DAVID by Max Friedland

w w w. d a v i d l v. c o m OC TOBER 2016

Bill

Graham

The Holocaust Refugee Behind the Rock & Roll Revolution

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RACING FOR A CURE

ETERNAL VARANASI

DIVERSITY AT THE PHIL 9/22/16 9:27 AM

“City National understands our racing business model and helps us grow.” My business partner and I have a passion for racing beautiful cars. Our business model is unique. When you ask a bank to finance multiple exotic cars, you know it will take vision to understand the story behind your request. City National not only understood our unique needs, they jumped right in to help us reach the next level. They looked at our business from outside the box. City National is The way up® for me and my business.

David Perisset Co-Founder, Exotics Racing Hear Exotics Racing’s complete story at Findyourwayup.com/LVRace

Find your way up.

Call (866) 618-5193 to speak with a business banker.

for Small Business and Middle Market Banking

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CNB MEMBER FDIC

9/22/16 9:27 AM

Learn More & Plan Your Celebration slsvegas.com/events | 702.761.8888

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NATIONAL SPONSORS

SUSAN G. KOMEN NEVADA LAS VEGAS RACE FOR THE CUREÂ®

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE

2017 Race Registration opens on October 1st komennevada.org 1 03_12_FOB.indd 4

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In Celebration of

ROSH HASHANAH & YOM KIPPUR Smoked White Fish Salad Chopped Chicken Liver Matzo Ball Soup Potato Pancakes Round Challah • Honey Cake Tizzemes • Noodle Kugel These specialties will be served in addition to our regular buffet at these meal periods.

October 2 - 12, 2016 4:30pm to Closing

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ALTA & RAMPART

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October

Pulse

Live

Think

Grill

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

20 Desire Sin City abounds in worldclass shopping ... these are a few of our favorite things. 22 Discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the world.

42 Raising the Baton for a Diverse World of Music American orchestras strive for diversity in repertoire and audiences.

58 Cody Miller The Las Vegas swimmer who won gold and bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

32 Sense Breast cancer is not only restricted to women. Men have breasts too. We interview double survivor and race car driver Gil Ben-Kely.

46 Eternal Varanasi A visit to India's spiritual city which also happens to be one of the oldest in the world.

The month’s spotlight on someone to know.

36 Taste Standard & Pour, the new gastro lounge with a view has arrived. It's now hip and happenin' in Henderson.

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

28 Speak Adam Friedland imagines what dinner conversation would be like with the late Gene Wilder

52 Impresario Extraordinaire The NMAJH in Philadelphia presents Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution.

Bill

On the Cover

Graham

The Holocaust Refugee Behind the Rock & Roll Revolution O C TO B E R 2 0 1 6 www.davidlv.com

Artwork from the National Museum of American Jewish History, Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution exhibit.

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Copyright © 2016 by JewishINK LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. DAVID MAGAZINE is protected as a trademark in the United States. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we are under no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged for in writing. DAVID MAGAZINE is a monthly publication. All information regarding editorial content or property for sale is deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.

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OC TOBER 2016

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

7. 6

9/26/16 12:59 PM

Wednesday, Oct. 5

Wednesday, Oct. 12

MEL @ Suncoast Buffet 8:30 a.m.

Thursday, Oct. 13

WEL Luncheon @ CRAVE w/LVMPD Speaker

Friday, Oct. 21 -23 BBYO Fall Conclave

Sunday, Oct. 23

MONDAYS

Wednesday, Oct. 19

Scrabble - 9:30 a.m.

1st Annual Sukkot Concert under the Stars featuring the new Valley Jewish Youth Choir (Family event – bring your picnic) Downtown Summerlin

TUESDAYS

i s h Community.

Senior Singles Meeting & Nutritionist

Sunday, Oct. 30

JCC Kosher BBQ & Festival Noon - 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 2

PJ Library Sukkot

Girl Scouts Meeting

Friday, Oct. 28

Schools Out J’s In Day

Sunday Nov. 6

Camp Reunion 2 - 4 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 11

Jew

Veterans Day School’s Out J’s in

Saturday, Nov. 12

Maccabi Movie Night & Sleepover @ the J Girl Scouts Meeting

h t nnecting

Sunday, Nov. 20

Youth Flag Football Begins

Wednesday, Nov. 16

News & Schmooze Westside @ the J 10 a.m. - Noon

THURSDAYS

News & Schmooze Eastside @ CNT (55 N. Valle Verde Hdsn) 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. BBYO – 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAYS

Sports Talk @ Suncoast Buffet - 9 a.m. Canasta - Noon

Mah Jongg

Weekly - Call for details

Women’s Catchball

Tuesdays & Thursdays or Sundays & Wednesdays 8 - 10 p.m.

JU (Jewish University) Registration open for new classes

Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning Classes now forming

Coming Soon

Family Paint Party Sunday, Dec. 4

Sunday, Nov. 20

Winter Camp Dec. 19 - Jan. 6

PJ Family Day at Temple Sinai

Wednesday, Nov. 30 Girl Scouts Meeting

Oct./Nov. @ the

JCC of Southern Nevada www.jccsn.org | 702.794.0090

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Nevada’s only Funeral Home and Cemetery combination dedicated exclusively to the Jewish Community • Southern Nevada consecrated Jewish cemetery • Proudly serving all Jewish denominations • Elegant 250 seat Allen Brewster Memorial Chapel

Publisher/Editor Associate Publisher

• Knowledgeable and caring Jewish staff

Max Friedland

max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com

Joanne Friedland

joanne@davidlv.com

EDITORIAL

• Special Veterans Pricing Plan

Calendar Editor

• Special Synagogue Pricing Plan • Burials out-of-state and Eretz Yisrael

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

Copy Editor Pulse Editor Production Assistant Contributing Writers

Brianna Soloski

brianna@davidlv.com

Pat Teague Marisa Finetti Zoë Friedland Ruth Broyde Sharon Donato Cabrera Marisa Finetti Adam Friedland Jaq Greenspon Jason Harris Lynn Wexler

Jay Poster Funeral Director, Manager & Founder

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director/ Photographer

Steven Wilson

steve@davidlv.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising Director

Sheryl Chenin-Webb Family Service Director

Joanne Friedland

joanne@davidlv.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Kacia-Dvorkin Pretty Family Service Director

702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com

Volume 07, Number 05 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.

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

A Dignity Memorial® Provider

2697 East Eldorado Lane Las Vegas, NV 89120

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.

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LAS VEGAS

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Contributors

Ruth Broyde Sharone public speaker, global interfaith activist, filmmaker, ournalist, and creator of INTERFAITH: The Musical, has co-chaired the Southern California Parliament of the World's Religions (SCCPWR) since 2007. Honored internationally for her interfaith activism, Ruth is well known for her popular interfaith program and award-winning film, God and Allah Need to Talk and her interfaith memoir, Minefields and Miracles--considered a primer in interfaith engagement- which received more than 30 endorsements from prominent religious leaders around the world, including H.H. the Dalai Lama. www. MinefieldsAndMiracles.com

Donato Cabrera has been the Music Director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic since 2014 and Music Director of the California Symphony since 2013. He served as the Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) and the Wattis Foundation Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) from 2009-2016. Cabrera has been an assistant conductor for productions at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. From 2005-2008, he was Associate Conductor of the San Francisco Opera. For more information, visit www.donatocabrera. com.

Marisa Finetti

Jaq Greenspon

Jason Harris

Lynn Wexler

is a local writer, marketing pro and blogger. The Tokyo-born Finetti has called Las Vegas home since 2005. She has written for Spirit and Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and has a healthy-living blog at bestbewell.com.

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.

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

enjoys distilling, and

Adam Friedland is a stand-up comic and writer living in New York City. He has performed at comedy clubs and theaters all over the east coast and opened for Nick Kroll, Todd Barry, Kyle Kinane, and Moshe Kasher. He is the creator of Funny Moms, a monthly comedy showcase in Brooklyn.

voicing in print, the essence of topics she researches and those she interviews. Her acute and ardent style has been acknowledged

throughout her years

as a TV reporter,

news anchor

and journalist,

interviewing persons

of note on the

CMY

world stage. As a certified Values and

Manners Life Coach, Lynn trains groups and individuals on improving their personal, social and professional effectiveness. She is most proud of her three outstanding children.

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CMY

If you care, if you want to make an amazing difference in the world, now is the time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our New Year, a time of reflection, the right moment for each of us to give to what means the most to us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Go to www.jewishlasvegas.com to be amazing.

Jewish Federation

OF LAS VEGAS

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From the Publisher

S Y M P H O N I C B LO C K B U S T E R S

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2016 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016

$25 TICKET OFFER* Orchestra Main Floor Seats

Mention promo code LVPDAV25 to The Smith Center Box Office at 702.749.2000 to take advantage of the $25 Sunday ticket offer.

A funny thing happened on the way to completing this issue — I fell in love with the explosion of life that is eternal Varanasi. Notwithstanding the excellent piece that we run on pages 46-51, the photographs alone, would give National Geographic a run for their money. The opening spread of the story features a very colorful gentleman who would make the perfect subject for any magazine cover. For the uninitiated he is a painted Hindu Pandit, a wise man or teacher, something akin to a rabbi. We really need to get our clergy out of their love affair with black and white. Talking about black and white clergy, I spent time with a group of them a few Sunday nights ago. This afforded me the ideal opportunity to test market the Pandit cover idea. I don’t know what I was looking for — a rabbinical dispensation for usurping our High Holy Days cover with a notable from another faith? At best what I should have expected was many puzzled looks that screamed, “Well this is what you get from this helft idishe (halfJewish) magazine!” At worst, a series of lectures about the sin of aiding and abetting assimilation. With discretion being the better part of valor we give a mensch of a man the honor. This year a retrospective exhibition devoted to the life and times of the great Bill Graham has graced both coasts. Currently the show titled Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution is housed at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. Our piece, pages 52-56 attempts to do justice to the exhibition and the arc of this man’s life. It is a uniquely American story about a young Jewish boy, snatched from the grasp of the Holocaust and his rise to fame and fortune as a pioneer of the rock concert business. Donato Cabrera, Music Director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic is a guest contributor this month. We wish to thank him for the piece but more importantly for the important initiative he is spearheading — the need to raise the baton for a more diverse world of music. Finally, this month everything is pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. For our part we cover the blue ribbons, male breast cancer. Double breast cancer survivor and race car driving instructor Gil Ben-Kely inspires us with his story and triumphant smile. Kol Hakavod! (congratulations) Gil. L'shana Tova U’metuka: May you all have a good and sweet new year; I’ll see you, as always, in the racks.

lvphil.org *Offer cannot be applied to prior ticket purchases or combined with other discount offers. Valid for the Sunday, October 9, 2016 concert only.

