2022-02-17- Las Vegas Weekly

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SUPERGUIDE

Your daily events planner, starring Justin Bieber, Shania Twain, Andrea Bocelli, Illenium, The Proletariat and more.

14 18 30 36 46 THE WEEKLY Q&A

COVER STORY

NEWS

THE STRIP

SPORTS

Restaurateur Jolene Mannina on Vegas Test Kitchen, the industry’s pandemic resolve and her upcoming projects.

Where to find the latest, freshest brunch menus around the Valley.

You’ll need an NFT to get into the newest Las Vegas music and art festival. What does that mean, exactly?

Tao Beach is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before.

Sixteen things to know before you place those college basketball bets.

ON THE COVER

IN THIS ISSUE

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FUHU AT RESORTS WORLD Photograph by Wade Vandervort/Staff

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FOOD & DRINK Summerlin-area Italian spot Aromi checks all the boxes.

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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY 17 FEB.

UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT ANNIVERSARY GALA 7 p.m., Mob Museum, themob museum.org.

NGHTMRE 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

DAVID PERRICO POP STRINGS ORCHESTRA 7 p.m., Chrome Showroom, stationcasinoslive. com.

DJ POLITIK 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

SEAN PATTON With Leo Flowers, Nikki Carr, Mo Mandel, thru 2/19, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster. com.

BARRY MANILOW 7 p.m., & 2/182/19, Westgate Las Vegas, ticketmaster. com.

DLMT & RYAN SHEPHERD 10 p.m., Commonwealth, commonwealth lv.com.

ERIC MARTIN With Trixter, Jeff Carlson Band, 8 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com.

KELLY CLINTON 7 p.m., Nevada Room, vegasnevada rooms.com.

COHEED & CAMBRIA With Sheer Mag, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb.com.

(Courtesy/ Jimmy Fontaine)

S U P E R G U I D E

TAO SNEAKER FORMAL Seminal Thursday-night party Worship becomes the fourth-annual Sneaker Formal at Tao this week, and it’s more than just an excuse to wear those stylish casual kicks instead of your club shoes. Guests wearing sneakers will have access to a one-hour open bar at 11:30 p.m., and a $1,000 cash prize is up for grabs for the partier with the freshest footwear. A win like that could justify breaking out those Jordans resting in their original box in your closet, right? Plus, LA Leakers member and SKAM Artist DJ Justin Credible brings the sounds to go with the sneakers all night long.

10:30 p.m., $20-$30, Tao Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

–Brock Radke

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

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VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

BILL MAHER 10 p.m., & 2/19, Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster. com.

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CARNAGE 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

U I D E

Bocelli’s first concert back in Las Vegas in two years, part of his traditional In Concert for Valentine’s tour, will be a special one for many reasons, including an onstage team-up with his son Matteo, a burgeoning recording artist in his own right. “When we are able to … share the same stage, it’s always a great joy, great excitement for me,” Bocelli said by email. “I never pressured my son into this profession. I can, in fact, say that I did the direct opposite: I warned him about a world whose pitfalls I know all too well. He was stubborn, and I believe that time proved him right, because these first steps in the industry have already shed light on his potential and, I believe, talent.” 8 p.m., $83-$550, MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com. –Brock Radke

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UNLV BASEBALL VS. MICHIGAN STATE 6:05 p.m., Earl E. Wilson Stadium, unlvtickets.com.

In a cultural climate where the Great Resignation looms over American workplaces, The Proletariat couldn’t be more relevant. Playwright and director Ernest Hemmings, who created the sketch comedy project TSTMRKT, presents a dark and original 90-minute play about modern corporate culture and all the terror (and buzz words) that come with it. “The whole idea was how the workers were constantly feeding themselves into this corporate machine with the hopes that one day they’re going to get ahead, and yet they never do,” Hemmings told The Weekly in 2013, when he initially debuted the play.

“At the end of the story, I’m hoping that everyone will see this and be like, OK, maybe this whole idea that money rules all and capitalism is a good thing isn’t necessarily a rule.” See if Hemmings gets his point across when The Proletariat clocks in at the Playhouse. February 18-20, 22 & 25-26, 8 p.m., $25, theplayhouselv.com.

–Amber Sampson

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(Shutterstock)

TOMMY TRASH 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com.

THE PROLETARIAT

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10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup. com.

SHANDA & THE HOWLERS 10 p.m., the Golden Tiki, thegoldentiki. com.

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BENNY BENASSI 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

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AARON COWAN: SPEAKIN’ TRUTH IN LOVE Artist talk 6 p.m., exhibit thru 2/25, Donna Beam Gallery, unlv. edu.

UNLV SOFTBALL DESERT CLASSIC Thru 2/20, times vary, Eller Media Stadium, unlvtickets.com.

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SUPERGUIDE SATURDAY 19

UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SAN JOSE STATE 1 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

FEB.

IGGY AZALEA 10:30 p.m., Light Nightclub, thelightvegas. com.

BLACK COFFEE 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS With Dead Sara, 8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs. com.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: ADMIRING ARTISTS Thru 2/25, times vary, discoverykidslv. org.

STEAMPUNK BALL 8 p.m., Millennium Fandom Bar, fandombar. com.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE With August Burns Red, Light the Torch, 6:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb.com.

THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial. com.

TIËSTO 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv. com.

S U P E R G U I D E

CAGED BIRD: A CELEBRATION OF MAYA ANGELOU In 1969, author and poet Maya Angelou published I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an impactful, painful and remarkable account of the visionary’s childhood and how she retained love in the face of racism, trauma and oppression. Angelou’s book was one of the first widely read autobiographies by a Black woman, and it has influenced generations, especially reflected during Black History Month.

Join local poets and the Vegas City Opera to celebrate the literary trailblazer and civil rights activist with live music and poetry readings at the Water Street Plaza Amphitheater. 3 & 7 p.m., Water Street Plaza Amphitheater, cityofhenderson. com. –Amber Sampson

AUTHORS & ARTISTS FAIR 11 a.m., Clark County Library, lvccld.org.

DJ PAULY D 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

KOFFIN KATS With Reckless Ones, Dead at Midnite, No Que No, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billards, eventbrite.com.

UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. COLORADO STATE 5 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

RUBY LEWIS 8 p.m., Star Cocktail Lounge, starloungelv. com.

TIP 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

ILLENIUM 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup.com. (Courtesy/Brian Ziff)

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PARTY

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY COMEDY

MISC

SUNDAY 20 FEB.

JUSTIN BIEBER

CUT SNAKE 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com.

SPIDER 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

MONDAY21 FEB.

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INDIA JORDAN 9 p.m., Oddwood, oddwoodbar. com.

DJ ULTRAVIOLET 9 p.m., Emporium, emporium arcadebar.com.

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LIL JON 10:30 p.m., Jewel, events. taogroup.com.

THE SHMARTIES 10 p.m., the Sand Dollar Lounge, thesand dollarlv.com.

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MONDAYS DARK 8 p.m., the Space, mondaysdark. com.

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7:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

(AP Photo)

THIS IS A MAN’S WORLD … BUTTT Starring Ané, 3 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

G I D E

The Strat’s comedy club was one of the first to reopen during the early stages of the pandemic and bring the laughs back to the Boulevard on a nightly basis.

It has been building momentum ever since and earlier this month moved from its isolated location to a bigger, better, 270-seat showroom right off the main casino floor near McCall’s restaurant. The new space was designed with the performers in mind, which means this week’s headliner, Canadian comedian Trixx, should be more than ready to hit the stage with his noholds-barred observations on pop culture. Plus, LA Comedy Club still brings you resident funnyman Butch Bradley at 10 p.m.. Thru 2/27 8 p.m., $40-$70, bestvegascomedy. com. –Brock Radke

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SPORTS

PARTY

TUESDAY 22 FEB.

STRAIGHT NO CHASER 7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.

ARTS

BRAD GARRETT With Collin Moulton, Michael Palacsak, 2/21-2/27, 8 p.m., brad garrettcomedy. com.

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY COMEDY

ESSEKS With Kimothy Leary, Lwkylky, 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com.

FRAIL BODY With Knoll, No Etiquette, 8 p.m., brown papertickets. com.

DJ SHIFT 10:30 p.m., Omnia, events. taogroup.com.

THE COMPOSERS SHOWCASE 9 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m., & 2/182/20, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

HIGH SIERRA CLUB With Sorry Ghost, Crooked Teeth, Arrlo, 6 p.m., Rockstar Bar at Las Vegas Golf Center, eventbrite.com.

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From Snow White and Cinderella to Ariel and Tiana, Disney’s princesses have been a source of inspiration and empowerment for more than 80 years.

