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70 THIS ISSUE LAKE LAS VEGAS
09 // SEVEN QUESTIONS: JOSEPH TRAVAGLIO 11 // MARSSA UNVEILS NEW MENU & DÉCOR 11 // PICKLEBALL INTEREST GROWS AT LLV 13 // COMMUNITY RECAP 15 // LLV PROFILE: JONATHAN & KEMA OGDEN 17 // WOODSIDE HOMES DEBUTS NEW COMMUNITY 70 // WELCOME TO WATER’S EDGE
ENTERTAINMENT
32 // THE EPITOME OF YOUNG AT (ROXIE) HART 34 // LEGACY OF A HOLLYWOOD PIONEER 36 // MICHAEL BUBLÉ LEANS IN WITH LOVE 42 // FROM THE SET: NICOLE KIDMAN 45 // RAMI MALEK AND THE CAST OF BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY 49 // COREY BROOKS: REALITY TV MAN-OF-THE-HOUR 52 // BACHELORETTE ALUM BRYAN ABASOLO 56 // THE EMPATHY SUITE 78 // THE (SONG) BOOK OF GENESIS JONES
FINER LIVING
20 // SOUTHSHORE COUNTRY CLUB ESTATE LIVING 23 // FULL STEAM AHEAD TOWARD RELAXATION 25 // BYE-BYE BASIC, HELLO BOUTIQUE 65 // WHEN IT COMES TO EGG FREEZING... 67 // PLANNING YOUR FUTURE 78 // TAYLOR DAYNE TELLS IT TO OUR HEARTS 79 // TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME
SPRING / SUMMER 2019
SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH JOSEPH TRAVAGLIO, SOUTHSHORE COUNTRY CLUB GENERAL MANAGER & COO – By Andy Gil
How long have you been involved in golf? JT: I’ve been in private clubs for the last 24 years as a Club Management Association of America member and as a certified club manager, which [comprises] the top 10 percent in our field. Tell me about SouthShore. JT: SouthShore is a very unique property. It was recently taken over within the last year by a group of approximately 10 members with a goal in mind of making SouthShore one of the top private clubs within the Southwest. Where are you from? How long have you been at Lake Las Vegas?JT: I have been here for approximately 11 months. I come from “Chi-beria”— a recent term I heard—which is also known as Chicago. As you can imagine, when it’s 50 degrees here, I’m pretty happy. Were you a frequent visitor to Las Vegas before you came here? JT: I was not. My last trip to Las Vegas was about 30 years ago. My wife had this impression of Las Vegas as [only being] a desert and The Strip. We were pleasantly surprised with Lake Las Vegas. Coming from Chicago, one of the things that resonated with us at Lake Las Vegas is the sense of arrival. The waterfall and the greenery were key things for us. Lake Las Vegas is reminiscent of a lot of other resort areas that we’ve visited, and we’re extremely happy to call it home now.
What’s it like to have another Jack Nicklaus-designed course a lake away? JT: That’s another unique interest. One of the things with Eric Dutt, director of golf operations, across the lake at Reflection Bay is with two signature golf courses in close proximity, we’re looking to make Lake Las Vegas a true golf destination. Between The Westin and The Hilton and the two golf courses—especially with SouthShore being ranked No. 4 in Nevada as well as Reflection Bay having similar accreditations—it is a great stay-and-play opportunity. Where do you live now? JT: We’re in the process of taking advantage of one of the new building sites. We’re building a home in Lake Las Vegas, which we’re extremely excited about. Where do you see SouthShore in one year from now?JT: We believe we’re at the top of our game. We made great strides within the last year. Part of it was a strategic plan which resulted in us becoming one of the top clubs in the Southwest. With that, we’re really focused on the overall experience. We recently partnered with the Sports Club to offer a SouthShore sports social that allows you to enjoy three premier clubs. It’s very unique to have this type of setting and amenities—with everything from a beach to kayaking to canoeing—alongside two prestigious golf courses and top-notch workout facilities.
Deluxe Version Magazine | 9
MARSSA
UNVEILS NEW MENU ITEMS & INTERIOR DÉCOR – By Stacy D’Alessandro
A mix of extraordinary food and enchanting
ambiance craft the recipe that makes Marssa Steak & Sushi restaurant at Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa one of the most acclaimed dining spots in Southern Nevada. With a refreshed interior and several new menu items, Marssa delivers an exceptional dining experience that celebrates its steakhousemeets-Asian approach to fine dining. Under the direction of Chef Wai Phyo Aung, Marssa’s menu pays homage to traditional Japanese cuisine with European and Southeast Asian influences. “I want to take our guests on a culinary adventure and introduce them to new flavors and colorful combinations that will entice their taste buds,” says Aung. Aung spent several years honing his culinary talents in Japan before coming to the United States in 2000. Since then, he has worked for several Las Vegas Strip hotel-casinos and joined Marssa in September 2018.Shortly after arriving, Aung introduced several new dishes to the menu that have become guest favorites.On the steakhouse menu, highlights include Misoyaki Butter Fish, Bone Marrow and Wagyu Rib Eye, and Bone Marrow Beef Kabob. Additional selections include the Honey Walnut Shrimp and the Wagyu Beef Salad. On the sushi side, Aung rolled out several new options including the Cowboy Up roll with snow crab, tempura shrimp, kampyo aburi wagyu beef, truffle ponzu, and eel sauce. Additionally, the Roppongi roll with tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, cucumber hamachi, kanpachi, salmon, and a signature sauce has been added to the menu along with Dynamite Scallops and Sashimi Salad. On the décor front, the restaurant exudes a
modern and sleek appearance with muted grey subway tile walls surrounding an open showcase kitchen. Custom designed S-shaped beaded light pendants float above the dining room, and a mix of taupe leather arm chairs and elegant blue banquette seating offers a relaxed dining environment. “Marssa is the jewel in the crown of a beautiful lakeside dining destination,” says Bob Reppin, director of food and beverage for the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa.“ The views of Lake Las Vegas and the mountains are spectacular and visible through expansive floor to ceiling arched windows.” Wa‑Sake Time, Marssa’s fresh new take on a traditional happy hour, features unique plates, 35 Japanese whiskies, flight program, and 15 types of Japanese sake. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Marssa is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5-9:30 p.m. To make reservations, visit www.opentable.com.
PICKLEBALL INTEREST GROWS AT LAKE LAS VEGAS – By Stacy D’Alessandro
While pickleball might be unfamiliar to some,
the paddle sport takes center court at Lake Las Vegas. On any given morning, players are at the Sports Club for two to three hours honing their skills for the game, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Allan Sushak, a Lake Las Vegas resident, says he plays up to four mornings and two afternoons a week when he is not working as a pilot for Southwest Airlines. “Playing pickleball is like being a kid again, and anyone can be pretty good in a short period of time,” adds Sushak. The modest physical requirements of the game are what draw many people to the
sport, according to Angela Burton-Rozovics, a pickleball ambassador for the USA Pickleball Association. Burton-Rozovics works alongside Pickleball Ambassador Debby Dempsey to promote the sport and seek out new players. “Pickleball is easier on your body and has less impact than a sport like tennis,” says BurtonRozovics. “It’s also an easy game to learn and is not gender- or age-specific.”The thriving pickleball community at Lake Las Vegas has grown to surpass 150 players, and the Sports Club now has six pickleball courts. The badminton-sized courts feature a net set to a height of 34 inches at the center. Open play takes place Wednesdays and Sundays from 2-5 p.m. in the winter, and from 7-10 p.m. during the summer. The six pickleball courts give the Sports Club the ability to host annual tournaments such as the Nevada Senior Games and the Shamrock Games. According to Dann Battistone, Lake Las Vegas Sports Club general manager and former professional tennis player who ranked in the top 100s in the world in doubles, the resort lifestyle, combined with the amenities of the Sports Club, makes living in Lake Las Vegas a win-win on many levels. “The Sports Club is a central gathering place, and pickleball enables friends to come together on a regular basis and play a game they enjoy,” says Battistone. For Judy Wroe, Lake Las Vegas resident and avid pickleball player, her move to Lake Las Vegas was because of its active Pickleball community. “I checked out pickleball at Lake Las Vegas and was hooked,” said Wroe, who moved to Lake Las Vegas in October 2018 with her husband. “I liked the crowd and wanted a place to live in the winter. I play pickleball twice a week.” For more information about pickleball visit www.llvsportsclub. com or call 702-568-1963.
Deluxe Version Magazine | 11
Events Calendar LAKE LAS VEGAS JUNE 1 MONTELAGO BEERFEST AT THE VILLAGE JUNE 8 SEASONS GROCERY & DELI BIRTHDAY BASH ALONG WITH THE UNVEILING OF “SEASONS REASONS!” YOUR SHOPPER LOYALTY REWARDS PROGRAM. GIVING YOU JUST ANOTHER REASON TO SHOP AT SEASONS. JULY 5 SUMMER FIREWORKS SERIES CONTINUES WITH INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND CELEBRATIONS AUGUST 3 THE IHEART COUNTRY BY THE COVE CONCERT FROM REFLECTION BAY CONTINUES SEPTEMBER 1 SUMMER FIREWORKS SEASON FINALE WITH A MARGARITA FESTIVAL IT ALL HAPPENS LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2019 EVERY TUESDAY TACO TUESDAY AT SONRISA GRILL IN THE VILLAGE FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS LAKESIDE MUSIC EVENING CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY LIVE ACOUSTIC AT THE PUB IN THE VILLAGE
IT’S TIME TO #VISITLIVELOVE LAKE LAS VEGAS.
Genesis Of Henderson Presents Lake Las Vegas Days & The Lake Las Vegas Birthday Wine & Food Festival Featuring Fireworks & Frankie Moreno. - Photos Courtesy Of Ana Studios Photography
Deluxe Version Magazine | 13
Lake Las Vegas Profile:
JONATHAN & KEMA OGDEN
CREATE BLUEPRINT FOR HENDERSON LIVING AND PHILANTHROPY FOR NFL – By Tony Cordasco
Jonathan
for over 20 years while he played and we are still actively
Proud of his accomplishments, during a recent photo shoot, Ogden (and his 6-9 frame!) took the lead in organizing memorabilia from his days in the league. His helmets and a replica Canton bust were framed for the shot as a visual representation of all he contributed to the league and his fans.
The Ogden Family Foundation works with homeless and atrisk children in the Las Vegas community. “All of our money from our event goes to the programs. It’s 100-percent into the programs,” Kema adds.
