2023-08-03-Las-Vegas-Weekly

LAS VEGAS

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 SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)

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

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

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, 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

Special Publications Editor SIERRA SMART

Senior Advertising Managers MIKE MALL, ADAIR NOWACKI, SUE SRAN

Account Executives MARY CHARISSE DIMAIN, DEREK EIGE, LAUREN JOHNSON, ANNA ZYMANEK

Sales Executive Assistants APRIL MARTINEZ, NANCY RAMOS

Events Director SAMANTHA PETSCH

Events Manager HANNAH ANTER

Events Coordinator ALEXANDRA SUNGA

PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION

Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX

Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY

Production Manager BLUE UYEDA

Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON

Marketing Graphic Designer CARYL LOU PAAYAS

Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS

Senior Tra c Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA

Tra c Coordinator ALEX HAASE

Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN

Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE

Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU

GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP

CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN

Chief Operating O cer ROBERT CAUTHORN

LAS VEGAS WEEKLY

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SUPERGUIDE

Your daily events planner, starring Life Is Beautiful’s battle of the bands, Maxwell, Man or Astro-man?, a Barbie rave and more.

COVER STORY

Suggestions for where to score food and drink deals during the happiest time of day, all over the Vegas Valley.

NEWS A Las Vegas-based study continues digging into the potential of Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab.

NIGHTS

You don’t have to be 21 to partake in lots of Area15’s ever-expanding entertainment.

NOISE

Roman Candle has been blasting off within—and beyond—the Vegas hardcore scene.

FOOD & DRINK

The Fremont Food Hall brings neighborhood faves and more Downtown, plus a new option on Water Street.

IN THIS ISSUE

Roman Candle (Courtesy/ Danielle Dixon)

SUPERGUIDE

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

TREASURE ISLAND

Thru 8/5, 7 p.m. (& 8/5, 3 p.m.), Majestic Repertory Theatre, majesticrepertory. com.

SECOS

With Los Emptys, Pure Sport, 7 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, eventbrite. com.

THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

PAULY SHORE 9 p.m., & 8/4 (& 8/5, 8 p.m.), Wiseguys, wiseguys comedy.com.

LENNON ROACH 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

VAMPA With Arayza, Sol, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us.

ART BIZARRE 7 p.m., the Charleston, facebook.com/ thecharleston tavern.

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

THE BLANK TAPES

Hailing from Joshua Tree, California, is Matt Adams’ brainchild, The Blank Tapes. Since 2003, the project has more than 20 releases to its name, filled with dreamlike ballads and more experimental numbers influenced by ’60s psych-rock. The well-traveled founder pumps out music at an astounding rate, as on 2021’s 62-track, two-part album Pop Rocks. Joining The Blank Tapes Thursday night Downtown will be LA’s Westerner, a trio whose second album, last year’s Kali Yuga Kama Sutra, found them on a dancey nu-disco adventure— synth-pop energy complemented by indie guitar ri s and frontman Cooper Bombadil’s subdued-yet-zealous vocal tone. Bonus: Local DJ Greymatter will spin vinyl between bands. 9 p.m., free, Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv.com. –Gabriela Rodriguez

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

BRET ERNST Thru 8/6, 7:30 p.m. (& 8/4-8/5, 9:30 p.m.), Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.

FIRST FRIDAY 5 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas, flv.org.

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

ADELE 8 p.m., & 8/5, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

KELLY CLARKSON

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO 7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 8/5, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

TROPA MAGICA With Viaje Nahual, Desert Island Boys, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite. com.

DEAD SARA With The Dirty

KYLE WATSON With Casmalia, Shapeshiftr, 9:30 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15.com.

KATY PERRY 8 p.m., & 8/5, 8/9, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

KEITH SWEAT 8 p.m., & 8/5, Pearl Concert Theater,

GUCCI MANE 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

JOE BONAMASSA 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.

MAROON 5 8 p.m., & 8/5, 8/9, Dolby Live, ticket master.com.

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL’S RISING STARS COMPETITION

Among more than 100 submissions, 16 local acts were chosen to perform in Life Is Beautiful’s latest battle of the bands, with a spot at September’s festival on the line. In past years, B. Rose, The Rhyolite Sound and The Dollheads have won the competition to claim spots onstage at the Downtown fest. But this year’s batch of finalists might be the strongest yet. Sultry neo-soul artist AKASHAA dazzles listeners with reverberant beats and jazzy melodies; Southern singer-songwriter Lennon Roach stokes a track with his coal-hot vocals; Viaje Nahual tailspins songs into a spell of psychedelia; and the boys of Pure Sport and Hunter’s Briefcase know just how to work a crowd into a frenzy. Those acts and others—including pop artist Maejoy, indie-rock singer-songwriter Walt Haleigh and rootsy rocker Zach Ryan—will parade onstage at the Space over the course of four nights, before some are called back for the finals on August 18. Altogether, it should provide a solid overview of the local scene for those interested in learning more—and potentially finding their favorite new Vegas act(s). August 4-5 & 11-12, 8 p.m., $20, the Space, thespacelv.com.

–Amber Sampson

MONSTER JAM Thru 8/6, times vary, Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.

SUPERGUIDE

BARBIE RAVE

9 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

FOOD + DRINK

KASKADE Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zouk grouplv.com.

JUICY J 11 a.m., Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com.

LAS VEGAS LIGHTS VS. RIO GRANDE VALLEY TOROS 7:30 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegaslightsfc. com.

ILLENIUM

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

MARSHMELLO 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

COMEDY

DAUGHTRY 8 p.m., M Resort, ticketmaster. com.

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

CLOSE TO MODERN

With Spelling Hands, Night Weapons, Hektor Rawkerz, Skaught Gibson, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, theusual place.vegas.

ZEDD 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

WHITE NOISE With The Dollheads, Elephante King, Ugly Boy, 7 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, eventbrite. com.

FISHER 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

COSMIC GATE 8 p.m., Citrus Grand Pool Deck, seetickets.us.

USE OTHER DOOR

One of the defining attributes of Nancy Good’s Core Contemporary gallery is the big-swing ideas it incorporates into its programming—not just asking its guests to think about the art, but encouraging the artists themselves to consider their methods and themes. Core’s fifth-annual Use Other Door exhibit, curated by Good and Anthony Bondi, is a prime example of this approach: It asks its artists to consider what their “other door” could be, whether it’s a metaphor for a path not taken or, you know, an actual door. And what a group of talents has risen to the challenge: Nevada artists Daryl Bibico , Diane Bush, Glynn Galloway, Michelle Graves, Kim Johnson, Ginka Mitova, Erika Muecke, Chad Scott, Linda Sha er, Allison Streater, Leon Syfrit and Shahab Zargari, and visiting artists Brandin Baron, Malcolm Easton and Louise Vickerman. Use Other Door will show through September 30, at which point Core Contemporary will shut this doorway to ideas and open another one. Opening reception 6 p.m., free, Core Contemporary, corecontemporary.com. –Geo Carter

(Shutterstock)

SUNDAY

MAN

OR ASTRO-MAN?

Man or Astro-man? is commonly referred to as a “surf rock” band, though that doesn’t really begin to describe the brand of energetic, reverb-heavy cosmic radiation that this Auburn, Alabama-born quartet pumps through its amplifiers. Inspired by (or is it indebted to?) the wild science fiction movies of the 1950s and 1960s, Man or Astro-man? creates the music you could be listening in your personal rocket as you hot-rod your way through solar flares and black holes, if only a certain tech CEO were to get o social media and get back to work. Sometimes, the band employs electronics and o beat instruments such as theremins, but for the most part, Man or Astro-man? is all about the solid fuel provided by steel strings, drum heads and punk-rock attitude. Area15 might well be the perfect place for this rare cosmic event to occur. 7 p.m., $28, the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

–Geo Carter

USA BASKETBALL VS. PUERTO RICO 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

MONDAYS DARK 8 p.m., the Space, mondays dark.com.