Celebrate their impact— and the music they helped make famous— with a touring production featuring a few of the actresses who have inhabited those characters onstage and onscreen, including Tony nominee Susan Egan and Broadway favorite Arielle Jacobs.

The performers will also share stories about their Disney experiences, and attendees are encouraged to dress up in their “best royal attire.” That means you too, parents. 7 p.m., $35-$85, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.

–Evelyn Matteo

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DISNEY PRINCESS: THE CONCERT

SHANIA TWAIN 8 p.m., & 2/182/19, Zappos Theater, ticket master.com.

CHICAGO 8 p.m., & 2/182/19, Venetian Theatre, ticket master.com.

(Photo Courtesy/ Nathan Johnson)

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

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REWARDS APP

AND RECEIVE A

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2 .1 7. 2 2 Jolene Mannina (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

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ADAPTATION INNOVATION Vegas Test Kitchen creator Jolene Mannina keeps building and hustling

BY BROCK RADKE

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egas Test Kitchen, one of the most innovative eateries ever to open in our Valley, recently flew past its first anniversary.

Longtime local cuisine-scene queen Jolene Mannina is the

force behind the restaurant incubator, which offers short-term kitchen residencies to several chefs. Her unique career in hospitality began in New Orleans at Commander’s Palace before

P E O P L E

that restaurant’s expansion brought her to Las Vegas, where she graduated to running her own celebrated food truck, launching culinary programming for the Life Is Beautiful festival, creating countless events and TV show BOH Brawl and founding foodie connection platform SecretBurger.

Somehow, while running Vegas Test Kitchen and co-managing the Peyote restaurant next door at Fergusons Downtown, the always-hustling Mannina develops events for SecretBurger and works as a consultant for several other restaurant projects around town.

And she found a time to talk to the Weekly about what comes next.

You opened Vegas Test Kitchen during a truly uncertain time for the local restaurant industry.

After the first year, has it become what you envisioned?

We put it together really fast, literally in like three months. I [already had] the idea of doing the Test Kitchen, but it wasn’t this model.

This one came together because it made sense based on what was going on—all these chefs were out of work, and [they] needed something more sustainable than a commissary kitchen, because they didn’t know if they were going back to work or if they needed to start a business.

I only wanted this spot for a year. I didn’t know what would happen or if this model would work. We just wanted to create something cool that would let these guys have a home, introduce themselves to the public, build a brand and decide if they wanted to take it somewhere or not … and a place without crazy overhead.

What are some of the success stories, or Test Kitchen graduates?

Yukon Pizza is opening up at the Huntridge Plaza, probably in June or July. Josh Bianchi, who’s done pop-ups here, has hooked up with a developer and they are building out a restaurant now. And the Black Pearl [a seafood concept], those guys have been transported over to Peyote, and they’re taking over with a new menu. Even in just a year, a lot has come out of it.

So now that you lasted longer than you initially planned, how long do you see yourself running this thing?

I signed on for five years.

I’m already trying to think of what I want to do at the end of this year. Should I flip it totally in a different way?

I’m open to doing that, but there are still so many chefs that want to come in. I’m doing tastings now, and I have a few spots to fill, so we’ll have another wave coming in soon.

You also just brought in Brown Bagger Sandwich Co., some truly tasty stuff, which you developed with SoulBelly BBQ chef Bruce Kalman.

Yeah, I figured this is working out, so I’m a partner with Bruce on that. And SecretBurger is still alive, which is mind-blowing because I have no time for it.

But I use it when we bring in pop-up events as a ticketing [service].

Why was it important to you to get involved with opening Peyote?

I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t right there, because I can run back and forth between the two. But this is still an up-and-coming area Downtown, and in my mind, the only way we can survive here is if other places are open.

To have [the former] Hatsumi and La Monja spaces closed for so long was challenging. And Ryan [Doherty] is a friend and he has his [Corner Bar Management] office at Fergusons along with all those bars on Fremont. We thought, we’re tired of seeing this spot closed.

How can we do this together?

Let’s make it happen.

Do you think the local restaurant community is feeling a bit more positive this year after struggling with the pandemic for so long?

I think so. I’m pretty positive. But I do a lot of activations to drive people in, and having our alleyway is a savior, because outdoor seating is such a big deal. I think this year is going to be better, but we’ve struggled the last few months just to have enough employees.

One of the hardest things has been finding people who want to work full-time. But I understand it, because they want to have more than one job, because they don’t know which job is going to last. It’s still a struggle.

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T H E W E E K L Y Q & A

Q+A

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24 + THURSDAY, MARCH 10 8PM DOORS / 9PM SHOW / ALL AGES (6+)

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION VISIT VIRGINHOTELSLV.COM

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WALLY’S

to party or chill, fresh options es s a b the l l a r cove

BOOM BANG

Sundays in Green Valley are a lot tastier these days. This energetic new neighborhood bistro is serving up brunch favorites like Dutch pancakes ($15), salsa verde-saturated chilaquiles ($16) and steak and eggs ($25) with creative twists, including the Oishii Shrimp Roll on fresh brioche ($19) and a black truffle scrambled egg tart ($19).

Beware addictive sweet treats like the coffee roll ($6.50) and Tumbleweed Cinnamon Bread ($5.50), or get ’em both and balance things out with two different styles of bacon ($4-$7) and a San Marzano tomato bloody mary ($13). Brunch served Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 75 S. Valle Verde Drive #160, 702-478-6200, boombang.restaurant.

Eggs Per Elia, Tumbleweed Cinnamon Bread, a coffee roll and a Jack Rose cocktail at Boom Bang (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

You don’t have to wait for the weekend to enjoy a bottomless brunch experience. Virgin’s stylish Kassi Beach House serves Fleur de Mer’s Côtes de Provence rosé and La Marca prosecco every day starting at 11 a.m. ($45 per person), alongside a mouthwatering food experience.

The relaxed, beachy ambiance is worth a visit alone; the restaurant’s terracotta arched entrance, wicker lamps and overall earthy decor bring the coastal Italian vibes, setting the tone for the cuisine.

Kassi’s pizzas are becoming the talk of the town and are appropriately available at brunch, including the soppressata ($22), with cured pork, chili, honey and mozzarella—a work of art.

Kassi’s version of avocado toast ($15) also sings, topped with radishes, fennel, basil and pistachio crumble. This is the all-week-long brunch the Vegas scene deserves.

Brunch served daily, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Virgin, 702-693-4000, kassibeach.com.

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KASSI BEACH HOUSE

B R U N C H

Spring might be more than a month away, with the sun only beginning to spread more warmth around the Valley, but brunch season is upon us. Loads of new Las Vegas restaurants—and established favorites with new menus and events—are focused on giving you the ultimate weekend experience, and they can’t be ignored. They’re everywhere, from the Strip to the suburbs to Downtown, and the full brunch spectrum is well-represented. Mimosa-fueled party meals are abundant as always, but more serene atmospheres are also more accessible than ever before. Let the big brunch box-checking begin.

Imagine a cozyyet-refined Strip dining space with all the wine in the world and an everyday brunch menu, a spot so casual, it doesn’t accept reservations. It’s real, and it’s at Resorts World, ready to serve your leisurely weekend meal any day of the week.

If you’re not ready for wine, sip on the truffle negroni ($22) or the exceedingly fresh-tasting house bloody mary ($23).

Fill up on a stacked Italian hero ($15), or keep it light with citrus-rubbed hamachi and bigeye tuna sashimi ($32).

Go seasonal with a squash pizzetta ($24) with goat cheese and pumpkin spice puree, or indulge with the BLTA Benedict ($32) topped with bacon so thick and smoky, it’s a meal all by itself. Brunch served daily, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Resorts World, 702-676-6966, wallywine.com.

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EL DORADO CANTINA

Now three locations strong, this Mexican food favorite is approaching institution status thanks to its long hours, ingredient-driven menu and cozy restaurant spaces, particularly the expansive patio and high-energy dining room at the Tivoli Village destination.

A brunch mission to El Dorado must include Huevos Divorciadios ($14)—fried eggs on fresh corn tortillas with avocado, refried beans, queso fresco and fresh-roasted salsas. Fight hangovers with chorizo, bacon or steak breakfast burritos ($16), and satisfy that sweet tooth with a fluffy churro waffle with caramel plantain sauce ($14). Brunch served Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Multiple locations, eldoradocantina.com.

SMOKE & FIRE

Barbecue joints can do brunch, too, and this one is lighting the fires with $19 bottomless mimosas and bloody marys.

Smoke & Fire is known as much for its stellar sliders and burgers as its savory smoked meats, and brunch brings new offerings like breakfast sliders ($14) with fried eggs, cheese and smoky bacon or sausage on Hawaiian sweet rolls. If the specials include the bacon jam burger ($18), get it, and if not, check out Tony’s Brisket Sliders ($19), topped with pepper jack, crispy onions and jalapeños. S&F also does chicken and waffles right, served with butter, blueberry syrup and hot sauce on the side so you can get creative at your table. Brunch served Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3315 E. Russell Road, 725-214-5398, smokeandfirelv.com.