Ogden cherishes his time spent playing professional football. Since finishing his NFL career as left tackle, he’s been considered one of the best NFL offensive linemen of all time, and it earned him his way into Canton and the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Ogden has resided in Henderson for about 20 years. He and his wife Kema, who grew up in Las Vegas, are as proud to be a part of the Southern Nevada community as Jonathan is about his NFL hardware. “It’s a great place. I am not going to move anywhere,” says the former Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman. “When I was coming out my first year in the NFL…[I’d] been to pretty much every state in the Union. As far as just the lifestyle, the people, the way things happen around here, it seemed to fit for me. I couldn’t have been happier moving here in 1999.” Jonathan and Kema Ogden are the definitive power couple, and hard work and determination has led to their success. Kema, a successful businesswoman, decided a while ago that she and Jonathan wanted to give back to the Las Vegas community, so they started the Ogden Family Foundation. “We had a foundation in Baltimore
participating,” says Kema. “About 11 years ago, I decided to start the foundation here [in Southern Nevada], being that this is our home. This is the city that we live in every day. And we love that.”
Kema is speaking of the annual Ogden Foundation Fundraiser, which expanded this year as Kema and her team worked overtime to ensure its success. The celebrity bowling and golf weekend included a round at Reflection Bay on Saturday, May 4, along with sponsors. “This year we teamed up with the Lake Las Vegas Birthday Celebration,” says Kema. “We made our event a part of the Food and Wine Fest that night.” Some of the celebrities that are expected to attend this year include newcomers Reggie Bush (NFL), Anthony Anderson (comedian and star of ABC’s Blackish), Byron Scott (NBA), and entertainer Jin-Jin Reeves, plus a variety of returning celebs who have been re-invited: George Lopez (comedian), Ed Reed (NFL Hall of Famer), and more. “It’s always good to get everyone together,” adds Jonathan. “We have some really good people who want to help the community and the cause.”
Deluxe Version Magazine | 15
Woodside Homes
Debuts New Family Community In Lake Las Vegas – By Sarah Thornton
This Spring, Lake Las Vegas welcomes its newest neighborhood to the
community—Alta Fiore by Woodside Homes. Alta Fiore is Woodside’s first neighborhood in Lake Las Vegas, located near the intersection of Galleria Drive and Lake Las Vegas Parkway. Alta Fiore encompasses 138 home sites for its six two-story floor plans. Four models recently opened, showcasing Alta Fiore’s signature home designs. Among the model homes available for preview is the 2,131 square foot Rosetta plan. This home’s first floor includes a front courtyard with a covered porch, great room, dining room, half bath, open kitchen with a cooking island and walk-in pantry and two-bay garage. Upstairs, the home features a spacious master bedroom with private master bath and walk-in closet, two additional bedrooms, a second full bath and bonus room or optional fourth bedroom. The largest model home at Alta Fiore is the Rosabella plan, a 2,565 square foot home with up to five bedrooms, up to four baths, a bonus room, front courtyard and three bay garage. The largest home design offered in Alta Fiore, the Rosabella offers a first floor bedroom and full bath. It also includes walk-in closets in both upstairs secondary bedrooms and a large bonus room or optional fifth bedroom on the second floor.
“Alta Fiore is a superb addition to the new home offerings at Lake Las Vegas,” said Patrick Parker, president of Raintree Investment Corporation, Lake Las Vegas’ developer. “Home shoppers can choose from anything from a townhome or small single story residence to semi-custom and custom home sites.” Parker said Alta Fiore’s location is ideal for those who appreciate the amenities Lake Las Vegas has to offer its residents. “The neighborhood is right in the heart of our community,” he said. “It is directly across the street from our Lake Las Vegas fire station and an adjacent park. It’s also very close to Wetlands Park and Josh Stevens Elementary School, right down the street on Galleria Drive.” Alta Fiore residents will enjoy all of Lake Las Vegas’ amenities including miles of walking trails, the Lake Las Vegas Sports Club, water sports, award-winning golf courses and facilities, dozens of dining and shopping options and a community unlike any other in Southern Nevada. For more information, stop by the Alta Fiore sales office at 23 Flora Sagio Avenue or call the sales office at 702-279-6734.
Deluxe Version Magazine | 17
LAKE LAS VEGAS
SouthShore Country Club Estate Living – Featured By ACD Properties Welcome home to the exclusive community of SouthShore Country
Club. Stylish accents and modern appeal adorn the incredible open floorplan of this recently renovated estate home.The private courtyard with detached casita plays perfect host to overnight guests or working from home. A dramatic sweeping staircase welcomes you inside to luxurious finishes and elevated style.
Prepare your culinary favorites in your chef’s kitchen, complete with stainless steel appliances, double ovens, a massive center island with professional cooktop, adjacent desk area, walk in pantry and too many more treats to mention. Wake up and wind down to a canvas of color with the expansive mountain and panoramic lake views at this estate home! A Lake Las Vegas Sports Club membership is included.
12 VIA POTENZA COURT 5,039 sq. ft | 5 Bed | 6 Bath | Balcony | Detached Courtyard Casita | 3 Car Garage Pool & Spa w/Outdoor Fire Pit | Sweeping Mountain & Lake Views 20 | Deluxe Version Magazine
Annette Daskalos: Broker
THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE
IT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD TOWARD
RELAXATION AT A TOUCH OF LAS VEGAS SPA – By Stacey Gualandi
At the end of a frenzy-filled work week, there is nothing more satisfying
than slipping into a spa for a soul-inspiring sweat, soak and steam...and that’s just what my girlfriend and I got when we ventured into A Touch of LV Spa, billed as a “sanctuary for the senses.” Picture, if you will, access to your own sauna, steam bath and hot tub for two in a private spa room (emphasis on “private”). Gone are the communal rituals of your typical spa experience, and that’s just what owner Anton Van Happen says makes A Touch of LV Spa an appealing alternative: No more invasion of your “me time.” “Everything these days is tailored to privacy,” says Van Happen. “That’s why you have Uber. That’s why you have food delivery. In every industry, you have to change or revolutionize, otherwise you’re kind of left behind.” The Hong Kong native grew up the son of an entrepreneur in a family fashion business. After racing (Formula) cars and flipping houses, his attention turned to wellness due to a history of shoulder pain. Inspired by a Palo Alto spa concept, he opened this luxury location a mere five minutes from the Las Vegas Strip last year after a massive renovation. From massages and facials to scrubs and wraps, he says expect to get more for less.
“My number one goal: Come for a lower price, but not for a lower quality.” This sharp thirty-something has the energy and passion to spread A Touch of LV beyond Las Vegas (he plans to open in California), but says you have to love what you’re doing to find success. “I feel like a lot of people that want to be in business do it because they see other people’s success,” says the veteran entrepreneur. “That’s not the reason to get into business. Before that success even comes, it’s [about] hard work and banging against a bunch of walls all day long.” Well, if you need a place to relax, I know the perfect spa....
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Deluxe Version
FINER CHOICE
BYE-BYE BASIC, HELLO BOUTIQUE:
LA LASER HAIR REMOVAL PUTS CUSTOMERS AT THE CENTER OF THE EXPERIENCE –By Jen Chase
When Amber Reyes was considering opening a hair removal spa 5 years ago, offices like that were a-plenty across the Las Vegas Valley…but they weren’t the kind she knew she could run.
With chains fueled by a corporate culture she found cool and impersonal considering the very personal nature of our tolerance for body hair (or lackthereof, as is more the case), Reyes’ own background working for a big-box brand drove her desire to offer Las Vegas something very different. Starting with one machine in a one-room treatment office, Reyes opened LA Laser, which since 2014 has grown to accommodate a staff of 10 and a clientele that appreciates her passion for improving their self esteem. “Amber felt like Las Vegas needed a boutique-style laser spa where clients could feel cared for, and not just like a sale,” says Paulina Salinas, director of marketing for LA Laser. “She wanted an environment that was friendly and welcoming. This is why LA Laser is a boutique spa that caters to clients’ needs, individually, and treats everyone like family.” …And a smooth, glowing, younger-looking family, at that. Reyes’ spa has become known for a few signature services that are designed to
help raise confidence by boosting collagen, obliterating blemishes and banishing unwanted hair in unwanted places. Salinas says client faves include the Skin Tightening Treatment, which uses lasers to promote collagen production and fill in fine lines to revive the luminosity that everyday life drains from our skin, and the Acne Laser Facial…known for an “extremely thorough extraction process” that deeply cleanses and resets pimple-prone skin. (That treatment gets finished off with a round of laser that has healing properties and kills bacteria, too.) For folks needing straight-up hair removal, there’s the boutique’s unique $99/Month Unlimited Hair Removal Program, a membership tailored to each client’s needs. According to Salinas, one of the most popular bodypart combos people choose to have lasered is the face-neck-underarm plus a Brazilian-style bikini treatment. “The areas can [also] be switched up…giving you the flexibility that other spas don’t,” adds Salinas. It’s that kind of personalized attention to detail that sets Reyes’ LA Laser apart from the rest. “Every package is by design,” says Salinas of the boutique (which has a Hawaii outpost that Reyes co-owns with Shauna Barbosa). “Everything is custom designed, and we take pride in that. We want every client to feel comfortable and welcome…and proud to be a part of LA Laser.” For more information, please visit www.lalaserhairremoval.com or call (702) 994-1900.
Deluxe Version Magazine | 25
IN ‘CHICAGO’ (AND LIFE)
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY IS THE EPITOME OF YOUNG AT (ROXIE) HART – By Stacey Gualandi BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND. For 65-year-old Christie Brinkley, those four words are music to her ears. The legendary supermodel returned to the role of murderesswith-moxie Roxie Hart, the iconic character in America’s longest-running Broadway musical, Chicago. The Tony-winning hit is currently on a national tour starring the Sports Illustrated swimsuit icon, and made a stop April 10-14 at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas for a seven-show engagement. “When I got the request to do it, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I just have to do this. I love it,”says Brinkley. Brinkley first stepped into Roxie’s tap shoes and tights 8 years ago and continued off and on for 2 years to critical acclaim. She said her final farewell in 2013…so it was a big surprise when she got a text from her favorite producer, Barry Weissler, asking if she would like to revisit the role. “I thought, ‘Let me just check the date on this! Ha!’” admits Brinkley, who wondered if her phone had accidentally re-sent an old text from back when Weissler first approached her. I recently met with the actress and singer at The Dorsey lounge at the Venetian, where she had just caught a glimpse of her famous face on the hotel’s marquis…something she still can’t comprehend 25 years after a helicopter crash nearly took her life. “A 20-year-old Christie came [to Las Vegas] once, and I remember looking at all of this and thinking, ‘Wow, wow, wow,’ she says. “This is like...just unbelievable. I never, ever would’ve thought I would be up there. No, never. I’m still asking, ‘Can I sing and dance?’ And they’re trying to convince me that I can.” That said, don’t expect Brinkley to burst into a booming Broadway bravado and all that other jazz: This devoted mother of three says she loves telling a story. “Roxie is talking to you, and occasionally she hits the notes; but I’m trying to convey what she’s feeling and what’s happening and moving it forward. Much like Rex Harrison [in My Fair Lady].” Following Las Vegas, the record-breaking CoverGirl was back-on-the-boards for a limited 4-week engagement on Broadway, all while balancing her Christie Brinkley Beauty and Bellissima Prosecco brands with ˆChicago
32 | Deluxe Version Magazine
workouts and dress rehearsals. Brinkley says she has no plans to retire, let alone take a “vacation”...though she did “take five” to talk to me. “And a five-six-seven-eight….”
