54 PM

mingle

1

2

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND LAS VEGAS MAJOR DONOR DINNER WITH GUEST SPEAKER MICAH HALPERN Venue Genesis Restaurant

3

Date Thursday, March 26

Photos 1.

Laurence and Joan Davis

2.

Glenda and Larry Monkarsh

3.

Dr. Lawrence and Linda Copeland

4.

(left to right) Shelley Dubin, Dr. Laurie Robinson Frankoff, Richard Frankoff and Bernice Friedman

5.

Janet Wellish

6.

Dr. Dany Schumann and guest speaker,

4

5

Micah Halpern 7.

Faye Steinberg andMin Kataczinsky

8.

(left to right) Joan Davis, Ira Galor, Shelley Dubin and Bob Dubin

6

7

8

Photos by David Weinstein

24 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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1

mingle

2

NATHAN ADELSON HOSPICE FLAIR FOR CARE FASHION SHOW & RECEPTION Venue 3

4

Wynn Las Vegas, Lafite Ballroom

Date Friday, May 3

Photos 1.

(left to right) Donna Cloobeck, Susan Molasky, Susan Sullivan and Beth Weinberger.

5 5

2.

Jane Greenspun Gale.

3.

(left to right) Ardi Najambadi, Jodi Fonfa, Vanessa Chamberlain Houssels, Dawn Hume and Michael Shulman.

4.

Carole Fisher and Brad Garrett.

5.

(left to right) Hedy Woodrow, Naeem Kahn and Elaine Wynn.

6.

Carole Fisher and Irwin Molasky.

7.

(left to right) Wendy Plaster, Sharon Jenkins and Suzy Leavitt.

6

7

8.

(left to right) Naeem Kahn, Susan Molasky, Brad Garrett, Carole Fisher, Maryann Pascal and Elaine Wynn.

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Photos by Audrey Dempsey www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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mingle AFAN’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY AIDS WALK LAS VEGAS Venue Town Square

Date Sunday, April 19

Event More than 6,000 walkers participated at Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) 25th Annual AIDS Walk. Guests enjoyed performances from Le Reve The Dream, Melody Sweets of Absinthe, Jabbawockeez and Mark Shunock of Rock of Ages. Penn & Teller served as grand marshals for the 14th consecutive year, while local politicians including Senator Ruben Kihuen, Assemblyman Nelson Araugo and Mayor Pro Tem Steve Ross recognized AFAN’s contributions to the community. Walgreens once again had the largest walking group with more than 400 participants and presented a check to AFAN for $113,852.

Photos by Tonya Harvey

26 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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live Happy Smother’s Day @ 28 Tears a Land Hath Shed @ 32 Kitchen Sisters @ 36

TEARS A LAND HATH SHED pg 32

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www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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speak

Happy Smoth er’s Day The Tru e Mean

ing of M otherho od

By Corey

Levitan

28 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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E

veryone always questions the “true meaning” of what holidays celebrate – Christmas, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving. To mark my return to DAVID after a two-year absence, I decided to examine the meaning of the day we spend sending last-minute flowers to the women who begat us.

Rebecca West wrote that motherhood “is neither a duty nor a privilege, but simply the way that humanity can satisfy the desire for physical immortality and triumph over the fear of death.” Fellow author Barbara Kingsolver defined it as “the one job where, the better you are, the more surely you won’t be needed in the long run.”

And poet Robert Browning wrote: “Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.”

These are all beautiful quotes, but none is really the motherhoodlode I’m looking for.

I’m sort of qualified to speak first-hand about the subject. For four years, since my layoff from the newspaper, I’ve stayed home to raise our daughter – changing diapers and doing laundry – while my wife has worked an office job to pay for my mani/pedis and shopping sprees at Kohl’s.

Of course, journalistic integrity compels me to point out that I spend most of that time upstairs in my office on the computer while our daughter gets raised by her iPad. But I really have changed diapers and done laundry. At least two times each.

OK, fine, so the word “mother” most accurately describes me when followed by another word. I now defer to the expert on this subject that I know best. www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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“

Rabbi Daniel Rubenstein was the consumate professional. He did a fantastic job, he patiently answered all ourquestions, and followed up after the bris. We were most impressed, and highly recommend his milah services.

- Mr. and Mrs. Josh Levine

“

R a b b i D a n ie l R u b e n st e i n

“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.”

— Robert Browning

E X P E R T M O H E L

Certified by the London School of C i r cu

m ci si o n , R a b b i D a n i e l R u b e n st e i n i s

an experienced, gentle Mohel available to perform the Bris Milah/Brit Milah ceremony throughout the Greater Las Vegas area for Jewish families of any background.

A sk

a b o u t R a b b i R u b e n st e i n a b o u t

t h e Ten Minute Bandage t e ch

n iq u e

that he developed and is now teaching Mohelim around the world.

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“You’re asking ME what motherhood means?” my mother replies.

The former Roberta Cooper of Far Rockaway, Queens, spent nine months baking me in her womb and the next half century worrying that I’m too cold outside of it. But that’s not fair of me. As a human being, she’s much more complex. Her life’s work has also included successfully preventing my younger sister and me from sitting too close to the TV, going out with a wet head, jumping off a roof because all our friends did first, and whatever the hell “gallivanting around” meant.

In the Alien movie franchise, the monsters impregnated host bodies with offspring that killed their “mothers” during childbirth. Similarly, my mother made it crystal clear that anything bad I did would kill me, but not before killing her first. And her recall for every neardeath experience for which I can be blamed is truly astounding.

“You had a very big head, so I was in labor for two days with you,” she says. “And I had converging bones that angled, and they said we might not be able to push him through without forceps. And I said I didn’t want forceps. So they had to do a C-section. And that meant your sister had to come out that way, too.”

By the way, this interview is a coup. Since she claims I end up “twisting her words,” my mother no longer speaks to the media.

Fortunately, I approached her during Passover, when being around all five of her grandchildren, and three or four glasses of Manischewitz, combined to attack her guard.

“I don’t think I did such a swell job with you,” she admits.

What? I’m perfect. I mean, besides my quick temper, the self-centeredness that ultimately derails most of my close relationships, and my inability to listen when anyone else is talking to me.

Mom explains: “You dance to your own drum ... You walk to your own … What’s the saying?”

She’s right. I definitely do whatever that thing is with the drum.