BRIAN MCKIM

With Lynne Koplitz, Pardis Parker, Michael Yo, Dustin Ybarra, 7 & 9:30 p.m., & 8/8, Comedy Cellar, comedy cellar.com.

Republic, taogroup.com.

EVO FINALS 10 a.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, NELLY 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.

NORA EN PURE 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub,

ABOVE & BEYOND 11 a.m., Wet events. axs. com. events. events. taogroup.com.

GREG HOWE

With Sammy Boller, 7 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite. com.

10 p.m., Tao Beach events. taogroup.com.

LAURA BACKUS

Reception 5 p.m., Boulder City Art Guild & Gallery, bouldercityartguild.

CHRIS LAKE Dayclub, com.

RUBI ROSE

Beach Club,

Noon, Daylight daylightvegas.com.

(Photo Illustration)

MIKE GAFFNEY

With Chris Martin, Jay Hollingsworth, 8 p.m., thru 8/13, bradgarrett comedy.com.

DOOMED POETRY 9 p.m., Red Dwarf, reddwarflv.com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

TRAVIS CLOER

7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS

7 p.m., thru 8/12, (& 8/13, 6 p.m.), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster.com.

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

BABES AND BLUES ANNIVERSARY EXTRAVAGANZA SHOW

7 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite.com.

MIKE SOMERVILLE With Joe Nipote, Alan Bursky 8:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 8/9, Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.

MAXWELL 8 p.m., Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

THE DOLLOP

9:30 p.m., Wiseguys Arts District, wiseguyscomedy. com.

MICHAEL GRIMM 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

DAVID STANLEY: MY BROTHER ELVIS

6 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.

DEUX TWINS 10:30 p.m., EBC at Night, wynnsocial.com.

STABBING With Sheer Cold, Excerebration, Poontickler, 8 p.m., Dive Bar, eventbrite.com.

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

(Courtesy/ Cli Watts)

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Mapping out your neighborhood happy hour crawls

Now more than ever, we can fully appreciate the beauty of happy hour. What could be better than finishing your work shift, meeting up with friends and enjoying a drink and a snack at your favorite local bar or restaurant, with the bonus of discounted prices? We crave the familiar socialization just as much as the nachos. And now more than ever, we have our nearby haunts where we repeat this ritual as often as possible.

Through the years, Las Vegas has grown true neighborhoods with unique identities, which means there’s surely another bar nearby with another happy hour you haven’t tried yet—and that the next area over also features fun flavors worth exploring. If only there was a guide to some of the greatest local happy hours, categorized by neighborhood, to help us along … Wait, there is, and you’re looking at it right now!

One quick caveat before we start: When attempting any of our suggested “crawls,” please line up rideshares or a designated driver for the way home, and from place to place if they’re not within walking distance. Safety is delicious, too!

Eddie Rodriguez preparing drinks at Boom Bang (Courtesy/ Robiee Ziegler)

DOWNTOWN

Downtown Las Vegas brings something to happy hour few other parts of our Valley can realistically o er: density. Downtown’s bars and restaurants are so closely spaced, you could conceivably walk or cab from one happy hour to another and manage to hit a few of them without running out the clock. And the variety of o erings in Downtown makes it tempting to try.

Start at the Triple Down (thepunkrock museum.com/ the-triple-downbar), the Punk Rock Museum bar co-managed by Double Down Saloon/Frankie’s Tiki Room owner P Moss. The happy hour is everything you’d expect of the PT Barnum of Paradise Road: $5 drinks nightly between 7 and 9 p.m.

Berlin Bar

wines and $9 plates of Pan-Asian deliciousness daily.

From there, it’s a hop and a stagger to the 18b Arts District, where you’ll nd a wealth of tall, frosty options. From 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, wine bar and bottle shop Garagiste (garagistelv.com) serves up a rotating selection of tap wines and tap beers at $5 a glass. Just next door is CraftHaus’ Arts District taproom (crafthausbrewery. com) where “Appy Hour” runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m.; here, you can get $2 appetizers with your pint, from onion rings to jalapeño poppers to mozzarella sticks. And next door to that is tequila and ceviche spot Mezcla (mezclalv. com), whose Monday-Friday, noon to 6 p.m. happy hour includes a $5 premium margarita, $9 premium mules, a $7 coconut ceviche and many more food and drink specials.

berlinlv.com), whose daily happy hour runs from opening through 5 p.m. and features $5 well drinks and $3 Montucky Colds. Close by is Mediterranean spot Taverna Costera (tavernacostera.com), where you can get $3 well drinks, $6 house wines, half-price tapas and more. That’ll sustain you until you hit 8 East at Circa (circalasvegas.com/drink-dine/

8-east/), where chef Dan Coughlin provides $7 draft beers, wells and sake bombs, $11 red and white house

From there, proceed directly to Fremont East, where some heavy hitters await. The daily happy hour at Evel Pie ( evelpie.com ), 2-6 p.m., is a beast: $2 American drafts, $3 wells and a $20 pitcher-and-pizza combo. On Fridays and Saturdays from 7-9 p.m., Commonwealth ( commonwealthlv.com ) offers a terrific pre-func: $5 wells, Coors, Bud Light and PBR, and $7 house wines and Dos Equis lager. And across the way is fancy burger spot Eureka ( eurekarestaurantgroup. com ), home to a Monday-Friday early and later happy hour boasting

a rotating selection of $5 tap beers and a nice array of house cocktails and food specials.

Finally, continue east to wine and charcuterie bar Bin 702 (bin702. com) for high-end sips at low-end prices: $5 pints of local beers from Tenaya Creek, Big Dog’s and Crafthaus; $6 well drinks; $7 glasses of pinot gris and Sangiovese; and $20 wine bottle specials. And while the happy hour at Peyote (peyotedtlv.com) is a bit of a di cult target to hit—5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 3 to 5 p.m. Friday—it’s worth the effort, with $5 wells, beers and wines, $6 tostadas and papalonas, and $7 morita chile wings. –Geo Carter

here, you can get $2 appetizers with many more food and drink specials.

Heading north, you’ll pass cool

rock ’n roll dive

Mac and cheese balls at Eureka (Courtesy/ Restaurant Group)

A margarita at Mezcla and shrimp ceviche at Taverna Costera (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

A glass of Monte Rio Cellars’ Mission at Garagiste (Christopher DeVargas/Sta )

SPRING VALLEY & CHINATOWN

Spring Valley is home to Little Ethiopia, a handful of Eastern European restaurants and supermarkets, and much of the avor-packed Chinatown. You’ll want to start your westside happy hour crawl at Jackpot Bar & Grill (jackpotbarlv.com), which is just a few years old but already seeping with character— and cheap well drinks, beer and good bar food, too, like lumpia (8 pieces for $7) with sweet chili dipping sauce.

Humor your inner beer connoisseur at 595 Craft and Kitchen (595craftandkitchen.com), which maintains 24 rotating taps and offers 20% o during happy hour and

late-night happy hour along with signature cocktails. The Mezcal Cup ($11), made with Mezcal 4040 Conejos, cucumber, mint and fresh lime juice, pairs deliciously with umami fried pickles ($8). Transport to another part of the world at Forte Tapas (barforte.com), which leans heavily on Bulgarian and Eastern European dishes and avors. The mezze platter ($10) comes with Bulgarian dips, olives, beets, cucumber and yogurt salad and pickles. Specialty drinks ($10) are made with spirits infused in-house, like the Forte Jackass with ginger-infused vodka, lime and ginger beer.

