Downtown ZEN - June 2014

JUN 2014

Girls Who

Rock Vegas

OFF Sixth See what you’ll hear at Downtown Container Park

‘Behind the Lens’ at Blinking Man

+

Inspire News Café 27 Suitcase Must-Haves Bar Review: Nacho Daddy

Editor-in-Chief Loren Becker

Managing Editors

Michael Boley, Mandy Crispin

Contributing Writers

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

Calendar & Events Mikela Lee-Manaois

Photography

Matt Wong, Peter Gaunt, Anthony Mair, Ryan Sabot, Shane O’Neal, Landry’s Inc., Girls in Tech Team, Girls Rock Vegas Team, Downtown ZEN Team

Art Director

Ryan Brekke (BullFish Media)

Graphic Designer

Ryan Brekke (BullFish Media)

Web Design

Michael Boley Cover:

Concept

Ryan Brekke (BullFish Media)

Designer

Max Bangora (BullFish Media)

Typography Layout Nina Thomasian

Logo Design

Letter From the Editors

As Southern California gets thrown into its annual June gloom weather pattern, here in downtown Las Vegas we’re experiencing a June bloom in all facets of business, life, and community, and us Downtown ZEN staffers couldn’t be more enthralled to share with you our sunny disposition of what’s a-budding in DTLV. This month, despite spotlighting “Men’s Health Week” within our Health & Wellness section, this issue’s for the girls (cue Martina McBride vocals here) as we feature Girls Rock Vegas,entrepreneur Kady Zink of Kadyluxe activewear, and Girls In Tech on page 21.

In addition to those and other great features, the ZEN is spoiling you rotten as we serendipitously spotlight Paul Balikian of Sweet Spot Candy Shop, scour magazine racks at Inspire News Café, and get served some of the tastiest F&B Grotto at the Golden Nugget and Nacho Daddy has to offer.

Fernando Cabestany

Printer:

Jackpot Printing 702.873.1902 | www.jackpotprintinglv.com Contact Us: Email: DowntownZEN@zappos.com Like: facebook.com/ ZapposDowntownHappenings Follow: #dtzen

If eating and drinking ain’t your thing and entertainment is what you’re after, Jerry Lemon speaks on behalf of OFF SIXTH and its three-month “Under The Lights” concert series at Downtown Container Park, Paco Alvarez gives some historical context to The Center’s ARTrageous Vegas, and theater guru Erik Amblad delves into what’s going down at the Onyx, and candidly explains why your choice of footwear shouldn’t prevent you from taking in a local show.

If after all of this and you still hear the ocean waves calling your name, we’ve got your bag packed on page 25 with clothing options from 702 DTLV, Coterie, and Zappos Private Label to ensure a fun and stylish weekender to start summer.

As always, thanks for reading!

- Downtown ZEN team

table of

CONTENTS

21

Features

03 | Kadyluxe 07 | Inspire News Café 11 | Girls Rock Vegas

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Philosophy ‘N’ Fluff 17 | Education 18 | Serendipitous Spotlight 19 | Book Review 21 | Tech 23 | Recipe 25 | Fashion 27 | Photography 29 | Housing Guide 31 | Descriptive Essay 33 | Feng Shui 35 | Health & Wellness 37 | History

Events & Entertainment 40 | Arts & Ents 43 | Restaurant Review 45 | Bar Review 47 | Music 49 | Calendar

11 43 03

35 About the Cover The June cover was originally created by our design firm, BullFish Media, to be the new interior advertisement for our accompanying website dtZEN. com. It turned out so beautifully and was so apropos of our inspirational content from Pamela Pereira (Girls Rock Vegas) and speaks so directly to the ZEN’s brand vision, we decided it should be front and center: “Uniquely us. Distinctly different.” Go forth, and be you.

ŠRyan Sabot

KADYLUXE

Where Dance-Inspired Activewear Takes Flight.

By Temple Brathwaite

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Top: Serena Tunic: $79 Pant: Prima Skinny: $75 www.KADYLUXE.com Photo Credit Ed Flores ISSUE 27

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G

imme a beat! For many dancers, this tune and countless others queue up the spark to ignite some serious dance moves. Yet after hours of grueling practice, hitting counts one through eight multiple times over can leave you beaten and bruised at the end of a long day.

Kady Zinke, former NBA Denver Nuggets dancer, experienced this problem more times than she could count and was uniquely inspired on how she could solve it. In a previous Fashion Speaker Series talk held by downtown’s Stitch Factory, Kady spoke about how she and her fellow teammates would come to dance class with torn shirts and other homemade looks that would showcase their unique style. To help get them through floor routines, the girls would bring bulky, ugly volleyball kneepads, or nothing at all, and suffer the consequences of bruises and leg pain. Kady thought there had to be a better way. Thus, Kady’s lifelong passion for dance combined with a brief career pursuit as a racecar driver allowed her to put two and two together and came up with a patent pending idea that would revolutionize dance studios, barre classes and meeting rooms everywhere. Like the specialized padding used in racing gear, Kady would spearhead the use of a modular knee padding by building

or pair of tights. The only quality options on the market were catering to yoga or running. Dancers have a unique style and sexy body confidence. Plus, they live in their workout clothes. Hence, I knew the designs had to push the limits — they had to be sexy and luxurious, but utilitarian with crossover functions for day and night and injury prevention options.

ZEN: Where do you get your inspiration?

KZ: My original inspiration for solving the kneepad problem dancers have came from the motor sports industry. The allure of racing has always been in my blood. My dad is a drag racer, and I raced a ‘67 Camaro in high school. Secretly, I always wanted to ride my own Ducati. Asian fashion and Italian standards for quality also excite me! Most recently, I've been finding old pieces from my dancing days as a kid and thinking about how I could update those looks. Trash bag pants anyone?