El Dorado Cantina’s Macho Benedict (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

THE GARDEN

One of the city’s most popular gay nightlife destinations is also home to the Bottomless Drag Brunch, a rager that can stack up to any daytime bash on the Strip.

Ticket packages range from $65 to $120 depending on your drink and table preferences. Resident queens including Jaymes Mansfield, Alexis Mateo, Coco Montrese, Chevis Regal and Desree St. James will make sure you get your money’s worth.

And you’ll have too many mimosas, so be sure to load up on delicious entrée options like sweet potato hash with soy chorizo, avocado toast with sun-dried tomatoes and the Hangover Burger with bacon, over-easy egg and pickled shallots. And amp things up with a Cinnamon Toast or Blueberry Upside Down shot, in case you’re not already fully overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, snacks and sips here.

Brunch served Saturday & Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 1017 S. 1st St. #180, 702-202-0900, thegardenlasvegas.com.

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There are lots of Mexican brunch options around town but only one with a sandy beach patio. A margarita, sangria, michelada or daiquiri feels mandatory beside the Virgin resort pool, but the Oaxacan Mule ($15) with Patron Silver and ginger beer, is another great fit. Similarly transportive: the ahi tuna tostada ($18) with creamy avocado and aji amarillo salsa and the Baja fish tacos ($3 for one or $18 for a combo plate).

Consider sharing a stack of yellow corn pancakes ($15) with whipped butter, maple syrup, chocolate sauce and berry compote for dessert.

Proceed carefully on Sundays—happy hour begins when brunch ends. Brunch served Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Virgin, 702-522-8000, taogroup.com.

Catrina avocado toast, carne asada chilaquiles, the Juanito Cakes Stack and cocktails at Casa Calavera (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)

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B R U N C H

Wolfgang Puck’s Strip institution has always been recognized more as a power lunch go-to, but when it moved to Bellagio and built a beautiful new fountain-side patio, it added Baller Brunch Destination Supreme to its résumé. Start with oysters with peppercorn apple mignonette ($26) or a lobster and shrimp cocktail ($49) with lemon herb aioli, then move on to bacon, egg and leek pizza ($27), a king crab omelet ($36) and one of the Strip’s best burgers ($29). You can also get Puck signatures like smoked salmon pizza ($39) and Chinois chicken salad ($26), but this feels like an allout experience worthy of new exploration. Brunch served Friday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Bellagio, 702-693-8181, wolfgangpuck.com.

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AL SOLITO POSTO James Trees’ new neighborhood classic could have busted out a blockbuster brunch menu at any time during its rookie season in 2021—and the restaurant’s regulars have certainly been calling for it—but the kitchen took its time. The resulting rollout of Italian dishes was conceived by Trees and new chef Steve Young, balancing lightness with rich satisfaction.

Bring the gang and share large-format carafe cocktails to complement lobster-topped eggs Benedict ($38), Belgian endive and farro salad ($16), stuffed French toast ($19) and cheesy polenta with succulent braised beef cheeks ($32). Sandwiches grab the spotlight, ranging from meatball parm ($17) to an East Coast-style Taylor ham, egg and cheese classic ($16).

Brunch served Saturday & Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tivoli Village, 702-463-6781, alsolito.com.

Poached tuna nicoise salad, stuffed French toast, Belgian waffle and a prosecco bar cocktail at Al Solito Posto (Courtesy Al Solito Posto)

HOLD THE MEAT, KEEP THE FUN Find flash and flavor with Plant Based Sundays at StarBase This will sound antithetical to the Las Vegas we love so much, but a big brunch party doesn’t have to be an overindulgence.

Valencia Lawrence and Myles Bunch are in the process of proving it. The business—and life— partners recently rebranded their food and lifestyle company into something new called the Edible Bunch, and then partnered with trendy event space StarBase to launch the Plant Based Sundays monthly soiree. It goes down on the third Sunday of each month—next up February 20 at

10 a.m.—with tickets ($70-$90) available at eventbrite.com or starbaselv.com.

“The idea is to show people you can experience a plantbased lifestyle without sacrificing any of the flavors you’re used to with a traditional, animal-based diet,” Bunch says.

“We just want to get people tasting different foods and provide a spot where plant-based eaters can go and don’t have to eat from the short options menu.”

Although local vegan and vegetarian dining options have made great strides, there still aren’t many brunch hot spots with extensive plant-based menus. At the first StarBase event in January, guests fell in love with the French toast, its batter made with Just Egg and

The Edible Bunch’s “surf and turf” (Courtesy)

coconut milk and finished with a crisp brûléed sugar coating, fresh berry compote and coconut cream. The vegan mac and cheese was a hit, too.

Plant Based Sundays also features cocktails, music and entertainment from hosts Asia Jade and Dizzy Wright plus special guests and interactive elements promoting overall wellness. Plus, a portion of the proceeds benefit Heaven Can Wait Animal Society.

Bunch says to prepare for some sensory overload, with different foods and drinks in colorful, artfilled spaces.

“When you pull up, you don’t really understand what’s inside this place,” Lawrence says. “It’s like a magical egg—you pop it open, and there are all these different areas.” –Brock Radke

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Ube pancakes at Fuhu (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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Chef Joseph Elevado, formerly of Social House and Andrea’s, serves brunch with a pan-Asian twist at this sexy new eatery in the heart of Resorts World’s nightlife district. Fuhu sparks the vibe with a chic aesthetic and a thumping playlist of EDM and trap remixes tailor-made for the adjacent clubs.

Two cherry blossom trees frame the restaurant’s entryway and shade its people-watching-friendly patio. Inside, artwork of a bellowing Bengal tiger lurks along the walls next to a large kitchen window, where you can peek into Fuhu’s culinary process.

Adventurous types will love Fuhu’s variety of hot and cold dishes, including a section for sushi rolls and dim sum. Kick it off with the special nigiri platter ($45), featuring an assortment of bluefin tuna, salmon, snapper and scallop. Then wash it down with your choice of an oyster shooter ($12) full of sake and tangy ponzu sauce, one of Fuhu’s specialty cocktails or bottomless mimosas, bloody marys

and marias ($35 for 90 minutes).

The hot fare sets itself apart with several vegan dishes, a short rib eggs Benedict ($36), tamarind chili octopus ($21) and a snow crab scramble ($28) that’s incredibly generous with the crab. You’ll savor every bite of the four-stack layer of ube pancakes ($16) dusted with coconut shavings for a satisfying crunch. The condensed milk drizzled on top of these purple-hued cakes provides a balanced sweetness plain sugar could never match. Elevado also nails it with the chilaquiles ($23), a dish topped with two fried eggs over a mound of shredded, flavorful chicken and tortilla chips dusted with cotija cheese. With fare this good, it’s not hard to drag yourself out of bed. Brunch served Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Resorts World, 702-676-7740, zoukgrouplv.com.

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SUGAR FACTORY

Sugar Factory’s new Strip location at Harmon Corner is three stories of fun and whimsy. A rock-climbing wall, neon signs and other colorful decor provide plenty of Instagrammable opportunities. Though sugary treats take center stage, the Factory also offers a menu of savory appetizers and entrees like eggs Benedict ($18) with

Canadian bacon, hash browns and asparagus. The chicken and waffles ($28), served with a side of warm maple syrup, makes for another excellent choice. And give in to temptation by trying at least one over-the-top sweet sensation.

Strawberry Cheesecake Overload Pancakes ($25) arrive decked out with cheesecake bites, fresh

strawberries, strawberry topping and whipped cream … and a slice of cheesecake and a strawberry ice cream bar sit atop the stack(!). The impressive list of drinks—alcoholic and non—includes the Miami Tropical Punch ($40), which will keep the party going with its refreshing blend of pineapple juice, tropical mai tai and piña colada flavors, El Recu-

Chicken and waffles, banana Nutella pancakes, eggs Benedict, the Pink Cloud Pancake Stack, Pink Unicorn Hot Chocolate and a Lucky Charm Blue Latte at Sugar Factory. (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)

erdo white and gold tequilas and spiced rum.

And the Pink Unicorn Hot Chocolate ($7.50), a rich white chocolate-flavored beverage topped with whipped cream and colorful marshmallows, is a fun way to warm up a cooler weekend on the Strip. Brunch served Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 3717 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 725-7771216, sugarfactory.com.