Crossing into Chinatown territory, fresh shucked oysters ($2 each) await at District One (districtonelv. com). Chicken salad goi ga ($8) swirls up carrots, cabbage, shredded chicken, sweet and sour sh sauce, peanut and green onions, and it’s served with rice chips. Once you’ve broken through on Spring Mountain, make a reservation at Más Por Favor’s speakeasy (masporfavorlv. com) and enter the backroom cavern to access a special happy hour menu. Shrimp ceviche ($6) with pineapple, pico de gallo and guacamole pairs well with a margarita ($4), which arrives with your choice of sugar, salt or tajin rim. In the same thriving strip mall, the dim lighting and island-themed props at the Golden Tiki (thegolden

tiki.com) kick the crawl up a notch, and so does the food. Try honey and fruit cake-sprinkled kettle chips served with French onion dip ($5) or a traditional shrimp cocktail ($9). And specialty cocktails ($8) like the mai tai or spiked Dole Whip soft serve are sure to get you in a happy mood if you’re not already. Where one happy hour ends, another begins, and that’s true for Izakaya Go’s (izakayago.com) late-night o ering. The menu after 10 p.m. boasts three varieties of Spanish blue n sashimi ($8-$16), sushi hand rolls ($4-$6.50) and signature sh and chips ($7), fried crispy and served with tartar sauce. And if possible, save room for after-hours dessert at the original Ichiza (ichizalv.com), where honey toast ($9) or egg custard pudding ($6) might be the cherry on top of this epic happy-hour adventure.

–Shannon Miller

A mai tai, Piranha Punch and a scorpion at the Golden Tiki (Courtesy); honey toast at Ichiza (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

HENDERSON

The ever-expanding restaurant and bar scene around Henderson makes narrowing down a single happy hour choice a great feat, but more options means more ways to sate your cravings and solve your schedule.

Midweek cocktails and bites are a must to keep the workweek moving, and that mental break starts at Boom Bang Fine Foods & Cocktails (boombang.restaurant). The Siesta ($10) is a refreshing summer concoction of tequila, grapefruit, lime and a hint of Campari. And don’t miss out on the thin-crust, Connecti-

cut-style pizza ($15)—its crunchy base and balanced cheese makes for a comforting snack to share.

Head over to El Luchador (luchadorlv.com) for an all-day happy hour at the bar with a $4 taco selection that truly delivers. Tender, avorful carnitas are piled high and stocked with the usual suspects of salsa, onion and cilantro, but don’t overlook the quinoa taco, where the grains are formed and fried into a crispy fritter and topped with a spicy aioli slaw and avocado. All tacos pair nicely with an $8 avored margarita.

Valley Cheese and Wine (valley cheeseandwine.com) is a few miles up the road with specialty cheese boards and a bottle of wine for $45, the per-

fect treat for two. Since we’re talking cheese, Gaetano’s Ristorante (gaetanoslasvegas.com) is a wellknown notch above, a family-owned eatery dishing up deals like tasty homemade meatballs topped with a robust tomato sauce and Parmesan sprinkles ($9) and fresh Caesar and house salads ($8). Take a short walk to another neighborhood fave, the sporty Born and Raised (born andraisedlv.com), where an extensive beverage program and late-night happy hour form an ideal spot for a nightcap. All well cocktails, house wines and domestic drafts are a dollar o , and bar bites like shredded steak poutine and fried Brussels sprouts cost $8 from 3-6 p.m. and 6 p.m.-midnight.

Located inside the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Borracha Mexican Cantina (borrachavegas.com) is a cantina after our hearts. For $8 across the board, you can order a variety of fusion items like carne asada sliders, nacho curly fries or chipotle chicken wings, plus wells, wine and margari-

tas weekdays from 4-6 p.m. Remedy’s (remedystavern.com) is the quintessential 24-hour neighborhood tavern, there when you need a little comfort at any time of day. Its popular lobster roll is tossed in a house-made lemon-y mayo, fried and tucked into a buttery bun ($8).

Meanwhile, the multi-venue Gambit (gambit henderson.com) is a gem if you’re looking for an upscale happy hour. Head into its cocktail and gaming bar, the Bank, for 25% o all food and drinks during happy hour from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. We recommend sipping on a craft cocktail made with hand-pressed fruit juices and nibbling on sticky Asian wings ($14).

Finally, for true bang for your buck, nd your way to Shakespeare’s Grille & Pub (shakespeares.vegas). Crispy potato skins, a half bucket of wings, sausage rolls and more can be yours for $5 each, ready to be washed down with a $3 Bud Light or $4 well drink. –Gabriela

Rodriguez

Chicken taquitos at Born and Raised (Courtesy)

Old Fashioned at Gaetano’s (Courtesy)

Connecticut-style pizza and the Siesta at Boom Bang (Courtesy/Robiee Ziegler)

SUMMERLIN AREA

Start your dining excursion in this suburban epicurean epicenter at Downtown Summerlin, with a helping of Mexican tapas and tequilas at La Neta (lanetacocina.com) and Pancho’s (panchosrestaurant.com). At La Neta, your cash goes a long way, with specialty margaritas, house wines and most apps hovering around $9. Go for the crispy, crema-kissed autas and the restaurant’s street tacos with chicken tinga or barbacoa, then freshen up with the cauli ower ceviche. Pancho’s does us a solid with discounted well cocktails, house wines, margaritas and drafts for under $10, but there’s another reason why this place is a longstanding LA favorite: the delicious happy hour apps, from crispy taquitos slathered in house-made salsa verde to tortilla egg rolls with a side of chipotle crema. It’s a go-to spot for Taco Tuesday—or any day, really.

Next, hustle over to Public School 702 (psontap.com) by foot for some gastropub fare. It’s a 10-minute trek but worth it once you see the “recess” menu. Dishes like tru e mac and cheese ($9) and the Loaded Saucy Tots ($10), tossed in savory mornay sauce, chipotle ranch and white cheddar, are fun favorites from the lunchbox, and $4 o signature cocktails and $7 sangria and wine suggest playtime is far from over.

Save some room, because Frankie’s Uptown (frankies uptown.com) and its phenomenal happy hour is a two-minute walk away. Specials end at 6:15 p.m., so everything on the discounted menu costs $6.15, including the bacon-wrapped jalapeños, tru e fries, ash-fried Brussels sprouts, house wines and the Frankie Flowers, a tangy cocktail for Captain Morgan lovers thirsting for something more vibrant.

Over at Tivoli Village’s Al Solito Posto (alsolito.com), order a round of Nonna’s Meatballs ($12) for the post-work table and savor every bite of these meaty marinara wonders. Then, after 9 p.m., carb load with the Pastaholics happy hour, which o ers half-o pasta with the purchase of a drink. Down the street, you’ll nd another a ordable and elevated happy hour at Honey Salt (honeysalt.com

This cozy Summerlin staple has all you could want from a farm-to-table happy hour: beer and wine specials, cherry tomato avocado toast ($8), plump chicken sliders ($6) and a dazzling outdoor patio.

town

this one of the most competitive happy hours in the

It’s last call, but before you go, pay Al’s Garage (alsgaragelv.com) a visit. The sports bar, once located across town at the District at Green Valley Ranch, o ers a late-night treat: From 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., drinks are 50% o , and during regular happy hour, cocktails and wine sit between $4-$6, with beer pitchers going for $16. That discount also applies during Vegas Golden Knights games, making this one of the most competitive happy hours in the area.

