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Color Me Beautiful Michael Boychuck; Owner-Operator of COLOR in Caesar’s Palace by Janice Marie Wilson
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It’s the Talk of the Town
Simon says, “You can now enjoy brunch on Sundays. And yes, you can even wear your pajamas or come in your bathrobe!” by Bobbie Katz
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Nico Santucci; Modern-Day Mogul
He’s One of Las Vegas’ Most Eligible Bachelors and the Epitome of How to Succeed in Business Even When Times Are Trying by Bobbie Katz
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In December, MGM MIRAGE showed the world its “green” thumb in the hospitality industry when it debuted CityCenter. by Bobbie Katz
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Engelbert Humperdinck
After More Than 40 Years of Crossing Oceans to Perform, the Legendary Artist Desires to Be in “Hot� Water Once Again by Bobbie Katz
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David the Goliath
Mega-talent David Foster Shares the Keys to His Musical Kingdom by Bobbie Katz
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CSI: The Experience
Have You Gotten Your CSI Today? Interactive Exhibit Leaves a Handprint in the Desert by Bobbie Katz
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Garth Brooks Throws HIs Hat into the Arena Once Again
Contrary to the title of one of his biggest hits, Garth Brooks does have friends in high places.
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by Bobbie Katz
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From Drags to Riches
For the last 26 years, Frank Marino has come out of – and gone back into – the closet more times than any entertainer in Las Vegas history. by Bobbie Katz
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Wayne Newton: Soul Ambition After 50 Years in Show Business, Is He Closing the Curtain on His Career? Sammy Davis Jr. once said, “There are two things you have to see when you come to Las Vegas – Boulder Dam and Wayne Newton, and not necessarily in that order.” by Bobbie Katz
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‘Tis The Season
Big Boys Don’t Cry – They Just Stay Focused on Success. There’s a time to sing; a time to laugh; and a time to win. That’s the saga of The Four Seasons – at least as viewed nightly at the Palazzo in Jersey Boys. by Bobbie Katz
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Movie Star Gorgeous “Rain Cosmetics”
How would you like to be wearing the “sexiest makeup in the world?” (Shhh! don’t worry what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.) by Janice Marie Wilson
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The Fast Lane
Ever wondered what it would be like to drive a supercar at over 140 mph and not worry about the black and white Crown Victoria looming around the next corner? by Anthony Keys
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The Grand Del Mar
The Grand Del Mar in northern San Diego County is the place where heaven meets earth. by Janice Marie Wilson
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The Making of “The Natural/Randy Couture”
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The body doubles that Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. have created are more life like than any wax figures that I can remember. by Milka Von Rhedey
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The Flawless Face
Before you begin, clip your hair back. by Rain Adreani
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Life of a Passionate Photographer What compels people to do what they do in life? Is it out of love, obsession, drive, passion? Perhaps it is all of these. What compelled me to pick up that first camera when I was a kid? I don’t know? Was it my curiosity to capture a moment on film, or was it the realization that I could perhaps create art by using my photography. At this young age I never thought in a million years that someday I would have my work published in publications such as Playboy, Penthouse, Surf, Thrasher, FHM, Maxim, Risqué Las Vegas, etc. or that I would be able to shoot for Christian Audiguire, New Era, Affliction, Sacou-
ra, Remetee, Fiu’ Fiu’, Syrup, etc. Photography has been my obsession? Yes, I am obsessed; I always strive to get the best images that I can. No matter what I am photographing I drive myself to do the best and be the best and I want people to realize this when they view my images. This drive has given me the confidence to easily work with high end and demanding clients. Everyday I find that I learn something new in life, this is also applied to my craft, as technologies and techniques are always changing. When I can be satisfied with my passion and with what I love, then yes, I
feel I am a success. So far I have lived an extraordinary life. I am constantly working with beautiful models and interesting events. I have made my life extraordinary by utilizing my passion as I share my vision of life from behind the lens. Mostly my story is a story of love, passion, obsession, and hope. I hope that with the images that I capture and those that are then shared and seen by millions of people around the world that they share my vision of that particular moment in time.
Shaun G
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Fashion Attics
How many times did you hide out in the attic and pretend to be a fashion model? Did you find Mom’s old dresses and stroll the catwalk? James found these girls being fitted for a good time. by James Hickey
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SOHO DOLLS
The girls in this district are definitely not south of Houston. Nor are they the kind of dolls you’re going to find in the local shoppe. These are the dolls that James Hickey plays with. by James Hickey
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Stairs
There’s a whole lot of gawking going on in this stairwell. Are these the kids that live in James Hickey’s building? by James Hickey
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Vamp
Is there a trickle running down your neck? Are you howling at the moon? Do you have a distinct dislike for silver? This girl does! by James Hickey
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Holly Madison The beautiful dancer from Dancing with the Stars, comes to Las Vegas to star as Bo Peep in Tony Award-winning director/ choreographer Jerry Mitchell’s production of PEEPSHOW. And even though she didn’t take the trophy home with her (and really, who would want to), we can certainly appreciate the talents that brought her here to Planet Hollywood. Jerry Mitchell, who has collaborated with Las Vegas pacesetter BASE Entertainment on PEEPSHOW, has created a production different from most shows of this nature; it actually has a storyline. One that depicts the empowerment of women. In taking Bo Peep from sheepish to sexy, the sugar provided by Madison adds just the right seasoning to make the show exciting and risqué. Cover Photo by Josh Ryan.
76 What’s Your Number? Do you encounter the same numbers over and over again? Do you know what your Numerological number is? Is it the same as your lucky number? Is any or all of this chance or synchronicity? What does all this mean, and how do numbers affect us? Page 76.
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74 Seduction 101: Find Your Soul Mate Through Mind Control We all have heard stories of albums being played backwards for record label propaganda to be installed in our subconscious mind. Or the tales of hot buttered popcorn being flashed in the corners of movie screens making you crave the flavor and feel the hunger, Take Your Mind Back is the truth about mind control. Page 74
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80 Beso and The Missing Exploited Children Reception When you’re opening a new venue, even when you already have a famed restaurant with a renowned chef and acclaimed food, sometimes it takes a little while to swallow the magnitude of it all.
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Friday night, January 8, at Bellagio was a true picture of family spirit as celebrities from all genres came together for the benefit of children. Page 80
Stephanie Sadorra
It’s and for the New Year, we have a whole lot of really great new stuff for you. And some changes to the pages that we think you’re going to like. First we’ve asked Isreal Mandrake and Ali Guggenheim (and they’ve agreed) to become ongoing columnists in our magazine. Israel gives us our first lesson on seduction; Seduction 101. And Ali asks What’s Your Number in her story about numerology. You’ll find their departments on pages 38 and 40, respectively. And talk about “New,” we are very excited to have Holly Madison on our cover for the first issue in 2010. She is the newest celebrity in Las Vegas and is giving the city some real spice in PeepShow. Our new issue will give everyone a chance to see how we are changing the look and feel of Risqué Las Vegas Magazine. As usual, we will give you some diverse stories. And now we’ll keep you glued to the pages to see the risqué images from some very talented photographer’s. In this issue James Hickey has some incredible art to share with us. We have included four of his pictorials in this issue; Soho Dolls, Fashion Attic, Stairs, and Vamp. You’re going to love what James does with his camera. And, of course, Shaun Goodrich and Luciano Mello continue to grace our pages with their tempting imagery. So you’ve got a lot to look forward to in this issue. And we look forward to hearing from you. Your comments are always appreciated.
Milka C. VonRhedey Editor in Chief
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™
Editor in Chief
Milka C. Von Rhedey
Creative Director
Senior Managing Editor
Jim Canada
Bobbie Katz
Managing Fashion Editor
Managing Lifestyle Editor
Evan Hostetler
Janice Marie Wilson
Managing Sports Editor
Managing Art Editor
David Parks
Beti Kristof Contributing Writers
Aaron Auxier, Jimmy Canyon, Blake French, Ali Guggenheim, Israel Mandrake, Joan Marcus Contributing Artists and Photographers
McKenzie Brice, Desert Ice Studios, Shaun Goodrich, Anthony Keys, Debbie Marshall, Luciano Mello,Virgil Wilson, Rebecca Wood, James Hickey, Josh Ryan, John Ganun
Director of Special Events and Promotions
Online Director
Christine Dannon
Brandon Keller
Director of Sales
Delina Santos Inside Sales Manager
Caryn McNeff Account Executives
Donna McBride, Daren Kline
Corporate Office, Risque Las Vegas Magazine, Inc. 8987 South Flamingo Road, Suite 105 Las Vegas, NV 89147 702.592.0055 Risqué Las Vegas™ does not assume liability for products or services advertised herein. To subscribe to Risqué Las Vegas™ Magazine, Visit www.RisqueLVmag.com
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Photo by John Ganun
Sometimes a girl just has to get something off her chest. Ok, so in the case of Holly Madison, Playboy Playmate and star of the reality show Girls Next Door who recently renewed her contract for another year as the star of PEEPSHOW at Planet Hollywood, that something is her clothes. But the 30-year-old is excited about appearing in the topless adult revue at the hotel and it might surprise onlookers to know that, when Madison talks, there’s definitely much more to her than meets the eye. In speaking with the actress/model, one discovers
that she is intelligent, focused and upfront While Madison chuckles when she says about her life and the direction in which that, in reality, living at the Playboy Manshe wants to go. For the immediate future, sion proved to be a “definitely different” she will continue performing the role of Bo type of 24/7 experience for her. It was a Peep, which she took over from General Hos- full-time schedule with something always pital’s Kelly Monaco last June 25 and which going on, during which she was expected was originally a three-month gig. Calling PEEPSHOW a modern, sexy classic on the scale of a Broadway show, Madison says that she is amazed at how perfect the character is for her. “Bo Peep is very, very shy initially but she comes out in the last number,” she expresses. “She is shy, repressed and timid and at the end of the show is sexy and liberated. Both sides are 100 percent me — even in the opening sequence where Bo Peep is sitting and reading with her faithful dog beside her and is then seen drawing hearts on the shower door. My shy side may come as a surprise but you can see a little of it in Photo by John Ganun Girls Next Door.” According to Madison, the reality show, to attend events with Hef. Plus, there was a culled from life at the Playboy Mansion curfew for the girls – they were all expectwhere she lived for seven years, has brought ed to be in the mansion by 9 p.m. more of a female fan base to Playboy and has “Hef and I had a lot in common,” she says also enhanced the “Playboy” brand. And of her former relationship with the 80while Madison had a well-publicized re- something publisher. “We both worked on lationship with Playboy Enterprises mo- the magazine and we both had a love for gul Hugh Hefner, like the character she film and art direction. But we used to get portrays in PEEPSHOW, Madison’s time at into big, big fights. He wasn’t easy on me.” the mansion led to self-discovery with her Madison, who was a last minute replaceeventually becoming head photo editor of ment for an injured Jewel on 2007’s Dancthe magazine. ing with the Stars, laughs that she has never “You have to find your own unique path graduated from being 8 years old mentally and it’s very difficult,” she says. “Back in the and she’s fine with that. The first big thing 1930s, you could break through in a movie she did was signing on to do the reality role but today you can become famous by show in 2005, which unexpectedly made being a socialite or by having a sex tape. her a brains-and-beauty role model, but it I had wanted to be involved with Playboy was Dancing with the Stars that provided a since a very young age. I wanted to be like real challenge for her. Marilyn Monroe or Jenny McCarthy. My “Dancing with the Stars was the toughest aunt bought me Marilyn Monroe paper thing I’ve ever done physically in my life,” dolls when I was 8 – that sent me on my she admits. “I was a last-minute pinchpath to destruction.” hitter and I had met with the producers
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previously because I always wanted to do the show. It taught me about picking up choreography really fast. The other contestants had at least a month more to practice than I did. In PEEPSHOW, however, the role doesn’t call for me to be a great dancer so it’s perfect for me.” As for the steps she’ll be taking in the future, Madison says that she is just playing everything by ear, seeing what kind of opportunities come her way. One is happening already – following the ratings success of the Holly World TV special on E! Entertainment this past December, the network has ordered a new continuing series about Madison. Scheduled to premiere this summer, the eight-episode reality series will focus on her life as “she lives, works, and plays in her new home in Las Vegas.” It’s being produced by Girls Next Door boss Kevin Burns and “World” will follow Madison on such escapades as a Vegas boosters meeting with Mayor Oscar Goodman and a pinup calendar shoot in Mexico. With it all, Madison admits that she hasn’t reached her height yet and says that, eventually, she wants to be a mom and a Sunday school teacher. “I love going to church every Sunday,” she notes. “I love the routine and I love going with friends and sharing something with them.” For right now, however, she’s looking forward to continuing this new experience of doing a live show six days a week. She is particularly enjoying her new camaraderie – that with the cast members in PEEPSHOW. “I love the cast,” she emotes. “This is fun for me.” Seems the “World” can’t get enough of Holly Madison.
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by Bobbie Katz
After More Than 40 Years of Crossing the Oceans of the World to Perform, the Legendary Artist Desires to Be in “Hot� Water Once Again
Engelbert Humperdinck continued from page 18 Throughout his long career, Engelbert Humperdinck has always maintained that “applause is the food of the artist” and has expressed his appreciation for the fact that he has never been starved. But here’s the thing – even with a full plate of accolades, honors and awards; more than four decades of being a seasoned global superstar; and possessing a dynamic entertaining ability that allows him to continually sizzle on stage, the iconic singer admits that he’s still “hungry.” And by the time he returns to the Orleans, March 5-7, he’ll have been stirring the pot once again. “While I’ve had my share of hits and have been living off them for 43 years, like any other artist I’d like to have another hit, another poke at the charts,” says the downto-earth Engelbert, who has long reigned as music’s “King of Romance,” having been dubbed that years ago by his legions of fans. “Last Year, I released Legacy of Love, an album of my classic hits that, in addition, contains three songs that aren’t mine – My Way, Over the Rainbow, and Unchained Melody. And I’ve recently released a country album called A Taste of Country.” “My latest release is a mini album of six original songs, which I did with Charlie Calello who is nicknamed ‘Platinum Charlie,’” he continues. “Charlie did After the Lovin’, This Moment in Time, my Last of the Romantics album, and two of my Christmas albums. He’s got an experienced ear and has been able to determine what songs are potential hits. He got me five of the songs for this album and the sixth was given to me by Paul Anka, which I’m also very thrilled about. It’s a song written by him and David Foster called Endlessly and it’s slated to be the single off my CD.” Reported to be the fifth top-selling recording artist of all time with record sales in excess of 150 million, Engelbert’s fire in the belly started when he was a child named Arnold George Dorsey growing up in Leicester, England, the ninth of 10 children and the youngest son in a close-knit family. A loner in the outside world who was always getting picked on by other kids, his one desire in life was to become somebody. That strong ambition, accompanied by a powerful and beautiful 3 1/2-octave voice, hard work, perseverance, and a series of fortuitous events, eventually led to his becoming an international luminary amassing 72 gold albums, 23 platinum albums, a Grammy, four Grammy nominations, a
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Golden Globe Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an Honorary Doctorate of Music. And the honors keep coming. Possessing a charitable and compassionate nature and feeling strongly about helping the disadvantaged, just last year alone, Engelbert’s career-long professional and charitable accomplishments culminated in his receiving the Variety Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Freedom of the City Award from the Mayor of Leicester, and in his being named the Cultural Patron for the Special Olympics in Leicester. As if all that isn’t impressive enough, however, what’s truly amazing about this artist
“Romance will never leave this earth and I’m proud to be a part of it. But people like me who are in the romantic field have a tough job… Beat music doesn’t make the world go ‘round, but through ballads, love and romance definitely do.” who is on a one-name basis with the world is that while he has recorded albums in recent years that have charted, he has continued to flourish on the entertainment scene through four decades of changing musical trends – with no hit single since 1978’s After the Lovin’. What’s more, even in the face of hip-hop, house, rap and other eras of music, he has remained the quintessential romantic singer, staying true to who he is while also keeping up with contemporary times and giving romance a pulse. “Romance will never leave this earth and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he says. “But people like me who are in the romantic field have a tough job because we have to keep it at a top level. Beat music doesn’t make the world go round but through ballads, love and romance definitely do.” Still, if you think that Engelbert has had an actual recipe for success, think again. He acknowledges that his entire career, up until this moment in time, has been by accident – mixed in with a healthy dose of destiny, which he believes is a very big part of one’s life. ”Everything has always happened by acFebruary 2010
cident for me since the very beginning,” he relates. “I recorded Release Me and then one of the artists who was supposed to be on a TV show called Sunday Night at the London Palladium got sick. I was asked to take his place and ended up singing the song on the show, after which I sold two-and-a-halfmillion records in six weeks in England alone. After that, Release Me went around the world, giving me an international career. That’s what luck is all about – some people only get lucky in one country.” Of course, it didn’t hurt that the handsome artist was also considered a “dish” in the physical sense, his meteoric rise on the entertainment scene aided by his black hair and long sideburns, which, in tandem with his name, gave him the gimmick necessary in those days for recognition. He achieved a sex symbol image, amassing some 250 global fan clubs, once said to be the largest fan base of any artist in the world. It has been the four decades of lasting devotion from his fans and mutual respect and admiration between the artist and his audiences – now filled with women and men alike – that he feels is responsible for his continuing to sell out the world’s stages today. As in anyone’s life, however, there were also those not-so-lucky-at-the-time circumstances that provided lessons to be learned and new paths to be taken. Engelbert acknowledges that he has played a big part in his own career, making his own decisions and planning his own shows, with only two or three of the latter over the years being produced by others. Even so, he admits that he has made “tons” of mistakes, particularly with management, having been ripped off several times. He is currently in the very capable hands of Eliot Weisman, who has managed Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr., Steve and Eydie, and Don Rickles. “I’m really glad that Eliot’s on board,” Engelbert relates. “At this stage of my life, I can’t afford to make any more changes. Eliot really cares about me and respects my talent – and that’s half the battle. He’s handled the biggest stars in the world and he’s really a genius.” “When I make mistakes now,” he adds, “I rap myself on the head and say, ‘Stupid, don’t do that again.’ I don’t dwell on those things – it just brings you down. I just keep moving forward. Luckily, I’ve never had to take too many steps backwards. I was able to maintain a high level in the entertainment world.” continued on page 56
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Engelbert Humperdinck continued from page 54 Engelbert admits that one area in which he made some errors was in his physical image. Revealing that he had difficulty finding the right identifiable look for himself through the years, he says that he started to do things that didn’t belong to him. Now, he is adamant about the fact that once an artist sets a style, he should hold that style for the purpose of being recognized. “I set my style on my TV show with my black hair and long sideburns,” he notes. “Then Elvis and others began copying my sideburns so I shaved mine off. Stupid me. I changed my looks several times – I dyed my hair blonde, then I grew a mustache, then a beard, then massively long hair. And Engelbert disappeared. Several years ago, I reinvented myself back into myself, dyeing my hair black and growing my sideburns again. And people started to recognize me once more. Everything starts from the head and those aspects created an image for me. Of course, I’ve changed my hair color now – I’ve gone lighter – because with black hair at my age, people will think that I’m trying to be something I’m not.” With his natural youthful looks (he doesn’t believe in plastic surgery) and energy belying his 73 years, Engelbert believes in taking good care of himself. He eats well and has recently lost 33 pounds on NutriSystem and wants to lose 20 more (“Then I can go on Dancing with the Stars,” he says). A rare exception in the entertainment world, he never dines past 6 p.m., which means that he eats before going on stage while most performers eat afterwards. He also enjoys cooking and, when at home, will often make his own meals.