LA NETA

PEYOTE

BY AMBER SAMPSON As much as I love a good Bellini or mimosa, nothing beats a well-crafted bloody mary. Some spots have been known to go all-out with their versions (I still have an internet image seared into my mind of a whole fried chicken served in a pitcher of tomato juice), but a great one requires no such fanfare. The classic method calls for vodka, tomato juice, dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco, pepper and a wedge of citrus.

Plenty of local bars and restaurants make a mean mary in this manner, and others up the ante with memorable new twists. During my weekend adventures, I’ve discovered a number of new favorites.

Take the Big Bear Bloody Mary at Timbers Bar & Grill (1450 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702-492-0027, timbersgaming.com), for example.

An off-Strip neighborhood gaming bar might not be the first place I’d expect to find a spicy classic, but this cocktail uses Absolut Peppar vodka and its own house-made mix to turn up the heat. The pickled green bean and pepperoncini add extra bite.

The new Fuhu at Resorts World (702-676-7740, zoukgrouplv.com) offers both mary and maria. The Belvedere Bloody Mary, infused

LV W C OV E R S T O R Y

with Szechuan peppercorn, comes with a plump, skewered shrimp that I purposely save for last after it has soaked in all those flavors.

The tequila-based Szechuan Maria features similar ingredients, but the tajin-coated rim leaves a satisfying tingle on my lips.

There’s an entire bloody mary cart at Good Morning Kitchen (5587 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-8677129, goodmorningkitchenlv.com).

This brunch hot spot serves a sleek and classy bloody topped with a pepperoncini, cherry tomato and olive. But if you go for the cart, you can customize your spice levels and garnishes, and it remains tableside so you can drink to your heart’s content.

Park on Fremont (506 E. Fremont St., 702-834-3160, parkonfremont.com) features one of the most fun versions around—a meal in a Mason jar. The Derby Breakfast Club combines a house-made mix with Tito’s vodka, muddled and crispy bacon, a pickled egg and a sweet, hickory-smoke finish. You’d be surprised how well these ingredients work together.

The Green Monster at Toasted Gastrobrunch (9516 W. Flamingo Road #100, 702-638-9500, toastedgastrobrunch.com) also doubles as a bloody mary meal.

The cocktail gets its stark green hue from a special house recipe, arriving complete with stuffed olives, celery, shrimp and bacon in the glass. It also has your choice of gin, vodka or tequila, but it’s delightful to drink even without the alcohol.

The Derby Breakfast Club at Park on Fremont (Anthony Mair/Courtesy)

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Corner Bar Management’s new Downtown oasis boasts one of the best-looking open-air patios in the neighborhood, so if you’re brunching, skip the window seats and head outside. Stay hydrated as you soak up some rays with a list of fresh cocktails including the spiced pear Bellini ($13) and crimson mojito with chai-infused rum ($13).

Imaginative takes on mid-morning favorites are next up, like the soy chorizo toast ($15)—a Spanish twist on traditional avocado toast—and the baked challah French toast ($16) served with creamy amaretto mascarpone. One of Peyote’s primary strengths is its woodfire cooking, so the steak and eggs ($28), featuring a grilled strip loin, is another musttry. Brunch served Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Fergusons Downtown, 725-210-0306, peyotedtlv.com.

Five favorite marys to keep on your Vegas brunch radar

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B R U N C H

There’s a reason this clubby new restaurant and lounge refers to its Sunday brunch program as “Let’s F*#k’n Brunch.”

Everything about the place is bold and brash, and that attitude has attracted a party-ready crowd to Downtown Summerlin. That translates into some memorable people-watching, alongside the elote avocado toast ($15), campechana seafood cocktail ($24), Trash-quiles ($23) and Wake and Cake coffee pancakes ($16) with boozy Licor 43 frosting. Come for the food and drinks, stay for the party, which can include bottle service, if you’re interested. Brunch served Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Downtown Summerlin, 702-476-5484, lanetacocina.com.

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BETTING

DON’T LISTEN TO AL MICHAELS, CRIS COLLINSWORTH THAT WAS NOT A MISSED EXTRA POINT IN THE SUPER BOWL Some bettors in Las Vegas might have a winning sportsbook ticket from the Super Bowl and not know about it because of one play early in the second quarter.

Others could be heading to the window believing they have money coming back from a wager, only to learn their ticket lost.

Los Angeles Rams holder Johnny Hekker botched placing the ball down for a would-be extra point attempt by placekicker Matt Gay, only to jump up and attempt to throw the ball. The incomplete pass was ruled a failed two-point conversion by the game’s official scorekeeper, meaning bettors who had “Yes” on whether there would be a two-point conversion attempt won their wager.

That Super Bowl prop opened at even money on the “Yes” at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

Other books had a prop bet on whether Gay would miss an extra point, which many would assume happened during the play. But he was 2-for-2 on extra point kicks.

“The bottom line, and we say this all the time, is we have to go by what the official box score says,” said Jay Kornegay, vice president of the Westgate SuperBook. “We can’t vary from the official box score.”

In the case of Hekker’s mishap, it didn’t help that the game’s announcers, NBC’s Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, kept saying it was a missed extra point, Kornegay said. Additionally, Hekker’s heave was not credited as a pass, because no stats are awarded on conversion attempts. –Ray Brewer

NEWS

WATCH THIS The Golden Knights host the LA Kings February 18 at 7 p.m.

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

AT YOUR SERVICE

BETWEEN THE JETSONS AND THE FLINTSTONES A Richtech Robotics Matradee robot delivers food to Maurice Smith and Najee Smith at Catcher’s Fish House on February 11. “It’s a technology world. The robot isn’t here to take jobs away from people; it’s here to help people. It can help prevent back aches and slipping incidents. The robot isn’t going to slip,” Maurice Smith said. Catcher’s co-owner Charles Thomas said there are many tasks the robot can’t perform, so his restaurant will likely always employee people as well for service tasks.

TONY HAWK FEST UNVEILS MUSIC ACTS

Modest Mouse, the Descendents and Devo will headline Tony Hawk’s Weekend Jam, a music and skating festival set for May 12-15 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

Also on the recently unveiled bill: X, Cold Cave, The Vandals, Warish and Rough Francis, with more acts to come. For ticket packages and other info, visit pollen.co. –Staff

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KNIGHT OF THE HOUR

JACK EICHEL

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The Vegas Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve to free up enough space under the team’s salary cap to activate the center they acquired last year via trade. Eichel, who was expected to debut for Vegas on February 16, hadn’t played since suffering a neck injury last March.

BY THE NUMBERS

$73M

Amount for which the families of nine victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting agreed to settle in a lawsuit against Remington, the maker of the weapon used in the massacre.

2.10.2021

FIELDS DAY Cleveland Browns linebacker Tony Fields II, a 2016 graduate of Desert Pines, holds his Browns jersey during a ceremony at Desert Pines High School. With Fields are head football coach Tico Rodriguez, left, and Daniel Wise, assistant principal of athletics. Fields’ jersey will be added to the school’s Wall of Fame. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

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MASK MANDATES A NO-WIN SITUATION FOR GOVERNOR Gov. Steve Sisolak repealed the state’s mask mandate, and almost instantly his Republican foes issued comments saying he was following in the footsteps of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat who made the decision a few days earlier.

Sisolak, who faces re-election in November, said the decision to lift the mandate was not motivated by politics or trying to appease independent voters.

It was also not lost on many that when Sisolak asserted a mask mandate in July 2021, Nevada’s COVID-19 case numbers were lower than they are now.

He has insisted that he was not going against the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, which haven’t changed since January and instruct people to wear masks inside places with high transmission.

There’s a mix of gratitude and wariness about the repealing of the mandate among Nevadans. Some will still wear masks while others are glad to be rid of them. Regardless, everyone is feeling the same fatigue of living through and talking about these “unprecedented times” and coping with the stress through the many pandemic stages, from Tiger King to bread making to Wordle.

And everyone is no doubt tired of talking about the pandemic through a political lens rather than a health one. We wonder if Sisolak made the move in just enough time so we won’t end up talking about it for the next nine months of the election cycle. –Jessica Hill

ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES

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Blockchain tech and entertainment converge in Las Vegas with an NFT music and art festival

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BY BROCK RADKE around this new tech object is centered on selling digital art. For the festival, Afterparty has created an exclusive set of 1,500 NFTs curated by artists Nate Mohler and Alec Maassen—known as the Utopian collection—which will be among the installations at the festival and will also provide digital admission to the two-day event.

Chris Racan, formerly of the Kaaboo music festival in San Diego, and Ryan Doherty, former Life Is Beautiful partner and leader of Las Vegas-based Corner Bar Management, are serving as production partners for the Afterparty festival.

“NFT art deserves to be seen and celebrated through an experience that is just as innovative as the NFT art itself,” Doherty said in a statement. “We’re creating a festival that captures that energy and enthusiasm that fits into a future-ready environment that intensifies the impact these pieces have on the viewer.”

