2022-11-24-Las-Vegas-Weekly

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com

EDITOR

SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Deputy Editor EVELYN MATEOS (evelyn.mateos@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, DANNY WEBSTER

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, BRYAN HORWATH, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT

O ce Coordinator NADINE GUY

CREATIVE

Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)

Senior Designer IAN RACOMA

Photo Coordinator BRIAN RAMOS

Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT

DIGITAL

Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON

Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Publisher of Branded Content & Special Publications EMMA WOLFF

Senior Advertising Manager MIKE MALL, ADAIR NOWACKI, SUE SRAN

Account Executives LAUREN JOHNSON, ALEX TEEL, ANNA ZYMANEK

Sales Assistant APRIL MARTINEZ

Events Director SAMANTHA PETSCH

Marketing & Events Coordinator ALEXANDRA GEX Marketing & Events Intern ALEXANDRA SUNGA

PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION

Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX

Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY

Market Research Manager CHAD HARWOOD Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON Marketing Graphic Designer CARYL LOU PAAYAS Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS Publication Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU

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SUPERGUIDE

Your daily events planner, starring The 1975, Steve Aoki, UNLV vs. UNR football, the Downtown Hoedown and more.

COVER STORY

Our annual locally focused gift guide to help you work through that holiday shopping list.

NEWS

The latest on cannabis lounges, which are expected to (finally) open in 2023.

SCENE

Enchant’s holiday experience doubles up this season, on and off the Strip.

ART

The Artist/City series finds its way to Las Vegas, specifically a former bus station where one of its artists once slept.

FOOD & DRINK

Salt Bae debuts his Nusr-Et steakhouse at the Park, plus a Weekly writer’s new favorite local ice cream.

GIFT GUIDE Claymation

SPORTS

Betting tips as the men’s college basketball season gets into high gear.

by Ian Racoma Set and Photography by Christopher DeVargas

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY

24 NOV.

25 NOV. FRIDAY

ROB GUSON

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

DON BARNHART

With Ron Coleman, Ralph Tutela, Guy Fessenden, 8 & 10 p.m., thru 11/27, Delirious Comedy Club, epicentertainmentlasvegas.com.

TOURNAMENT OF KINGS:

TWAS THE NIGHT 6 & 8:30 p.m., thru 12/25, Tournament of Kings Arena, excalibur.mgmresorts.com.

KEVIN ISO

With Traci Skene, Marcus Monroe, Reggie Conquest, 7 & 9:30 p.m., thru 11/27, Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster. com.

ANNIE 7:30 p.m., thru 11/27 (& 11/26-11/27, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.

CABLE 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

STEVE GILLESPIE 8 p.m., thru 11/27, LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy. com.

THE MILLENNIUM TOUR

With Bow Wow, Mario, Keri Hilson & more, 8 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

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

ADELE 8 p.m., & 11/26, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

LAS

VEGAS HOLIDAY CLASSIC MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Ft. UC-Irvine, Fordham, New Mexico State, Nicholls State, Santa Clara, San Diego, South Dakota, Washington, times vary, thru 11/26, Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.

CANNIBAL CORPSE

With Dark Funeral, Immolation, Black Anvil, 6:30 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.livenation. com.

BILL MAHER 10 p.m., & 11/26, Mirage Theatre, mirage.mgmresorts. com.

FRANKMARINO’S

DIVAS HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR 8 p.m., Italian American Club, iacvegas.com.

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

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. SEATTLE KRAKEN

5 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALBANY

11 a.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

ENCHANT

Thru 1/1, times vary, Las Vegas Ballpark, enchantchristmas.com.

NICKY ROMERO

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

SENSI TRAILS

With Dale & The ZDubs, The Happys, Steppadellics, Driftone Acoustic, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.

RODNEY NORMAN

7:30 p.m., & 11/26, Wiseguys, vegas. wiseguyscomedy.com.

MIKE ATTACK

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

THE 1975

Good British pop bands like The 1975 never stick to the same formula for long. Each album feels like the start of a new era, with frontman Matthew Healy introducing an imaginative web of new stories, color palettes and sonic experimentation that run the gamut from blissful pop and ethereal alt-rock to jazz and even a bit of gospel. With the band’s October LP, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, Healy pulled producer Jack Antono (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey) into the studio to create an accessible and heartfelt record made for lovers. Some argue it’s The 1975 “at their very best,” which also happens to be the name of the band’s latest tour, they could be right. Shows have already received critical praise for their dazzling set design. And after strange sightings of Healy eating raw steak onstage, there’s no telling what this Las Vegas show will bring. With Blackstarkids, 7 p.m., $39-$250, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Amber Sampson

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy/Samual Bradley)

Phil Kessel (left) and Adin Hill (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

SUPERGUIDE

SATURDAY

26 NOV.

STEVE AOKI

It’s only been a couple months since Steve Aoki dropped Hiroquest: Genesis, a pandemic-era full-length that finds the global trendsetter fusing his raw rock roots into a dance-ready soundtrack without restraint, augmented with guest spots from Lil Xan, Kane Brown, Bryce Vine and Taking Back Sunday. Now, the Tao Group Las Vegas resident DJ and producer has already upgraded, unleashing a remixed version of the album that includes a collaborative remake of Taking Back Sunday’s 20-year-old smash “Cute Without The E.” It’s a meta musical moment that could only come from Aoki. “So much of my career has been steeped in the rock and alternative worlds that it felt like the best time to add a new spin to one of their biggest hits,” he said in a statement. “We teamed up with a lot of incredible acts for these new remixes and I can’t wait to take these songs on the road.”

That road starts this weekend with his birthday celebration at Omnia. 10:30 p.m., $30-$50+, Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup.com.

MIRANDA LAMBERT

Thru 11/27, 8 p.m., & 11/30, Zappos Theater, ticketmaster.com.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

AEROSMITH 8 p.m., & 11/29, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.

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

FRANKIE J

With MC Magic, Sophia Maria, Cota Da Barber, 6 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb. com.

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

UNLV FOOTBALL VS UNR 3 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com. (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. LIFE PACIFIC

7:30 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

FÊTE DE FEMME

Ft. Isolated Ave, Hoity Toity, Riyah, Maejoy & more 7:30 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.

SHANDA & THE HOWLERS

With No Que No, 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com/downtown.

LA ULTIMA PARADA

With Paquita la del Barrio, Marisela, Lorenzo De Monteclaro, 8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.

MATRODA 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussy dtlv.com.

NIGHTFEEN With Haddonfield, King Atlas, Full Fledged, Retrogrvde, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.

–Brock Radke

(Courtesy/Sam Neil)

27 NOV. SUNDAY

CRESPO

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

THE HEIZ

With Möndö Vërmin, 7 p.m., Mint Tavern, theminttavern.com.

ELEPHANT UNDERGROUND

With Elephant King, Pure Sport, 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

DJ SINCERE

9:30 p.m., Foundation Room, houseofblues.com.

JAE DOUGLASS

With Yeyo, The Perks, VKM, 5 p.m., Taverna Costera, tavernacostera.com.

MONDAY

28 NOV.

DIJON BREEZION: AMERICAN ICON

Writer and performer Ernest Hemmings has tried on so many personalities

onstage, one could rightly wonder if he’s been possessed by an entire airport terminal, with arrivals and departures on the hour. This year alone, the founder of experimental theater company TSTMRKT has explored the lives of corporate drones in his play The Prole tariat, stepped into the boots of “locally famous” hustler Dick Ripper in Everyone Loves Dick—and now, just under the wire, he dons the tall wig of Las Vegas’ “favorite public access television hostess” Dijon Breezion in a 75-minute solo performance augmented by TSTMRKT-like video clips and audio montages.

Hemmings says Dijon’s epic journey, like Dick Ripper’s before her, began in TSTMRKT. “Everyone Loves Dick and Dijon Breezion … basically pick up from when the audience first met them [in TSTM RKT],” he says. “Dick was selling a car. Dijon was selling her... ‘talent.’” This time, Dijon’s journey takes the audience from a Vegas hotel room to a Florida funeral to a “disastrous” off-Strip hibachi restaurant, while our tour holds onto reality “by a thread.” November 28-29, 8 p.m., $25-$35, Vegas Theatre Company, tstmrkt.com/ dijon. –Geoff Carter

UNLV JAZZ FESTIVAL

Thru 11/30, 7:30 p.m., Alta Ham Fine Arts, unlv.edu.

MISS RODEO AMERICA PAGEANT Times vary, & 11/30, 12/1-12/2, 12/4, South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com.

QUINN DAHLE

Thru 12/4, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.

AARON LEE TASJAN

With Jesse Pino, Jeff Mix & The Songhearts, 8 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com/downtown.

LAS VEGAS CLASSICA MUSIC 7:30 p.m., Whitney Library, thelibrarydistrict. org.

SUPERGUIDE

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

B. ROSE 11 a.m., Freedom Beat, downtowngrand.com. (Courtesy/Yoshi)

SUPERGUIDE

MISS RODEO AMERICA HORSEMANSHIP

COMPETITION 8 a.m., South Point Equestrian Center, southpoint arena.com.

CHAMPAGNE DRIP

With Sippy, 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussy dtlv.com.

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

THE HYPNOTIQUES 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com/downtown.

DOWNTOWN HOEDOWN

Put your boots on! The Fremont Street Experience hosts the Downtown Hoedown with four country music stars playing across three stages under the “world’s largest single video screen” canopy. The celebration kicks o the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo week with ’90s hitmaker Neal McCoy on the Main Street stage, followed by Country Music Television’s “Breakout Artist of the Year” Lainey Wilson on the First Street Stage. On the Third Street Stage, Nate Smith’s soulful songwriting and gritty vocals will charge the crowd before Scotty McCreery gives a headlining performance with greatest hits, and likely some from last year’s Same Truck, re-released in a deluxe version this month. 5:15 p.m., free, Fremont Street Experience, vegasexperience. com. –Shannon Miller

LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

200 STAB WOUNDS & UNDEATH With Enforced, Vomit Forth, Phobophilic, 6 p.m., American Legion Post 8, seetickets.us.

CCSD HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA 6:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.