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Married for 46 years to his wife, Patricia, and the father of four, Engelbert exercises, plays golf, and rides his motorcycle and does it all with his wonderful sense of humor. “I was doing my push-ups the other day and, after a while, a friend came over to
me and said, “Ok, Enge, you can quit now – the girl’s gone,” he quips. By virtue of the obvious fitness benefits the above activities impart, they also help to maintain the incredible voice that the London Times once called “the premier voice of the century.” “I don’t know where my voice comes from,” the star says modestly. “I don’t warm up. I don’t do anything. I just walk on stage and the power comes out. I believe that it’s a gift from God.” Never one to rest on his laurels, Engelbert admits that he still gets butterflies before he goes on stage. When he comes off stage, if something has upset him during the
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show – such as the sound is bad or he feels he hasn’t given 110 percent of himself – he gets depressed. Part of his legacy, he feels, is the way he breathes when he sings. He can sing several lines before taking a breath, something that he says is just part of him. He chooses songs that he can relate to, believing that the honesty of its story comes through the singer’s eyes and not his mouth. Saying that he doesn’t think he could sing a song without feeling it, to him it has to have good melody, good lyrics, and good vibes that people will listen to On the personal side, Engelbert enjoys his stardom, citing that the best thing about it is being recognized all over the world. Taking the good road of fame, he claims, provides comfort and joy in a life that’s a world of fantasy. No longer feeling like he’s living in a fishbowl like he did in the early days of his career and having become more confident in his life, he has been able to cope with and push aside the shyness that always plagued him. When it comes to the people in his life, his biggest beefs are incompetence and those who take advantage of his kindness, mistaking it for weakness. He doesn’t tolerate phonies and says that those associations don’t last. While he admits that he’s not a very communicative person and that people have to read into him as opposed to his telling them what he’s feeling, there is no mistaking the message he imparts in his music and live performance. “There’s no greater pleasure for me than walking on stage,” Engelbert sums up. “God has given me life, health, and a good living. As long as I can make a good living, I’m happy and content. As the song goes, ‘music is my first love… and it will be my last.’” His appetite for life and performing goes on.
Model: Leslie Pincock Make Up: Aubree Lyn Hair: Stevee Woodard Styled: Jamie Lin Snider Photography: Luciano Mello
by Bobbie Katz
Can We Talk? For the last 26 years, Frank Marino has come out of – and gone back into – the closet more times than any entertainer in Las Vegas history. Of course, switching complete head-to-toe costumes 17 times each and every night for 25 years starring as Joan Rivers/Femme Fatale in An Evening at La Cage at the Riviera, and now in his new show Divas Las Vegas at the Imperial Palace, which he created and is co-producing, Marino definitely has a handle on what it really means to be a quick-change artist. continued on page 60
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Frank Marino continued from page 59
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“The only performer who currently goes through ‘the change’ as much as I do is Cher in her Caesars show – and we even use the same primary designer, Bob Mackie,” he quips. “But as much as this may give me a leg up when it comes to melding fashion with entertainment, the ladder of success is definitely harder to climb when you’re wearing high heels.” “Actually, I was a natural in them from the moment I took my first steps as a female impersonator – it’s sneakers that I have trouble walking in,” he continues. “I always knew I’d be successful in whatever I chose to do; I just didn’t know I’d be wearing designer stilettos to do it.” In reality, female impersonation has always been part of Marino’s makeup. He started out wanting to be a doctor and, while in college, worked at a large pharmacy on weekends. Apparently, he spent more time upfront at the cosmetics counter than at the back dispensing pills. Makeup fascinated him for some reason and through trial and error, he learned to apply it. Then, one Halloween, he dressed up like Diana Ross and went to a party. “There was a booking agent there who told me that I looked so good that he could send me out to different events impersonating famous divas,” Marino recalls. “He offered me $150 a night. That’s when I kissed the idea of medical school goodbye.” Between the ages of 17 and 20, Marino tried portraying every female character from Cher to Madonna. Then, one night, he went to Atlantic City to see Joan Rivers perform. She invited him backstage where he met the producers of An Evening at La Cage, which was playing at Bally’s on the Boardwalk and in which the headlining host of the show was the female impersonator portraying Joan. Since Marino couldn’t sing and Joan was the most glamorous of all the female comedians, she subsequently became his permanent character to impersonate. After finishing four years of college, Marino ended up in Florida, headlining the La Cage show there as Joan Rivers. Meschulam Riklis, who owned the Riviera at the time, and his then-wife, Pia Zadora, came to see the show and subsequently brought Marino to the Riviera on a six-month contract to the Riviera to star in it in Las Vegas. He ultimately became the longest running
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headliner on the Strip thanks to that show, performing in it for two-and-a-half decades before it closed at the hotel in 2008. “Of course, the thing people are most curious about where female impersonation is concerned and the first question they ask is, ‘Where do you put IT?’” Marino laughs. “I always respond with, “Where do you want it?” The second thing they want to know is how long it takes me to perfect Joan each night. When I first started, the makeup process took over two hours. Today, it takes me less than an hour but it takes an hour and a half to get the makeup off because of all the putty and wax and theater makeup I use.” “When I’m putting on my makeup, I look at Joan’s picture,” he adds. “I try to recreate her facial structure, much like an artist who takes a blank canvas and turns it into a painting. I don’t do my makeup like Joan’s; I do my makeup so that my face will look like Joan’s. It’s been a lot easier to do over the years because I’ve had over $150,000 of plastic surgery – I have my surgeon, Dr. Giselle Anson, on speed dial. I’ve had a nose job, cheek implants, a neck lift, and liposuction and I’m a big fan of Restylane and Juvederm. And I’m never more than six months away from a shot of Botox. I’ve had so much that even my clothes don’t wrinkle.” Marino emphasizes that he doesn’t do the surgery to look like Rivers but rather because it softens his features so that when he applies the makeup, it makes him look more like her. He notes that she’s had so much surgery herself that she’s changing every day, which makes it difficult to get her physical appearance down. “The hardest part about impersonating Joan for me has always been her hairstyles,” he admits. “In the 80s, she had the teasedup bouffant, then she went to the straight pageboy – what I call her talk show look – then she went to the Meg Ryan spiky look and now she has a new sleek look. Luckily, I have a great wig stylist in Las Vegas, Leslie Arce, who does all my Joan Rivers wigs.” About six years ago, because Rivers was getting up in years and he was concerned that he wouldn’t have a character if her career didn’t stay stable, Marino invented a Femme Fatale character that he also portrays in the show. Little did he know that Rivers would end up being the queen of the Fashion Police on the red carpet, the topseller of costume jewelry on QVC, and the winner of this past season’s The Apprentice. So he portrays Rivers for the first 20 minutes of the show, doing a monologue to continued on page 63
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Frank Marino continued from page 61 warm up the audience, then he introduces the other acts as the Femme Fatale character. Marino has more than 2,000 gowns in his wardrobe, most of them designed by Bob Mackie, and others by a local designer, Coco Vega, who is also appearing in the new production as Bette Midler. Mackie created 17 new gowns for Marino for Divas. “In helping to design them, I kept with my motto, ‘Too much is just enough,’” Marino exclaims. The entertainer also has trunks full of jewelry bought by his personal shopper, Carole Daniels, all over the world. When he travels, he brings back jewelry, too. Each time he performs one of his nightly changes, he changes everything from his gown to
his shoes, jewelry and wigs. “Divas is the same format as La Cage but I’ve given it a more modern twist,” explains Marino, who signed a one-year contract with the Imperial Palace. “Instead of cabaret, it is more of an MTV/VH1 type of production. There are younger characters as well as the staples like Cher, Diana Ross, and Madonna. There are 15 cast members in all, including six hunky dancers.” Audiences will have a chance to see the likes of Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Dolly Parton, Wynonna Judd, Donna Summer and others. All told, 17 of the most famous divas to have ever graced the stages of Las Vegas and the world are portrayed, some by former cast members of La Cage and some by new performers who have never been seen before. “Being a producer is a little more difficult than I thought,” relates Marino, who is coproducing the show with SPI Entertainwww.RisqueLVmag.com
ment. “It’s a great experience to be able to go on stage every night and not think about anything but your monologue and yourself. Now I feel like Octomom times 2 – it’s like having 15 kids in one litter. I have to worry about every detail of the show. I can’t relax and just perform. As a performer only, I didn’t realize it. Everything seemed a lot simpler.” “I’ve worked overtime to make sure that everything is pristine,” he sums up. “And I truly feel that every cast member is like my child. If someone does something that the audience doesn’t like, it’s an offshoot of me. But I have control and the final say – if the crowd doesn’t like something they see on Friday night, it will be changed by Saturday. I just want the kids to have input into their routines and choreography and stuff like that because I want them to be as passionate about this show as I am.” If life is a drag, it’s fine with him.
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Photography: James Hickey Studio Art Direction: Drew Amann Models: Irina Voronina Brooke Taylor Styling: Jessica Lewis Elsa Hernandez Hair: Noel Nichols Make-Up: Jennifer Corona Wardrobe: Belldini
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Seduction 101: Find Your Soul Mate Through Mind Control We all have heard stories of albums being played backwards for record label propaganda to be installed in our subconscious mind. Or the tales of hot buttered popcorn being flashed in the corners of movie screens making you crave the flavor and feel the hunger… Israel Mandrake’s, Take Your Mind Back is the truth about mind control, how it works and how to use it effectively. It’s no secret that dating is a strategic game that takes endurance and focus. My goal as a mind coach is to use the techniques of mentalism (mind play) hypnosis (mind state induction) and mind control (emotional chess) to strategically help you find a loving life partner. Love is a lot like religion and politics, we don’t remember signing up for it; but for some reason it seems to control our hearts and minds. Serotonin, opiates and dopamine; our brains chemical cocktail that lets us know we are in love. The following techniques will spill this delicious cocktail into the mind of your future mate, please handle with care. So, let us take a gander at the first lesson on the beautiful tactics of sensual persuasion... Step #1 – Stacking the Deck Ask your future partner to tell you about their most exhilarating experiences. Stimulate their imagination by using feeling words such as, ‘Tell me about the first time you fell in love with music, pets, art, etc.’
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Step #2 – Feeling with Intent Allow your interest’s compassion toward the subject to create a REAL smile on your face. Feel their excitement from head to toe while bursting with enthusiasm from behind your eyes. Your focus is to peak their emotional state. Total acceptance and relate ability creates this mutual rapport.
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Step #3 – Playing Games Now it’s time to watch for pupil dilation, this subtle change happens during peak stimulus. When you are confidant in your analysis of your partners exhilaration use your glass of wine or any casual posturing to play a subtle game of peek-a-boo. Gently and flirtatiously making and breaking eye contact. (Do not rush this process, it may take a few seconds or several minutes to begin this dance. Be gentle while playing your subconscious game for maximum effectiveness. Believe it, this is the hardest step.) Step #4 – Engaging your Weapon After playing your grown-up version of peek-a-boo you have my friend what is called a trigger on a shotgun called ‘the feeling of love’. Now it is time to shoot! To reinitiate that feeling you just established simply play a strategically placed version of peek-a-boo. When he’s being difficult, pull the trigger. When she hesitates, pull the trigger. Before you ask the question, pull the trigger. The more you pull the trigger you condition your partners automated response. Your can’t break this gun. Step #5 - Success Knowledge is power ladies and gents. Now, I wish you luck with your new Nuero-chemical double barreled love gun. Until next time, peek-a-boo! Love,
What’s Your Number?
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Do you encounter the same numbers over ciations. Numerology allows you to transand over again? Do you know what your late everything you feel, touch, or experiNumerological number is? Is it the same ence in this dimension (and beyond) into as your lucky number? Is any or all of this its individual numerical equivalent in order chance or synchronicity? What does all to reveal future evolutionary tendencies. this mean, and how do numbers affect us? That is why your name, birth date, lover’s Numbers and math were the first hu- name, address, etc., are all significant numman language. All kinds of cultures studied bers that have a direct influence on your the power of numbers and their vibrations life, luck and love. Like a kaleidoscope, the since the beginning of time. To this day combination of numbers create a random numbers are con(or is it) a patsidered the Univertern which besal Language. Percomes the vibra“Sooner or later nuclear physics and the haps that is why, tion-magnet that psychology of the unconscious will draw closer out of all the ocattracts your together as both of them, independently of one cult philosophies, distinct destiny another and from opposite directions, push Numerology is the to you. forward into transcendental territory, the one easiest to underSo! What is with the concept of the atom, the other with stand. your number, that of the archetype.” Although Nuwhat does it -- C G Jung; Aion (1951). merology is not an mean, and how CW 9: Part II: P. 412 exact science, it is do you calculate based on thousands it? In actuality of years of research. there are a few Pythagoras (569numbers, but 470 B.C.) was often cited as the father of the three prevalent ones are the ones listed numbers and Numerology. However, Nu- below. To calculate your numbers, use the merology is rooted in a variety of ancient simple directions and the chart below. cultures and teachings that pre-dated him. Your Birth Number tells you what caNumerology is often associated with astro- reer path you will take and who you are, logical philosophy; from Hellenistic Alex- as well as how you respond to that role, i.e. andria, early Christian mysticism, Vedas good leader, tyrannical, laid back, etc. To of Hindu tradition, Chinese Circle of the calculate your birth date, simply add all the Dead, the Egyptian Ritual of the Dead, and numbers together, i.e: Nov. 11, 2007 11-11the most popular Hebrew system of the 2007 = 1+1+1+1+2+0+0+7= 13 = 1+3 = 4 (if you Kabala. So what is Numerology and how have a two digit number, simply add them does it work? Simply put, it is a system that together to get one digit.) breaks down what seems to be the randomYour Heart Number tells your deepest ness of numbers and interprets them into heart’s desire. What you want to be and do. logical and purposeful life events. This number is found by adding the sum of Numerology is the philosophy, vibra- the vowels of your full birth given name. tion, psychology, and some claim science, You need to reduce each letter into its corof numbers. The ancients knew that each respondent number. Then add them all to number has a specific vibration that influ- get your one digit result, i.e. Roger Lane = ences reality. This system converts letters into numbers (A=1, B=2 etc.), and compares the results to known, as well as hidden assocontinued on page 78 February 2010
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Ali Guggenheim continued from page 76 o+e+a+e (6+5+1+5=17=1+7=8.) Your Destiny Number is the total sum of all the letters in your given birth name. This number tells you what your personality is. Loves, likes, responses, what, when, where and how you are destined to do things, i.e. John Doe: j+o+h+n+d+o+e (1+6+8+5+4+6+5=35=3+5=8.) In Numerology, eleven (11) and twenty two (22) are considered Master Numbers. These numbers are magnified and intensified versions of their single digit counterparts. These numbers run on a higher vibration and allow the individual the potential for a higher degree of achievement.
In Love: When given their freedom, threes are exciting, fun, energetic, experimental, happy lovers. If confined or controlled they become like animals in a cage, unhappy and restless. FOUR: are the worker bees and ruled by Uranus. Self disciplined constant, logical, dependable, hard working, detail orientated, practical, helpful and great problem solvers. Negative Aspects: Stubborn, narrow minded and contrary. In Love: Fours don’t do well with stagnations and even need a good argument every once in a while. Though steady and trustworthy they become frustrated and emotional when feeling stagnated or caged in. They love to solve problems and will be
Comparison Chart A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U VWX Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The following are the definitions of the numbers. ONE: is a strong vibration, it is ruled by the sun and it stands alone. One is creative, ambitious, original, self-assured and most of all, independent. Negative aspects: self-centered, arrogant, impatient and stubborn. In Love: They are leaders and at times self absorbed. One can be very exciting, but they also require excitement because they bore easily. TWO: is a gentle vibration and is ruled by the moon. Two is the diplomat, peace keeper, negotiator, and mediator. Gentle two is considerate, warm, and sensitive and likes harmony. Negative aspects: Manipulative, co-dependent and passive-aggressive. In Love: Twos are tenacious and will do anything to make their relationships work harmoniously. If emotional security is what you are looking for, you can depend on them. THREE: Three is ruled by Jupiter and is the socially outgoing vibration. . Three is selfexpressive and optimistic, friendly, kind, adventurous, and enjoys life and laughter. Negative Aspects: Superficial, scattered, and extravagant.
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loyal if they have the freedom to “take on” and tackle situations. FIVE: The intellectual vibration is ruled by Mercury. These romantic, idea people need variety. They are freedom lovers, resourceful, extremely adaptable, accommodating, curious, fun-loving, flexible and witty. Negative Aspects: Non-committal, irresponsible, inconsistent, In Love: Mental stimulation, variety, and change, are the keys to number five’s happiness in love. Usually attractive to the opposite sex they are fun-loving and witty, curious, friendly and adaptable to any circumstance. They tend to resist commitments when not feeling stimulated in relationships. SIX: Domesticated, stable, peace loving six is ruled by the harmonious vibrations of Venus. Sixes are compassionate, fun-loving, and trustworthy. Negative Aspects: superficial, unwilling to change, jealous and possessive. In Love: Family orientated, homebodies, Sixes do not do well with confrontation and will work diligently to keep the peace. They can be stable and devoted to maintaining harmony, balance and peace, but can take their peace loving to an extreme and can become jealous, superficial and il-
logical. SEVEN: the spiritual vibration of the deep
thinker is ruled by Neptune. These unusual, wise souls are the intuitive/psychic, non-materialistic, quiet, reserved, and introspective. Negative Aspects: depends on chance, unreachable, odd, unfocused. In Love: Although they come in and out of being loners, sevens are spiritual beings with not much interest in material attachments. They are devoted partners and can reach levels of intimacy and romance beyond most individuals could fathom. At times they can be a bit “out there” and hard to understand but make interesting partners to say the least. They can be prone to disappointment when their idealistic expectations are not met. EIGHT: is ruled by the material vibration of Saturn, strong and materially successful. Eights are ambitious, successful, businessminded, leaders. Though a bit authoritarian, they are practical, courageous, organized, and accomplished. Negative Aspects: forceful, narrow-minded, materialistic and tense. In Love: Eights bring to the table security and practicality. Although they are great with commitments and responsibility, when they treat love as they do everything else in life as a “business deal” the outcome may fall short in the romance department. NINE: The teacher vibration is emotional, sympathetic, tolerant, and a bit impractical and ruled by Mars. Nine the humanitarian is active and determined, likes to be helpful and can do just about anything. Negative Aspects: moody, overly emotional, bullies, financially irresponsible and restlessness. In Love: Nines show their love by being helpful, involved and even taking over their partner’s problems. Because they are so emotional and sympathetic they could easily be walked all over. Push the right buttons and their meekness turns to volcanic eruptions and bullying. I can assure you that this is an over simplified window into a fascinating and multi-fasceted topic, science, philosophy, whatever you choose to label it. There are many online offers for free numerology and compatibility readings. Try it! What have you got to lose? You may even like it! And the next time someone says “they’ve got your number…” you might want to ask which number they’ve got!
