Downtown ZEN Jul 2014

JULY 2014

Skin, Swim & Summer Issue!

Baring (almost!)

All at DtG’s Picnic

National Ice Cream Month Ditching the Backyard Pit

W/ Big Ern’s BBQ, JoJo’s

Nacho Comedy: It’s On Us Pg. 40

Trikke

Las Vegas

‘09 Grammy Nominee Talks With Scene / Heard

Editor-in-Chief Loren Becker

Managing Editors

Michael Boley, Mandy Crispin

Contributing Writers

Brian Paco Alvarez, Erik Amblad, Michael Boley, Temple Brathwaite, Mandy Crispin, Karina Giraldo, Peter Gaunt, Richard Grewar, Rockne Henriques, Sunshine Jowell, Consy Malasoma, Joanna Mueller

Calendar & Events Mikela Lee-Manaois

Photography

Matt Wong, Chris Charles of Creative Silence, Peter Gaunt, Emily Wilson, Downtown ZEN Team

Art Director

Ryan Brekke (BullFish Media)

Layout Assistant Nina Thomasian

Web Design

Michael Boley Cover:

Concept

Michael Boley

Model

Rachel Mortenson

Bookings Director Blake Eberle

Fashion Director

Ashotta Ward-Whales

Fashion Assistant Michelle Robles

Makeup Artist Whitney Bansin

Hair Stylist

Cassie Alvord

Typography Layout Nina Thomasian

Logo Design

Fernando Cabestany *Special thanks to Downtown Grand and Art of Flavors

Printer

Jackpot Printing 702.873.1902 | www.jackpotprintinglv.com

Contact Us

Email: DowntownZEN@zappos.com Like: facebook.com/ ZapposDowntownHappenings Follow: #dtzen

Letter From the Editors

Here in Las Vegas, we’re fortunate enough to receive decently warm temperatures throughout the calendar year. However, when the summer months do come around, it’s in our mindset to take fullfledged advantage and release our inhibitions by exposing more skin and over-indulging on F&B, because, frankly, we damn well deserve it.

In fact, you may have noticed this sentiment translated on our front cover … but it doesn’t end there.

Throughout this month’s issue of the ZEN, we’ve scoured the downtown area far and wide and present to you some of the best businesses in the valley worthy of your attention, including the Grade A choice meat served up at Big Ern’s BBQ and JoJo’s Jerky as well as the tantalizing coolness of ChillSpot’s artisan SasaPops and Art of Flavors’ smorgasbord of 100+ gelato flavorings.

If you’re still hot and bothered by the rising July afternoon temps, swim over to page 11 and dip into our high-fashion swimsuit spread at the Downtown Grand’s Picnic for some tranquil relief, or feel the breeze on a personal mobility Trikke tour around downtown with Fred Welch, where he’ll point you in the direction of Scullery inside the Ogden, DTLV’s newest bar to hit the scene as reviewed in this month’s Libation Station.

Read all of this, and more, in this month’s summer edition of the Downtown ZEN! - Downtown ZEN team

table of

CONTENTS

24

Features

03 | Trikke Las Vegas 11 | Picnic

27

Philosophy ‘N’ Fluff 18 | Serendipitous Spotlight 19 | Tech 21 | BBQ 24 | Fashion 27 | Ice Cream 29 | History 31 | Feng Shui 33 | Housing Guide 35 | Photography 36 | Recipe

Events & Entertainment 37 | Arts & Ents 41 | Restaurant Review 43 | Bar Review 45 | Music 49 | Calendar

11 41 03

45 About the Cover Hot and steamy, this month’s cover oozes everything sultry about summer. Tying in two of our interior articles, a six-page swimsuit spread located at Downtown Grand’s Picnic and Art of Flavors gelato in honor of National Ice Cream Month, this previously featured men’s magazine cover model makes us want to pull a Squints-like move on Wendy Peffercorn from “The Sandlot,” or at least give anything to be the waffle cone grasped between her fingers.

Trikke: Personal Mobility is Freewheelin’ Downtown

03

Downtown ZEN

By Mandy Crispin

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

About Trikke:

Trikke started as a body-powered, three-point carving vehicle invented

by Brazilian-born engineer Gildo Beleski circa 1988. Gildo established Trikke Tech in California, in 2000. He formed a partnership with John Simpson, now Trikke Tech president, and they launched the now international brand together in 2001. Trikke became fully “elekktrified� in 2009.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

04

Los Angeles natives, and husband and wife team, Ann Pirone and Fred Welch grew up five minutes from each other in the ever-transient landscape of Southern California. Right around the time they decided carve out some space for each other by moving in together, Fred started carving Trikke turns on the streets and beach boardwalks of their south bay neighborhood. But that was in 2007. Since then, the two got hitched to one another and deeply involved with Trikke. In 2011, Ann and Fred brought their experience to downtown Las Vegas, their mission being “to bring urban mobility into people’s lives.”

The Trikke Las Vegas headquarters is located in a modular cube at the Downtown Container Park. The location as a hub for transportation made sense, and it fits in with some of the grander missions for downtown: alternative mobility solutions, community interactions, and setting an example for other cities to follow.

“Once the company ‘elekktrified,’ it took us from being a fun, low impact exercise ride into the world of personal transportation,” said Fred, adding that “transportation is the one of the top contributors to pollution.” Additionally,

05

Downtown ZEN

limitations to one’s transportation options can be hampering to people who would otherwise be out and about, especially in triple-digit heat. Fred pointed out that within our culture, “We are single modal. The idea of going carless is only now becoming more of a reality in the West.”

Downtown, that is the main focus for the Trikke Las Vegas retail location in the container park. He punctuated with,

We really want people to “understand what personal transportation can mean to their lifestyles.

”

Through giving tours and by setting an example, he said, “We want this to be a learning center and a replicable space where someone can come and learn: ‘Here’s how you operate a full Trikke experience center, a full urban mobility center, out of a 12’ by 20’ space.’ We have a cube, an alley and downtown. That’s our space.”

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Are you smokin’ hot?

Urban Mobility Experiences (aka: Tours) Is it hot? Well … yes. Yet I only broke a very light sweat on a 100 degree day doing a Trikke tour at 1 p.m. The breeze created as we zipped along actually made it super tolerable in that temperature, and I had so much fun I forgot I was supposed to be overheating. In fact, a couple tourists from San Diego (read: most likely not used to this weather) came off their tour all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and energized, commenting that this was the highlight of their trip. Which means that of all the options here, their Trikke tour is what left them wanting more Vegas.

This, Fred claims, is the key. He noted, “If people go out with us and they want more, then you did your job. If people go out and they’re like, ‘I’m done!’ then that’s not good.”

When I asked what makes a Trikke tour experience different from a bus or walking tour, Ann prophesied what my later Trikke exploit would prove to be true. She said, “Tours on Trikkes (personal transportation) broaden your experience because you are connecting with the environment in a different way.”

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Fred elaborated, “Let me give you an example. Just down Seventh Street you have all the L.I.B. (Life is Beautiful) murals. When we take people over there, you’re right up against it. So I tell people, first off, let’s get the macro view of it. So, you’re literally rolling right up next to it and looking at all the detail of it. Then we zip all the way to the other side of the lot, and I say, ‘Don’t look, don’t look.’ And then all of a sudden, boom. In seconds, you now see the full picture. And I’m sorry, you can’t get that on a bus. It allows you to really penetrate and interact with the space.

And on a walking tour there’s a point where exhaustion starts to kick in, and you say, ‘That looks kind of interesting over there but ... it’s all the way over there ... Maybe not.’

Whereas this alternative form of transportation allows us to be really adventurous and go ‘exploring’ in an area more than it is just touring in an area.”

Downtown ZEN

06

Tour Info: Tours are priced from $35 to $55 and range from 30 minutes to an hour. They are focused around test-drives, Downtown Project innovations and downtown art from old vs. new neon to all the murals — courtesy of the 2013 Life is Beautiful festival.

They’re even starting a tour to the Arts District! You can also book an hour and a half Picnic Tour for $70, during which Rachel’s Kitchen delivers lunch to the Smith Center. All have a ten-minute orientation during which instruction is provided.

If you get hooked on the idea of the ease of personal transportation, most packages actually credit your tour fee towards your purchase. Now that’s the cat’s pajamas.

For details, see www.lasvegastrikketours.com/tours. And if you aren’t convinced that a Trikke can change your lifestyle after the tour, I will personally let you pie me.

Client Rentals: Trikke Las Vegas doesn’t rent vehicles out to the general public. Safety is a key element. To become a “client,” people take an hour-long class and procure a membership. After that, clients can rent anytime and at “client” prices, $8 per hour.

You can even rent it and take it to California for the weekend! And, as an added bonus, clients will be grandfathered into the pricing schedule. Find out more here www.lasvegastrikketours.com/client-rentals “We really want to show appreciation to early adopters. When these prices rise, we want to say, ‘Thank you for jumping in early’ by still honoring the lower price.” Anne Pirone

The learning curve to carving: Trikkes are friendlier than other modes of recreational exercise/transportation and easier than riding a bike. Electric models take 10 minutes to get going in terms of enough proficiency for executing the tour. Client orientation classes last a little over an hour but include how to fold it, how to charge it, how to ride it, how to transport it, etc. Then you can rent for an hour, or for a weekend. The body-powered vehicles take a longer time investment to learn how to make it go.

Fred explained, “The electric motor absolves you of having to create propulsion.

So, on the body powered vehicle you are the motor AND the transmission. If you want it to go faster, you have to shift gears (much like standing up on a bike, you’re shifting techniques). Same with this ... how you make it go from 1-6 miles an hour is different from how you make it go 6-10 miles an hour.”

Ann revealed, “There is a learning curve associated with the body powered vehicles.

I practiced for a good couple weeks, every day, until I got a good handle on it. The electric ones … easy.”

07

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Do you need benefits?

Batteries, specs and pricing:

“In order for this community to succeed, people need to be easily mobile, especially when it’s hot. Otherwise, people will just stay in their offices.” - Ann Pirone

It costs an average of 7 cents to charge the removable, lithium ion battery by plugging it into a standard wall outlet for full charge time of 3-5 hours. The distance you can potentially travel on a fully charged battery is 5-10 miles on the low end and up to 20 on the high end, depending on how fast you want to go. Ann and Fred have vehicles in the shop that are almost six years old and still are workhorses.