Max D. Friedland max@davidlv.com

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Pulse

Your Guide to the Arts, Entertainment and Community Events. What's Hot this Month in Dining, Shopping and Local Attractions.

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Explore

PEPE AGUILAR 8 p.m., $80. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-2847777. http://orleans.com THE TEMPTATIONS Through Oct. 2, 8 p.m., $39.95. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. http://orleans.com IRIS DEMENT 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com JERRY LEWIS Through Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., $50. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. http:// southpointcasino.com ALICE IN CHAINS WITH SPECIAL GUEST THE NEW REGIME 8 p.m., $39.95. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com REGGAE ON THE BAY Through Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., $40-$75. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-632-7777. http://mandalaybay.com LIONEL RICHIE Encore performances through Oct. 12, 8 p.m., $59. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-785-5555. http://caesars.com/ planethollywood

MICHELLE JOHNSON PRESENTS TAPESTRY UNRAVELED: THE COMPLETE CAROLE KING ALBUM 3 p.m., $20. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com DWEEZIL ZAPPA PLAYS WHATEVER THE F@%K HE WANTS - THE CEASE AND DESIST TOUR 8 p.m., $35. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8622695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

SARAH SILVERMAN Oct.21, 8 p.m., $49.99-$79.99. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-1111. http://mgmgrand.com

October 1

TOWN AND COUNTRY: FROM DEGAS TO PICASSO Through Feb. 20, 2017, times vary, costs vary. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, 3600

OKTOBERFEST AT THE PARK Through Oct. 2, time and costs vary. Beerhaus, 3784 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-692-

Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 888-987-6667.

2337. https://www.theparkvegas.com/en/

http://bellagio.com

restaurants/beerhaus.html

CONOR OBERST WITH PEARL CHARLES 8 p.m., $27.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

TYCHO WITH BIG WILD, HEATHERED PEARLS 9 p.m., $25. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

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JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS 7:30 p.m., $29. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com FRANKIE MORENO Encore Oct. 25, 8 p.m., $30. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

MARTIN LAWRENCE 8 p.m., $45. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http://cosmopolitan.com RALPHIE MAY 9 p.m., $45.95. Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-894-7111. http://treasureisland.com ZZ TOP WITH KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD 8 p.m., $94. Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas. 702-942-7777. http://palms.com

FESTIVAL OF PRAISE 6 p.m., $35. Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas. 702284-7777. http://orleans.com

THRICE WITH LA DISPUTE, NOTHING, NOWHERE 8 p.m., $25. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

GROUPLOVE - THE BIG MESS TOUR WITH MUNA, DILLY DALLY 8 p.m., $28.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

THE GUESS WHO 8 p.m., $19. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. http://goldennugget. com/lasvegas

HERMAN'S HERMITS Through Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., $45. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. http:// southpointcasino.com

23RD ANNUAL AGE OF CHIVALRY RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Through Oct. 9, times vary, $8-$30. Sunset Park, 2601 E. Sunset Road. Las Vegas. http://lvrenfair.com THE FREDDY COLE 85TH YEAR OF CELEBRATION Through Oct. 8, 7 p.m., $37. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

JESSIE JAMES DECKER Time TBA, $49.50. SLS Las Vegas, 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-761-7000. http://slslasvegas.com DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT AND BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME TRANSCENDING THE COMA TOUR WITH FALLUJAH 7 p.m., $25. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas CYNDI LAUPER 8 p.m., $43. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com CREATE A CHANGE NOW EDIBLE EDUCATION DINNER 6:30 p.m., $150. To purchase tickets, visit http://www. brownpapertickets.com/event/2586594. http://createachangenow.org MASTER SOMMELIER: BURGUNDY IMPOSTERS 4 p.m., $50. Mandarin Oriental, 3752 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702590-8888. http://mandarinoriental.com

Cindy Lauper, Oct. 8

THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION WALK TO END ALZHEIMERS 7 a.m., free. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.. 702-269-5001. http:// mytownsquarelasvegas.com

Shana Tova Celebrate with holiday specialties from Bagel Cafe 301 N. Buffalo Drive 255-3444 www.thebagelcafelv.com

WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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S. 3rd Street, Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com FOGHAT 8 p.m., $19. Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas. 702385-7111. http://goldennugget.com/lasvegas HARLEM QUARTET WITH ALDO LOPEZGAVILAN Through Oct. 15, 7 p.m., $49. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com TOWER OF POWER Through Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., $50. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. http:// southpointcasino.com EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN 11:30 p.m., $8. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas Bob Dylan, Oct. 13

FRANK LASPINA 2 p.m., $25. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

THE SWEETS' SPOT WITH MELODY SWEETS 10 p.m., $25. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com

JETHRO TULL: WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY IAN ANDERSON 8 p.m., $35. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com SUBLIME WITH ROME 8 p.m., $39.50. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200

YELLOWCARD - THE FINAL WORLD TOUR - WITH LIKE TORCHES, DRYJACKET 8 p.m., $27. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas DB BRASSERIE PRESENTS BOISSET COLLECTION WINE DINNER 6:30 p.m., cost TBA. Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-414-1000. http://venetian.com

ANNIE MOSES BAND: THE ART OF THE LOVE SONG 6 & 8:30 p.m., $49. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com BIG SAM'S FUNKY NATION 8 p.m., $12. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas BILLY IDOL Through Oct. 22, time TBA, $79.50. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6327600. http://houseofblues.com/lasvegas

BOB DYLAN 8 p.m., $49. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. http://cosmopolitan.com

Harlem Quartet with Aldo Lopez, Oct. 14

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DANNY GANS MEMORIAL CHAMPIONS RUN FOR LIFE HOSTED BY DONNY OSMOND 8 a.m., free. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.. 702-2695001. http://mytownsquarelasvegas.com NEW VISTA COMMUNITY WINE WALK 7 p.m., $25-$30. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.. 702-269-5001. http:// mytownsquarelasvegas.com MONSTER ENERGY CUP 12 p.m., $56. Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Road, Las Vegas. 702-895-3761. http:// samboydstadium.com STRAIGHT NO CHASER: I'LL HAVE ANOTHER...20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR 8 p.m., $43.50. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com MEGAN HILTY WITH SETH RUDETSKY Through Oct. 16, 7 & 2 p.m., $49. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com CRAFTS AND COCKTAILS 6 p.m., $20$85. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http:// cosmopolitan.com CLUTCH - PSYCHIC WARFARE WORLD TOUR 2016 - WITH ZACK SABBATH, KYNG 8 p.m., $29. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

SCHOOLBOY Q - BLACK FACE TOUR WITH JOEY BADA$$ 8 p.m., $42.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8622695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

JACK JONES Through Oct. 18, 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com

OPETH - SORCERESS WORLD TOUR WITH THE SWORD 8 p.m., $35. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-8622695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

Pet Shop Boys, Oct.21

19 BRITNEY SPEARS Through Oct. 29, 9 p.m., $59. Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-785-5555. http://caesars. com/planethollywood

MESHUGGAH - NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2016 WITH AVATAR 9 p.m., $32.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/ las-vegas 17TH ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE TASTING EXTRAVAGANZA To benefit Nathan Adelson Hospice. 5:30 p.m., $150. Gaudin Porsche, 6800 Redwood Street, Las Vegas. For more information, contact Stephanie Forbes at Nathan Adelson Hospice at 02- 3 -3 0 or visit http://nahwine2016.auction-bid.org. ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY Through Oct. 21, 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com

MELANIE MARTINEZ WITH SPECIAL GUEST HANDSOME GHOST CRY BABY TOUR 2016 8 p.m., $35. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-6935000. http://hardrockhotel.com

PET SHOP BOYS - THE SUPER TOUR 8 p.m., $29-$49. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http:// cosmopolitan.com NORM MACDONALD Through Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., $35. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. http:// southpointcasino.com EDDIE MONEY 8 p.m., $19. Golden Nugget, 2 Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas. 702-385-7111. http:// goldennugget.com/lasvegas SARAH SILVERMAN 8 p.m., $49.99-$79.99. MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-891-1111. http://mgmgrand.com CHARLI XCX Time and cost TBA. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd Street, Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com THE FAINT WITH GANG OF FOUR 8 p.m., $29.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

REVA RICE 2:30 & 7 p.m., $26. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http:// thesmithcenter.com www.davidlv.com | 17

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THE ORIGINAL WAILERS 8 p.m., $20. Top Golf Las Vegas, 4627 Koval Lane, Las Vegas. 702-933-8458. http://topgolf.com/lasvegas JOEY DIAZ Through Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., $15. South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702-796-7111. http:// southpointcasino.com

GAVIN DEGRAW AND ANDY GRAMMER WITH SPECIAL GUEST WRABEL 8 p.m., $27.50-$47.50. Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http://cosmopolitan.com FETISH AND FANTASY HALLOWEEN BALL 10:30 p.m., $65.40. Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://hardrockhotel.com JOHNNY MATHIS: THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT TOUR 7:30 p.m.,

Greensky Bluegrass, Oct. 30

$29. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park

GHOST - POPESTAR WITH MARISSA NADLER 8 p.m., $31.75. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.