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Beso and The Missing and Exploited Children Reception When you’re opening a new venue, even designed a lot of houses, said that the Las when you already have a famed restaurant Vegas Beso is exactly the same as the one with a renowned chef and acclaimed food, in L.A. except for the fact that the one in sometimes it takes a little while to swallow Vegas is three times larger. the magnitude of it all. Hopefully, after the Crystals at CityCenter opening of the two-story steakhouse, Beso (meaning “kiss” in Spanish), the L.A, restaurant owned and operated by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria Parker, she has been able to easily get down the scope of her new Las Vegas venture. “I haven’t had the chance to really digest the enormity of this opportunity,” Longoria told me on opening night. “I want to go have a drink and experience it fully.” Longoria, who is very diminutive and beautiful in person, admitted that when she first saw the renderings of CityCenter, she couldn’t imagine where Beso would be located within the opulent, huge Crystals retail center at the complex, along with such brands as Tiffany’s, Robert Cavelli, Versace, Wolfgang Puck, and others. She said that it wasn’t until she actually walked Eva Longoria Parker in and saw the building that she also saw the magic. “CityCenter is a beacon of hope,” she not“I wanted the Beso in Hollywood to have ed. “It’s an inspiration that everyone is go- the feel of being in my house with me serving to feel. I never had any plans to extend ing a piece of meat to you,” she related. Beso out of L.A. It’s a very personal thing “The design is timeless – 10 years from now for me and I’m there four times a week, it will still be timeless. The only difference tasting the soup, tasting the guacamole, ev- between this and Beso in Hollywood is that erything – I’m a control freak. But I jumped this one has Eve, the nightclub. In Hollyat the opportunity to open it in Las Vegas wood, there is just a lounge with about 10 and took the project by the reins. As in tables where people can sit and have an L.A., I designed everything – the uniforms, after-dinner drink. So this is new for me – the menus, the wallpaper. I had to change but I’m running the nightclub, too.” the wallpaper in the bathrooms last week. Longoria acknowledged that she personI was here when they were laying the floors ally ordered all the bottles for the restauand tile.” rant’s opening. She and her husband, Tony Longoria, who explained that her skills Parker, celebrated New Year’s at Beso in are in tandem with the fact that she has re- Las Vegas. Kim Kardashian hosted at the
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venue the night before. As for Chef English, who also owns Olives at the Bellagio, he first partnered with Longoria in the L.A. restaurant. “We worked on the menu together,” he told me. “It has a Tex-Mex flair, although I don’t like using that descriptive, and it has Southwest flavors but it’s basically a steakhouse. Some of the signature dishes are Eva’s tortilla soup, her guacamole, and skirt steak with a Beso barbeque sauce on a warm tortilla salad. The menu in Las Vegas is the same concept as in L.A. but there are a few more meat items here. Plus, the restaurant in L.A. has been open nearly two years and we’re still working out the menu there.” The interior of Beso is elegant and beautiful and the food was wonderful and beautifully presented. Cold shrimp and crab with different sauces, Eva’s guacamole with tortilla chips, a wide assortment of breads, a carving station, a fruit station, a dessert station, and passed hor d’oeuvres were all part of the fete. Her pizza is excellent, by the way. There was also a special Sangria drink that was extremely tasty. Focusing on Children Friday night, January 8, at Bellagio was a true picture of family spirit as celebrities from all genres came together for the benefit of children. For the 11th year in a row, Canon once again took its best shot with its “Missing and Exploited Children” Reception and Golf Tournament. Celebs present included Cheech Marin, Alice Cooper, Robert Hays, Kevin Sorbo, Rudy Gatlin, Richard Burgi, Chris Rich, Dominick Allen, astronaut Walt Cunningham, baseball’s Kurt Bevacqua, Grandma Lee, Paula Trickey, continued on page 82
The Katz Meow continued from page 80
and more. The highlight of the evening, hosted by John Daly, was the presence of John Walsh, host of America’s Most Wanted and co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After the abduction and murder of their 6-year-old son Adam in 1981, Walsh and his wife Reve became effective advocates on behalf of missing children’s issues. They fought to bring the issue into the national spotlight and, in 1982. President Reagan signed into law the Missing Children Assistance Act and, a year later, proclaimed May 25th as National Missing Children’s Day. Established in 1984, NCMEC operates under a Congressional mandate and works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Thanks in great Beso at Crystals part to the work done by NCMEC, the recovery rate for missing children has grown from 62 percent to 97 percent today. “We’re very pro-active for these kids,” Walsh told me, saying that despite the tough economy this looks like it’s going to be the biggest year for donations yet. “ We actively recover missing children, protect children from exploitation, and assist in the recovery of these crimes. We offer free safety programs, give free information, and more – we are a 21st century model. Prevention of these crimes is a huge thing for us.” “I’ve been at this 28 years and last year, they finally closed Adam’s case,” he added. “The police admitted that they made mistakes. It was discovered that the guy who killed Adam had died on Death Row eight years before, That was a huge thing and very important for my wife and I where closure was concerned.” Walsh also noted that America’s Most Wanted, the TV show that he brought to the fore, is the third-longest running show in TV history and has caught 1,100 fugitives in 35 countries. He also said that the NCMEC is getting more calls about missing
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children than ever before because of all the “creeps” out there and the unsafe world it has become today. He cites the Internet as one of the biggest culprits today and states that while he believes in the first amendment, laws have to catch up with predators and the punishment must stick. He does feel that an agency is needed to deal with the problems the Internet poses, including pornography. Walsh also gives much credit to John Arnos, consultant to Canon and Special Advisor to the President, NCMEC for the
sponsorship and the putting together of the event for the past 11 years. “This is really a Vegas-based event,” Walsh says. Here are what some of the other celebs had to say: Cheech Marin: “I have four kids, 13-32, – you always worry about your kids. They all call me over-protective but that’s ok. This is a wonderful cause.” Alice Cooper: Besides being heavily involved with NCMEC for the past 11 years, Alice has also had his own children’s foundation for the past 13 years called the Solid Rock Foundation. “We take kids out of gangs and into music,” he explained to me. “We think that a kid addicted to guns, drugs, and gangs can be addicted to guitar, bass and drums.” Dominick Allen: “When you’re lucky enough to have a child, it doesn’t change your life, it transforms it,” said the former lead singer of Foreigner whose wife, Leigh, is a Broadway actress. “My 9-year-old daughter Cayleigh transformed my life” Kevin Sorbo: Besides being a consistent supporter of NCMEC, having only missed February 2010
two events in the past 11 years, the Hercules and Andromeda star also has had his own children’s foundation for the last 13 years called “A World Fit for Kids,” which received the Gold Star Award for the best after-school program form Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sorbo told me that he’s taking the foundation national this year. Robert Hays – Speaking of pilots, the former Airplane star and father of a 19-yearold has also been an NCMEC supporter for the last 13 years. “I only missed one event and that was three years ago when I broke my neck in a body surfing accident,” he stated. “NCMEC is like a family thing. It’s people doing something immediate instead of just raising money for kids and spending it. I think about my son every time.” Richard Burgi: After being “killed” the week before on Desperate Housewives, the actor was alive and kicking at the NCMEC event, Burgi, the father of two sons, 9 and 13, said that there is more we can do for our kids to protect them and that he is very supportive of this cause. “There are a lot of kooks out there,” he noted, echoing John Walsh’s sentiments. “I’ve given my kids boxing lessons, gotten them cell phones, and keep in contact with them. I also communicate with them and I bring them to work with me and into adult situations. I go through ‘what if someone did this or that to you’ scenarios. My kids are the most important thing in my life.” Grandma Lee: “I think it’s terrible what happens to kids,” says the America’s Got Talent finalist who was in town performing at Bonkerz at Palace Station. “All parents want closure. The worst thing is when a child is missing and you don’t know where that child is.” Those sentiments were also echoed by The O.C.’s Paula Trickey, mother of a 9-yearold. It was a special evening, complete with a silent and a live auction and great food. Jaki Baskow, owner of Baskow and Associates destination management/talent agency in Las Vegas, works very hard every year on the event and helps to bring in the celebrities.
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by Bobbie Katz
Mega-talent David Foster Shares the Keys to His Musical Kingdom
Though his life is filled to the brim with multi-varied things to do, David Foster will be the first to tell you that there is no trick to wearing a lot of different “hats.” That’s notwithstanding the fact, however, that he’s continually pulling his very own brand of musical magic out of them, as he demonstrated last May at Mandalay Bay with David Foster and Friends. Foster, along with Brian McKnight, Phillip Bailey, Charice, Peter Cincotti and surprise guests Cher, Donny Osmond, Paul Anka and Clay Aiken, wowed the crowd with a program showcasing the music that Foster has been responsible for. With 15 Grammys to his credit, worldwide acclaim for his songwriting/producing/arranging/ musical direction and working with the world’s biggest musical superstars, and his noted reputation for “Foster-ing” new talent, he undoubtedly has a lot of feathers
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in his caps. Now having made his second successful appearance at the hotel, following the star-studded PBS special he filmed there in May 2008, there are some possible new directions tickling his ivories. “I’m kind of at a crossroads in my career,” Foster, who is also an executive for Warner Brothers, admits. “I’ve been producing records for a very long time. Having done two shows at Mandalay Bay now, I’ve discovered that I like performing live. Along with that, I have always loved nurturing new talent. Those two things are kind of combining, which I hope will take me out of the studio and into some kind of a live situation where I can tour on a regular basis or have a regular room in Las Vegas. I’d like to make my music the platform for emerging artists and stars and make it a regular show.” “Performing is probably ego,” he continFebruary 2010
ues, “but temper that with the fact that in the 35 years I’ve been in the studio making this music, I’ve never known whom I was reaching. When I sit at the piano and play my songs live to 9,000 people like I did at Mandalay Bay and the audience knows the songs and knows that they came from my fingers, even if Chicago or Toni Braxton or someone else sang them, it just has a special kind of buzz that I confess I love.” To that avail, this past Fall, Foster set out a 10-city concert tour. There were some stars, some newcomers and the man and his music, much like his PBS special that featured 16 stars, but without Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble or Josh Groban. Still, he kept his promise that it would be with some great singers because that’s who he likes to surround himself with. With a list far too long to mention, some more greats that Foster has worked with
include Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole, just to name a few. He has also brought to the fore Buble and Groban as well as being responsible for Andrea Bocelli’s first U.S. pop concert and PBS special, which was filmed at Lake Las Vegas. And Foster may not be totally out of the studio yet. Last year saw him simultaneously producing three albums – Michael Buble’s fourth album, an album for British opera singer Katherine Jenkins, and the debut album of 17-year-old acclaimed newcomer from the Philippines, Charice, for which he wrote some of the songs. continued on next page
David the Goliath continued from page 85 “I believe that she’s the next one,” he says about Charice. “I have been on a 20year search to see if there’s another Celine out there. I found Celine when she was 19, worked on her first English album, brought her to the United States and subsequently produced many of her hits. Celine is an iconic ‘one-of’ – she’s that good. She broke the mold and I know that won’t happen again in my lifetime in that way. But I was sitting in the room where Charice sang live for presidents of Warner Brothers from all over the world and a couple of rock ‘n’ roll guys had tears in their eyes. They were blown away. When it’s that good, everyone has to feel it.” “I only know how to work with singers who can really sing,” he adds. “If you take them into the studio, they’re going to get there 95 percent on their own. But hopefully my magic will give them the other 5 or 10 percent.”
Foster explains that when he nurtures young artists, he puts them in a situation where they can win. Citing the fact that new talent finds him and admonishing that good is the enemy of great, he says that someone has to be great for him to take that person on. He feels that his mentoring ability comes from his gift of music and the foundation of classical piano training he received as a child as well as from his parents who helped him develop his talents. In speaking of Charice’s debut CD, for example, he explains that while the single Note to God that she performed on Oprah last May was released, the album was not going to come out until it was ready. “You don’t have a second chance to make a first impression,” Foster emphasizes. Even when it comes to established stars, Foster acknowledges that most artists truly don’t know what’s best for them. He feels that no artist is an island and that most need help in their recording careers because they’re too close to the situation. “You have to know when to hold ‘em and
know when to fold ‘em,” he advises. “You have to know when what you’re doing isn’t working. A real flaw with a lot of artists is that they keep banging their heads, trying to break down the brick wall when it’s not working. You can’t name one artist in this industry who’s had hits for very long over a 30-year period. A lot of artists try to follow the trends and that’s what gets them into trouble. The key to longevity, which was taught to me, is very, very simple. It is retreat and attack in another direction. It sounds so simple and it is.” “After a decade of success in the 1980s with Chicago, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Chaka Khan and others, everything just started falling apart and I was struggling,” he recalls. “So I put Nat and Natalie Cole together singing Unforgettable, which was as far from Top 40 radio as you could get. It was a huge unexpected hit and propelled me into Celine, Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard, ‘N Sync, and all that stuff in the 90s. At the end of the 90s when the Swedish sound came in and I couldn’t be part of that, I turned to the Grobans, Bubles and Bocellis. Now that’s also going great but I’m going to the Charices.” Surprisingly, Foster constantly worries about disappointing people. His mantra is that at the end of a project, if the artist isn’t happy, he hasn’t done his job. He says that the most successful scenario is when he gets his way and say so that he can do the work he wants to do and the artist gets his or her share of say as well. The Canadian-born talent started off his own career as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark, whose song Wildflower was a Top 10 hit in 1972. Among his myriad of accomplishments, Foster has written for movies and the Olympics. He composed the score for the film St. Elmo’s Fire, including Love Theme For St. Elmo’s Fire, which hit #15 on U.S. pop charts. He collaborated with then-wife Linda Thompson (who was once engaged to Elvis Presley) on the song I Have Nothing, sung by Whitney Houston in the 1992 film, The Bodyguard, for which the couple was nominated for a Grammy and an Academy Award for “Best Song.” Although he says that he doesn’t compose as many songs as he used to, when Foster writes, it’s mostly music and not many lyrics. He doesn’t know where his inspiration comes from but he always composes for a specific artist. He doesn’t think that he has an extra special ear but
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David the Goliath continued from page 86 rather a normal one that tries to find what appeals to the masses. On the personal side, when he’s not working, Foster enjoys watching basketball games, playing tennis, going to the beach, boating, going to Europe and hanging out with his beautiful girlfriend and his five daughters. His biggest disappointment is that he’s been married and divorced three times, which he says hasn’t allowed him to be the kind of father he should have been and that he is capable of being. He doesn’t want to wed again. Foster has a wonderful relationship with his daughters now and notes that besides the fact that he put work before marriage, his unions didn’t work out for different reasons – in one, he didn’t know how to be a husband; in another, he didn’t know how to be a partner; in another, it was all his wife’s fault – and he won’t say which marriage is which. “I’d like to be a better human being on many levels but I don’t really battle any demons,” Foster muses. “I can certainly be an asshole with no shadow of a doubt. I certainly know I’m good and I certainly know I have an ego. But I’m not an egomaniac, although some people would argue with that.” “I think that my best quality is my work ethic, my discipline, which comes from my parents,” he adds. “I believe that weakness is the only disease there is and I don’t have that in any way. You have to have quite a bit of ego to be successful and you need to be an opportunist, and I’ve always been secure in my profession for the most part. I’m insecure about other weird things.” Among his other assets, Foster is very admired for his involvement in charitable causes. Besides being the musical director for Andre Agassi’s Grand Slam For Children for 12 years, he has his own foundation, The David Foster Foundation, that supports organ transplants for kids. Foster also donates his time to such causes as The Boys and Girls Club, cancer, hearing disorders, and AIDS. Admitting that he is harder on himself than any boss could ever be on him, Foster says that when all is said and done, his epitaph should read, “I did my best.” “Of course, that’s not always good enough,” he smiles. But that’s something he’s keeping under his hat for now.
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Photographer: James Hickey Models: Larysa Poznyak Barnett O’Hara Brandon Fashion Stylist: Janelle Nicole Carothers Hair Stylist: Voneva Denham Makeup: Gianni Thomas Boots: Prada
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by Bobbie Katz
After 50 Years in Show Business, Is He Closing the Curtain on His Career? Sammy Davis Jr. once said, “There are two things you have to see when you come to Las Vegas – Boulder Dam and Wayne Newton, and not necessarily in that order.” With Newton initially saying upon the announcement of his new show at the Tropicana, “Come next March (2010), I will be making some serious decisions, one about spending time with my seven-year-old daughter,” intimating that he may be retiring, seeing the legendary performer may now take precedence over seeing the legendary concrete landmark. While a new bridge is being built over Boulder Dam (a.ka. Hoover Dam), Newton is building a bridge to the past, honoring the 50 years of his show business life in Las Vegas in Once Before I Go, his exclusive vehicle that opened at the hotel on October 14, 2009 for a limited engagement. continued on page 96
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Wayne Newton continued from page 95
Photo: Patrick Wilen
“This is the show I’ve always wanted to do,” said Newton, who earned the title of “Mr. Las Vegas” long ago, his name being synonymous with the city. “I started in Las Vegas on May 16, 1954 and this show will run through April 2010, culminating my 50 years in Las Vegas. It is entertaining with an auto-biographical touch. With technology today, we can do things that never before were possible. This is the only time I will ever do this production.” Three months into his original six-month contract, however, a big question is looming. That is, will Once Before I Go turn into “once is not enough?” To the point, can the man who has worn the title of “Mr. Las Vegas” for so long leave the stage forever and find happiness? “I don’t know,” Newton answers honestly now. “I haven’t made that decision yet. I’m finding something in this show that I didn’t expect. I’m enjoying every minute of having my older entertainer friends on stage with me and of being able to show the audience those moments and see their reaction. There’s a strange phenomenon going on with me. I didn’t know if I could do this kind of structured vehicle but every time I tell a story about something that happened, I start to remember exactly what I was doing at that time. It’s taking me back to those moments and the feelings I had about those moments. It’s very emotional – and, with it having been so difficult to decide what to put in and leave out when I was putting this show together, I can see a phase two to it.”
“I had other dates outside of Vegas to do my regular show that I couldn’t cancel and I was kind of dreading them,” he continues. “What has happened is kind of a miracle. Those shows have become better because I have been able to include thoughts and stories that are propagated by my Tropicana show but still fit into that show. Then, when I come back to the Trop, I’m able to
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encompass things in this show that happen in my other show. Instead of working against each other, they’re working for each other. It’s kind of interesting – and frightening – because I didn’t expect it.” Those “older entertainers” sharing the stage with Newton include the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Benny, Bobby Darin, Lucille Ball, and others, stars who were 20-25 years February 2010
Newton’s senior but who played a major role in his career. They appear through the use of video and other technology. Newton even sings a song based on a personal letter sent to him by his good friend, Elvis Presley, which expresses Elvis’ loneliness. “There aren’t too many people around who can talk about these people,” Newton explains. “I thought that this show would be a great way to tell those stories that haven’t been told before in a way not done before. I did realize that there were people out there who may not care about the story of my life so my biggest challenge was to make the show entertaining, as well as theatrical, and truthful, and make it something that everyone could enjoy. Because I was too close to the trees, I put together a group of people that I respect and we’d sit in rap sessions and talk about the stories and how things fit in musically. For two to three months, we had meetings five to six days a week.” “I wasn’t so concerned about the musical aspects,” he adds. “I thought that they would hold their own weight. It was the thread that ties it all together – why did Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, for example, have a friendship with Wayne Newton?” Newton says that their bond was born out of the fact that he was a throwback to those entertainers’ generation musically and, because of that, they wanted to see him survive in the industry. Sinatra, Martin, Davis et al also had appreciation for the fact that Newton had paid his dues the way they had. Where Elvis was concerned, Newton’s friendship with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll began when Elvis inadvertently sat continued on page 98
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Wayne Newton continued from page 96 down next to him on a plane and they discovered that they were dating the same girl. They then learned that they had many other things in common, including the fact that both were from the South and raised as Southern Baptists. Their relationship continued to develop over the years in Las Vegas. Newton, who is originally from Virginia, was only 15 years old when he began performing in 1959 with his brother Jerry in the lounge of the Fremont Hotel. Calling themselves The Newton Brothers, Jerry played rhythm guitar while Wayne played rhythm guitar and sang (he now plays 11 instruments – all by ear). They received their first big break when they were asked to
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be on The Jackie Gleason Show in New York. Singer Bobby Darin spotted them on the show and gave 19-year-old Wayne his next big break. “Bobby handled my recording career for five years and was responsible for my first hit, Danke Shoen,” Newton recalls. Newton then caught the eye of Jack Benny, who invited the young performer to tour with him as his opening act. Newton jumped at the chance, turning down $10,000 a week in the lounge to make $1500 a week touring with Benny. His first solo headliner booking came in 1963 at the Flamingo and after that he settled in and became a mainstay in Las Vegas entertainment, earning the famous “Mr. Las Vegas” moniker. By 1980, he had performed before an estimated 20 million people over the course of his career and by February 1997, he had logged in some 25,000 performances February 2010
in Las Vegas. Today, he has played to more than 40 million people. “Imagine the changes I’ve seen in 50 years in Las Vegas,” Newton quips. “Look at all the hotel implosions. The one that upset me the most is when the Sands was imploded because I was on stage at the time.” “I never took the Mr. Las Vegas title seriously, because I had nothing to do with that other than I stayed five minutes longer at the fight,” he continues. “When other people decided to leave Las Vegas, I still stayed. Vegas has always been my home so I took the title as the great compliment that it is. Las Vegas and I grew up together and matured at the same time.” Both have obviously had their growing pains. But Newton has always been an optimist, describing himself as a guy that continued on page 101
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would take his last dollar and buy a wallet with it. He also believes strongly in destiny and that things in one’s life are preordained. He says that no matter what he’s been through in his life that he’s never lost his faith in the man upstairs or in the majority of people on this earthly plane. “My biggest lesson has been patience,” he claims. “I was not a patient person. If I wanted to accomplish something, I wanted to accomplish it yesterday. But I have found that no matter how hard you try, when something’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. Sometimes you just have to step back and say, okay, I’ve done everything I can; now I just have to turn it over.”