(AP Photo)

SUPERGUIDE

THE COMPOSERS SHOWCASE 9:30 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

MARIA PISARENKO: EASTERN EUROPEAN SEASONS 6 p.m., Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict. org.

Lainey Wlson (Courtesy)

VIBE CHECK

PEOPLE

Chef Joseph Elevado (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Group Executive

immersive experience. For instance, [boxer] Canelo [Álvarez] had his afterparty on our patio for 100-plus people, and at the same time, we had Travis Scott having dinner in one of our private dining rooms for 20 people, plus another party for one of Canelo’s sponsors for Hennessy.

At Zouk, there’s been a lot more interaction with some of the talent. We have a Tiës to roll on our [Fuhu] menu and we also have a Zedd dish. It’s a lot of fun, a lot of creativity with the team.

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Vibe dining, the alluring trend in which nightlife meets fine dining, isn’t exactly new. But veteran chef Joseph Elevado has a way of making every experience feel like the first time.

“I’ve always liked that kind of dining where you would go out, pregame for the evening or party for the evening wherever you were at,” says Elevado, executive chef of Zouk Group’s Fuhu, RedTail and Ayu Dayclub at Resorts World. “I was a lot younger then too, so vibe dining did kind of find me.”

The New York native, who opened the first Nobu in Las Vegas in 1999, redefined pan-Asian cuisine at trendy Treasure Island hot spot Social House back in 2006 and did it again several years later at Encore’s Andrea’s, which became one of the first Strip restaurants fully integrated into a nightclub

(Surrender). The Weekly caught up with Elevado to discuss dining freedom at Zouk, working under the legendary Nobu Matsuhisa and more.

How has working at Zouk’s restaurants differed from other experiences you’ve had?

At Zouk, I am definitely immersed in the nightclub culture, more than any of the other restaurants I was doing. I definitely have the ability to be creative here. The main goal for me when we opened was to embrace the original Fuhu in Malay sia, so I worked with some of the chefs out there.

Obviously, at that time, the pandemic was kind of in the middle of it, so we were talking through Teams and trying to figure out how things worked. I just kind of rolled with their menu, did my spin on what they did, and it’s been a totally

Before coming to Vegas you worked under Nobu Matsuhisa for almost 10 years in New York City. What was that experience like? Amazing. I started there as a cook, and worked my way up being starstruck, of course, seeing all these different famous people in there. I mean, you couldn’t

go through a service without seeing two or three celebri ties having lunch or dinner at the original Nobu down on Hudson Street. It was an amazing experience. Nobu had a huge impact on my career and how I see things, how I view the restaurant and how I put my dishes to gether, how I treat my staff, the whole nine yards.

Does any of Nobu’s advice stand out? He always told me to cook from the heart. He was always so honest and very open. At that time, he had the original Nobu in New York. Then from there, he had Nobu London and then I went to Vegas to open Nobu Vegas. So he was traveling quite a bit. He wasn’t in the restaurant 24/7, but when he did come to visit and check everything out, he was always super genuine.

How did you fall in love with cooking? I’ve always enjoyed watching my mom and my grandmother cook when I was younger. They would make Filipino food. They would do lumpia, and I was always interested in what the process was.

I went to college for international marketing, of all things. I didn’t do so well, because I wasn’t really inter ested, [but] I had a friend who was going to New York Restaurant School on Canal Street, right above Tribeca. I went to visit her there and we talked about it, and I was like, this could be kind of fun. So I enrolled in culinary school, and it’s literally the best I’ve ever done in a school setting.

You spend a lot of time in the kitchens at Fuhu and RedTail. What dishes would you say are must-tries? The RedTail Burger is one of my favor ites. It’s a patty with blue cheese, bacon and garlic aioli—it’s probably my go-to burger. Believe it or not, we also have Bolognese on the menu, and I think that’s pretty damn tasty too. For Fuhu, there’s a dish that’s at the Fuhu in Malaysia and it’s called a Sticky Lamb. Over there, they use a lamb shank, and they do this whole process where they rub it with coriander, cum in, all these different spices, and then they braise it and serve it with a sticky sauce made with gula melaka, which is a Malaysian coco nut sugar or palm sugar. We took the same thing, but we did lamb chops instead, be cause in America everybody loves lamb chops. Those are pretty damn tasty.

For more of this interview, visit lasvegasweekly.com.

Prime short rib Benedict and Szechuan Maria at Fuhu (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Zouk

Chef Joseph Elevado on working under Nobu Matsuhisa and leading the trendiest Vegas restaurants

Art prints by Abbie

Ren

The proprietor of Downtown gift shop Local Oasis makes delightful cartoon art prints loaded with a rming truths. “I have a great butt,” says one, with a simple drawing of a peach. “I attract massive amounts of happiness,” reads another. It could be talking about itself. Prices vary, abbieren.com.

HOLIDAY GIFTS

THE GIFT OF VEGAS

Shop local this holiday season!

“Las Vegas World” poster by Rhonda Turnbough Illustrator Rhonda Turnbough grew up in Las Vegas during the 1990s and early 2000s, and that’s the city fancifully depicted on her poster—the Vegas where you could begin the day at Café Espresso Roma and conclude it at the Huntridge Theater. $30-$50, rhonda turnbough.com.

Art prints by

Joy Goldstein

As much fun as it is to hang images of distant lands or fictional worlds in our homes, we sometimes overlook our own beautiful backyard. These dreamy paintings of the Mojave Desert will remind your loved ones how magnificent the familiar scenery truly is. $19, etsy.com/shop/ joygoldsteinstudio.

YOUNG JUSTICE

Tofu Tees’ teenage owner spreads social awareness through creative designs

BY AMBER SAMPSON

As teenagers across the Valley eagerly await winter break, 14-year-old Kumei Norwood has the holiday shopping season on her mind. It’s the busiest time of the year for small business owner like her.

everything happening. And I was like, I can’t be the only one feeling like this. I wanted a way to show how I’m feeling.”

Native American jewelry from Erick Begay

On the hunt for a hidden gem this year?

Head to Boulder City, where you’ll find Begay’s stunning pieces, made with traditional techniques like tufa casting and sandcasting. Prices vary, n8tivearts.com.

T-shirt from Depressed Monsters

It’s been a rough few years, but T-shirts with Yeti Yerman’s sympathetic expression can help any giftee feel seen and validated. Need an extra hug? Yerman is available in plush form, too. $40, depressedmonsters.com.

Punk T-shirts from Hardcore Las Vegas Stride confidently into Vegas’ soon-toopen Punk Rock Museum wearing one of Rob Ruckus’ screen-printed, classic Vegas punk T-shirts. No one will question your bona fides if you’re wearing an Underground Records or Subterfuge tee—and, y’know, have a general idea what those things are. Most items $18, etsy.com/shop/hardcore lasvegas.

Jewelry from Mystic Herbs Downtown-based maker Marie Valencia makes fun, funky jewelry and accessories out of unlikely materials like rose quartz and canvas—evil eye necklaces, Beetlejuice earrings, an MF Doom keychain. And she packages them using recycled materials, a cool, earthy touch. Prices vary, etsy.com/shop/Mystic HerbsShop333.

As owner of Tofu Tees, a shop inside Fergusons Downtown, Norwood runs a tight ship. When she isn’t manning the registers with her parents, Tiarre and Devon, she’s designing new bracelets and pins, and brainstorming thought-provoking slogans for her next set of T-shirts and hats. That’s between studying art sculpture at Las Vegas Academy—and listening to her classmates gripe about their rst jobs.

Norwood founded Tofu Tees at age 8, after she and her mother found an old childhood notebook with a message that read: “Why Are Peepl So Sensitiv?” Finding it humorous, they started designing and selling T-shirts featuring the phrase. As Tofu Tees grew in popularity, Norwood brought her business to Market in the Alley with more creations. She moved into her brickand-mortar store last December, her parents co-signing on the lease and handing her the keys.

“It was always a goal for me,” Norwood says. “I didn’t think I’d get one this fast and this young, but I always wanted to have a store or somewhere I could put my stu out.”

Recently, Norwood’s creative energy has shifted to expressions of activism, with her apparel designs now re ecting the social issues she encourages others to think more deeply about.

“My parents always tell me about things that are happening around me, so I’ve been really conscious about that,” she says. “During the pandemic, it was really hitting me and a ecting me so much. My mental health had just gone crazy because of

Inside the shop, you can nd Black Lives Matter bracelets, pins for women’s rights, Ruth Bader Ginsburg coloring books and tees that say “Racism Is Trash” and “Social Issues Are Not Trends.”

Some customers respond negatively to the BLM messaging, but Norwood says she expected that. “Everybody has di erent opinions,” she says, “but this is just me.”

In 2020, the young entrepreneur organized a Kids Against Racism Rally in North Las Vegas during a time when tensions were at their highest. Hundreds turned out, and Norwood interviewed kids for hand-designed zines she created, highlighting their feelings around racism and the future. Photos taken by local photographer Anthony Mair were also included in the zines.

Norwood says the experience made her feel a little less alone as a teen seeing the world struggle. Some weren’t as happy about the rally, however, and let her parents know it.

“People on Facebook were like, ‘Why is your child doing this? Your child shouldn’t know about what’s going on right now,’” Norwood says. “We should know. It’s our future that’s being built.”

The teen shows little signs of letting up on her mission, despite whatever additional headwinds she might face.