Eventually, batteries start losing range, and the cost is about $350 to $760 to replace them. But don’t stop reading now. Think of it the Fred way: “If you had to take all the gas that you use for your car for a year and bought it up front, imagine how much money you would spend. After the upfront cost of the battery, it’s only 7 cents to charge it. Beyond that, there are no registration fees, no license, and no insurance requirements because Trikkes are classified as an ‘ultralight, electric, personal transportation vehicle.’”

• Trikke gives you quick, easy transportation into those hard to reach places. Walking three blocks is not a problem, but what about distances that are too far to walk but too close to get the air conditioning cranking? Fred’s example is, “You can’t just pop over to the Arts District, or Lady Silvia, or Rock‘N’oodles. From a transportation standpoint, you have to figure that out.” No problem for Trikkes. Trikke riders get the benefit of ALL of downtown. Don’t forget about parking and scrounging change for the meter. Just to go a few blocks.

• Another benefit to this vehicle is the standing position.

There are no encumbrances on your wardrobe. Ann noted, “If you’re wearing a dress or a skirt, you’re not going to hop on a bike to go to a meeting.” I would add that, again, with hot weather comes sweat. Who wants to show up at a meeting with butt sweat? Not I. • No time to hit the gym? On a Trikke, you get a lowimpact workout while making great travel time. Visibility is also increased because you’re higher up than walking, riding a bike or even driving a mid-size car. Now that’s multitasking. You are a rock star.

• You can take your bike on the bus if you’re a bimodal traveller, but bikes have to go on the bike rack at the front of the bus, and they get hot. They won’t let you put electric bikes on there either, so don’t go thinking about doing that!

Solution: You can bring a Trikke ON the bus with you. It fits on the luggage rack or under your seat.

• No balance required. The three-point stance allows you to go as fast or slow, and even rest at a standstill without tipping over. This allows more control and more maneuverability on sidewalks where pedestrians roam.

Speed

Elekktrics: 0-17 mph Body powered: up to 16-ish mph by a competent rider.

Collapsible and storable

Dimensions folded: 56-57 inches from front to rear wheel

Weight

Elekktrics: from 42 to 48 pounds Body powered: from 23 to 35 pounds

Pricing

Elekktrics: $1,589 to $2,399 Body powered: $200 to $800

Quickfire Q&A with Ann and Frank: Favorite place to eat downtown?

Ann: Hugo’s Cellar or Le Thai (heat level 2) Fred: Le Thai (heat level 3 verging on 4) ... or Hugo’s Cellar. Can you tell we’re married?

Favorite place to hang out downtown?

Ann: DCR for cocktails and Gold Spike for hanging out Fred: Can’t beat a Bloody Mary from Bar+Bistro

Trikke Las Vegas is officially in growth mode and looking for help throughout the valley.

They need enthusiastic people who may want to work the Downtown Container Park store and/or want to get out there and introduce Trikke to the community. Call for details.

Contact info:

See a video of Downtown ZEN’s Trikke tour at

dtzen.com

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Trikke Las Vegas Downtown Container Park 707 E. Fremont St. Suite 1130 Las Vegas, NV 89101 702.421.2288 www.trikkelasvegas.com info@trikkelasvegas.com Yelp www.yelp.com/biz/trikke-las-vegas-las-vegas Facebook www.facebook.com/TrikkeLV

Downtown ZEN

08

Super Summer SpecialS

There’s Something NEW to Savor Every Day this Summer!

Fish & chips mondays All You CAn EAt $ 9.99 pEr pErson (11Am – ClosE)

BuFFalo wing wednesdays all you can eat $ 9.99 per perSon (11am – 11pm)

Zappos employees receive 10% off all our restaurants.

street taco tuesdays

Dim Sum thurSDayS all you can eat • $9.99 per perSon (5pm – cloSe)

.99 each (11am – 3pm)

$

DOWNTOWNGRAND.COM | 702.719.5100 206 N. 3RD STR ee T, LAS VeGAS, NV 89101 09

Management reserves all rights. Not valid for holidays. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons. Must Present Zappos Employee ID for discounts.

Limited time Downtown ZENoffer.

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

INDEPENDENCE ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

10

by Michael Boley

L

ooking to show off that new high-fashion summer wardrobe or to flaunt that slimming, sexy body of yours poolside? Well, have we got the place for you!

Elevated high above a sundrenched downtown Las Vegas amongst the cascading shadows of office buildings and casino-hotels is PICNIC, the Downtown Grand’s most coveted amenity and the area’s premier destination for locals and tourists to beat the heat. PICNIC, a 35,000-square-foot urban rooftop, features breathtaking panoramic views, an infinity pool, upscale cabanas, outdoor gaming tables, and an expansive green space to cozy up and share a blanket and picnic basket. Oh, and don’t forget to hydrate by quenching your thirst with a signature cocktail at the walk-up bar. Hell, you may even find someone to help lather sunscreen on those easy-to-reach areas — if they play their cards right.

11

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

© Matthew Wong

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

12

Forget the park. Flaunt your floral cover-up while relaxing amongst the greenery at PICNIC. Seat yourself at any of the 12 communal picnic tables or roll out a blanket on the lawn as you decipher ordering from the specialized outdoor dining menu.

Š Matthew Wong

13

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Lounge like a gold goddess in one of the rooftop’s 15 elegantly draped cabanas.

Fully equipped with misters, day beds, lounge chairs, couches and a large table for day drinking, you have the luxury of partying in the open or in seclusion.

Š Matthew Wong

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

14

Simultaneously cool down and heat things up at the rooftop’s infinity pool by donning an alluring two-piece bikini paired with a pop color cover-up. Chase loungers also surround the watering hole so you can take in and enjoy the breathtaking view.

Š Matthew Wong

15

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Looking to get lucky? Saddle up and order a custom cocktail as you try your hand at one of PICNIC’s four sun-covered blackjack tables, all without changing your poolside attire. After all, the cards are in your hands and certain sights are best left to the imagination.

Š Matthew Wong

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

16

hot streaks.

hotter steaks.

Sometimes you just need a classic Vegas dinner. A meal that Frank or Dean would have sat down to. That’s when you need The Flame Steakhouse at El Cortez. Fantastic steaks and seafood, an extensive wine program, and prices that won’t break your bankroll.

complimentary bottle of

mondavi woodbridge wine

with your dinner for two

JUST SHOW YOUR ZAPPOS EMPLOYEE CARD or present this coupon to your server. Valid with purchase of 2 dinner entrees.

Limit one coupon per 2 persons. Must be 21 or older. Not valid with any other offer or comp. Single diners will receive 2 glasses of wine with coupon.

Available while supplies last. Management reserves all rights. Expires 7/4/14.

FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT ELCORTEZHOTELCASINO.COM/ZAPPOS 600 E. Fremont St. Las Vegas, NV 89101 | 800.634.6703 | 702.385.5200 17

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Serendipitous Spotlight Q&A w/Turntable Health Founder Zubin Damania Whoa, Zubin. You haven’t even been introduced yet, and you’re already throwin’ up hand gestures.

What up with that?

It’s my “ambivalent gangsta” stance. West side … or east side, totally up to you. I’m flex.

Besides your birth name, you also go by ZDoggMD — a doc that parodies songs and TV shows online with a medical twist. Give us some context for when this began.

It was born out of frustration with the medical system and just generally a way to blow off steam while potentially educating folks on important medical topics. There are two “g’s” because according to my market research, one “g” is simply not sufficiently gangsta.

Your parody of Jay Z’s “Hard Knock Life” on YouTube has over 145,000 views. You’re funny, but did you ever think to be that funny and popular?

There are videos of people’s cats on YouTube that have three million views. As my wife keeps telling me, I am neither funny nor popular. But I’m thrilled and surprised to have had the modest success I’ve had.

For 10 years, you were a hospitalist at Stanford University before coming to Vegas. What spurred the move eastward?

Pimping ain’t easy in Palo Alto. Apparently it’s moderately less difficult in Las Vegas. At least that’s what I was told. But it turns out pimping may well be difficult globally. That’s my current assessment of the pimping situation.

What was the question again?

In December 2013 you opened Turntable Health, a membership-based primary care clinic atypical to the industry. What’s your overarching goal to “re-mixing” healthcare?

Build a culture where physicians are happy and focused on what they’re passionate about. This leads in turn to happier and healthier patients, and a happier and healthier community overall.

A lot is being floated around regarding Obamacare and Nevada Health Co-Op. Where/how does Turntable come into play?

Our partnership with the Co-Op allows patients to purchase participating insurance plans on the state exchange and get federal subsidies to have access to Turntable.

That’s amazing, and we’re seeing patients who haven’t had healthcare in ages.

For those unfamiliar with Turntable, there’s no standard waiting room, but there is 24/7 access to a physician by phone, the ability to email or video chat your doc, and yoga and hot hula classes. Basically it’s the Club Med of medicine.

Club ‘Med.’ I see what you did there.

You have a max of four words to end this interview. Go! Only. Need. Three.

– Michael Boley

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

18

DOWNTOWN < CODE > WITH MICHAEL J. SMITH

BY SUNSHINE JOWELL

Raster Media is a custom software development firm with

a primary focus on mobile technology and technical consulting. Michael J. Smith is CEO and cofounder, and the business is in its 10th year. They moved downtown about a year ago and have built the mobile app for Downtown Project.

I was invited to tour their office on South Main Street and sat down with Michael to talk about how he got involved with Downtown Project and what it’s like to be a veteran of the tech community in Las Vegas.

“Mobile didn’t exist when we started out,” he says. “So we were primarily involved with web-based software. And then mobile came along, and we got involved from the first iPhone. It’s part of what’s fun about software development. It keeps growing.”

When they first started out, it was all about working on websites. Now they can create software for refrigerators, washing machines and cars.

“The opportunities for the technology that we can develop are ever expanding,” he says.

Raster has always operated on a few core principles. At the very heart is customer service and customer experience. Not just with their clients, but with their products.

According to Michael, “That is always the priority in everything we do.

In the development world, there can be a conflict when doing what’s going to make it easy for the customer, or user, and what’s easy on the development team in writing code. So, if it’s more difficult to write the code, but easier on the end user, then that’s what wins out.”

19

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Raster Media has also subscribed to the idea of a flat — or holacratic company structure.

“From the moment we started this business 10 years ago,” he says, “we had a flat structure — a loose environment. We try to keep things creative and organic.”

As one of the senior members of the tech community, Raster Media caught the eye of Downtown Project. Early on, through the nature of downtown having more of a small town vibe — where everyone knows everyone else — they got to know the members through “tech jellies,” lunches, and just hanging out.