“My biggest disappointment is with the number of people that are mean-spirited,” he notes. “And nothing angers me more quickly than rude people and liars. But I’ve long felt that the best way to deal with negativity is not to. In general, I feel that
when bad things happen, you can take it as a lesson to be learned but what you can’t take it as is defeat.” What has kept Newton’s balance more than anything else has been his 85 Arabian and Quarter horses that reside on his Casa Shenandoah ranch. Realizing that humans are only loaned these magnificent creatures for a short time, he spends time at night and in the early morning walking the ranch, visiting the equines, and riding. He also has peacocks, penguins, wallabies, swans, ducks, geese, parrots, doves and several dogs on the property.
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Newton takes great pleasure in time spent with his wife, family and friends and laments the recent loss of his 40-year friend and bodyguard, Bear, and the recent sudden death of his sister-in-law Mary. He feels that it is a blessing that he has had the time to watch his youngest daughter, Lauren, grow, not having as busy a schedule as when he was performing two shows a night, seven nights a week, in Las Vegas while raising his oldest daughter Erin as a single father. He also still takes pride in doing his USO work all over the world, bringing some musical cheer to our soldiers so far away from home. Newton has never lost his passion for music and performing, which is all he ever wanted to do since he was a boy of 4 sitting with his parents at the Grand Old Opry, seeing the happiness on people’s faces as they watched the show. But when all is said and done, it is what he feels Las Vegas and Nevada have given him, rather than the other way around, that speaks to who he is. “I have never contemplated a contribution of any kind that I have given to Las Vegas or Nevada,” Newton says in earnest. “What I think about is how the people here took in a kid from somewhere else, who did not have the same background they had, but they protected him, nurtured him, and defended him. What this city and state have given me I can’t even begin to articulate.” “When all is said and done, however, I hope that I’ve set a standard,” he sums up. “I hope that someone will remember that I’ve done something good – and I’m talking about soul. I never thought about success one way or the other – it was never part of my equation. What I thought about is, am I doing what I love to do.” And with his everlasting passion, he’ll continue doing it until he finally decides to go.
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Michael Boychuck, the “colorist to the stars,” is the visionary that’s reinventing the salon industry for the world. And what a vision he has created! In a city that’s known for over the top fantasy environment, Michael’s meteoric rise to stardom with his salon Color, in Caesar’s Palace, exudes opulence, colorful celebrities, artistry, and genuine warmth. His energy and skill create an experience that proves beauty is for everyone!
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What drives a man to devote his life to hair, color, and beauty? The answers were surprising. Michael’s passion to inspire stardom in everyone he meets is the brightest light on the Vegas Strip. Color me beautiful is what he does. What is it that you see in a woman that makes her beautiful to you? Every woman is beautiful and it’s up to me to find out what to emphasize and bring that beauty out in her. Everyone has February 2010
something special. I think it can be eyes, skin, or overall aura of a person… like with you, you’ve got this happiness, so basically I would want to brighten that up… I just bring out in the person what they already have. I think everyone is beautiful in some way. What are the three things that you can do for a woman so she can see her beauty? Well, there’s a lot of things you can do. First of all giving her the right hair cut.
by Janice Marie Wilson
The 13’ Settee Lounge
Sometimes people cover their face when they should be opening it up. Sometimes the hair can be too long and overpowering when it should be a little shorter. Sometimes it can be too short if you have a larger frame, you need it longer to balance it out. It’s important to create the right balance and the right tones in your hair. Sometimes when someone comes in and their hair is naturally ashy and they’ve been in the sun, it’s good to put some golden highlights.
When you’re working with someone you’re always balancing out their tones, balancing out their overall picture. it’s like a frame. Your framing them so you have to constantly be balancing it And make-up is another thing. Learn to cover up your imperfections and turn them into perfections… that’s really fun. How would you describe yourself? You know I’m just here to try to help people. I feel like I’ve worked hard at my www.RisqueLVmag.com
craft and I know it. I just want to share. I’ve been lucky all my life. I’ve worked with some of the best people and I love my clients that come in. I love the people I work with and I feel very fortunate. Where are you from? I’m from upstate New York.
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Michael Boychuck continued from page 103 When did you decide to do hair? Well, I was in Jacksonville, Florida and basically I saw the movie Shampoo and actually that’s when I really started to get into hair. I went to school in Pennsylvania, and I was there for a little while but it was because of the movie Shampoo, and the fact that I wanted to meet girls and that was it! I mean, I went to more or less meet people, I didn’t know if I really wanted to do hair. I thought this would be a great intro. I could talk about hair and it just turned out that I loved it! I got my very first job in Jacksonville, Florida. Who inspired you? José Eber! I read his book, Shake Your Head Darling. And I said that’s the person I want to be like. I read his book and he’s looking at their facial shapes and he’s looking at everything about the person and how you bring out the best in them and I thought that was such an art. This is the first person I saw that made a make-over seem like main stream. He brought the make-overs to Hour Magazine and he was on all the shows… he’s the first one that did the total make-over package. So he inspired me more than anyone. Who inspires you as a client? Anyone who is best in their profession and what they do inspires me. When I work on Pete Rose, that’s incredible to me. He’s the best baseball player… he’s had the most hits, and he really didn’t have the most to work with. He’s not like Alex Roderigez. He’s not six foot five or 245 pounds but he made it work and I admire that. I admire the best chef. I think chef’s are amazing! To know how to balance everything and – oh my God! – their food is so good. The best actor! I think acting is tough. Daytime, especially on those soaps. They have to learn like hundreds of pages… so I’m always inspired by everyone that comes in. I think, “Oh my God!, these people are incredible!” The best real estate person… anything, the best photographer, I’m always learning. That’ s what’s great about being a hair stylist. What’s something about you that people would be surprised to know? Mmmm, ah, I’m really just a home body. You know I say hello to people when I’m out and socialize. Sometimes I go to different events, Red Carpets, and stuff but basically my ideal night is to be at home with my four dogs and my wife.
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What kind of dogs do you have? Pekinese, Lasoapso, Shiatsu and a Wiener dog. What are their names? Marshmallow, Lillybilly, Pumpkin and Gizzy. My wife named all the dogs. How long have you been married? It’s going on nine years. I met her when I came out here and she’s just a really sweet warm person and it’s just great to share time with her. Does she work? Yeah, she was the star of Crazy Girls and now she runs the show. Who are the three people you most admire? The people I most admire? I admire a lot of people. I admire Paris Hilton. Paris has to be there because she’s done so much for me all of my life. Where did you meet her? I met her when she was eleven. So I was the first one to do her hair. You know a lot of celebrities will go from hair dresser to hair dresser, they don’t really care who does their hair, just so they can get their picture taken or whatever. Paris has always been very, very loyal to me and that’s why I’m so ultra loyal to her and I respect her in a lot of ways because she could go anywhere in the world to get her hair done, and Paris Hilton she always tries to and Michael Boychuck work with me, her friendliness and the way she stays loyal is unbelievable. She’s really so true and honest and a really great friend. If she can ever do something for you, she will do it. Also, people don’t realize how intelligent she is. I love being around her because she really is, to me, an icon. She’s really one of the nicest people in Hollywood. She’ll call you on your birthday. She’s really very loyal. I always try to be there for her and she really appreciates that. There really aren’t many people out there like her. Paris has got to be one that I really admire. Who else? This one I feel so fortunate to work with. He’s a mogul in town… George Maloof. I admire George, more than anyone… because you could have a fifty page contract with some casino owners in town and it’s worth nothing. A handshake with George Maloof is worth everything. So I feel really fortunate to work with him. Every time I’m February 2010
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around him I say “Wow” I’m really around someone who’s fantastic! Another person I admire is Robin Leach. He’s another one of my all time best friends. He can talk to you about sports, food, politics, money, I always include him, he’s really a remarkable man. You went from Pennsylvania, to Florida, to L.A., then Vegas. How did you get to Vegas? I was working with Jose Eber and Lau-
rent Dufourg was his partner and basically Jose said work with Laurent. I traveled a lot with Laurent. He worked with all the young celebrities and stuff. When Jose and Laurent broke up their business, Laurent said “You come to Vegas with me and I’ll make you my partner.” So that’s how I got to Vegas. What can a woman say to you that will help her get the best results she wants with her hair?
I like someone to come in and tell me the direction that they want to go and how they’re feeling and then I can expand on it or direct them to the right way. When someone comes in and says, “Do what you want,” I feel I need to know a little more about the person than just say carte blanche because they may just have grown their hair out and then they’ve been doing it for years and they don’t want to cut it but www.RisqueLVmag.com
they may look good short. I want to know …I want to know a little bit more. Give me some direction and I’ll take you the rest of the way there. Direction meaning like? “I want it long, short, I want to look sexy?” One of the easiest ways is to bring a picture of some looks you admire. Bring two or continued on next page
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Michael Boychuck continued from page 105 three pictures and say, “I like this one and this one. And then I can pretty much say this is how we can combine these things. This is what I think looks great about this picture and this is what I think looks fair about that. I like to work with someone. I don’t like to tell someone. I always have my ideas and I think that they’re pretty good, but working with someone is much better than telling them. What’s your worst nightmare? My worst nightmare? I never look at anything really as a nightmare, I look at it as a challenge, and I’ve had a lot of challenges. What’s the worst “challenge” you’ve had to overcome? One night I’m having dinner with my wife, it’s Memorial Day weekend and I’m having a great time and all of a sudden I get a call from Paris’ manager. He said Paris needs you this weekend. “OK, I’ll be there.” So I’m thinking no big deal, it’s fine I’ll touch up her base. Then he calls right back and says, “Oh by the way bring a lot of lightner it’s not for Paris it’s for one of the girls in her BFF show who’s got black hair and she wants to go platinum. So, it’s The Vanity
one of the hardest jobs to do and it’s also being filmed for eight hours straight. Everyone says what a great opportunity for press. It’s also one of the greatest opportunities for disaster. If you mess up they’ve got proof… but it turned out great. That was one of the biggest challenges. What has been your biggest accomplishment so far? Well, I think just building up a great cliental is a great accomplishment because that means you’ve made people happy. I think that’s more important than saying I made this color and I did this. When you have a cliental that you can continually make happy for a number of years that means a lot. What are you looking forward to? Like I said, every day is great! I just come in and enjoy what’s happening. So were you born this positive and happy? Did you develop it? I think it’s a process. I mean when I was growing up I’d say, “Man, I need to do this, I need to do that.” I used to put a lot of pressure on myself. And then you know sometimes it’s just not worth putting the pressure on yourself. Enjoy your environment, enjoy people around you, and then you’re a lot more successful. Don’t try to
change people, try to work with people, it just makes a nicer experience. Who are your favorite clients besides Paris? Well, it’s hard to say favorite clients, some people I enjoy working with, like I said Pete Rose is one of my all time favorites. When you talk to him, he’s right there and tells you everything about how he’s worked hard, it’s inspiration but I mean to say that I single out a client that’s so much more special, I think that they’re all special. One more girl that I think is really really sweet is Georgina Vaughan. She just won Miss Nevada. I’ve been doing her hair for four or five years and basically she came to me because she said, “Oh, you do Paris.” Then I was doing another girl about her same age and she said she was doing the Miss Nevada contest. I said that was great! She said, “You do the girl that won.” I said, “Who’s that?” “Georgina Vaughan!” “Really?” When I saw Georgina I asked her why she didn’t tell me. Georgina said that she only told her Grandma and she didn’t like making a big thing out of it. I thought that was so cool. So I love talking to people like that! continued on page 108
Michael Boychuck continued from page 106 What do you see in a celebrity that’s different from most people? I don’t see a lot of differences, except for sometimes when you’re a celebrity it’s because you’ve accomplished a lot to a certain degree. What you find in a lot of celebrities is that they have a strong drive and they won’t say “no.” They want to go till they get there or until they achieve something. That’s what my opinion is whether you’re a rock star or the best real estate agent or whatever it is. It’s like you have drive, it’s just fun to listen to how people develop. People have long stories as to how they got there… it’s great. What would you love people to know about you? My favorite show in Vegas is Zowie Bowie and that’s where the most fun happens on the strip - The Palms. What’s your greatest asset? Umm...probably my wife. (big smile) As a person, I think Karen. But I mean I value friendship a lot. I think that when people learn to value friends and to listen that’s the best thing you can ever have. ‘Cause when you listen… that’s what I said about the people that I admire, Robin Leach, George Maloof, I’m so lucky to be able to hang around them and listen to some of their ideas. Some people just try to impress everybody, they don’t listen. And they miss out on a lot. What‘s your greatest extravagance? Extravagance? Ah, that I’ve done or that I like? Both! Well, I mean I love great restaurants and chefs. So that’s something I really enjoy… the great chefs in town. That’s a lot of fun for me so that’s probably my biggest extravagance. Something else that was a lot of fun… I had a friend one time that said, “Michael do you want to go to Sedona?” I said, “Well it’s quite a long drive.” She said, “How about we rent a plane? We’ll go in the morning and then fly back.” And that’s really an ultra extravagance, in my opinion. I mean not too many times do I get to say let’s rent a plane and spend a day somewhere. I’m really a down to earth kinda guy. So that was unusual for me, but I enjoyed it! What do you do to unwind, this a real high pressure business, isn’t it? You know it is, but the reason why it’s pressure is because I care and want people to be happy that I’m very sensitive. So
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when I get home to unwind I’ve got my dogs that have been missing me. It’s really great, I have four little animals you know coming at you, kissing you. Takes away all the stress. It really is the best! If you could change one thing about the world what would it be? I wish everyone was more tolerant of everyone. I mean nobody is right 100% about anything. And if we’d just learn “to get along,” it’d be a lot easier. Why argue about everything? Just have fun, admire and work with people.
Lindsay Lohan and Michael Boychuck
What’s your heritage? Ukrainian. My father was born in Pennsylvania, but his father was from the Ukraine. My mom’s German and I have a brother who owns a hair salon in Florida and he’s doing very well. How did the two of you both decide to do hair? My brother and I were very close always. And he was into karate and stuff like that and I was into hair. But we both liked girls! (another big smile and laughter) I told him he needed to start making more money. I’m booked like all the time. You come and be my assistant and I’ll make sure you will have clientele and all of that and meet a lot of girls and still do your Karate at different hours. That’s basically how we started working together. And we had a salon together. And he was happier in a smaller area and I wanted to be in Beverly Hills, with Jose Eber, experiencing that best. I always want to be experiencing the best. What would you love people to know about you? I really care about people a lot. I really care about animals. I really care about helping people and being involved. What advice would you give to a woman who’s unhappy about the way she looks? February 2010
Get into my salon! Is it really that easy to fix? Yes! If someone’s unhappy it’s pretty easy to find out. I just had a woman today who was miserable because the boyfriend she was living with wasn’t paying for anything. I told her he should get out. You don’t need this. He’s an anchor. You are beautiful. Kick him out. Go out and meet some other people. And just feel how great you are. One thing people don’t realize is that they are a lot greater than they think. Lot of people don’t have the confidence to know who they are. Take that first step and your halfway there. What do you think is different about hair today than when you started? When I started hair was really permed and really big. Billy Ray Cyrus mullets were in. Now the hair is really really loose, no curls, mostly waves and now it’s not over bleached, more natural. It’s a lot better. If you look at magazines right now, people are doing more colors that are only a couple shades lighter, or level-on-level blondes or brunettes. There’s a lot of brunettes out there and they are putting in caramel highlights, chestnut highlights, and they are going just a couple shades lighter; it makes a great reflection in the hair. It gives off a lot of shine and it keeps the hair healthier. Extensions have influenced hair color a lot, because now people don’t have to bleach out sections of hair to make a statement. They can just put in some extensions and get a lot of contrast without damaging the hair in any way. I think healthy hair is really, really popular right now. What do you think hair will evolve into in the next five years? Because there’s so much internet, people are trying new things all the time now. We’ve all done most things that we can do with hair. Now it’s a question of what’s happened over here, “I’m going to try that.” There will be more experimentation. You’ll see a lot of extensions. You can grow your hair out over night then. Lots of pinks, and blues, I think it’s a time we’ll be trying out new things. Where is the hair Mecca now? There isn’t a hair Mecca anymore. But in Vegas right now we’ve got celebrity hair stylists, just like we’ve got celebrity chefs. There are more celebrity hair stylists in Vegas than there are in L.A. All the hair stylists in L.A. are getting past their prime and the younger ones want to be in Vegas. continued on page 110
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Michael Boychuck continued from page 108 What’s the one thing a woman can do to get the attention she desires? It depends on what kind of attention she wants. If you want attention wear something low cut. If you want to draw attention a different way, dress really, really smart and wear a nice pair of earrings or fix your hair style and make sure it’s perfect. And beautiful make-up draws more attention than anything. Make-up is an art. And with air brushing now it really is an art. We do a lot of make-up here. And with spray tanning now, if you have a really nice tan and wear something light; guys will look. If a woman’s in a group and is mysterious, guys will always want to find out more about her. How would you describe Color as a salon? It’s been referred to as the most luxurious salon in the world. The sky was the
limit. Caesars Palace wanted the best salon in the world and they gave me a five million dollar budget to do that. So I called Faye Resnick to design it for me. We built the most luxurious salon, with no limitations. The hair bowls look like Mick Jagger’s tongue. Faye designed the salon with more silvers and whites, and basically a lack of color. And that’s what’s great about coming in (we have the best lighting anywhere), we do your color, we do your makeup and you jump out! Your natural color explodes in the salon because there’s no other color influencing it. What are people saying about Color? People come from around the world and say, “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this.” When you walk in you feel like, “I’m totally at ease here, I’m welcome.” I love it when someone calls and says they’re sending in their girlfriend and she’s never really been in a high-end salon, and I want you to treat her just like you would Paris or Nicky.” It’s funny, because that’s how
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I try to treat everyone anyway. I mean, when you walk in we have a $40,000 chandelier lighting up the reception area and we have a Fendi crocodile skin desk. And that’s just the reception area. It’s great to see people come out of their shells and say, “I’ve never been treated like this before?” That’s what makes the salon different. We have a number of celebrities come in. Kristin Cavallari, Mandy Moore, Paris and Nicky Hilton… Gina Gerrshon was just in, the Kardashians have been in. But, again, so many of them are new to celebrity and they come in and just want to have a good time. And when they come in to my salon they can just be themselves. That’s what I wanted. Some come in sweatpants, and sometimes they come all dressed up. And it doesn’t really matter. When you can make people look their absolute best, but then also have them say, “I feel warm inside too, because I’ve never been treated this well.” That’s what it’s all about!