TOFU TEES 1028 Fremont St. #109, tofutees.weebly. com. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.5 p.m.

“When people walk in here, I just want them to see that you don’t really have to hide how you’re feeling,” she says. “Even if you feel like people will judge you, even if they don’t buy anything, I just want them to see my messages.”

Kumei Norwood, owner and designer of Tofu Tees (Steve Marcus/Sta )

VCW Wine Club membership at Valley Cheese & Wine

Super stocking stu er: Get educated in the most delicious way, compliments of one of the Valley’s premier gourmet shops. Every month will bring three or six bottles of wine, a booklet with info and pairing recommendations, and cheese suggestions from VCW owner and cheese expert Diana Brier. $100-$220, valleycheeseandwine.com.

DRINK IT!

Spices and loose-leaf tea from She eld Spice & Tea Co.

Masala chai, peach oolong and herbal teas purveyed from all corners of the globe make great stocking stu ers. Thoughtfully sourced oils, spices and blends add a pinch of premium flavor to any home cook’s gift basket. Prices vary, she eldspices.com.

Moonshine three-pack from the Mob Museum

A must-have for booze purists who want an authentic taste of the Prohibition era’s most potent elixirs. Custom-made in the museum’s speakeasy and distillery, the Underground, this trio packs a punch of flavors, from ginger to cinnamon. $26, themobmuseum.org.

Curated case of wines from Garagiste

Whether you’re looking to diversify your palate or expand an already adventurous one, this mystery case of 12 wines, curated by the experts of Downtown’s Garagiste Wine Room & Merchant, will expose drinkers to exciting new favorites. $299, garagistelv.com.

of

Dark Moon Co ee

For those in need of a little morning, Henderson’s Dark Moon packages its popular Nova Blend—used in its perfect espresso—with notes of baker’s chocolate, $16, A charcuterie

For those in need of a little help getting started in the morning, Henderson’s Dark Moon packages its popular Nova Blend—used in its perfect espresso—with notes of baker’s chocolate, berries, brown sugar and lime. darkmoon.co ee.

Pumpkin Boy Stout from North 5th Brewing Company

The latest keg from North Las Vegas’ first brewery pays homage to the season with subtly sweet squash complementing roasted malt, available via growlers in the taproom or in cans upon request. $7 per 16-ounce can, north5thbrewingco.com.

board with pairings by Valley Cheese & Wine owner Diana Brier (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

(Courtesy)

HOLIDAY GIFTS

Pots spices

Chef Iman Haggag shuttered the only Egyptian restaurant in town, but she keeps the flavors coming with her unique line of dry spices and seasoning blends, including the addictive chili oil Shatta Crisp. Click away and add some flair to any home cook’s pantry arsenal. $10-$15, potslv.com.

BK Brinery pickles at SoulBelly BBQ

Smoked meats deserve the briny blast of pickles to cut through the richness, so assist your barbecue-obsessed giftee with a jar of the good stu from chef Bruce Kalman’s BK Brinery, available at his Downtown spot or online through Toast and Goldbelly. $10, soulbellybbq.com.

Meal kits & gift boxes from Giadzy

You take your foodie friends to brunch or dinner at Giada on the Strip, and you should, but the celebrity chef’s Giadzy site o ers a plethora of kits and gifts with curated Italian ingredients perfect for dinner parties, movie nights, brunch gatherings and more. We’ll take the choose-your-own pasta adventure kit, thanks! $44-$161, giadzy.com.

Mushroom grow kits from Desert Moon Mushrooms Mushrooms are fascinating foods to grow, and with these kits— ranging in level from beginner to intermediate—anyone can sprout a variety of oyster and lion’s mane ’shrooms in their very own kitchen. $30, order by emailing hello@desertmoonfarms.com

(Courtesy)

(Courtesy)

EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL

The Forum Shops celebrates 30 years on the Strip

BY BROCK RADKE

It’s not hyperbole: The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace changed the game when it comes to shopping in Las Vegas, for tourists and locals alike.

I can easily recall my rst few visits, which felt more like trying out the newest Vegas attraction than a teenage trip to the mall. Roaming the Roman streetscape and admiring the changing colors of the faux sky above was an experience all by itself, nice considering my friends and I could only dream about actually buying something at its dozens of luxury stores or dining at its fancy restaurants.

We grew up. We could have lunch on the patio at Spago or a cigar and Hemingway daiquiri at Casa Fuente, and every now and then, we could buy something to wear or to gift at the Forum Shops. Three of my four siblings worked in different stores there. And the first luxury mall in Las Vegas evolved into an essential destination that left a major impact on the retail industry.

“It was an unproven entity, so it was exciting and a little unnerving, because it hadn’t been done before,” says Maureen Crampton, director of marketing and business development, who has been at the Forum Shops for its entire run.

“The rst couple of days, it was fun to watch, because we didn’t know what to anticipate. And then stores started running out of things, calling other locations in other states and cities [to get more inventory]. That’s when we took

a breath and sat back, because we knew we had a winner on our hands.”

That was May 1992. Thirty years later, it remains one of the best-known spots on the Strip. The retailers and restaurants have been routinely updated and renovated; there are currently 45 venues classi ed in the luxury category among the 160 stores and restaurants at the Forum Shops, demonstrating how its appeal has broadened.

“We’re really proud of the fact that we are an attraction when it comes to retail and being a unique brand in Las Vegas,” Crampton says. “We are the leader in the industry as far as sales generation for an enclosed shopping center, and those stats come from the International Council of Shopping Centers. We take pride in continuing to raise that bar.”

If you haven’t visited in a while, the newest additions to the roster include Canadian fashion boutique Aritzia; the o cial NFL Las Vegas Store, opened during the NFL Draft in April; RPM Italian, the hip restaurant from celebrity power couple Bill and Giuliana Rancic; the only A|X Armani Exchange in Las Vegas; ultra-cool streetwear spot Culture Kings; and coming soon, Maison Margiela and Vuori.

Combine those with a 40-foot Christmas tree, Centurions walking the streets handing out gifts and special offers and other holiday activations, and you’ve got an only-in-Vegas experience that feels fresh no matter how many times you’ve visited.

HAVE FUN WITH IT!

HOLIDAY GIFTS

Moxi Rainbow Rider roller skates from Fresa’s Skate Shop Cruise the neighborhood in style on these color-popping wheels, fit for recreational and beginner skaters. The well-padded boot and adjustable toe stop make every outdoor trek feel like a breeze. $119, fresasskateshop.com.

Papercuts: A Party Game for the Rude and Well-Read from the Writer’s Block Literary hilarity will ensue with this clever party game similar to Apples to Apples, with a bookish twist. It’s a battle of wits among fellow writers and readers, so bookmark this for giftees who cherish the written word. $22, thewritersblock.org.

readers, so bookmark this

When mailing cards and pen pal correspondence, send a little piece of the desert with them. Local artist Mary Felker’s stickers feature whimsical illustrations that reflect the sandstone and vibrant colors of the surrounding desert and southwest wildlife. Prices vary, etsy.com/shop/ maryonadventures.

(Courtesy/The Forum Shops)

Stickers by MaryOnAdventures

EXPERIENCE IT!

Smith Center’s Broadway series

Treat the theater fanatic on your list to an evening of adventure, melodies and magic. Reynolds Hall will be home to To Kill a Mockingbird, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Frozen, Mean Girls and Tina! The Tina Turner Musical in the coming months. $35+, thesmithcenter.com.

Finger Licking Foodie Tours’ cuisine-focused tours

The first of these new o erings from the local culinary experience gurus focused on the food we’re all obsessed with—pizza. Future events will feature di erent craveable dishes during a three-hour jaunt to three local eateries. $89$175, fingerlickingfoodietours.com.

Neon Night Flight Spectacular

Papillon helicopter tours and the Neon Museum team for this illuminating two-part experience. First, take to the sky to see the Strip and Downtown and get all the background on the Vegas of today, then a tour of the Boneyard and its historic signs will fill in the blanks on the Vegas of yesterday. The immersive A/V presentation “Brilliant! Jackpot” at the museum caps the night. $169, papillon.com.

Las Vegas Pop Culture Walking Tours

Fremont Street has a lot going on, from classic neon signs to giant art pieces to packs of roving Elvii. Local historian Richard Hooker brings all those elements together with an entertaining and informative two-hour tour—and it even comes with a complimentary cocktail. $35, lasvegaspopculturetours.com.

Lost Spirits Distillery tour

Explore a labyrinthine, steampunk-ish otherworld where holograms sing, magicians and circus performers entertain and kind folks hand you shot after shot of delicious, smallbatch rums. You might even learn a bit about the fascinating scientific means by which that artisanal hooch is made. $49-$89, lostspirits.net.

Illuminarium

Take a dazzling journey into space or observe the world’s most exotic animals in their natural habitats with this buzzed-about Area15 attraction. Perfect from the whole family during the day, or adults ready for a partylike atmosphere at night. $24-$45, area15. com/experiences/illuminarium.

(Courtesy/The Neon Museum)

(Courtesy/Illuminarium)

(Courtesy/Lost Spirts Distillery)

(Courtesy)

(Shutterstock)

(Courtesy)

REP IT!

Vegas Golden Knights Reverse Retro 2022 jersey

Every new VGK sweater has brought excitement and anticipation, but this black beauty—with neon sign-inspired lettering and numbers, glow-in-the-dark capabilities and the simple, clean “Vegas” emblazoned across the front—might be our favorite design yet. $190, nhl.com/goldenknights.

Las Vegas Aces championship merch

If the opening chapter of major league professional sports in Las Vegas was the Golden Knights’ inaugural dream season, surely Chapter 2 is all about A’ja Wilson, Becky Hammon and the Las Vegas Aces winning the WNBA Championship in 2022. Don’t let this year close without picking up a T-shirt, hat or poster commemorating this milestone for that sports fanatic in your life. Prices vary, wnbastore.nba.com/las-vegas-aces.