And to my mother and all Jewish mothers like her, this is the worst thing possible, because safety must always trump happiness. What business does anyone have being happy when everything possible must be done, at all times, to prevent anything that can be imagined as going wrong in every situation that is entered?

As a child, I battled this tyranny of overprotection with deathdefying resolve. And I’m still battling it, in a way, by making choices that involve the part of my mom that has now become the voice

30 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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“You had a very big head, so I was in labor for two days with you.”

— Corey’s Mom

inside my head. Sometimes I wonder whether every important decision I’ve made as an adult – from becoming a writer instead of a lawyer, to writing a newspaper column for which I risked my life on a weekly basis, to marrying a non-Jew – might be at least partially motivated by the ridiculously childish goal of pissing my mother off.

(If I ever get a tattoo, by the way, it will be of my mother yelling at me not to get a tattoo.)

But, thanks to having a daughter to keep alive until at least the age of 21, I now also kind of relate to where Mom was coming from all those years ago – the abject terror of believing that a very real risk somehow exists of your child getting kidnapped, poking an eye out or catching a death from cold in every waking moment.

I totally feel Tina Fey’s prayer for her daughter from her book, Bossypants, in which she asks the Lord for help protecting her daughter only when … and then she lets rip about 50 ultra-specific circumstances, including “driving on country roads while arguing,” “riding anything called Hell Drop” and “standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.”

“All women become like their mothers,” Oscar Wilde wrote. “That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.”

But the author of The Importance of Being Earnest couldn’t have been more wrong with the second part of that theory. As my wife would only be too (un)happy to tell you, I have totally become my mother in the decade that she’s known me. I scrape my finger and conduct hour Internet searches for the symptoms of flesh-eating bacteria. I plan my day completely around meals and, when reality deviates from my plan, make everyone around me as uncomfortable as I am. I’m even insisting that we show up three hours early for flights these days.

So maybe I don’t do that thing with the drum after all. Maybe my drum is really just my mom’s drum turned upside-down.

And maybe it’s not so bad giving your kids a voice in their heads to rebel against as an adult – if it at least increases their odds of surviving childhood without becoming one-eyed, drug-addicted kidnapees.

“I think motherhood is terrific,” my mother concludes our interview, “now that it’s all over and I don’t have dealings other than being involved with the grandkids.”

Happy Mother’s Day.

MAY @

SUNDAY 3

SUNDAY 31

SUNDAY 10

MONDAYS

PJ Library/Shalom Baby Mother’s Day Mommy & Me West Side Youth Sports League (Soccer & Flag Football) 2-7:00 pm: Celebrate Israel @ Sands Expo

WEDNESDAY 13

8:30 am: MEL (Men Enjoying Leisure) @ Suncoast Buffet

THURSDAY 14

12:00 pm: WEL (Women Enjoying Leisure) @ Claim Jumper Boca Park

SUNDAY 17

Mommy & Me East Side

MONDAY 18

CPR for Parents w/PJ Library/Shalom Baby Eastside

TUESDAY 19

1:00 pm: B-I-N-G-O @ the J CPR for Parents w/PJ Library/Shalom Baby Westside

10:30 am: Golden Chai Bagel Bowl @ Red Rock Bowling 2-5:00 pm Viva Oy Vegas Auditions @ the J 12:00 pm: Mah Jong @ the J

TUESDAYS

10:00 am: Current Events West @ the J

WEDNESDAYS

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sense

Tears a Land Hath Shed Remembering Those Cut Down in Their Prime and Honoring their Service.

By Jaq Greenspon

“With the tears a Land hath shed Their graves should ever be green.”

— Thomas Bailey Aldrich

N

othing is more disconcerting than seeing your own name on a gravestone as you pass by. When it happened to me, I was in Europe, visiting the World War II sights. The family and I had already visited Poland and Germany and now found ourselves in France, at Omaha Beach. The kids had been doing WWII units in school so we figured this would be a good learning experience. The Normandy American Cemetery was nearby, filled with the names of almost 11,000 U.S. soldiers, many of whom were buried there.

Entering the complex, going through the memorials and visitors center, past the sculpture of “The Spirit of American Youth Rising From the Waves,” lay the fields of graves, each marked with an exquisitely simple marble stone with the names of the fallen engraved.

With no other adornment, sometimes the names were hard to make out, but we read as we walked. Every so often, amid the rows of crosses, perhaps one in 50, one in 100, we’d come to a Star of Da32 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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vid. Here, the names were carved alongside three sides of the down pointed triangle instead of along the cross beam.

“Dad,” said Danielle, my eldest, who was walking a few steps ahead of the rest of us. “You’re gonna want to see this.”

We caught up and gathered around a lone Star of David. The name, written in capital letters, extending all the way across the sculpture, read “Samuel Berlansky.” My name.

This Samuel Berlansky was a captain in the infantry and died in 1944, 25 years before I was born. He was also, if I had it straight, my great uncle, my grandfather’s brother. The one I was named for. The one we never talked about it. The hole in our family tree.

“Somebody’s Uncle Sammy’s grave,” I said, hoping to make it some kind of joke. Everyone laughed and we gathered around to morbidly take a picture. Michael, who at 10 was younger than his sister by three years, asked, “Do you think he’s related?”

“It’s possible,” I lied. “There are lot of Berlanskys in the world” As the family continued on, I lingered, bending down as if to tie a shoelace. I hadn’t been looking for him but there was a part of me relieved he had been found. Silently, quickly, I snuck a small stone from my pocket. I took the stone, which I had brought from home just in case, and placed it on the headstone. I said a short, silent prayer, then walked quickly to rejoin my family.

I saw that picture again recently. It was in a photo album tucked away on a shelf in the garage. I was reaching for something else and it, along with several other books of memories, fell. As I was picking them up, the set of pictures from that particular family trip had fallen open and I was faced with a jarring moment: All of us standing around this memorial to a man unknown to us and yet an intimate part of our lives. I still haven’t told them the story, at least what I know of it. Michael is now 15, and in a few weeks Danielle will graduate high school and get ready to leave the nest, as they say. Memorial Day is this Monday. And it’s got me thinking about that picture and what it means.