ZEN: What do you love most about the brand you have created?

KZ: You know, it was created with dancers in mind, but it has proven to be popular with active-minded females doing all kinds of sports. Women wear my designs on the slopes, in the studio and out on the town. That's amazing to see. If you look good, you feel good. Period. I work tirelessly for one reason: I love what I am creating. If I can't wear it, perform in it, sweat it in, I won't let it out the door!

Designs is an innovated and thoughtful brand recognizing “theKadyluxe void in the market for dancewear. How many times have you watched

dance competitions, theatrical numbers and watch them float, move and also slam down to the ground … and think ouch? Kadyluxe provides padding in the knee area to prevent serious damage while still keeping the garment fashionable, sleek and innovative to have originality.

them inside specialized garments, helping to provide better knee support for dancers and improve high-impact tumbling routines for cheerleaders.

Through this innovation, the face of Kadyluxe was born.

Made in the U.S.A. of imported Italian fabrics, Kady started designing the perfect activewear that could take activeminded females from class to business meetings all without a change of apparel. Say goodbye to cut-up T-shirts and hello to purposely designed tanks that incorporate the freedom of wide arm movements without body restriction. With a brushed soft interior, Kadyluxe designs provide a luxurious feel for leisure or workout activities.

During her brief Vegas visit, I had the opportunity to talk with Kady and really dig in on what inspired her to take her passion to new heights. Incorporating other pieces into her collection, Kady explained why she hasn’t stopped at kneepads and continues to expand her collection to perfect activewear for women.

ZEN: What sets Kadyluxe apart from other dance-inspired brands?

Kady Zinke: Kadyluxe is not dancewear. I feel dancewear has a non-luxury, childish, costume-like connotation. In fact, as a mature dancer, a couple things concerned me when shopping for dance clothes. No brand was catering to women over the age of 18 shopping for their sport dance, and nothing was good quality. I wasn't out there looking for another leotard 05

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”

- Jen Taler, Managing Partner, Stitch Factory

ZEN: What's the next project you are working on? What do you hope for the future of Kadyluxe?

KZ: Moving into this year, Kadyluxe has some exciting injury prevention products in the works. I'm most excited to help dancers and give solutions that reflect their level of athleticism.

ZEN: In this day and age, females are not our only dance performers. Will you be creating a line for men?

KZ: Kadyluxe already has a unisex piece: the Danza Drop Crotch.

Guys are wearing the Danza to snowboard, do yoga and dance. But yes, I would love to design more unisex pieces and design a kids’ line. Baby steps!

ZEN: What words of advice would you give someone who wants to start his or her own clothing line?

KZ: Don’t worry about what you don’t know. There are always ways of being resourceful. I didn’t get an education in fashion. I studied communications and acting. But with a little bit of luck, a lot of ambition and the determination to not give up when someone said no, I got this far. ‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.’

In partnership with Downtown Project, Stitch Factory’s is a monthly speaker series designed to bring together passionate individuals to share ideas, network and inspire, with the commitment to transform downtown Las Vegas into a community that will make you "smarter" and "more fashionable." To learn more about Stitch Factory and its upcoming speaker weeks, please visit www.stitchfactory.com. dtZEN.com

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et’s face it: Starbucks, Peet’s, The Coffee Bean, Caribou and other chained coffeehouses and cafés across the country have entranced joe drinkers and latte lovers with elaborate, handcrafted beverages, mixing and matching creams, milks, sauces and syrups for that highly addictive, need-in-my-life-right-now richly flavored goodness. That’s all good and well for the on-the-go, demanding and hectic 21st century lifestyle, but for those times when you’re not in a rush and want to enjoy a few moments of solitude while sipping on an Italian black espresso, don’t you want — hell, don’t you deserve more than the mainstream corner coffee shop with its impersonal turnstile demeanor and faux authentic character?

As we all know, gone are the days where coffeehouses bred marvel thinkers and conversationalists, where face-to-face chitchats with friends were the norm, and reading the early

Since Inspire News’ opening earlier this year, Laura Herbert, the café’s entertainment and programming coordinator, has been in charge of facilitating which magazines make the cut and which ones are best left at the grocer’s express lane checkout.

Utilizing market research as well as fielding direct requests from downtowners, Herbert has covered the café’s walls across genres, including arts & design, commentary, health, and lifestyle publications bestowing obscure titles, such as “Put A Egg On It,” “Food Fanzine,” “Aperture,” and “Lucky Peach.” Each magazine is updated weekly, monthly, or quarterly, depending on its release date to ensure fresh, relevant content is always available for purchase. Herbert is also looking to integrate several daily regional and national newspapers, along with weekend edition international papers, including the UK’s Financial Times and Canada’s Globe and Mail for the eclectic, adventurous reader.

By Michael Boley morning newspaper and magazines, sifting through top headlines and thought-provoking editorials, were the main outlets for news-related content. Instead, here to stay are the days where Wi-Fi enabled cafés are overrun with heads-down professionals carrying laptops and tablets, where smartphone keyboards and finger taps replace the spoken word, and apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Yelp supersede anything print — or so we thought.

Located at the cross streets of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, on the ground level of Inspire Theatre, is the Inspire News Café — a hybid mix of a New York-esque magazine stand and multifunctional coworking space that not only combines age-old mediums with modern-day technologies, but also nixes all those preconceived notions of the archetypical snooty coffeehouse commonly percolating from big chain baristas and “connoisseurs.”