MOTLEY BREWS DOWNTOWN BREW FESTIVAL 5 p.m., $35-$70. Clark County Amphitheater, 500 S Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas. http://downtownbrewfestival.com

THE DISCO BISCUITS WITH THENEWDEAL

THE FRAY Time TBA, $49.50. SLS Las Vegas, 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-7617000. http://slslasvegas.com

Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://

DIZZY WRIGHT - STILL MOVIN' TOUR 2016 WITH MARK BATTLES, AUDIO PUSH, DEMRICK, T DUBZ 8 p.m., $25. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/ las-vegas

EVERLITA DAVID AND RELLY COLOMA: SONGS, MUSIC, AND MEMORIES

Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://

http://thesmithcenter.com

thesmithcenter.com

8:30 p.m., $39.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

LAINIE KAZAN Through Oct. 29, 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park thesmithcenter.com

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS Through Oct. 31, 11:59 & 2 p.m., $22.50-$27.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http:// brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas JCCSN BBQ COOKOFF & FESTIVAL 11:59 & 12-4 p.m., $10 & $15. Temple Beth Sholom parking lot, 10700 Havenwood Ln., Las Vegas. 702-794-0090. http://jccbbq.com

DEEPAK CHOPRA: THE FUTURE OF

WELLBEING 7:30 p.m., $35. The Smith

TWIDDLE 11:59 p.m., $20. Brooklyn Bowl,

Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue,

3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas.

Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://

702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/

thesmithcenter.com

las-vegas

LOVERBOY 8 p.m., $19. Golden Nugget,

TOWN SCARY HALLOWEEN 4 p.m.,

129 Fremont Street Experience, Las

free. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd.

Vegas. 702-385-7111. http://goldennugget.

S., Las Vegas.. 702-269-5001. http:// mytownsquarelasvegas.com

Oct. 30, 7 p.m., $39. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com

com/lasvegas

DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD LIVE 6:30 p.m., $19. The Smith Center, 361 Symphony

Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://

THE DISCO BISCUITS Through Oct. 29, 11:59 p.m., $39.50. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

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.

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Devour Let’s Do Lunch Andiron Steak & Sea is doing lunch. A variety of new menu items and sandwiches along with dinner menu favorites are available Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Expect classic fare for your midday repast, pictured here is the Roasted Organic Turkey Sandwich avocado, arugula, cranberry jam, horseradish, whole wheat bread . Try their Downtown Summerlin ower Lunch, with choice of Caesar salad, gem salad, wood-grilled flat iron steak, heirloom tomatoes, green onions, buttermilk blue cheese, or soup roasted chicken or petit filet with seasonal vegetables; and crème brulée doughnuts for dessert. Andiron Steak & Sea, 20 Festival la a Drive at Downtown Summerlin, 02- 5- 002.

The Prohibition Buzz A perfect combination of sweet and spicy that makes you feel as though you’re drinking what the real Prohibition movers and shakers drank. “For me, the fact that the first alm Restaurant was opened in New ork in 2 , during the first few years of rohibition in the nited States, is a reason that I am proud to make a cocktail that would have been popular in that era to our current day and age,” says Victor Orozco, mixologist at the newly renovated alm Restaurant of Las Vegas. The cinnamon stick and honey syrup really enhance the vanilla and citrus fruit notes from the Cutty Sark Prohibition. Add to Mixing Glass: • 1 ½ ounces Cutty Sark rohibition • ounce honey syrup • 2 dashes Angostura bitters Add ice, cap and shake. Strain into coupe glass. Top with 2 ounces Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Garnish with a cinnamon stick. The Palm Restaurant of Las Vegas, Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-732-7256.

Game, Burger & Beer What’s more American than enjoying football with burgers and beer? B&B Burger Beer inside The Venetian agrees, and makes it easy. Located ust steps from The Venetian Race and Sports Book, one can indulge in delectable game food and drinks from Mario Batali’s signature burger joint. But this time, go for something off the menu, like the Molto Burger, which is ground 90-day dry-aged rib eye - which is ground fresh daily smothered with parmesan-marscarpone cheese sauce, caramelized onions, and sandwiched in a potato bun. Make it complete with Moody Tongue’s Carameli ed Chocolate Churro Baltic orter. B&B Burger & Beer, The Venetian, 33 702-414-2220

Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas,

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Desire

Bowtied Up Think pink this October with the cotton Liberty of London Ptolemy in Pinks bow tie. This print comes in a variety of sizes and styles, such as diamond point or straight, as well as tying styles.$44 Bowtie.com

Carl is the perfect accessory to make your formal wear inimitable. Wear this wooden bow tie to your friend’s wedding and we guarantee you’ll receive compliments from all the bridesmaids. Trust us, this Wenge wood and light gray cotton fabric centerpiece works perfectly with any suit for every proper occasion. 5 Woodenbowties.com

Finely crafted of wool and silk, the fabric of this bow tie is supplied by Vitale Barberis Canonico, an Italian mill established in 1663, located about 50 miles north of Milan. $69. SuitSupply, Grand Canal Shoppes, 3327 Las Vegas Blvd., S., Las Vegas. 702-359-6100.

Hand-stitched leather bow ties from San Francisco arefew in supply, especially since each is made of reclaimed materials – the character should be celebrated. sing only the choicest cuts of high end, repurposed leather, these ties are pre-tied and fully ad ustable with a silver rivet closure. 55 Knottyco.com

One of the most celebrated American designers of his era. Tom Ford offers the navy blue velvet bow tie. Pre-tied, adjustable and made in Italy. $250. Neiman Marcus, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd., S. Las Vegas. 702731-3636.

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Discover Zero Gravity To celebrate the Fiftieth anniversary of the first flight of the Star Trek Enterprise, George Takei went zero-g. eightless flight provider ERO-G offered him the opportunity to boldly go where no other crew member had gone before. The first and only FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights takes off in Vegas on October . The , 50 experience includes 5 parabolic maneuvers creating 20-30 seconds of weightlessness each, pre and post flight catering, professional photos, video of weightless experience and an official certificate of weightless completion. www.gozerog.com

Lego Landmarks LEGO lovers are in for a highly visual and educational treat now through Oct. , as Fashion Show Las Vegas hosts THE LEGO Americana Roadshow, featuring LEGO replicas of some of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beloved landmarks. Ten one-of-a-kind, large-scale models of American landmarks made completely out of LEGO bricks by LEGO Master Builders are exhibited. They include the .S. Capitol, the hite House, the ashington Monument, and the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials, and the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall and the Old North Church. Fun facts will be included, and there are plenty of visuals for the photographic crowd.

Chocolate High

Fashion Show, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 0 Exhibition Hours Monday-Saturday, 0 a.m.- p.m., Sunday, Noon- p.m.

Take chocolate tasting to new heights on the High Roller, where guests learn about the origins of Ethel M Chocolates, and how the pieces were created, all while focusing on the aroma, taste and texture of the treats. The single-rotation adventure includes a chocolatier ambassador showcasing five types of pieces and the stories behind them. Guests also en oy a glass of wine that can be picked up in the Sky Lounge before boarding. Tastings are available every Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 30 p.m., with the final experience of the night taking place at p.m. Standard admission pricing is 52 per person. A private cabin can be rented for ,500. Each chocolate tasting cabin can accommodate up to 5 guests. High Roller, The LIN , 35 5 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas. 02 322-05 3 www.HighRollerLV.com.

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Mingle The Jewish Federation of Las Vegas 50th Anniversary Celebration Venue The Venetian Las Vegas

Date

Thursday, September 15

Event

Not designed so much as a fundraiser but as an important celebratory marker in time, the evening raised funds, spirits and awareness of the important mission of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. From modest beginnings a half century ago to a glittering soiree in a packed strip hotel ballroom the Federation has come a long way. The few signatories of the Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding charter enjoyed each others company and marveled at what they had started. Stories were told of the old days whilst subsequent generations of community leaders enthusiastically discussed plans for the future. Smiles all around as guests departed they agreed, they had all been part of history. Yasher Koach!

Photos 1.

The Ventura family.

(L-R) Christy, Alan, Irwin and Susan Molasky. Art and Cari Marshall. Faye and Dr. Leon Steinberg. (L-R) Marla Letizia, Jolie Brislin, and Karin Sporn. David and Heidi Straus. (L-R) Michelle, David, and Shana Dahan. (L-R) Wes and Enid Bassewitz, Lisa and, Dr. Hugh Bassewitz. Judy and Leonard Stone, Seth Schorr and Morris Schaner.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Photos: Tonya Harvey

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Mingle JNF Las Vegas “Am Yisrael Speaker Series Part One - Ammunition Hill” Venue Eglet Advocacy Center

Date Tuesday, September 13

Event

Jewish National Fund (JNF) held the first of its Am israel Chai Speaker Series at the Eglet Center, downtown Las Vegas. Guests were welcomed to a brief cocktail reception in the elegant, crystal chandeliered conference hall. Seated casually in plush settees and armchairs those in attendance were moved by guest presenter, oel Rosby. Rosby a former Chicago native and veteran of the Israel Defense Force is the JNF’s Ammunition Hill Liaison. Dani Goodman, daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Goodman of Temple Beth Sholom introduced Rosby. She chose the battle for Ammunition Hill as her Bat Mit vah pro ect and was able to provide a unique perspective on the sub ect. Ammunition Hill is the site of the first battle in Jerusalem during the 1967 SixDay ar. Victory there, allowed Israeli forces to continue on with the conquest of the walled city of Jerusalem, the Temple mount and the site most sacred to Israelis and Jews around the world, the Western Wall. The JNF has undertaken the restoration of the infrastructure on the hill and the erection of a all of Honor dedicated to those brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. In an effort to recognise the fallen on both sides of the conflict Rosby recently hosted a Jordanian government minister to review plans for a memorial for their fallen.

Photos: Etti Photography and David Weinstein

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Bryan Hainer

Live

A Focus on Living in Las Vegas People and Places Arts and Entertainment Food and Beverage Philanthropy and Religion Health and Fitness and More...