Over the weekend, we made our plans for the holiday. Here in the U.S., this weekend marks the official start of summer. This is the weekend, traditionally, when the first of the big movies come out, the stores start their barbecue equipment and food sales and, in Vegas, the Day Clubs and Ultra Pools open for the season. In the papers, the editorial pages are filled with somber, single-panel cartoons dutifully shared on social media with a passive aggressive tag stating that if you don’t “like” or “repost” your patriotism or nationality might be called into question. So we do. We click and share and our consciences are assuaged for another few months, until November when we honor not only the dead, but also the survivors, and we get a jumpstart on Thanksgiving meal deals.

I retrieved the photo album and brought it into the house. As I flipped through it, I realized the people I was seeing were ghosts just as much as the first Samuel Berlansky was. Michael was at least a head shorter and didn’t yet have the scar above his eye that will be visible the rest of his life. Danielle was just beginning her transformation into the young woman she is becoming now. But if you had told this one in the picture she would get excited by the possibility to study physics half a continent away, she would have laughed and tossed her hair and told you you were “lame.”

Patricia, their mother and my wife, who is standing slightly apart from the family in the picture, left completely for a little while and then came back. Those scars, not visible like Michael’s, are deeper and still not entirely healed. But we’re trying. Then there’s me, the new, current version of Samuel Berlansky. Sammy. In the picture, he wasn’t much more solid than any of the rest. He was leaner than I

4/23/15 8:50 AM

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am. L ess round through the middle. H e’ d been through his own battles in the past five years, as well as fighting for those who surround him around the marker for his namesake. aybe everything was Samuel erlansky’s fault. oth of them.

All of us.

The reason Samuel erlansky is never talked about in our family is because he died. e died and his mother never forgave him for leaving in the first place. e had been missing in action long enough, thought. t was time to bring him home and lay him, finally, to rest. onday was emorial Day. t was time to retake the day and return it to its original intent. To remember the dead and fallen. ack in Normandy, hadn’t said anything because we never had. knew what did through overhearing snippets of shushed conversation shared, over kosher-for-passover coffee cake. n 1 , recent college graduate Samuel had oined the Army without informing anyone else in his family. y , what was happening in ermany was well known and Samuel wanted to do his part. t was probably true that members of the erlansky family had come from that part of the world, so Samuel felt it was his duty as the oldest to keep the extended family safe. nfortunately, the local family felt the same. With a degree in accounting, Samuel was the first to have gone to college. is brother, my grandfather, was only 1 when Samuel disappeared, but he idoli ed his older brother. e insisted, upon my birth, that be called Samuel but never told my father why. e couldn’t. t would upset his mother too much. And when she passed, the torch fell to his sister Sophie. She was 1 , the same age Danielle is now, when Samuel decided defending the innocent in Europe was a more noble sacrifice than defending the weak left at home. She never forgave him either.

She might have, if he’d come home. They both might have. f your child goes missing, you only want them back safe. nce that’s accomplished, you have all the time in the world to be angry and punish them. Then you can forgive and exonerate them. ut when that process is interrupted, when they never come home, you get caught with no playbook to follow. n my family, that process took the form of not talking about Samuel erlansky in any way, shape or form. t wasn’t that he was dead to them, that was too on the nose. t was as if he’d never existed.

There were no pictures of ncle Samuel anywhere in the house, and his name was not to be uttered. ver time, he did cease to exist. e was a myth to me, like the tooth fairy or a superhero, but one whose existence could never even ask uestions about. Then, in a cemetery near Normandy, he became all too real. And failed him. denied him. And had continued to deny him. e was a ghost, and didn’t want to see him. didn’t want him haunting my family or me. ut like most traps, the more struggled and pushed him away, the more he held on. emorial Day. t was time to welcome Samuel erlansky home and at the same time lay him to rest. changed the family’s plans. The relaxed pool day with friends was postponed. called reat Aunt Sophie to let her know we were going to be stopping by and bringing her to our place for a barbecue.

And we were going to look at photo albums, and we were going to ask her uestions and demand answers before they were lost forever.

We were going to cry and mourn and, finally, we were going to start to heal.

We were going to become solid again.

We were going to become whole again.

We were going to remember. And we were going to Memorialize.

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taste

Kitchen Sisters Trail Blazing Women Who Are Executive Chefs on the Las Vegas Strip

By E.C. GLADSTONE

T

he Las Vegas food scene may not be the critics’ darling it once was. But within the restaurant industry, it’s still the focal point of much envy and admiration. While few of our Strip restaurants would be considered cutting-edge, they still produce a remarkably high level of quality at the kind of volume that makes other chefs blush.

Not long ago, this kind of effort would be considered strictly man’s work. But, increasingly, women are proving themselves in restaurants up and down the Strip. Although celebrity chef/restaurateurs like Giada De Laurentiis and Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken come to mind first, we’re thinking more of those who put the food on the plates day in and day out: the sous chefs, chefs de cuisines, garde mangers, pastry chefs (of which there may actually be more female than male practitioners on the Strip at this point), and, most especially, executive chefs. The four women below run some of the most respected kitchens in Las Vegas, on par with anything their male counterparts can claim.

Nicole Brisson, Carnevino

The steakhouse may be the most masculine of all restaurants: Batali & Bastianich’s Carnevino affirms this notion with a massive, and massively endowed, statue of a bull dominating the dining room entrance. And, yet, even the avid diner might be surprised to learn that this cathedral of mass consumption has, for the last four critically acclaimed years, been the province of a woman overseer.

Brisson’s small-town-girl-made-good story is as unpredictable as any. “I come from a farm where I was eating things right out of the soil,” the chef recalls of her upstate New York upbringing. Although she cites the influence of her grandparents’ restaurant and her mother’s cooking, Brisson worked at the local eatery during high school primarily because it was the only job available. Serendipitous introductions to female food writers Molly O’Neill and Faith Willinger gave her the confidence and connections to attend Johnson & Wales University, and then to apprentice with legendary Italian butcher Dario Ceccini. “My mentors were more male than female, as far as how to operate in this career as a woman,” Brisson says. She credits chefs Stephen Kalt and Paul Bartolotta for opportunities before meeting Mario Batali’s right-hand man Zach Allen, which led eventually to her running what is widely considered one of the best steakhouses in the country (in fact, it’s rarely argued otherwise).

“Mario gives me the leeway to find different things,” Brisson says. “And he’s taught me that the stronger your team is, the stronger you are.”