1
DELUXE VERSION MAGAZINE: So…did you text back “yes” to Barry Weissler right away? CHRISTIE BRINKLEY: I thought, “Okay, before I answer, let me run to the gym. Let me just go for a run. Let me feel like if I can still do it and have the stamina.” I just wanted to make sure that I could do it, because…it’s been 6 years since I did the show. And then finally, I felt like, “Okay, I think I’ve got the stamina. I don’t remember that much, but I think I remember enough that I think we can do this.”
2
Do you feel like you are in the same space now as you were on your original run? I feel like I’m still discovering stuff about Roxie. My team that’s surrounding me right now, they are so passionate about the material. My stage manager director, David Hyslop, will say little things and I’ll go, “Wow, I never really noticed that.” Like, the show opens with Funny Honey, and it closes with Honey Rag. And from one scene I’m led off, and I’m, like, praying, and then some other scenes take place…but when you see me again, I’m still praying. And I’m putting together these things that I kind of hadn’t grasped the last time. I feel like I can sort of play around with her a little bit more.
3
You posted on Instagram the day you saw yourself on The Venetian Hotel marquis: “Pretty hard to squeeze my feelings about this in a sound bite..so I’ll just go ahead and post this without a comment, as my mind races over the many dreams and hopes and fears and disappointments and tears and successes and failures that brought me to this moment ... and maybe I can sum it up later…and maybe not, but that’s ok too.” Are you able to sum it up now? It was a real emotional moment. I was so shocked by that… nobody told me that I was on that billboard! And I came walking around the corner, and all of a
sudden, I went, “Whoa. Whoa.” What a winding road I have been on that has led me to this moment, where I’m looking up at a billboard on the Las Vegas Strip, and it’s me. And I realize that none of this would be happening if some of the worst things that have happened to me hadn’t happened. Some of that helped me to be strong, and so I was feeling all this stuff welling up in me of...I mean, I could like...I’m getting all emotional now, but I realized at that moment that whatever you’re going through, good or bad or whatever, it’s all going to make you who you are and help you in many ways that you don’t know and maybe aren’t aware as it’s happening. I was suddenly really grateful for all the various highs and lows of my life
4
You are 65! You don’t come with an expiration date! For Barry to offer [the role] to me was really wonderful, and I hear actresses constantly talking about how you hit a certain age, and the offers don’t come in anymore. I think that we’re changing that a lot because, frankly, we are healthier today. We’re a generation that has been exercising, has been eating right, and so we feel good. But so many women, despite that, still get influenced. There’s so many things in the media that influence us to feel like we should be thinking about slipping away, and winding things down. I wanted to take this opportunity because how rare is that for a producer to offer somebody my age and to be able to do this?
5
There is definitely a lot of emphasis on the youth of today. Is that a struggle for you, or are you like, “No, I’m here to prove that wrong?” I’m not really here to prove it wrong: I’m here to try and be the best Roxie I can be. Being in a play is such an extraordinary thing. As a model, you work alone a lot. I mean, you work as a team, but when you get out there in front of the camera, it’s you alone. When you get out there on stage, you’re interacting with everybody around you, and I love all of that. It’s so great. To be able to be out there active, doing things, learning new things. I really think that being curious about the world, taking on challenges, and constantly growing and learning, that’s the fountain of youth. That’s much more potent than anything you can get in a jar…including Christie Brinkley Beauty. Ha!
CHRISTIE
THE LEGACY OF A HOLLYWOOD PIONEER (AND HUMANITARIAN)
Rita Moreno – By Allison Kugel
Multi-award-winning actress, singer and dancer, Rita Moreno,
blazed an iconic trail as the first mainstream Hispanic actress to grace Hollywood when she exploded onto the big screen as Anita in 1961’s classic film, West Side Story. The role earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, crowning her the first Hispanic performer to ever win an Academy Award; but even after taking home Hollywood’s top prize, Moreno’s career started and stalled repeatedly throughout the 1960s as she fought to be cast in roles that didn’t box her in to antiquated stereotypes. ~ Though film roles for a leading lady of color were far and few between, Moreno turned her attention to television and music, taking home a Grammy Award in 1973 for Best Children’s Album during her stint on the popular children’s television program, The Electric Company. Then came a Tony Award in 1975 for her work in the Broadway production of The Ritz, and two primetime Emmys followed in 1977 and 1978. Moreno was hard at work establishing herself as a bonified triple threat and cemented an indelible legacy as one of the world’s most versatile and talented performers. Moreno continued to take on roles on her own terms, proving her staying power for six decades. ~ In the late 1990s and early 2000s, she played Sister Peter Marie Reimondo in HBO’s first original and groundbreaking dramatic series, OZ. Moreno currently stars as Abuelita Lydia Riera, the hilarious and spicy grandmother on the new incarnation of Norman Lear’s television creation, One Day at a Time, now streaming its third season on Netflix. The show’s official premise is, “Two Cultures, One Familia,” and is an updated twist on the 1975 hit series starring Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, Valerie Bertinelli, and Pat Harrington...but with a twist: The reboot centers around a Hispanic-American family…no doubt Lear’s thumbing his nose at some of the more racist rhetoric flung during 2016’s presidential campaign. ~ In 2014, actor Morgan Freeman presented Moreno with the Screen Actor’s Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, calling her “a worldclass actress, singer and dancer,” and, just as significantly, “a fighter, who battled to break free of racial and sexual barriers that plagued Hollywood’s golden age.” Becuase before there was Rosie Perez, Salma Hyek or Jennifer Lopez, there was the inimitable Rita Moreno. ~ Recently, Moreno got a call from Steven Spielberg for a remake of the film that made her an icon. Moreno will play a role in his reprisal of West Side Story, as well as that of executive producer. I recently sat down with Moreno to discuss her one-ofa-kind career and journey. Allison Kugel: When you won your Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1962 for West Side Story, you thought you would transcend racial stereotypes with the parts you would be offered. Rita Moreno: …And I was very disappointed (laughs). Not only disappointed, but it really, really broke my heart. AK: I feel you. I’ve experienced it as a journalist, not in terms of ethnic discrimination, but the bewilderment of hitting a peak and then stalling. Your famous quote about this phase of your career was, “I showed them. I didn’t work for 7 years.” RM: When I say, “I showed them,” of course, I’m being facetious. AK: Yeah, and then there’s that! (Laughs) Any regrets about taking that stance? RM: I think it was a very good decision on my part, because the only thing that was being offered, really, were gang movies, and they certainly weren’t as interesting as West Side Story. I think it would have depressed the heck out of me to go back to that stuff. It paid off in the sense that I had peace of mind and I didn’t feel like I was being insulted. AK: Let’s talk about the amazing Norman Lear and the One Day at a Time reboot. RM: Isn’t he something?! AK: Genius! RM: He is a genius, you’re right. He’s still going strong. He’s going to be 96, and he can speak and he can walk (laughs). He’s a remarkable man, and a lovely, lovely person. AK: What do you hope viewers of the updated ODAAT will learn about Hispanic-American families? RM: It’s what I think they are learning, because we have now gained an American audience, as well. We always, of course, had the Hispanic community watching the show. People who are not Hispanic are learning that family is family, is family. It’s universal. That’s what Norman was hoping for. You want the universality of the situation to work on people, and that’s what has happened. The moment of, “Oh My God: We’re like that too!” Just add in some spice and some deliciousness…which is the Hispanic nature of the show. AK: …Because your character is that bridge between what was and what is. You teeter between the old school stuff that you came of age with, while trying to embrace the world we’re living in now.