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Speak

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My Dinner with Gene If I Had Dined With Wilder, This is How I Think it Would Have Gone By Adam Friedland

or this month’s issue, I was asked to write a profile on the late actor Gene Wilder, who died last month at 83. I was particularly excited about this assignment because Wilder was a fixture of a number of films I loved as a child growing up in Las Vegas (Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, etc). When I sat down to write this piece, I tossed around a couple of concepts in my mind, but none of them seemed to honor Gene’s je ne sais quoi properly. For instance, it would be easy to prepare a biography where I rattle off his many accomplishments, but one could easily go to Wikipedia for the same information. One of my favorite non- ilder films is Louis Mallet’s “My Dinner with Andre,” a picture that centers around a conversation between actors allace Shawn and Andre Gregory. In the course of their tete-a-tete, they talk about their lives, art and the human condition. So, in the spirit of “My Dinner with Andre,” what follows is an imagined conversation between Gene ilder and a fictional friend. Many of ilder’s words have been taken from interviews he gave between 200 and 20 3. Interior: French Restaurant, Night I stood at the bar fidgeting with my tie. This wasn’t my kind of joint, and I was honestly surprised that Gene had asked me to dinner here; his tastes used to be rather ascetic. It had been 10 years since Gene unofficially retired from acting, and it had been nearly 15 since we last crossed paths. I understood from friends that he had published a memoir about his childhood and his life with (the late Saturday Night Live actress) Gilda (Radner), and that he was now spending his

time writing novels and painting watercolors at home in Connecticut. All of this was, of course, second- and third-hand information accrued from mutual acquaintances and press clippings. We first met in the early ‘60s in New York. He was a young actor from Milwaukee and I was a playwright/director. We began collaborating on plays in the city’s avant-garde theater scene and quickly formed a close friendship. By 1968, Gene had landed his first starring role in The Producers, with Zero Mostel, and the rest is history: Wonka, Blazing Saddles, the films with Richard Pryor. We maintained regular monthly dinners for years, but after a while it became more and more difficult to keep them up. I spotted Gene’s grayish-red mop from across the room. ow, you look terrific ell, I feel terrible. [We settle into our seats. After a pregnant pause I break the silence.] So, tell me ou miss making films? Right now I like writing books. Sometimes I miss acting, but I wouldn’t say I miss show business. I’m sure people come up to you all the time and ask you whether you’ll make another film. Everyone sees me and thinks, what a comic, what a funny guy ’ And, really, I’m not, except when I’m in comedies, in films. I make my wife laugh once or twice around the house. but I’m nothing special. I don’t think I’m funny. So that’s it? I still get scripts sent to me and it’s all loud explosions and bad language. If you say fuck’ in a script it should mean something. Everything I see nowadays is ust fuck this’ and fuck you’ and it does nothing to advance the plot. I don’t think I’m a prude. I wrote Springtime for Hitler for crying out loud. Most of these films seem too gimmicky, too goofy. www.davidlv.com | 29

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That’s interesting because I remember how the performances in many of your films seemed to be rather straightforward, even if the conceit was rather absurd. It was almost as if you were playing most of your most famous comedic roles straight. I truly believe the more real you play a comedy, the funnier it will be. My character Leo Bloom in The Producers was meek and insecure. But you could’ve been describing me as well. I was a very shy person in those days. And working with ero Mostel, who was bigger than life, helped me grow. ero was a strong influence on me. I thought of you a few months backs when I visited my grandchildren in Ari ona. e watched Willy Wonka together. I hadn’t seen the film in years, and I was particularly struck by its dark undercurrent. Even as an adult I found the film, particularly the psychedelic tunnel scene on the boats, incredibly menacing at certain points. How about your grandchildren? ere they afraid? ell, if they were they didn’t say anything. eople often forget that Willy Wonka was a huge commercial failure at the time. hen the film came out, the kids weren’t scared it was their mothers who were scared. hen children watch that film they can usually figure out that it’s essentially a morality play. ids are smarter than we give them credit for, I suppose. That isn’t to say childhood isn’t a scary thing. I remember when I was a little boy I was scared to death of the Frankenstein movies. So when I wrote Young Frankenstein, I wanted it to come out with a Frankenstein story that had a happy ending. And I think it was my childhood fears from when I was and and 0 years old that made me want to write that story. Speaking of Young Frankenstein, how is Mel Brooks, the director ? Do

you stay in touch? I telephone him sometimes. He still sees Carl Reiner every day Every day, they watch films and eat and complain. They’re ust two 0-yearold yids from Brooklyn sitting in a mansion in Bel Air complaining. It’s remarkable really. I guess we’re doing a similar version of that at the moment. I suppose, except I’m from isconsin. There’s a real difference in my opinion. I’m a Midwest Jew. I also hate myself, but I have enough restraint to keep myself from letting everyone in the room know that I hate myself. e bury our self-loathing deep down, and then one day it comes out as cancer or a heart attack. I suppose it’s two sides of the same coin. [Gene affects a Yiddish accent.] Coins? Vhere? Did someone say coins? ou know vhen I vos a boy ve had no coins Only dirt, and misery [We laugh.] Do you ever think about what’s waiting for us on the other side? That question doesn’t really concern me. I remember being astonished when I first met ero Mostel he wasn’t afraid of authority in any form, and that’s the part that influenced me the most. He would tell anyone anything, not to be impolite, but he’d show that he wasn’t at all afraid of however much money that person had or whatever title they had. It didn’t scare him. Mel was very much the same way. So, that’s the attitude I’ll try and take with me to whatever comes next. I’ve had a very good life and a very good career. I have no regrets. [Excerpts were taken from Gene Wilder’s interviews with Terry Gross in 2005 and at the 92nd Street Y in 2013.]

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NFHope

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Sense

Men Have Breasts, Too

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Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor Gil Ben-Kely was Floored by his Medical Diagnosis By Lynn Wexler Photography Spencer Burton

en think of having pecs, not breasts. That’s why Gil Ben-Kely, a driver coach at S EEDVEGAS racetrack, considered his 200 medical diagnosis preposterous: he had breast cancer. “Even my doctor was shocked,” says Ben- ely, 5 . “He had not seen breast cancer in a male. He called me into his office after reviewing the biopsy report on the fluid that was taken from my left nipple. His face was flush. He could barely speak those dreaded words.” Gil was living in New Jersey at the time. It was winter and he often wore a T-shirt under his regular shirt. One day he noticed a wet and slightly bloody stain on his undershirt. He paid it no mind, even though the staining and moisture continued for the next two months. His wife Antonella noticed the stains on her husband’s shirt, too, and expressed concern. Gil summarily dismissed it — probably scratches from their cat, or maybe a small infection, he said. “I’m proof that men are stubborn,” he says now. “Our arm could literally be falling off and we still don’t go to the doctor.” That sentiment would soon change. While at the Bronx Zoo with Antonella and their children, daughter Nathalie and son Shon, Gil’s outer shirt became conspicuously wet. “I reached in to see what the heck was going on,” he says. “I pressed on my nipple and a stream of bloody-like plasma squirted out like a water fountain.” He decided to see a doctor, but still believed it was nothing serious. After all, he had no pain and only mild sensitivity in that area he was a guy he had pecs Gil’s doctor had no clue what the problem was and referred him to a general surgeon, who ordered a precautionary biopsy. The news that followed was devastating. Gil eventually had a mastectomy on his left breast, opting not to undergo reconstructive surgery. No lymph nodes were removed either, as the doctor believed the cancer had not spread to areas where it could travel into the bloodstream. Gil suggested that his right breast be removed as well. But the doctor said it wasn’t necessary — there was no evidence the cancer had spread — and reminded Gil that his insurance likely wouldn’t pay for a second mastectomy. “I underwent genetic testing for both BRCA and 2 genetic mutations,” the breast cancer susceptibility genes. “I tested negative for both. There’s simply no medical explanation as to why I got breast cancer,” Gil says. Breast cancer pays no attention to whether a patient is male or female, or has large breasts, small breasts or seemingly no breasts. Most people don’t realize that nipples are an indication that men do have a little breast tissue – just enough, in fact, to allow a tumor where the milk ducts would be. According to the American Cancer Society, men account for about percent of all breast cancers, most of them in patients 0 to 0 years old.

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GRADES PRESCHOOL - 12

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But the incidence of male breast cancer is on the rise, according to the organization. And about 2,600 men, out of an estimated 249,260 cases of invasive breast cancer, are expected to be diagnosed with the disease this year in the United States. Roughly 440 of those men are likely to die from its complications, according to the ACS. Gil skipped the chemo option. He didn’t relish the idea of throwing up constantly and losing his full head of thick hair. Instead, he took a daily dose of Tamoxifen. The regimen lasts five years and is designed to block the actions of the female hormone estrogen, which is known to contribute to the growth of certain cancers. “The side effects from the surgery and the pill were still pretty severe, though, to this day,” he says. Gil lost all of his body heat and had to move to a warmer climate. He and his family have been in Las Vegas since 2002. “It was bad. I was shivering all the time,” he recalls. “My visual ability has significantly diminished I get extreme hot flashes I experience bouts of anger and it’s uncomfortable to admit but it’s impacted my sexual drive. It’s not been fun. Thank God for Antonella and my children. They’ve been very supportive, and Antonella is amazing … strong and always positive.” It’s been tough for a guy born in Haifa, Israel, a man used to living life on his own terms, particularly when it comes to his passion: racing fast cars. At 23 and following mandatory military service and medical corps training with the Israel Defense Forces, he moved to Milan, and later to Bangkok and Hong Kong, while working in the gemstone trade. He eventually returned to Italy, this time to Rome, to pursue two of his three passions: Antonella and asphalt- and off-road racing, with sponsorships from Alfa Romeo and Fiat.