“We’ve become friends and business associates with a lot of the people involved with Downtown Project,” he said. “We moved downtown to be more actively involved in the community, and that’s progressed into them being a client of ours.”

According to Michael, “We do things like Lunch n’ Learns. We’ll hold talks and discussions to try to educate the fairly young startup community here.

Having been involved in launching thousands of startups, there’s a lot that we can offer.”

They also give young startups advice on business models and monetization schemes. The community has really been invited to use Raster Media as a great resource for advice, direction, funding sources, networking and veteran experience.

Raster Media is an office with a non-office vibe. A great coworking space in the heart of downtown Vegas with a great view. From the rooftop you can see all the possibilities.

For more information, please visit www.rastermedia.com

They now have a live mobile app on iOS called Downtown Project. It’s focused mainly on information dissemination. This was mainly created to bypass the struggle of making the community aware of all the new events happening downtown.

“Depending on the source you’re looking at,” he says, “you’re getting different information. There was no centralized system.”

The first phase, which is live now, is focused on news and events. Future iterations of the app will promote “serendipitous collisions” and other added elements.

Raster Media has found some other benefits to moving downtown and being part of this vibrant community. They sponsor their own events at their office on South Main Street, as well as hosting events for the startup community that’s growing in Las Vegas.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

20

Michael Boley

Photograph by Matt Wong 21

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Can you

smell

that?

Ahhh, yes — that, my friends, is the sweet aromatic smell of summer barbecue wafting overhead.

And, no, we’re not talking about the frozen prepackaged meat you regularly char on your Weber one-burner gas grill. Rather, we’re talking about professionally cut, cured, and hickory and oak smoked made-to-order meat from Big Ern’s BBQ located inside Downtown Container Park. Selected by the 2014 Review-Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” poll, Big Ern’s has received rave accolades for its “low and slow” smoking method and St. Louis-style quality. Featuring a modest menu, Big Ern’s incorporates braised pulled pork, tender and chewy chicken and hot links and, of course, glazed pork ribs as it’s main entrées. But with home-style potato salad and macaroni & cheese or coleslaw and pork & beans as optional sides, you’re bound to leave this smokehouse full to the brim and lickin’ your chops until next time.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

22

Jerky, in all its glory, has been an American mainstay for decades, and its prominence continues to expand deep into international markets. But why travel to the far corners of the globe to gnaw on deliciously dehydrated meat only to be mildly disappointed in its cut, quality and taste (think gas station Slim Jims)? Cue JoJo’s Jerky located at Downtown Container Park where, according to owner Hans Hippert, “we take that extra step, and maybe a few extra steps, to ensure our product is the best that it can be.” From utilizing the freshest of ingredients to hand trimming their beef and turkey, JoJo’s promises a quality product that simultaneously cares for the environment as well as its local friends and families. So whether you savor sweet or heat, JoJo’s will keep your jerky barbecue taste buds in check all summer long.

–Michael Boley

JoJo’s Ain’t No Joke

Think all prepackaged jerky has the same assembly line taste? That’s because you haven’t savored the real deal of JoJo’s, which tastes less like interstate road kill and more straight-from-the-butcher.

EAT 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM

23

Rubbed the Right Way

Let’s Get Sauced

Jerking My Chain

With seven different dry rubs, JoJo’s valor breeds variety when it comes to seasoning. Choose from “Vegas Valley Ranch” to “Hell on Earth.”

Whether you’re indoor frying or outdoor grilling, meat demands marinade. Add hair to your chest by trying JoJo’s signature “Triple Threat” and “Sweet Heat” sauces.

With several distinctive jerkies, including beef, turkey and even veggie for the non-meat eaters out there, JoJo’s provides the best flavors in the valley.

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

STREETSTYLE

Fashion on the Bar Scene ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

By Temple Brathwaite

24

Commonwealth As summertime sets in, drinks with friends, happy hours and good music are some of the best attractions that many downtown bar scenes offer.

Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s releasing stress after your 5 p.m. conference call or grabbing Moscow Mules at Vanguard Lounge for girl talk after work, you hit the local lounge loop in your most fashionable attire. With many drinking options spanning a two-block radius, you fit right in whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wearing Downtown Cocktail Room

25

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

The Griffin suspenders or the latest Brigitte Bailey peplum top that you effortlessly threw on for a chic night at Commonwealth. Dressed for the occasion? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say barhopping never looked as good as the fashion on the bar scene in downtown Las Vegas.

Vanguard

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

26

Nat’l Month -Presents-

Sundae Fundae

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan, a wellknown sweets freak, proposed July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day — which, if you don’t have a pocket calendar handy, is July 20.

Rivaling Independence Day as July’s premier holiday, the International Ice Cream Association (yes, it’s a thing) encourages retailers and consumers nationwide to participate in the fun each year. Ice cream, unless you’re suffering from brain freeze, is a booming industry. With dozens of brands and countless flavors filling up your grocer’s coolers and available at independently owned and chained parlors across the nation, ice cream production generates more than $10 billion in total yearly revenue and accounts for nearly 9 percent of all milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers.

N

estled inside Downtown Container Park, Chicago natives and brother-sister duo Joe Vergara and Liza Vergara-Gross, a former technologist and an accomplished pastry chef, respectively, are co-owners and founders of the appropriately named ChillSpot, a liquid nitrogen-infused ice creamery featuring everything from traditional milk shakes and smoothies to real fruit slushies and premium beverages with boba pearls. But it’s their award-winning artisan popsicles made with all-natural ingredients, known as SasaPops, and their SasaSnow shave ice, that is well-known amongst toptier chefs and is currently available at select Strip mega-resorts and Whole Foods Markets. But don’t take our word for it. Try one of ChillSpot’s many distinctive desserts all summer — and all year round — right here, downtown.

So, as we approach the 30th anniversary of National Ice Cream Day, the ZEN is paying homage to the former actor turned POTUS by going rogue and spotlighting reiterations of America’s soft serve at two of downtown’s most unique and relatively unknown ice boxes: ChillSpot by Sasasweets and Art of Flavors gelato. With each location utilizing only the freshest, high-quality ingredients, don’t blame us if you go elsewhere and the flavor tastes … well, just plain vanilla.

By Michael Boley

27

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

•Avocado

B

ored with Baskin-Robbins’ all but 31 flavors? Then consider making the switch to gelato. Desyree Alberganti, former pastry chef at the now-closed Valentino inside the Venetian, left the Strip a year ago for downtown and opened her own gelateria right next door to critically acclaimed Viva Las Arepas from Félix Arellano, also co-business partner at Art of Flavors. With more than 100 savory, made-from-scratch flavors at her disposal, Desyree swaps out and features 24 options daily, from basic favorites like birthday cake, cookies & cream and strawberry, to exotic tastings, such as dry lemon pound cake, pear and gorgonzola, brie cheese with bacon marmalade and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, as patrons are guaranteed a diversified mix each and every time they visit. And that’s not all! In addition to specially made, order-ahead gelato cakes, Desyree has also created the invention of the century: grilled gelato panini. With five different options available, at first bite patrons are succumbed by the warmth and freshness of panini bread and then given a metaphorical left hook to the mouth with its 100% all-natural ingredients. If you consider yourself a frozen dessert connoisseur, Art of Flavors should be your first, and only, stop on your tasting tour.

•Smoked Salmon

•Blueberry

•Salted Caramel Chocolate

1

Siciliano ($6.95)

ricotta gelato, pistachios, candied fruit, chocolate bits

2

Americano ($6.25)

peanut butter gelato, Desyree’s strawberry preserve

3

A.O.F. ($6.95)

fior di latte, chocolatehazelnut spread, hazelnuts

•Lemon Meringue Pie •Red Velvet Cake

1 •Pistachio/Almond Snickers

2

•Birthday Cake

3 ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

28

By Brian Paco Alvarez

Images Courtesy of the Las Vegas News Bureau 29

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

J

uly marks the beginning of flood season in Las Vegas, and despite popular belief that it does not rain in the desert, it actually does — and with the full force of nature’s fury. In fact, most deserts around the world have a rainy season. Since Las Vegas sits in the middle of the Mohave Desert it too has a rainy season, a season that begins in July and runs through early September. We call it the monsoon season when moisture from the Gulf of California and sometimes the Gulf of Mexico are forced north into the American Southwest bringing dramatic thunderstorms that have the potential to cause huge amounts of flooding.

During the 1960s and early 1970s when the Las Vegas Strip was quickly developing, a series of spectacular floods inundated Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino, which had just opened in 1966. Aerial images of Caesars Palace clearly showed that the new resort was built directly above the Flamingo Wash! Since the hotel lay directly in the path of the floodwaters, on several occasions the resort’s parking lot would turn into a raging river and lake. Most, if not all, cars that were located in the lot during a thunderstorm would be picked and piled on top of each other like toys. As demonstrated from the Las Vegas News Bureau photos, the destruction was obvious.

Driving around the Las Vegas Valley you will notice hundreds of miles of flood channels and dozens of massive retention basins that help alleviate much of the flooding in the area. But despite these costly measures put in place by the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, the waters that descend will follow the path of least resistance — and many times those paths are the city’s very streets.

Anyone who has lived in Las Vegas for a few years has witnessed how quickly the streets can turn into rivers, washing away cars as if they were toys.

Though the hotel and the county struggled for years to do anything about the flooding, it was not until the late 1980s that something was finally done to attempt to tame Mother Nature’s deluge. When Caesars Palace began the development of the Forum Shops, the county and the hotel came together and built a major storm drain that would run underneath the mall. Though this seemed to help, on occasion the waters would overwhelm the storm drains and water would flood the mall, and even the casino!

Long before the city invested in flood prevention measures, the city’s best defense against the raging rapids was to steer clear all together. Most people would avoid building homes or businesses on or along the valley’s natural arroyos or washes, knowing very well the danger they would pose.

But as the city rapidly grew and developed, many of these natural formations were inadvertently covered up by roads, buildings and other obstructions causing floodwaters to wreak havoc in the community.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Even though the city, county, state and federal governments have continued to work hard to try and alleviate flooding in the valley, nature will always throw a spectacular curve ball.

Flooding in Las Vegas is a serious threat to all life forms, so it’s important to always to be cognizant that when it rains somewhere in the area flooding more than likely will ensue. Next time you see thunderclouds developing in the distance, be aware and stay safe regardless of your location.