Photographer: James Hickey Model: Yanachka Zemskova Hair and Make-up: Christina Schock Fashion Stylist: Lana Penrose
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by Janice Marie Wilson
Rain Adreani, the co-founder of Rain cosmetics.
How would you like to be wearing the “sexiest makeup in the world?” What would happen to your life if you felt more beautiful, sexy, and desirable? Who would you be? Where would you go? What would you do, and with whom? (Shhh! don’t worry what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.) But really, what woman doesn’t want to feel more glamorous, seductive and sensual! Who wouldn’t want to look like a Red Carpet Star, or a Miss Universe pageant contestant?
Every star has a secret that she keeps hidden, but what’s happening in Vegas right now is blowing their cover. Las Vegas is known for it’s glamorous night life, star studded celebrities, world renowned sensuous dining, drinking, and club experiences, world class shopping, and now that glamour has been captured by a brand new cosmetic line. Rain Cosmetics has discovered the secret elements that make a woman sensual, beautiful, flawless, and most of all desirable. The artistry of this cosmetic line creates the “look” that anyone who’s lucky enough to buy their make up line can achieve. It’s that flawless, sultry, sexy, glowing look you’ve worshipped on magazine covers and red carpet events. I know it’s not just Photoshop magic because I got to take a make-up class with Rain Adreani, the co-founder of Rain cosmetics. She’s a stunning woman, tall, with wispy blond hair and a figure that’s prettier than a Victoria Secret model. She has charisma that sparkles brighter than the shiny aqua blue packaging of her cosmetics. Her knowledge of all make up lines is astounding but her love for the formulas she’s created dazzles your imagination. I learned more in her four hour class than I had acquired my whole life time at make up counters. I really thought you had to have a special skin tone, cheekbones, and facial features to look “Red Carpet” glamorous. But what you really need, is Rain Cosmetics and a class with Rain to find out how to apply the magic. I’ve used make-up lines from Mac, Chanel, Nars, Lancome, Estee Lauder, and Laura Mercier but none compare to the results that I got with Rain. She told me that her formula was specialized
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to include highly pigmented colors for the eyes and the lips. And that when they are paired with natural moisturizing foundation formulations you have buildable coverage along with “hi-def” finishes that last around the clock. In the class Rain explained the mystery of color and contrast. She gave me the secret to contour and shading that enhances best features and neutralizes those that may not be so attractive. She showed me how use different brushes that blended and smoothed my makeup to give my face that flawless look. We started with applying Rain lip therapy. The tiny container looked like large rain droplets. They were named Sky, Suite, and Pearl. I immediately picked up the Sky blue raindrop. I loved the way it looked. But how it felt was even more divine. This shiny, non-stick lip conditioner felt like an unexpected spring rain shower to my lips. But when I looked in the mirror, I was even more surprised. All the fine lines were hydrated and reduced. My lips had that smooth, soft moist youthful look. And this was just the first product I applied. I couldn’t wait to open the shiny reflective aqua blue compact, (small enough to fit into my jean pocket) to see the effect. Their Perfect Foundation is more than “perfect.” I applied it with a foundation brush for maximum coverage. The creamy product was smooth, moisturizing and continued on page 120
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Movie Star Gorgeous continued from page 119 Rain told me it was “water-resistant” just in case I would be going out on the town dancing the night away at a Vegas Club. She then handed me their Glowing Blush that glided over my cheeks effervescently. It was rich in color and gave my skin that fresh, dewy, natural look. The blush colors of Peepshow, Burlesque, Fantasy, and Strip Tease are as sensuous looking as their names. I experimented with all of them and yes, loved them all! Each feature of my face started to glow as Rain artistically showed me how to apply her special blends of products. I learned how to apply their Expressive Eye Pencil to my eyelids so that it would enhance the roundness of my eyes. I was impressed with how smooth and creamy the formula was. I loved their Diva Quad Eye Shadow and was thrilled with the smokey look I was able to achieve in just seconds. She told me it was crease-proof and because of the highly pigmented powder it would last up to 24 hours. I could even have a great look for the “after, after parties,” I thought. I learned that a well groomed brow will frame the eye and give the face a polished look. Their eyebrow gel comes in three shades to create the seductive look of Marilyn Monroe, the tweezed, mystery of Marlene Dietrich, the pert and sexy Elizabeth Taylor, or boyish and slightly unkept feel of Brooke Shields, or the vulnerable, youthful, tomboyish feel of Audrey Hepburn. I noticed again the smoothness of the application. The gel didn’t flake or stiffen and made the shape of my eyebrows voluptuous and curvy. My eyes were coming to life but what were we going to do with my sparse and light eye lashes. Rain gave me two choices. Their Rainproof mascara or their High Rise. Both are highly volumizing, smudge proof hypoallergenic, and non-clumping and it is all day wear, no matter what the weather. I like long lasting make-up so I moistened the wand with Rainproof. I was taken aback when I looked in the lighted mirror. My almost non-existent lashes were now full and flirty. But the piece-de-resistance of all Rain’s products is her setting loose powder. I learned the secret brush stroke that made this powder magical. If I didn’t see the transformation right before my eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. The fluffy powdery brush strokes created the smooth, soft youthful glow that I’d envied in Paris Hil-
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Movie Star Gorgeous continued from page 120
ton and Mandy Moore. Wow! I applied the final brush strokes to my lips with the Expressive Lip Pencil that shaped the outline of my mouth with a rich creamy formula. Her Glam lipstick has a lasting formula that contains no parabens and is moisturized with mango butter, grape seed oil, and Vitamin E. The Sexy Extreme Lip Gloss has antioxidants that calm and protect the lips. And the shine is amazing! But it was the Lip Plumper that gave me my “star” quality. My luscious full lips were to die for. I finally had achieved that pleasing, sexy pout that gave me a freshness and a “can’t wait to be kissed” look (without injections.) Rain is a leading celebrity makeup artist. Her clients include Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Olivia New John, Gwen Stavani’s Harajuku Girls, Dancing with Stars, Bethenny Frankel, Mel B, Richie Sambora, Maria Menounos, Paris Hilton and numerous others. One year Rain told me she did over 2,000 faces. Her experience getting beautiful women ready for the red carpet is unsurpassed in the industry. Her goal was not only to emphasize their best features but to hydrate and protect their skin. Rain knows how to create glamour and sex appeal. Her techniques with shadows, curves, brush strokes and secret blends was transformational. No wonder Rain Cosmetics are a must have among celebrities. My “new sensual, smooth, flawless look,” was movie star gorgeous. But I couldn’t help but ask what her real secret was. She smiled as she placed her hands on her hips and smoothed a stray curl back from her face, “Nothing on our face is straight, everything is curved,” says Andreani, “and curves are sexy.” I took one more glance in the mirror, and beamed a Red Carpet smile. I really did feel “movie star gorgeous!” Janice Marie Wilson, M.A. is a freelance writer, and author of The Goodness Experience. She hosts a weekly radio show, on Blog Talk Radio, http://www.blogtalkradio. com/janice-marie-wilson. Janice lectures and conducts leadership workshops that empower the imagination to create success in our career of life. Learn more by visiting www.janicemariewilson.com or email at goddesslv@aol.com.
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It’s the Talk of the Town by Bobbie Katz Simon says, “You can now enjoy brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. And yes, you can even wear your pajamas or come in your bathrobe!” That’s quite a mouthful but when it comes from award-winning chef Kerry Simon, who owns Simon Restaurant and Lounge at Palms Place, you can bet that it’s a bedclothes and breakfast offer that has no precedent. Rest assured, everything at the new brunch at his eatery is done in the best of taste, from the incredible array of luscious food, served both buffet counter style and tableside, to the “eye candy” provided by the attractive female and male servers that sweetens the ambiance. However, if you’re going to get caught with your hand in the candy dish, make sure it’s when you enter or leave the restaurant and have the opportunity to partake in the numerous bowls of the confectionary stuff sitting on racks beside the hostess stand. “We brainstorm a lot,” explains Simon about the unique brunch concept. “At one of our sessions, someone jokingly said that we should have the hostesses dress in nightgowns at the door and that the guests should dress that way, too. People really do put on their robes and come to our brunch. And kids really look forward to coming in their pajamas, too.” “I always remember living in New York and going to brunch every Sunday,” he continues. “It was great running into people that you hadn’t seen for a while – it was kind of an unplanned get-together. This brunch has that R P
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New York/L.A. kind of vibe. No one has really done that here. I wasn’t sure at first that there was a total market for it but right now it looks like there is.” The brunch, which debuted on New Year’s Day, offers a delectable mix of items from fruits, juices, and yogurts to all sorts of breads, bagels, and pastries, granola parfaits, whole fruits, and smoothies, sushi, organic egg dishes, peel-and-eat shrimp, French toast, pancakes, paninis, smoked salmon, wood fired pizzas, desserts, and coffees, and teas. Then there are the items called “White Trash” that include BBQ pork baby back ribs, chicken and waffles, and pigs-in-a-blanket. According to Simon, the junk food, on the menu such as the dessert plate consisting of cotton candy, snowballs, Hostess cakes, cookies, and Rice Krispies treats is a nostalgic throwback to people’s childhoods. There is also a Kids Only menu, as well as a Bloody Mary Buffet and an all-you-candrink champagne bar. The latter two cost $7.00 and $16.00, respectively, in addition to the $38 per person for the buffet. The cost for kids 12 and under is $12.00. “I chose things that I like to eat in the morning, mainly,” Simon explains about the menu. “But I wanted it to be more interesting than other menus and have things that gave it its own tag, such as our Bloody Mary Buffet. The brunch has turned out to be its own thing. Part of the menu came from my extensive traveling. I would travel from Hong Kong to New York, for example, and get in at weird times and want eggs. What do you do?
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So I made a list and took notes of those things and of what I thought the menu should be.” In general, Simon says that he has achieved his success because he is a hard worker and what he does is a constant thing – he doesn’t stop. He also emphasizes that it’s about the team of people he has put together, including partner Elizabeth Blau, as well as being well-educated in what he does and keeping up with what’s happening in the world. He, himself, likes to eat healthy and he is not afraid to try new things such as new creations with raw vegetables (his latest focus) and create healthier dishes for his restaurant and try to make them more appealing for the public.
A couple of his innovations in that area include salad with just lemon juice and olive oil for dressing and zucchini sliced like spaghetti that replaces pasta in a homemade tomato sauce. “Everything you do in the restaurant business is compromise,” Simon admits. “You bring so many different minds to the table – so many customers with so many different tastes – so you have to find middle ground. You’ll change and tweak stuff but the important thing is that the food has to be excellent. Certain things work and other things don’t. The thing I’ve learned is not to hang on to a dish – if it doesn’t work, I let it go.” “I don’t like food that is fooled with,” he adds. “I like food that is clean and simple. I learned from working with incredible chefs that you don’t need to add a whole lot of stuff. I learned to balance flavors. I like to use lemon, lime, and citrus juices in cooking to pick up a lot of the natural flavors. I think it’s more exciting to the palate. To me, it’s all about freshness. We use everything green.” His success is indicative of the fact that when Simon talks, people listen. Then they eat.
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by Anthony Keys Ever wondered what it would be like to drive a supercar at over 140 mph and not worry about the black and white Crown Victoria looming around the next corner? Well, Supercar Life (supercarlife.com) makes that dream a reality. Supercar Life hands you the keys, gives you the instruction and lets you loose on closed race courses with its collection of commanding Ferrari F430s, Lamborghini Gallardos,
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Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series, Porsche 911 Turbos and Aston Martin DB9s. Designed in 2003, Supercar Life was brought to life to teach rich people how to drive their super fast cars. It has since evolved into a world-leading exotic car experience that serves a wide range of supercar enthusiasts and thrill seekers. “There is no other driving experience in
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the world that offers anywhere close to what we have designed. Driving super fast exotic cars on private tracks is the very core of Supercar Life. However, instruction from real pro drivers, the in-car cameras, pampering VIP treatment, freedom to push the limits – these are examples of what sets this company over the top. All five senses are engaged – it all combines for a life’s worth of thrills packed into one full
day,” explains Joe Douthitt, Sr. Director of Supercar Life. “In addition to our popular full day experience, we’ve designed a wide spectrum of custom packages to accommodate for any size or type of group, while maintaining the integrity of what makes us the best supercar driving experience in the world.” Supercar Life is based in Las Vegas; however, group events are held in other markets as well. Home tracks are Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in nearby Pahrump, NV. Las Vegas is home for the world’s leading driving adventure, but don’t be fooled; Supercar Life has provided lasting supercar memories at many of the greatest tracks
in North America. Individuals and groups arrive to our adventure with intrigue, excitement, and marvel, and leave in a state supercar euphoria. An accomplished team of race car drivers and instructors lead the day. If they look, familiar, you very well may have seen them on television racing for championships. These are guys who’ve kept the gas pedal floored through Turn One at Indy, raced the 24 Hours at Daytona and have held championship trophies over their heads. They are real race car drivers. This education from top guns is what sets Supercar Life apart from similar programs touting time spent behind the wheel of rarefied vehicles.
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“It’s one thing to put a man (or woman) in control of 2,440 horsepower’s worth of exotic power and another to coach him how to squeeze the best performance out of it with only a few hours of experience,” explains Ross Thompson, Director of Operations for Supercar Life. “Our program is so well designed and our instructors so skilled, that all of our guests are confident when they grip the wheel of any of our supercars and fly around the track.” Supercar Life offers the public the opportunity to register for one of the scheduled days on their website (www.supercarlife. continued on next page
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The Fast Lane continued from page 127 com) and join up to fourteen other adventurists for a full day of Supercar Life at either of our home tracks. The Ground School The experience begins in the morning with breakfast and the Supercar Life Ground School. Thompson, experienced NASCAR GrandAm racer and one of typically six instructors, guides guests through a supercar driving curriculum that can only be explained so simply by an experienced race car driver. Guiding the excited guests, he diagrams such things as how the vehicle’s mass moves when you brake and accelerate and when and how to turn into the apex of Turn One. Common driving practices such as braking, turning, and accelerating are explained and illustrated, detailing the difference between driving a
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Volvo that guests may have parked in their driveway and the supercar they are about to pilot at speeds over 140 mph. High Speed Driving Exercises In just under 40 minutes, Ground School concludes and guests break to the muchanticipated first round of thrills – the Max Acceleration and Deceleration (MAD) and
Reaction Agility Maneuver (RAM) stations. Each station allows guests to get familiar with each car’s abilities. MAD represents every man’s boyhood dream of going 0-to-60-to-0 mph in an exotic car with everyone watching. The RAM is a preci-
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sion thrill ride as guests go through a high speed slalom course. Guests experience first hand the diverse set up of each supercar: engine in front, in back, and in the middle; flat-6, V-8, V-10, and V-12 powerplants, turbocharged and normally aspirated; rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. For those who have
Supercar Life gives you a whole day to drive its’ collection of the world’s elite supercars at the speeds for which they were designed. Complete with the tutelage of professional racers on za professional track, both novice and experienced drivers alike have equal opportunity for an incredible journey of exotic thrills.
an appetite for speed and thrills, these alone fill the belly; however, there is much more to come. The Climax The ten majestic supercars are then lined up in two rows on the private road race course. To start, guests ride shotgun in each of the supercars with pro driving
instructors behind the wheel for three laps giving instruction on how and when to apply the curriculum learned in the Ground School. Then the climax of the day arrives. Guests strap into the driver’s seat of a supercar preparing to tame the screaming www.RisqueLVmag.com
horsepower of each supercar. Driving directly behind a matching supercar driven by a pro diver (Ferrari with Ferrari, Lambo with Lambo, etc.), the tandem pair accelerates faster and faster with every lap that peaks speeds only limited by the comfort level of the guest in the following car.
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The Grand Del Mar, in northern San Diego County is the place where heaven meets earth. For three days and two nights my feet never touched the ground. It was like entering a master work of art. Imagine the opulent elegance of a Spanish, Portuguese, Moroccan and Venetian design infused with a sun splashed Southern California attitude. A Renaissance glow spilled into my life. by Janice Marie Wilson The valet, dressed in whites like a British colonial soldier opened the large glass doors with ironwork insets and gold leaf accents. My eyes drank in the beauty of floor to ceiling sophisticated and fanciful delights. The red and gold striped draperies in the large living area overlooking the golf course billowed to the floor with whimsical elegance. The old-world grandeur of the library with it’s rich mahogany book cases, dark chocolate leather chairs and verdant green sofas dotted with rich gold satin pillows, whispered an invite to partake in a juicy mystery novel. The unique marbled floor designs shimmered with light. Large white and green checkered velvet chairs with hot pink upholstered backs were placed in front of a huge white stone fireplace with a black cast iron grate dotted with seven gold flower medallions. Huge urns with continued on next page
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The Grand Del Mar continued from page 135 fresh flowers and graceful palm fronds embraced the room. Unexpected design surprises from the graceful arched doorways, twisted columns, rustic wood-beamed ceiling with striking wrought iron accents were the inspiration of architectural pioneer Addison Mizner. Looking at the dramatic views of the golf course, I couldn’t wait to make a tee time. My new 300 million dollar home, complete
with 249 guest rooms, four pools, golf course, five diamond restaurant, tennis courts, and 21,000 square foot spa awaited me. My heart raced with excitement. In a short five hour drive from Vegas, I was being romanced by the the enduring beauty of Mediterranean architecture that was now my Spanish Colonial palace. Wow! Even the walk to my 1700 square foot Palazzo suite became an adventure. I lingered over the artwork of Venetian boats, Italian cafes, and 17th Century picnics. Elegant marble topped buffets with gilded
mirrors reflected the crystal ceiling chandeliers. White wainscoting in the hallways, alternating carpet designs of rich red gold sunbursts, with Italian blue designs made me want to skip down the narrow hallways to my room. But it wasn’t until I opened my door to the room that I jumped with delight! I literally glided down the 20-foot entry hallway, mesmerized by the splendor. The warm pinks and golds of the sunset spewed into the living room from the balcony. A dining table for eight graced the left side of the room, and a mini kitchen with refrigerator stocked with sodas and bubbly waters was ready for the cocktail hour. The draperies were lush, the formal sofa was elegant and comfortable. The lighted book shelves on both sides of the gas fireplace invited me to curl up and relax. But this is only half the story. As I walked into my bedroom I was greeted by the most extraordinary mini bar I’d ever seen. It was a wet bar with a marble counter top, a selection of Schott Zwiesel bar barware; private label wine and 200 milliliter bottles of premium spirits. They know their guests well. My feet never touched the warmth of the gold carpet. I just knew this must be the bathroom where angels are given their wings. Three gold-framed mirrors reflected marble counter tops, golden crystal fixtures, dual sinks, oversized white towels, a separate marble shower 12-inch flat-screen TV and a tub that was made for champagne and lovers. A set of of mirror-paneled windows swung open above the tub. Pink splashes of light spewed into the golden hued bedroom as the sun began to set. It was my birthday weekend and we toasted to the “good life” from our arched patio. I don’t know if it was the crystal lights in the bathroom, the rich gold tones of the bedroom, or the golden ray moments of sunset but my husband said I was beautiful. Wow! Dinner at the Addison was my five diamond birthday present that took me three hours to unwrap. My waiter graciously placed a foot stool by my side for my purse. We toasted with champagne as our meal began with an Amuse Bouche of avocado puree and orange basil, which plated like a miniature work of art. This seven course gift was inspired by chef William Bradley, whose French-style exactitude for the culinary arts is inspired by serious pleasure. continued on page 139
The Library, The Lobby, (inset top right) Manchester Living Room, (inset bottom right) Manchester Salon. (left)
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The Grand Del Mar continued from page 136 The cuisine is simple, with rarely more than three ingredients in a dish. but chef Bradley’s infusion of full-blooded Mediterranean color and vitality to the dishes is sensual, a rare balance of earthiness and skill. The sommelier Jesse Rodriguez paired the ideal wines that added the drama, sensuality and sheer exuberance to my celebration. The seared sea scallops napped in beurre d’Isigny, the famous French butter and accented with cured lemon and jus de mer tasted vivid and pure. The Sablefish garnished with pistachios with a sauce of vin jaune, the nutty “yellow” wine from the Jura in eastern France with the delicate pairing of miso was a gastronomic delight. The roasted Salmon with garlic “croustillant” was simple and astonishingly good. But it was the Confit of short rib with smoked potato puree with black truffles and chives that curled my toes. The Artisan cheese course, the Yuzu Garnite with cherry syrup were courses that by flavor and color made me taste joy. The Mille-Feuille served with candied caramel and fromage blanc ice cream were so meltingly delicious that eating it was like a a kiss on the lips. But it didn’t stop there. We got to meet Chef Bradley and his staff in his pristine kitchen that sparkled brighter than the Hope Diamond, truly a place of celestial ambitions. I woke up on Saturday morning with butterflies in my stomach. I slept like royalty in the most heavenly bed. Our tee time was at 8:30. I wondered what surprises I’d find today? I love the anticipation and the feeling of playing a new golf course. There’s something magical about the ebb and flow of the pristine fairways, the geometry of the greens, and the magnificent foliage and fauna of a world class golf course. The Tom Fazio 7,160 yard, par 72 spans 380 acres Grand Golf course is the penultimate in design and play. It’s nestled amidst the rolling hills and rugged natural beauty of of Los Penasquitos Cayon Preserve. The course has an abundance of wildlife, (we saw numerous bunnies probably hiding their Easter eggs and with 250 mature trees and vibrant florals their treasures were quite safe!) The cascading water feature on the 18th hole with the sound of a trickling stream and stunning 18 foot water fall surpassed magical. It was angelic! The Addison, Sea Scallops, (insets bottom left) Coddled Farm Egg (left)
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Chef Bradley,
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Sommelier Jesse Rodriguez.