Afterparty was founded last year and has attracted an investor group that includes Acrew Capital, TenOneTen Ventures, Reade Seiff and Craig Clemens. The company is based in LA. Fields, a former Disney analyst who helped execute the company’s acquisition of Pixar and later headed investments for former CEO Michael Eisner, says he decided he wanted to continue his career in the crypto world after reading the Ethereum Whitepaper, published before the 2015 launch of that opensource software project. Afterparty followed Fields’ founding of Wander, which uses low-cost wireless hardware proprietary software to provide wireless residential internet in Southern California.

“We started to see NFTs had this potential to be a powerful tool for creators, something that can enable

them to much more closely connect with fans, so we started building Afterparty to build that community and create the tools to enable that community,” Fields says. “We’ve built a lot of technology around NFTs as access, more than just a one-off digital art piece, something that can serve as this verifiable digital asset that unlocks things in the virtual space and in real life.”

Next month’s inaugural festival will take over several spaces at Area15, including the outdoor A-Lot and the indoor, interactive space the Portal. The 1,500 Utopian NFT holders and their “plus threes” could add up to 6,000 potential attendees, Fields says, though he is anticipating actual attendance to land between 4,000 and 5,000.

“When we saw the [Area15] site, we just felt like it was meant to be the home for the festival, a special place that already has this immersive art feel,” Fields says. “Las Vegas is a great fit for a number of reasons beyond that this venue really spoke to us. It’s an incredibly international city, and crypto and NFTs are international movements, so that is important to us as well.”

Additional Afterparty NFT festival musicians and artists are expected to be unveiled in the coming days and weeks, and more information is available at afterparty.ai/festival.

Area15 has a similar-sounding event on the books earlier next month, the NFT Moonfest on March 4 and 5. 3LAU and Boombox Cartel will headline an extensive bill of dance music artists for that “celebration of the NFT and crypto community,” which will also include speakers and panels, an immersive art gallery, networking sessions and other NFT project activations.

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very week seems to bring significant news about music festivals in Las Vegas. If it isn’t the new emo-rock fest When We Were Young meeting wild demand by adding multiple days to its October debut on the Strip, it’s the homegrown Life Is Beautiful festival selling a majority stake to Rolling Stone magazine parent corporation Penske Media.

But a recent lineup announcement for the newest festival set to land in Las Vegas made news for an entirely different reason. Organizers of the Afterparty NFT Art and Music Festival, scheduled for March 18-19 at Area15, are calling it a first-of-its-kind event. Notable names like The Chainsmokers, The Kid Laroi, Charlie XCX, Gryffin and other DJs and artists will perform, but the festival’s immersive digital art installations and unique connection to the NFT community will set it apart.

“We want to bring NFT art to the forefront and create a celebration it deserves,” says David Fields, co-founder and CEO of Afterparty. “We believe this is a massive new movement, and we’re at the beginning of it. The centerpiece of the festival is the NFT art program, presenting it in a way it really hasn’t been seen before, fully integrated into the experience.

“And second is the idea of the community’s access to the event, that [attendees] will need to be a holder of the NFT or be a guest of theirs to actually attend. That creates a unique experience by really making the community the foundation of who can access the festival.”

NFTs (nonfungible tokens) are unique, non-interchangeable units of data stored on a blockchain.

Much of the current excitement

(Shutterstock/ Photo Illustration)

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OMEGA MART

TURNS ONE! Omega Mart celebrates one year of unbeatable savings and exceptional customers in Las Vegas

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In just one year, Omega Mart, the store that brings nationally localized consumables and unbeatable savings to Las Vegas and its tourists, has welcomed more than a million shoppers through its doors. ¶ What makes Omega Mart America’s most exceptional grocery store?

Countless organically recommended grocery products and a commitment to customers and fulfilling their every desire. ¶ Add to it a loyal consumer base and first-rate employees and you have a store with an intital 365 days that are the best in company history, boasting of record-breaking sales and Boops.

WHAT IS OMEGA MART? If you’ve not yet experienced Omega Mart, allow us to introduce you to this immersive art experience.

Stocked with one-of-kind products, Omega Mart the supermarket is the entrance point as you wade into the complex, narrative-rich world of “America’s most exceptional grocery store.”

There are four anchor experiences in the exhibit: Omega Mart, The Dramcorp Offices, The Factory and The Projected Desert.

Each anchor experience is a new opportunity to explore and play within the space, and each has its own storyline as the

mysteries of Omega Mart unfold.

As you move through the experiences, you can use your Employee Access Card to Boop different locations and gain further insight into the story.

The total experience is 52,000 square feet with 325 artists and collaborators contributing to the creation of Omega Mart.

Within the four main anchor spaces, 60 unique environments and 250 unique projects form the exhibit.

Audio, video and print media are all used throughout the physical spaces to offer clues and breadcrumbs for visitors. It’s playful, psychedelic, investigative and endlessly entertaining.

1.2 TRILLION

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PRESENTED BY M E OW WO L F

grocery shelf items turned to face forward

HOW TO EXPERIENCE OMEGA MART Omega Mart is a vast landscape of exploration—and everyone will experience the Omega Mart universe differently. Are you an Observer, an Explorer or a Deep-Diving Adventurer? n OBSERVERS These guests are here to soak in the art, take photos in the installations, go down a slide or two, and possibly grab a cocktail at Datamosh.

They might see that others are partaking in the narrative-driven gameplay, but they’d rather just enjoy the experience of being there. n EXPLORERS They’re taking in the sensory overload around them and they’ve inquired about an Omega Some customers Employee Access Card from the kiosk inside of express interest in Omega Mart. They are Booping their card as they learning all that’s stroll through the self-guided exhibition, piecing available at Omega together the storyline, but that’s not their first Mart and are drawn priority. These guests likely won’t go too deep to the information into the story, but they will leave with tons of stations conveniently photos and memories. located throughout the experience to n DEEP-DIVING ADVENTURERS Boop their Employee These guests are on a mission! They have their Access Card.

Boop card in-hand and are ready to uncover every detail of the story—some will choose to ascend into the leadership ranks of Dramcorp, others will join the Resistance. These guests spend several hours and often become repeat visitors so they can soak in every last detail they can.

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2 .1 7. 2 2 DJ E-ROCK February 18-19, 10:30 p.m., $20-$30. Light, 702-632-4700, thelightvegas. com.

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DJ E-Rock (Courtesy Mike Kirschbaum/Photo Illustration)

The

HOUSE E ALWAYS WINS

Vegas finally lures DJ E-Rock into a full-time residency

BY BROCK RADKE

ric Nagrampa, better known as Bay Area-born DJ E-Rock, has been leaving his mark on the Las Vegas club scene for several years now. Constantly voyaging to the Strip from San Francisco, where he’s the official DJ for the 49ers, or from LA, where his radio work blossomed with the recent national syndication of his Radio Bassment show, E-Rock developed a strong connection and deep affinity for Vegas beyond the glitz of the nightlife landscape.

That’s why, he says, he became a full-time Vegas resident just a few weeks ago.

“It just made a lot of sense. There’s so much energy shifting here right now,” he tells the Weekly, pointing to factors like the ongoing development of pro sports and the city hosting new mega-events like the Grammy Awards.

“I’ve seen the grand effects of how those things impact a city, and I don’t want to miss out on any of that here.”

E-Rock will be spinning at Light February 18 and 19, with DJ Romeo and Neil Jackson on Friday and then holding down the decks when Iggy Azalea performs Saturday night. This month’s reopening of Light was a big deal for him, since the Mandalay Bay club has been one of his steadiest gigs for multiple years.

“I actually started my journey out here with the Light Group, working with them at Haze

[now Jewel]. They brought me to Light a long time ago and it was a very special thing for me,” he says. “I feel like I’ve lived lifetimes doing that residency, because I’ve seen so much in there. To lose that during the pandemic was very defeating for a while.”

Like many DJs, E-Rock went online when the clubs closed, but he went harder than most by becoming an official partner with Twitch, streaming sets and collaborating with colleagues to build a new, virtual DJ community.

He’s streaming less now that IRL nightlife is back, but he’s planning to reconnect with that audience this spring, and he has another big media project in the works, connected to the ongoing evolution of the radio show and its many celebrity interviews. Catch it in Vegas on Real 103.9-FM. E-Rock has his hands full for 2o22 with those projects and gigs at Light, Jewel and Tao, plus he has begun playing other Vegas clubs like Marquee for the first time.

“At Marquee, I was actually a little nervous for the first time in a long time because of that gold standard that company [Tao Group] has always held,” he says. “It was crazy to play that room after being out here for 15 years and I just feel super grateful and blessed. And doing something like that feels even better when you live here.”