–Amber Sampson

Chicken tinga street tacos and a margarita at La Neta (Courtesy/La Neta Cocina y Lounge)

Rigatoni alla vodka at Al Solito Posto (Courtesy)

Chicken strips, fries and a bloody mary at Al’s Garage (Courtesy)

NEAR THE STRIP

There have been clusters of locally beloved, industry-friendly bars and restaurants on either side of the tourist corridor almost as long as there has been such a thing as the Las Vegas Strip. One of those spots recently moved to a new location, when Firefly (fireflylv.com) slid from Paradise to Flamingo in the Hughes Center. The legendary happy hour sangria special ($7 per glass or $25 for a party-pleasing pitcher) continues, along with $5 beer bottles, $7 house red or white wine, and all the stuffed dates, ham and cheese croquetas, albondigas meatballs and tomato bread (all $7) you can handle. Back on Paradise, the great steak and cocktail spot Cleaver (cleaverlasvegas.com) keeps the happiness going longer than most, with drink and food specials available from 5 p.m. until midnight, including halfoff many steaks and chops and some of the most creative libations to be found off-Strip. Ferraro’s (ferraros lasvegas.com) is another institution that continues to hold it down, with deals like impeccable house-made

meatballs ($10), prime sirloin carpaccio ($15) and spicy sausage with rapini ($10) to pair with one of the Valley’s top Italian wine lists.

Town Square offers a plethora of happy hour destinations, so many options that you’ll have to move fast if you want to sample all the goods. Veterans know about comfortable spots Blue Martini (lasvegas. bluemartini.com) and Double Helix (doublehelixwine.com), both of which feature glasses of wine in the $6-$7 range and plenty of tasty bites. We also love the ultra-casual comforts of Lazy Dog (lazydog restaurants.com)—where happy hour runs 3-6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m.-midnight Sunday through Thursday—and the big burger emporium that is Sickies Garage (sickies burgers.com), where happy hour happens every day, with pints, wells and wines a dollar off and a Bud and burger combo just $11.

PT’s Taverns (ptstaverns.com) offer some of the best-known happy-hour deals in Las Vegas history— right now, they’ve got 50%-off drink specials and $6 personal pizzas from 5 to 7 p.m. and midnight to 2 a.m. every day—and there are locations in every neighborhood, including Strip-adjacent spots on Hacienda, Tropicana, Flamingo, and the PT’s Gold on Desert Inn and PT’s Place on Sahara. But don’t forget the PT’s Wings & Sports on the Strip at the Strat, which still serves your favorite wings and frosty brews, just in a beer hall environment with a massive LED screen.

The happiest half hour

 Happy hour is a concept that doesn’t need to be elevated; discounted drinks at the neighborhood pub is a universal experience. But you can always trust Las Vegas to go over the top, in this case, quite literally.

The High Roller Observation Wheel at the Linq Promenade has been offering its Happy Half Hour cocktail experience almost as long

And one great nearby happy hour you might not know about is also in a casino, at the Charcoal Room at Palace Station (palacestation.com), and it’s something different. From 4:30 until 6 p.m. daily, you can enjoy a prix fixe menu ($65) including a classic Caesar salad, a 14-ounce prime New York strip with grilled jumbo shrimp, and crème brulée with fresh berries for dessert. It’s a very Vegas deal that’s very tough to beat. –Brock

as the 550-foottall wheel has been turning. A $60 ticket gets 21-and-over guests (up to 25 of them) into a High Roller pod-cabin with an open bar and bartender, and the imbibing commences for the duration of the 30-minute ride. (By comparison, a normal ride is $25$35, and tickets are always on sale via Ticketmaster.)

Considering the typically high prices for drinks on the Strip, the Happy Half Hour could certainly

be considered a deal, especially if you’ve never taken in the unique views from the High Roller. If your pod is packed, there might be a bit of a rush to get that first drink—the selection is somewhat limited to domestic beer cans and recognizable liquor brands for mixed drinks—but quick service keeps everyone happy as the revolution continues.

One could easily end up tipsy after this only-in-Vegas happy hour, so keep it chill and enjoy the ride.

–Brock Radke

Radke

Creme brulee, New York steak with grilled jumbo shrimp and a Caesar salad from the Charcoal Room’s happy hour prix fixe menu (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

NEWS IN THE

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

CARDI B FAN CLAIMS BATTERY

After a video went viral showing Cardi B throw her microphone at a concertgoer in response to getting splashed by an unknown liquid, Las Vegas Metro confirmed that an attendee reported a battery.

JULY SETS RECORD FOR HEAT IN LAS VEGAS

The average temperature in Las Vegas was 97.3 degrees in July, a record for the month, according to the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.

The previous record average for July was 96.2 degrees in 2010.

Las Vegas was one of three cities in the region to establish a record for July, with the average in Kingman, Arizona, recorded at 88.5 degrees. The previous average was 86.9 in 2003.

Additionally, Needles, California, averaged 101.8 degrees in July, besting its previous of 100.9 degrees in 2006.

There have been 23 heat-related deaths in the Las Vegas area since April, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

The first day of August brought a brief respite with a high of 99 degrees, but temperatures were projected to creep back up to 106 by August 6 and remain in triple digits for almost two more weeks. –Staff

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

HORSFORD, CBC RANKLED BY ‘ATTACKS AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE’

GOVERNOR FINED $20,000

The Nevada Ethics Commission fined Gov. Joe Lombardo and censured him July 25 after determining that his campaign engaged in ethics violations stemming from the use of his badge and uniform as then-Clark County sheriff.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nevada, says he has had enough of recent policies negatively affecting Black Americans.

Black voting power has been diluted after redistricting in Alabama and Louisiana, the conservative majority Supreme Court overturned 45 years of precedent to end to race-based affirmative action at America’s colleges and universities, and books teaching Black history have been banned in schools.

“The attacks against Black people and Blackness are coordinated, well-funded, coming from every side, and they are about race,” said Horsford,

Remains of the York fire burn a Joshua tree July 31 at Walking Box Ranch in Searchlight.

CCSD AIMS TO BLOCK STRIKE

The Clark County School District is seeking an injunction against the Clark County Education Association to prevent the teachers union from striking or staging similar work actions next month, according to a court filing July 31.

F1 RACE PERMITS DON’T YET INCLUDE BARRIERS

The parent company of the Las Vegas Grand Prix has received nearly 20 permits from Clark County to enhance surfaces and infrastructure on the Strip and nearby streets for the Formula One race in November, according to documents reviewed by the Las Vegas Sun But Liberty Media hasn’t applied for any permits to construct barriers that would impede the views of the race from businesses.

The New York Post reported that Formula One is threatening to block the views of Strip restaurants and clubs overlooking the 3.8mile race course unless they pay a licensing fee. The report also said “lights will be shined toward the viewing areas of unlicensed venues, blinding guests trying to get a peek at the nighttime race.”

Race organizers are requesting that establishments with views pay

a fee of $1,500 per person, according to the Post story.

The Post also reported that Liberty Media sent a letter to establishments seeking the payments and threatening to install barriers to block views of the race if they don’t pay.

That letter hasn’t been produced by Liberty Media, which would not confirm whether it was sent.

The company is not denying it made the request, however.

In a statement to the Sun, race officials said, “F1 commonly executes licensing agreements to protect its intellectual property rights, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix is following this same approach. In addition, these arrangements allow the Las Vegas Grand Prix to ensure the fan experience in its partner venues meets the expectations for this event.” -Ray Brewer

HOT SHOT

chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus.

Horsford was speaking in late July at the Capitol during a Congressional Black Caucus event to rebuke Republicans’ policy platforms, as well as recent Supreme Court decisions Horsford says are eroding individual freedoms that disproportionately affect Black Americans.