After an accident that left his custom built Ford Capri 1600 racecar totaled, Gil temporarily hung up his helmet. In 1989, he moved to New Jersey with his wife and daughter to pursue his third passion – the medical field. He became a certified orthotist and prosthetist, ran a successful business and indulged his need for speed by driving his Ferrari 308 as a pace car at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. Then, in 2013, it happened again. He woke up and saw that the right side of his shirt, at the nipple, was wet. This time his Las Vegas doctors insisted on a nuclear test to check his lymph nodes. “Besides being isolated in a white and sterile room with technicians creeping about in space costumes, it was the single most painful experience you could ever imagine,” Gil says. “You have to be awake while they repeatedly stick long needles into your nodes.” The cancer had not spread. He underwent another mastectomy and is now in year three of his Tamoxifen treatment regimen. These days he is “pessimistically optimistic.” The cancer is bad but life goes on. Now retired, he still enjoys his passions – his family; his SPEEDVEGAS work instructing drivers how to race around a 1.5-mile track; and the medical ﬁeld. Now he’s an advocate, though, for the Bret Miller 1T Male Cancer Coalition and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Las Vegas, helping raise money and awareness for male breast cancer. For an ultra-virile guy like Gil it’s never easy dealing with a cancer that’s associated primarily with women. But these days he embraces the opportunity that life has delivered, and he’s eager to raise awareness of a cancer that doesn’t always play favorites.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year from Desert Radiology!

AWARD WINNIN G

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Taste

Hip & Happenin’ in Henderson

Kerry Simon’s Last Menu Debuts at New Gastro-Lounge

By Jason Harris Photographs by Chris Wessling

cott Frost, 50, gives me the most morbid quote I’ve ever had when interviewing someone for a food story. It was really weird, like a Benjamin Button thing. I’d lost my body all at once. He was slowly losing his body. But there was a time there where we were both in the exact same wheelchair. It was just odd that three years earlier we were two totally healthy guys talking about business and enjoying life and then mine overnight and his (body) deteriorated (over time), and we kind of had that middle point. He is referring to his friend of more than a decade, celebrity chef

Kerry Simon. Perhaps no chef meant more to the Las Vegas food scene than Simon, whose whimsical style fit perfectly with the Sin City party atmosphere. He was beloved. He was respected. He was revered. But while the end wasn’t kind to Simon — he died Sept. 11, 2015, at age 60 after being diagnosed three years earlier with multiple-system atrophy, a neurological disorder that basically shuts down one’s body — he led a life full of passion and left a legacy that won’t be forgotten. Frost is part of that legacy as a partner in the newly opened Standard & Pour, all the way south on Eastern Avenue, almost on the edge of Anthem Highlands. The new gastro lounge — Frost makes it clear it is not a gastro pub, as this place focuses not only on elevated American classics in the food department but also craft cocktails — is a joint venture from Frost’s

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Bryan Hainer Left: Whole Smoked Romanesco. Above: Standard & Pour interior.

Titan Brands and the Simon Hospitality Group. The former operates three popular Mexican outposts, Hussong’s Cantina in Mandalay Bay, Boca Park, and one in Reno, as well as the pizza joint Slice Of Vegas, also in Mandalay Bay. The latter was formed by Simon and Cory Harwell, a restaurant veteran committed to carrying on Simon’s spirit through his food and their restaurants. While they have different restaurants throughout the country, perhaps none is better regarded than Carson Kitchen in Downtown Las Vegas, where Simon’s fun and delicious plays on items like fried chicken skins and the butter burger are a hit with the hip, young professionals that work, mingle and dine in the area. But the quiet outskirts of Henderson are a long way from the noisy energy of Downtown. Frost knows it is a gamble. Who will the audience for

Standard & Pour be? Suburban housewives? Anthem-based senior citizens? Locals traveling home after a long day of work in the city? Frost hopes for all of the above. “It’s really different for Henderson. It’s probably one of the last parts of the Valley to go metropolitan. Summerlin and Downtown are metropolitan. We are pioneers here in bringing a metropolitan venue, vibe, menu, both drink and food to suburbia.” Pioneer is an apt word to describe Simon, the man Rolling Stone once dubbed “The Rock’N’Roll Chef. “Nowadays, it seems as if every restaurant is trying to create its own spin on American comfort food: macaroni and cheese eggrolls, Philly cheese steak dumplings, an endless parade of riffs on chicken and waffles. It would not be overstating it to say this style of food descended directly from what Simon was doing back in the early 2000s www.davidlv.com | 37

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at Simon Kitchen & Bar in the Hard Rock Hotel. Elevated takes on dishes such as meatloaf caught the fancy of diners before it was a trendy thing to do. His desserts, homemade takes on everything from cotton candy to chocolate Hostess cupcakes, were equally pleasing to patrons and critics. Frost describes it this way, “Kerry was way ahead of his time ... taking the mundane and making it super fun and cool and playful ... His influence will live forever. Period. He’s left an indelible mark on this food scene.” Which brings us to the actual food at Standard & Pour. This was the last menu developed by Simon with Harwell’s help. Frost explains that Harwell would take Simon’s concepts and experiment with them. And after Simon had tasted them, he would give feedback by looking at the alphabet and giving nods and winks. It must have been excruciating for all involved (never mind Simon’s physical ailments) – with the mental and emotional toll it exacted on the entire group. But its purpose is now being fulfilled, with what already is one of Henderson’s best restaurants. The menu consists of shared plates split into four categories – vegetables, fish, meat and dessert. Each category offers worthwhile and delectable options. The most fully realized at this point is the vegetable section, which features one tasty choice after the next. Endive & date ($12) is a modern take on the familiar pairing developed by John Courtney, the culinary director for Simon Hospitality Group. The two items are mixed with dateanchovy vinaigrette, mandarin orange segments, candied pecans and shallots. It’s a good way to warm up the palate. Carrot risotto ($14) has both a wow factor in presentation and taste. Of the cooking method, head chef Jake Dielman, explains: “If you did just carrot by itself it becomes a little overwhelmingly sweet. We don’t cook (the rice) off with any stock, just carrot juice. We get a luxurious color with that. We finish it off with a little lemon uice to offset the sweetness.” The acid shines through, along with the aged pecorino cheese that sits on top. Black truffles and artichokes add upscale touches to this brightly colored item. Three beans ($10) has an assertive flavor. Chinese long beans, yellow wax beans and blue lake sea beans are seared and coated with a mix of XO sauce – the spicy Chinese seafood sauce – crispy garlic and black sesame seeds. The beans hold up to the aggressive seasoning, and it’s a bite you’ll keep going back for.

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Nothing is more of a showpiece item from the vegetable section than whole smoked Romanesco ($12). Somewhere between cauliflower and ELECT broccoli, this large green vegetable has a sturdy texture and takes on other flavors exquisitely. Here it is blanched, then smoked in a pizza oven for 20 minutes, giving it a nice char. It would be perfectly fine, though, if they wanted to char the whole damn thing even more. Capers, pickled red onions, golden raisins and herbs bombard the vegetable vessel with salty, sweet and acidic tastes. It’s an impressive and creative use of an 29 YEARS LEGAL EXPERIENCE underutilized piece of produce. Simon understood the importance of presentation. After all, we eat with INTEGRITY • INDEPENDENCE • PROGRESSIVE our eyes first. nowing that, it would be tough for ust about anyone to not devour the scallop crudo 22 from the fish section. It’s a stunning visual, with the sliced scallops engulfed in different sauces and accompanying items, all featuring different colors and textures. Bright green avocado puree sits beneath the scallop, while a darker green bagna cauda sauce, featuring brown butter, anchovy and capers, sits on top. Ruby red grapefruit segments give some sweet relief, and the whole thing is as tasty as it is pretty. Moving on to the meats, kimchi tacos ($14) feel like something Simon would present. The tacos here are scallion pancakes, with kimchi strewn throughout the dough. It adds to the taste and pops the color, making the whole thing look like an orange tortilla. Short rib is the meat of choice filling the interior. It’s marinated in familiar orean flavors. An Asian pear vinaigrette tops the dish. Everything works harmoniously, with each element adding to the next. It’s a winner and likely will be very popular when S&P institutes happy hour. PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT BRUCE L. GALE The rib-eye cap ($26) shows restraint, with the tender meat salted, sliced and served simply with a uniper porcini rub. A house steak sauce is served with it, but the meat is already so flavorful it’s unneeded. Desserts ($8) are modern and a good representation of where Simon wasBruce Gale Ad 10.16.indd 1 9/19/16 going with his food. The best is the fruit loop panna cotta, which encapsulates the whimsy of something like Simon’s take on Hostess cupcakes. But it Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada also shows a level of sophistication. The base is a cornflake-infused panna cotta, (Doesn’t that sound like something Simon would do?) with fresh zest, orange sorbet, hazelnuts and raspberry gummies combining for a Getting screened for cancer nearly perfect dish. It’s not too sweet, full of different textures, and each bite

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offers something unique and delectable. This is the next level of the famous desserts from the old Simon Kitchen and Bar. The saffron rice pudding is as good as any in the city. It’s another brainchild of Courtney’s, or as the story goes, it’s the recipe of his fianc e’s paternal grandmother. This Persian rice pudding, known as Shole Zard, again holds back on the sweetness and lets textures shine. The featured items include almond slivers, pomegranate seeds, dates and pistachios mixed throughout. The actual pudding is touched with a cinnamon ampersand, the same one that brings together the words Standard & Pour. Frost’s presence is prevalent at the restaurant. He’s partially there to make sure they get everything right, from fixing the difficult parking situation to deciding if the high-top tables are the right height. He stands from time to time, but is most often traveling around on his motorized wheelchair, the same one he references about the time Simon also became wheelchair-dependent. Frost and Simon connected and bonded over food and nightlife. Both healthy, they worked on deals with Indian casinos throughout the country, with the goal of bringing Vegas style food and nightlife to these venues. While nothing ever came of those talks, the friendship between the two continued to grow. On May 10, 2009, Frost was in a motorcycle crash. He was sure he would die. But he didn’t. Doctors told him he would be a quadriplegic for the rest of his life. But, as he puts it, “I got stuff back I wasn’t supposed to get back.” As the lanky Frost slowly rebuilt his health, Simon’s began to go. The last time they spoke, Frost was in Chicago, Simon at The Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis. Both were receiving treatments for their conditions. While the two had shared food, drink, good times and business dealings in the past, on this day Frost shared something else with his friend. You could barely understand him over the phone. I gave him my view – I sat in a ditch for over an hour contemplating my demise – I had an afterlife experience, a glimpse of what was on the other side. I gave him my two cents of what I thought was waiting for him and, hopefully, that gave him some solace. Until then it just sucks. It’s tough. It’s how you handle it. Two things you have control over in any situation are your effort and your attitude, and Kerry always had an awesome effort and an awesome attitude. That guy went down swinging, man. Frost’s favorite part of Standard & Pour is a table made from the doors of the original Simon Kitchen & Bar. The inscription on the plaque describing the table ends with these words of advice, which Simon’s disciples now live by. “Keep Calm And Kerry On.” Somewhere, the ever-thoughtful, ever-playful Kerry Simon is smiling.