RM: She’s familiar with what she calls “JouTube.” (Moreno puts on a Cuban accent) and “SnapChap.” (Laughs) But she’s familiar with it, which is terrific. It’s because we have a room full of young writers who are all into that kind of stuff. For the new season, there’s an episode that guest stars Gloria Estefan. It’s hilarious. She plays my sister, and all I can tell you is we hate each other. The whole episode is centered around a funeral of an aunt, and Gloria’s character comes to town to attend the funeral. Gloria is absolutely, deliciously funny! And of course, we’re both over the top as we’re trying to do air kisses that are about three feet apart. AK: When you hear other Hispanic performers speak—and I know I have heard this from Jennifer Lopez—they always refer to you as the gold standard of excellence and inspiration. You were the performer who made them believe that this career was achievable for them. Have you had a chance to speak to any of the younger Latino actors and singers about your influence on them? RM: I’ve heard it from Jennifer, and I’ve heard it from Rosie Perez, and also from Andy Garcia. AK: As someone who emigrated to the states from Puerto Rico as a young girl and who wanted to be a performer, who did you look to as a blueprint? RM: Well, you know what? No, There were no role models when I was young and in the movies in my late teens. There was nobody. So, I chose one for myself. I chose Elizabeth Taylor because she was close to my age and she was brunette (laughs); and she was beautiful and gorgeous. I made her my role model. But, you know, there was just nobody that looked like me in a public [space]. The Hispanic community very often calls me La Pionera, the Pioneer. AK: How do you define yourself as a human being? RM: I’m a family person before anything else. I have a daughter, Fernanda Louisa, that I’m insane about. And I have two grandsons, and that is where I live. They are in my heart all the time. I adore them, and I don’t have much family; I never did because I left Puerto Rico with my mom on a ship, and that was the end of family. I never saw them again. I had a brother that I never saw. His name was Francisco. AK: There was no contact after you left Puerto Rico? That was it? RM: No, and I attribute that to my mom. For whatever reasons, she just stayed away. I don’t know how to explain it, because I don’t understand it. By the time I did try to find him, I couldn’t find him. About a month or two after my book came out [Rita Moreno: A Memoir (Celebra Books)], I heard that he died. I have a half-brother, Sam Alverio, because that’s my true [last] name. I’m Rosa Dolores Alverío (spoken punctuated with a proud Puerto Rican accent). I speak to him on the phone now and then. That’s about it. Like many Hispanic people, I’m sure I have tons and tons of distant cousins. AK: Let’s talk about the upcoming remake of the film West Side Story. (That’s a hell of a segue!) RM: Isn’t that astonishing though? Talk about coming full circle. AK: How did you become involved as executive producer? RM: [Steven Spielberg] always wanted to do the film, and he was a good friend of Robert Wise, who co-directed the original film with Jerome Robbins. When the original film came out [in 1961], Steven was crazy about it, and that’s when he got very close to Robert Wise. He said he just hounded him about how the film was shot. It’s something he always wanted to re-do. The interesting thing is that he’s not updating it. It will still take place in 1957. It’s Romeo and Juliet. What’s wonderful about the young girl that he chose for the remake [17-year-old newcomer] Rachel [Zegler] is a young girl. Natalie Wood was a woman. I was a woman, playing Anita. I was really, way too old for that role. But that’s how it happened, then. Tony Kushner is doing the script. He wrote Angels in America. They both thought that the original part of Doc [the candy store owner in the 1961 film played by Ned Glass] was not fully realized, which I think is true. They both agreed that they weren’t terribly interested in that role for the remake. One, or both of them said, “What about Rita Moreno as Doc’s wife?” So, the storyline in the new film will be that Doc passed away, and now it’s Valentina who runs the candy store. They offered the executive producer credit to me, because Steven feels that I am the bridge to this movie. AK: You’re able to offer first-person insight into what went on during the filming of the original movie.RM: Exactly. He’s asked me a lot of questions, and he will probably ask even more. We talk about the shots all the time, because, you know, the director of the original film, Bob Wise, was really an editor. He was a great, great editor. He did Citizen Kane with Orson Welles. AK: With the original West Side Story, Natalie Wood who played Maria, was not Hispanic. She also didn’t sing. She lip synced the songs [Marni Nixon voiced Natalie Wood’s songs]. This isn’t a knock against Natalie Wood, who did a great job in the role; but today, people would now be hyper-sensitive to something like that. Is the young actress who will play Maria in the remake, of Puerto Rican descent?RM: She’s Hispanic and that’s what counts. I think she’s Columbian. Here’s the thing: she’s Hispanic, she sings and she’s 17. With Romeo and Juliet, that’s how old Juliet was supposed to be. She’s very young. Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner have been absolutely crazy when it comes to finding Hispanic people to play the Hispanic roles. They even called the University of Puerto Rico and made an appointment for a panel meeting with an audience allowed to ask questions about the movie, and [express] how they felt about it. So, they really, really killed themselves with respect to that. But I did tell Steven…I said, “You know: There are always people with agendas. There will always be somebody who’s not happy with it because of… whatever. So, get used to that. It’s going to happen.” AK: It’s hard enough to break through as a performer, but you’ve won every coveted award there is. How do you process all of that? Through your ego? Through your heart? Do you see it from a higher perspective? RM: When I pass by all of these awards in the living room—and my living room is two steps down from the rest of the house, so I don’t go in there often—but when I’m in the living room and I look at these shelves, I sometimes stop and look at them and say, “My God. What an extraordinary journey this has been.” This little Puerto Rican girl, born in Puerto Rico, brought up in the United States...how astonishing is that? It’s fabulous and I cannot be casual about it. I’m not. I’m absolutely stunned. AK: You feel a sense of awe. It’s not, “Look at me.” It’s, “Look at this amazing journey.” Rita Moreno: Oh, hell no! I feel a sense of awe. “How did this happen?” I say that to myself, “How on earth did this happen? Wow!” I wish so much that my mom was alive to see this. Oh God, I miss her so much. She would be so proud. She did live long enough to attend the Oscars with me. Photo Credits: Rita Moreno headshot, Austin Hargrave; One Day At A Time sills, Courtesy of NetflixSeason 3 of One Day At A Time is now streaming on Netflix. Follow Rita Moreno on Twitter and Instagram @theritamoreno. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist, and author of the book, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record available on Amazon. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com.
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M
ichael Bublé is a stadium-filling, multi-Grammy and Juno Award-winning singer (aka: the Canadian Grammys) who has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, and has singlehandedly made us re-visit our love affair with The Great American Songbook…yet his first order of business as we began this interview was to put me at ease around his enormous celebrity with his seamless charm and wit. ~ Upon calling him, a woman picked up and asked if I was ready to speak with Bublé. Two seconds later, Bublé came on the line and opened with, “She doesn’t really work for me: I just have her do that to make me sound more important,” as chuckled. My reply? “Well, too bad for me: I answer my own phone!” and we shared a laugh. In reality, Bublé’s music is unspeakably important to millions around the world who glean such joy and comfort from his flawless interpretation of some of the most iconic music of the 20th century, as well as the music he writes and performs himself. His original works have swiftly achieved classic status in the soundtrack of our lives. ~ The year 2019 marks a boon of personal and professional success, and a packed schedule for Bublé. His family’s much publicized heartbreak as their son, Noah, battled pediatric liver cancer, set Bublé on a new course of humility which was evident throughout our conversation. Now, with Noah’s health much improved, Bublé reemerged with a new album, aptly titled Love (or simply, the heart emoji) on which he collaborated with megamusic producer David Foster; a sold-out worldwide tour; and his seventh musical television special which aired on NBC in March.My conversation with Michael Bublé is one of his most authentic and reflective, to date. We cover the subjects of parenthood, success, spirituality, love, humor, and of course, the music.
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MICHAEL BUBLÉ LEANS IN WITH LOVE & LAUGHTER – By Allison Kugel
Allison Kugel: I’ll tell you what I have always found fascinating about you, and I’m a fan of music from earlier times. I’m forever listening to music from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. What’s so interesting about you is that you came along in the very early 2000s when everything was hip hop, and rap/rock. What made you believe that you could even break through as somebody who was crooning these songs from a bygone era? Michael Bublé: It was probably stupidity (laughs). I mean, thinking that I might have success was probably naiveté. But honest to God, I think I was blinded by the love of the music. And by the way, I love all kinds of music. I love rock, R & B and rap. For me, if it’s good, it’s good. It doesn’t matter who did it or where it came from. I hoped that I could trust my instincts. AK: I’ve been listening to this author and speaker named Dr. Joe Dispenza. He studies the patterns of the human brain and how we create our own reality. He essentially talks about how anybody who has ever achieved something great has been able to believe in a vision and believe in a life for themselves that they couldn’t’t yet perceive with their physical senses. When I read that you, from the age of 2, knew you were going to be a singer—slept with your Bible at night and prayed for it, and you held strong to that vision for all of those years before it actually materialized in your life—I put you in that great category. Does that make sense? MB: Yeah, it does, and there are a few people like Eckhart Tolle with The Power of Now, and some of these other philosophers who also talk about that. There is a Canadian writer [Malcolm Gladwell] who wrote a book called The Outliers. His whole premise was that to truly become great at something, you need to put in ten thousand hours of work. And if you find anyone who’s become truly great at what they do, they have put in that amount of time. There are little parts of what you were talking about [in my process]…that mix [of] the practical application of doing things enough and focusing enough. You learn by osmosis, and your experience helps you to grow. Then by the time you get your opportunity, you’re ready. I think that probably had a lot to do with it for me. Number one, I loved it. I had a passion for the music and the songs, and all of that. But I did the work. I practiced, I sang and I studied. I took it all in, and I digested it as much as possible, and downloaded it as much as possible in every kind of genre. I get what you’re saying. You’re talking about visualizing. I have a friend who tells me often that he used to walk down the street and say to himself, “I have a million dollars.” Not, “I want a million dollars,” but, “I have a million dollars; I am successful.” AK: You’re living it and believing it, rather than wishing for it. MB: Yes, but this is a difficult conversation, because I think for people who have had the success and who have done that, they can confidently say to you, “Yes, it works. It worked for me, I did that.” For most of the people who don’t have that, I think they look at it as pish-posh. AK: I think people are afraid to relinquish their faith to something that may leave them empty handed. It’s the fear of, “Well: If I really invest myself in this process and I really believe, and it doesn’t materialize in my life, I’ll be devastated. Therefore, I’m going to remain skeptical.” MB: There are times where I think to myself, “My God: I worked at visualizing and praying and wanting, and putting out all of that stuff to the universe, and it worked.” But then there are a lot of times where I have to say to myself that I was just so lucky—so lucky. I mean, a million dominos had to fall in the most perfect way for this to have happened in my life. The question that I really ask myself is, if I had to do it all over again, would I be brave enough? AK: Wow. Well thank God that’s not an option! MB: It’s a hard question to think about, because reality doesn’t come into it. I came home yesterday with my wife and we had to take our son to his checkup—the scans and everything (Bublé is talking about his son Noah, who is currently in remission from pediatric liver cancer). We take him every 3 months for checkups, and it’s really scary. My wife and I actually talked about this and we said, “My God, look at what we did.” Here we were, she was 23 years old and I was 32. We met in Argentina and we fell in love. Everyone told us that it was impossible. They told us not to do it, because it was too far away, the whole long-distance relationship thing. And we did it. We got married. Everyone said, “That’s crazy. That’s not going to work. And whatever you do, don’t have kids, because that’ll be murder.” And then we had kids. And then there’s what happened to our family….One of the first things a doctor told me at one of the hospitals we’d gone to, was to stay strong and help each other through this. When we asked a friend of ours who works with families going through things like this why the doctors keep telling us that, this friend said that something like 92 percent of couples who go through this… AK: …get divorced. MB: Get divorced. And many of the 8 percent who don’t, have [more] children. And of course, my wife and I thought, “Here we are, with a beautiful daughter.” We were in the car yesterday and I looked at her, and said, “Would you do it all over again?” She then answered, “Of course I would do it all over again. I wouldn’t want anything different. You guys are the greatest joy of my life.” But then my question to her was, “But would you be brave enough to do it all over again?” And then she said, “I don’t know.” And I would have to say the same thing. I don’t know. AK: Any of us could say that. It’s like when you have a baby. You bring that baby home from the hospital, and the thought that goes through your mind is that you are going to give this kid a perfect existence, and you’re going to shelter him or her from any pain or discomfort. And then life happens, and you feel completely out of control because you realize that you don’t have the power to completely shield them from the pain and discomfort of life.