Among the topics that drew the most ire, the Black Caucus took aim at a new education policy enacted by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis—who is also seeking the 2024 GOP pres-

idential nomination—that revises standards for the way Black History is taught in public schools.

That includes a benchmark for instructing how “slaves developed skills, which in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

“Black people did not benefit from slavery,” Horsford said. “Our literal blood, sweat and tears were squeezed out of our souls to build roads and bridges, construct beautiful mansions and government buildings, including this very Capitol and the White House. And in the end,

what did the Black families have to show for it? We did not have equity in the buildings we built. Farmers were made rich by the free labor that was provided.”

He continued: “These are the things we must teach in our history. This is the real story of Black America. This is the reality we had to endure.”

Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature also recently passed the so-called “Stop WOKE” law that prohibits instruction on race relations or diversity that “imply a person’s status

as either privileged or oppressed” is determined by his or her race, color, national origin or sex.

In June, the high court ruled against Alabama Republicans in a congressional redistricting case in which justices ruled the state was in violation of the Voting Rights Act that featured one majority-Black district of the state’s seven, despite Black residents comprising nearly a quarter of the state’s population. But the Alabama Legislature flouted the order when it passed the congressional map last month. –Casey

Harrison

THE LAS VEGAS ACES ARE THE SECOND TEAM IN WNBA HISTORY TO START A SEASON 23-2 (1998 HOUSTON COMETS).

WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford celebrates after defeating WBC/ WBA/IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. via TKO in the ninth round of their title unification fight July 29 at T-Mobile Arena. Crawford had seemingly won every round in the fight, apart from the first. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

TESTING TREATMENTS

The Lou Ruvo Center continues studying the e ectiveness of newly approved Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi

BY SHANNON MILLER

Some Alzheimer’s Disease patients now have the option to take medication that has been shown to slow the progression of the disease.

In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced traditional approval of the drug lecanemab (brand name Leqembi) for patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. It marks the first full approval of an Alzheimer’s drug that can slow its progression, and the beginnings of Medicare covering the drug.

Lecanemab targets a protein found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients—amyloid plaque, which disrupts cell function. According to studies required by the FDA, lecanemab helps to reduce the amount of that protein and has a functional benefit in patients.

The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas took part in the clinical trial that the FDA required as a condition for traditional approval. Now, the center is conducting another trial, part of the Ahead Study, to see if the drug can be effective even before Alzheimer’s is diagnosed.

“We know amyloid plaques are one of the first features of Alzheimer’s Disease that occur in the brain itself. And we think, in some sense, there are triggers of a subsequent cascade of injurious reactions that lead to cell death,” says Dr. Charles Bernick, a neurologist leading the Ahead Study at the Ruvo Center. “So the thought is, if you can remove the plaques from the brain, you can interfere with that process and hopefully modify the disease course over time.”

The Ahead Study is an international medical study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, testing the effectiveness of lecanemab in people who do not yet have cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s but have amyloid protein in their brain

and are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s later in life.

Local trial participant Verna Peterson, 72, has not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. But she has a family history and underwent tests that found she’s at higher risk for the disease.

Her experience with Alzheimer’s goes back to her mother. “When my mother was in her mid 70s, she started to get a bit strange,” Peterson explains during an infusion of lecanemab or a placebo. “We noticed she wasn’t the bright and alert woman we’d known.”

Her mother’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s was a deciding factor for her participating in the trial. “This is for my mother, because she never had the opportunity,” she says.

In the Ahead Study, lecanemab (or the placebo) is administered via IV infusion every two to four weeks, depending on the amount of amyloid found in the patient’s brain. Peterson underwent diagnostic tests to verify the presence of amyloid protein in her brain and whether she had certain risk factors for side effects, before starting the trial.

“I had a little bit of the side effect at the beginning. You know, headaches and what have you. But that kind of went away,” she explains.

Side effects from lecanemab are rare and can include headache and amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which most commonly present as temporary swelling in areas of the brain. ARIA is often not associated with any symptoms but can present symptoms including headache, confusion, dizziness and vision changes. Infrequently, ARIA can lead to serious and life-threatening brain conditions, including seizures and brain hemorrhage.

“With lecanemab, just statistically if you consider everybody, the symptomatic group is only 3% or 4% of people who take the

drug. So it isn’t high,” Bernick says. “But if you’re the one who gets it, it’s a concern. So the drug has to be monitored.”

The Ruvo Center currently is working with six participants in the Ahead Study, and is seeking more participants.

Accessing Lecanemab Treatment

Lecanemab cannot stop or reverse Alzheimer’s Disease, and it works only in patients in the early stages of the disease. But considering it’s the first FDA-approved drug shown to slow the progression of the disease, many families are surely asking how they can access the treatment.

According to the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center’s website, the treatment isn’t yet clinically available at any University of California hospitals. The Alzheimer’s Association says manufacturing and nationwide distribution could take some time, and that patients should ask their doctors about availability.

Although lecanemab became available as a treatment in January under accelerated FDA approval, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said it wouldn’t cover Alzheimer’s treatments that are under accelerated approval.

“Leqembi has been on the market since January 2023, when it received accelerated approval from the FDA. However, to this point access has been blocked by Medicare coverage policies,” reads a statement in part from the Alzheimer’s Association.

The FDA’s traditional approval of lecanemab triggered Medicare and Medicaid coverage of the medication, albeit with some conditions. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Medicare will cover the drug as long as a physician enrolls a patient in a registry run by the Centers for

Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicaid will cover a copay for the medication, which has been priced at $26,500 per year.

Because lecanemab must be administered by IV infusion, physicians need the capability to provide that type of treatment on a regular basis over the course of years.

While rollout has yet to be seen, approval of the medicine marks a major milestone in Alzheimer’s therapeutics, and hopefully will facilitate further studies, Bernick says.

“We’ve gone through a lot of drugs, with essentially no movement in terms of therapeutics for 20 years. And now I think we’re just in a new era of treatments,” he says. “We’re finally seeing a class of medications that can change the disease process, not just symptomatic drugs. It’s a tremendous breakthrough in the field.”

Clinics across the country, including the Ruvo Center are preparing to offer lecanemab treatments, which are done through IV infusion every two weeks, once it’s available.

“Clinical availability for our patients will likely start later this year,” says Elizabeth Smith, a spokeswoman for the Lou Ruvo Center.

ALL-AGE ADVENTURES

Area15’s multiverse of entertainment embraces the under-21 set

BY AMBER SAMPSON

When Area15’s Secret Garden party returned this summer, it did so as an 18-and-up event, drawing a sizable crowd of young adults looking to experience a pocket-sized Electric Daisy Carnival.

That age-inclusive approach isn’t a rare exception at Area15. It’s quickly becoming a common occurrence.

“We’re actually doing a lot more shows that are 18-plus, and we’ve seen a lot of interest with that. That’s a really important sector for us,” says Meg Parker, chief marketing officer of the immersive arts complex located near the Strip. “Of course, everyone’s providing all the safety requirements and guidelines that go into making sure people who are under 21 are safe in that environment, but we’re definitely looking to add more programming for that age group.”

Area15 has been aggressive in its bookings as of late, landing musical talent comparable to what Strip venues offer—often without the 21-plus ID check. This month’s 18-and-over headliners include South African house maestro Kyle Watson (August 4), atmospheric beatmaker Shallou (August 11) and Gareth Emery, who continues his trance-infused residency on August 12.

Other artists are hitting the complex with all-ages shows, like the genre-bending Yves Tumor on October 10, which will surely blow young minds. Between its varied venues—the Wall, promising a more underground feel; the outdoor A-Lot, delivering chill sets by sundown; and the Portal amplifying soundscapes through its project-mapping room—there’s

really no wrong place to rave.