Las Vegas Raiders knit hats

It’s been a rough season for the Raiders, but true fans stay supportive through highs and lows. And with winter weather here, what better way for a football diehard to show their spirit than with some headware to keep that dome toasty, at the stadium or repping around town. Men’s $28, women’s $32, nflshop.com/ las-vegas-raiders.

Las Vegas Desert Dogs hoodie

If you don’t know who the Dogs are yet, you soon will. Pro lacrosse has landed in the desert, and whether your loved one is a longtime fan of the sport or a total newbie, crossed sticks and a cool canine make for an excellent addition to the Las Vegas sports logo collection. Men’s $64, women’s $60, nllshop.com/las-vegasdesert-dogs.

Las Vegas city map glasses from Well Told

Our city has developed great breweries, great distilleries—shouldn’t we drink their wares from vessels of civic pride?

Well Told o ers rocks glasses, pint glasses and wine glasses etched with a map of our Valley. $18-$20, welltolddesign.com.

Las Vegas Candle Company’s pet-friendly Home for the Howlidays Scented Candle

Give the gift of seasonal scents. This candle features nutmeg, chestnut, cinnamon, ginger and more, and it’s made with pure fragrance oils and pure soy wax, so it won’t be harmful to furry friends. $5-$25, lasvegascandlecompany.com.

(Courtesy/Jess Raquel)

Teaware from Tea and Whisk

Drinking tea is a timeless enjoyment. Add to the experience with a Japanese gaiwan or a wood-fired teapot. This local shop has plenty of beautiful styles and colors from which to choose. $20+, teaandwhisk.com.

Seed paper cards from the Paper Pulp

How does your garden grow? From discarded greeting cards, apparently! This woman-owned business recycles paper by hand and incorporates dried flower petals, seeds and print designs to make cards and bookmarks that keep giving, once returned to the soil. $3-$8, thepaperpulp.weebly.com.

READ IT!

Neon

Ri s and Lounge Acts: Las Vegas Writers on Music

This collection of essays—volume 13 of the acclaimed Las Vegas Writes series—puts an ear to our city’s musical legacy, from the Copa Room to the top of the charts. You get showstopping hits from musician and producer Brian Garth, former Le Rêve musical director Tyler Williams, UNLV prof Betty Burston and more. $13, nevadahumanities.org/ las-vegas-writes.

Outback Nevada: Real Stories From the Silver State by John M. Glionna

The perfect gift for the historian in your life, this book tells the stories of the “diverse, spirited and sometimes quirky people” who reside in the Silver State. The tales are pulled from articles Glionna’s published during his time at the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Los Angeles Times $28, unpress.nevada.edu.

A Coin for the Ferryman by Megan Edwards

In this novel from a Las Vegas-based author, an elite interdisciplinary team transports Julius Caesar—right before his murder—to 1999. The plan is to have him converse with historians and Latin scholars before returning him to his rightful time, but a kidnapping attempt puts the Roman dictator in danger nonetheless. $18, thewritersblock.org.

LISTEN TO IT (ON

VINYL)!

Bedrot by Luxury Furniture Store

This synth-laden, moody 2021 LP recalls the dark dreampop of Drab Majesty, righteously showcasing Vegas’ rising darkwave outfit. $25, luxuryfurniture store.bandcamp.com.

The Acid Sisters by The Acid Sisters

The Sisters debuted their desert psychedelia with this hazy 2018 LP, which captures the haunting, fuzzedout essence of the local group. $20, acidsisters. bandcamp.com.

Until the End of Your World by Mercy Music

This intense 2018 o ering by Las Vegas’ leading poppy punk outfit pairs raw lyrics from frontman Brendan Scholz with punchy drum work and bright melodies. $20, mercymusicforyou.com.

t t t

CULTURE

GIFT GUIDE

s s s

The most wonderful time of the year is here. We’re making our lists, checking them twice and heading to this exclusively local bunch of Las Vegas retailers. For whatever you need, for whomever you’re shopping, Southern Nevada’s unique offerings will delight anyone on your list.

HOME

Speakeasy Candle Co.

New at UnCommons, this bespoke candle shop offers gifts you can wrap with their signature candle collections, as well as custom experiences with candlemaking workshops. The ecoluxe candles use plant-based waxes, toxin-free fragrances, and containers that can be repurposed. speakeasycandleco.com

Barzee

Carrying a collection of sustainable, lightweight beach towels, Barzee offers everyday essentials that feel truly luxe. barzeeswim.com

Authentik Furniture DTLV

Located in the Arts District, Authentik Furniture has a dreamy, boho vibe and the wares to match. With a wide selection of meaningful gifts, you’re sure to find something for even the hardest to shop for on your list. authentikdtlv.com

Nevada State Museum Pass

There are seven Nevada State Museums, each focusing on different and fascinating pieces of our state’s history. The pass grants access to all, making it a great gift for any history aficionado or culture seeker in your life. nvmuseums.org

Nevada National Security Site Tour and National Atomic Testing Museum

Explore Southern Nevada’s fascinating military history on one or both of these tours. The NNSS tour is free, but spots fill up quickly, so reserve in advance. All tours leave from the National Atomic Testing Museum, which is also a great experience to gift. nnss.gov , nationalatomictestingmuseum.org

Smith Center

The Smith Center is back and in full swing, with an incredible production lineup through 2023. Perfect for any lovers of music, theater or musical theater. thesmithcenter.com

Deja Austin of The DesignHer Studio

This Is Brennan

This online shop exclusively features clothing and textile accessories that are made of natural fibers and botanic dyes. The organic cotton onesies are especially perfect for eco-conscious parents. thisisbrennan.com

Mediiums

Specializing in handcrafted wood art, décor, and furniture, Mediiums creates one-of-a-kind pieces that make for meaningful gifts that will last a lifetime. mediiums.com

MAKERS OUTDOORS

Nevada State Parks Pass

An easy and ideal gift for any of your outdoorsy friends, the Nevada State Parks Pass grants access to any state park within the calendar year. parks.nv.gov

Bindlestiff Tours

Go on a day-long ghost town tour, including Eldorado Canyon, or opt for an outdor adventure tour of other surrounding areas. bindlestifftours.com

Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours

The historic Techatticup Mine is the oldest, richest and most famous gold mine in Southern Nevada. This tour explores the mine and the ghost town surrounding it, plus movie backdrops and more. eldoradocanyonminetours.com

BOUTIQUES t t

The Good Wolf Lifestyle Co.

The Good Wolf is a general lifestyle boutique with chic clothing and accessories for women and men, as well as homewares, décor, and an exceptionally cute kids’ section. thegoodwolflv.com

Paige & Rye

This Summerlin-based shop carries something for everyone, with a selection of curated specialty goods including clothing, accessories, pet products, home products and more. paigeandrye.com

Onefortythree

Handmade and made-to-order, the modern, functional and sophisticated home goods at Onefortythree are the ideal gift for any design-focused friend. onefortythree.com

LV Plant Collective

The shop that Instagram dreams are made of, this boutique carries an array of unique plants, minimalist pots, stylish planting accessories and more. lvplantcollective.com

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Dark Moon Coffee

This Henderson-based coffee shop offers some of the best cold brew and drip coffee around. It’s so good, you’ll want to keep a stash at home and gift it to your caffeine-loving friends. Shop in store for cans of cold brew or buy their signature beans and instant coffee online. darkmoon.coffee

Garagiste Wine Room

Garagiste specializes in unique, hard-to-find, and up-and-coming wines. It’s the best place to find your new favorite bottle and perfect for stocking up on holiday gifts. garagistelv.com

Margaux’s Pantry

Who wouldn’t love the gift of charcuterie? Margaux’s Pantry offers grazing boards and brie cakes within the Las Vegas area and has an expertly curated online shop perfect for any aspiring chefs in your life. margauxpantry.com

LAS

VEGAS

BOOKS

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

By Hunter S. Thompson

Yes, it’s a cult classic, and yes, it’s still a great gift.

How I Got Cultured: A Nevada Memoir

By Phyllis Barber

This coming-of-age memoir is about Barber’s life growing up in a devout Mormon family in Southern Nevada and her search for identity.

For more gifts to wrap and adventures to map, scan here!

Ashley Marie Myers/Courtesy

Courtesy

Punk Rock Bowling returns

MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES

2023

LINEUP

After skipping 2022, longtime Las Vegas music festival Punk Rock Bowling will return in 2023, with Rancid, Bad Religion and Dropkick Murphys at the top of its poster.

The fest’s 23rd edition will take place May 26-29 in Downtown Las Vegas, with the three-day outdoor portion running May 2729 at Sixth Street and Stewart Avenue, and club shows happening May 26-29 at Backstage Bar & Billiards, Fremont Country Club, the Usual Place and the Downtown Grand’s Citrus Grand Pool Deck.

Also on the bill: The Interrupters, Suicidal Tendencies, The Damned, L7, Agnostic Front, Fishbone, T.S.O.L., Surfbort and Chisel, among many more.

Three-day passes run from $190 for general admission to $475 for VIP (plus taxes and fees), and are on sale now at punkrockbowling.com. –Sta

VISITATION EXPECTED TO DIP

It’s likely that Las Vegas will experience a small dip in tourism for the next couple of years, according to a group of economic researchers at UNLV.

At a biannual forum put on November 17 by UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research, researchers reiterated findings they presented in April—visitation to Las Vegas is likely to retreat in 2023 and 2024.