GOOD TEAMS WIN, GREAT TEAMS COVER

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An aerial-view rendering of Tao Beach (Tao Beach Club/Courtesy)

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and even

L

BY BROCK RADKE

as Vegas pool clubs had a monster summer last year as pandemic-weary partiers returned to the Strip in record numbers to celebrate once again.

But one of the city’s essential dayclub venues wasn’t ready to reopen.

Tao Beach, the rooftop extension of the Tao restaurant and nightclub complex at the Venetian, actually hadn’t planned to operate during the summer of 2020, when pool parties and so many other events and venues went dark on the Strip. Tao Beach had already shuttered for a complete renovation and expansion, part of a larger pool deck project at the resort that was delayed by COVID. It’s on track to restart the party this spring, but returning guests likely won’t recognize the new version. This is no makeover; it’s an entirely new venue.

“People will be completely mystified and have no correlation to what was before and what

is now,” Tao Group partner Jason Strauss said during a recent construction-site tour of the facility.

Originally opened in 2007, Tao Beach previously operated across an intimate 18,000 square feet, with a capacity of 1,586.

Upon reopening—set for March 18 with a grand opening celebration on April 1-3—it will be one

A rendering of Tao Beach’s Temple Bar (Tao Beach/Courtesy)

S T R I P

The revamped Tao Beach prepares to seize the summer spotlight

bar and dance, we spent a lot of time creating unique experiences for them.”

Tao Beach was one of the first Vegas venues built as a dayclub, and the first to operate daily, but its size resulted in limitations.

Now, it will undoubtedly be one of the major daytime venues on the Strip. And after last spring’s merger with the Hakkasan Group, Tao Group is running many of those pool clubs, including the recently renovated Wet Republic at MGM Grand.

The pandemic might have taken attention away from the joining of those two global hospitality giants, but the new company has become a dominant force on the Strip (while also operating dozens of venues on five continents). Hakkasan restaurant and nightclub at MGM Grand, Omnia at Caesars Palace and Jewel at Aria are just a few more of the nightlife spots acquired by the Tao Group in that move.

As that deal moves into its second year, the arrival of the revamped Tao Beach brings the company’s focus back to the Las Vegas property where it all began. “This was the mothership of Las Vegas, the mother brand of the entire company, and this is close to our hearts, especially mine, because I came out here 16 years ago to open up Tao,” Strauss said.

“For us to see this evolution and come back to the market with something first-in-class, it’s … almost like seeing your baby grow up.”

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T H E

BIGGER BETTER

of the largest dayclubs in Las Vegas: 44,000 square feet with an occupancy of 3,000.

The all-new, $50 million-enhanced experience will begin with a grand entrance, very different from what Tao Beach guests will remember. “We made access dramatically better with this major investment,” Strauss said. “It was a herculean effort to build this escalator through the roof of the Venetian from Tao restaurant and nightclub to take you up here.”

The Bali-inspired design marks a vibrant expansion on the style of the previous club, crafted by the Rockwell Group and Susan Nugraha, Tao’s Vice President of Design and Development. Every element is bigger, including the DJ booth (with LED screen), 21 cabanas and two huge bars.

“Especially with the giant Temple Bar, I think we’ll have the best bar experience and bar views. That was a big thing,” Strauss said. “Obviously the cabanas are important for guests who place a premium on that real estate, but for those people who are just coming to enjoy the

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NOISE

SECOS Get to know this desert-devoted Vegas quintet

Secos, left to right: Becerra, Orozco, Candelas, Ramirez and Loeza (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)

Who: A scrappy five-piece cranking out alt-rock in the vein of Arctic Monkeys and Interpol from a garage-based home studio. “We’re inspired by a lot of that garage-rock revival that came in the early 2000s,” singer David Candelas says. “We all have our personal favorites, but we mash it up together, and that’s what makes it sound unique.” Backstory: Guitarists Jose Becerra and Enrique Orozco founded Secos (stylized SECOS by the band) in 2020 with drummer Joshua Loeza, who played in the band The Children’s Crusade with Orozco. Secos then published a Craigslist ad for a bassist and landed Sergio Ramirez. Secos had been jamming with another vocalist before Candelas, whose previous experience includes fronting Mexican band Blood Roosters and even studying operatic vocals. “The way he sang was really genuine,” Orozco says. “I felt like he was already playing with us the longest.” Spirit of the southwest: The band’s name connects the Spanish word secos (“dry”) to the musicians’ Hispanic heritage, Vegas’ desert environment and the idea of “echoing our sound throughout the Valley,” Ramirez explains. Secos’ catchy first two singles “Rewind” and “I Wish You Had More Friends” are mellow and lyric-driven, the latter about “wishing the best for the people around you who you love,” Candelas says. Next up: Secos plays Taverna Costera on February 25 with Tree Frog Express, Napalm Star and Faded Prisms (8 p.m., $10-$12 at eventbrite.com), then will release third secosband. single “Doomsday Clock” on March 5. A full-length album, which Candelas com says will touch on love, lust and sin in Las Vegas, is in the works, with a targeted release date of mid-April. –Amber Sampson

SECOS

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C U L T U R E

Cioppino at Aromi (Christopher DeVargas/ Staff)

W AFFECTION ITALIAN

West Valley newcomer Aromi welcomes with flavors both fresh and familiar

BY BROCK RADKE

hen we discuss the cuisines Las Vegas does best, Italian food isn’t always in the mix. It should be. Between fancy restaurants inside casinos and friendly neighborhood favorites, the Valley has mastered this ever-popular option.

The Summerlin area boasts an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Italian eateries, yet others keep popping up and adding their own distinct flavors and style. The new must-try is Aromi, created by

veteran local chefs and caterers German Castellanos and Alessandro Stoppa and located in the quiet and quaint spot that previously housed Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen at Rampart and Lake Mead.

Aromi’s proprietors initially worked together at the former Valentino at the Venetian, one of the most celebrated Italian restaurants in the history of the Strip and a place that certainly knew how to draw locals.

The same colorful-yet-comfortable accents that always worked there are evident in

Aromi’s food, too; it has one of those menus that looks simple and overdelivers.

The three-course “happy lunch” ($21) is a welcoming concept. Choose soup or salad and then either chicken parmigiana with spaghetti or a hearty prosciutto, arugula and fontina cheese piadina flatbread sandwich (or go big with pan-seared branzino in a white wine and caper sauce for an additional $7). Enjoy a terrific panna cotta or tiramisu for dessert and wonder why this isn’t your regular lunch spot on this side

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AROMI 2110 N. Rampart Blvd. #110, 725-2046196. Sunday & TuesdayThursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

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DW Bistro chef Dalton Wilson (left) and owner Bryce Krausman (Christopher Devargas/ Staff)

DW BISTRO 9275 W. Russell Road #190, 702-527-5200.

Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

D R I N K

arrabbiata sauce, scallops and lobster; and wild mushroom ravioli with braised beef short ribs ($25). Non-pasta standouts include thyme-crusted New Zealand lamb chops ($42) and a lightly spicy cioppino seafood stew ($42) stocked with clams, scallops, mussels, calamari, lobster and branzino.

We all know what we want from our chosen Italian spot: to stop in regularly for favorite dishes—with the option to try something—a glass of wine and smooth service. Aromi checks all the boxes.

staff nor frequent visitors got to celebrate the landmark 10th anniversary in 2020.

DW actually went back to basics just before the pandemic struck, with founding chef Dalton Wilson returning to the restaurant after a few years in Southern California.

His Jamaican jerk chicken wings ($12), green chile mac and cheese ($10), salmon veggie bowl ($22) and chilaquiles ($16) have become more popular than ever, a blast of nostalgic flavors reminding many guests of the original location on Fort Apache.

“We’re still kicking, and we aren’t going anywhere,” Krausman says. “I think the Gramercy is well-positioned with all the [development] that’s going on in the area. There’s a lot of energy and fun things happening here during the week.” –Brock Radke

&

of town.

Aromi is also the kind of seasonally inspired, ingredient-driven place where you should always consider the specials. I recently had a delightful poached pear salad ($18) with radicchio, endive, crispy prosciutto, toasted walnuts and goat cheese. The risotto of the day on that visit was perfect, too—vegetable primavera ($22) with a light tomato sauce.

The best-sellers include a classic lasagna ($22) with bechamel and meat sauce; spicy Spaghetti Neri ($29) with squid-ink pasta,

n Local diners have found comfort at favorite neighborhood restaurants throughout the COVID era, and that’s certainly the case at DW Bistro at the Gramercy on Russell just west of the 215. It has always been known as a lunch and brunch hot spot, but its regulars’ changing habits have helped transform it into a popular midweek dinner option, for dine-in and takeout.