“I think that’s our point of differentiation: We have something for everyone,” Parker says. “As the day progresses into the night, we definitely become a little bit more PG-13 or R-rated … but during the day, we have all ages in the building.”

Before 9 p.m., Area15 is a choose-your-own adventure for the under-21 crowd. At Dueling Axes, you can’t drink, but you can throw sharp, shiny objects at wooden targets without a chaperone if you’re over 18. You can also plan an early night out on the greens with Five Iron Golf’s immersive simulators. And at Asylum Bar + Arcade, which formerly operated as Emporium, guests of all ages can play on the first floor before the arcade transforms into a full-fledged bar with 21-and-up DJ programming later in the night.

Parker says the bottom floor has been rearranged for that very reason, adding virtual reality sets and new Formula 1 race simulators for younger visitors to enjoy.

Those attractions and more will be included in Area15’s new Experience Pass, which is essentially a key to the kingdom, giving all-age visitors—especially families—access to up to 11 attractions and experiences (including Illuminarium, LiftOff, Wink World and Museum Fiasco) for a flat rate.

Parker says the pass will streamline the experience, ensuring no one will have the same adventure twice.

“We’re never done adding new experiences into Area15 as a district,” she says. “Definitely in the next year, there’s going to be a lot more added to these passes, which will allow locals to be able to come back more and more.”

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

NOISE

BURNING BRIGHT

Vegas hardcore foursome Roman Candle breaks out on the local scene and beyond

As Roman Candle hits the stage at American Legion Post 8, frontwoman Piper Ferrari demands immediate movement from the crowd, and the bodies gathered in close respond. As the circle swells into motion, whether you’re in the mosh pit or on the sidelines, keeping still is not an option.

As the set progresses, Ferrari aggressively stomps back and forth onstage, one hand pressed against her back as she belts out lyrics—periodically lending her mic to the crowd and creating a swarm of fans rushing for a turn to scream along.

“I’m pouring my heart out, and I think it’s hard to be up there without connecting with people on that level,” Ferrari later tells the Weekly. “We were just talking about this at band practice yesterday—it’s cathartic for us.”

The four-piece Roman Candle has amassed a following since releasing debut EP Discount Fireworks last October. From a backyard set going viral, to cross-state gigs, to being recruited and now managed by a music agency, the Vegas band is surging.

Discount Fireworks is a five-song, 14-min-

BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

ute frenzy packed with melodic, heavy riffs, complex drum sequences and piercing vocals. Its sound hearkens back to late-’90s screamo, its bite-sized tracks chug hard into breakdowns, shift tempos and even experiment with spoken word.

Lyrically, each cut contains a separate story. Opener “Oh, Dreamer,” for example, touches on finding a home away from home, asking, “What is a home/If not the first place you ran from?”

The release was well-received by the local hardcore scene, and in a few short weeks people were singing along at shows. Explosive online recognition soon followed, when a live video went viral.

Shot from a bird’s eye view, the clip finds Roman Candle performing “Oh, Dreamer” in a waterless pool. Members of the sardine-packed audience holding one-another back so they don’t crash into equipment while moshing and screaming their heads off. The clip has drawn more than 50,000 views on TikTok alone.

And since? “Going viral literally changed the course of our lives,” Ferrari says.

The video landed on the Twitter feed of Jeremy Bolm, frontman for LA post-hardcore faves Touché Amoré, which led to a conversation between Bolm and Ferrari. Before long, Roman Candle was supporting Touché Amoré’s 15-year anniversary show at the Regent in LA, a huge exposure boost for a Vegas act born just last year.

Roman Candle emerged from the remains of a previous project, Sowithout, which featured both Ferrari and bassist Jonas Vece. That group called it quits after two singles and one EP, but its successor carries forth a similar spirit.

Joining Ferrari and Vece in Roman Candle are drummer Bryson Drace (formerly of Glee Club) and guitarist Nico Borgia (who also plays in Dissociate). All four members come from the hardcore realm, making for an ideal collaboration.

Fans are anxiously anticipating a fulllength album, with Drace hinting that listeners should expect a heavier approach. In the meantime, Roman Candle has been busy with out-of-state runs and merch drops, with an upcoming cross-country tour being planned.

(Courtesy/Danielle Dixon)

ROMAN CANDLE Instagram @romancandlex

COZI LAS VEGAS COMIC & ZINE FEST August 5, noon-5 p.m., free. Clark County Library, cozilv.com

MAKING SPACE

CoZi fest aims to connect and empower cartoonists and zinesters

BY SHANNON MILLER

For CoZi Las Vegas Comic and Zine Fest co-founder Gina Parham, comics and zines are a way to form connections. In fact, it was through comics that Parham met co-founder Jean Munson.

“I met my friend Jean through an adult comics writing workshop at [former] local co ee shop the Beat,” Parham says. “She [was] another woman cartoonist in town … and I hadn’t met anybody at that point who does autobiographical content through comics.”

Through that shared interest, third co-founder Nicole Espinosa also came into the picture. The three have helmed two CoZi fests since 2019, and are gearing up for a third, August 5 at Clark County Library.

“It’s taken on a life of its own. … After pandemic shutdowns, we were seeing this zine boom here in town,” Parham says. “We’ve cultivated a physical space for CoZi fest and through workshops and hangouts throughout the year.”

Cultivating that space can start with “demystifying the process” of zine making, Parham says, through workshops like the Teen Zine sessions CoZi recently hosted at local libraries, during which attendees can learn what a zine is and how to make one.

For the uninitiated, a zine—pronounced zeen , as in magazine—is

a work with images or text usually reproduced by a copy machine. Essentially, it’s a way to self-publish original or appropriated work. Zines have been used since the early 20th century as a way to disseminate information outside of other conventional, commercial means.

“You don’t have to go through an institution or a major publisher to be able to spread those ideas. You can just do it on your own with a copier and some paper and cheap materials,” Parham says, holding up a zine she edited.

anthology features submissions from multiple cartoonists, writers and artists.

Parham’s I Love Everyone features submissions from multiple cartoonists, writers and artists. It’s just another example of how zine-making can bridge connections among artists, and help get their message out to the masses.

The fest will showcase 25 vendors who have signed up to show their work. And while it’s nice to make a sale, that’s not the main point, Parham says. “A lot of the artists, cartoonists, illustrators and visual artists I know are shy about putting their work out there to the world. … But when [they] do, it’s always worth it,” she says.

not the main point, Parham says. “A lot

“It’s a cool way to connect with other people— to be able to say, ‘I made this’ and being able to support another person by trading and appreciating their art.”

er person by trading and appreciating

(Courtesy)

CRAFTED CUISINE

The Fremont Food Hall spotlights a longtime Henderson favorite

(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

FOOD & DRINK

BY ROB KACHELRIESS

It’s hard to ignore the growing food hall trend in Las Vegas, yet there’s only one in the Downtown area. The Food Hall at the Fremont Hotel & Casino is barely six months old, but it’s steadily catching on—and striking the right balance between familiarity and culinary ambition, in a comfortable, convenient package.

The 13,150-square-foot space consists of a communal seating area, floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor patio and six individual walk-up service counters. You have Dunkin’ for doughnuts and Steak ‘n Shake for burgers, but some of the most intriguing concepts are appearing in Las Vegas for the first time. Huey Magoo’s of Florida serves an inspired take on chicken tenders, using all-natural tenderloin without antibiotics, hormones or preservatives. Roli Roti began as a food truck in San Francisco and now has a brick-andmortar counter to serve free-range rotisserie pork and chicken. Tomo Noodles is another California import, originating in coastal San Clemente with popular recipes for ramen, wontons and boba tea.