As far as how a woman might run a kitchen differently, chef Nicole says, “I think I’m a little more patient and nurturing, to get the best out of people. It’s not about my ego — I get my sous chefs together to collaborate if I need to change something on a menu.” In offering her favorite new dish, a ravioli of ricotta made with bitter

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the rudiments of cooking, and she learned more later while working for chefs Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran. “It just happened,” she says, that women were there to build her confidence at every step of her career.

Still, she considers herself “insanely fortunate” for her working relationship with Ramsay. She says the famously voluble and profane chef will call her on a Sunday and say, “’I need you to take a day off,’ then yell at me to get back to work.”

Wilson, a farm-to-table cook at heart (“Produce in season forces you to be honest”), identifies most with BurGR’s Farm Burger. It aggregates crisp ribbons of duck bacon and English sharp cheddar with a fried egg. Even with the many great burgers on the Strip, we’d have to agree it’s a winner.

“There’s times I am grossly reminded that I’m a woman in this industry, but not in the kitchen,” Wilson says. In the Vegas casino environment, she says, “It’s a boys club. But I won’t compromise my character.

“I think we’re fortunate as women to be living in a more progressive time. If my career had started in 1983, my climb would’ve been much more steep,” she says.

The deference her hulking male kitchen staff shows indicates just how well she’s managing. “My guys respect me, I respect them.”

Nicole Brisson

greens in a citrus butter sauce, Brisson displays a putative female trait that might explain Carnevino’s balance between super-aged beef and lighter offerings: “Women have a nature to keep things healthy and fresh and lean.”

But don’t expect Brisson’s attitude toward gender equality in the managed chaos of a major kitchen to bode well for women: “When I meet other female chefs, I’m almost harder on them,” she says.

Christina Wilson, Gordon Ramsay BurGR

Before she began filming Season 10 of Hell’s Kitchen, Christina Wilson purposefully quit her job at a respected Philadelphia restaurant so that nothing would hold her back. The tactic — and a lot of good effort — put her on top; and after a year as head chef at Gordon Ramsay Steak, the famously tough celeb chef had her switch to an even tougher job running BurGR. “Gordon Ramsay Steak is like your best friend’s sexy older sister, that you just admire forever — BurGR is like a work horse,” Wilson says. If that sounds as though she’s disparaging her current position, think again. Few chefs can claim to oversee a serious kitchen that serves 600,000 patrons a year. That number is not a typo.

Wilson went to college on a basketball scholarship and pursued a career in teaching. But a part-time job at the country club in Westchester, Pa., changed her life when she got a shot to work in the kitchen under a female chef. Wilson’s grandmother had taught her

Christina Wilson www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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Heather Zheng, Shibuya

There’s a moment in Heather Zheng’s job — a moment that happens fairly often — when the chef is both bemused and quietly flattered.

It’s when guests ask that she cook for them as she would in Tokyo. It’s a natural assumption, considering the Asian woman is running one of the most respected Japanese restaurants on the Vegas Strip. But Zheng is a Beijing native who lived most of her life before Vegas in Florida and Northern California. She has never cooked in Tokyo.

In fact, Zheng’s rise in the culinary world might surprise her more than anyone. Coming out of high school, she ate “diner food.” It wasn’t until she tried cooking as an extracurricular class in college that she found an aptitude for the kitchen. It was in San Francisco, however, that she learned the discipline needed to succeed at a restaurant. “Everything precise and strict,” she recalls.

It sounds like a perfect maxim for turning out brilliant Japanese fare.

But Zheng took that path by chance. After moving to Las Vegas sight unseen (“I figured in order for me to grow, I needed to be in a city with a lot of restaurants”), she started at the French Pinot Brasserie. The chef there lived next to Joe Elevado, the chef of Nobu at the Hard Rock.

Elevado hired her and she ended up as head chef at Nobu Melbourne, before returning to Vegas to take over MGM Grand’s Shibuya.

The dish chef Zheng feels best represents her personality? Iberico Pork Tataki. It features some of the world’s best pig, Pluma Ibérica De Bellota, barely seared and served carpaccio style with candied mustard seed and apple cider ponzu. Daring, genre-bending and certainly uncommon in Vegas.

Zheng notes that her Melbourne staff was 80 percent female, but that she managed as she always had. “It was a lot cleaner, though!”

Now, she has four women out of 23 kitchen staffers, but she doesn’t necessarily think about the gender divide.

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Susan Wolfa

“Ten years ago, being a woman [in a professional kitchen] mattered,” she says, “but now people are just looking for someone who works hard and wants to learn.”

Susan Wolfa, Mandalay Bay Resort & Delano Hotel

“I didn’t think it was a big deal until it happened,” Susan Wolfa says, recalling how she came to be the only female resort chef on the Vegas Strip less than four years ago. As such, she not only oversees several restaurants in the Mandalay Bay and Delano hotels, but also directs a massive catering operation. While she’s mum on many numbers, she allows that during this past month daily events ranged from 2,000 to 17,000 plates. That will lean toward the larger number no doubt when the current expansion under way makes Mandalay Bay the fifth-largest convention center in North America.

An Indiana native, Wolfa also didn’t plan on a culinary career.

After earning an undergraduate degree in biology, she joined the Peace Corps. But she was set adrift when her planned mission was canceled due to political turmoil. A chance meeting with a chef led her to kitchen work, an apparently good fit.

“I didn’t sign up to be a role model for women,” she says. “But young chefs come to me all the time for advice.” Her advice? Match people to their strengths. “I like to see people in the right space.”

In coining the phrase “desert sustainable,” Wolfa drove the concept for Della’s Kitchen, the breakfast and lunch spot at The Delano that focuses on local produce and Nevada beef, as well as micro greens and herbs from a greenhouse on property. She assigned two members of her team to the project and they brought to fruition one of the Strip’s most forward-inclined restaurants.

“I’ve never thought of myself as a ‘woman chef,’’ Wolfa says, likely summing up the attitudes of her fellow female stalwarts. “I’ve only thought of myself as a chef.”

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Showgirls to Go-Girls

think

Las Vegas Women Enjoy Leadership Positions in all Sectors of the Local Economy.

By E.C. Gladstone

S

hort skirts. High Heels. Sequins and eyelashes. Direct to your room. We all know what the world’s impression is of women in Las Vegas: artificially enhanced … mercenary … irresistible. And while many of these impressions are true to some extent, there’s also another side to Las Vegas women that’s largely ignored: women who are leaders, entrepreneurs, inspirations to their gender.