Downtown ZEN

30

Living Zen

By Consy Malasoma

Now that we are in the “dog days of summer” and all the day clubs on the Strip are getting busier and crazier, I think this is a great time to write about relationships. July is one of the busiest wedding months, and the summer in general here in Las Vegas is fun for outdoor concerts and evenings to cool off and be social. Las Vegas is well known as a destination wedding spot, and you can get married with as little as 24 hour notice.

So why not get some feng shui tips around romance?

It sounds like a great plan!! I first want to mention the language “speak” in Gary Chapman’s book “The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate.” I feel this is a great study guide to help us navigate through all the dating options we have today and find just the right mate/spouse/significant other. So what are those five languages?

Here is a quick overview: 1.Acts of Service - doing things that serve your partner by helping them with an activity.

2.Physical Intimacy - touch, affection and sexual expression.

3.Words of Affirmation - using words that build up your partner through encouragement and appreciation.

4.Gifts - receiving items that show someone cares and is thinking of you.

5.Quality Time - spending time together in which our primary focus is on each other, enjoying your time together and actually sharing in conversation.

In your first meeting/dating experience several of these love languages are touched upon at some level or another.

But it is also critical to be willing to be vulnerable by speaking up about what makes each of you feel loved and cared for.

31

Downtown ZEN

So how does feng shui help the process of finding that special person you can share your love language with?

There are several ways. First to consider is how your living space is laid out. In the bagua of feng shui I always look at the upper right hand corner from the front door or entrance to your house, condo or apartment. It could be a bedroom, the kitchen, or even a family room. Go take a look at what area of your living space that represents and what it is used for. (Bedrooms are the easiest to work with I might add.)

If that area is your bathroom, keep it clean and clutter free and keep the toilet seat down (so money won’t go down the drain). Check for the cleanliness and the clutter in that space, whatever it is used for. I notice my single women clients seem to keep an inordinate array of paintings and pictures with the feminine theme showing either a single woman or two women. If a partner is what you want then display a photo of a happy couple or paired animals.

Mallard ducks or Canadian geese are auspicious in pairs because they mate for life. A happy couple in a photo or painting would work so well in this corner … or statues of pairs whether people or animals.

If you are serious about finding a mate then let the Universe know what you want to attract! Write down five intentions that state who you want to attract. Some folks use personality descriptions or even physical attributes.

Keep this list somewhere in that space. Even a book on romantic poetry or love letters is a great place to store your list or pasted behind a romantic-themed picture.

If you are a guy living in a cluttered space and you want to find that special partner then keep your living quarters clean and fresh. If this area is your cluttered bedroom, invest in fresh linens and clean your space to prepare for that special someone to move in. As for the women who

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

like frilly, floral bedding, try to use a more neutral pattern that is unisex appropriate. Add touches of red like a pillow or an upholstered chair for the passion.

About Consy Malasoma Consy received her feng shui practitioner certificate from the Western School of Feng Shui in San Diego, Calif. in 2001. She also studied Chinese astrology under Roger Green from Australia, Flying Star feng shui under Elliot Tanzer and has attended seminars by the world renown practitioner, Wm Spear. Consy uses her feng shui background to stage, redesign and color consult for residential and commercial properties.

Her clients span from the Bay Area to Las Vegas and the Greater East Side of the Puget Sound. She is a member of the American Federation of Astrologers, a Red Ribbon professional of the International Feng Shui Guild, as well as a member in good standing of the local NW chapter of the Feng Shui Guild. Consy is a member of the Real Estate Staging Association. In addition, she holds her Washington real estate broker’s license with the referral group of John L. Scott Realty.

She has given talks for Barnes and Noble in Las Vegas, Nev., Stonehouse Bookstore in Kirkland, Wash. and East West bookstore in Seattle, Wash., and she has been featured as a monthly columnist for several years at vegascommunityonline.com as the feng shui expert. Consy continues to contribute articles to the Spirit Journal paper, the IFSG e-zine and the online Conscious Design Magazine. Mayor Matt Larson appointed Consy to the Snoqualmie Arts Commission for a three-year term last year, and she has been serving on the Marketing Committee for IFSG and is on an HOA Board in Las Vegas. Consy enjoys giving seminars and strives to help bring harmony and balance into her clients’ lives. She is currently working on her first book about combining staging, astrology and feng shui to create sanctuary in our homes. For more information please refer to her website at: www.consymalasoma.com.

I had a client in California who decorated her entire bedroom (her partner bagua) in heavy velvet fabrics and candles with an inordinate amount of a deep red color scheme in everything and wondered why all her relationships ended up purely sexual! Once we discussed the “message” she wanted to convey to a future love interest and toned down all the boudoir accessories, she finally met the right man. Another great tip for those of you who want to find a live-in partner is to make space in your closet or dressers for that special someone to move into.

Most importantly, visualize who you want to attract and what attributes are important to you. If you have clarity around this then take time to review how former relationships played out. If you keep attracting the wrong partner then reassess how you are coming across and be crystal clear about what you want in a partner.

Meeting the mate of your dreams who has psychological issues or shows issues as time goes on is probably not the best candidate for you to pursue. The warning signs are always there. We cannot fix other peoples issues no matter how brilliant you think you are. See how they show up for the love languages. If you need a communicator then stay away from the shy, insecure type.

In future articles I will go more in depth about the bagua and how to use it to improve other areas of your life. Good luck with your search!

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

32

HOUSING GUIDE

BY KARINA GIRALDO

Rancho Park

33

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Karina Giraldo Residential Specialist

karina@theagencyre.com T: 702.566.7222 M: 702.480.9131 F: 702.853.4470

Like people, real estate housing follows trends. One year, downtown high-rise condos sell like hotcakes, the next year everyone’s moving to bungalows and cottage-style homes. But recently, ranch homes with large lots, open floor plans, and an indoor-outdoor flow have been seeing a comeback. If you are looking for a home that checks all these boxes, then Rancho Park is where you should begin your search.

Rancho Park consists of 45 homes with ranch-style architecture. The ranch-style home is noted for its long, close-to-theground profile, and minimal use of exterior and interior decoration. Ranch style homes are attractive because of the lifestyle they promote — the open layouts are ideal for entertaining and relaxed family gatherings.

The abundant use of windows and walls of glass bring in light and blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor space.

Ranch-style homes really took off with the post-World War II middle class. By 1950, nine out of 10 new houses were ranchstyle homes. However, in comparison to the Las Vegas modern tract home, there are not many ranch-style homes in Las Vegas. The style is not as common as it was many decades ago, when land was much cheaper and urban sprawl was not as much an issue.

Rancho Park is located off the corner of Alta Drive and Rancho Drive. The small community can only be entered and exited through one street, off Rancho Drive and Rancho Circle. There are only four roads in the neighborhood that create an oblong shape: Parkway Drive, Parkway West, Parkway East, and Parkway North.

There are limited custom homes in this community, all on an average of one-third acre lots.

Unfortunately, at this time, there are no houses in the neighborhood currently on the market. There are, however, three homes with pending offers. Their sizes range from 2,350 square feet to over 3,500 square feet and are priced between $250,000 to $350,000. Each of theses houses feature large, deep pools perfect for summer parties. But with so few homes in this small sub-division available, make note: If you see something you like, it’s best to move fast!

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

34

When is the last time you took a cab? Maybe from the airport to your hotel while out of town traveling, from the local bar back to your house, or to the next club from where your adventures have taken you thus far in the night.

I’ve always thought that cabbies must have a pretty interesting story from all the different passengers who get in and out of their vehicles day in and day out. And if their cars could talk, I’m sure that they would have an even more tantalizing tale to tell.

This shot is from the top of Binion’s parking garage looking down on Casino Center Drive.

35

–Peter Gaunt

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Downtown3rd Farmers Market Grilled Little Gem Salad Little Gem lettuce is in season right now. These small lettuces are a type of romaine, but they are sweeter. They are all the rage in restaurants across the county. Interestingly, they are great for grilling. Try these tasty tidbits with with a hard root vegetable, some soft cheese and a toss of nuts with a citrusy vinaigrette dressing and you have one amazing salad.

Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 4 Salad Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons Ojai Olive Oil Company violet balsamic vinegar • 1/4 cup good quality olive oil, preferably a peppery one • Salt to taste • Pepper to taste • Mix ingredients well and store in salad dressing jar. Set aside and prepare salad.

Salad:

• 4 Little Gem lettuces • 2 sweet carrots sliced in 1/4 inch discs • 2 tablespoons OU Nuts (pistachio nuts) shelled and roughly chopped • 4 ounces Bohemian Creamery Cowabunga dulce de leche cheese, crumbled

On the grill:

Cut lettuce in half lengthwise. Brush with good quality olive oil. Place on grill face down for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Turn and heat another 2 minutes until leaves are charred.

On the stovetop:

Cut in half lengthwise. Brush with good quality olive oil. On a hot pan, grill face downward 60 to 75 seconds. Remove from heat and serve.

Arrange lettuce on 4 plates. Top with carrot discs, pistachio nuts and crumbled cheese. Drizzle on dressing and serve.

Please post your photos to the Downtown3rd Farmers Market Facebook page and add the tag #dtZEN www.facebook.com/Downtown3rdFarmersMarket Every Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

300 N. Casino Center Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89101 ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

36

D O W N T O W N

Arts&Ents R E V I E W

Lessons from the Fringe: the good, the great and the ugly

By Erik Amblad

For five years now, Las Vegas Little Theatre has put on what they call the Vegas Fringe Festival. For seven days over two weekends in June, companies from around the valley duke it out for the title of Best of Fringe in what LVLT calls “a buffet of theater.” In years past, I have been an actor, a producer, a director and even a casual audience member, but this year I got to do something entirely new: I got to be a judge.

As a judge at this year’s Vegas Fringe Festival, as I ran the gauntlet of cramming 15 shows into five tightly scheduled days of performances, I realized something more important than the mere competition — I learned some very clear lessons about the state of theater in Las Vegas:

reputation. People have come to rely on them for challenging, high quality theater. I walked into their Fringe offering, “Atrocious Traditions” by Erica Griffin, with high expectations. Not only did they have they have the brand, they also had the pedigree: Between director Ernie Curcio and writer Erica Griffin, they’ve won every year at the festival. Sadly, though this show lacked the Cockroach tradition, it delivered on being atrocious. At worst, its take on mental retardation and genital mutilation bordered on being a modern day minstrel show. Not even the stellar acting could save it. I am sure this is a minor stumble for Cockroach Theatre. I look forward to the announcement of their 2014-2015 season (coming in August). I am certain it promises a return to form.