FREMONT FOOD HALL

Fremont and neighboring California casino, both of which operate under the umbrella of Boyd Gaming. They include a loco moco (the food hall’s overall best seller) and bread pudding made with ube, an Asian purple sweet potato.

“Downtown’s gotta be quicker, because people are always moving,” Blinn says, noting the adjustments made for a tourist crowd. “We added TurboChef ovens to fire up Cuban sandwiches and speed up the process. You still give ’em the same quality, but execute it faster.”

Fremont, 702385-3232, fremontcasino. com. Daily, times vary.

The chef had been weighing the idea of adding a second Craft Kitchen location since before the pandemic, but signed on with Fremont due to a strong connection at Boyd Gaming and assurance the company was committed to quality cuisine. (Knowing Roli Roti was on board sealed the deal.)

Now, there’s pride in carrying the flag for the local culinary scene in a new, efficient format.

“A lot of people really want those local eats,” Blinn says. “If I’m going to Vegas, I want to try the best in Vegas. That’s what you hope to get from a food hall, that it brings a local element to a place that usually doesn’t have it.”

A NEW CHOICE ON WATER STREET

Significant local restaurant closings have been piling up this year. Diners have had to say goodbye to newer spots like Todd English’s revamped Olives at Virgin and Bodega Bagel in Henderson, along with a ton of longtime favorites including Hearthstone, Aureole, Big Wong, Sweets Raku, and most recently, Downtown’s VegeNation.

One of our favorite local taverns and an essential piece of the Water Street scene, Hardway 8, shuttered recently, too. But there’s already a new concept in place for its former Henderson space, thanks to the company behind the PKWY Tavern bars and the Rockhouse on the Strip.

But it’s the Downtown arrival of Craft Kitchen, a longtime Henderson favorite, that adds a welcome dose of local energy to the Fremont Food Hall. Chef Jaret Blinn and his team give breakfast and lunch classics a modern spin with inventive recipes and quality ingredients.

The fresh-baked pastries are among the best in Las Vegas, with European-style croissants and kouign-amanns front and center in the display case. Some dishes are tailored toward the Hawaiian clientele actively courted by the

The Food Hall, built from the ground up over an old parking lot, is part of an ongoing $100 million renovation at the Fremont Hotel & Casino. Guest rooms and sections of the casino, including the sportsbook and a cashier’s cage, have already been revamped. Next up is a brand new lobby and check in-counter. Even the resort’s garage entrance was given a makeover, although the policy remains the same: valet-only and free of charge.

Save that money for the Food Hall instead.

Fine Management opened BLVD Grille just last week at 46 South Water Street, with another location primed to debut this summer at Reno’s City Center residential complex. “Our goal is to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience that combines great cuisine with an inviting atmosphere,” Jonathan Fine said in a statement. “We want BLVD Grille to be the go-to destination for customers looking for a memorable night out.”

Expect live entertainment and bar-top gaming to round out the experience, open for lunch and dinner daily and brunch on the weekends. The menu is big on steaks, seafood, pasta and vegetarian options, augmented with craft cocktails and a lengthy wine list. It’s far from the hometown sports bar vibe we enjoyed there previously, but goodbyes get easier when there’s something exciting that wants to say hello.

–Brock Radke

(Courtesy/Cole Curtis)

BETTING FAREWELL

Breaking down college football conference future odds, before major change arrives

BY CASE KEEFER

College football enters a new era next season with the most drastic conference realignment in decades and the increase from a four- to 12team playo .

With Oklahoma and Texas set to jump from the Big 12 to the SEC, and UCLA and USC shifting from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, the 2024 season will mark an end for the “Power Five Conference” age. It’s now going to be an uno cial “Titanic Two” 16-team leagues, with three semi-major conferences (the Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC) falling in line behind the SEC and Big Ten.

The larger national playo will also ensure that conference championships won’t be as meaningful, with half the field almost certainly not having won their own league.

Let’s bid adieu to the current setup of college football by handicapping futures in each of the Power Five conferences one last time. Listed odds for all teams come from Circa Sports, while the pick at the end is the best price available among all the sportsbooks in Las Vegas.

ACC

No single game in the country will have a greater impact on a conference championship race than a showdown between Clemson and Florida State on September 23.

The Tigers (+145 to win the conference, i.e. risking $100 to win $145) and the Seminoles (+175) enter the season heads above everyone else in the ACC. The most important thing to know about their highly anticipated clash? Clemson is hosting.

That’s a huge advantage and gives the Tigers a clearer path to the ACC Championship Game in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina, which would serve as another edge in the likely case of a year-end rematch with the Seminoles. Louisville (12-to-1) and North Carolina (13-to-1) are popular sleeper picks in the ACC, but their overall talent gap compared with Clemson and Florida State is too much to overcome. Miami (17-to-1) is the only other realistic contender, but that would require everything clicking into place in coach Mario Cristobal’s second season after a disastrous debut in 2022.

Pick: Clemson +145 (Circa)

BIG TEN

As in the ACC, the betting market is split on which team should be favored in the Big 12—Michigan (+175) or Ohio State (+180).

The Wolverines have beaten the Buckeyes, and won the conference, in two consecutive seasons, but it’s worth remembering that they were touchdown or larger underdogs in both of those games. That speaks to Ohio State’s absurd overall talent level, which only backto-back national champion Georgia can top.

Ohio State’s skill players, led by wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and running back TreVeyon Henderson, look unstoppable when healthy. Michigan has the experience edge at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy, but Ohio State coach Ryan Day has coaxed the most out of almost every passer with whom he’s ever worked, and presumed new starter Kyle McCord should be no di erent.

Penn State (+550) is earning buzz behind new blue-chip quarterback Drew Allar, but the Nittany Lions have gone 4-14 combined against Michigan and Ohio State under coach James Franklin. Wisconsin (+900) is a sleeping giant under new coach Luke Fickell but probably not a true threat in his rst year.

Pick: Ohio State +180 (Circa & BetMGM)

CALEB WILLIAMS

CAMERON RISING

CARSON BECK

BIG 12

Texas (+110) could quite possibly wind up favored by double digits in every Big 12 game this season. That’s how much stronger the Longhorns look on paper than everyone else.

Unfortunately, the betting market has caught up. Texas opened as high as +150 to win its rst Big 12 title since 2009 but has since taken virtually all the action to get to even money at most sportsbooks.

The Longhorns deserve to be priced even lower, into odds-on favorite status, but might still be available on discount since they’ve perennially disappointed. Returning quarterback Quinn Ewers has similarly seen his Heisman Trophy odds crash from as high as 30-to-1 to as low as 10-to-1, but he still might be worth a bet at 16-to-1 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

The Big 12 has produced back-to-back surprise champions in Kansas State last season and Baylor two years ago, but the parity should come to a halt in 2023. Second-choice Oklahoma (+330) might be the only team capable of beating Texas, but even that feels like a stretch.

Pick: Texas +110 (Circa)

PAC-12

Double the number of contenders from the rst three conferences in the Pac-12, where the odds accurately re ect a race between four primary teams: USC (+190), Oregon (+325), Washington (+325) and Utah (+700).

Utah has won back-to-back conference championship games at Allegiant Stadium but is saddled with the toughest schedule this year and doubts about the early-season availability of star quarterback Cameron Rising, coming o a torn ACL. The Utes were priced ahead of the Huskies before this month, but their drifting odds are justi ed as rumblings on Rising’s status grow more pessimistic.

USC has the defending Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Caleb Williams but bene ted from historic turnover luck last year and might still be relatively lacking on defense and in the trenches.

Washington and Oregon look like the most complete teams, but give a nod to the former’s duo of coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the latter’s Dan Lanning and Bo Nix, respectively.