From Helen J Stewart, who maintained the original ranch that became the Las Vegas townsite, to Strip headliner Celine Dion and 14-year-old emerging golf star Veronica Joels, Vegas has proven itself a place where women can make their mark.

“Las Vegas is kind of schizophrenic,” avers Congresswoman Dina Titus. “There are lots of feathers and rhinestones, but also lots of women in leadership positions.”

Think of Carolyn Goodman, our newly re-elected mayor, confidently stoking a downtown revival. But as you do, also recall Jan Jones Blackhurst. The city’s first female mayor oversaw our 1990s emergence as a legitimate city. Now, as Caesars Entertainment’s executive vice president of communications, government relations and corporate responsibility, she is helping shape the future of one of our primary (albeit embattled) employers. Then there’s Elaine Wynn, fighting to maintain her hold as the only female voice on the Wynn Resorts board of directors; Shelley Berkley, a former member of Congress and now CEO and provost of Touro University for Nevada and California; and Pat Mulroy, a former Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District general manager who now, as a senior fellow at UNLV’s Brookings Mountain West, continues to push the vital dialogue on water conservation and climate change. These are not just women who have leveraged wealth, connections or popularity: they are dedicated individuals shaping Southern Nevada’s present and future.

What makes Las Vegas so quietly female-friendly? Titus, who moved here in 1977 and immediately sensed a difference from her native Georgia, believes it’s “that Western pioneer spirit. People try to make things happen (here), rather than say why it won’t work.

If you have a crazy idea in the morning, by the afternoon you have three to four people going along with you.”

“It’s a very open community,” says Nancy Houssels, co-founder of the Nevada Ballet Theatre and board member of The Smith Center.

“It entices you to do something.”

“I think Vegas has been female-friendly since Jan Jones was mayor,” opines Eileen Moore, regional president of The Flamingo, The LINQ and The Cromwell casino resorts.

“People think of Vegas as a good ol’ boys town,” says Mercedes Martinez, host of Mercedes in the Morning on Mix 94.1. “But it’s not that way anymore. I don’t know if it’s a change in the environment or a change in who’s in the environment. Gender roles in society have changed, and gender is the last thing people care about as long as someone is interesting. That has changed a lot.”

Carole Fisher is president and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice.

“There’s certainly been a growth of opportunity for leaders — incredible opportunities for female leaders.”

Martinez notes that hers is one of the country’s few female-led morning radio shows. And Fischer mentions that her entire leadership team is female (not by design). Moore proudly details the female executive team at The Cromwell, which happens to sport the first-ever restaurant of celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, a female powerhouse on television and in the executive suite.

Moore is actually one of three female presidents of Strip casino resorts, alongside the Luxor-Excalibur’s Renee West and New York New York’s Cynthia Kiser Murphey. And while the female influence may not be so evident in their properties, Moore points to details

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Helen J Stewart www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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in the Cromwell’s hotel rooms — showgirl-style mirrors, emergency mascara in the minibar — that guests have praised. The black leather cocktail server uniforms on the casino floor may have sex appeal, she says, but they also could double as something a stylish woman might wear off-duty.

Even if a woman chooses to be a bit more provocative in Vegas, it’s her business, Martinez reasons. “Look at it this way: women are so in control of their image that they’re choosing to portray that,” she says.

The number of female-owned businesses in Clark County increased an estimated 83.7 percent between 1997 and 2013. Titus, a political scientist by training, says, “You see women in positions of power in the Culinary Union.” And, politically speaking, she adds, “Nevada usu-

Eileen Moore

restaurant. Chutima, whose eldest daughter Penny acts as her interpreter, says the U.S. in general and Vegas in particular definitely offer a better environment for entrepreneurial women than her native Thailand, despite greater government regulation. And yet, “When we first came here, everyone thought my husband was behind everything. But he’ll tell you he’s just the ‘honey do’ behind me.’”

Penny recalls how much her mother “cried, how much she hurt” in the early years. But Chutima still believes Vegas offered a better business environment for women than California, where the family originally immigrated.

Chutima believes her business thrived because it was in Vegas, “where people want to try new things and broaden their horizons.”

Dina Titus

Mercedes Martinez

ally registers in the top five [of states] for women representatives.”

“You don’t even think ‘Is this a challenge?’” says Houssels, summing up a prevalent attitude. “You just do it.” The former Folies Bergere revue member went on to spearhead the Nevada Ballet Theatre and to play a pivotal role in the creation of The Smith Center. She cites women like Christina Hixson of the Lied Foundation Trust, and Diana Bennett of Three Square, who have made similar commitments to their community-minded goals.

As with most accomplishments, success didn’t come easily for many of these inspirational women.

“It was like carrying a boulder up a mountain,” says Saipin Chutima, recalling the early years of running her now-revered Lotus of Siam

It’s refreshing, she adds, “to see now that women are more empowered in the restaurant business, and taken seriously in the kitchen.”

Ermelinda Manos is a fashion designer and stylist who has kept her business in Las Vegas despite one inherent disadvantage: “We’ve never had a serious fashion community here.” Though some of her peers have decamped for Los Angeles or New York, Manos wonders, “If we all leave Las Vegas, who’s going to make that change? It’s been very challenging, but by supporting the community I get a lot of support back.”

By most accounts, mentoring has increased greatly among the female workforce. Titus says, “Men traditionally have done that.

Women haven’t.” The 64-year-old lawmaker, who spent decades in

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the Nevada Legislature, adds that she’s “always seen it as part of my role to encourage women to run for office.”

These days mentoring is available from organizations like the Nevada Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and from individuals. “There are tremendous networking opportunities,” says Fisher, who easily cites a half dozen women who hold major leadership roles in local health care, and also credits men for helping her succeed.

Moore says for her money, “One of the biggest things for women is to have role models in non-traditional roles. At the G2E [Global Gaming Expo], I did a panel. And many young women came and talked to me.” She adds, “I spend a lot of time talking to young mothers, and I know for myself, I’m a better parent as a working parent.”

Carole Fisher

support for local business. And if that continues, a lot of great things can happen.”

But barriers remain, Fisher says.