LESSON #1: POOR RICHARD’S PLAYERS IS THE FUTURE This year, PRP’s “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood was far and away, top to bottom, the best show at the festival this year. This shouldn’t be surprising (after all, they won Best of Fringe three years in a row — every year they’ve put a show in the festival), and yet, while they have always been one of the most interesting companies in Las Vegas, with this production, they have truly set themselves apart.

In a festival that requires spare production value, their attention to detail was nevertheless superlative. And their collection of talent? Incredible. All five women in the show gave tour de force comedic performances that left me literally gasping for breath, crying with laughter. If you get a chance to see a PRP production — GO. They produce all around Las Vegas, and quite often downtown. In fact, you’re in luck: They are mounting an encore production of “5 Lesbians” July 18-27 at Las Vegas Little Theatre. This show and this company strengthens my faith that Las Vegas will soon rival the professionalism and quality of theater towns like Chicago, Boston and New York. Go to www.poorrichardsplayers.com for details.

LESSON #4: CSN AND CCSD ARE CHURNING OUT SOME REAL TALENT If this festival is any indication, Las Vegas has a bright future based on the talent coming out of our schools. Exhibit A: “We’re Here for You: The Community College Musical Comedy” by Mark Emery Wherry, an actual professor at CSN. This entirely original musical has charming, hummable tunes that stick with you long after the performance, and every actor had an admirable match of comedic timing and vocal chops. Though the plot itself was a little thin, this show was one of the most exciting offerings of the festival. Though I wasn’t impressed with “Ex Dating” by Matt Martello, another production full of CSN talent, I was very impressed with the actors, particularly Meagan Moser and Leonardo Dominguez. I can’t wait to see what happens when these two spread their wings in the larger Vegas talent pool. I’m also looking forward to what happens to the graduates of Downtown Theatre Group’s “The Family” by Erica Griffin and “Somewhere in Between” by Mason Coffe. All of them students in the Clark County School District, they exhibited a talent more mature than many of the their older peers in this community.

LESSON #2: TROY HEARD IS A TOTAL SUPERSTAR For years now, the most entertaining theater in town is not simply seen — it is Heard. For almost five years, Troy Heard and his company Table 8 Productions have consistently tricked audiences into thinking they are getting comfort food, when in fact they are watching some of the most innovate shows Las Vegas has scene. This transplant from Georgia maintains his reputation as a trailblazer with this year’s fringe entry “Oregon Trail: The Play” by A. J. Allegra. Deservedly, this comedy, based on the popular computer game from the 1980s, took not only the second spot on my judge’s ballot, but it also took the title of Best of Fringe. One minute I thought I was watching a hilarious show that wrapped me in a warm blanket of nostalgia, the next I realized that once again Troy Heard was challenging us to rethink our rules of theater. We literally become part of the show, and the barriers between us and the actors dissolved. Whenever other plays have put me in this position, I’ve felt a kind of anxiety and discomfort, but with Troy Heard at the helm it was easy — even fun. The effect is so surprising, we forgive the show’s production value for being a little rough around the edges. Troy Heard is the reigning benevolent King of Las Vegas theater. If he pushes himself as much as he pushes us, then I say: long may he rule.

LESSON #5: LAS VEGAS THEATER COMMUNITY IS SELLING ITSELF SHORT This brings me to one of the hard lessons of the Vegas Fringe Festival. Of the 15 shows, in my opinion, only three seriously contended for the title of Best of Fringe. The one I haven’t mentioned — Endless Production’s “The Actor’s Nightmare” by Christopher Durang — only missed Best of Fringe on my ballot for lack of daring. True, Tim Burris as the lead gave arguably the best performance of the festival; I’ve seen this show more times than I can count, and director E’Dawn Severance made me like, nay love, this play for the first time in my life. That’s just the thing, though. For a Fringe Festival designed to reward innovation and pushing boundaries, this was an incredibly safe choice, a choice that’s emblematic of the problem of the festival, and even more broadly the problem with our community: Our talent far outstrips our ambition.

LESSON #3: EVEN THE MIGHTY CAN STUMBLE For 10 years, Cockroach Theatre has set the bar innovation and professionalism. In their spot at Art Square Theatre, they are the only company with a residence downtown — and they’ve earned their

That goes for us as audiences, too. We need to expect more — we deserve to expect more. At this year’s festival, I learned there’s a lot of good theater out there. Thanks to companies like Poor Richard’s Players and personalities like Troy Heard, we have an opportunity for so much more.

37

Downtown ZEN

As a judge, I dreaded how many shows I expected to be bad. Turns out everything was pretty good. The trouble is most companies in this town seem to confuse “pretty good” with “truly great.” While much was enjoyable, the show choices were bland and the acting choices were easy.

If we are going to get better, we need to start giving ourselves more credit and seize the reins of our potential.

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

LESSON #1

You want Best of Fringe? Here’s the powerhouse cast of Poor Richard’s Players “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche”: From L to R Karalyn Clark, Kimberly Scott Faubel, Brenna Folger, Teresa Fullerton, and Amanda Kraft

LESSON #2

Winners of Best of Fringe, the cast of “Oregon Trail: The Play” killed us with laughter, and showed us what real theater trailblazers look like.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

38

A

C LESSON #4

A promising future: The talent from “Ex-Dating” (A) and from “We’re Here for You: The Community College Musical Comedy” (B) came from CSN, while the Downtown Group stacked their shows (C) with talent from the Clark County School District.

B

B LESSON #5

The Vegas Fringe Festival gave us shows like APK Productions’ “Boise, Idaho” (A), Found Door’s “The Boob Tube” (B), or LVLT’s “Miss Mannerly” (C) — all entertaining, but far short of their potential.

A

C 39

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

40

D O W N T O W N

restaurant R E V I E W

Nacho Average Breakfast

By Joanna Mueller So, there’s a fantastic little restaurant just around the corner, and while I always knew that the food there was stellar, I wasn’t aware that breakfast at Nacho Daddy had become a “thing.” Our editors took a couple of us out to breakfast on a gorgeous Thursday, so we headed there. Here’s the thing: I like working downtown. I really like it when the weather is beautiful and I get to spend time with good folks, bonding over good food.

The vibe inside Nacho Daddy reminds me of a cool little beach cantina. It’s not quite a thousand degrees yet, and I can practically see the ocean from here. ;-) It was pretty quiet when we got in at 11 a.m. The lunch crowd hadn’t arrived yet.

Service was prompt and efficient and mellow. One of my pet peeves when eating out is being hovered over. No hovering here!

The first thing I want to talk about, though, is the coffee. HOLY SMOKES!!!!! I drink my coffee black (and bitter like my soul), so I am all about full-flavored, yummy coffee. Do yourself a favor, go walk up to the to-go window, and grab yourself a cup of delicious java. Go … Now!!! GO! The breakfast menu has a great variety of choices. There is everything from fully loaded entrées, like a chorizo skillet and classic choices like huevos rancheros and breakfast burritos, to lighter items like a kale and chicken scramble. There’s a ton to choose from.

I went for a breakfast burrito. Pretty yummy stuff. It’s a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes and salsa. I opted for the potatoes on the side and no meat in the burrito. I asked for avocado, however, I wasn’t specific, and it came on the side instead of in the burrito itself. That’s no biggie; I can eat avocado as a snack. The entrées came out with a side of refried beans and chips. Seriously, so, so, SO good.

Breakfast is served every day from 7 a.m. to 11a.m. There is a convenient to-go window that you can walk up to, get yourself some yummy treats and hustle off to start your day.

Every Monday, Nacho Daddy has a special for Zappos employees.

Mondays can be such a drag!!! Why not hop over to Nacho Daddy and get two breakfasts??!! It’s buy one get one. What a deal!! If you’re a Juhl or Ogden resident Tuesday through Thursday are your twofer days, and Downtown Project peeps get the hookup on Fridays.

There’s always a ton of stuff going on at Nacho Daddy. For example, the last Thursday of every month is a comedy show.

Check out some great talent and enjoy some really great food, 41

too! Nacho Daddy is open until 2 a.m. for all you rabble rousers out there who need some late-night sustenance.

Fish school and people, well we tribe (ref: Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization). My favorite thing to do with my tribe (besides watch baseball and talk trash) is to enjoy good food and good conversation and most importantly, belly laughs. So, gather … and hit Nacho Daddy for an excellent breakfast!!

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Chilaquiles Rancheros

Anaheim Breakfast Taco

Anaheim Green Chillies Skillet

Nacho Daddy Downtown 113 N. Fourth St. Las Vegas, NV 89101 702.778.7800 www.nachodaddy.com Monday – Friday 7 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Saturday – Sunday 9 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Chicken and Kale Egg White Scramble with Quinoa Salad ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Chicken Fried Steak Nachos Downtown ZEN

42

D O W N T O W N

bar

R E V I E W

Scullery

DT's Libation Station

By Rockne Henriques

One of the tough aspects of having a magazine column is choosing the next location to review. Downtown Las Vegas is just filled with energy and the presence of top-notch pubs. Very recently, a bar by the name of Scullery opened which immediately caught my attention.

Not because of the prices, or the vibe, or even the staff. Initially, it was because of the name.

I’m not going to lie. My first impression of the word was more of a morbid description. I knew my education failed me at that instance, so I took to the World Wide Web. It was fascinating to discover that the term “scullery” originated in Britain and Ireland and refers to a room in a house used to wash dishes and launder clothes, much like a kitchen. The word scullery evolved in the U.S. to our present day utility or laundry room. Captivated by its background, I knew this place was my next pick for DT’s Libation Station.

Scullery is located on the corner of Sixth Street and Ogden Avenue.

This bar is nestled on the bottom level and east corner of the Ogden high-rise apartments.

Entering the joint, you’ll notice a very airy and modern space.

There are painted, exposed brick walls, dramatic vaulted ceilings and aesthetic archways. One of the immediate focal points is the bar backdrop. This seven-shelf unit holds spirits, wines, jams, oils, pasta and more. The vibe definitely exudes a kitchen-like quality.

Learning more about this place, the intent is to mimic the kitchen congregation theme at parties, which is that no matter how great a party is people still tend to gravitate towards the kitchen. This eclectic space includes bar top chairs, couch seating and of course, the hallway. Walk through the archway, down a dark path and you’ll discover intimate booths for more of a cozier setting.

At the end of the hallway is their second room, a black box theater.

Black box literally means a theater of 100 seats or less. This place holds true to its meaning and offers some awesome entertainment. The night I visited, there was a spoken word segment and improvisation classes. What a true delight!