“The slight dimming that we see in the model is more because of what the model expects to happen on the national side,” said Andrew Woods, CBER’s director. “We see a softening in the economy and slower growth next year, especially during the first nine months of 2023.” –Bryan Horwath

SPORTS

Raiders riding high after sweep

Duron Harmon addressed his teammates during a film session, not about poor plays the Las Vegas Raiders made in a third consecutive loss, but about one of the successful ones. He was alarmed by the lack of celebration afterwards.

“I wouldn’t say I called out the team, I just wanted to bring to our attention that we just weren’t playing with enough energy,” Harmon said. “I feel like that’s where it came down to us losing those close games: Energy. Energy is contagious, and we needed more.”

Las Vegas broke through with a victory in a close game November 20, outlasting the Denver Broncos 22-16 in overtime. After starting the season 0-6 in games decided by a touchdown or less, it was a relief when receiver Davante Adams caught a walk-o 35yard touchdown pass to reverse the trend.

It was also confirmation that the Raiders, now 3-7, had started to heed the wisdom that Harmon and others have so often preached during a rough start to the year.

Some observers have accused the Raiders of giving up on the season.

They were adamant that wasn’t the case, but they needed to proved it on the field. The team’s second victory against the Broncos (3-7) was far from perfect but it showed conclusively that the Raiders aren’t going to quit fighting.

“We’ve been close so many times,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “We’re a few plays here, a few plays there. I think our guys learned how hard it is.”

–Case Keefer

The Fremont Cannon is on the line November 26 at 3 p.m. when UNLV plays host to UNR at Allegiant Stadium.

(Jack Dempse/Associated Press)

BY THE NUMBERS

81.3%

The Clark County School District’s graduation rate for the Class of 2022 ticked up by almost half a percentage point compared with the Class of 2021, ac cording to data compiled by the Nevada Department of Education. The 2021 class had the lowest rate since 2016.

COMMUNITY THAT CARES

Michelle Garcia, a Clark High School Junior ROTC cadet, distributes food during a Just One Project event at Clark High School on November 19. Volun teers included members of the Clark High School Junior ROTC programs, West Tech National Honor Society members, National Junior Honor Soci ety members from Sig Rogich Middle School, United Parcel Service, Rainbow Praise Church and Destiny Christian Center. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

POLITICS

Groups call for transparency from Lombardo

Governor-elect Joe Lombardo’s habit of keeping certain media outlets from covering his cam paign and transition to the gover nor’s mansion needs to stop.

That was the message issued November 17 in a joint state ment by the Nevada Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Nevada Open Government Coalition, all of which called on all elected officials to commit to full transparency and a civil relationship with the media.

Requests made by the Las Vegas Sun for comment from Lombardo, the Republican who narrowly beat Gov. Steve Sisolak in this month’s mid term election, usually aren’t answered. Over a span of 10 days this month, he’s prevent ed the Sun from covering his in-person events.

The Sun was excluded from the GOP’s election night party, despite being credentialed. A reporter and photographer were told there wasn’t enough space in the venue. The Nevada Cur rent wasn’t even credentialed.

And November 14, the Sun and Current were told by the campaign they couldn’t cover Lombardo’s victory speech at a Las Vegas-area public school because—again—there wasn’t enough space. A Sun photogra pher was allowed in, and his pho tos showed rows of empty seats.

The editorial boards of the Sun and Current have been critical of Lombardo, who has for months refused to entertain questions by Sun reporters.

–Ray Brewer

“Places that are supposed to be safe spaces of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into places of terror and violence.”

President Joe Biden, reacting to the November 19 mass shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado

HE SAID IT

Open the door to the care you deserve.

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MOVING AND SHAKING B

BY SHANNON MILLER

y Nevada law, cannabis is no longer a Schedule 1 substance in the Silver State, though it remains so federally.

In September, Clark County District Court Judge Joe Hardy ordered the state Board of Pharmacy to remove cannabis from its list of most restricted substances after the Canna bis Equity and Inclusion Community (CEIC) and ACLU of Nevada sued the state, claiming that the classification violated marijuana provisions in the state constitution since 2001. Hardy then reaffirmed the decision with another ruling in October.

Those decisions shouldn’t affect opera tions at dispensaries in Nevada—in which medical cannabis has been sold legally since 2015, and recreational cannabis since 2017— according to Layke Martin, executive direc tor of the Nevada Cannabis Association.

But A’Esha Goins explains that getting marijuana off a list that includes dangerous substances like cocaine, heroin and meth

amphetamine makes a significant differ ence in other ways.

“The authoritative bodies that [enforce] the law have been using that loophole to put young people in jail, because they would say it was a violation of Schedule 1,” says Goins, founder of the nonprofit CEIC, which advocates for diver sity and opportunities in the cannabis industry for “people most impacted by the failed war on drugs.” The judge’s second ruling, that the Board of Pharmacy has no authority to regulate cannabis, was “huge,” she adds.

The landmark for regulation and decrim inalization of marijuana coincides with another industry milestone—the start of consumption lounge licensing. At the close of the two-week application period at the end of October, the Nevada Cannabis Compli ance Board (CCB) announced that it had received 100 total applications.

Of those, 20 were retail applicants, which have no competitive process. Per state law, there is no limit on the number of retail licens es granted to existing dispensaries.

Licenses for independent lounges (not attached or next to a dispensary) are limited to 20, and half of those must be social equity applicants, meaning they 1) have proof of con viction for a cannabis offense for the applicant or their parent, sibling or child; 2) live in a “disproportionately impacted area” as defined by the board’s rules; and 3) own more than half of the business.

In a statement to the Weekly, Tiana Bohner, spokeswoman for the CCB, says its staff is in the process of reviewing “independent can nabis consumption lounge applications from social equity and non-social equity applicants.” The compliance board plans to conduct two drawings in early December to determine who receives independent licenses.

Nevada consumption lounges are expected to open in early 2023.

Goins says she has been assisting seven participants in her organization’s Pathway to Ownership program, funded by Clark County, apply for licenses to open their own consumption lounges. She says her organi

Nevada advances with legal landmarks and consumption lounge licensing

zation has managed to get the applications— requiring non-refundable fees and control of at least $200,000 in liquid assets—off the ground, and that the next step is fundraising to make sure applicants who receive a license can remain open.

The estimated cost to open a consumption lounge is $1.2 million, Goins says.

CANNABIS

CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?

Though Nevada’s regulated cannabis indus try netted more than $965 million in taxable sales during fiscal year 2022, perceptions re main dynamic—evidenced by the state’s recent descheduling of cannabis, and by the the fact that thousands of tourists who frequent Las Vegas dispensaries have just one commercial venue where they can legally consume or smoke their products.

The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe’s Vegas Tasting Room consumption lounge, open since 2019 at NuWu Cannabis Marketplace, has provided that option for guests looking for a place to legally consume cannabis in a social setting.

Aside from that, according to Nevada law, mar ijuana must be consumed on private property— not in hotel rooms or in outdoor, public spaces. Many Vegas tourists attempt to smoke inconspic uously while walking on Las Vegas Boulevard, but could face a $600 fine if caught and cited.

Industry consultant Christopher LaPorte, founder of Reset Vegas, has been working with Thrive Cannabis Marketplace to fill those holes in the consumer experience. “We’re looking at this one opportunity to introduce cannabis to a nonendemic audience, and really showcase it to tourists and people we call the ‘canna-curious.’ There’s more to this plant than just smoking a joint or pulling something from a bong,” he says.

In 2017, Laporte says, he was in talks with the City of Las Vegas to open a social use lounge. That was put on hold, however, after Gov. Steve Sisolak signed Nevada Assembly Bill 533 into law, delaying consumption lounge licensing and requiring the creation of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board to oversee and regulate such ventures.

LaPorte says although that halted the

development of lounges, the creation of a state regulatory body was important for the long-term growth and stability of the industry, which lends itself to hospitality.

“We can see the integration of food and bev erage, entertainment and other facets of sports culture—all the things that Las Vegas has to offer,” LaPorte says, adding that locals are also a “prime target.”

He says he remains optimistic about the po tential economic impact consumption lounges will have on the state’s cannabis and wider hos pitality industry.

Per statute, independent lounges must enter into a contract with a dispensary to source and purchase cannabis products to be consumed in their lounge. Lounge customers may then purchase the products and must consume them in the lounge.

This pattern of distribution could turn the industry “on its head,” LaPorte says.

“Dispensaries are retail shops—they are the place where you buy your weed. Now, they’ll [be come] their own distribution centers of sorts,” he explains. “We can potentially see this market grow exponentially, because maybe people don’t want to go to a dispensary to buy their weed. But maybe they’ll go to a social use lounge to experi ment with cannabis.”

(Photo Illustration)

NOISE

SELF-EXPRESSION

Blackstarkids champion individuality through genre-hopping hits

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Blackstarkids doesn’t really do labels. The genre-spanning trio from Kansas City, Missouri has a fondness for coloring outside the lines and creating music boundless and wistfully familiar.

The rising indie group, founded by TyFaizon, TheBabeGabe and Deiondre while they were still in high school, dropped its rst mixtape, Let’s Play Sports, in 2019. A year later, the trio caught the eye of The 1975’s Matthew Healy and signed to his label Dirty Hit, which features other rising acts like Beabadoobee.

Building o the foundation of early-2000s nostalgia and the in uence of artists like Missy Elliot, The Neptunes, Daft Punk and Weezer, Blackstarkids has succeeded at creating a catalog that feels like a sonic blast-o from start to nish. Some releases sound rooted in garage rock and ’90s hip-hop; others erupt with bombastic energy and candied synths. Glossy pop throwbacks like “Britney Bitch” showcase the trio’s penchant for creating viral hooks, while “Too

Depressed 4 Sex,” o 2020’s Surf, scratches at the lows we’ve all faced.

The three-piece will make its Las Vegas debut at the Theater at Virgin on November 25, opening for The 1975.