In “board rooms in for-profit companies, there are not a lot of females at the table. I’ve worked in for-profit settings where there were definitely glass ceilings,” she says, “and where I felt I could only get so far.”

Titus has a similar view. “We now have 100 women in Congress, one-fifth of the total. But we’re 50 percent of the population, so we need to elect more.”

Titus says younger women need to know about the struggles their predecessors endured to attain the rights and privileges

Nancy Houssels

Ermelinda Manos

Fisher agrees. “We remember what it’s like to be 20, 30, and (to) make sure we’re available to share our insight.”

“What I love seeing is all these young women forming their own nonprofits, and fulfilling needs for other causes that don’t get attention,” says Houssels. “Our time has come.”

“Mentors were very big for me,” says Martinez, who works with students at UNLV’s radio station and elsewhere and believes there is even more room for generational give-and-take. As for today’s young women, she says, “There is a confidence, but also an uncertainty about what’s to come.”

“I’m seeing a lot more pop-up businesses,” says Manos, “and a lot of these are female owners, downtown where there’s a lot of

other women enjoy today. And females should confront the media over the way women are judged differently from men, with the focus often on their appearance and whether they are meeting family obligations.

Houssels takes a similar view. “We need people to carry on what’s been started,” but also “we have to encourage the young women to come up with their own new projects and in the arts.

And we need to keep staying in touch with the world, bringing the best that we can here.”

“The whole notion of ‘Sex Sells’ is very popular in Las Vegas,” Titus says. “I’m not saying we do away with the glamour. Just saying there’s another side to the story.” www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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Dive In! Celebrating the Hourglass Figure

By Marisa Finetti

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houghts of baring more skin in the coming weeks can make swimsuit shopping an exciting time or a dreaded event — one you just may prefer to skip. But avoid the temptation because this season’s main trend is the glorification of femininity — the hourglass silhouette. And what could get you more revved than a chance to celebrate the spirit of Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and Bettie Page? It’s time to dive into our swimsuit foray.

First, let’s preview what you’ll be seeing on the racks; whether it’s for poolside lounging or scuba diving, designers from Paris to New York are offering a bevy of ways for you to suit up this season.

Women’s swimwear for 2015 is both sexy and sporty. Bandeau tops, boy shorts and board shorts are designed to shine on both land and sea. Classic styles feature a twist, such as a bikini bottom with color blocking and double straps on an underwire top. A photographic floral print puts a modern spin on an underwire tieback top, skirted bottom, bikini bottom with shirred side panels and a maxi length tank dress/cover-up. Watery blues and greens on a skirted maillot with bandeau top, and a color-blocked bikini bottom with shirred side panels reflect the sea and forests that border Forte Dei Marmi.

High-waisted briefs and hipsters are still the rage and quite complimentary to the many curve-enhancing statement pieces out there. Cropped bras are also on the rise – revealing a little more skin with sexy, deep V-necklines and delicate straps. With the concern over too much sun, rash guards have become an essential; but they don’t have to be basic. Find them in fun patterns, blocked or cropped styles that incorporate the scuba look with contrasting piping. And, finally, you’ll find a lot of bandage swimsuits that feature revealing geometric cutouts – some that look more like bondage, perhaps, than bandage.

Regardless of the styles out there, the best way to approach swimsuit shopping is finding out what truly fits you best. Suzanne Bryant, vice president of women’s design at Tommy Bahama, gave us some tips on getting the right fit. She recommends spending some time with a fitting specialist. Whether it’s at one of her stores, or a swimsuit shop, a fitting specialist will help find what’s most flattering for your body shape.

“The fitting specialist wants to help you find fit solutions,” say Bryant. “A suit that fits great and feels comfortable allows you to feel confident and relaxed. No one wants to be tugging on their suit or worried about how they look when they’re at the pool or beach.”

A few things to ask yourself before seeing a fitting specialist: Where will you wear your suit most often? What colors and patterns do you like? What styles didn’t work for you in the past?

“When it comes to shopping silhouette, think about what you’d like to focus on – like great shoulders or long legs. Drawing attention to what you feel good about will help you feel confident,” says Bryant.

Here are some of her tips for common silhouettes: Large busted Finding the right support is key to comfort and appearance. Consider an underwire style in your bra cup size. Not only are underwire styles functional, they’re trendy this season.

Large bottom A skirted bottom is both an easy and pretty option. Opt for a more fashion-forward style with the high-waisted bottom, which accentuates the hourglass shape.

Long waisted Styles such as a V-neck or twist front and an open back are flattering and comfortable. Shirring through the body or a stunning twopiece style also visually breaks up a long torso.

Thin figured Everyone assumes women with thin figures can wear any style.

But a lot of women who are thin want to appear to have a few curves. A crop bra top paired with a higher waist bottom or skirt highlights the waist and creates a more hourglass silhouette. There are also great rash guards and cropped rash guards that look great in styles with a smaller bottom.

The choices are out there, and you’ll see on the following pages some of the newest styles for the feminine body. Ready, set, sun!

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Bleu Rod Beattie American Hustle onepiece plunge halter with flattering ruching and keyhole detail is “beach beauty� stunning. $119.00, Everything But Water, Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-734-7946

www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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The OmbrĂŠ Scallop V-Front Bandeau one-piece swimsuit by Tommy Bahama features foam cups for added support and a tummy control panel for a slimming effect. $147. Tommy Bahama, Town Square Las Vegas, 6635 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas. 702-948-6828.

Embrace colorful fun under the sun with the sporty and stylish Kaleidoscope long-sleeve rashguard with zipper. $94. Flirty Kaleidoscope Reversible Tie-Side Hipster Bikini Bottoms is a flirty, classic hipster style. $65. Tommy Bahama, Town Square Las Vegas, 6635 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas. 702-948-6828.

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Scuba inspiration meets the colors of Chanel. Jaida Cropped Rash Guard in Opposites Attract by Vitamin A. $92.

Olivia Hipster in Opposites Attract by Vitamin A. $84.

Amahlia Hat by Vitamin A. $85.

Molly Brown’s Swimwear at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7615 and www. mollybrownsswimwear.com.

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It’s hard to resist the mouthwatering colors of the Tegan bandage bikini. It’s on-trend and oozes with pool-side glamour. $230 (Top), $220 (bottom). Agent Provocateur, Grand Canal Shoppes, 3377 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-262-5524.