Owned and operated by Future Restaurant Group and longtime downtown small business owner Michael Cornthwaite, Inspire News Café plays to a slightly different tune from its sister café, The Beat, adorning its walls and wood-paneled pillars with nearly 300 magazine publications across more than 200 unique domestic and foreign titles. The café is a coalition between Cornthwaite and Downtown Project founder and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, to create a space that blends together people with people, and people with literature.

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But why stop there? If books and novels are of more your interest, well, no need to go far. That sleek looking yet elephantin-the-room Plexiglas-covered machine located center-left of the café will save you soul.

The Espresso Book Machine, or EBM as it’s called, is a selfpublishing printing press that allows you to choose from over seven million public domain and in-copyright books through OnDemandBooks.com, which can be instantly downloaded, printed and turned into a perfect-bound paperback within minutes. Operated by Drew Cohen of The Writer’s Block Book Shop (509 Fremont St.), this is the first EBM in Nevada, and one of only 37 nationwide. According to OnDemandBooks.com, book lengths can range anywhere between 40 and 800 pages with infinitely variable trim sizes between 4.5 and 5 inches and 8 by 10.5 inches, perfect for creating your own personalized recipe collection, journal, or printing a New York Times best-seller.

So, the next time you find yourself downtown walking past the storefront of Inspire News Café, step on in, order yourself a premium illy coffee, and strike up a conversation with a stranger or read cover to cover through a newly released periodical, because let’s face it: Inspire News Café is brewing community as much as it is coffee.

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POOL OPEN DAILY • 9AM TO 7PM

Come for the SUN. Stay for the PARTY! An eclectic blend of food, fun & entertainment!

FOR CABANA RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL 702.719.5170 Public access subject to availability. Downtown Grand Las Vegas reserves all rights.

DOWNTOWNGRAND.COM | 702.719.5100 206 N. 3RD STR EE T, LAS VEGAS, NV 89101

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Girls Rock Vegas

By Pamela Pereira

Girls Rock Vegas is a Las Vegas 501(c)(3) nonprofit, communitybased organization and is a member of the national Girls Rock Camp Alliance.

The organization is dedicated to building confidence and creativity in girls ages 9 to 17 through music and various workshops. Camp can be physically, emotionally, and intellectually challenging, so it's believed that a minimum age of 9 is developmentally appropriate. This specific age range is also important because adolescent girls become more self-aware and can be easily influenced by media marketing, the image of women in media, and their peers. Many adolescent girls struggle with self-esteem issues and have difficulty expressing themselves in that sense. The goal is to create a judgment-free venue for them to express themselves creatively through their instruments, provide positive role models that offer support in their creative and social endeavors, and assist in building a community of 11

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young ladies who feel comfortable supporting each other, rather than judging one another.

Girls Rock Camp originated in Oregon in 2001. The camp was founded by a women's studies major out of Portland State University. In 2008, a documentary film called "Girls Rock!

The Movie" (highly recommended) based on the Portland camp, positively inspired CCSD teacher, Heather Rampton, to begin the Las Vegas chapter of Girls Rock Camp in 2009. Since the release of the film, over 40 plus camps have popped up worldwide!

Starting with only thirteen campers in 2009, Girls Rock Vegas has also shown growth to 30-40 plus campers the last couple years!

Based on skill level and age, girls are grouped into bands to practice and collaborate on songwriting. Throughout the camp day, they also attend various empowering workshops where dtZEN.com

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they learn a bit about the Women's Rights Movement, the history of women in music/media, the Riot Grrl movement or music "herstory", punk and rock 'n' roll D.I.Y. ethics, and songwriting. There's also a workshop completely dedicated to body image and self-esteem which is paramount.

The curriculum for camp is created in collaboration with camps affiliated with the Girls Rock Camp Alliance. These workshops influence the girls during their practice and songwriting hours, which usually result in songs that carry a positive message.

The program then culminates in a grand showcase performance for family, friends and the general public at the end of the week. The camp objective is to give girls something to be passionate about, and to leave camp with a sense of selflove. It is crucial that girls who participate in these programs show improvements in their overall self-esteem and academic confidence.

Idealistic images of women in media marketing can take negative tolls on many aspects of a young girl’s life. These images are linked to entertainment, fashion, and other forms of media, which can make it difficult for young girls to differentiate reality from something completely made up.

Girls Rock Vegas wants to ensure that campers are leaving the program with a sense of empowerment and self-love, in order to avoid feeling angry or dissatisfied with themselves due to the depiction of women in media.

Before and after each camp and program session, girls complete a survey as a means to measure their overall self-esteem, their body image, and their academic and creative confidence. Every year, since the program first began, the results have shown that girls who participate show a significant improvement in their overall self-esteem and academic confidence after camp! These results have such a positive impact on every mentor, and it's definitely what keeps volunteers coming back.

When I discovered this camp existed in Las Vegas, I was totally stoked and jumped at the opportunity to volunteer and enroll my daughter! I've been volunteering since 2011 and will continue to do so as long as the program exists. It's made clear positive changes in my life and my daughter’s life, and for that, I am grateful. I only wish this type of program was around when I was young! Music is definitely a ripe tool for teaching girls "life skills." It is an inspirational medium; it connects with us emotionally in ways no other tool can. When girls achieve musically, it inspires them to believe they can overcome any obstacle. Our hope is our campers take their lessons in empowerment home and rest assured that girls really do rock.

VOLUNTEERS:

We can always use more volunteers and would love more parents to get their girls involved!

Our after school and summer camp programs include individual music instruction and are run by volunteer licensed teachers and volunteer musicians/mentors. However, teaching and music experience is not required to participate. We also welcome individuals who are passionate, creative, and encourage social change for young woman.