I even had a fore caddy named Scott, dressed in an all white jump suit. I called him my “golf angel.” He rode on the back of our cart, swinging a white golf towel, guiding us to our balls, and inspiring our golf swings. I found myself in the sand a few too many times. But it became fun! Scott’s advice to dig my feet deep in the sand and swing only with my arms landed me on the green every time… swoosh! The wind picked up on the back nine and his advice, “to swing easy when it’s breezy” made the wind a cherished friend. The greens were a little hard to read so we’d ask him where would the ball go? Holding the flag, he’d www.RisqueLVmag.com
smile and say, “In the cup… of course!” The day was perfect. I experienced the best golf of my life. Undoubtedly this is what you do for fun in heaven. The Spa at the Grand Del Mar was the jewel box of my resort experience. This 21,000 square foot facility embraces the true spirit of the Renaissance era, a time when light, renewal, and rebirth captured the imagination. This luxurious and soothing retreat makes time stand still. In fact there is only one clock in the whole facility continued on page 141
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The Grand Del Mar continued from page 139 that’s on the mantle of the quiet room. The color palette of the spa is earthy creams, soft blues beiges ad taupes. I relaxed on a lounge chair of white and gold stripes that cocooned me under a canopy. I watched the light dance upon the crystal glass tiles. The imported white Carrera marble beneath the many arches gave me the feeling that this retreat was heaven sent. There are numerous “touch therapies” to choose, ranging from “Stony Silence” that uses warm stones coupled with a relaxing massage, Core Elements, that’s ideal for athletes that balances and strengthens the body’s core, “Between Two Worlds” a soulful relaxation massage with aromatic oils followed by sweet-grass compresses. I choose the “Renaissance,” because rebirth was the theme of my birthday weekend. I was led to a large treatment room and the therapist in a quiet nurturing voice explained this signature body ritual. I heard the words but was not at all prepared for the amazing sensations that the ritual invoked. She applied warm mineral rich mud to my body which felt as smooth as silk. Then I was indulged in a warm body wrap as I was resting on a free floating water bed. For about twenty minutes I was cradled and rocked in this quiet retreat. Then I took an invigorating rosemary-infused Swiss shower. There must have been about thirty shower jets washing away the therapeutic mud that exfoliated my dead skin cells away. I came back to the massage table and relished in the fifty minutes of a relaxing and stretching message. The therapeutic value made the tone of my skin rosy and vibrant. Everything about my body felt silky smooth like new born’s skin. The therapist told me the mud was good for the circulation, and encourages flexibility in the joints. I left with a “Renaissance glow” that shown brighter than the candles on my cake. There is no week-end get-away without a game of tennis. The Grand Del Mar shown even “grander” in this sport. The two tennis courts on the far end of the property are magnificent. Lynn Lois, their pro, heralds from UCLA and was an NCAA woman’s doubles champion. She showed us her shimmering championship ring. We had the time of our lives taking clinic from her. We sprinted from side to side, improving Couples Suite at The Spa, Grand Del Mar Spa Products, (inset below) Stoney Silence Touch Therapy. (left)
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our strokes and competing for points. She gave us tips that made my ground strokes smoother and my volley’s harder. The setting was intoxicatingly beautiful. The tennis alot of fun. Saturday night’s dinner at Amaya was more low key than the Addison but the food was also succulent and delicious. My husband and I both choose lobster bisque for our appetizer and were thrilled with the presentation and the rich tasty flavor of the soup. We choose a “La Rowcaia Ramondolo”, wine from Italy. We smiled at each other as we watched the sparkling fluid swirl in our glasses. Our whole weekend was filled with smiles like this of recognition and appreciation for all the heavenly delights of this resort. We shared a mushroom risotto with smoked aged cheddar, chives, Italian parsley, basil and tomato. The seared diver scallop with cauliflower puree, golden raisins and pine nut relish, with madeira jus was the crown jewel of the meal. The Grand Del Mar is created to renew your real attention to the art of living. The hike I took on Sunday morning with Dylan, The Grand Del Mar’s personal naturalist guide for Los Penasquitos (Spanish for little cliffs”) Canyon Preserve. This was my final brush stroke. The rugged canyon, trickling streams, fish-filled ponds and small cascading waterfall along the treelined trails explodes with rich history, geology, wildlife and great “Dylan” stories. I’m not much for nature walks. In fact my family was quite surprised I gave up breakfast in bed to spend a few hours on this hike. But like every experience at The Grand Del Mar, Dylan made this hike ever grander. His enthusiasm, knowledge and story telling made the rocks and cliffs come alive. I smelled the leaf of “Cochella” and learned it was what cowboys used for cologne. I saw “sticky monkeys”, tiny lemons, learned about the mustard seeds and the missionaries, explored “dusty chalk” plants that live for over 150 years and walked on cobblestone rocks that exploded millions of years ago from a volcano in Mexico. There are more than 175 types of birds that make their home here. I spotted a mallard duck, listened to a yellow-rumped warbler and watched a roadrunner cross my path. I never knew how interesting cactus, rock, and wildlife could be. But Dylan’s stories were vibrantly rich and entertaining. Even now I smile when I recall the trek into the canyon to view the boulder-studded waterfall, continued on page 143
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The Grand Del Mar continued from page 141 that cascades through volcanic rock. (It used to be a swimming hole for Dylan and his friends when they were kids.) The only disappointing moment of the entire weekend was when we had to pack. Tears of joy, appreciation and sadness
welled in my eyes. This magnificent creation was truly an experience in the “art of living.� It is the place where heaven meets earth. I left The Grand Del Mar feeling richer, more relaxed and inspired. I came for a birthday celebration and I will go back for another renewal for living. It is an inspiration of beauty and (\as far as I know) has no equal in the world of travel and leisure resorts.
Clubhouse from the eighteenth Hole, The Fourth Hole, (inset above) Forecaddie Clubhouse, (inset below) The Fourth Hole Tee. (left)
(inset left)
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PALMS PLACE HOTEL AND SPA | 4321 WEST FLAMINGO ROAD | LAS VEGAS, NV 89103 TEL702-942-6843 | FAX702-942-0107 www.palmsplace.com
Guests enjoy delectable cuisine at Simon at Palms Place, the exclusive restaurant and lounge by celebrity chef Kerry Simon; a salon operated by renowned color specialist Michael Boychuck; the lobby bar, Rojo Lounge; and a full range of hotel services including 24-hour room service, resort concierge service, a business center and the only Las Vegas location of L.A.’s famed Sunset Tan. In addition, guests of Palms Place will have direct access to the Palms Casino Resort and its award winning gaming, dining and nightlife via the SkyTubeSM, an elevated, enclosed moving walkway that joins the two complexes.
The one-bedroom suites at Palms Place offer a design for living and for modern entertaining. In addition to all of the studio luxuries, the bedroom suites possess 1,200 square feet of space including multiple balconies, a living room with fireplace and a laundry closet with washer and dryer.
Model: Evan Hostetler • shoes: Calvin Klein • Dress: Dolce Cabana • Makeup: MAC • Hair/makeup artist: Julie Jerome
Photograph by Milka
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by Bobbie Katz
He’s One of Las Vegas’ Most Eligible Bachelors and the Epitome of How to Succeed in Business Even When Times Are Trying He’s GQ-handsome, intelligent, has an engaging personality, and he’s got that golden touch. But can he cook? All we can say is, if you can’t take the heat, you’d better stay out of his kitchens because restaurateur/designer/entrepreneur Nico Santucci is fanning the flames of success in more ways than one. On one front burner are his two locations of his popular Capo’s Italian restaurants and the Parisian Palace, his palatial home and a hideaway for his numerous A-list celebrity friends as well as a sought-after venue for parties and events, including those of a diplomatic nature. On the other are his projects currently in progress, including a rock star ultra-lounge that’s he’s opening with some rock star pals, and a soon-to-come Spanish cuisine restaurant in Boca Park in Summerlin. continued on page 150
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Capo’s has plush red leather banquettes, crystal chandeliers, private booths, hidden rooms, and more.
Capo di Capo continued from page 149 As you might expect, Santucci also has no lack of things on the back burner. Constantly on the move with new ideas to add to his already full plate, he means business – as in build it and they’ll come. “My dream was to be an architectural designer,” he claims. “Architecture is still my passion today – it appeals to all the senses. I did clubs and commercial spaces and later on decided to expand the commercial design element to include food and complete the ambiance experience with food and drink in an all-encompassing environment.” Upon moving to Las Vegas from Los Angeles 10 years ago and investing heavily in real estate here, Santucci put his talents to work. He soon became known for his eclectic designs of Venus and C2K at the Venetian; Café Moda, which he owned and built, and the Lynx Lounge. Realizing that with his remodeling skills he could have his whole world in his hands, he then created the original Capo’s and the Parisian Palace.
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Obtaining a common law trademark to have the only speakeasy-style restaurant in Las Vegas, Santucci fused his imagination and family lore with Las Vegas’ historical past and put himself under the gun to make Capo’s a uniquely different place. It has undeniably been Santucci’s creativity that has turned his two locations of the mobthemed Capo’s restaurant into bonafide culinary “hits.” “Capo means mob boss,” explains Santucci. “The entire restaurant is based on the mob bosses of history. There are even images on the wall of members of my family, who, as it has been recounted, are descendants of a prominent crime family from Chicago. As a kid, I was always going to funerals and I remember the fighting over the position of the automobiles. My relatives hail from New York and Chicago and my uncle, my father’s brother, owned a restaurant in Chicago called Santucci’s that served my family’s homemade Italian recipes. My dad’s family was from Abruzzi, Italy and every one of them cooked.” Indeed, Santucci has made his mark with his own twist on “family”-style dining. At both Capo’s locations, on Tropicana and Sahara, mobster-chic décor meets “to die February 2010
for” Italian cuisine in venues that speak to the fact that he has gone to the wall with the bullet points, or details, that make for recreating an era. That includes the “family” pictures of “Uncle Al” (as in Capone), “Uncle John” (Gotti), and other G-Men and Rat Pack figures that peer down at you, as well as the real Tommy Gun hanging over the bar. It all speaks to the fact that some guys “sleep with the fishes” and others get to eat the fishes – and the Shrimp Scampi comes highly recommended. “Capo’s menu is all authentic old-world recipes,” Santucci acknowledges. “It’s central Italian cooking, which combines a little of the northern and southern Italian cooking. But it’s not as heavy as either of those and it consists of a lighter and sweeter red sauce. However, I’m not going to be an imposter and try to sell anyone on Euro cuisine. The food is very New York-Chicago in the sense that it’s from the heart and is what I grew up with in Chicago.” It was his early years in that city that account for Santucci’s being in high gear today, beginning with a taxi cab refurbishcontinued on page 152
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Capo di Capo continued from page 150
ing business he started as a teenager. The youngest of three sons, he was a lonely child whose well-to-do parents traveled all the time and when home, rarely paid attention to him (“No one even showed up
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for my high school graduation,” he recalls.) Left to his own devices, he called upon his creative side to get him through the rough times and began to sketch interiors of homes and buildings. “My loneliness played a role in my drive for success 100 percent,” Santucci claims. Santucci’s business acumen first reared its head at 16 when he passed a Yellow Cab Company in downtown Chicago and noFebruary 2010
ticed a bunch of cabs sitting in a graveyard, ready to be demolished. He ended up purchasing all 40 cabs, three at a time for $100 apiece, bringing them home and painting and refurbishing them in his back yard. Ultimately, he sold them for $1500 each. Upon graduating from high school, however, he moved to Dallas with a contract from the Kim Dawson Modeling Agency in hand. After modeling designer clothing
The Chopper Lounge
and living the good life for a year, he went to Miami on another agency contract to do more of the same. While there, he flew to Los Angeles for a weekend, and fell in love with the city and decided to move. “I went to L.A. and started a limo company called Elite Limo,” he relates. “I started with one car and within two years had 14. I designed and had built from scratch the first Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, and
Jaguar limos of their kind. I developed a high-end clientele and got to know a lot of celebrities and when I sold my company to a Japanese concern, I made so much money that I was ready to retire. I began to invest in real estate in L.A. and buy all kinds of luxury cars.” But Santucci’s restless spirit had other ideas besides relaxation and he began designing and renovating mansions, which www.RisqueLVmag.com
proved to be his specialty. All together he has remodeled 12 mansions, including Mansion 11 in L.A. and Red Rock Mansion in Las Vegas. As for the Parisian Palace, Santucci purchased the 14,000-square-foot majestic French castle, located on Palmyra Road, continued on page 154
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Capo di Capo continued from page 153 which speaks to the history and romance of another continent and era, in 2004. Realizing an opportunity to restore it and renovate it to a glory it had heretofore never achieved, he decided to model it after a real
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17th century Versailles palace, complete with Versace furniture and accoutrements and the original hand-painted murals on the ceilings done by master painter Thomas Bisetti. Santucci traveled all around the world collecting original artifacts. After totally redesigning and remodeling it, he debuted the 21-room mansion on New Year’s February 2010
Eve 2006 with a celebrity bash the likes of which Las Vegas had never seen. “The estate was originally built decades ago by a real estate developer who invested $13 million into what was then known as the “Villa de Reve” (House of Dreams),” says Santucci. “For a long time, it was rumored to be the Whoopi Goldberg mansion. The
Above: The Water Feature and the Garden Left: The Parisian Palace
Parisian Palace, which I renamed it, is a virtual microcosm of post-war France.” Ultimately, he added 5,000 square feet to the existing property, including new art by Bisetti, and a professional bowling alley – the latter being one of his eclectic touches. Last year, he renovated the Parisian Palace again to give it more of what he calls a “Rock
Star” feel, adding music memorabilia, authentic gold records, countless electric guitars, a stage and lighting in the mansion’s nightclub, and a Chopper motorcycle that Santucci custom-built himself, “All the mansions are different,” he notes. “The most difficult thing for me is often the permitting process because I like to do a lot www.RisqueLVmag.com
of unorthodox things, such as unusual construction and unique water features. I’ve had to tone down some of my designs and make adjustments to please the government. But the environment speaks to me – I’ve never walked into a property with a set continued on page 156
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Capo di Capo continued from page 155 idea. I absorb what’s going on around me and I look at the space and it talks to me.” At the root of this multi-faceted individual is a continuous need to diversify and
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to reinvent. In contrast, he remarks that his life is very structured and that he is very disciplined. He describes his six main characteristics as sincere, curious, idealistic, determined, chivalrous, and incredibly loyal in business. Ignorance and incompetence make him angry and while he listens to criticism, he also doesn’t let it deter him February 2010
from his goal. He says that he is very direct with people and that, with him, what you see is what you get. He reveals that he wakes up in the morning with a desire to succeed. “I wake up about 8:30 a.m. and work until midnight every day,” Santucci explains about his conservative lifestyle. “I eat and
Above: Master Bath Left: Private Night Club
do everything on the fly. I don’t stop; I put in 12- to 14-hour days. I rarely take breaks and I don’t relax much or celebrate holidays. I am a workaholic in the true sense of the word. I worry about everything; I worry about creating perfection and about pleasing others. The affirmation of what I’ve done comes for me when others are
pleased with my product.” With it all, the single 40-something Santucci admits that he has had to make sacrifices, one of them being in the area of relationships. He admits, however, that he would love to get married and have children. “I find life very fulfilling but I’m never fulwww.RisqueLVmag.com
filled,” Santucci reveals. “My loneliness is still an unresolved issue. Nor have I reached my end goal because I don’t know what it is yet. Right now, life is all about the dream and I’m living it. Who can ask for anything more? The best thing about success is the autonomy, the independence, it gives you.” Now there’s some true food for thought.
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Have You Gotten Your CSI Today? by Bobbie Katz
Interactive Exhibit Leaves a Handprint in the Desert The MGM Grand has a new attraction that would be a crime to miss. Literally. The popular CSI: The Experience interactive exhibit opened in August at the hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, the setting of the original top-rated CBS series CSI, created by longtime Las Vegas resident Anthony E. Zuiker. The attraction gives guests the opportunity to play the role of a crime scene investigator via hands-on science in a multi-media environment with special effects direct from the TV series. “I think that, through this exhibit, people will look at the TV show differently and have a new appreciation and respect for what CSI’s do for a living,” says Zuiker. “They are the unsung heroes of crime solving that bring peace of mind and closure to people on the worst day of their lives. The civil service that crime scene investigators provide is incredibly important work. The closure they give to a survivor of violent crime is very important to the sanity of that human being in being able to move forward.” continued on page 160
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No Bones About It – The skeleton found in the desert scene where visitors identify evidence and record findings on a special investigation card.