“I think the moment where I was like, ‘I need to make music now’ was probably when I was 10 or 11, and I discovered Odd Future. That was a de ning thing for me,” says Ty, the rapper and predominant songwriter of the group, who shares his pen with vocalist and rapper Gabe.

Ty’s discovery of the alternative R&B group The Internet seemingly sealed the deal. “Listening to that showed me there was room in the music world for something like Blackstarkids,” he says. “That’s what put the battery in my back to start making beats.”

Gabe’s exposure to Tyler, The Creator during her time as a DJ struck a similar chord, and Deiondre’s appetite for mastering new instruments led him to become the group’s producer. The trio’s

eclecticism especially shines on September mixtape Cyberkiss*, which Ty calls “an homage to a lot of the music we listened to growing up from a lot of Black-centric artists.”

“[It’s] a blend of sh*t really showing what we can do, because before people had us in a box of just making bedroom rock music or some sh*t,” he says. “There’s a lot more to the group than what they hear on Surf.”

Cyberkiss* is a stimulating ride, packed with colorful, almost chiptune beats, whip-like wordplay and profound messaging around friendship and self-expression. Bangers like “Sex Appeal” channel the slick braggadocio of artists like Missy Elliot, while “Pink Starz” comes fully charged with bright arrangements.

Between all the exing, Blackstarkids never forgets to celebrate Black beauty and what it means, especially for their generation. “Peach Cobbler,” one of the mixtape’s best tracks, sees Gabe declaring, “Brown skin is sun-kissed/Hair’s nappy, need a afro pick/Can’t stop me from lovin’ it/Won’t stop me from rockin’ it.”

“There’s so much sh*t that happens in this country that can make your existence feel undesirable or unwanted,” Ty says. “That song was to keep a self assurance within yourself that you can’t let outside perspectives a ect how you look at yourself.”

“Joy” is another heartfelt track Gabe says the trio created “for the people.” Not everyone makes it into that camp.

“You appreciate everybody who listens, but it’s obvious there are a lot of people who are just listening because they like [songs] like ‘Britney Bitch,’” Ty says. “They don’t really give a f*ck about what we’re talking about. Who we really do it for is the people who listen and relate to the sentiment of what we’re saying within the music. That’s the most rewarding part.”

BLACKSTARKIDS

Opening for The 1975. November 25, 7 p.m., $39-$250. Theater at Virgin, axs.com.

Ruiz)

DOUBLE THE MERRIMENT

Catch the spirit of Enchant in Summerlin or on the Strip this year

BY BROCK RADKE

The Enchant holiday experience proved last year that there’s still space to go next-level in Las Vegas.

The Christmas-themed pop-up attraction took over the Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin with an interactive light maze stocked with towering trees and glowing rein deer, an ice-skating rink, a holiday village, food and drinks and, of course, some serious Santa time. In a city where the casinos and shopping malls go over-the-top with Christmas decor, Enchant set a new standard.

“We’ve got some great Christmas experi ences in town but nothing on the scale of what Enchant is doing,” says Jerry Nadal, former Cirque du Soleil and KNPR executive and now chief operating officer of Enchant. “It has ev erything that you look at in the different parts of town; it’s just putting it all together.”

Enchant has grown to include seven other locations across the country, including Fair Park in Dallas, PayPal Park in San Jose, California, and Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. But this year, it’s producing two experiences in Las

Vegas, returning to the ballpark with expanded programming and a different theme and moving the reindeer-hunt maze that enchanted local families last year to Resorts World on the Strip.

“If there’s one city in the entire world where this can happen, it’s Vegas,” Nadal recalls telling Enchant CEO Kevin Johnson. “There’s never really been anything for tourists on the Strip of this magnitude, and locals, we go to stuff locally before the Strip. So we get to hit two different demographics.”

Enchant opened at Resorts World on November 19 and will continue through January 1 on 10 acres of undeveloped land on the massive resort site. Since the layout differs from the ballpark’s con venient concourse, a temporary overlook was constructed to create a promenade with views of the lights and maze.

ENCHANT

Now open at Resorts World; opening November 25 at Las Vegas Ballpark. Hours & prices vary, enchant christmas.com.

A “mischievous elf” theme will be the focus at the ballpark, where guests roaming the new maze will help find missing presents for Santa to deliver. Other fresh elements at the Summer lin site, open November 25 through January 1, include a Build-A-Bear workshop, an up graded Tipsy Tavern area for adults, and the Hallmark Channel Holiday House, where holiday movies will be playing along with other activities and contests.

One key change is that the entrance will now be behind the ballpark, in the outfield parking lot area, which should re duce some of the congestion experienced last year.

“I think the kids are a given, how they light up when they see this stuff. But when I saw a group of adults walking around acting like little kids, it was clear there’s a magic sauce here that just works for everybody,” Nadal says.

Nadal says Henderson residents might want to hit the Strip version of Enchant this year, and locals who enjoyed the attraction last year could check out both this time.

“People were just smiling and having a good time, and we’ve been adding entertainment and looking at other ways to elevate that experience this year.”

Enchant 2021 (Courtesy/Enchant)

ASTONISHING. UNPREDICTABLE. MIND-BENDING.

Omega Mart is an immersive interactive experience from the groundbreaking art collective, Meow Wolf. Featuring jaw-dropping work from international and local artists, Omega Mart sends participants of all ages on a journey through surreal worlds and immersive storytelling. Discover secret portals or simply soak up the innovative art as you venture beyond an extraordinary supermarket into parts unknown.

Tickets at OmegaMart.com

THE ART STOPS HERE

BY GEOFF CARTER

ART

Some years ago, Tokyo-born painter and graphic artist Koichi Sato came to the U.S. for the rst time. He landed in LA and almost immediately hopped on a Greyhound bus for New York City. Gallerist Stefania Bortolami, whose Artist/City project comes to Las Vegas this month, got the story from him one day in passing, including a twist in the tale.

“[Sato said the bus trip] stopped in a few places, ‘and the place where I stopped the longest was Las Vegas, because I like to gamble and because Las Vegas was a very big part of my vision of America,’” Bortolami recalls. “And he was actually spending a lot of time at [Vegas’] Greyhound bus station, because he had no money; allegedly, he might even have slept there at one point.”

That was all Bortolami needed to hear. She wanted to include Sato in the Artist/ City series—an “experimental programming initiative” that matches accomplished artists to cities that have relevance to their work, through pop-up showings in unexpected venues. To give a few examples, previous Artist/ City iterations have matched environmental artist Ann Veronica Janssens with a series of old Baltimore movie houses, sculptor Paul Pfei er with the Watergate O ce Building in Washington, D.C., and mixed-media artist Eric Wesley with an abandoned Taco Bell in St. Louis. The art is always in direct conversation to the venue, and the show stays in place longer than a traditional gallery show, to allow the artists to go beyond the limits of their established practices.

jo and LA–based painter Jonas Wood to the cavernous Greyhound space, where they’ll remain through February 26. But don’t go expecting anything like a standard gallery presentation, Bortolami says.

ARTIST/CITY

Through February 26, daily, noon6 p.m. The Plaza, bortolamigallery. com/artist-city.

“We’ll be hanging the paintings from the ceiling,” she says. “Koichi usually paints groups of people [in groups or alone], so the idea is that when you come into the space, you will see these paintings of people hanging from the ceiling that will hopefully look a little bit like people waiting for a bus. Susumu does usually abstractive paintings of poodles; those will be the dogs that people have. And Jonas does [large-scale] landscapes, so it will be really like a whole environment.

After a few phone calls, Bortolami knew Las Vegas would be the next Artist/City site—and that, serendipitously, the Downtown Vegas Greyhound station where Sato laid his head—a self-contained structure located at the south end of the Plaza Hotel and Casino—had been recently vacated.

“The Plaza has always believed in the power of art in revitalizing communities,” Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel said in an email statement. “We were proud to transform our North Tower into a canvas for three 21-story murals, and now we are excited to welcome the next iteration of Artist/City.”

Adds Bortolami, “It was an incredible coincidence. It really makes me feel that this was meant to be.”

Artist/City Las Vegas brings works by Sato, Brooklyn-based painter Susumu Kami-

“We hope,” she continues. “You never know what it’s going to look like. Whatever it looks like in my mind, it’s di erent once we get there. We are not touching the space; we’re not doing any renovation. It’s more like occupying the space with art and seeing what wins, art or the building.”

Bortolami is so excited for Sato’s return trip to Vegas, she has scarcely made any plans for her own. She’d like to pay a visit to Michael Heizer’s own site-speci c work about four hours north of Vegas, the recently-completed massive land art piece “City.” And there’s another Southern Nevada experience that she’d like to master.

“This time, I’m coming in with people that actually know how to gamble,” she says, chuckling. “So, every week I’ll learn a trick or two. Not that I expect to win, but to at least understand a little bit more of the psychology of that.”

Gallerist Stefania Bortolami’s Artist/City puts great art in an unlikely venue

Work by (Left) Susumu Kamijo, (right) Koichi Sato and (above) Jonas Wood (Courtesy)

SPRINKLING ON STYLE

Salt Bae’s decadent Nusr-Et steakhouse lives up to the hype

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Internet memes don’t have the longest shelf life, but Salt Bae has done a great job of preserving his celebrity. Turkish chef and restaurateur Nusret Gökçe, the man with the world’s suavest seasoning skills, has used his viral fame to expand his portfolio of lavish steakhouses and trans form the dinner table into his world stage.

In February, Gökçe and his partners debuted the two-story, $4.5 million Nusr-Et Las Vegas at the Park on the Strip. And after experiencing Salt Bae’s meat-centric culinary offerings for ourselves, we’re confident

this is no flash in the pan. In fact, it’s a very Vegas example of performative dining theater.