The Dream Weaver cut-out onepiece microfiber suit has a deep halter neckline, full seat coverage and flattering cut-outs in the midsection. $182. Capri boutique at Bellagio, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 888-987-6667.

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Stripes and colors of marine come together in this sporty bikini. Serra Keyhole Wrap top in Sail Stripe by Vitamin A. $92. Natalie Milter Stripe Tie bottom in Sail stripe

by Vitamin A. $92. Molly Brown’s Swimwear at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7615.

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Daughters in Charge

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Three young women whose career paths led them back to the family business.

By Ruth Furman Photography by Steven Wilson at Tivoli Village

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n the American business tradition, children grow up, leave home and seek their fortunes.

But, as three local women have discovered, sometimes the career path doubles back and points home again — to the family business.

Polly Weinstein (Tower of Jewels), Rozanne Sher (Footsteps To Family) and Amanda Emily Litt (Litt Law Firm) all say lessons learned at their parents’ sides shaped their business acumen.

Generally speaking, a woman must adapt when joining or rejoining a family business. Sometimes it’s professional: the woman develops new skills or creates a niche for herself or the business; sometimes the adjustment is emotional: A woman learns to treat family Rozanne Sher members as colleagues, and does her best to put aside drama or rivalries.

Robb Selander, program and marketing coordinator at the Microenterprise Initiative and the Nevada Women’s Business Center, says a third-party, impartial analysis can help.

Amy J. Katz is president of Daughters in Charge, a Cincinnati company specializing in executive coaching with individuals and groups. She agrees with Selander about the value of an outsider’s perspective in such situations. She says many parents require their children to work in other settings before returning to the family business.

“The advantage to this is that they receive feedback about their strengths and talents from a nonfamily supervisor,” Katz says.

“That they have the experience of working as employees (without special benefits — or obstacles), and that they are exposed to a wide range of business practices” are also key. “This exposure can broaden their understanding and allow them to introduce the kind of changes in the family business,” she says, “that allow the business to adapt and innovate.”

Greg McCann, a family business consultant, told Katz that “family business” eventually will be replaced by “family enterprise,” reflecting that businesses are enterprising and looking for new ways for the business to evolve.

Women returning to the family business need clearly defined roles, Selander says, including whether they will be in a leadership capacity or what kind of expertise they will be asked to demonstrate. Katz concurs, but says roles can shift. A woman with marketing skills is a great fit for her family’s business if that’s what is needed. But if someone is already in that job the returning relative will need to learn or develop new skills. And succession plans, perhaps devised by a family council approach, can help effect leadership changes and establish career paths for family members involved in a business.

Kimberly Miles of tphrpayroll.com works with many locally owned, family owned businesses in Las Vegas. “Know the state and federal taxation laws and have clear written policies for all www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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staff,” she advises. “Developing the next generation and a transition of ownership is key in formulating a sustainable strategy for success.”

Women assuming leadership from their parents can face gender bias. And as these women conquer marketplace biases, they also must conquer their own predispositions, Katz says. This may include, as consultant Anne Francis puts it, “dethroning Dad.” “The more the second generation Amanda Emily Litt can view their parents as human beings, with real talents and real flaws, the better,” Katz said. “When a child has idealized a parent, viewing the parent in action at work can be challenging.”

Sher owns Footsteps to Family, which helps couples achieve parenthood by matching them with surrogate mothers or egg donors. Her business grew from working with her father, Geoffrey, a fertility doctor.

Sher says she dreamed of a show business career after college. She and her husband were living in Los Angeles and trying to get acting jobs when the Northridge quake hit in 1994 and destroyed their apartment. Sher moved to Northern California, where her father suggested she come to work for him.

“I, of course was incensed,” Sher said, anticipating a regimen of clerical duties and coffee fetching. “Here I had a degree, straight A’s, what I thought was a great, smart mind … and I was going to answer phones?” She suggested to her father that she work on developing an in-house egg donor program. She offered to build the program and add a surrogate component.

The effort succeeded. Sher moved back to Los Angeles a few years later to open an office for the venture she had started. She moved to Las Vegas in 2001 to bring the business to the valley.

In 2006, after working for and with her father, Sher bought the program she had started.

“Footsteps To Family isn’t ‘family owned,’ but I came into it through working with my dad for so many years,” Sher says. “In my case, the best part about working with him was that I learned from the best.

“My business is not ‘medical’ in nature. However, having such vast experience with my father has given me great knowledge into the medical side of this business, (which) puts me at an advantage with my clients, my donors and my surrogates. I am able to answer questions honestly, allay concerns, provide stories and give people hope because of years I spent with my dad, watching and learning from him.”

Sher says her father taught his children to live “HIP” lives, those marked by honesty, integrity and principle, just as he has and does.

While Sher’s business broke off from a venture formed in the family, attorney Amanda Emily Litt forged a business within hers.

In November 2013, the Nevada practicing attorney partnered with her father Richard, a practicing doctor and attorney, to form Litt Law Firm LLC in Summerlin.

The elder Litt is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Las Vegas, and has been a practicing attorney since 2004. While Amanda attended high school at The Meadows, her father attended the new Boyd School of Law at night. In 2004, she got her diploma and he got his

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law degree. Amanda enrolled at UNLV, earned a communications degree with a criminal sociology minor, and was accepted to the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she earned a legal degree.

Today, her father focuses on medical malpractice cases and Amanda specializes in family law.

“We both had different experiences and opportunities before joining forces together,” Amanda says. “My favorite part about practicing law Polly Weinstein with my dad is the support and the challenge of it. I know my capabilities and my strengths. But as a young female professional, I always want to continue to grow, prove my capabilities, and work hard no matter where that may lead me. It’s extraordinarily beneficial to have someone like my dad always on my side, who is also always teaching me and supporting me no matter what path I may take.”

She says working with her father requires role balancing, an understanding that they are relatives and partners.

“We both have opinions and are not afraid to speak our minds,” she says. “But I don’t see that as a negative thing. Luckily, I haven’t had to face too many challenges working with him. No matter what happens, we are family and that bond is irreplaceable. I will continue to grow and change and allow that to lead our business, and I know he supports that.”

Polly Weinstein says she never considered going into her family’s business, though she spent much of her childhood at the family store.