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All volunteers go through a background check, and we are absolutely NOT gender biased! Anyone who is passionate about music, teaching, and the empowerment of women are welcome, fitting the following requirements: As our website states, “Because our work involves children, we also do a background check on all our volunteers using the Nevada Sex Offender Registry and other relevant databases. Volunteers will also be required to attend mandatory volunteer training and orientation sessions.

Ideal volunteers are those who put the best interests of youth and their physical and emotional safety above all else; who understand and believe in our mission; who will show up on time and be ready to work every day they commit to; and who support the girls and their projects. Volunteers must be age 21 and over. Girls Rock Vegas does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national/ethnic origin, physical ability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Music experience is not required for all jobs. Girls Rock Vegas offers opportunities as instrument instructors/band coaches for the after-school program, summer camp, and eventual Ladies Rock retreat, and also for fundraising and administrative support, and roadie, merchandise, and food crews.

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INFORMATION:

Applicants of all musical abilities are welcome, from total beginners to advanced players (both campers and volunteers).

The 2014 summer camp program is currently scheduled for June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is held at Innovations Charter School of Nevada at (1600 E. Oakey Boulevard), in the historic Huntridge Neighborhood, in downtown Las Vegas!

Campers are never turned away due to inability to pay tuition.

We offer financial aid (sliding scale based on income, etc.) to girls who would like to attend, but who are unable to pay the tuition price.

Girls Rock Vegas seeks to accept all girls regardless of financial circumstances. We will never turn a girl away just because they cannot afford tuition.

Tuition includes a full week of instrument instruction, small band coaching, instrument rental, workshops, admission to lunchtime concerts, and admission for family and friends to the end of camp showcase concert.

Apply for financial aid here: http://www.girlsrockvegas.org/financial-assistance.htm — it is not necessary to pay back financial aid.

Our programs are funded, in part, by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

FOR MORE INFO:

Please email: info@girlsrockvegas.org You can also get in touch with the camp director, Heather Rampton at heather@girlsrockvegas.org or by calling 702-306-7347.

Visit the Girls Rock Vegas website: http://www.girlsrockvegas.org/Girls_Rock_Vegas/Welcome.html Volunteers can apply here: http://www.girlsrockvegas.org/volunteer.html Campers can sign up here: http://www.girlsrockvegas.org/apply-to-camp.html Apply for tuition financial aid here: http://www.girlsrockvegas.org/financial-assistance.html — it is not necessary to pay back financial aid.

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Q&A with camp director Heather Rampton:

1. Why is it important for girls to have this opportunity to be away from boys?

Camp isn't about separating girls from boys. It's about creating a safe space where girls can find a creative voice and develop performance proficiencies.

2. What does playing in a band do to the process of creating music that is important for this age group?

Developmentally, adolescence is a time to learn teamwork, social skills and problem solving. Creating music in a band setting is a rich experience to grow in all those ways.

3. How do new girls find (choose) their instruments?

Girls rank which instruments they are interested in playing on their camper applications.

We then evaluate applications and honor those choices as best as we can, taking into account camper ages and musical experience.

4. Do you have any shy girls who need to learn to get out of their own way: to be brave?

Sure. Everyone needs a safe space at some level to learn to play an instrument.

5. How do you think playing an instrument helps the girls *hear music differently from kids their age do. (For example they can probably recognize the individual instruments versus just hearing the unisonance?)

Playing their own instruments and playing with other girls in a band almost certainly help them train their ears to the sounds various instruments make.

Q&A with camper Meagan:

Q: What does camp mean to you?

A: Camp to me is a chance to get more musically involved and to grow more comfortable with sharing music with others l. It gives me a chance to explore different aspects of making music. It's means a week of no drama and just music.

Q: What instrument(s) do you play?

A: I learned a little bit of bass guitar, and (if this counts) I sing.

Q: What does playing in a band change about doing your music (versus by yourself)?

A: It helps bring music to life. When you have people around you to bounce ideas, it makes anything you could have produced on your own better.

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

A: I'd have to say Nina Nesbitt, Pierce the Veil, and Vampire Weekend. They have all worked so hard to become what they are today, and they didn't just show up out of nowhere.

Q&A with camper Madilyn:

Q: What does camp mean to you?

A: Girls Rock Vegas definitely has helped me become who I am today. I didn't use to play music very much, but camp taught me how easy and fun it can be, and now I can't stop.

Music is my life. Camp is one of the most fun times of my life, and playing in an all-girl band is what I love to do.

Q: What instrument(s) do you play?

A: After camp I learned how to play guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, and stand-up bass.

Q: What does playing in a band change about doing your music (versus by yourself)?

A: It's more fun to play with more people. When everyone plays together, the music sounds better. Being in a band is just better.

Q: Who are your musical inspirations?

A: Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, and Kathleen Hannah are my idols. I have more idols than that, but those are the main ones. Their music is very real.

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hot streaks.

hotter steaks.

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

complimentary bottle of

mondavi woodbridge wine

with your dinner for two

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

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

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

FOR MORE INFO, CHECK OUT ELCORTEZHOTELCASINO.COM/ZAPPOS 600 E. Fremont St. Las Vegas, NV 89101 | 800.634.6703 | 702.385.5200 ISSUE 27

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A Final Farewell

A

By Shannon Sneade

s the 2013-2014 school year comes to an end, the time of year has arrived where high school seniors have begun to tire of the same ole day in, day out routine. As the last few weeks of school tick by, seniors struggle for the motivation to attend classes.

Lethargic, easily irritated and unintentionally rude to others are common symptoms of “senioritis.” Their lack of sleep is inflicted by nonstop tests, college registration, projects upon projects and perhaps a bit of intense procrastination. These attitudes perpetuate a tumultuous process of searching for every possible excuse for sick days. Seniors are no longer surprised by the frantic freshman, the bizarre costumes worn by students on a daily basis, or the sporadic and random events that occur at Las Vegas Academy.