MB: And you don’t have the power to shield them from yourself. For sure, I thought to myself, “He’s going to be better than I am!” I am so flawed. I’m so flawed and so impatient, and there are so many things about me that I don’t like or that I wish I could improve on. And then you go, “Oh my God, he’s acting exactly like me.” AK: You do your best and nobody gets through life without bumps and bruises....Now: Going back to the enormity of your career, when you’re on stage looking out over the massive crowd of 20,000 or 30,000 people, do you ever have an out-of-body experience, like you’re looking at this famous guy singing his heart out on stage and you’re just like, “How did I get here?!” MB: It’s weird, I used to [feel like that] years ago. I don’t anymore. It’s really strange to say this, but after what I’ve gone through and what my family has gone through, I actually talk about it during my shows. I feel so deeply connected to all those beautiful souls in the audience; I don’t feel there is a difference between us. The truth is, they’re singing just as much as I am. We laugh together, we dance together, and we cry to together. The truth is, I would never have gotten through what I got through without them. I don’t care what people think of me. My goal in life is to be kind, and to do what I do with integrity, and just to know myself. But I’ll never use the word “fan.” I think it’s a shitty word. AK: It is a shitty word. MB: It’s short for “fanatical,” and I think that’s negative. I don’t think these are fanatics. I think these are beautiful human beings who need as much love, and who give as much love, as anybody else. When I’m standing there on stage, it’s emotional for me. Sometimes I can control that emotion and sometimes I can’t. But you’re asking me how I feel, and it’s overwhelming. I feel overwhelmed…and grateful. I didn’t know if I was ever going to come back. AK: What was the impetus for you to come back? MB: He was better. We didn’t know how it was going to turn out. My heart was broken, I don’t know. It wasn’t that I ever fell out of love with music. I just didn’t know if I had it in me to go out there and be joyful. It just wasn’t something I could turn on. AK: And you returned with an album dedicated to love. The album’s title is a heart emoji, and features some of the most beautiful love songs. Is that because you were so filled with love and gratitude for your son’s healing? MB: It’s because I was in a bubble, looking out at the world, and I saw a lot of negative things happening around the world. I realized that I had an opportunity to put beautiful things out there. AK: …Which is so important, because we need as many people out there as possible lifting collective consciousness. MB: Sometimes I feel like I’m just one small person, but I feel like there is a lot of power that one person can generate. We can all make a difference, and it usually comes in those random acts of kindness and putting love out there. I felt that if I didn’t do something that was being true to myself and true to how I felt about what the world needed, then I was one of the assholes that was making the world worse. I sat with my producer, David Foster, who had been retired. And he wasn’t going back. This was a year before we ever got into the studio. I said, “Are you ever going to work again?” He said, “No, I don’t think so. I love being retired. I don’t think I could ever go back in the studio. What about you?” I said, “David, if I ever go back, I just want it to be joy. I want it to be bliss, and I want to work with people I love…put out beautiful music and make people fall in love.” I think both of us in that moment had this epiphany. After that day, he said to me, “Well, Mike: Man, if I ever come back, it would be with you.” And then a year later we found ourselves in the studio doing it. AK: What do you think you are here in this life to learn? MB: Listen, I don’t know yet. I’m still learning a lot. What scares me is I’ve learned so much more in the past 5 years than I had in all my previous years combined. The reason I am reticent to give you an answer is because I can’t imagine what I will learn in another five. What I’ve learned is how much I don’t know. Life moves quickly, and…I think I sound like Ferris Bueller right now (laughs). AK: (Laughs) I was just thinking that! MB: (Laughs) I think just waking up in the morning and focusing on being kind. It sounds weird, but just be kind, be loving, forgive, and try to get through this very short life. And especially when you have kids, you hope your actions are louder than your words. AK: Dare I now ask what you feel you are here to teach? MB: I do have an idea, but it’s really personal to me and I don’t want to get preachy. But I do, and I think you do to. I can hear it in the way you speak. I think you have a good, solid idea of what you are doing here. AK: I’ve been studying this stuff for quite some time. I hope I don’t sound too airy-fairy. Michael Bublé: It’s okay to be airy-fairy. I have my faith and I try never to put it in people’s faces, because there are a lot of people who don’t believe the same things I do, and that’s okay. I don’t know who’s right, I really don’t. I can keep it simple and say I don’t know what there is or what there isn’t, but I feel in some way we are all connected. I know that each one of us gets to play a part in bringing goodness and humanity into the world. I feel like sometimes, because of the job I have, it can be magnified. If I can do that as best as I can, that can be my legacy. Michael Bublé photos courtesy of Evaan KherajBublé’s tenth studio album, Love (illustrated with a heart emoji), is out now. Visit MichaelBuble.com/tour or TicketMaster.com for information and tickets for 2019 his worldwide tour. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist, and author of the book, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record available on Amazon, and owner of communications firm, Full Scale Media. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com.
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Keoppel—a man with a Midwest heart and West-coast flare—is a self-made entrepreneur and developer with a portfolio as expansive as the American terrain he grew up near.
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As a young boy in Oklahoma City, Keoppel had big dreams. “I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, own my own business and give back to the community I lived in,” he says. As a teen, he mowed lawns and had a few odds-and-ends jobs; but soon, hanging out with the wrong crowd got him into enough trouble to prompt him to turn some bad mistakes into good decisions. With determination and hands-on lawn experience, he started his first business at 19—a lawn sprinkler company—and later moved into real estate and development. “My dream, as a child ,was happening; but then as my career developed, I started wanting to get more into hospitality,” he says. From that idea came SK Ventures—“Where real estate meets hospitality.” Keoppel recently formed the company and currently has several restaurants and real estate ventures in California, Oklahoma and Ohio. Most pertinent to this story, however, is that Keoppel is also lifestyle purveyor, and his latest partnership is with Deluxe Version Magazine as founder Timothy Hancock’s co-publisher in Los Angeles. “The magazine has a shine to it that I feel makes it stand out from others,” says Keoppel. “There are networking opportunities for pushing the brand—that brand of ‘luxury’—with some of the people and partners I have here in L.A. I feel we can develop the magazine further and market it into other major metropolitan cities.” When Keoppel is not working, he travels the world—Italy, Greece and Dubai are up next on his list—and, he hits up the food scene in L.A. “I love going to new restaurants and trying new things, and in L.A. ,there are so many places to go,” says Keoppel. In fact, L.A.’s fast pace is why he decided to make the permanent move there last year. As someone who prides himself on maintaining a hands-on strategy with each of his projects and who lends a wealth of versatility and knowledge to everything he does, his bridge-building, people-over-profit attitude makes him an entrepreneur with both heart, and vision. Says Keoppel, “Everyone [in L.A.] has something they are working on. There are a lot of movers and shakers, and that keeps me motivated.”
SHYON KEOPPEL’S Westward Conquest – By Ashlee Demartino
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From The Set:
DESTROYER STAR NICOLE KIDMAN AND DIRECTOR KARYN KUSAMA ON GENDER EQUALITY
IN HOLLYWOOD AND WHAT IT TOOK TO BECOME A BADASS – By Paul Zahn
this year, Nicole Kidman earned critical praise and a Golden Globe nomination for her work in the film, Destroyer, where the multi-faceted actress plays a police officer embroiled in a self-inflicted world of chaos and contempt. We met with Kidman and the film’s director, Karyn Kusama, and chatted about everything from Hollywood’s lack of gender parity to the movie’s costumes. (Spoiler alert: Nothing says chaos and contempt like leather.) On developing such a dark and sullen character: NICOLE KIDMAN: Karyn was my rock. When I asked, “Are you sure this will work?” she said: “Yes.” I trusted her. I love the detail: We spent so long trying to find the right leather jacket. That jacket had to be like, I live in it: It’s got to be a part of my body. It had to feel right. That sort of detail is what I crave as an actor. Slowly putting together my character’s past, from birth to present, and how that would affect my body, my face, my psyche…every part was us [making decisions] together. It is rare as an actor that you get to think…to sit there and be allowed to just be. That’s a brave choice as a director. On Kidman’s character’s evolution: NICOLE KIDMAN: It’s pain, shame, distress, rage, and self-loathing; and it’s the desire to somehow heal. It is such a complexity of emotions that flicker the entire time through Erin’s head. It’s not that she is dead…she just rarely speaks because she has so much going on inside. Then, as an actress, I was able to play both the young and older character. Sometimes
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they say,” You can play the older but we are going to cast a younger actress to play the younger character.” The idea of being able to play both? That’s what I was desperate for, because then I could show her life. That’s such a gift,ecause you get to do the whole landscape and tapestry of her life. On working with Nicole Kidman: KARYN KUSAMA: Honestly, Nicole comes from a really feeling place, and I never felt like when I was talking to her that I was talking to someone strategizing about his or her career. It was really all about where her feelings were. One of the things she said was, “I don’t know if I can do this.” She put herself out on the ledge and was calling me about the role. That was the kind of bravery that was needed for this role. (Also, it’s Nicole Kidman: Give me a break!) I had a sense really early in the process with Nicole on set that this would be a different level of collaboration, not just with us, but a different level of artistry and depth that I got to be a witness to. On gender equality in Hollywood and Destroyer’s largely female team: NICOLE KIDMAN: We talk so much about changing the statistics. It’s not about taking jobs away from men, it’s definitely about creating opportunities for women [and] so that if you want to and have daughters that want to, [they] can go be a cinematographer [or] director because there’s a space for them. KARYN KUSAMA: My Director of Photography, my editor, my costumer, my first Associate Director, my second Associate Director, my sound designer, my focus puller…we had a ton of women on set. NICOLE KIDMAN: But our makeup artist was male!
Photo: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
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FASHION OF THE MOMENT DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
INSIDER INTEL: If you’re like me, you’ll feel creative and free when you slip on Frank’s line. I could live in her Julie Jacket, which is perfect sport wear for every day while looking totally smart at the same time. – JJ Snyder
NICOLE FRANK’S
Collection Dresses Women From Dawn To Dusk –By JJ Snyder
We all know the saying, “It’s better to look good than to feel good,” but in designer Nicole Frank’s world, women don’t have to choose.