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Essays and In-Depth Articles on Topics that Will Have People Talking all Month Long.

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Donato Cabrera conducting the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

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Raising the Baton for a Diverse World of Music American Orchestras Recognise the Critical Need to Appeal to Underrepresented Communities. At Their Annual Conference this Year They Discussed a More Diverse Repertoire and Outreach By Donato Cabrera

t the annual conference of the League of American Orchestras in Baltimore this past July, I was asked to speak on a panel about connecting underrepresented communities to orchestras through the humanities. It’s a timely topic, as not only are our arts organizations constantly striving to engage and connect with our constituent communities, but, sadly, our country continues to struggle with inclusion and diversity. It is of particular importance to the Las Vegas Philharmonic, especially if we want to be known as “Your Symphony Orchestra,” that we begin reaching out to the communities that make up a large portion of our community, but are rarely found in the concert hall. Typically, we observe that the concert hall is filled with an audience of ever-increasing age. And I frequently question myself, as I walk out to greet the audience before I start the concert, whether we could do a better job at being more inclusive and interactive with particular communities – in a direct and inviting way. www.davidlv.com | 43

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According to an article by the UNLV Center for Democratic Health, in a few decades non-Hispanic whites will constitute a bare majority in the United States. And, if current demographic trends continue, the Hispanic population will double or even triple in size by 2050. What’s more, the Asian population will double and the African-American population will grow at a faster pace than non-Hispanic whites. Nevada’s no different than most of the United States in that, except for its Native American population, its history has been entirely defined by immigrants. How can an orchestra like the LVP better serve these communities? The first step is to select and perform music that celebrates and highlights the many and profound contributions these cultures and communities have made to the art form. It’s worth noting that Latin America’s connections and contributions to Western classical music are far deeper and older than North America. The first opera written by a Mexican-born composer was Manuel de umaya’s La art nope, performed in Mexico City in . And a tradition of classical music in Mexico goes as far back as the th century. African American and European composers and performers have always been an integral partner in the success of classical music. The Afro-European violinist, George Bridgetower, was the person for whom Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 (now the Kreuzer Sonata) was dedicated. Music by African American composers, such as illiam Grant Still and Duke Ellington (yes, the “Duke” wrote amazing pieces for orchestra), frequently

are performed throughout the world. Perhaps the most encouraging sign that classical music can still thrive and inspire the masses is taking place in countries like Korea and China. The Chinese pianist Lang Lang performs piano recitals in stadiums filled with literally tens of thousands of Chinese fans. In fact, it’s estimated that there are more than 40 million Chinese children learning the piano. The second step is to invite these pre-eminent musicians to perform with the LVP. I’ve already mentioned Lang Lang. But there is, of course, u a ang, o o Ma, ynton Marsalis, lacido Domingo, Gustavo Dudamel and Tai Murray, to name a few. There are many others, however, who deserve the spotlight that playing with the LVP can give them, and for whom our audience would be forever grateful to hear them. The third and most crucial step is to reach out to these communities and include them in the planning process. To program a concert that celebrates these enormous contributions and to then expect an entirely new audience to walk through the doors of your concert hall is like building a baseball field in the middle of the cornfields It makes for a nice movie, but that’s about it. It’s crucial that these communities know that orchestras like the LVP are there to serve them, not the other way around. Inviting these communities to the table to discuss programming a concert is always an exciting and engaging exercise for all concerned and will ensure that there is a sense of ownership and pride when the music begins playing at the concert.

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Music Unwound, a national consortium of orchestras, music festivals and institutions of higher education, has dynamically linked orchestras to African-American, Native-American and Mexican-American communities. It also has been the recipient of more than $1 million by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music Unwound’s thematic, multi-media programs (also available to orchestras outside the consortium) match orchestras with high schools, universities and museums. The themes include immigration, race and the never-ending quest for American identity. The Las Vegas Philharmonic will proudly join this consortium beginning in the 2017-18 season, and will begin receiving a rather substantial grant from the NEH, the first performing arts organization in Nevada to do so. It’s a great honor for the LVP to be a recipient of this grant and to join this national consortium, but it’s also a great responsibility. During my tenure as the resident conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, I have witnessed two events, the Día de Los Muertos and the Lunar New Year Concerts, become enormously successful. The very acknowledgement that both the Asian-American and Latino-American communities have a deserved place in the concert hall has been a notable achievement. But these concerts have grown to be far more impactful than just sold-out concerts! Both communities take an active role in producing the concerts because it’s not just a concert created for them, but by them.

Within the span of a decade two very substantial communities now have a visceral and real connection to an orchestra and the music it performs. During the 2017-18 season the Las Vegas Philharmonic will perform a concert titled “Copland in Mexico.” Like so many creative artists in the ‘30s and ‘40s – decades of Depression and world war – Aaron Copland became a populist, intent upon reaching the largest possible audience, and committed to social and political change. It was for this “new audience” that he composed such vibrant, tuneful scores as “Rodeo,” “Billy the Kid” and “Appalachian Spring.” In Copland’s case, the search for a new audience was specifically inspired by a trip to Mexico in 32. From this visit, El Salon Mexico, was conceived and will be performed on this program. We will use Copland’s discovery of Mexico as a starting point for discovering the master Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, and will perform his symphonic masterpiece “Sensemaya,” as well as screen the seminal film, “Redes,” with the LVP performing Revueltas’s beautiful score. There will also be ancillary events before and after the concert, as well as seminars at UNLV and the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, both of which have a substantial Hispanic student population. Las Vegas’ cultural mosaic is more diverse than it has ever been. And, for me, I see this as an incredible opportunity, rather than a hurdle. The rich tapestry of art these cultures bring with them is reason enough for us to celebrate that they are now our neighbors. www.davidlv.com | 45

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Eternal Varanasi Blindingly Colorful, Deafeningly Noisy, and Unrelentingly Chaotic this City on the Banks of the Ganges Belongs on Any World Travelers Itinerary. Story and Photographs By Ruth Broyde Sharone

f you’re a Westerner, the clock stops here in Varanasi, India, the oldest inhabited city on Earth. What arises is a sense of awe. Even for a Jewish traveler, who has been to Israel and marveled at the history and longevity of the Holy Land, Varanasi is in a category of its own. “ e’ll reach our hotel in five minutes,” the tour guide reassures our group for the fourth time in an hour. We look out the windows and contemplate the di ying traffic am on all sides. The bulging streets of Varanasi are a thicket of cars, vendors, bicycle rickshaws, motor-scooters transporting mothers and fathers – often with three children sandwiched in between – fearless pedestrians, ambling cows and barking dogs. And moving timelessly through it all – no matter their status or caste – are the women and young girls who appear on the horizon like exotic princesses in brightcolored, mirror-embellished saris of vermilion, fuchsia, aquamarine, marigold, emerald and turquoise. “Five more minutes,” the tour guide promises again. Some passengers on the bus fret and fidget, as others smile and assume their “Oh, yeah, I’ve heard that before” expressions. Meanwhile, the bus driver good-naturedly pumps his horn in sharp, melodious blasts, adding to the cacophony of horns, bells and beeps of an allegro con gusto Varanasi street concert. An English friend of mine who visited Africa for the first time more than 30 years ago recalled something unforgettable, the “sound” of the profound silence rising at night from the vast savanna of Zimbabwe, expanding as if to encompass the world – with only an occasional sigh of wind rustling the golden carpet of wheat. “I could stand for hours listening to that silence,”

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A Pandit (Hindu wise man, teacher) in the Ghats. www.davidlv.com | 47

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Sacred cows en oy their leisure in the narrow streets of Varanasi, where for thousands of years people have provided them food.

he said, his voice filled with awe. “It was palpable until then I never knew what silence sounded like.” In India one is assaulted by ear-splitting noises from chaotic, multilayered, over-populated cities that never seem to sleep. Any silence you might experience here must come from within. ou can choose to be irritated by the constant hubbub, or you can elect to abandon yourself to a time-free state of mind. Try watching the ubiquitous cows as they meander gracefully through the tumultuous thoroughfares of old Varanasi. As the spirit moves them, they casually enter the narrow, crooked streets that have been here for millennia, to forage through the food generously provided in a thousand doorways. atch as they sit tranquilly on their sacred haunches, oblivious to the ruckus of the rickshaws, motor scooters, pedestrians, bikes and hawkers. They have what New Age gurus might refer to as “an inner calm.” erhaps they are simply content to be what they are sacred cows. In Varanasi, the land of Lord Shiva and home to thousands of Hindu shrines, music and color seem inseparable from religious devotion. Orange-red flames from the crematoria on the banks of the Ganges lick

the sky day and night, while men dressed in white loincloths, with shaven heads, mourn the dead with their ardent chants, to ease the soul’s passage into the next world. Every morning you are awakened and every night you are lulled to sleep by the thrum of drumming and chanting. The beating drums are a constant undertone to life in Varanasi, like liquid music running through your veins. At dawn and at dusk, 3 5 days a year, in the central Ghats stairways along the Ganges, monks in persimmon robes and their white-clad novitiates ring bells, chant Vedas and swing pyramid lanterns. Endless groups of pilgrims, cameras in tow, pile into rowboats and motorboats that ourney caravan-like into the middle of the sacred river to witness the daily rituals. In their open palms the pilgrims cradle leaf bowls with one small candle encircled by crimson, marigold and snow-white flower-petals. The pilgrims make a wish and then, ever so gently, release their candle and velvet petal offerings into the deep watery belly of the Mother Ganga, as it is called here. Some nights, during the religious ceremonies, fireworks will pepper the sky with sparking gold, red and green patterns that then explode into millions of tiny lights, like fireflies cascading down from the heavens, only