Starters like the beef carpac cio ($31) are the quickest way to impress the table. The dish arrives deconstructed, then a server breaks down the aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese right before your eyes and del icately folds and cuts the raw meat into its appropriate shape before applying a careful driz zle of 12-year aged balsamic.

If that isn’t too extra on its own, Nusr-Et servers bring overhead lights and smoking dry ice rigs to the table for the displays, so you’re always guar anteed the best Instagram shot.

And there’s plenty more where that came from.

For leaner cuts, we can’t say enough about the seven-ounce Lokum tenderloin ($80). It’s a melt-in-your-mouth situation, so tender it’ll tear at the touch of a fork. But for the ultimate spectacle, order the Woww Wagyu steak ($105), a 10-ounce thick-cut striploin oozing with juicy flavor and served on a family-style wooden cutting board. The staff delivers the full Salt Bae treatment, slicing the meat at your table at blur ring speeds and announcing, “Salt, salt, Salt Bae!” as they season it with the famous wrist technique (which really works).

Nusr-Et’s lamb kafes (Courtesy/Kerem Sanliman)

For big spenders, the restaurant offers Salt Bae Gold Selections, a separate menu for marbled Wagyu tomahawks, short ribs and other meaty options coated in 24k gold for the humble price range of $180 to $2,400—in case you want to drop a month’s rent on something tasty.

End the meal with something sweet, like Nusr-Et’s pistachio baklava ($25) topped with Turkish ice cream, likely one of the best versions of the dessert you will ever have.

Nusr-Et rede nes the idea of dinner and a show, and its style and spectacle feel right at home in Las Vegas.

NUSR-ET LAS VEGAS

The Park, 702623-0664, nusr-et. com.tr. SundayThursday, noon-midnight; Friday & Saturday, noon-2 a.m.

HERE’S THE SCOOP: YOU WON’T BE SORRY

■ Sorry, Not Sorry is a weird name for an ice cream parlor. It’s the preemptive defense for a NGL statement (and, relatedly, the name of a fierce Demi Lovato track). Little about it says, This is the best ice cream in Las Vegas, which, IMHO, it absolutely is.

So, let’s do it right. Not gonna lie: Sorry, Not Sorry Creamery, the place with the pink neon smiley face on its wall and the line of customers snaking out its front door, is scooping up Vegas’ best ice cream, and you need to try it.

Hand-crafted in small batches using grass-fed, hormone-and-antibiotics-free milk from Chino, California’s Scott Brothers Dairy, Sorry, Not Sorry’s ice cream is velvet-smooth with a buttery mouthfeel. Lesser ice creams might lean too heavily on the ice part of the equation, but

every bite of these scoops— I’ve tried at least 15 flavors, and loved just as many— demands to be savored, to melt on the tongue and break into its components.

And oh, good golly, the flavors. You should run there right now and try the Brown Sugar Milk Tea with Boba, which is every bit as addictive as the drink that inspired it.

Co ee and Doughnuts 2.0 blends buttercake doughnuts and French roast java with a sweet cream base. The vegan Strawberry Shortcake makes absolute poetry of oat milk, vanilla cake and fresh berries.

There are many more flavors to try—some seasonal, some limited-batch. Servers are happy to hand out tasting spoons and wait patiently while you bliss out. They know you’ll walk out with a carton or two. No need to apologize.

–Geo Carter

SORRY, NOT SORRY CREAMERY 9484 W. Flamingo Road #165, 702-272-2258, sorrynotsorrycreamery.com. Sunday-Thursday, noon- 11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, noon-midnight.

HANDICAPPING HOOPS

BY CASE KEEFER

It’s a historic season for men’s college basketball in Las Vegas, with the NCAA Tournament coming to town for the first time—the West Regional in March 2023. And intentionally or not, local sportsbooks seem to have stepped up their game in accordance. ¶ It used to be di cult to find anything beyond future odds to win the national championship posted in Las Vegas at this time of the year. But o erings at a handful of shops are up considerably this year. ¶ Let’s dig through five newer markets found around town and identify worthwhile bets in each of them.

PRE-CONFERENCE SEASON TOURNAMENT FUTURE ODDS Oregon to win the Phil Knight Invitational at +850 (i.e. risking $100 to win $850) (Boyd Sports)

Perhaps the deepest field in this year’s handful of eight-team Thanksgiving weekend tournaments will assemble at Portland’s Moda Center—a two-hour drive up the highway from the Oregon campus.

The Ducks will draw a partisan crowd, though they aren’t getting an adjustment for homecourt advantage at this price. Oregon is available at the third-longest odds behind Iowa State (+950) and Portland (190-to-1).

Portland doesn’t have the talent level of the Power Five schools, and opens with a game against the nation’s No. 1 team in North Carolina, but Oregon won’t be as outmanned. With three seven-footers—N’Faly Dante, Kel’el Ware and Nate Bittle—the Ducks present matchup problems for every team in the country.

Stock is down on Oregon after it was upset by UC Irvine in its second game of the season, but that shot these odds up from 5-to-1. That’s too big of a swing and creates value on the pseudo host team.

REGULAR-SEASON CONFERENCE FUTURE

ODDS: Illinois to win the Big Ten at +550 (BetMGM)

The Big Ten might be the most wide-open major conference in college basketball this season, even though Indiana is priced as a consensus favorite at 3-to-1.

The Hoosiers might have the best player in the conference in big man Trayce Jackson-Davis, but it’s only coach Mike Woodson’s second year. His systems aren’t as ingrained as the ones at Illinois behind the sharp Brad Underwood, who’s entering his sixth season, and his roster isn’t as complete.

Underwood landed a couple key transfers in Terrence Shannon (Texas Tech) and Dain Dainja (Baylor) this o season to make Illinois as lethal o ensively as it already shaped up to be defensively. The duo’s versatility allows Illinois to play more positionless than its conference rivals, which could be the di erence in elevating it.

Five men’s college basketball bets to make on the road to the NCAA tourney

Nate Bittle

Dain Dainja

Ryan Nembhard

REGULAR-SEASON CONFERENCE WIN

TOTALS: Creighton under 14.5 wins at +110

(Caesars/William Hill)

Creighton is this year’s trendiest sleeper after giving eventual national champion Kansas a scare in the round of 32 during last year’s NCAA Tournament. But teams tabbed to take a jump from good to great after tournament success have a history of underperforming.

Perhaps the Bluejays will be an exception, but star sophomores Ryan Nembhard and Arthur Kamala will need to become more consistent. They had great moments last year but too many o nights, especially in a conference as evenly matched as the Big East.

Georgetown went 0-19 last year and should continue to struggle, but the other 10 teams should all be able to beat each other on any given night. No one is likely to get to 15-5 in the conference.

TO WIN THE JOHN WOODEN AWARD: Drew Timme at +800 (Caesars/William Hill)

Timme is listed as a co-favorite with North Carolina’s Armando Bacot but should stand alone at as much as half of this price tag.

Gonzaga’s senior big man has been a finalist for college basketball’s most prestigious individual award the past two years but narrowly fell short to Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe (11-to-1 this year) in 2021 and Dayton’s Obi Toppin (currently with the New York Knicks) in 2020. At Timme’s current pace this season, he’s going to be too far ahead of the pack statistically to deny.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Timme was way ahead of every other player by kenpom.com’s Player of the Year score. A minority of voters might still sco at such analytical measures, but many more use kenpom as college basketball’s foremost resource.

Brian Dutcher

TO REACH THE FINAL FOUR: San Diego State at +1250 (Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook)

The Aztecs were in position to be a No. 2 seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament before the pandemic canceled the event, and this year’s team shapes up quite similarly.

Coach Brian Dutcher again has a savvy, veteran bunch that takes care of the ball and attempts high-percentage shots on o ense while su ocating opponents on defense. San Diego State lost only twice during the 2020 season and could be on an equal trajectory this year, if it comes out of the Maui Invitational relatively unscathed.

The Mountain West Conference is improved this season, but no one looks strong enough to stop the Aztecs from claiming their third-conference title in four years. That should put them in prime position with a high seed to be the conference’s first-ever Final Four representative.

Drew Timme

FORMER PRO BASKETBALL EXECUTIVE AIMS TO CONTINUE VEGAS’ RISE AS SPORTS MECCA

BY BRYAN HORWATH VEGAS INC STAFF

Anative of Brazil who has lived in the United States for about two decades now, Gustavo de Mello is a self-de scribed “sports guy.”

He has worked as a marketing executive for the National Basket ball Association—with a lot of his time there devoted to the growth and branding of the WNBA and the NBA’s G-League—and has done work for some of the best-known companies in the world, including McDonald’s, State Farm Insurance and Coca-Cola.

A few months ago, de Mello was recruited away from the NBA to R&R Partners, the Las Vegas-based market ing firm contracted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to help drive visitation to the city.

He still lives in Miami, but he’s been spending a lot of time in Las Vegas lately as R&R’s executive vice president of strategy.

With tourism leaders in Las Vegas having fully committed to the idea that the city is now an internationally known sports mecca—the advertising campaign revolves around calling the city the “Greatest Arena on Earth”— de Mello is all in on driving that concept forward.

Vegas Inc recently spent some time with de Mello at R&R’s headquarters in Summerlin.

Many NFL fans are likely familiar with the State Farm “Discount Double Check” ad campaign. We hear you were one of the minds

behind that.

I was part of the team that did that. I was in the room (laughs). Understand ing consumer behaviors is something that I’ve always enjoyed.

Las Vegas now has an NFL team, an NHL team, it will host the Super Bowl in 2024 and it will have a Formula One race in 2023. It’s hard to argue that Las Vegas isn’t one of the top sports cities in the coun try. Is that what drew you to this position?