The former real estate maven turned clothing entrepreneur understands that woman play multiple roles in a day, which often leads to multiple outfits. That’s when her life as a working mom led her to an epiphany: Wouldn’t it be nice if her wardrobe could do it all? The answer was yes, and The Wardrobe Evolution was created. With a degree in entrepreneurship from University of Southern California; a fashion background in handbag design; and a life of influence by strong (and effortlessly chic) female family role models, she set out to design her first line, Nicole Frank: The Wardrobe Evolution. Calling on her ability to absorb inspiration from her surrounds, it was while shuttling her daughter to and from horseback riding lessons that she came to admire the substantial yet stretchy fabric so often used in equestrian wear. Frank then set out on a global search to find a similar fabric, so that on-the-go women would want to wear it all day without sacrificing their style. “My idea is to dress a woman from coffee to cocktails,” says Frank. She
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Nicole Frank found her perfect fabric in Switzerland, and it became the basis for her sophisticated line of jumpsuits, jackets and dresses. The fabric may be European, but the style in entirely Southern California: Frank’s line is perfect for women for whom being beautiful while busy is a requirement. What sets her mix-and-match separates apart from far less-inspired brands are zip-off sleeves, collars, and hems, which allow a short-sleeve shell to be embellished with dreamy, diaphanous sleeves, or a traditional blazer to be dressed up with bold trimmings. It’s true morning-to-night wear. Frank spends her time between San Diego and L.A., where she and her family are always on the move. Being hands-on with her line, she chose to manufacture in downtown L.A. rather than overseas so she could tend to details. “It was important to me to be close by,” Frank explains. “I like to visit the factory and stay close to the creative experience.” There’s no cutting corners with this gal, or her line. Nicole Frank is made for women, by women, here in the USA. Visit the full collection at NicoleFranktwe.com
STARS OF THE MOMENT
Photo: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
ACTOR SPOTLIGHT
RAMI MALEK AND THE CAST OF BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY ON PORTRAYING THE ICONIC BAND QUEEN, AND WINNING MANY AWARDS FOR IT –By Paul Zahn
Bohemian Rhapsody—named by Entertainment Weekly as the
highest-grossing music biopic of all time—took awards season by storm this year, picking up four Academy Awards; two Golden Globes; two trophies from the British Academy Film and Theater Arts (the BAFTAs); one from the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG); and 24 others across the wide swath of film and media organizations recognizing excellence in movies. (That’s 33, for those keeping score at home.) Between the Globes and the Oscars, Deluxe Version Magazine (DVM) had the pleasure of speaking the cast, where they shared their feelings about working together and collaborating with the original members of the band, Queen. On the collaborative experience of portraying Queen on the big screen: RAMI MALEK (Freddie Mercury): We could rely on each other every time we went up on stage. What was beautiful: We would do some scenes of straightforward acting, and then at the end of the week…we may have [had] three concert scenes back-to-back. We looked forward to those days. We would always be rehearsing on our instruments. We looked out for each other. By far, the Live Aid part was the most difficult. It is difficult to jump into those songs when you are just trying to pick up a [camera] shot here and there from a song. When a song works at its best is when you do it from start to finish. BEN HARDY (Roger Taylor): I suppose what was great about the rehearsal process for this movie was to make sure we got that ensemble feel. When you see Queen perform, they are amazing together. They are an incredible band. They are incredible musicians. They have this great connection between the four of them. You see it in their eye contact. For us to have four weeks to spend all day, every day together was really great. You can see it in the movie. There are so many films where people try and fake the chemistry, and you can tell. What makes this movie special is the chemistry between all of us.
JOSEPH MAZZELLO (John Deacon): So much of the movie is about family, and we talk about it all the time. We just sort of got a sense that there were a number of very important people in Freddie Mercury’s life. He had a unique and individual relationship with all of them, and you felt that immediately when reading the script. Freddie was a very empathetic person and really understood what everyone was going through and how to make him or her feel more comfortable. He could read a room really well. Then you have the band—the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man and I don’t know: Dorothy. What he needed—the brain, the heart, the courage—we sort of tried to supply that for Freddie, to give him the boost he needed when he was on stage. On working with the original members of Queen and Brian May: GWILYM LEE (Brian May): We were rehearsing Live Aid in a rehearsal room in London, and Brian May, on our first day of all being together said: “Do you mind if I watch?” I was like, “Umm, we have never really done a run through, but you are Brian May, so yes…you can watch.” These are two of the nicest human beings you have ever met. There was never a sense of judgment: they were always there in support. They were excited this film was being made. We were terrified to start off doing the Live Aid bit. Once we had the courage to look into the audience (we saw Brian May with his iPhone taking a video of us all)—raising his arms, clapping along and cheering—it was quite surreal. Those surreal moments have not stopped throughout this whole process. On winning the Golden Globe for Best Picture Musical/Drama: GWILM LEE: It was such a shock. It was bedlam. LUCY BOYNTON (Mary Austin): It was a like mass rising of the Bohemian Rhapsody corner of the room. The screams and yells…. JOSEPH MAZZELLO: It happened so fast. We didn’t get over the fact that Rami won [for Best Actor] and we were all hugging, and we were like, “What?” And…we were all hugging. RAMI MALEK: We have become extraordinarily close. At the Golden Globes, we were talking about how you never really have this experience with film. There are always people you keep in touch with, but we communicate every day.
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THE NAME:
Mott 32 comes from New York’s first Chinese convenience store that opened in 1891 at 32 Mott St. and was the nucleus for what is now considered one of the most vibrant Chinese neighborhoods outside ] of Asia.
Deluxe Version
LUXURY TASTES
MOTT 32
Contemporary Chinese Cuisine Direct from Hong Kong Mott 32, a new restaurant located in The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, is
one of Hong Kong’s most award-winning restaurants and a culinary icon in contemporary Chinese cuisine. The acclaimed menu combines authentic Chinese recipes handed down from generations made using progressive cooking techniques. Paired with exceptional mixology methods and stunning design, the Las Vegas experience of Mott 32 is truly one of a kind. Mott 32 makes it easy to enjoy contemporary Chinese cuisine two ways: in its gorgeous, social-friendly dining room, or at the bar, where menu choices can be made while enjoying signature cocktails. If you’re craving dim sum, you may feel like you have to choose between Hot & Sour Iberico Pork Shanghainese soup dumplings and Crispy SugarCoated BBQ Iberico pork buns...but the correct order should be “both” as you enjoy them over a Mott Street Mule or the cocktail “Sesame Is the New Black.” (The latter mingles sesame-infused Maker’s Mark with absinthe and an astonishing blend of flavors.) Executive Chef Alan Ji’s menu of Cantonese, Szechuan and Beijing cuisine is no less astonishing, from rare Asian-inspired delicacies to extensive seafood selections. Think of a visit to Mott 32’s bar as reconnaissance
for dinner, then dine with friends amid an urban-industrial atmosphere envisioned by award-winning designer Joyce Wang. “We wanted to do something different by bringing a little of Hong Kong to Las Vegas: Mott 32 is one of the only upscale Cantonese restaurants born in the Far East that will come to The Strip,” says Patrick Lang, vice president of restaurant and nightlife development for Las Vegas Sands, the parent company of The Venetian Resort. “Mott 32 is known for stunning design, innovative yet authentic Chinese cuisine, delicious handcrafted cocktails, and first-class service wrapped up in a vibrant, energetic environment. It is a unique brand that appeals to both Western and Asian customers, perfect for our guests at The Venetian.” The signature dishes at Mott 32 include Applewood Roasted Peking Duck with Mott 32’s “Signature Cut”; Barbecue Pluma Iberico Pork glazed with Yellow Mountain Honey; Iberico Pork with Soft Quail Egg and Black Truffle Siu Mai; and Crispy Triple-Cooked Wagyu Beef Short Ribs. Because the peking duck is available in limited quantities, it is suggested to reserve the entrée at least 24 hours in advance, when making a reservation. Mott 32 is located inside The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort and is open for dinner seven days a week. Reservations are recommended by calling 702.607.3232 or by visiting Venetian.com.
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Deluxe Version
FEATURE STORY
MODEL & & REALITY REALITY TV TV MAN-OF-THE-HOUR MAN-OF-THE-HOUR MODEL
COREY BROOKS By Stacey Stacey Gualandi Gualandi –– By
Deluxe Version
FEATURE STORY
HE HAS NOTHING TO HIDE (& THAT’S A GOOD THING)
When it comes to his love life, Corey Brooks says he has nothing to hide, and that willingness to bare (almost) all is getting him a lot of exposure.
The Dallas native is quickly becoming a reality TV show staple. He survived the Summer of ’16 as a house guest on CBS’s Big Brother, and more recently, as a shipwrecked suitor on MTV’s second season of Ex on the Beach. His Instagram-idol status even helped land him a coveted Ford Model contract. The lens—and the ladies—love him. “Unpredictable,” says Brooks about his current schedule. “Every day I wake up and look at my phone and wonder: ‘What could be in my inbox today?’” Before the 26 year old hooked-up in a house full of televised strangers, he was rounding the bases playing college baseball with the Texas A&M Aggies. He had dreams of the big leagues until an injury cut his career short. “I blew my arm out a couple years ago and had no idea what I was going to do,” says Brooks. He was coaching youth
baseball when a friend suggested he try out modeling 2 years ago. A natural from the start, Brooks is now the face of athleisure for Academy Sports & Outdoors, JC Penney, Golds Gym, Fruit of the Loom, Fanatics, Chevy/Cadillac, Aramark, Liverpool, Lily Pulitzer, and Vineyard Vines…to name a few. While a reality TV reputation isn’t for everyone, Brooks plans to use his new platform for good. He’s single—for now—yet hopes to have six-eight kids someday; he has a new philosophy on dating (“I’m not looking for someone to make me a better person. I just want a best friend, partner and someone who’s not going to bring me down”); and he wants to satisfy his appetite…but not for what you might think. “I’m the biggest food guy ever: A hardcore foodie,” he says. “I want to eat for free the rest of my life.” (Take notes ladies!)
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BRYAN ABASOLO FITNESS PHENOM & BACHELORETTE ALUM
– By Stacey Gualandi
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Deluxe Version
FEATURE STORY
Deluxe Version
FEATURE STORY
AB-SOLUTELY TAKEN!