But the craziness of the people and the environment around us is what many seniors will miss the most, myself included. In my four years at LVA, I have become deeply attached to the friends I have made in class and through writing for the school’s student newspaper, LVA Accolades.

Choosing to go to LVA was one of the best decisions I have made. It was the perfect fit for me, and I do not believe I would be as independent, dedicated and eclectic had I gone anywhere else. The supportive staff has fostered a wonderful learning environment that leaves me confident to progress into secondary education.

The downtown community surrounding LVA has truly blossomed and become such a welcoming environment for students to grow in. At the school, we are taught to have creative outlets and to share our passions with others. The artists of downtown exemplify this, which encourages students that it’s completely appropriate to do so as well. I have also been led to so many wonderful opportunities by simply meeting people in the community, the biggest of which is having the pleasure of writing for the Downtown ZEN magazine.

I have learned that every decision leads a person down a path. While some are more impactful than others, the decisions I have made and the experiences that I have had have influenced my life in one way or another. On a whim, I decided to take journalism when I first began high school, and my passion and drive for it has become so strong that it is now what I would like to study (with an emphasis in public relations) when I attend San Diego State University in the fall.

For many young adults, high school is reflected upon as their “dark days,” but this will not be the case for me. While I know that I still have a long way to go, I have been able to find myself as a person and establish connections that I hope never to lose.

I could not be more elated to join the LVA alumni, the school’s biggest advocate group. While I will certainly miss the place I have called my home for the past four years of my life, I regard my high school experience at Las Vegas Academy with the utmost pride.

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Serendipitous Spotlight

Q&A w/Sweet Spot Candy Shop Owner Paul Balikian Hello Paul, and welcome! Let’s skip the sugarcoating and get down to it. Has anyone nicknamed you the “candy man” or Willy Wonka?

People call me “the candy man” all the time — I love it!

You’ve owned Sweet Spot Candy Shop for almost two years. What got you into the biz?

I wanted to bring something fun and different downtown. It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t like candy and who doesn’t smile when they walk into the shop.

Your shop has a very sleek and clean aesthetic. What was your design muse?

My background is in luxury retail, which tends to be sleek and clean, and I personally like cleaner retail design. With a mostly white backdrop, the products stand out and become the focus.

Your business model/location has changed slightly. Give us the scoop!

Initially we opened a larger shop on Las Vegas Boulevard between Bonneville and Garces avenues. I chose this location because I thought we would benefit from being so close to Gold and Silver Pawn (Pawn Stars) but quickly realized we were developing a local business and not a tourist business. The shop became a downtown destination for locals.

When we opened the second shop at Downtown Container Park we realized that our loyal customers preferred to shop the new location since the park offered so many other attractions. After four months of operating both locations we decided to close the Las Vegas Boulevard shop and focus full attention to container park. The park allows a vastly wider client base than we could ever expect at the original location.

Now to the goods. What do you carry?

We specialize in retro, American candies. We have GooGoo Clusters, U-No Bars, Mary Janes and Black Taffy. We also have candies kids love like Toxic Waste Bubble Gum, Mega Smarties and chocolate covered gummy bears. We carry a line of premium chocolates, really unique gummy candies and cane sugar sodas in glass bottles. Also, we have lots of fun toys and novelties like scratch-and-sniff nail art, temporary tattoos and mini pool table games.

How do you choose your product?

I spend hours every week researching old-fashioned and modern candies trying to find new products for the shop. I recently attended the Sweets and Snack Expo in Chicago, it’s an annual convention with over 600 exhibiters — I got a few ideas there!

What are some of your more obscure and popular items?

We recently started carrying BeanBoozled. It’s a candy game where you spin a wheel and land on the image of a jelly bean. But there are two vastly different flavored jelly beans that look exactly the same. The chocolate pudding jelly bean looks just like “canned dog food” jelly bean, tutti fruiti and “stinky socks” look the same and coconut and “baby wipes” look the same. Wherever you land you’ve got to eat — it’s hilarious and disgusting at the same time! We also carry giant jawbreakers, bigger than a softball, Smog Balls super sour candy and Icee spray candy. We have retro novelties like rubber band guns, wooden airplanes, metal Slinkies and modern novelties like bacon flavored lip balm, goofy party glasses and stick-on mustaches You have a max of four words to end this interview. Go! Smile big every day!

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D O W N T O W N

Author Book R E V I E W

Outside In

By Doug Cooper Reviewed by Joanna Mueller

"All I can do is shake my head and smile at my new life. I'm unemployed and homeless, living in a European-style hotel on an island in Ohio. Beneath my outwardly adventuresome spirit, I know that I am lost and I have been for some time; worse yet I don't have a clue as to how to find my way back."

These are the words of Brad Shepherd, a twenty-something professional at a crossroads in his life. After tragedy strikes in Brad's life, he checks out. Much to the disappointment of his mother, he heads to an island on Lake Erie to spend the summer finding himself.

Brad is a high school math teacher/graduate student who has been lost for quite some time when we meet him. The author’s choice to create Brad as a teacher is interesting to me. Teachers are supposed to be people that we look up to. I could never see my high school algebra teacher gallivanting around doing all kinds of drugs and partying like a frat boy. But after a student overdoses in his class, he is forced to take a leave of absence from work. He hustles off to Put-In-Bay Township, Ohio and meets up with an interesting cast of characters.

Reading Brad's story reminded me of what most kids in their mid-twenties go through. Some people call it a quarter-life crisis, I call it just not knowing what the heck you want or who you are. I think it's pretty normal to crash and burn in a really brutal matter. It's only once we've bottomed out that we can begin to climb back up. And that's what Brad does. He bottoms out, and he tries to climb out. He kicks, claws, and scratches his way to the surface of his own life.