Overwhelmed by the never-ending surprises Scullery offered, I decided to have a seat at the bar and order a few drinks. What’s cool about Scullery is their extensive wine and beer list. They offer an array of reds, whites, bubbles, rose and brews for your enjoyment at a price range of $10-$15. On top of that, Scullery holds true to its name and offers an amazing spread from their gourmet pantry.

43

Downtown ZEN

Items like cheeses, olives, nuts, breads and cured meats are available for purchase. On this particular night, I decided to try a few of their specialty cocktails.

Here’s what I chose: The Royal Crashpad, a cocktail made with Carlson’s, Strega liqueur, imbue bittersweet vermouth, ginger ale and lemon juice. What’s great about the first note in this drink is the ginger. Then, the Strega and imbue combined makes for a very earthy herbal taste. The final note I got from that was more a licorice flavor.

Sixth & Ogden contains imbue Petal & Thorn vermouth, Maurin Quina liqueur and Botanuals. Although I have no idea what Botanuals are, I can tell you this drink is not for the weak! Lots of different notes and flavors will leave your taste buds super curious. I could taste a citrus flavor, elevated by an orange peel rub to the rim of the glass and a slight cinnamon taste, which ended with a strong bitter finish.

Downtown Afternoon was probably my favorite of the three I had that evening. It’s made with Krogstad Aquavit, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup. The prominent flavor is definitely the pineapple juice. What balances this drink out is the licorice and caraway taste that helps to break the sweetness of the pineapple.

The word digestif was used a lot by the staff when describing these cocktails. Digestifs are drinks meant to be enjoyed after meals, and the herbal notes you get from these drinks solidify the intent. Speaking of the staff, I’d like to give a warm shout out to Calvin our bartender and Jennifer our cocktail server. They were two very accommodating individuals, easy to get along with and full of charisma. At the end of my evening, I noticed a discrepancy on my bill. What impressed me the most was the way they handled my mention. Instead of trying to justify why the bill was incorrect, they simply took it back and corrected the issue. That’s a HUGE win in my book.

At the end of the day, hats off to Michael Cornthwaite and the crew at Future Restaurant Group. Scullery has shown some amazing potential and has definitely brought a unique footprint to the downtown scene.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I have a party or a get-together, somehow the kitchen really becomes the center of entertainment.

The next time you’re downtown, gravitate your party to this eclectic kitchen called Scullery. Order a drink at the bar, grab a bite from their gourmet pantry and enjoy some local entertainment in the black box

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

Scullery

150 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89101 702.910.2396 © Emily Wilson

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

44

D O W N T O W N

Music

S C E N E / H E A R D

Scene / Heard

By Richard Grewar

Š Chris Charles of Creative Silence

45

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

B

orn from a chance listen on Okayplayer.com, an online hip-hop and alternative music community, in 2002, the relationship between U.S. based (and Little Brother vocalist) Phonte Coleman and Dutch producer Nicolay was that of only email and instant messenger up until the release of their debut LP as The Foreign Exchange, “Connected,” in 2004.

No conventional conversations: communicating only through music and text characters. With such productive and new-world-tech-organic beginnings, it’s no surprise that after 10 years on The Foreign Exchange they are celebrating the release of their fifth long player, “Love In Flying Colors.” Having just returned from a handful of successful shows in South Africa, the band is heading out on another leg of the seemingly endless world tour to accompany the album release.

In a similar, technically collaborative fashion, we get together via a three-way Skype call to chat about the past, the present, the future and their inevitable first-ever stop in Las Vegas, Monday, July 14.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

Downtown ZEN

46

Scene/Heard: Welcome back to the states, how was South Africa?

releasing your own music, and then also being your own support system throughout.

Phonte: Incredible. I’d been once before in 2012, but this

S/H: Do you believe that’s where the industry has shifted,

was even more of a powerful experience then it was when I first went. The energy there was just … it was amazing. I don’t think any of us expected it to be that crazy, but we had a fantastic time.

S/H: They don’t get a lot of touring acts over there

especially from the States. Do you see a difference in your SA fans and how they treat your live performance?

Nicolay: Oh absolutely! One thing for us, which was more or less eye-opening to see, was that they even recognized and greeted some of the deeper cuts with the same appreciation that they would do for the hits. So when we play stuff like that and people have that type of a response to it, you realize you’re really in the company of family. Every song was received incredibly.

P: Yeah it’s a massive undertaking. It’s a long way to travel

and expensive, but we very much looked at it as planting the seed for the next time, and we know it’ll reap even more benefits once we go again. It was more than worth it.

S/H: When you guys tour, you don’t do anything in half

measures. This next run is 28 shows, including Santiago de Chile. Are you adding another territory each time you tour?

When you say you “plant the seed,” do you specifically look at other countries you want to hit and factor them into your plans?

P: We try to, as much as we can. You try to connect the dots, but sometimes they don’t connect the way that ideally you’d like them to. Chile is another one where we are very much planting the seed, and this will be our first time ever performing there. You go where the love is, and the biggest thing is that you just have to get people to see the show. We believe in our product. My whole thing is I just got to get you to experience it. If I can get you in the building, if I can get you to see the show then the work is going to speak for itself, but I got to get you in the building first.

S/H: I guess that’s the same for a lot of bands, but you guys definitely hustle. You’re working it. You’re solely independent, you release records on your own imprint (+FE Music). You’re a small business, basically?

N: Yeah we have 100 percent of everything ourselves.

On the road that means we’re our own roadies, we’re our own technicians, we’re our own drivers. It really becomes a situation where we are responsible for literally 100 percent of the entire part of the process, and that has more advantages that it has disadvantage. We can do exactly what we want to do and we can not do what we don’t want to do, so the control is always there and the control is ultimately what I think makes it work for us; to do everything in a totally independent way; to fund the project ourselves and to not have to depend on partners or even the fan base. Those are all things that come into play when

47

Downtown ZEN

or is shifting?

N: I think largely yes, I think that it only goes for a certain

segment of artists. We started out releasing our first album on an independent label, and that along with the grassroots exposure of the group really got us started. We were lucky in a lot of ways that we had an established fan base to build upon. If you’re a totally new artist and you’re really coming out of the blue, it’s going to be really difficult to build that fan base up from zero. I don’t really know what the exact model is going to be in the future, but for us, and I think definitely for artists like us, this is definitely the way to go.

S/H: When’s the last time you played Vegas? Have you played Vegas before?

P: This will actually be our first time. We’ve never played Vegas as The Foreign Exchange.

S/H: Do you know much about the music scene here? Is

there anything you’ve heard about or any expectations you have?

P: I have none whatsoever. I’ve done probably two or three shows in Vegas throughout my whole career. They were always in conjunction with MAGIC [market week] or some other event. The crowd has always been very appreciative, but for us it’s been a harder market. If you’re not “on the radio,” or if you’re not billboard-top-whatever artists, then Vegas is just a hard market to get into, in my experience.

With us coming out there this time I’m hoping that we can plant the seed and let the people know, that we’ll come there. Y’all got to show up though. We’re willing to make the trip as long as we know there’s an audience there that wants to receive it. I’m hoping this could be the start of us cultivating a loyal fan base in Vegas.

S/H: You travel a lot. From the different scenes you’ve

been involved in, is there anything you’ve witnessed, or a trend you’ve noticed, that helps a scene to be successful in your opinion? Is there anything that has stuck out over the course of time?

P: I guess the thing for me that sticks out is that every crowd is different. Every night is a different experience.

Something that worked Thursday night may not work Friday night. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. You really have to tailor make the show to every audience, and that’s what we try to do. Because I’m the MC and the leader of the band, once I step onstage I kinda conduct everything, and so it’s very much like I’m reading the crowd. I’m the quarterback. It’s like we’ve got the plays we’re gonna run, but if I’m reading the defense this way then we ain’t gonna run that, we’re gonna run this. I’ll call an audible at the line, it’s happened many times. Then there’ll be something that’ll kill every audience. There’ll be certain numbers you’ll do or certain things that are just universal; they kill it every night. dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

© Chris Charles of Creative Silence

Those are the few times that you know you’ve hit magic.

When you’ve really hit something that affects everybody.

Those moments are very rare. When you do come across those it’s very special.

S/H: What’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself as

a teenager or young adult starting down a musical path?

Something you know now that you wish you’d have known when you first started?

N: Wow. As self-absorbed as it sounds I feel like I pretty

much did things in a way that, looking back, I’m pretty comfortable with. I was definitely a late bloomer in a lot of ways. Music has been something that I’ve looked at as being part of a group. Early on I played a lot in bands, and while I’ll enjoyed that, I also saw quickly that to be in a group with four or five people is a whole other thing, and then to be making a living from that is a whole other thing. Music for me really came back in my life after I’d more or less resigned to the fact I wouldn’t really do music for a living, or as a job. I was working at an Internet company and really made music as something to entertain myself. It grew out of hand from there. In that aspect I really like how everything has been going for me, and for us. It’s not been without its downs, and it’s been frustrating at times, but overall, it’s been a good slow-but-sure path, so I’m just hoping that we can keep it going as long as we can.

ISSUE 28

JULY 2014

dtZEN.com

P: If I could tell myself, the younger me, knowing what I know now? I would try to tell my younger self that the people in your life now that you care about, the things that you’re worried about now you’re not going to care about 10 years from now. Ten years ago I was 25, and when me and Nic started I was actually younger than that. I was like 22, 23, and your 20’s are very much a time of self-discovery.

You spend a lot of that time comparing yourself as to how you measure up to other people. You measure your worth, or your value, based on other things or based on what other people want for you rather than what you want for yourself.

If I knew then what I now, my focus would’ve been on like, look — fuck these labels, fuck a record deal, fuck trying to be in the magazines and all that shit. Just make your music and get your money. Just do it. If me and Nic had of built +FE Music in 2003, who knows where we would’ve been now. But, you live and you learn. That’s probably what I would tell younger myself, really focus on what you want and don’t worry about comparing yourself to other people.

Build your life, as you want it to be, not as you think other people would want it to be or trying to please other people.

Go for what you want, for you.

The Foreign Exchange World Tour hits Insert Coins on Fremont, Monday, July 14. Entry is $20. Tickets are available from www.theforeignexhchangemusic.com.

“Love In Flying Colors” is available now from iTunes.