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Musicians from Japan & India perform at Asi Ghat, a popular artistic and cultural meeting place near the Ganges

to be swallowed up by the waiting Mother. Or you can track the orange moon waxing or waning and gaze at the shimmering orange, gold and green reflections on the water made by the hotels, guesthouses and shrines along the shoreline. The persistent boat vendors selling religious relics and trinkets will invariably bump up against your rowboat and thrust their wares under your nose. And prepare to be pursued in your rowboat by black, sinewy columns of mosquitoes, swarming, circling and then descending for the feed in syncopation with the drums. There is no escape. The bothersome mosquitoes must be accepted as an intimate part of the night’s rituals. Not to worry. The Mother Ganges is always comfortingly nearby — along with the rituals and chants, the colorful shrines and temples, the burning corpses and stacks of wood piled to the sky, the wandering sadhus and turbaned seers willing to give you a face reading for 500 rupees ($7.50). Also ubiquitous are hundreds of fliers and posters for concerts; tabla, sitar and flute lessons; yoga and art classes; and even impromptu watercolor exhibits set up by young, hungry student artists on the steps of the Ghats. Education in the arts and religion is equally valued here – undoubtedly the reason Varanasi is known as “the city of burning and learning.”

Take, for example, the Bhadri Kali guesthouse near the Dashaswamed Ghat. I chose the lodging online with my daughter Leora. We were attracted to the colorful flower mural in its entryway and the view of the Ganges from its rooftop. Music, we discovered, like the exuberant colors of the interior walls and corridors of their guesthouse, is central to the lives of our hosts, the Tripathis brothers (both drummers). Vikas Tripathi lives most of the year in Spain with his wife and two children. He manages six bands there. But he comes back to Varanasi faithfully for several months each year to help his family manage the guesthouse. His younger brother Raavi, a virtuoso drummer frequently invited to perform with musical groups in Israel, is an expert on four instruments. He likes to sit on the cajon, a wooden drum from Spain that looks like a crate, and play with both his hands and feet, alternating with the dunbeck (a drum that comes from Turkey and is popular in Israel), the tabla, (the drum native to India) and the djembe, an African drum. Raavi is also the founder of a modest art school for poor children in Varanasi, he opened it eight years ago and now teaches some 40 students. He says he feels privileged to watch them grow in their musical and artistic www.davidlv.com | 49

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Left: A devotee bathes in the Ganges. Above: The Ghats are filled with vibrantly colored Hindu shrines, a hallmark of the Varanasi landscape.

abilities. At the same time, he still struggles financially to keep it alive. He counts on the money he earns from his paying gigs and through sporadic contributions by generous foreigners and locals. Sometimes a donation will appear in the form of a 25-pound bag of rice – lunch for the children. Flirting with the idea of becoming a nonprofit or seeking an established NGO’s help to keep the school running, Raavi explains the complicated red tape inherent in the process, and the “under the table” offerings that may be required. “He calls it a “daunting situation,” but is hopeful he’ll find a solution. Dreams are not easily abandoned in Varanasi. Imagine how patient its Hindus have been for six centuries. They have watched their temples destroyed by multiple invaders who also hoped to obliterate the Hindus’ spirit and convert them to Islam or Christianity. But they never succeeded. The Hindus rebuilt their temples, and Varanasi continues to be the most dynamic center for Hindu worship in the world. If you are Jewish, of course, you cannot miss the similarities between the Hindus’ talent for survival and our own – considering how many attempts have been made over 3,500 years to destroy the Jewish people. Like the Hindus, we too are still here, and we can point to modern-day Israel as a place where we continue to honor and revivify our ancient culture and traditions. I mention this to Vikas and Raavi and their sister, a talented henna artist. They nod in understanding and note that their parents feel a profound spiritual connection to the ancient part of Varanasi, one that cannot be

ignored. The three children have tried many times to persuade their mother and father to sell another larger guesthouse they own near the Ganges and move to a more modern, spacious house in the newer part of the city, about an hour’s drive away. But their mother won’t budge. She can’t bear to part from the Ganges and what the Mother represents to Hindus. The cows also seem to prefer old Varanasi. And who can blame them? They have an adoring cadre of local residents who will always make sure they have enough food and space to rest. In fact, one of the merchant shops in old Varanasi is famous for allowing a black bull to come daily and rest in the middle of the store during the hottest part of the day. Vikas is delighted when my daughter volunteers to paint a mural at their guesthouse to capture the relationship between Varanasi’s fiery sun, the funeral pyres and the cool blue of the Ganges. Leora spends the entire last night of our stay on the landing leading up to the second floor, paintbrush in hand. The Varanasi drums accompany her from dusk until dawn, when she finishes. Centuries pass. The cycle of souls continues as the crematoria send up their orange-red flames. Artists and religious pilgrims of all backgrounds – Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Christian, Jewish and more – come from far and wide. They return again and again to drink from the music, art, and spiritual wells that never run dry. Here in Varanasi, the oldest city on Earth, time stands still, as Mother Ganga sees, embraces and forgives all. www.davidlv.com | 51

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Rock music impresario Bill Graham photographed in his San Francisco office. Nov.

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2. hoto by Tom Strickland.

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Impresario

Extraordinaire The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia Presents a Retrospective Honoring the Life and Times of Legendary Rock Promoter Bill Graham. By Jaq Greenspon

ithout knowing it, legendary concert promoter Bill Graham gave me the best 18th birthday present ever. And, yeah, that’s kind of how you have to refer to him: legendary concert promoter. That’s what he was. He was the impresario extraordinaire responsible for making San Francisco the “must be” destination on every band’s itinerary in the ‘60s. You might even say if it weren’t for him, Haight and Ashbury would mean no more than Valley View and Spring Mountain. Interesting, then, that the man largely responsible for the West Coast counterculture was himself an orphan and war refugee, who may have done everything he did ust trying to find his own place in the universe. Now, that “place” that Graham carved out for himself is in residency at the National Museum of American Jewish History. Bill Graham and the Rock and Roll Revolution originally was organized and staged last year by the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. According to the museum, the exhibit “explores the momentous cultural transformations of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s through the lens of rock & roll.” It features iconic rock memorabilia from the various bands linked to Graham, who served as adviser, promoter and even mentor to many of the greats. Sure, it’s cool to see Janis Joplin’s tambourine, or intimate photos of Graham with world famous musicians. But what makes the show remarkable is the way it demonstrates how

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Left Janis Joplin’s velvet top, bell-bottoms, feather boa, and leather bag, ca. Cotton velvet, linen, feathers, embroidered leather. Courtesy of EM Museum, Seattle, A. Above Right Fender Stratocaster fragment smashed by Jimi Hendrix at the Royal Albert Hall, London on February 2 , . Bottom Right Boots worn by eith Richards of the Rolling Stones during Tattoo ou tour 0, presented to Bill Graham in 2. Leather, duct tape. From the collection of David and Alex Graham. All photos by Robert edemeyer.

a Jewish German child became the fulfillment of the 0s version of the American Dream, one he helped design. To say Graham was a self-made man makes light of the phrase. Born in Berlin on Jan. , 3 , Elvis and David Bowie also were born on Jan. , the infant known as olfgang olodia Gra onca faced the immediate prospect of future heartache. His parents, Jacob and Frieda, had immigrated to Germany to escape the Russian pogroms of the early 20th century. In a country drowning in inflation, he must have felt a bit of pride to have brought a son into the world to go with three daughters. In two days, Jacob would be dead, succumbing to a blood infection. olfgang’s early years would be spent in the company of his mother and sisters Son a, Ester and Tanya, whom everyone called “Tolla.” But the relative safety that Jacob must have presumed he had secured for his infant son was short-lived. By late January 33, then 2-year-old olfgang’s family would be around for the appointment of Adolf Hitler as chancellor of Germany. It would be five more years before Frieda reali ed that drastic measures were needed to keep her children safe from Na i Germany’s anti-Semitism. As it did for a multitude of Jews throughout Germany, the evening and overnight of Nov. - 0, 3 , changed everything. ristallnacht, “The Night of Breaking Glass,” was the turning point for the Gra onca family. After the

countrywide rampage that targeted Jewish businesses, buildings and synagogues, Frieda understood that if her youngest children were to survive they needed to be as far from Berlin as possible. Tolla, three years older than olfgang, was sent with her brother to a children’s home in France. The boy who would some day take the name Bill Graham never saw his mother again. ears later, he would learn that she and Ester were sent to Auschwit . But Frieda never made it to the infamous concentration camp in oland she was gassed in the train before it got there. olfgang’s hope, and the presence of his older sister, kept him alive in France through , when the Germans invaded. nowing the youngsters’ lives were imperiled, a Red Cross worker took olfgang, Tolla and 2 other children on a harrowing ourney to avoid the Na is. In Lyon, Tolla contracted pneumonia and could not continue. oung olfgang was told “his sister had to stay behind in the hospital, but would oin them again once she recovered.” He never saw her again. olfgang and the others traced a path to safety familiar to anyone who’s seen Casablanca. From Lyon, they walked to Marseilles, then to a convent in Madrid, and on to Lisbon, where they boarded an ocean liner. They stopped in Casablanca and Dakar until finally undertaking a -day voyage across the -boat infested Atlantic. According to the biography from the Bill Graham Foundation, young olfgang was “Suffering from malnutri-