“We’ve had a very COVID-friendly dinner menu for the last two years, sort of a best-ofDW kind of thing,” says owner Bryce Krausman, “but we’re working on a new menu, and we want to bring back dinner in a different way.”

That update, along with some new brunch offerings, should align with DW’s 12th anniversary in April, a highly anticipated soiree considering neither

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SWEET

16 C U L T U R E

Sixteen things to know before jumping back into college basketball betting

I

BY CASE KEEFER

Left to right: Baylor guard Matthew Mayer, Gonzaga guard Hunter Sallis, and Auburn forward Jabari Smith (AP Photo/Photo Illustration)

t’s college basketball’s time to shine in sportsbooks. After the Super Bowl, college basketball annually takes its short but significant turn at the top of betting interest over the next month and a half. It can feel like a race to catch up in time for the NCAA’s Tournament Selection Sunday, set for is March 13, so we’re here to help.

It’s impossible to provide a comprehensive guide to a sport with 358 teams, but here are 16 of the most important things to know before placing any college basketball bets.

1

Gonzaga, currently 4-to-1 to win the national championship at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, will almost surely go into the NCAA Tournament as the favorite for the second consecutive year. The usual debate on whether the Bulldogs’ weak West Coast Conference schedule prepares them well enough for the postseason is already raging.

2

Casual college basketball fans might be confused by Gonzaga sitting at the top of the betting boards, wondering: What about Auburn? The Tigers (currently 8-to-1) have been the near-consensus No. 1 team by the polls over the past month, but the betting market isn’t as high on them. That could either be in-

terpreted as reasonable restraint for a team that has been lucky to go 5-2 in games decided by fewer than six points or stubbornness for not adjusting to a mispricing that saw Auburn at 150-to-1 to win the title going into the season.

3

Auburn’s record against the spread makes the latter seem likely. The Tigers were the most profitable bet among Power Five conference teams through 25 games at 18-7. The next-closest team was Texas Tech, which went 17-8 against the betting line.

4

The Red Raiders’ best win was a 65-62 upset victory at Baylor, ruining the defending national champion’s 15-

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8

13

9

14

Kentucky had the cornerstone win of that SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge, smashing Kansas 80-62 in an upset on the road.

The Wildcats haven’t reached a Final Four since 2015 but are now the second choice to win the title at 8-to-1 at the SuperBook, led by offensive and defensive dynamo Oscar Tshiebwe inside.

10

The Big Ten is the other conference that appears to be on the same level as the Big 12 and SEC. It boasts a national-high five teams at 50-to-1 odds or better to win the championship: Purdue (10-to-1), Illinois (16-to-1), Michigan State (40-to1), Wisconsin (50-to-1) and Ohio State (50-to-1).

game winning streak to start the season. The Bears have since hit a midseason lull, but don’t count them out. Baylor similarly slipped around this time last year before getting its groove back for the tournament.

Big 12 Conference Tournament next month. The Jayhawks were expected to be among the most well-rounded teams in the nation this year but have instead been paced by National Player of the Year candidate Ochai Agbaji.

5

7

The Big 12 is far and away rated as the best conference this season by any analytical set of numbers, including oddsmakers’ power ratings. In addition to Texas Tech and Baylor, Kansas and Texas also look like top-four seeds and Final Four threats.

6

Kansas is the slight favorite, +170 (i.e. risking $100 to win $170), over Baylor (+215) at Circa Sports to win the

SEC fans surely balk at the Big 12 being rated as far and away the best conference.

The former beat the latter in the annual SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge by a tally of 6-4 to prove its collection of teams can stack up against any conference. The SEC might have the greatest number of tournament teams with eight potential representatives (Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi State).

11

Conspicuously missing from that list is Michigan, which was a No. 1 seed last year and came into this season as low as 8-to-1 to win the title. The Wolverines are now likely to miss the tournament after struggling all year, rivaling Memphis (which got as low as 12-to-1 in the preseason) as the most disappointing team in the nation. Both Michigan and Memphis are now on the tournament bubble at best and a consensus 100-to-1 apiece to win the title.

12

Purdue continues to be among the most popular championship futures bets, but the Boilermakers have their issues. They’re all offense and little defense behind the inside-out duo of Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey.

47 I

Wisconsin is just the opposite of Purdue—a nightmare for opponents to play with its defense and slow pace but a clear cut below the rest of the Big Ten contenders in terms of offense. That’s the Badgers’ usual formula, and it has worked pretty well in the postseason, with Wisconsin making five Sweet 16 appearances in the past 10 years.

Illinois, for the second straight year, looks like the most complete Big Ten team, without any clear weaknesses and a 7-foot game-changer in Kofi Cockburn.

The Fighting Illini were the trendiest bet going into last year’s NCAA Tournament—before getting upset by Loyola-Chicago in the second round—and history could repeat this year if they finish the regular season strong.

15

Arizona rivals Auburn as the championship threat no one saw coming. The Wildcats have gone from as high as 80-to-1 in the preseason to as low as 8-to-1 now to win the tournament in coach Tommy Lloyd’s first season. The longtime Gonzaga assistant has Arizona playing as sharp as any team in the nation, emphasizing offensive pace and defensive intensity.

16

Arizona has displaced UCLA as the Pac-12 favorite, even though the teams split their pair of meetings this season. The Bruins had a lot of hype entering the year off a surprise Final Four run last season but have now swelled from 10-to-1 to win the title to 20-to-1, despite veteran Johnny Juzang maintaining his breakout performance from last year’s tournament.

S P O R T S

Duke handed Kentucky one of its four losses to start the season and remains in the championship hunt in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season.

The Blue Devils are the only power-conference team that’s an oddson favorite to win its conference tournament, with Circa pricing them at -135 (i.e. risking $135 to win $100) to win the ACC in a down year for the league.

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SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

RAIDERS’ ANALYTICS OFFICER SAYS ALLEGIANT STADIUM HAS BLOWN EXPECTATIONS ‘OUT OF THE WATER’

A

BY BROCK RADKE VEGAS INC STAFF

llegiant Stadium is only in its third year of operations and second hosting ticketed events, but it has already captivated Las Vegas and the visitors who power Southern Nevada’s economy. While it has hosted a handful of successful concerts, Las Vegas Raiders games and other sports events have brought the biggest boost to the 65,000-seat venue, and the stadium recently wrapped one of its most massive weeks so far by hosting the East-West Shrine Bowl on February 3 and the NFL Pro Bowl on February 6.

Las Vegas native Jeremy Aguero is essentially in charge of the stadium, having recently joined the Raiders staff as chief operations and analytics officer. After working closely with owner Mark Davis while helping to guide the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, Aguero left his position as principal analyst at Applied Analysis to take on a big, new challenge. We spoke with him before the Pro Bowl about the sports boom in Las Vegas and its ongoing impact.

In recent years, Las Vegas has promoted the idea of the “Ultimate Sports Weekend.” Now almost every weekend feels like that.

Having grown up here, and for those of us who have spent a lot of time here, you think about what the Runnin’ Rebels were in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and talk about some of the incredible fights that have

been held in Las Vegas. Rodeo has always had that presence here with Helldorado Days, then the community has matured and brought the advent of the UFC, which oftentimes gets overlooked in how much it grew and what it became. Then we saw the creation of the Speedway and the races that came with it, and it also doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

The construction of T-Mobile Arena took a great deal of courage and risk

by MGM Resorts, and then we have that transitional moment where the Golden Knights did something a lot of people thought was impossible in bringing hockey to the desert. Allegiant Stadium … is the latest [example] of this community showing the capability to find a way to get things

done, and a lot of people deserve a lot of credit for the stadium.

Do you think the stadium has already exceeded expectations, internally as well as the public perception?

We have something called The Voice of the Fan, a survey that goes out to all 32 teams around the NFL. The league conducts this survey for every game, every week, asking about security, game-day staff, everything.

Allegiant Stadium was No. 1 in the entire NFL in terms of guest experience, game-day staff, safety and security.

We crushed it, even under the very difficult circumstances of the pandemic and opening a new building.

We couldn’t be prouder of the team.

Jeremy Aguero speaks in the Champions Club inside Allegiant Stadium.

(Courtesy Chelsa Christensen/Las Vegas Raiders)

And from an economic impact, we’ve blown [expectations] out of the water.

The ripple effect of what we’re doing not only inside the stadium, but visitors coming and staying at hotels and eating at restaurants, we’re beating our numbers. So we’re generating that tax revenue at a higher rate than we thought, but what about the social impact? I don’t think folks always understand all the things the Raiders do in the community, and Mark Davis is humble and he’s not going to talk about all of it.

The Academy of Country Music Awards was moved from MGM Grand Garden Arena to Allegiant Stadium on March 7, and the Grammys were recently moved from LA to Las Vegas. These venues have established the city as a prime place to hold events during the challenges of the pandemic.