Downtown ZEN

48

events calendar JULY 1 TUESDAY Downtown Project Lowdown Want the inside scoop on all of the good things happening with Downtown Project? Then you won’t want to miss the Downtown Lowdown, a monthly event that brings the community together with updates relating to DTLV. location: The Learning Village time: 5 p.m.-6 p.m. more info: DowntownProject.com

JULY 2 WEDNESDAY

Pinball Fun Night For a small fee, all of the pinball you can handle for up to four hours. location: Main Street Antique and Collectibles Mall time: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Education Jelly Join the Education Jelly to discuss all of the great things that are happening within education as well as brainstorm ways we as a community can make a difference in the lives of our teachers and students. location: Scullery more info: DowntownAchieves.org

JULY 3 THURSDAY Creativ Week

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam Every Thursday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be hosting live acoustic music. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

JULY 4 FRIDAY

Independence Day Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

JULY 8 TUESDAY

Education Jelly Join the Education Jelly to discuss all of the great things that are happening within education as well as brainstorm ways we as a community can make a difference in the lives of our teachers and students. location: Scullery more info: DowntownAchieves.org Trivia at the Beat Come with a team or find one at The Beat. Every second Tuesday you can test your knowledge and flex your brain in a cerebral competition. There will be prizes and beer specials, and most likely a little more beer than brains. location: The Beat Coffeehouse time: 7 p.m.

49

Gold Spike Cornhole Tournament Come play Cornhole at the Gold Spike. $20 per team. location: Gold Spike time: 8 p.m.

JULY 9 WEDNESDAY

Pinball Fun Night For a small fee, all of the pinball you can handle for up to four hours. location: Main Street Antique and Collectibles Mall time: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

JULY 10 THURSDAY

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam Every Thursday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be hosting live acoustic music. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

BBQ, Brews & Bowties A men’s styling workshop for those interested in menswear tips. Brian Swan, a Zappos stylist and author of his upcoming style book, will be leading the workshop and educating men on how to dress for weddings, parties, interviews, dates and everyday adventures. location: Stitch Factory time: 7:30 p.m.

Summer Movies in the Park, featuring “Top Gun”. location: Downtown Container Park time: 9 p.m.

JULY 11 FRIDAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm Tech Cocktail Work might be from 9-5, but business happens between 5-9. Tech Cocktail Mixers are like networking events except fun, like a party, except business-oriented, and like a startup pitch series, except informal and fast paced. location: Gold Spike time: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Karaoke at the Kitchen Every third Tuesday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be holding a Karaoke contest. The winner will receive a prize and be entered to win a grand prize on September 16. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

JULY 17 WEDNESDAY

Pinball Fun Night For a small fee, all of the pinball you can handle for up to four hours. location: Main Street Antique and Collectibles Mall time: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

JUNE 18 THURSDAY

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam Every Thursday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be hosting live acoustic music. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Summer Movies in the Park, featuring “Top Gun”. location: Downtown Container Park time: 9 p.m.

JULY 19 FRIDAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

JULY 20 SATURDAY

Family LEGO Build Night Come build with us! location: The Learning Village time: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. more info: DowntownFamilySeries.com

JULY 23 WEDNESDAY

Pinball Fun Night For a small fee, all of the pinball you can handle for up to four hours. location: Main Street Antique and Collectibles Mall time: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

JULY 24 THURSDAY

JULY 12 SATURDAY

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam Every Thursday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be hosting live acoustic music. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Family GAME Night Come play board games with us! location: The Learning Village time: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. more info: DowntownFamilySeries.com

Downtown ZEN

JULY 15 TUESDAY

Summer Movies in the Park, featuring “Top Gun”. location: Downtown Container Park time: 9 p.m.

dtZEN.com

JULY 2014

ISSUE 28

JULY

AUGUST AUGUST 1 FRIDAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

AUGUST 3 SUNDAY

Sunday Reset Project It is time to reset yourself once a month! location: Turntable Health time: 8 a.m.-11 a.m

AUGUST 7 THURSDAY

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam Every Thursday, Rachel’s Kitchen will be hosting live acoustic music. location: Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden time: 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Hot Havana Nights This sizzling event, set for 6 p.m.-10 p.m., will transform the Mob Museum into a tropical paradise.

Hot Havana Nights is presented in collaboration with the Cuban Heritage Foundation and the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce. location: Mob Museum time:6 p.m.-10 p.m. more info: TheMobMuseum.org

AUGUST 8 FRIDAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

Visit Blue Man Group’s ShoeZaphone at the Zappos.com downtown campus and create your own soundtrack and light show. Then come to Monte Carlo and watch us create ours!

NIGHTLY AT

TICKETS FROM $59* VIP & ONSTAGE EXPERIENCE PACKAGES AVAILABLE *SUBJECT TO TAXES AND FEES. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

Scan me for the digital copy

DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS 100 The Beat Coffeehouse G5 520 Fremont St. 702.385.2328 101 Le Thai 523 Fremont St. G5 702.778.0888 102 Triple George Grill F4 201 N. Third St. 702.384.2761

103 Tacos El Gordo J8 1724 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.251.8226

104 Chicago Joe’s E7 820 S. Fourth St.

702.382.5637 www.chicagojoesrestaurant.com

105 Bar+Bistro D8 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite #155 702.202.6060

106 Mundo – A Culinary Haute Spot C5 495 S. Grand Central Pkwy.

702.270-4400 107 Courthouse Bar & Grill E5 330 S. Third St. 702.388-8222 108 City Centre Café F6 375 Lewis Ave. 702.383.4055

126 Denny’s F4 450 Fremont St. (Inside Neonopolis) 702.471.0056 www.dennys.com

127 Rachel’s Kitchen G5 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

(Inside Retail Space at Ogden) www.rachelskitchen.com

128 Radio City Pizza G5 508 Fremont St.

702.982.5055 www.radiocitypizza.com

129 Park on Fremont G5 506 Fremont St.

702.798.7000 www.parkonfremont.com

130 Anthony’s Pizza & Deli E5 321 S. Casino Center Blvd., Suite #125

206 The Griffin G5 511 Fremont St.

409 Creative Space C10 1421 S. Commerce St.

207 Hogs & Heifers Saloon F4 201 N. 3rd St., Suite #130

410 Electric Lemonade D8 220 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.382.0577

702.676.1457 www.hogsandheifers.com

208 Insert Coin(s) G5 512 Fremont St.

702.447.2525 www.insertcoinslv.com

209 Vanguard Lounge G5 516 Fremont St.

702.868.7800 www.vanguardlv.com

210 Commonwealth G5 525 Fremont St.

702.798.7000 www.commonwealthlv.com

702.896.0353

131 La Comida G5 100 Sixth St.

702.463.9900 www.facebook.com/LaComidaLV

132 Doña Maria's Tamales D8 910 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.6538

133 Mingo Kitchen and Lounge C8 1017 First St., Suite #180 702.685.0328

211 Backstage Bar & Billiards G5 601 Fremont St.

702.382.2223 www.backstagebarandbilliards.com

212 Bunkhouse H6 124 S. 11th St.

702.384.4536 www.bunkhouselv.com

135 Wild B9 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd. Suite 120

702.349.2283 www.atomiclasvegas.com 215 Velveteen Rabbit C9 1218 S. Main St. (702) 685-9645

136 Nacho Daddy C10 113 N. 4th St.

216 Gold Spike G5 217 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

111 Subway G5 600 Fremont St. 702.302.5020 113 Jason’s Deli D3 100 City Pkwy.

702.366.0130

114 The Verdicts Inn E7 801 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.837.3428

115 Luv It Frozen Custard D10 505 E. Oakey Blvd.

702.384.6452

116 Lola’s: B8 A Louisiana Kitchen

241 W. Charleston Blvd. #101 702.227.5652 117 Casa Don Juan Restaurant C8 1204 S. Main St. 702.384.8070 www.casadonjuanlv.com 118 eat.

G5 707 Carson Ave. 702.534.1515 www.eatdowntownlv.com

119 Du-Par’s F5 Restaurant & Bakery 1 Fremont St. (Inside Golden Gate) 702.385.1906

120 Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop E5 Regional Justice Center 200 Lewis Ave. 702.631.1112 www.capriottis.com

121 El Sombrero Café D7 807 S. Main St. 122 G5 123 G5

702.382.9234 Kabob Corner 507 Fremont St. 702.384.7722 Uncle Joe’s Pizza 505 Fremont St. 702.385.2162

124 Big Ern’s BBQ G5 707 Fremont St. (Container Park) 702.834.7845 www.bigernsbbq.com

125 Pop Up Pizza E4 1 Main St. (PLAZA HOTEL) 702.366.0049 www.popuppizzalv.com

125 Zaba’s Mexican Grill E4 1 Main St. (PLAZA HOTEL) 702.207.0777 www.zabas.com

702.527.7717 www.eatdrinkwild.com

702.778.7800 www.nachodaddy.com

137 Pura Vida H7 1236 Western Ave.

702.722.0108 www.puravidavegas.com

138 Tiffany's Café G4 1700 S. Las Vegas Blvd

702.444.4459 www.tiffanyscafelv.com

139 Art of Flavors G5 1616 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.676.1027 www.Facebook.com Search "Art of Flavors"

140 MTO Café D5 500 S. Main St.

702.384.8444 www.goldspike.com

217 Aruba Lounge D9 1215 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.3987

218 Scullery F4 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.910.2396 www.facebook.com Search “Scullery” 220 Inspire Theater F4 501 Fremont St. 702.910.2388

RETAIL SHOPS, BOUTIQUES & SALONS 400 Coterie G5 515 Fremont St.

702.685.7741 www.facebook.com Search “Coterie Downtown”

702.380.8229 www.mtocafe.com

141 O Face Doughnuts G5 124 S. Sixth St. Suite 140

702.476.3223 www.Facebook.com Search “O Face Doughnuts”

142 Rock ‘N’oodles C8 1108 S. Third St.

702.522.9953 www.rocknoodles.com

BARS, LOUNGES & NIGHTCLUBS 200 Downtown Cocktail Room (DCR) G5 111 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.880.3696 201 Lady Silvia E8 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. www.theladysilvia.com 202 Artifice D8 1025 S. First St. 702.489.6339

203 Beauty Bar G5 517 Fremont St., Suite #A

702.598.1965 www.thebeautybar.com/las_vegas

204 Dino’s Lounge D10 1516 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.3894

205 Banger Brewing F4 450 Fremont St. Suite 135 702.456.2739 www.bangerbrewing.com

702.468.3232

412 Gaia Flowers C8 6 E. Charleston Blvd.

401 Globe Salon E7 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Suite #130 502 D9 403 C9 404 C8 405 E7

702.938.4247 www.globesalon.com Patina Décor 1211 S. Main St. 702.776.6222 www.patindecorlv.com Vintage Vegas Antiques 1411 S. Main St. 702.539.0799 Vexed By Design 1017 First St., Suite #185 702.275.7141 www.vexedlv.com Sweet Spot Candy Shop 616 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.815.1277 www.facebook.com/SweetSpotCandyShop

702.516.3432

414 Hillary Salon C8 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite #250 702.525.1053

415 Inside Style C8 1119 S. Main St.

702.521.0725

417 Photo Bang Bang C10 224 E. Imperial Ave.

702.384.1384

420 The Town Bike E6 353 East Bonneville Ave. Suite 179 702.600.4850 www.thetownbike.com

421 Let Me Nail You F7 514 Bonneville Ave. 702.998.9490

422 Rogue Toys E7 616 Las Vegas Blvd S.

702.330.3945 www.roguetoys.com 423 Don Vicente Cigars Intl.