CSI: The Experience continued from page 159 At CSI: The Experience, people will learn scientific principles and real investigative techniques as they try to solve one of three crime scene mysteries, A House Collided, Who Got Served? or No Bones About It. From DNA to fingerprint analysis, forensic anthropology, and toxicology, two state-of-the art crime labs will help them piece together the evidence. Zuiker, a partner in the exhibit from the beginning, notes that his contribution was
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to make sure it didn’t feel like a typical museum. He suggested hands-on activities such as analyzing tire tracks, putting clay on bones for facial recognition, and the witnessing of an actual autopsy. “I think in that way I was instrumental,” he acknowledges. The fun begins with a video introduction by CSI cast members, who welcome guests and lead them through the experience. The “new recruits” enter one of the three crime scenes – a car crash through a house, a female body dumped behind a dumpster, and a skeleton found in the desert – where they identify evidence and record findings February 2010
on a special investigation card. The crime scenes vary in intensity, with the mildest being the presentation of the skeletal remains discovered in a remote desert (No Bones About It). Upon leaving the crime scenes, “sleuths” have access to a large wall of crime scene photos and clues they may have missed. They then analyze evidence in two highly interactive lab areas, each featuring multiple stations that allow for testing of the various evidence. At the conclusion of CSI: The Experience, guests present their findings in a re-creation of the office of Gil Grissom, CSI head
investigator. Located in this area are touch screens on which people answer a series of multiple choice questions based on their scientific findings. A case summary is then generated so that they can match their results to those of expert crime scene investigators. A personalized CSI Diploma completes the experience. Of course, there would be no CSI: The Experience without another kind of scene – Zuiker initially creating the TV show. It all began back in the mid-90s when he was working as a stockbroker and, finding him
self not good at dealing with intangibles, he decided, on a lark, to write a script for a friend. It sold to a local producer in Hollywood and broke Zuiker into the business. That movie, The Runner, starring Courtney Cox and John Goodman, went right to video but it netted Zuiker his first job – writing a script for Columbia Pictures called The Harlem Globetrotters Story. Although that movie did not get made and Zuiker came back to Las Vegas to rewww.RisqueLVmag.com
assess his writing career, somehow the screenplay ended up on the desk of Jerry Bruckheimer, who happened to like its voice. Bruckheimer then called Zuiker into a meeting and asked him if he had any interest in television. “I had just watched a show on the Discovery Channel called The New Detectives – it was actually my wife’s idea to watch it,” continued on page 162
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Visitors then analyze evidence in two highly interactive lab areas, each featuring multiple stations that allow for testing of the various evidence. At the conclusion of CSI: The Experience, guests present their findings in a re-creation of the office of Gil Grissom, CSI head investigator.
CSI: The Experience continued from page 161 Zuiker reveals. “It was a docudrama that featured different crime scene cases. The episode I saw was about Oakland Raiders cheerleader Linda Sobek, who had been killed by a photographer on the beach. It showed how forensic evidence helped to solve the case – the photographer had said that he had accidentally run over her with his jeep but the evidence depicted a struggle in the car, signifying that he had lied. Seeing that show eventually led to the creation of CSI – I presented the idea to Jerry Bruckheimer, who loved it.” Admittedly, when he set about writing the CSI pilot, Zuiker knew “zero” about forensics. So he proceeded to do a lot of research and to ride along with real CSI’s so that, as he gained knowledge, he could create interesting and convincing characters and make sure that his evidence was correct in the script. “It was a very intensive research project
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to do the pilot,” Zuiker recalls. “I grew up in Las Vegas, my family having moved here from Chicago when I was six months old, and it felt like the natural backdrop for a crime drama – it’s a 24-hour town and three million people visit every month. I felt that setting the show in a graveyard shift in a 24-hour town with all the transient people coming in and out would make for a compelling crime drama. Plus, Vegas is a sexy city.” Zuiker’s theory worked, with CSI becoming the most successful series in TV history. On the air for 10 years, it has spawned CSI Miami, on air for 8 years, and CSI New York, on air for 6 years. “I believe that we finally found a way to tell a modern-day mystery in a compelling manner,” Zuiker expresses about the reasons behind the show’s popularity. “We’re dealing with a forensic point of view in a procedural drama, constructing what happened without being there through the power of evidence. On top of that, our amazing cast of high-quality actors comes into your living room week after week and February 2010
brings justice to survivors of a crime, which is not only compelling for America but for the world.” “This level of intrigue first arose during the O.J. Simpson trial,” he adds. “That was the first time that, collectively as a country, we were introduced to the world of forensics. I also believe that when CSI found a way to make forensics exciting and accessible through the use of storytelling that America really learned about the power of evidence through it.” It was about five years ago that EMS Exhibits, Inc., which creates museums, came to Zuiker and asked him what he felt would make an ideal experience of that type for the
show’s viewers and fans. Zuiker responded that it had to be an interactive experience in which guests could go from one activity to another and examine evidence and do all the things they saw done on the TV show and solve the crime. The resulting attraction, such as the one at MGM Grand, is produced by EMS Exhibits, Inc., under a license from CBS Consumer Products. CSI: The Experience was originally developed by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History with a grant from The National Science Foundation (NSF) for a tour of U.S. science museums and continues to tour around the United States and Europe.
“The most important thing about this exhibit that people will take away with them is the sanctity of forensic science and the power of evidence,” Zuiker reiterates. “They will understand how difficult it is to wrap your head around pieces of a puzzle without being there to see it happen and to let the evidence speak to you. It’s also an inspiration – you never know when a 14year-old kid is going to walk through the exhibit and say that he wants to do this for a living.” As for Zuiker, while CSI has a team of 10 writers and he wrote episodes for the first six or seven years, he is now officially off the show, thinking up new crime drawww.RisqueLVmag.com
mas for CBS. He also recently released the world’s first digi-book, a crime novel encompassing the best of publishing, motion pictures, and social websites called Level 26: Dark Origins. An interactive social website, level26.com, supports it. “There are 25 levels of serial killers,” he explains. “This is called ‘Level 26” because it unlocks a new level with a forensic-proof villain who wears a latex suit and is eluding capture from Steve Dark, an ex-Quantico CSI.” While it may be one for the book, it’s in reality another Zuiker creation that’s destined to be a real killer – with his enthusiastic audiences, that is.
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Garth Brooks Throws His Hat into the Arena Once Again by Bobbie Katz Contrary to the title of one of his biggest hits, Garth Brooks does have friends in high places. In fact, thanks to his relationship with one of Las Vegas’ most renowned casino moguls, Brooks’ emergence out of retirement couldn’t be more of a Wynnwin situation. Having signed a five-year deal to perform a series of special engagements in the Encore Theater, Brooks now has the best of two different worlds. “Steve Wynn has done what I thought was impossible,” Brooks explains. “He has given me a chance to sing again for the people while, at the same time, never missing a day with my children. I am naturally nervous but it feels good to be out from under the low ceiling of retirement I put on myself. My life won’t change for the next five years, except that I’ll get to play music. ” In 2001, Brooks, certified by the Recording Industry of America as the #1 selling solo artist in U.S. history with hits such as If Tomorrow Never Comes, Friends in Low Places, and No Fences, announced his retirement to raise his three daughters. While he says that the public won’t be getting any music or touring from him continued on page 166
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Garth Brooks continued from page 164
until his youngest daughter, who is 13, enters college five years from now, he will be performing 15 weekends a year at Encore, doing one show on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. Because of the three-hour time difference between his home in Oklahoma and Las Vegas, Brooks can leave home at 6 p.m. after his daughters get home from school and can be in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. to get ready for his performance. He says that if his children have special events he needs to attend, the show time may occasionally be adjusted. “I had to buy him a plane to do it,” laughs Wynn, who purchased a Challenger jet for Brooks. “Everything about Garth’s performances – his artistry, the range of his voice, his connection with the audience – is something I haven’t seen since the Rat Pack. In show business, for a single performer to lift an entire audience emotionally to the point where they pray it doesn’t end, is an extraordinary and unique thing that only a few gifted people can do. But that is what I experienced when I saw Garth on stage, alone with his guitar, doing a history of his personal journey in music. I watched a man create instant love in real time, right before my eyes.” Although Wynn and Brooks have different versions of who first approached whom about getting together, Brooks states that Wynn didn’t approach him with money. Rather, he had heard Brooks’ story and knew he was taking care of his children with new wife Tricia Yearwood and exwife Sandy (Brooks bought a ranch next door to hers) and set about finding a way to make things work. “I told Steve that he couldn’t afford me,” Brooks cajoles. “I was wrong. He asked me to come out here and see the room. It was the greatest experience playing for Steve and 130 of his friends. Every argument I gave him for why I shouldn’t do the gig, he had an argument for. He even told me I
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could quit any rime if it didn’t work.” Garth says that he has never played a place built for sound like the Encore Showroom. He jokes that when he hears himself in the theater, he asks, “Who is this?” In the audience when Garth played for Wynn and friends were Bette Midler, who was sitting with Wynn, and Steve and Eydie, unbeknownst to Wynn. According to Wynn, all
were blown away by Brooks as he stood on stage with just his jeans, hat, T-shirt and guitar. Brooks says that the show will be a oneman show and unscripted because that is his style. Again, he won’t say whether or not there will be a band behind him; he just declares that there are no rules. He plans on taking the audience through how he got his sound and the influences he grew up with such as Merle Haggard, George Jones, Bob Seger, George Strait (whom Brooks says he always wanted to be) and others. “I won’t be doing any flying and there won’t be any fire or rain on stage,” he acknowledges. “These are live shows between the music and the people. When you know the words to my stuff, when people start to feel things, that’s a party. I’m going to come February 2010
out playing my guitar, just like I did years ago at Wild Willy’s Saloon. It’s a chance for me to get back slowly into it. It will be very intimate and I’ll be able to see what people like and what they don’t.” “I grew up as one of six kids,” he added. “We were hard on each other so we had to have a thick skin. We were always told that we could do whatever we wanted to do in life, whatever gave us self-pride. At the same time, I would be told, ‘God, you’re fat.’ So there are times you have to tell me I’m beautiful. I’m not one of those guys who can come out and do the same show every night no matter what. They’re the pros.” Calling Encore “Garth’s home,” Wynn describes the show Brooks will be doing is a “very homey, personal thing.” He notes that Brooks will have control of the room and who he brings on stage with him (including possibly Yearwood) and that what Garth does up there is his business. Wynn also states that he loves the uncertainty of it. “Ms. Yearwood’s touring has been toned down so that she can be here with me,” smiles Brooks. “I don’t go anywhere without her. Before we got married we asked ourselves, why be together if we have to be apart? I put her in the Top 5 female vocalists in my life, so, no, I won’t have her on stage every night.” “She has her dreams, too,” he continues. “One of them is to be on Broadway. So when the girls all go off to school, we’ll live in New York for a year or two. It’s a give and take relationship of which I’m very appreciative.” While he admits to being nervous, Brooks says that he has no trepidations about coming out of retirement because he cleared it with the most important people in his life.” The girls, who are 13, 15, and 17, are excited for me to be out of the house,” Brooks quips. “When I retired, I left something I loved for something I loved better. I didn’t miss the ties and suits, meaning the business end of it. But here, I get to emerge myself in warm water and play. I get off the plane and go on stage.” Best of all, there are “no fences.”
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February 2010
by Bobbie Katz
Big Boys Don’t Cry – They Just Stay Focused on Success. There’s a time to sing; a time to laugh; a time to lose; a time to win. That’s the saga of The Four Seasons – at least as viewed nightly at the Palazzo in Jersey Boys, which has been playing to enthusiastic crowds at the hotel Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter since April 2008. The group that began on a street corner in New Jersey and culminated in one of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll groups in musical history, with more than 175 million records sold, embodies a saga that has all the aspects that audiences can relate to. The Four Seasons – Frankie Valli (Rick Faugno), Bob Gaudio (Peter Saide), Tommy DeVito (Deven May) and Nick Massi (Jeff Leibow) – all had very universal human needs. They wanted to belong; they wanted success; they wanted to be respected; they wanted a home. Along their journey, they did well, they screwed up, and, in the process, they created some humorous moments. continued on next page
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Erich Bergen, Bob Gaudio, Rick Faugno, Frankie Valli, Jeff Leibow, Jeremy Kushnier Photography by Jacob Andrzejczak
Jersey Boys continued from page 172 While all the drama is portrayed nightly by the talented actors and rain falling into lives ultimately causes a smile to be the audience’s umbrella, for Frankie Valli and the actor who portrays him, there is a separate underlying story. For both, the show has created some real-life emotional moments, albeit for different reasons. “Doing this show has been one of my biggest challenges professionally,” admits Rick Faugno, noting that Valli has the say in who will play him and that the star gave him his blessing to do the role. “The story is so deep. I’ve been doing Jersey Boys for three years and have been playing Frankie since the day the show opened at the Palazzo and just when you think you’ve discovered something, you see that there’s so much more to discover.” “The first time I saw the show staged was in workshops at La Jolla Playhouse,” says Frankie Valli. “It was really strange to be sitting in an audience, watching somebody
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playing you, singing your hits. And for the people who have seen the show, there are obviously moments that are very personal and emotional for me. I have no problem watching the ‘Frankies’ anymore but the other elements still tug at my heart.” While Faugno is pretty confident in the role now, he says that it took him a while for it to feel like second nature. Being a legitimate Broadway actor/singer, he had never really sung rock ‘n’ roll before and it took a lot for him to be able to sound like Frankie, who has a naturally high voice that Faugno doesn’t have. “To be quite honest, the first thing I want to do is hear the guy sing,” explains Valli who is at many of the auditions and at all the final auditions. “The vocal parts are the heart of the Four Seasons and let me tell you… my parts aren’t easy. In terms of the acting, I just want to see what the guy brings to the table. The guys playing me aren’t supposed to be imitating me – it’s a role and everybody does it a little differently. But they are all really talented kids – they sing and dance and act.” “Frankie and I became friends during the
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creation of the Las Vegas company,” Faugno notes. “There wasn’t a whole lot written on the group and its personal dynamics and I would talk to Frankie a lot and ask him all kinds of questions. I tried to get as much information as I could and he was a very big help.” Faugno also did as much research as possible on Valli and the band in order to get the role down. As co-writer of the show Rick Elice noted, everyone knows the group’s songs but before Jersey Boys, no one knew their story. And it is a story that has it all – love and hate, the mob and music and money, revenge and betrayal, wives, other people’s wives, children and family. While not all are portrayed in the show, Valli has had some pretty hard obstacles to overcome, including failed marriages, the loss of his 22-year-old daughter, and the loss of his hearing, restored to about 85 percent in one ear thanks to his friend Frank Sinatra, who got him the operation that saved it. In the midst of it all were the relationships between the guys in the group and problems that cropped up therein. As just a couple of examples, Tommy De-
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and problems that cropped up therein. As just a couple of examples, Tommy DeVito, who liked to gamble and owed the Mafia over $700,000, put the entire group in debt by using their money for his dalliances. Valli ended up buying out DeVito’s share of The Four Seasons and paid off his debt. Valli then had to work harder than ever, taking less-than-savory gigs to try and make the money back. Then, in 1965, Massi just got up and left the group unceremoniously, leaving them hanging. What was the most difficult time of his career? “I’ve been hot and cold so many times it’s impossible to tell,” Valli responds. “You just have to keep working hard and singing your heart out.” It all began in 1960 when the group known as The Four Lovers evolved into The Four Seasons, with Valli as the lead singer, Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals, DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals (Massi was replaced in 1965 by Charles Calello, who was in turn was replaced later in 1965 by Joe Long.) The group has been known off and on since 1967 as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons (although not shown that way on any of their hit records) due to the release of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, which was considered Valli’s entrance into the solo market. However, The Four Seasons were still backing him up at that time and it wasn’t until 1971 when DeVito left the group that Valli went solo in reality. He had actually begun his career as a solo act in 1953, cutting a record called My Mother’s Eyes under the name Frankie Tyler, before hooking up with DeVito and Massi. When Gaudio joined the group in 1960, they became The Four Seasons, the name taken from a bowling alley. While Valli maintains that he honestly doesn’t know what made the the group so successful, it is touted by the Vocal Group Hall of Fame to be the most popular white rock band before the Beatles. The Four Seasons put out such hits as Sherry, Walk Like a Man, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye), Rag Doll, Save It For Me, December 1963 (Oh, What a Night), Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and numerous others. Today, Valli is the only one of the group who is still touring and he and Bob Gaudio are the only two constants. Gaudio wrote most of The Four Seasons’ hits (Bob Crewe
wrote the lyrics) and he and Valli each own 50 percent of the act and its assets, along with virtually all of its recording catalog. Valli and Gaudio are also both part of the creative process of Jersey Boys and have a stake in the show. Valli has admittedly felt a positive impact from the show where his personal appearances are concerned. “Absolutely, you should hear the roar every night when I ask the audience if they’ve seen it,” he enthuses. “And the best part is we’re getting a whole new audience – high school kids who have seen the musical and know all our hits, people of all ages. It’s great looking out from the stage and realizing that we are reaching a whole new generation of Four Seasons fans.” It’s not hard to see why Faugno calls Valli down-to-earth, sincere, and straightforward and says that it is the connection he feels to the music icon that gives him the enjoyment he feels in playing the Valli role. Faugno describes Valli’s persona as intriguing. “Upon first meeting Frankie, he’s very reserved,” relates Faugno, who sang Sherry, Walk Like a Man, and Can’t Take my Eyes Off You at his first try-out. “You can’t really tell what he’s thinking until you become friends with him. He’s the kind of person that when you’re friends with him, you know that you’re friends for life. He is a very loyal guy; when he says something, he means it. That’s why he and Bob Gaudio could have a handshake agreement that has lasted 40 years.” “I have tremendous respect for him,” he continues. “He has maintained his star power because he’s a fighter – he’s a guy from the streets of New Jersey. He has reinvented himself many times and never quit when the going got tough. Plus, he and Bob are smart businessmen. They know how to produce songs and sell themselves.” For Faugno, who first saw the show on Broadway and realized that the leading role as Valli in Jersey Boys would be unlike anything else he had ever done, all the emotion and pathos in the show just added to the challenge of what he calls “the role of a lifetime.” That’s saying something for the 30year-old actor who first performed in The Will Rogers Follies at the age of 12, has gone on to do numerous other roles, and started in the National Tour of Jersey Boys as Joey/ Frankie Understudy and became Alternate Frankie in that company. “I love singing the music and I love playing the role – Frankie is such a great character,” he enthuses. Oh, what a night!
by Rain Adreani
I. Prep Before you begin, clip your hair back. Using a cotton pad with non-alcoholic astringent, remove any excess oil from your face and neck. This will help the base foundation to adhere without streaking. If your skin is dry, apply a light moisturizer where needed. Allow the moisturizer to set for at least ten minutes. II. Step One: Applying the Base After you’ve prep your face, the first step is to apply the base. Use the wedge sponge to dab into the Rain Cosmetics Perfect Cream Foundation. Start from the center of your face and work outwards. Spread the foundation evenly over your entire face, neck, and into your hairline. Try not to get any on your eyebrows or lashes. Pat more foundation onto areas that are sun-damaged or discolored. And add Evian spray to moisten your sponge to thin out the foundation on areas you want less coverage. The idea here is to create an even, smooth, unblemished surface on your face and neck. You may apply the foundation to your lips if they are dry, or if you want to enhance them. You’ll need to draw them in later if you do this. Rain Cosmetics Perfect Cream Foundation shade Sunset Evian Facial Spray III. Step Two: Applying the Loose Powder Begin step two with a powder puff and the Rain Cosmetics Setting Loose Powder. RC Powder is used to absorb natural oils on your face that cause it to shine under bright lights or in the sun. Use a good amount and apply it liberally. Use the buff brush to create an even look. The result is a smooth finish. Hot Slots Bronzer shade Copper IV. Step Three: Highlight and Contour Step three focuses on your cheek bones and jaw line. The application of a RC Hot Slots Bronzer and RC Glowing Blush will enhance these important facial structures to produce the necessary contrast and youthful look that’s so desirable. To enhance your cheek bones, dip the contour brush into the bronzer and tap off any excess. Use an up-
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Glowing Blush shade Strip Tease
ward motion starting at the hollow of your cheek bone and brush up to your hairline at an angle. Now, create contour under your jaw line with the Bronzer. Start at the jaw line and drag the tint down the length of your neck. Using the wedge sponge, remember to blend the colors together to achieve a natural look. Use the RC Glowing Blush along with a blush brush to highlight cheeks, above your forehead, and your chin. If you follow this three-step process, you will have a more radiant, natural and youthful appearance.