Understanding where Las Vegas is going as a destination, this is the greatest arena on Earth. Understand ing what the potential is for Las Vegas moving forward, it was a natural fit for me. The opportunity to work for the agency that has helped sell Las Vegas for the past few decades was a great opportunity. Sports is a key element of what Las Vegas is. Just walk around and you’ll see that.

Those of us who live here see what’s happening on the sports side, but what is Las Vegas’ repu tation as a sports city outside of Southern Nevada?

It’s fascinating, because Las Vegas has moved from being a gambling destination to being an entertain ment destination. The validation of sports in Las Vegas has been dra matic. You see [Allegiant Stadium] now, you see the arenas, you see the professional teams, you have the sportsbooks … it’s all there. When you talk to sports fans today and they talk about where they want to go to see a game, people will say they

want to go to Las Vegas to see a Raid ers game or that they want to be in Vegas to see a certain event.

The people at the LVCVA and others in this city recognized where they were going about a decade or so ago. Now, we’re harvesting that. The ultimate job for us, and for the LVC VA, is to create incentives for people to travel to Las Vegas. Sports travel is a tremendously big business.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about other sports leagues—Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NBA—eventually having teams here. Is that realistic?

I can speak about the NBA, but I can’t give you an answer on if the NBA will have a team here. The NBA might come or it might not come. However, the credibility of the destination now makes it completely acceptable.

It’s expected now that Las Ve gas, which isn’t the biggest market around, will be in the game mov ing forward. When you talk about possible NBA expansion, you’re only talking about a handful of places, maybe less than a handful, and Vegas is one of them. [With] the MLS, it’s the same thing.

Is there another big sporting event you’re chasing right now?

As a good Brazilian soccer fan, I know that [earlier this year] we had Real Madrid and FC Barcelona here. The English Premier League, we ha ven’t had them here yet. I don’t know if that’s a possibility, but we haven’t had them. As a former rugby player, I know that the Rugby World Cup, one of the biggest sporting draws in the world, hasn’t been here. Why can’t we have the Six Nations Championship here? What about cricket? That’s a hugely popular sport in India and Pakistan, that part of the world. … In Las Vegas, it’s rare that the first answer is no, and that’s been the atti tude since this city was built.

We have to talk about women’s sports. Is Las Vegas a female pro sports hotbed, too?

What [the Las Vegas Aces] did is going to go far. What they have done has revolutionized the WNBA. In women’s sports, there’s a few elements in recent years that have transformed the way the public looks at women’s sports. Certainly Serena Williams, but also the U.S. women’s national soccer team. The Aces are right up there, too. And here’s the other thing—the Aces behave like they belong. They did that championship celebration big. There were no apologies there. The Aces add a lot to the credibility Las Vegas has as a sports town.

Gustavo de Mello (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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VegasInc Notes

Leon Mead, manag ing partner of Mead Law Group, was honored by Cham bers and Partners for construction litigation, ranking as Band 1 for the 17th consecutive time. Mead and his firm have handled con struction law for over 30 years.

Bailey Kennedy received a Metropol itan Tier 1 ranking in Las Vegas for appellate practice, commercial litiga tion, health care law, litigation–health care and real estate law in the U.S. News Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list for 2023.

Nathan Adelson Hospice’s chief op erating officer and chief nursing officer, Angela Collins, has been elected to the Nevada Nurses Association state board of directors as director at large, and also has been appointed to serve on its legislative committee.

Robert Yoder, vice president and senior trust officer of the Southern Nevada Trust and Estates Division at City National Bank, has been appointed to the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada. Yoder joins 27 business and community leaders on the board. Junior Achievement’s mis sion is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed.

Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance named Bill Arent its senior vice pres ident, chief business development officer. He will lead the organization’s business development team, over seeing business attraction, expansion and retention efforts for the entire Southern Nevada region. He will develop and execute the organiza tion’s business development plan and serve as the chief liaison with regional, national and international site selectors.

Southwest Medical has added two new providers to help meet the growing need for health services in

the Las Vegas community. Domonique Katona, PA, joins Southwest Medical’s Siena Heights Healthcare Center location (2845 Siena Heights Drive, Henderson) and specializes in adult medicine. Savannah Pearson, APRN, joins the Rancho Urgent Care location (888 S. Rancho Drive) and specializes in urgent care. Business law firm Howard & How ard added Joanna Myers to its intellec tual property group in Las Vegas. She practices in many facets of intellectual property matters, entertainment and intellectual property litigation.

Shannon Petersen, executive vice president and executive director of commercial banking for Nevada State Bank, was selected as a member of the 2022-23 International Women’s Forum Fellows Program.

The class is the largest in the program’s 29-year history and includes 44 women from diverse backgrounds leading change in Afghanistan, Bahamas, Canada, China, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, the United States and, for the first time, the Pal-

estinian Territories and Ukraine.

Urban Land Institute Nevada award ed its third annual Placemaking Awards for Excellence in six cate gories. The awards recognize places that generate improvement and progress; transform an area through design; engage and strengthen the community; promote activity and social interaction, and are being developed with a visionary idea. Henderson Mayor and ULI Nevada founding member Debra March was honored at the event as the 2022 Placemaker of the Year.

Nathan Adelson Hospice announced a new program to help homebound veterans in Pahrump. The Food Assistance Program launched on Veterans Day and is available to veterans living in Pahrump who are homebound, regardless of whether they are hospice patients. Volunteers package nonperishable food items and deliver them to wherever the veterans call home.

Southwest Medical Surgery Center West Charleston, at 2450 W. Charles ton Blvd., was recognized by News week as one of America’s Best Am bulatory Surgery Centers for 2023, No. 1 in Nevada and one of roughly 500 facilities nationwide. Ambula tory surgery centers, also known as outpatient or same-day surgery cen ters, are health care facilities where surgical procedures not requiring a hospital stay are performed.

Mead

Collins

Yoder

Myers

Petersen

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS

PRESENTED BY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

PREMIER CROSSWORD HOROSCOPES

ARIES (March 21-April 19): One of your callings is to take risks. You succeed because of your keen intuition about which gambles are relatively smart and which are ill-advised. But even when your chancy ventures bring you exciting new experiences, they may still run you afoul of conventional wisdom, peer pressure and the way things have always been done.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ask yourself a probing new question every Sun day, like “What teachings and healings do I most want to attract into my life during the next seven days?” Spend the subsequent week gathering experi ences and revelations that will address that query. Remember and study your dreams, since doing so is the No. 1 way to develop symbolic insight.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The TV science fiction show Legends of Tomorrow features a ragtag team of imperfect but effective superheroes. They travel through time trying to fix aberrations in the timelines caused by various vil lains. On occasion, even their apparent mistakes lead to good fortune. You will have a similar modus operandi in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Poet Stephen Dunn begins his poem “Before We Leave” like this: “Just so it’s clear—no whining on the journey.” In the early stages of your next chapter, your efforts may feel like drudgery, and progress could seem slow. But as long as you don’t complain excessively and don’t blame others for your limitations, your labors will become quite productive.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Poet Kim Addonizio writes in her book Wild Nights, “I’m thinking of dating trees next. We could just stand around all night togeth er. I’d murmur, they’d rustle, the wind would, like, do its wind thing.” The com ing weeks will be an excellent time to try creative innovations in your approach to intimacy and adoration. But your experiments in togetherness should unfold with humans.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In her book Daughters of the Stone, Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa tells the tale of five generations of Afro-Cuban women, her ancestors. “Like a primeval wave, these stories have carried me, and deposited me on the morning of today,” she writes. “They are the stories of how I came to be who I am, where I am.” Explore your own history with as much passion and focus. It’s a favorable time to commune with the influences that have made you who you are.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): 1. Know what it takes to please everyone, even if you don’t always choose to please everyone. 2. Know how to be what everyone wants you to be and when they need you to be it, even if you only fulfill that wish when it has selfish value for you. 3. Do not give others all you have and thereby neglect to keep enough to give yourself. 4. When others are being closed-mind ed, help them develop more expansive finesse by sharing your own reasonable views.

Scuds,

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Even if some people are nervous or intimidated around you, they may be drawn to you nonetheless. When that happens, you probably enjoy the power you feel. But what would happen if you made a conscious effort to cut back on the daunting vibes you emanate? Be more reassuring and welcoming to those who might be inclined to fear you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Jay-Z has stellar advice for his fellow Sagit tarians: “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with the aim; just gotta change the target.” You don’t always need to change the target you’re aiming at. But the act of check ing in to evaluate whether it is or isn’t the right target will usually be valuable. On occasion, you may realize you should indeed aim at a different target.

Performs an axel, e.g.

Arizona-toKentucky dir.

Vardalos of the screen

Walloped in a boxing ring

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You now have extra power to exorcise ghosts and demons that are lingering from the old days and old ways. Draw inspira tion from poet Charles Wright: “Knot by knot I untie myself from the past / And let it rise away from me like a balloon. / What a small thing it becomes. / What a bright tweak at the vanishing point, blue on blue.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Essayist Anne Fadiman writes, “I have always felt that the action most worth watching is not at the center of things but where the edges meet. I like shorelines, weather fronts, international borders. There are interesting frictions and incongruities in these places, and often, if you stand at the point of tangency, you can see both sides better than if you were in the middle of either one.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Draw your personal vision of paradise. Outline the contours of the welcoming paradise that would make your life eminently delightful and worthwhile. Finish the sentence that begins with these words: “I am mobilizing all the energy and ingenuity and connections I have at my disposal so as to accomplish the following goal.”

HENDERSON

50 Gibson Rd #170 Henderson, NV 89014 (702) 476-0420

5347 S Decatur Blvd #100 Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702) 476-0420

EASTER 100 W. Plumb Lane Reno, NV 89509 (775) 244-1420

476-0420

RENO