With his shining smile and trademark eight-pack abs, The
Bachelorette’s Bryan Abasolo, D.C., CNC, could rest on his leading-man looks, but instead, this licensed chiropractorturned-reality TV hubby is looking to lead you to a better life. “You were given this vessel; now, people should focus and make it the best it can be,” he says Abasolo built his body (and his Miami-based practice) based on healthy living and a lean physique, earning him the apt title “Dr. Abs.” His “wellness lifestyle” is all about looking and feeling your best. “I stay in my lane: I don’t worry what other people have going on, I just try to improve myself as much as possible,” says Abasolo. “I think if people maximized those principles to the fullest, I think they are going to be living their best life, to quote my fiancée!” His fiancée—for those who aren’t obsessed with ABC’s guilty pleasure The Bachelorette —is Rachel Lindsay, the first African-American Bachelorette in the show’s history. They got engaged during season 13, and 2 years later, they are still going strong. “We are definitely the next ones in line [to get married], and there is no doubt we will see it through,” says Abasolo. “We want to make fans happy and express our love, but we are taking our time.” During our Deluxe Version Magazine cover shoot inside the Las Vegas Strip’s Saks Fifth Avenue, Abasolo confided that the social media pressure has been intense. While a wedding planner is on speed dial, as of press time they won’t say “I do” until late summer somewhere in the
Caribbean, and (to the disappointment of many) the nuptials will be non-televised. “Obviously we would have taken a TV wedding. Who wouldn’t take one paid for and taken care of? But at the end of the day, our happiness and union is all that matters.” The path to reality show alumni-hood comes with a lot of negative attention but Abasolo says it’s nothing compared to the positives you can achieve after the show. He just released an e-book series—Dr. Abs Fitness and Abs Start in the Kitchen— based on two of the five natural health principles he developed and personally lives by. Now, he says his motivational messaging is reaching the masses. “It’s really opened me up to helping a lot of people,” says Abasolo. “I’m being messaged about diet tips, fitness tips….It’s overwhelming to think: ‘Wow! People look up to me and care about what I have to say.’” If he continues to have his say, this mindful millennial plans to expand his brand with more e-books, and a new project called “You Versus You” that will bring awareness to those who don’t know about alternatives to opioids, drugs and surgery. His mission is to keep everyone “challenging the person they see in the mirror every day.” For now, this betrothed will challenge himself by eating right and working out. After all, he has to fit those abs into a tux . (And if you are so inclined…he says wedding gifts are welcome.) “We are open for anything and we don’t mind envelopes!” he says jokingly. “In all seriousness, gifts aside, what’s most important is the celebration of our love and everyone who has made our journey so special. Rachel and I want all our family, friends, and fans to be a part of that.”
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THE EMPATHY SUITE
New Palms Villa Lets Visitors Play, Sleep & Dream Amid High-End Art -By Jen Chase
LUXURY SUITES & PENTHOUSE ESCAPES DVM’S TOP DESTINATIONS TO CONSIDER IN 2019:
LUXURY SUITES & PENTHOUSE ESCAPES
Known since its 2001 opening for spacious floorplans, themed suites and an edgy vibe, Palms Casino’s new Empathy Suite—designed by renowned British contemporary artist Damien Hirst and Bentel & Bentel Architects—is the newest of the hotel’s five luxury Sky Villas that have been redesigned, reborn and reintroduced to entice next-gen Palms devotees that are addicted to “different.” The 9,000 square foot suite features original, quintessential Hirst works (custom, butterfly-motif, mosaic-tiled cantilevered Jacuzzi overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, anyone?) and artistic touches throughout: bespoke furniture and textiles that incorporate his signature spin designs; butterfly and pharmacy motifs; and Hirst’s large-scale works. “I love what Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta have done with the Palms,” says Hirst. “It’s amazing being able to work with them because they are great collectors and totally understand art.” Amid its vaulted ceilings, the Empathy features a 13-seat curved bar created by Hirst and filled with medical waste…a contrast against the meticulous ordering of objects displayed in various pill cabinets throughout the villa. Above the center bar? Hirst’s fish sculpture, Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time (2018). The bar is flanked by two luxe lounge and media/
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theater areas that accommodate up to 52 guests. An eight-seat dining area and outdoor veranda round out the space. According to Palms, the Empathy Suite is one of the world’s most expensive hotel accommodations at $200,000 for a two-night stay (it can also be reserved for million-dollar casino players). It comes with 24-hour butler service; personalized welcome amenities; a Palms private art tour; chauffeured car service; and A-list access to Palms’ premier amenities such as KAOS Dayclub & Nightclub, the Pearl Concert Theater and the Palms’ world-class recording studio. Also included: a $10,000 resort credit. Palms’ extensive art collection comprises some of the most unique contemporary, blue-chip and street art rarely displayed publicly in one setting...making a stay at the resort as much about culture as sophisticated comfort for both curators and collectors alike. Artists include: Damien Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol (on loan from the personal art collections of Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta) as well as commissions by leading contemporary artists Adam Parker Smith, Jason REVOK, Eric Haze, Scott Hove, Felipe Pantone, James Jean, and Timothy Curtis. Other artists prominently displayed include Dustin Yellin, Takashi Murakami, and KAWS. For more information visit www.palms.com, or contact Palms’ luxury sales team at 702-942-1222 or by emailing empathysuite@palms.com.
THE EMPATHY SUITE From $100,000/night
Oocyte
cryopreservation—better known as egg freezing—has advanced scientifically over the last several decades to the point where thousands of women each year undergo the procedure. Eva Littman, MD, FACOG, is one of the most successful fertility doctors in the country and her facility, Red Rock Fertility Center, offers women looking to preserve their eggs not only superior medical care, but a comfortable environment, as well. “I designed the office and the care as if I were an infertility patient,” explains Littman.“I wanted to make it comfortable and relaxing… to take the stress out of treatment [through] attention to detail, and having passion about what we do.” Littman is the founder and practice director of Red Rock Fertility Center. Her lifelong interest in entrepreneurship and desire to raise standards of medical care in Las Vegas is central to why women trust her and her staff with their fertility needs. When it comes to any fertility treatment or procedure, such as egg freezing, patients come in with a variety of questions and Littman is passionate about answering them. “Egg freezing entails taking injectable hormones for about 10 days and coming in to the office about four times to check egg progression,” Littman says. “The egg retrieval is a 30-minute procedure under mild anesthesia.” By expediting the diagnostic testing and teaching patients how to undergo injections, Littman and her team make egg freezing as comfortable as possible throughout the approximate 2-week process. This is in line with her core mission: to provide top medical care and high success rates while still offering intimate personalized care.
WHEN IT COMES TO EGG FREEZING,
RED ROCK FERTILITY ENSURES THERE ARE NO COLD FEET
– By Elena Castriota
To learn more about Dr. Littman and her team of doctors and nurses, visit www.redrockfertility.com
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Urban style with beautiful farmhouse charm.
400 s. western | downtown | Oklahoma City 1011 S. Pearl Expressway | Dallas urbanfarmhouse.com
PLANNING YOUR FUTURE WITH
WEST PAC WEALTH PARTNERS – By Elena Castriota
Marie Kondo might have you organizing your sock drawer, but have
you considered organizing your finances? WestPac Wealth Partners is a full service financial firm offering assistance around investments and retirement planning to insurance and protection advice on how to plan for one’s financial future in a truly holistic manner. “What we really focus on is helping our clients to both better understand their finances and to provide organization around them. Understanding how all financial decisions we make are interdependent and choices we make in one area of our lives can greatly impact those we make in others.” said Travis Scribner, the firms Managing Partner. Anand Nair, one of the firms Managing Directors believes that what separates WestPac from firms with similar services is the process WestPac goes through with its clients. Says Nair, many people don’t realize how disorganized their finances are, and despite knowing where their money is, they don’t know how to look at it holistically and make long-term plans.
“So many people end up coming into your life in regards to financial decision making—whether it be financing a car, taking out a student loan, or the choice of a new mortgage—usually without coordination in working TOGETHER to implement a cohesive plan,” explains Nair. The firm works with CPAs, lawyers and other relevant professionals to assess an individual’s assets and consolidate as much information as possible. Its mission is to make sure that all of the factors that make up an individuals balance sheet are working together in the most efficient manner possible. “Ultimately, our objective is to help our clients make smart financial decisions,” states Brennan Drew, the firm’s other Managing Director. “It’s more about the process than the products, and making sure they have clarity around their financial success.”
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Only
For Those With a Vision The next phase of your exceptional life starts right here. For those who love the art of building, these waterfront properties offer over a full acre. You have to experience North Shore in person, which can be arranged by booking a private tour through Gene Northup 702.497.0300. For those ready for what’s next, there is only Synergy Sotheby’s International Realty. Let’s discuss your vision.
®,™ and SM are licensed trademarks to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully. * All information from sources deemed to be reliable although not warranted or guaranteed by Sotheby’s International Realty®
LAKE LAS VEGAS
WELCOME TO
WATER’S EDGE – By Sara Thornthon
The
Estates at Reflection Bay, Lake Las Vegas’ new community on the lake’s north shore, has completed its first custom home at 23 Summer House Dr. Dubbed “Water’s Edge,” this 8,900 square-foot estate includes nearly 300 feet of waterfront with a private sandy beach and exemplary views. “This is the first modern architecture in Lake Las Vegas,” says Patrick Parker, president of Raintree Investment Corp., developer of Lake Las Vegas. “Raintree chose the home site very intentionally. Our vision was to bring contemporary architecture to Lake Las Vegas and to have this home truly be connected to the lake.” Parker says he and his team started by selecting the very best architecture firm and builder to bring the vision to life. Water’s Edge was designed by Swaback Partners, internationally recognized as the leading architecture firm for Desert Contemporary design. “Vern Swaback, the last living apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright, was involved in the design, and his style is evident in the open floor plan, multiple overhangs and highlights of nature throughout the estate,” says Parker. The home was built by Merlin Contracting, which the National Association of Homebuilders named the 2017 Custom Home Builder of the Year. Swaback, who led the design team, trained with Frank Lloyd Wright and was his youngest apprentice when he began his work with the famed architect. He worked with the Wright organization for 21 years, even serving as its foundation’s CEO and president for a period of time. “So much of what Wright taught Vern was put into this home,” says Michael Wetzel, AIA, NCARB, partner at Swaback Partners. “The soft contemporary feel, the use of color, the clean lines, and even the position of the home on the site are all defined by his work.”
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MODERN ESTATES ARRIVING AT LAKE LAS VEGAS
The experience of Water’s Edge begins at a private porte-cochere, where upon arrival guests will witness a captivating stone wall, as well as the water, golf course, and canyons within Lake Las Vegas. The exterior also features a dynamic roof and several cantilever groups to provide constant shade, contrasted by high clear second story windows to flood the interior of the home with natural sunlight.“The home is bathed in natural sunlight in such a way that direct light and heat never directly reach the inside of the home,” says Wetzel. “It is a unique feature based on the home’s location on the site and the specificity of its window placements.”