That’s what we’re designed to do. We have 150,000 hotel rooms and 300,000 leisure and hospitality employees, as well as one of the largest destination airports in the world. It’s seven times the size it should be for a community of our size. We are the only community in the U.S. that is designed to host people. That’s what we do.

You are in the football world now, but what about the other two sports? Why is everybody talking about Major League Baseball when it seems like Las Vegas could flip a switch and have an NBA team?

The success of the Knights and the Raiders has caught everyone’s attention—and this was true before I came to the Raiders but I can certainly see it in this new seat—and shown what this community has to offer, what it can develop and what it can really do [with sports teams]. How successful those other sports will be, that’s another question, and I certainly have some concerns about the liability and positioning. It’s all about what team, what location, how the deals are structured, all of those details really matter.

2 .1 7. 2 2

VegasInc Notes Public relations executive Kelly Frey announced the launch of KF Publicity, a boutique public relations consulting agency focusing on entertainment and hospitality clients. Frey brings Frey with her nearly two decades of public relations experience spanning across several industries, including entertainment, hospitality, gaming, film, dining, nightlife, high-end retail, nonprofit organizations and consumer products.

Most recently, Frey was co-owner and managing partner of the Publicity Lab. Southern Nevada Senior Law Program, a nonprofit providing free legal services to senior residents of Southern Nevada aged 60 and older, announced its board of directors, including Senior Judge Betsy Kolkoski, Carlene Gaydosh, Senior Justice Miriam Shearing, Bobby Gronauer, Shea Backus, Candace Carlyon, Clevis Parker Sr. and Mariteresa Rivera Rogers. It also announced two pro bono counsel for the board: Dara Goldsmith and Gregory Kamer.

Clark County announced the appointment of the new county counsel, Lisa Logsdon. Logsdon has been with the Office of the Clark County District Attorney’s Civil Division Logsdon since June 2009. The position of county counsel oversees the civil division of the Office of the Clark County District Attorney and the 15 attorneys and eight support staff assigned to that division.

TSK Architects announced that Jeffrey Sarmiento was appointed to the board of directors for the McCaw School of Mines Foundation.

Sarmiento joined TSK in 2015 and has been Sarmiento major contributor to many of TSK’s notable projects.

Matt Burns of Ed Vance & Associates was named a board member of Nevada State College Foundation. Burns

is executive vice president and chief operating officer with EV&A. Howard & Howard named two new shareholders in its Las Vegas office: Kirill Mikhaylov and Christopher Warburton.

Mikhaylov is part of the Litigation Practice and concentrates his practice in commercial Mikhaylov and business litigation, representing individuals and local, national and international businesses from pretrial through the appellate stage of disputes.

Warburton practices as part of the BusiWarburton ness and Corporate Practice where he focuses on corporate, securities real estate, financing, intellectual property, licensing and regulatory matters.

Nathan Adelson Hospice announced that Linn Billingsley joined its board of trustees. Vice President of Regional Operations for Kindred Healthcare Billingsley has an expertise in specialty and transitional care hospitals.

Additionally, the hospice’s director of admissions transportation, Ashley Earle, MSN, RN, CHPN, was named to the 2022 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Next

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Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains announced that Adrienne Mansanares was named CEO by its board of directors, following the retirement announcement of longtime CEO Vicki Cowart. Mansanares served as PPRM’s chief experience officer for five years, and previously served as chair of its board of directors. Her experiences with Planned Parenthood as an executive, board member and patient contribute to her conviction and commitment to the organization its patients.

American College of Radiology awarded a three-year term of accreditation to Comprehensive Cancer Centers’ Radiation Oncology Division.

Comprehensive has received the accreditation for eight consecutive three-year terms.

Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara announced the selection of Marilyn Delmont as chief information officer. Delmont has more than 30 years of information technology experience. She serves as the chief information officer for the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation.

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HOROSCOPES

“LEGAL THRILLERS” BY FRANK LONGO

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 17 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’re slipping into a phase when stuff that has been invisible will become visible, at least to you. You will have extra power to peer beneath the surfaces and discern the hidden agendas and study the deeper workings. Your interest in trivia and distractions will dissipate, and you’ll feel intensified yearnings to home in on core truths.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The joyous release that comes through playful amusement is most likely to unfold when you’re in the presence of influences you are fond of. In the coming weeks, You will have a special inclination and knack for hanging around people and influences like that. Therefore, you will have an enhanced capacity for mirth and delight and pleasure.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “The thing about inspiration is that it takes your mind off everything else,” says author Vikram Seth. You will soon be the beneficiary of steady, strong waves of inspiration. These waves will transport you away from minor irritations that are best left alone for now. Be alert and ever-ready to spring into action so you will harvest the maximum rewards from their gifts.

2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The advice that Reb Nachman of Breslov offered two centuries ago is just right for you now: “Never ask directions from someone who knows the way, or you will never be able to get lost.” It’s time to find out what you don’t even realize you need to know; to stumble upon quiet little wonders and marvels that will prove to be guideposts for your holy quests in the future.

ACROSS 1 Highest roll of a single die 4 Peak in Thessaly 8 Freaks out 15 Subjective paper piece 19 Never dying 21 Kind of cherry named for its shape 22 — sci. (coll. major) 23 Scaled-down symphony group [1994] 25 Mallorca, por ejemplo 26 “King” primate 27 Writer Ferber 28 Anti-bias job agcy.

29 Gown fabric 30 Program interacting with a remote server [1993] 34 Bygone times 38 Nurtured 39 Kids’ song with French lyrics 40 — to go (gung-ho) 41 “It’s ch-chilly!”

42 Whimpered like a baby 44 Place to disclose sins [2010] 48 Coinage for something with no name 53 Beginning on 54 “To — much is given ...”

55 Nantes’ river 57 Sets of points on graphs 58 Shallowest Great Lake 60 Waltz or tango [1997] 63 Itinerant band member, say 66 State after wedlock 68 Having more seepage 69 Panels that may

71 72 73 74 76 80 83 86 88 89 90 94 95 97 101 102 103 104 108 109

113 114 115 116 117 118 119

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4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 24 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 41 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 56 59

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60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 70 71 74 75 77 78 79 81 82 84 85 87 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 98 99 100 104 105 106 107 109 110 111 112

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Ark.-to-Ill. dir.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “You face your greatest opposition when you’re closest to your biggest miracle,” wrote author and filmmaker T. D. Jakes. The problems you encounter will be among your best and most useful ever. With the right attitude, you will harness the challenges to generate magnificent breakthroughs.

Proceed with the hypothesis that life is conspiring to bring your soul exactly what it needs to express its ripest beauty.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Always remember this,” said actor Hattie McDaniel (1893–1952). “There are only 18 inches between a pat on the back and a kick in the rump.” Lately, you’ve had to deal with too many experiences and influences akin to kicks in the rump. But now that will change. Soon there’ll be a surge of experiences and influences that resemble pats on the back.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Gayle Forman offers a set of truths that will be useful for you: “Sometimes fate or life or whatever you want to call it, leaves a door a little open, and you walk through it. But sometimes it locks the door and you have to find the key, or pick the lock, or knock the damn thing down. And sometimes, it doesn’t even show you the door, and you have to build it yourself.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I dream of songs,” singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash said. “I dream they fall down through the centuries, from my distant ancestors, and come to me.” To get the creative ideas you need to live your best life, draw from sources beyond your conscious ego—ancestors, the people you were in previous lives, gods and spirits, heroes and allies and the wisdom of nature.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Author Madeleine Thien has lived in Vancouver, Montreal and Iowa City, and has taught at schools in Hong Kong and Brooklyn. Her father was born and raised in Malaysia and her mother in Hong Kong. Not surprisingly, then, she has said, “I like to think of home as a verb, something we keep recreating.” That’s an excellent meditation for you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The fastest animal on earth is the peregrine falcon, which can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour when it dives from a great height. The seventh-fastest creature is the humble pigeon. Make the pigeon your spirit creature. On the one hand, you may seem mild and modest to casual observers. But you will in fact be sleek, quick, and agile.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Self-control might be as passionate and as active as the surrender to passion,” wrote author W. Somerset Maugham.

That’s the perfect message for you to hear right now. If you take advantage of the potentials that life is offering, you will explore and experiment with the mysteries of self-discipline and self-command.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human to orbit Earth in a spacecraft.

As his feat neared its end, Gagarin left the capsule at 20,000 feet above the ground and parachuted down. He arrived in a turnip field where a girl and her grandmother were working. They provided him with a horse and cart so he could travel to the nearest telephone and make a call to get picked up and brought back to headquarters. Be flexible and adaptable as you adjust to changing conditions with changing strategies. Your exceptional and illustrious activities may require the assistance of humble influences.

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