The book is written from Brad’s point of view in first person. It is a coming-of-age tale and a story of rebirth. Definitely not a warm and fuzzy feel-good book, it takes its emotional connections into captivating and dark territory. The theme is new and original because the story is one that takes a ton of risks, and the risks pay off. The story may find its most comfortable audience in twenty and thirty-somethings who are going through some serious life stuff!

Brand is a master of avoidance, and throughout the novel, I never felt that I really knew him. It was hard for me to get a grasp on what drove Brad, and then it hit me . . . Escape. Brad Shepherd was looking for an escape, a release, a way to numb out. And he found it on South-Bass Island.

Throughout the summer, we get a glimpse into island life. We get to see what it's like to live on a summer island, to see how the locals feel about a tourist invasion (us Vegas kids may know something about that). Most of the book takes place in various bars around the island. The scenes set the tone for the kind of lifestyle that Brad lives while there. There isn’t much to do on the island but drink and get into trouble, both are things that Brad does aplenty.

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Brad’s relationships are mostly superficial and bonded on dramatic and harrowing things. He drinks to drown his sorrows, he does whatever drugs are placed in front of him, and he has meaningless sexual encounters with various people. Once those bonds are removed there isn’t much to hold them together, and he purposefully eludes submitting fully to meaningful encounters with the woman who he actually cares about. His relationship with this woman character, named Astrid, seems to reel Brad in slightly, and keep his crazy side in check, but he continues to avoid his feelings, he avoids his parents, and he avoids real life.

Brad Shepherd's journey is not a pretty one. But really, whose journey is a pretty one? We all have bumps, bruises and battle scars from our own personal wars. Life is messy, and reading this book reminded me of the beautiful mess that is life, that somehow, there's order in the chaos and sense in the nonsensical.

Fighting demons is never a clean battle. Brad and his merry band of traveling misfits have demons galore.

We see Brad get close to the edge and we see his opportunity for a moment of clarity arise. Reading Brad's story and getting into his journey with him, well, I gotta be honest, it hit a little close to home, and it was hard to stay objective. I want my protagonist to be a good guy, I want to root for him to pull his head out and do great things. But Brad isn't a great guy, he doesn't do great things … In fact, he does the opposite of great things.

The writing was excellent. I truly felt that I was right there with Brad during his crazy journey. Cooper’s writing style was informal and easy to follow, and his diction was clear and original.

I didn't walk away from this read feeling happy band fuzzy, and I don't think I was supposed to. What I walked away with was a deeper understanding of the human condition, a sympathy for those still in the struggle, and compassion for the truly broken ones. We all crave connection; we all need to belong. Brad bounces around like a pinball just trying to find his place in this mad, mad world … It's no different than what we're all trying to do: just find a place to belong.

When tragedy strikes again, will this be Brad's moment of clarity? Or will he continue torching his life on his path of selfdestruction?

Outside In

By Doug Cooper 253 pp. Greenleaf Book Group Press. (2013)

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Doug Cooper is a New York Times Best Seller list author who lives in downtown Las Vegas. His book “Outside In” was featured at Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden and was followed by a personal appearance and book signing. His next fiction project, “The Investment Club,” is about five broken people who meet at a blackjack table and discover the greatest return comes from what you contribute to others.

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DOWNTOWN < CODE > WITH SUSAN HINTON

BY SUNSHINE JOWELL

Girls In Tech

is a global movement. It’s a nonprofit organization that’s structured around getting women to consider tech as a career, and trying to expose very young women who are still in school to the fact that, hey… this isn’t just for boys.

Susan Hinton works at Zappos as a front-end developer and is a volunteer for the local office here called Girls In Tech Las Vegas. She says that: “Girls learn quickly that their value is in their looks, and that’s not true. They need to be aware that they have options. And, if they join tech, they need to know that they belong.”

Starting at a young age, elementary students who attend Girl Scouts can attend workshops involved with Girls In Tech such as astronomy, how to create web pages, and online etiquette and personal branding. They can even earn a special badge, which is now embedded into their program.

For high school students, Girls In Tech are often invited to attend panel discussions and visit schools to talk about their own lives within the tech community. According to Susan, “I don’t want women to feel they’re always going to be pushing and pushing and pushing. I don’t think the oppressed ever really got what they wanted by being polite or doing it all themselves.

They need the privileged to pull them up and help them.”

At UNLV, the computer engineering students meet up every two weeks for SUDO. It’s a program that sets coding challenges and has speakers present to the group. Susan has attended on behalf of Girls In Tech.

“When I was there,” she said, “A lot of the men asked questions about what I’ve experienced or how they can help without be patronizing.”

This is promising news about the next generation.

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When I sat down with Susan we talked about how somehow in the past things got twisted around. Because it used to be women who worked in computer programming, and the majority of the pioneers of the basic concepts were women. This, essentially, was “women’s work.”

“Women were seen as clerical computer operators,” Susan said. “They were seen as glorified secretaries. And, as soon as men figured out that it was a challenging job that involved actual problem solving and technical ability, they wanted to give it some prestige so that it was good enough for them to do.”

Next thing you know, the women were out.

Ever since, women who work in tech have been fighting this cultural idea that women are not as good at programming, and that men are naturally better at math.

“I barely use math in computer science,” Susan said. “But honestly, they exaggerate the difference in biological skills. And, we’re not trying to steal anything back. We just want to share it with them.”

There’s no question about the fact that women belong in tech. It’s just the fact that women are being made to feel like they don’t belong. That’s where this group comes in: to encourage young girls to take an early interest, and to foster that interest as they grow into intelligent women trying to navigate in this community.