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The home maximizes its views from all directions. “We asked ‘what impacts and influences this location?’ to design it in a way that truly maximizes the views,” says Wetzel. The emphasis on overlooks is prevalent in the home’s great room. The two-story volume room features an 18-foot-wide sliding pocket door which, when opened, expands the room to nearly three times in size, adjoining it to the rear yard and negative-edge pool and spa, as well as the blue lake beyond.
MODERN ESTATES ARRIVING AT LAKE LAS VEGAS
MODERN ESTATES ARRIVING AT LAKE LAS VEGAS
Presented By
Water’s Edge is available for sale for $7.5 million. It is listed with Gene Northup of Synergy Sotheby’s International Realty, who also lives in the community. Gene invites Lake Las Vegas residents to contact him for private tours of Water’s Edge. For more information on the home call 702-497-0300 or visit www.23summerhouse.com. Photos by JPM Studios.
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SEASONAL FAVORITES
Lover, I'm catching a flig LOOK #1: Coat: & Other Stories. Top: Cotton Citizen. Leather Pants: Chrissy Tiegen x Revolve. Boots: Jimmy Choo x Off-White. Bag: Chanel. Love Hair Clip: TopShop LOOK #2: Blazer: & Other Stories: Turtleneck: Lazy Oaf. Tights: Gucci. Bag: Saint Laurent. Booties: Gianvito Rossi
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Seasonal Favorites From DVM’s Style & Beauty Director
ASHLEY LIDDELL
ght from London to Paris. LOOK #3: Dress: & Other Stories. Tights: Calzedonia. Boots: Casadei. Belt: Frasier Sterling LOOK #4: Sweater: Mango. Pants: LPA. Bag: Maison Valentino. Booties: Zara
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THE (SONG) BOOK OF GENESIS JONES
In the beginning…singer/songwriter Genesis Jones had a passion for the R&B and gospel sound. She literally grew up with it. Her mother Barbara Jones was a successful 70s back-up singer, and her great-aunt is “The Queen of Gospel” Mahalia Jackson, the first black woman to sing at Carnegie Hall. “She was the first black woman to do many things,” says Jones, “so I think it’s my lineage, if you want to know the truth.” But the success of a modeling career early on took the New Orleans native to runways and commercials around the world, and ultimately, away from her roots… much to the frustration of her “bones-to-the-wall” mother. “When I was modeling one day, she comes in and says, ‘I don’t know when you’re going to stop with this bullshit and just get to your music.’” Jones finally changed her tune when another Jones—by the name of Quincy (no relation)—heard her sing. She says the legendary producer was like a surrogate father and encouraged her not to worry about “measuring up” to the music of her famous family members. “He said, ‘It’s not about what your parents did, or these sounds that you love. It’s about what’s inside of you, and what you have to express,’” says Jones. In 2018, her first single With or Without You was a techno-inspired track that quickly reached #19 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs Chart. Now, she is writing an R&B album with Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Cory Rooney (“my ultimate dream come true!”) that they plan to drop this year, and she is also developing her own line of beauty products. In the end…Jones says she is right back where she started, having left modeling behind, and doing the right thing at the right time. “I always had music in my heart, and I think that sometimes the universe just takes over,” adding with a smile: “If you want to know the truth, I got so sick of people plucking my eyebrows badly.” –Stacey Gualandi
THE ONES TO WATCH TAYLOR DAYNE TELLS IT TO OUR HEARTS WITH HER NEW MEMOIR Pop singer Taylor Dayne dominated the music scene throughout the 80’s and 90’s. The Grammy-nominated songstress scored a string of top 10 hits on the Billboard charts and was nominated three times for her debut album, Tell It To My Heart. Her sultry and powerful voice helped define a generation of pop music and the pop icon shows no signs of slowing down. Dayne recently added another accomplishment to her already impressive resume: author. The vocal powerhouse penned a memoir, aptly titled Tell It To My Heart, chronicling her journey from humble beginnings on Long Island, New York, through the peak of her pop stardom, and to present day, where her touring career is still thriving. “My voice was everything,” Dayne shares. “I was going to be a star. I didn’t know how. My vocals, my singing…it was a destination for me.” As a child, Dayne sought a way out of a home marred by health issues and a disruptive family environment. “There was a lot of anger, a lot of issues at home,” she says. “I used fame and recognition to direct myself towards an intention: ‘I am going to be famous because people on the radio seemed happy!’” In her late teens and early 20s, Dayne spent her weekends singing for demanding audiences at Russian nightclubs in Brighton Beach, New York. She honed her vocal abilities by training operatically, singing with a variety of bands and crafting her own signature sound. Dayne eventually found a producing partner in Ric Wake and
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borrowed $6,000 from her father to gamble on producing and recording a single to take to radio and music executives. The risky choice ended up being her first platinum hit single, Tell It To My Heart. Tell It To My Heart soared up the charts in Europe first, leading to Dayne being asked to open for Michael Jackson on the Bad tour. “It was a phenomenon,” she shares of being around Jackson. “Watching him get ready to go on stage: When he entered, he had this whole ritual. He would have military guys backstage and police…they were in the military outfits. They were chanting, and everybody backstage was amped. “Opening for him feels like you are in The Coliseum being fed to the lions,” she adds with a laugh. Following her first three hit albums with Arista Records, Dayne decided to make the move from music to acting. “Warren Beatty had seen me on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” she says. Her agent called and said, “Warren wants to offer you a role in a movie he is doing.” Dayne laughs: “Ummm. Okay!” She acted alongside Beatty and Annette Bening in Love Affair and then made the move from New York City to Los Angeles when Roseanne Barr offered her a role on the hit television show, Roseanne. “Roseanne brought me out to L.A. and probably within six weeks, they canceled the show.” Dayne did not let this deter her from her acting dreams. She went on to act on television and in films and even starred on Broadway in Elton John’s and Time Rice’s AIDA. Dayne, who is currently on her Tell It To My Heart 30 Year Explosion Tour, decided that after three decades in show business, it was time to write her memoir. “This is a monumental year for me, my achievement of reaching 30 years as woman in this business. I am a 50-year-old woman who has experienced and done it all…except get married,” she says with a laugh.
–By Paul Zahn
SKIN DEEP
HOT NEW MEDSPA
REVENGE MD HELPING TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME – By Elena Castriota Explore the beauty section of Instagram these days and it’s impossible
not to stumble upon a video of someone receiving injectables and other aesthetic enhancements. Revenge MD—revenge on aging, that is—happens to be hugely successful on Instagram, boasting 119,000 followers. Owner Sandra Bledsoe insists that while her clinic offers many services that are popular at others, Revenge’s 13 years of experience sets it apart. “We found that a lot of different injection clinics or services were inconsistent,” Bledsoe explains. “People did not follow the same patterns or strength of products and people didn’t know what to expect.” This concern led her to develop and teach her staff what she calls “PTSP,” which stands for “Placement of product; Technique; Strength of product; Pricing.” The acronym applies to the branch of Revenge MD’s practice that includes facial injectables like botox, fillers and threading. “No matter where a client or patient goes, or whatever location they’re in, they get the same results,” she says, “If [the doctor or nurse] is trained by
us, the client will get the same results.” The other two arms of Revenge MD’s services are weight loss and facial aesthetics. The former offers physician-supervised programs that include food and exercise plans; vitamin shots; medications (if needed), and an accountability program to motivate and coach clients to reach their goals. In terms of facial aesthetics, Revenge MD offers plasma-rich therapy (AKA the “vampire facial”), micro-needling, laser hair removal, and others. No matter what they’re getting done, it’s Bledsoe’s goal for all of her clients to leave feeling better than when they walked in. “We want everyone to feel special, and for this to be somewhere they want to return and go back to.” Revenge MD has locations in Las Vegas and Reno, and is currently being licensed in all 50 states. Find them at https://revengemd.com/ or on Instagram @revenge_md
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Where Do You Want to Go (And Which Bag Will You Carry?)
SOUL CARRIER IS MADE FOR YOUR JOURNEY
There is just something about a handbag. It not only holds your valuables, it is your valuable. The right bag can make a statement about style, status or lifestyle: The perfect clutch? An accent of confidence as you stride in for cocktails. The right tote? A carryall that holds what you need and shows you’ve got it all together. Jennifer Boonlorn’s couture company Soul Carrier takes all that in mind, and then goes a little deeper. “I want to inspire people to have the courage to live out their dreams…to be authentic to what is going on in their soul, versus what the world is pushing them to do,” says Soul Carrier founder Jennifer Boonlorn. “That is what I think makes Soul Carrier, soulful.” She speaks from experience. Her passion for fashion and design took her away from pursuing a career as an attorney, and guided her to the prestigious Parsons School of Design. In 2009, Boonlorn brought Soul Carrier to life. Since then, she’s grown her line’s online presence and carved out a niche in resort boutiques. “I love being a part of the resort world and being able to say we are aligned with such fabulous properties as The Four Seasons, Andaz, Royal Palms, Mountain Shadows, and Miraval Resorts,” explains Boonlorn. “It gives the brand a lot of cache without having to be on the fashion calendar and play the typical fashion game.” Boonlorn says she designs her handbags with a very particular woman in mind: “Someone who loves to travel, and who is open to going on the journey… both internally, and out into the world. She is fashion savvy and loves finding unique and special items. She curates a fantastic wardrobe made up of purpose and meaning. She carries her soul out into the world proudly and confidently, and the brand is a symbol of that courage and boldness.” Courageous, bold, yet still subtly chic, Soul Carrier bags are crafted by artisans in Leon, Mexico, a region famous for high-quality leather goods. The leather is sourced from Le Farc and PanAmericana, tanneries which are socially responsible and committed to the environment. “Alignment is EVERYTHING when it comes to my Soul Carrier partnerships,” Boonlorn says. “Those I work with must be ethical, and have the highest level of integrity for me to even consider collaborating with them.” Soul Carrier designs are meant to bring beauty and light to the world. The most recent “True North Collection” is made of leather, cowhide and golden hardware. The aesthetic is sleek, clean and luxurious. The direction is just where you want, and need to go. “The brand name shapes the design aesthetic in the sense that every time I design a bag, I think about my customer going out into the world—on her journey, living her life, and carrying her soul into all that she does.” Visit https://soulcarrier.com for more informaSpecial Thanks: tion.
@Verdy
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THE STYLES TO WATCH
Images courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue Las Vegas
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GOLD LIST NEW BEAUTY FAVORITES
Clockwise from left: KILIAN, Love Fragrance. LA MER, Moisturizing Creme. BOND, No.9 Lipsticks.
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