E7 624 Las Vegas Blvd S. 702.526.3922

424 Downtown Tattoo E7 1106 Fremont St.

702.541.8282 www.Downtowntattoolasvegas.com 425 Reclaimed Art Suppliez & Creative Reuse D8 1114 S. Casino Center Blvd. Suite 1 702.678.6089 www.reclaimedart.org

700 Real Results Gym C9

1201 S. Commerce St. 702.331.3172 www.realresultsfitness.com

701 24hr Fitness E3

H

I

702 FreeStyle CrossFit D6

727 S. Main St. 702.685.5070 www.freestylecrossfit.com

HOTEL & CASINOS

1

600 Fremont St. 800.634.6703

802 The D Las Vegas F4

301 Fremont St. 702.388.2400 www.thed.com

F4

E4

1503 1504

2

1505

2

805 Downtown Grand Las Vegas F4

206 N. Third St. 855.384.7263 www.downtowngrand.com

495 S. Main St. 702.229.6011 901 Veteran’s Village D5 1150 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.624.5792 www.vvlv.org

HIGH-RISE LIVING 1000 The Ogden G4 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.685.0300

3

113

3

701 1301 1501

804

4

139 207 102 805

125

102 136 119 218

303 304

1400

5

140 900

1000

200

129

400

209 206

203

4

208 101

100 213

210 131

5

124

214

118

108 132

6

423

134 1100

420

702

702.387.0093

SCHOOLS 1100 Las Vegas Academy G6 315 S. 7th St.

800.585.3737

702.724.1436 www.9thbridgeschool.com

100 /usr/lib (Tech Library) G5

518

405

121

7

416 104 407

G5

8

513

413

7

000

142

412 133 404

901

103

132

600

700 117

501 418

502

508 402

137

9

503

504 505

1300

512

1001

511

507

1202

515

1O

1402

403 411

514 417

1206

9

401 201

516

520

409

601

217

509 510

506

519

8

419

1209

1O

110 204

139 138 603

221 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.463.9029 www.fremonteaststudios.com

G4

300 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

Suite 120 702.476.5552 www.stitchfactory.com

ART STUDIOS

410

415 1208

The Las Vegas HackerSpace 117 N. Fourth St. www.synshop.org

104 Stitch Factory

114

112 425

500 1212 1216

408

G4

1600

201

1204 1213 1205 1214 202 1211 1203 406 1210 414 12151401 1201105

6th Street Workspace 317 S. Sixth St. 702.534.3804 www.workinprogress.lv

103 Fremont East Studios

1207

1001

1003

116

517

421

520 Fremont St. 702.385.2328

102 SYN SHOP

422 1002

115

100 Emergency Arts

520 Fremont St. 702.385.328 1201 Arts Factory C7 107 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.383.3133 G5

1202 Amanda Harris Gallery 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Suite #150 E7

702.269.6036 Amanda.nelle@gmail.com

1203 Art Square C7 1025 S. First St.

Las Vegas, NV 89101 www.artsquarelv.com 1204 Gainsburg Studio, Inc. C7 1039 S. Main St. 702.249.3200 www.gainsburgstudio.com 1205 Open Air Printers C7 1039 S. Main St., Suite #150

702.870.9946 www.goldwellmuseum.org

1206 Blackbird Studios C10 1551 S. Commerce St., Suite #A

11

11 A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

1210 Contemporary Art Center (CAC) C8 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite #120

702.382.3886

1211 Downtown Contemporary Gallery C8 at artSquare

1025 First St., Suite #145 702.358.7022

1212 Pinup Pointe Art Gallery C8 4 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.302.7878

1213 RTZ Vegas C8 1017 S. First St., Suite #195

702.592.2164

1214 Ryan Williams Art Gallery C8 1025 S. First St.

321.258.9032

1215 Sin City Gallery C8 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite #100

702.608.2461

1216 Trifecta C8 135 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.366.7001

RECURRING EVENTS 1300 First Friday Main Hub C9 Casino Center Boulevard

Between Colorado Street & California Street

1301 Downtown3rd Farmers Market 300 Block of North Main Street F4

Directly Next To The Mob Museum

COMMUNITY SPACES

G6

212

101

702.754.6300 www.juhlst.com

101 Work In Progress -

602

1701

702.383.0979

1002 Juhl Lofts E7 353 E. Bonneville Ave.

1101 9th Bridge Early Development I5 310 S. Ninth St.

211

800

141

1001 Soho Lofts E7 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

1003 Newport Lofts D7 200 Hoover Ave.

500

107 120

6

122

111

220

127

109

130

128 424

104 104

301

302 103 220 216 126 205 127 135

803 802

106

123

129 Fremont St. 702.385.7111 www.goldennugget.com 1 S. Main St. 800.634.6575 www.plazahotelcasino.com

HUMAN SERVICES 900 Las Vegas City Hall D5

800 El Cortez G5

LAS VEGAS, NV

J

1502

100 City Pkwy., Suite #160 702.824.9614

804 Plaza Hotel & Casino

702.866.2600 www.cowtownguitars.com

G

1

FITNESS

408 Better Than New 407 Cowtown Guitars D7 C8 1009 S. Main St.

F

702.399.1100

416 Nature’s Element D7 817 S. Main St.

803 Golden Nugget

1216 S. Main St. 702.471.6236

E

702.997.0222

406 Josephine Skaught Hairdressing D8 1025 S. First St. Suite 165 702.431.8071 josephineskaught@yahoo.com

D

413 Happy Panda Toys C8 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite #105A

419 Williams Costume Co. D9 1226 S. Third St.

110 Viva Las Arepas D10 1616 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Suite #120 702.336.9696

411 Freddie Ramon C10 1411 S. Main St.

214 Atomic Liquors H5 917 Fremont St.

702.207.0788

C

702.776.7766

213 Don’t Tell Mama G5 517 Fremont St.

134 City Center Quiznos F6 365 Lewis Ave. 702.380.0900 www.quiznos.com

702.439.3923

702.518.7427 418 Skin City Body Painting C8 1209 S. Main St. 702.431.7546

109 El Gaucho Luca’s Café & Deli F5 231 S. Third St., Suite #110 702.384.3115 www.elgaucholucascafe.com

B

A

702.782.0319 www.blackbirdstudioslv.com

1208 Brett Wesley Gallery C8 1112 S. Casino Center Blvd.

702.433.4433

1209 City of the World C9 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd.

702.409.7549

ENTERTAINMENT 1400 The Smith Center 361 Symphony Park Ave. C5

702.749.2000

1401 Art Square Theater 1025 S. First St. C8

702.308.8087 info@artsquarelv.com

1402 Theater 7 D9 1406 S. Third St. 220 F4

702.568.9663 Inspire News Cafe 501 Fremont St. 702.910.2388

507 JJC Clocks & Antiques C9 1310 S. Main St. 702.384.8463 508 The Funk House D9 1228 S. Casino Center Blvd.

702.678.6278 509 Glam Factory Vintage D9 211 E. Colorado Ave. 702.443.0131 510 Gypsy Den D9 213 E. Colorado Ave. 702.684.1628 511 Western Gypsy in the Kangaroo Court D9 1306 S. Third St. 702.868.3302 512 Gypsy Caravan D8 1214 S. Third St. 702.868.3302 513 Rick’s Restorations C8 1112 S. Commerce St. 702.366.7030 514 Sin City Pickers C10 10 W. Wyoming Ave. 702.366.9166 515 Vintage Vegas Antiques C9 1411 S. Main St. 702.539.0799 516 Alex Presley’s Unique Boutique D9 1304 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.300.2476 517 Lost Vegas Antiques F7 625 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382-1882 518 Swag Antiques F7 630 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.464.3299 519 Not Just Antiques B9 1422 Western Ave. 702.384.4922 520 Main Street America C9 1400 S. Main St. 702.476.1400 www.main-street-america.com

LEGAL SERVICES 1600 Craig P. Kenny & Associates G7 501 S. Eight St.

702.380.2800 www.cpklaw.com

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS 1501 The Mob Museum 300 Stewart Ave. F4

702.229.2732

1502 Old Las Vegas Fort H1 500 E. Washington Ave.

702.486.3511

1503 Lied Discovery Children’s B7 Museum

833 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.3445

1504 Natural History Museum H2 900 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.384.3466

1505 The Neon Museum H2 770 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.387.6366 www.neonmuseum.org

ANTIQUE ALLEY 500 Retro Vegas C8 1131 S. Main St. 702.384.2700 501 Corner Store Furniture Company C8 1201 S. Main St. 702.331.6009 502 Patina Decor C8 1211 S. Main St. 702.776.6222 503 Armstrong’s Emporium C9 1228 S. Main St. 702.366.1995 504 Medusa’s Antiques C9 1300 S. Main St., Suite #110 702.331.4660 505 Desert Buddha C9 1300 S. Main St., Suite #120 702.383.1008 506 One Man’s Trash C9 1300 S. Main St., Suite #140 702.7778.7988

HEALTH & WELLNESS 1700 Dr. Azimi DDS E8 820 S. Seventh St.

702.759.0005

1701 Turntable Health G5 701 Bridger Ave., Suite #150

702.479.1515 www.turntablehealth.com

COFFEE SPOTS 100 The Beat Coffeehouse 520 Fremont St. G5 702.385.2328 500 Starbucks F5

300 S. Fourth St. #7 702.759.3426

220 Inspire News Cafe F4

501 Fremont St. 702.910.2388

GROCERY 600 Albertsons Grocery

1760 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.366.1550 601 Resnick’s Grocery E8 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.982.2999 602 Cake World Bakery 220 N. Maryland Pkwy.

I5 702.471.7111 603 White Cross Market C10 1700 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

(702) 382.3382 J8