When she was a baby, she had a crib there. As a child she had room at the store to visit after school. In college, she majored in sculpture

and planned to be a writer. She was reluctant to join her family’s business, fearful it would affect her family life.

In her last semester of college, she began carving jewelry wax, intending to make several gifts. Her dad brought her to a jewelry show and put diamonds in the pieces. She was hooked and eventually started The Jeweler’s Daughter.

“I had this moment where I realized I could put art and fashion and my family and a really great industry together,” she says. “It was a little ‘aha’ moment.”

She also works to help other family owned businesses through the Neon Bazaar, a regular #shoplocal initiative she launched. She nurtures it to promote independent businesses via pop-up events.

Weinstein, who joined her brothers in the family business, loves interacting with longtime customers. Some share stories about how the business shaped their lives – they might remember how her father created their wedding rings.

She played a big role in planning and promoting the store’s recent 50th birthday celebration. “We work in an industry where we do special things for people. We put sparkle in people’s lives.”

Although they may know the various emotional buttons to push, family colleagues need to carve out space for themselves and others.

“It’s perhaps a feminine or creative perspective — but I need to tap into my feelings and sensitivities to do my best work,” she says.

“It’s not something that I leave at home, even though the men in my family might prefer that I do.” www.davidlv.com | MAY 2015

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Christy Echols, president of the national nonprofit’s Southern Nevada chapter, says membership enables women business owners to tap like-minded peers for insight and support.

“A community of like-minded women business owners that you are able to connect with, mentor, support, learn from, share opportunities and experiences is something that I don’t think all women realize the benefit of,” Echols said. “Not only is it a benefit or help locally, but nationally as well. There is so much wrapped around a business owner, having support from multiple avenues is huge.”

Echols says the local chapter has helped many members uncover business opportunities through access to corporate partners, community resources and peer businesswomen. Also, she says, the chapter has helped members build relationships, a key ingredient of personal and commercial success.

“Women business owners are strong, amazing women,” Echols says, “and not everyone is called to be a business owner. But there is no reason for any woman (who) chooses the path of business ownership to do it alone.

“NAWBO Southern Nevada is blessed with wonderful members, corporate and community partners and a great team that works hard every day to ensure that the business owners in our community know we are here for them.”

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Jessica Hutchings

Chazzan/Cantor at Congregation Ner Tamid With a coloratura soprano voice reminiscent of a young Cecilia Bartoli, (Italy’s renowned opera singer and recitalist,) Jessica Hutchings is on a spiritual mission. Her gift, a voice custom made for the bimah (Jewish pulpit) brings ancient and modern words alive through stirring melodies. Audiences, she hopes, will be moved to embrace the richly textured heritage of the faith that resonates from deep within her soul.

Born in Orange, Calif., and raised in Las Vegas, Jessica grew up attending services at Congregation Ner Tamid in Henderson. Now 30, she has served as its cantorial soloist and Jewish educator since July 2014. She took her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and opera from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State Long Beach, and master’s degrees in Jewish sacred music – and ordination as a Chazzan/ Cantor – and Jewish education from the Academy for Jewish Religion and the American Jewish University, respectively, both in Los Angeles.

In between, Jessica married husband Jeremy; worked as a Hebrew and B’nai Mitzvah educator, religious school youth coordinator and cantor at a number of congregations – including Las Vegas Congregation P’nai Tikvah with Rabbi Yocheved Mintz; directed a youth and adult choir; received the 2009 national Grinspoon-Steinhardt Excellence in Jewish Education and Smotrich Family Foundation Educator awards; performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall and in historic venues in Europe; and sang the national anthem at Los Angeles Dodgers and Kings games.

DAVID: Why the attraction to the faith stage rather than follow the allure of the secular spotlight?

HUTCHINGS: People ask me that all the time, assuming that the cantorial stage is a step down from the commercial stage. My voice is a gift from G-d. For me it’s an honor to be able to use it in the service of Judaism. I mean, I would love to someday take a summer off and perform in an opera – and I know it would be an enriching experience – but there’s no doubt that my soul is drawn to bringing the richness of Judaism to the Jewish community – particularly in Las Vegas – and inspiring people to find, and grow, their faith through our musical traditions. It’s more than seeking performance on a stage. It’s seeking the purpose of that performance … I believe that’s my calling.

DAVID: When did you discover your musical talents?

HUTCHINGS: I was already a diva with a microphone at 3 years old! I wanted to be a

pop star like Britney Spears! But by 6 years old I was also listening to songs by Jewish songwriter Debbie Friedman, the Joan Baez of Jewish music. She even visited my kindergarten consecration, a ceremony to initiate religious education for kids. Singing along with her in class somehow had an influence.

DAVID: Is that when you realized you were destined to travel the cantorial path?

HUTCHINGS: I grew up attending services at Ner Tamid, so Judaism is an integral part of my life. I knew the prayers, the songs … and have always been spiritually connected to the beauty and meaning of the service, especially the music. I think the turning point came the summer between my junior and senior year(s) in college. I filled in for a congregation’s cantor, who was on maternity leave. The rabbi there was so encouraging, and we had a great time on the bimah during services.

When I returned to school and told my opera coach that I wanted to pursue the track of cantor instead of opera singer, he said he wasn’t surprised … that when I sang in Italian or French I was really good, but when I sang in Hebrew I radiated!

DAVID: What experience has stood out thus far along your journey?

HUTCHINGS: Keeping current musically and being creative is an important part of connecting with a congregation, especially the young kids. So last year I presented a Beatles Shabbat service, which was really well received.

And I had an awesome experience when, as part of my master’s thesis, I performed a duet with Jewish rapper Matisyahu.

DAVID: Do you have a vision for yourself in the coming years?

HUTCHINGS: Oh … yes … I’m such a planner!

I set out to be a Chazzan/Cantorial soloist by the time I was 30, and I did it by 29. A chazzan has to be a visionary. Judaism has changed in our communities, especially for young people. There’s a disconnect. Growing assimilation. I want to utilize my voice to touch my generation – while continuing to inspire the older generation – to say, ‘Wait!

Judaism is where we’ve always thrived as a people.

It’s our strength. Our survival. Don’t run away from this gem, this blessing! Come home, through the music, to the beauty of our heritage, whether you’re a Jew or aspiring to be a Jew by choice!’ And my husband and I would like to start a family.

— Lynn Wexler

58 MAY 2015 | www.davidlv.com

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