Susan feels that Girls In Tech has done a good job about breaking down those barriers early on.

“We’re mostly focused on getting to women when they’re young — in school,” she says. “Because that’s when they’re thinking about what they want to do for their careers. That’s when they’re finding out about those very persuasive gender roles.”

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Girls In Tech also provides a safety net for those currently working in the industry. Women who just want a nontoxic environment to not be abused, disbelieved or made to prove that they belong in tech; a place free of “bro culture” and sexist email chains; where they’re not seen as the token, or diversity hire. These include a number of social events such as a book club, Maker Faire, code classes, documentary screenings, and Geek Girl Tech Conn.

These events are a great break from the overwhelming pressure women in tech face everyday simply just to feel like they belong: a simple challenge such as, “how feminine should I be today?”

“You’re almost damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” said Susan. “Being yourself is very difficult, because you’re not really sure whether you’re too loud, or not loud enough. And, you have to be assertive enough to break into a spirited discussion, but not too assertive because they’ll think you’re too bossy. It’s like a minefield!”

Overall, Susan gets a lot of positive feedback from the girls and women who attend the various events. She feels that by just seeing that they’re represented in a real way, is a huge thing and can make a big impact on their lives.

“If a woman is not a culture fit somewhere,” she said, “there’s something wrong with your culture. That’s what they don’t understand. That doesn’t give you a Get Out of Jail Free card. Because the women that do make it through, if it’s a culture in which they’re having to participate in stupid sexist jokes, or going out and drinking until they drop dead … I mean, really, we feel pressure not to do that, or it’s our fault if we’re a victim of assault.

So, that’s really unfair. That’s not a culture that women can succeed in. Yet, somehow, it is our fault if we don’t succeed.”

For more information on Girls In Tech, or to participate in any of the events, please visit girlsintechlasvegas.org.

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Quinoa Salad with Oranges, Beets & Pomegranate

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (1 hour 10 minutes active) Servings: 8 of 1 1/4 cups each • 3 medium beets (about 1 1/4 pounds) • 2 cups vegetable broth • 1 1/2 cups water • 2 cups red quinoa (see Tips) • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3 medium oranges • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice 23

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• 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided • 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates • 1 whole pomegranate, seeded (see Tips)

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Roasted beets and sweet dates, tangy oranges and juicy pomegranate seeds make this quinoa salad recipe festive. It pairs beautifully with turkey or roast pork.

PREPARATION Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350 F. Trim the root end of the beets and remove any greens (reserving for another use); rinse and pat dry. Wrap individually in foil. Roast until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, depending on size. (Alternatively, place beets in a microwave-safe dish, add 1/4 cup water, cover loosely and microwave on high until the beets are tender, about 10 minutes, depending on size.)

Meanwhile, bring broth, water, quinoa and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large serving bowl.

Zest and juice 1 orange. Place the juice in a medium bowl.

Working over another bowl, cut the remaining 2 oranges into segments (see Tips) and set aside. Measure the juice from the first orange — if it isn’t quite 1/3 cup, squeeze the juice from the membranes until you get 1/3 cup. Add the zest, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and pepper to the juice; gradually whisk in oil in a thin stream until well combined. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.

When cool enough to handle, peel and dice the roasted beets. Add to the quinoa along with dates and gently combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Serve garnished with the reserved orange segments, pomegranate seeds and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

TIPS & NOTES • Make-Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate beets (Steps 1 & 2) and quinoa (Step 3) in separate containers for up to 1 day. Prepare the salad up to 2 hours ahead; garnish just before serving.

• Tips: Red quinoa, which you can commonly find in stores where white quinoa is sold, gives the dish a stunning color. If you can only find white, that’s fine too.

Rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa’s natural, bitter protective covering. Most quinoa available in the U.S. has been “scrubbed” of its bitter outer coating — check the label to see if you need to rinse it first.

• To seed a pomegranate, fill a large bowl with water.

Lightly score the fruit into quarters from crown to stem end, cutting just through the skin. Hold the fruit under water, break it apart and use your hands to gently separate the plump seeds from the skin and white pith. Discard the white pith. Pour the seeds into a colander. Rinse and pat dry.

• To segment citrus, slice both ends off the fruit. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and white pith; discard.

Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Squeeze juice into the bowl before discarding membrane, if desired.

NUTRITION Per serving: 305 calories; 8 g from fat (1 g saturated, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 8 g protein; 8 g fiber; 449 mg sodium; 625 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (59% daily value), Magnesium (28% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Iron (16% dv) Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fruit, 1 fat

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

300 N. Casino Center Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89101

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STREETSTYLE

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Ocean Sands, Open Skies, One Suitcase

By Temple Brathwaite

Clothing: 1 silk blouse 2 underwear sets 1 lavish underwear set 1 blazer

1 printed dress 1 crochet tank 2 cotton tanks (solid, striped) 1 tee 1 skirt

SCARF: a sophisticated and colorful mystery

NUDE WEDGES: the perfect lift

Accessories:

Footwear:

2 necklaces 1 pair sunglasses 1 scarf 1 belt 1 watch 1 small purse

1 pair flat sandals 1 pair sneakers 1 pair wedges

SCREEN PRINT TEE: because fashion is spoken through words

Technology: 1 iPhone 5s

BRACELET: every girl needs a little arm candy

SWIMSUIT: retro-chic

Toiletries:

In addition to the basics, make sure you pack: 1 makeup pouch 1 lipstick 1 compact 1 perfume 1 brush