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Bill Graham, backstage at the Waldbuhne in Berlin, 1984, before the Bob Dylan concert. Photo by Patrick Downs

tion and rickets” when he arrived in New York on Sept. 24, 1941. Nearly 11, he weighed 55 pounds. He carried his yarmulke, a prayer book and some photos of his parents and sisters. Of 64 children who had set off from the French chateau three months earlier, 11 had made it to America. Wolfgang and the others were offered up like players on a schoolyard sports team. The Jewish Foster Home Bureau promised $48 a month to any family that would take a war orphan in. Wolfgang, who spoke fluent German and French, spent the next eight weekends dressed in his finest clothes, standing next to his meager possessions, and being passed over by English-only speakers. On the ninth such weekend, a family took him home to the Bronx. It didn’t take Wolfgang long to learn English, but his heavy German accent led to teasing, including playground taunts that he was a Nazi. By the time he was 18, he had entered the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War. No one could pronounce Grajonca, so the newly minted private opened a phone book and found the name Graham. It seemed close enough to his own that he could “wear” it comfortably. This feeling of alienation, of having to put on a mask to face the world, followed him the rest of his life. Robert Greenfield, Graham’s biographer, writes that “Bill basically was an actor. It was the great desire of his life to become one.” He actually even tried, for a while. After being discharged from the Army (with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart to his credit), he drifted. He worked

odd jobs and went to California briefly before returning to New York. In the city, he sought out acting gurus such as Uta Hagen and Lee Strasberg. He was cast in a few productions, but had trouble dealing with authority, just as he had in the Army, where he had been promoted to corporal only to be busted back to private for refusing to follow an order. “One of the great rejections and one of the great traumatic experiences of Graham’s life,” Greenfield writes, “was when he was forced to reali e that he could not deal with the rejection associated with the business of acting. He couldn’t take being passed over for parts that he thought he was right for, and therefore gave up acting.” He was pushing 30, but Graham still had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. He settled in San Francisco with his two surviving sisters (they had initially found refuge in Israel, only to immigrate later to the U.S.). He took on the same types of odd jobs he had worked before, but felt adrift – as if he’d never left the boat that brought him from Europe. He knew he wanted to be a force for change. Everything in life had prepared him to help where others couldn’t – or wouldn’t. But it wasn’t until November 1965 that he got his chance. He had managed to find a ob as business manager for the San Francisco Mime Troupe, a politically slanted theater company that happened to give an “obscene” performance in Lafayette Park. On Nov. 6, he organized www.davidlv.com | 55

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a fundraiser for the troupe’s legal defense. It featured poets Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Allen Ginsberg reading their works, alongside musicians Sandy Bull, The Fugs, John Handy and The Jefferson Airplane. The evening was a rousing success. Graham called it “by far the most significant evening of my life in the theater.” At last, he had found something he could do, something he was good at, something that might pay a living wage. That he was about to create The ‘60s, as we now refer to that period, was beside the point. A second benefit for the Mime Troupe at the Fillmore in San Francisco marked the end of his association with the theater company. But it signaled the start of a long association with the Fillmore, a run-down venue he would transform into the heart of the Hippie Movement. sing the dance permit of Charles Sullivan to ensure the Fillmore was legal, Graham put together shows that featured talent combinations that had never been seen on stage together. Nowhere else could you find Russian poet Andrei Voznesensky opening for The Jefferson Airplane, or Lenny Bruce on the bill with Frank appa’s The Mothers of Invention.

During his tenure with The Fillmore and (later the Fillmore East, a renovated movie theater in New York), Graham did whatever was needed. Having come from nothing, there was nothing he considered beneath him. He was “completely hands-on,” according to his biography, booking shows, taking tickets and cleaning the bathroom during intermissions. Graham “made the Fillmore a safe haven, where kids could experience the music they loved without getting busted. The Fillmore was Bill’s house. So long as you paid for a ticket, Bill treated you like an honored guest. And even when they drove him crazy, he treated his musicians like artists.” Starting the careers of Carlos Santana and Janis Joplin, or bringing black artists to white audiences for the first time, or even producing the large stadium tours of George Harrison and The Rolling Stones, wasn’t enough for Graham. In 1975, he opened Winterland Productions (named for the 5,000-seat Winterland Arena that Graham also ran). And he singlehandedly created the market for concert merchandise, with artists also getting a cut. He may have been exhausted, but he was figuratively on top of the world.

Graham also discovered in 1975 that budget cuts were about to end extracurricular activities in San Francisco’s public schools. He saw an opportunity again to make a difference. He staged SNACK (San Francisco Needs Athletics, Culture and Kicks). By the time the last person had exited Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park, 50,000 fans had seen The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and The Band, and the Doobie Brothers. They had also heard Marlon Brando and San Francisco Giants immortal illie Mays speak (among many others). The event raised enough money to fund afterschool programs for a year. That same year Graham paid for Chabad’s 22-foot-high “Mama Menorah” in San Francisco. It marked the first time a giant public menorah had been erected outside of Jerusalem. To this day, the Bill Graham Menorah ro ect, operated by ChabadSF, continues this work. And Bill Graham Menorah Day is commemorated every year on the first Sunday of Channukah. From then on, life at Masada his Marin County home was a whirlwind.

He acted a small role in the film Bugsy and managed and produced rock n’ roll events. But he always found time for huge charity shows. On the last day of his life, Oct. 25, 1991, he was setting up a relief concert to aid the victims of the Oakland fire that had occurred a few days prior. He had arranged to have Huey Lewis and the News perform and was headed home in a helicopter when bad weather forced the aircraft into a power line. He was 60. Graham left two legacies, by Greenfield’s account He took an “illegitimate” art form and legitimized it. And he “raised more money for good charitable causes through rock ‘n’ roll than any other man who will ever live. He was obsessed with the need to do benefits, and he was obsessed with the need for rock ‘n’ roll and the business of music to have some kind of social and political conscience.” Oh, about that present I mentioned. Graham produced Live Aid, the largest charity concert ever, raising more than $45 million for famine relief in Africa. It happened on July 13, 1985 – my 18th birthday.

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Grill

Cody Miller

The Local Swimmer Who Took Home Gold & Bronze Medals From the 2016 Rio Olympics

By Marisa Finetti

looked around the massive arena as the American flag was being raised into the air. We were enjoying

It took 48 years for the Sandpipers of Nevada to see one of its alums on the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. Cody Miller joined when he was 9. Over the years he moved up the ranks, and eventually went off to Indiana University. By the time the Games were over, the Las Vegan had collected a bronze medal and American record in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke competition, and taken home a gold along with fellow 4x100 medley relay members Ryan Murphy, Michael Phelps and Nathan Adrian. The foursome set U.S. and Olympic records in the process. Recently, DAVID sat down with Miller to talk about his early years with the Sandpipers, and what he learned in Brazil.

DAVID: Tell us about your early years in Las

the moment and remembering the thousands of hours and years of hard work that went into making that moment possible. Never forget where you came from, or how you got there. That’s the important thing.

DAVID:

hat are your plans now?

MILLER: Well, I’m planning to continue swimming. I’d love to go another four years. But we’re going to take it one season at a time. One year at a time. That’s all you can do. As for other things, I’m getting married next September. My fianc e and I are planning our Harry otter-themed engagement photos right now. We’re really excited about it; we’re super nerds. It’s going to be

Vegas.

awesome. We also had a small litter of puppies a

MILLER: I grew up swimming for the Sandpipers

few months back. We’ve talked about doing that

of Nevada, under coaches Ron Aitken and Chris Barber. They were both really big inspirations. They both were father figures as I was raised by a single mom.

again, but I don’t know yet. It’s a lot of work! We

DAVID: Why did you choose swimming?

DAVID: What do you like to do when you’re not

MILLER: I actually started swimming because my

swimming?

mom doesn’t know how to swim. She put me in the water because she wanted me to be safe. She really doesn’t like that I keep telling people that

MILLER: When I’m not swimming I go to a lot of

DAVID: Any tips for the younger swimmers and

I also play Xbox, walk my dogs, hang out with my

athletes out there looking to you for inspiration?

friends, normal stuff.

MILLER: I’d say two things: No. 1, set goals. No

DAVID: If you could have dinner with anyone

matter what you’re doing — school, sports, anything — always have goals. Always have something you’re working toward. That will keep you focused and grounded. No. 2, no matter what you’re doing, make sure to have fun. Lots of fun. I’m an Olympic gold medalist. But for many years the only reason I swam was because I had fun doing it. I had lots of friends at the pool. I enjoyed spending my days like that. ou need to en oy yourself.

(dead or alive) who would it be and why?

DAVID: Were there any interesting anecdotes or life lessons you gleaned in Rio that might benefit other athletes?

MILLER: One of the biggest lessons I learned from Rio was to appreciate the moment and never forget where you came from or how you got there. I remember standing on the pool deck with my coach, watching the medal ceremony for one of my training partners. She was crying — she was so happy she was crying — and then I got superemotional, and my coach got super-emotional. In that moment, my coach and I just sat back and

have two white Pomeranians. A boy named Lego (3 pounds) and a girl named Puff (9 pounds). Aside from that, I’m enjoying some time off!

movies. I’m a huge movie fan. And that’s one thing my fianc e and I bond over.

e see lots of movies.

MILLER: It would be Ben Affleck. I’m a huge fan. That guy is an inspiration. I’m a huge movie buff, can’t emphasize that enough.

DAVID: If you only had one person in the world to thank, who would it be?

MILLER: The most important person in the world I need to thank is my mom. She was my biggest inspiration growing up. Without her, I wouldn’t have any of the awards. She taught me how to work hard at a young age.

DAVID: Assuming that winning a gold medal was at the top of your list, what’s your No. 2 dream goal?

MILLER: I’m not exactly sure what’s next for me after swimming. I enjoy coaching. I also really like traveling and giving motivational speeches. Who knows what I’ll do. But the next big thing is to finish planning my wedding

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UNITED FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT BREAST CANCER

Anne Larson

Diagnosis: Breast Cancer

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