Pick: Washington +375 (BetMGM)

SEC

The highest-pro le conference typically draws the most money and therefore winds up with the tightest market. And that appears to be the case this year.

Georgia (-105, i.e. risking $105 to win $100) could run through a third consecutive regular season without a loss, but its preseason price has been beaten into place after two years of dominance. With a new o ensive coordinator/quarterback duo in Mike Bobo and (presumably) Carson Beck, the Bulldogs might be more vulnerable to fall victim to an upset this year.

Wait to see if that happens, and then jump on the Bulldogs to win the league. Their price would raise, but there’s little chance they’ll lose another game and fall out of the top spot in the East Division to miss the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

On the other side of the conference, in the West Division, it’s difficult to settle on whether it’s worth having more confidence in Alabama (+275) or LSU (+500). The former has the infrastructure and track record while the latter might have the more tantalizing roster.

One other team has a similar talent level, but it doesn’t feel comfortable to back Texas A&M (17-to-1), given how archaic the offense has looked recently under coach Jimbo Fisher.

But maybe Fisher will fully cede control to new o ensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who spent two weeks at UNLV before bailing for Texas A&M this o season, and the Aggies will reach their potential. It was a more tempting gamble when a couple of sportsbooks posted 50-to-1 opening odds, but still, why not take a long shot in a league priced this e ciently going into the season?

Pick: Texas A&M at 18-to-1 (South Point)

DREW ALLAR

MICHAEL PENIX JR.

QUINN EWERS

LAS VEGAS

WEEKLY

PRESENTED BY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS

OWNER OF TEQUILA BRAND WANTS YOU TO SLOW DOWN, ENJOY THE SPIRIT

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

People come to Las Vegas from all over the globe for the chance to be a different version of themselves, so the city was a good choice for the U.S. debut of Dos Caras, which translates to “two faces,” said Ian Miller, creative director of the Mexico-based distillery.

“When they go out to the casinos, it’s one face; when they go out to the clubs, it’s another face,” Miller said. “And so it’s just really that idea of honoring all the variants of human life and human existence, across cultures and across languages and across heritages.”

Lupita Arreguín, president and owner of Dos Caras, said she and her husband laid the foundation for the tequila company as early as 2004, but the brand didn’t really take off until about two years ago.

Arreguín, who was born in and lives in Mexico, said tequila has been a huge part of her life.

“I’m super proud of this tequila that we have,” she said, noting how she values her heritage and having a Mexican-owned tequila brand. “I’d really like for people to understand the way that we view and drink tequila in Mexico.”

She said Dos Caras chose to roll out its product in Las Vegas casinos, bars and liquor stores because of existing connections in the city, and that the experience has been “fantastic” so far.

The community is amazing and lively, Arreguín said, and has embraced Dos Caras since its arrival in January.

“It just started to fit and we started to see how the brand fit into the Vegas market,” said Andreas Garcia, a Dos Caras employee and relative of Arreguín. “That name Dos Caras just applies in so many scenarios, but it’s interesting how everything is just starting to fall into place for the brand and the city and the people we’re meeting.”

Many tequila companies are targeted toward American culture, Arreguín said, when the population of consumers is actually so diverse. Ultimately, she wants to do things “in a way that speaks to everyone.”

“The Latin community is huge,” she said. “And so I really want to find a way to reach them.”

who lives in Las Vegas, said the city was a special place for the tequila brand to launch in the U.S. because of how many people come here to “have a good time.”

A primary goal of Kekahuna and others at Dos Caras is to educate consumers on the history of the agave plant, the process by which it becomes tequila and how to sip it—instead of just using it for shots, or to be chased by salt and lime, Garcia said.

“If you shoot it straight to your liver, you’re not respecting the spirit,” he said. “Because what you have in your glass—it took eight to 10 years to get into that glass.”

The agave used to make Dos Caras is planted in Mexico’s highlands, Garcia said, where it grows for up to a decade before being handpicked. From there, it goes to the distillery, where it’s chopped and cooked for 16 hours, then injected with water from Dos Caras’ 200-footdeep wells.

“The agave plant—it’s a beautiful plant,” Garcia said. “It’s its own little spirit; it has its own little energy; it grows. And we take it from this physical form and turn it into a liquid form.”

Next is the fermentation process, which takes up to five days, and then the tequila is distilled and barreled, Garcia said.

The overall result is Dos Caras’ three tequila expressions: the blanco, the “representation of the brand,” Kekahuna says; the reposado, which rests in the virgin oak barrels for six to eight months; and the añejo, which takes about two years.

In a way, Arreguín said, the agave-to-tequila process truly emulates the Dos Caras slogan: “Be you; be all of you.”

“Dos Caras is agave being all it could be—from a planting, the eight years that it grew, all the way to this bottle where you sip it,” she said. “It’s agave being all it could be.”

Arreguín, who’s from Jalisco, Mexico, said it’s important that the taste of cooked agave comes through in a sip of Dos Caras. Her love for that flavor feels “innate,” she said, and she hopes others will fall in love with the product in the same way.

Even if it’s only “one person at a time,” Arreguín said, she’s going to change the perception that tequila is only something to throw back in a shot.

“You can enjoy a really good tequila like a fine wine or fine whiskey,” she said.

Les Kekahuna, a Dos Caras employee

Lupita Arreguín, right, president and owner of Dos Caras, with her daughter Devon. (Courtesy)

PRESENTED BY

LET’S BOOGIE!

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VEGAS INC NOTES

Nevada Health & Bioscience Corporation, a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing health care research, education, clinical assets and programming, named Dr. Barbara Atkinson as its first-ever physician medical liaison. Her duties will include serving as primary adviser on clinical and general medical services as well as advising on future academic affiliations and partnerships. Prior to this position, Atkinson was a vital part in bringing to life NHBC’s first venture, the Kirk Kerkorian Medical Education Building.

Rich Wierzbowski, vice president of operations for Diversified Restaurant Group, has joined the board of directors for Junior Achievement

of Southern Nevada. Responsible for the operations of 78 Taco Bell restaurants, Wierzbowski’s management, mentoring leadership development and problem-solving abilities will benefit JASN’s commitment to empowering youth through financial literacy and entrepreneurship education.

Agate Construction appointed Steven Johnson as its preconstruction services director. He will oversee all aspects of Agate Construction’s preconstruction department including all bidding and estimating processes, design management of all design build projects, as well as the maintenance of the company’s cost database. Prior to joining Agate, Johnson served as

principal at Bergmann in Ohio.

TaChelle Lawson, president and chief strategist of Las Vegas-based FIG Strategy & Consulting, is president of the National Association of Women Business Owners’ Southern Nevada chapter.

Cragin & Pike announced that Greg McKinley, now serving as chairman emeritus, has been honored with the prestigious “Person of the Year” Big I award by Nevada Independent Insurance Agents

Cragin & Pike also announced its leadership team, which in addition to McKinley includes: Scott Kerestesi, CEO; Todd Morse, COO; Chris Campbell and Dulcinea Rongavilla, executive vice presidents.

Barbara Atkinson, Nevada Health & Bioscience Corporation

Rich Wierzbowski, Diversified Restaurant Group

CANYON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RUN | JULY 29, 2023 | For more than a decade, players from all levels of Canyon Springs’ football program have gathered early on a summer morning to take part in an 8.6-mile run. Training? Sure, but also much more. The annual route, plotted out by former coach Hunkie Cooper, includes stops at the Shade Tree—a shelter for homeless and abused women and children—and Woodlawn Cemetery, where the athletes learn life lessons about the harmful consequences of bad decisions and the true value of good ones. –LVW Staff

(Steve Marcus/Staff)