Make-up Tips: I. Brows You can do so much with your eyebrows. They help to frame your eyes, but more importantly, if you shape them correctly you can create an expressive look. I recommend having them plucked or waxed by a professional beautician a few days before you have your picture taken or big event. Follow the natural arch of your brows. Use Rain Cosmetics’ colored eyebrow gel and pencil in areas needed. Remember, if you have dark hair, your brows should be one or two shades lighter. If you have lighter colored hair, make your brows one or two shades darker.
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Eye Brow Gel shade Blonde
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III. Lips Brightly colored lipsticks make your mouth look more prominent than your eyes. Dark lipsticks accentuate fullness or thinness. To achieve a natural look, I suggest that you mix them to lose the intensity of the bright lipstick while accenting the shape of your mouth. Follow the outline of your lips and avoid straight lines when drawing them in. Remember that your top lip should be the same size, or smaller than your bottom lip. Because lipstick tends to smear or rub off, I suggest you apply Rain Cosmetics’ Setting Loose Powder to your lips first, and then add the lipstick. The RC Loose Powder helps to “set” the lipstick so it won’t rub off easily.
Silky Dual Eye Shadow shades Spy/Venus II. Eyes 1. For your eyes, start with using a good amount of the Rain Setting Loose Powder on a powder puff and spread under the eyes. This will help eliminate dark circles and also catch falling eye shadow, which can now be brushed away easily. 2. To apply the eye shadow, I start with a primer on the eyes ( I love Shadow Insurance by Too Faced). Use a blending eye shadow brush or a sponge-tip applicator to apply small amounts of shadow at a time, building the color and blending as you go along. Don’t be afraid to go a little heavier than normal. On camera Expressive Lip Pencil Cameo or off your eye shadow will look just right. Glam Lipstick shade Rehab 3. Smokey eyes are the “in look.” They look great on evSexy Extreme Lip Gloss Tabu eryone and accentuate your eyes. Use a sponge tip applicator or small shadow brush with a dark eye shadow color and Black Expressive Eye Pencil and blend under the rim of your eye. Touch up can be done with a Q-tip to get a smooth, blended finish. Brush IV. Eye Lashes False lashes enhance your eyes for the camera. Apply a thin line away any shadow that may have fallen under your eye. of adhesive to the band of the false lash and allow it to set for a few seconds before applying. Then, starting on the outer corner of your eye and working to the inner corner, affix the lashes as close to your natural lash line as possible. Lastly, apply RC mascara to all your lashes to draw attention to your eyes.
High Rise Mascara shade Black
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by Milka Von Rhedey If you ever have a chance to go to Niagara Falls, Canada, take look at all the wax museums they have on the main drag! I remember when I was just a young kid and traveling with parents on a vacation, and seeing the wax figures in the windows of all the cool shops and haunted houses. I was so captivated by what looked so real, and yet was nothing more than a wax figure! Well today, I appreciate it even more so, and the body doubles that Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. have created are more life like than any wax figures that I can remember. continued on page 179
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LAS VEGAS
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(This Page) Steve Frakes preps Randy for the lifecast process (Right Top) Anthony Diaz and Steve Frakes apply alginate to form Randy’s lifecast (Right Center) Anthony Diaz demolds the Couture bust (Right Bottom) The demolded Couture lifecast
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LAS VEGAS
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The Natural continued from page 179 I had the pleasure to meet Alec Gillis, one of the partners of ADI, a special Makeup Studio in Hollywood, CA. They have multiple awards including an Oscar for their work in Death Becomes Her. Everything that Alec and his team touch is so amazingly real, it’s hard to believe the monsters and aliens they have created are not! With the diverse range of talents and techniques, they have created prosthetic make-ups, animatronic puppets, actor duplicates such as Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her. To list some of their other works is just a small sample of the talent ADI has in house. The Santa Claus 2, Spider Man and Spider Man 2, Alien, Jumanji, and the list goes on. With over twenty years of professional experience, they bring real character effects to a set to interact with actors, lighting, and practical atmosphere. This was such a treat to meet the team who created the bust of Randy Couture, and gave us an inside look to the making of “The Natural”. The idea of creating a life like bust of Randy came to fruition because Alec and his team are also big UFC fans. These athletes carry their battle scars on their faces, which makes them a great subject. Some of you may ask who is Randy Couture; well Randy Couture in 1997 at the age of 33, made his debut into the UFC. Randy defeated Tony Halme and Steven Graham in the heavy weight class and also had a victory against Vitor Belfort. It was after this that he acquired the nick name “The Natural”. Randy earned his first Heavy Weight title in December 1997 after his match against kick boxer Maurice Smith. At the age of 40 The Natural scored a unanimous decision and became the UFC’s undisputed Light Heavy Weight Champion after beating Tito Ortiz in the Octagon. Randy was the fourth fighter to be inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame in June 24, 2006. Randy had another victory in March 2007 which at that point he became the first man to win the UFC Heavy Weight title for the third time. I spoke to Alec about the making of “The Natural - Randy Couture” bust. What inspired you to do the Couture Bust? My concept is an updating of the portrait sculptures of athletes and gladiators created by the Greeks and Romans. Being Hollywood artists, we are on the cutting edge of materials and techniques. Our desire is to continued on page 182
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The Natural
which is a seaweed based product that can capture the most minute details, such as continued from page 181 finger prints. The soft alginate is backed bring our art to an audience that we would with a support of plaster bandage, to keep not normally reach. Our other desire is to its shape. After about 30 minutes, we take encourage the UFC to create a Hall of Fame the mold off Randy’s head, and we pour in a featuring likenesses of their fighters. thickened polyester resin. When that hardens, we have our raw head cast. What type of preparation do you do to begin the process of this Bust? How are you handling the eyes, if his eyes are shut The process begins with a mold of Randy. when you create the mold? We use a dental material called alginate, We sculpt the eyes open, meticulously
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matching Randy’s eye shape with the extensive reference photos that we took before the casting session. Once the eye sculpture is finished, and the imperfections corrected, we make a negative mold of the head cast. This mold is made of flexible silicone, reinforced by a “jacket” of fiberglass. Into this negative we brush thick, skin tinted, translucent silicone. Upon demolding this, we patch and remove seam lines. What type of paint are you using?
Silicone based paints are applied in thin layers using an airbrush. This is where the piece begins to come to life. Actual human hairs matched to Randy’s own hair are punched in one at a time until the head and beard are fully covered. The long hair is then trimmed down to Randy’s characteristic stubble. Eyebrows and eyelashes are carefully punched and styled. What are the eyes made of? Acrylic eyes are created in layers to match
the color and depth of Randy’s own eyes. These are mounted into the finished piece Is the Bust hollow or solid? The base sculpture was created out of wood, plastic rubber and polyester. A silicone mold was made to allow us to lay up a fiberglass copy. Powdered bronze was added to the resin to give the final piece a bronze look and feel.”
(Left) Alec Gillis refines the raw lifecast of Randy Couture (Right Top) Michael O’Brien sculpts the eyes (Right Bottom) Mike Larrabee paints the skin for the final look
continued on page 184
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(Above) Tim Martin preps the silicone skin (Left) Megan Flagg punches hair into the bust (one hair at a time)
The Natural continued from page 183
The entire process took Alec and his team 3 months to create. The hair alone was a two week process. The intricate details and features were all there. Alec hopes that he will be doing more famous athletes in all sports. Having the chance to create Randy Couture was the beginning, and it would be great to have more realistic portraits done of other Hall of Famers.
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The idea of creating a human replica’s is something that was actually practiced through out the history of the sculpture; and is illustrative of how sculpture has changed extensively over the ages. The art of sculpture continues as a vital art form worldwide. This sculpture recalls a tradition of Roman portraiture. A three dimensional representation of the person as he actually is; unlike the Greek sculptors and the portrait painters of the last three centuries, and the modern photographers of today, this is not idealized or made pretty, all the scars, the February 2010
age, are represented truthfully and accurately, this is the image of the man that you could meet walking down the street, real and vital. Cultures whose sculptures have survived in quantities include the cultures of the Ancient Mediterranean, India and China, as well as many in South America and Africa. This is a return to that tradition and may become our legacy to the future. We remember our past through art which shows us who the people of their times were, this bust becomes a first step to show the future of who we are now.
(Left to Right) Michael O’Brian, Mike Larrabee, Randy Couture, Alec Gillis, Anthony diaz, Tim Martin
The Crew Designer - Alec Gillis Sculptors - M ike O’Brien Tim Martin Alec Gillis Mold Makers - Tim Martin Steve Frakes Tony Diaz Jackie Murillo Silicone and Seaming - Brian Clawson Tim Leach Painter - Mike Larrabee Hair - M egan Flagg Justin Ditter Eyes - David Hoehn
www.studioadi.com
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by Bobbie Katz
In December, MGM MIRAGE showed the world its “green� thumb in the hospitality industry. Charting a new course for responsible growth, in a joint venture with Dubai World, it debuted CityCenter, an unprecedented vertical metropolis on the Las Vegas Strip that is currently the largest registered environmentally sustainable community in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Valued at more than $9 billion and constructed on 67 acres with 18 million square feet of interior space, it is also the largest independently financed project in the world. MGM MIRAGE designed the project, which boasted 7500 construction workers, with eight intercontinued on page 188
CityCenter continued from page 186 nationally acclaimed architectural firms. CityCenter houses ARIA, a gaming resort; three luxury non-gaming hotels including Las Vegas’ first Mandarin Oriental, Vdara Hotel & Spa, and The Harmon Hotel & Spa (not yet completed); the development’s only strictly residential buildings, Veer Towers, consisting of approximately 2,600 condominium residences, and The Crystals, a retail and entertainment district.
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CityCenter also features a $40 million public fine art program with works by acclaimed artists Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, among others. In addition, The Gallery, which is located in the CityCenter courtyard, boasts the glass art of Dale Chihuly. “We looked at other great cities in the world and realized that Las Vegas was missing some of the things that they offered,” says Gordon Absher, Vice President of Public Affairs for MGM MIRAGE. “We set about designing a project that was a combination of people working, living, February 2010
playing and visiting in the same space. We were encouraged by the architects to build high performance buildings.” To that avail, CityCenter was constructed to the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification
program and indeed was recently certified LEED Gold. Electricity is generated by a co-generation plant on site that uses natural gas while the throw-off heat is used to heat the water at CityCenter. The seven towers are all covered with glass and there are Arin-fins or shades over every window
to deflect radiant heat. Construction materials, both from the demolished hotel previously on site and recent construction waste, were recycled for the project. The development was built with materials from recycled sources, rapidly renewable sources and sustainable forwww.RisqueLVmag.com
ests that are manufactured within a 500mile radius. Interior paint, carpets, wall coverings and furniture are all of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials to protect indoor air quality. All of the ductcontinued on page 190
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CityCenter continued from page 189 ing was kept sealed during construction to prevent dust and other elements from settling inside. And the list goes on, from site selection to construction material selection and finally to operation. In one exciting week, Vdara opened first, followed by Crystals, and then Mandarin Oriental. ARIA followed a couple of weeks later. Here is an overview of what CityCenter has to offer: Vdara Hotel & Spa Vdara Hotel & Spa at CityCenter™ is an all-suite boutique hotel with a sophisticated international flair and an exclusive nongaming, smoke-free environment. Located
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between Bellagio and ARIA Resort, the 57-story tower with 1,495 turnkey condo hotel rooms and suites is CityCenter’s only condo hotel, The residences feature open floor plans and horizontally oriented windows that offer expansive views of the city and the mountains. Guest suites offer flatpanel televisions and complimentary wireless and wired high-speed Internet access. Kitchens include refrigerators, stovetops, and microwaves. There is an outdoor pool with cabanas, 23-hour concierge services, conference and meeting facilities, and inroom dining. Executive Chef Martin Heierling, who created the critically acclaimed Sensi™ in Bellagio®, is expanding his culinary creations across cultures with Silk Road at
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Vdara. One of the focal points of the hotel is Vdara Health & Beauty™. The 18,000-square-foot two-level full-service spa, salon and fitness center offers amenities including luxurious men’s and women’s locker rooms, each boasting a sauna, eucalyptus steam room, and hot plunges. The spa menu features an array of massages, skin care services and body treatments, the latter focusing on holistic health and utilizing high grade ingredients derived from herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables and oils Additional amenities include a Champagne Bar. Crystals The 500,000 Crystals retail and entertainment district was the second destination to open at CityCenter. The exterior
architecture, conceived by Studio Daniel Libeskind*, is a multi-faceted glass canopy depicting the intricate beauty of a quartz crystal that welcomes an abundance of natural light into the three-level experiential environment. Inside, David Rockwell and Rockwell Group have created an abstract 21st century park that celebrates nature and the seasons, featuring “changeable artwork” in the aspects of hanging gardens, a colorful flower carpet, and “tornado” glass tubes of changing light. The prestigious luxury retail housed in the district includes one of the largest Louis Vuitton stores in the world, as well as flagships for Tiffany & Co., Prada, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Ermenegildo Zegna. Unique- to-the-market retailers include Tom Ford, Assouline, Carolina Herrera, de Grisogono, Kiki De Montparnasse, Kiton, Lanvin, Marni, Mikimoto, Miu Miu, Paul Smith, Porsche Design, Rodney Lough Gallery, and Tourbillon. Other large format stores recently opened or expected to open in the first half of 2010 include Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Cartier, Christian Dior, Fendi, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Versace. Wolfgang Puck, Eva Longoria Parker and Todd English are among those serving up the restaurants at Crystals. Although English has partnered with Longoria in Beso, both in L.A. and now at CityCenter, his solo new offering, Mastro’s Ocean Club, opened in early February at the retail complex. In addition, he is also opening Todd English P.U.B. Puck will be debuting two new concepts, The Pods by Wolfgang Puck and Brasserie PUCK In a departure from her L.A. venue, Longoria has a nightclub, Eve, on the second floor of Beso, her two-level steakhouse with Southwestern flair. She has a DJ spinning music and guest appearance from celebrities like Kim Kardashian to herself and her husband, Tony Parker. Mandarin Oriental Located at the gateway to CityCenter, the 47-story non-gaming Mandarin Oriental boasts plush furnishings, stylish dining and cocktail venues, a 23rd floor Sky Lobby with views of the Las Vegas skyline, a 27,000-square-foot spa with a 1930’s Shanghai décor and ambiance, a pool with café, and 12,000-square-feet of meeting and conference facilities. The guestrooms include keyless door locks and automated control panels that allow guests to manage the lighting, room temperature and entertainment systems at the touch of a button. Three lavish presi
dential suites are featured on the hotel’s top floors, each measuring over 3,200 square feet. Twist by Pierre Gagnaire, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is the Michelin-star chef’s first U.S. restaurant. It serves classic French cuisine with a modern spin. All-day dining establishment, MOzen Bistro features authentic Asian dishes and multi-national fare. Also located on the 23rd floor, with windows overlooking the Vegas skyline, is the 82-seat Mandarin Bar offering plush furnishings, VIP room, creative snacks and an extensive cocktail menu. There is also the Tea Lounge and, for those on the go, Amore Patisserie, located directly on Las Vegas Boulevard, serves a variety of gourmet foods, pastries, coffees and teas. A prominent feature of the hotel is the two-level spa that boasts 17 treatment rooms, Fitness Center and dedicated yoga studio, and multiple relaxation and water experiences. The Spa provides a tranquil and a completely holistic experience based on the fusion of modern techniques and Eastern traditions ARIA Resort and Casino With 4,000,000 square feet, 60 stories, two curvilinear towers boasting 4,004 rooms and suites and a 14,000-square-foot casino, ARIA Resort and Casino is the only “game” in CityCenter. The only place in the vertical city where guests can play the casino games they love to play, ARIA boasts numerous amenities. The three-story lobby uses natural materials including lush foliage, wood, and stone. The resort offers a variety of casual to upscale restaurants, including Sirio Maccioni’s Sirio and New York’s Masa. It also has an array of bars, lounges, and a nightclub called Haze, as well as an 80,000-squarefoot spa and a three-story, 300,000-squarefoot state-of-the art convention center The Gold Longe, a collaboration between the Light Group and Cirque du Soleil, pays homage to Elvis Presley and the Viva ELVIS production housed in the property’s 2,000seat showroom. Created in the image of The King of Rock ’n’ Roll, Viva ELVIS highlights an American icon who transformed popular music – and hugely impacted Las Vegas and its history — and whose image embodies the freedom, excitement and turbulence of his era. The show pays tribute to Elvis’ life in a blend of live music, video, dance, and acrobatics. It highlights significant moments in the King’s life, fusing them with his timeless songs. www.RisqueLVmag.com
At a press conference before the show opened for previews, the creative team expressed their sentiments on Viva ELVIS: “On a creative level, it was extremely stimulating to draw our inspiration from this musical icon,” said Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil. “Viva ELVIS showcases the raw energy and pure talent of Elvis and highlights the exhilaration and beauty of his music on a grand scale.” “It makes perfect sense that Elvis should live on in Las Vegas, where his iconic status was cemented,” said Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CKX, Inc. “When we teamed with Cirque du Soleil, we knew that any show they created would match Elvis’ larger-than-life presence. So we were pleased to open the vaults at Graceland and make available to Cirque du Soleil historic archival materials, recordings and concert footage that would help them create a show that will carry Elvis’ legacy into the future.” “An evolutionary destination designed to transform Las Vegas at its core, CityCenter is larger than life, just like Elvis himself,” said Bill McBeath, President and COO of ARIA Resort & Casino. “We want to bring the element of fun to ARIA, the centerpiece of CityCenter. Viva ELVIS will bring the King of Rock ’n’ Roll back to Las Vegas for millions of his fans and create a buzz that will enable his persona to attract untold numbers of new followers.” “Elvis has always been in the forefront of new, contemporary entertainment and technology,” said Priscilla Presley. “I believe Viva ELVIS continues this and reaches out and expands his legacy in a new, creative and exciting way.” “The show’s acrobatic elements, set designs and other artistic components are part of an overall creative vision designed to showcase the timeless music of Elvis, his unique voice and unequaled talent as a performer,” said Gilles Ste-Croix, Senior Vicepresident of Creative Content and New Project Development at Cirque du Soleil. “The unique strength and power of Elvis was in his voice,” said Vincent Paterson, the show’s Writer and Director. “I was greatly inspired by the originality and complexity of this musical legend. What I tried to paint, in all humility, is the show he might have created today.” This show and CityCenter, in general, is another great Las Vegas occasion that gives visitors a “green” light to put on their blue suede shoes and come enjoy the vertical city. Take it from Elvis – you “can’t help falling in love” with the place.
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