BLOUSE: the perfect pop of color

As summertime swoops in, you and your gal pals prepare for a weekend filled with tanning, swimsuits and fun in the sun. But what do you wear? Well, before a séance-inspired consultation commences in front of the closet, take a look at the perfectly packed suitcase we’ve laid out for you. Whether you’re soaking up sunrays on a sandy beach, grabbing drinks with friends, or a movie date with the handsome lifeguard you met earlier in the day, you’ll be fully accessorized from head to toe with our fun summer SUITCASE: “Carry-On Trolley” $260, Zappos.com (800-927-7671) LEFT: SCARF: “Infinity Scarf” $26, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-572-3146) DRESS: Bridgette Bailey “Demri Dress” $69, Zappos.com (800-927-7671) T-SHIRT: “702” $15, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-572-3146) JEANS: “Dittos Jeans” $89, Coterie http://coteriedowntown.com (702-350-2939) TOP: “Crochet Embroidered Tank” $33, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-572-3146) SHOES: Gabriella Rocha “Chelan” $49, Zappos.com (800-927-7671) RIGHT: SKIRT: Gabriella Rocha “Lauren Ashley Skater” $42, Zappos.com (800-927-7671) BRACELET: “Cuff w/Brooch” $19, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-572-3146) EARRINGS: “Floral” $23, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-5723146) SWIMSUIT: Christian Michaels “Estela High Waist Bikini” $69, Zappos.com (800-927-7671) BLOUSE: Bailey 44 “Lime Top” $140, Coterie http://coteriedowntown.com (702-350-2939) MAKEUP BAG: “4-pc Makeup Set” $26, 702 DTLV www.facebook.com/702dtlv (850-572-3146)

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Sometimes the stars align in just the right way, and hundreds of blinking bicycle lights and people gather together taking over the streets of downtown Las Vegas for a few hours. The event, aptly named Blinking Man, happens twice a year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; once in the spring and again in the fall.

Each ride, more lights and more bikes are added to the mix, creating a feverish blend of laughing, smiling and bell ringing to the neon-splashed city center.

Anyone is free to ride along and stop for a cool beverage during the affair.

This photograph was made in front of the 5th Avenue Pub on Saturday, April 20, 2014.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Peter Gaunt

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HOUSING GUIDE

BY KARINA GIRALDO

L’Octaine Urban Apartments

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Karina Giraldo Residential Specialist

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

Where in the downtown Las Vegas core can you find affordable housing? And by core, I am referring to Charleston Boulevard and I-95 to the north and south, and Grand Central Parkway to Maryland Parkway to the east and west. The truth is, there are not very many options for the average paid-by-the-hour employee. And if you are looking for a safe, affordable apartment that is in walking distance to work and your favorite hangouts, your options are vastly limited. However, there is one place on the famous Las Vegas Strip that has almost all the perks of living the high-rise lifestyle, but at a fraction of the price. The place? L'Octaine Urban Apartments!

The four-story, 51-unit building at Las Vegas Boulevard and Gass Avenue is an affordable housing project designed for the everyday worker. L’Octaine features one, two and three bedroom units ranging from 427 to 1,222 square feet, and its amenities include outstanding city views, balconies, loft-style layouts, a spa, a workout room, access-controlled parking garage, and on-site resident laundry and garden patios. Ready to move in? Well, not so fast! The apartment complex has a current waitlist of six months, and on top of that there are some renter restrictions/policies, including no pets, submission to a criminal and background check, and most importantly, an income cap.

L'Octaine apartments is a designated Section 42 “affordable housing” complex, where its modest rentals accommodate individuals and families with an annual income below certain levels. For example, two persons cannot have a combined income of more than $31,500 and a single person cannot make more than $27,600 annually; however, renters must only meet these wage qualifications at the time of their submitted application. If a person’s household income later surpasses the income cap in place, renter eligibility is grandfathered without the need to re-qualify.

How does Section 42 differ from other rent assistance programs like Section 8? According to the USA Properties Fund (USAPropFund.com), residents who live in Section 42 housing must be income and program eligible. However, the programs differ in that the rent a Section 42 resident will pay is capped at a fixed amount.

In contrast, under other rental assistance programs, such as Section 8, the rent amount paid by the resident is based on 30 percent of his/her adjusted income and the federal government funds the remaining portion. The Section 42 Program is not a government-subsidized rental program.

With rent prices skyrocketing downtown, L'Octaine units range from $550 to just under $862 and are the perfect fit for downtown denizens, like Zappos employee Brian Paco Alvarez. Paco, who moved into his two bedroom, two-story apartment nine years ago when he first qualified to live in the complex, and who is currently grandfathered in, is one of many residents who considers his move to the apartments a cultural upgrade.

“I have always wanted to live more of an urban downtown lifestyle. It was a major cultural upgrade, [and] downtown Las Vegas has a lot more excitement and a great art and culture scene.”

Paco attributes his move to the area thanks to a conversation he had with then Mayor Oscar Goodman in October 2004. It also helped that he landed a job with the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs and the Neon Museum, so the distance between home and work was perfect.

With a balcony overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard, Paco and other residents are within steps of the most famous street in the world, and even think of their homes as “the Melrose Place of downtown.” L’Octaine occupants have also shown a strong sense of community and have even developed their own residence council and neighborhood watch.

L'Octaine attracts the new breed of inner city residents that desire to live in convenient, affordable homes at the center of Las Vegas. Unfortunately, there is high demand and low inventory. Paco said it right: “We need more L'Octaine-type properties in downtown to encourage young and dynamic professionals to move into the area.”

If you are looking to make the move into one of these fabulous units and don’t mind the six-month wait, please inquire by calling 702-987-0415.

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Descriptive Downtown Each December 31, everyone gears up for the big “New Year’s celebration.” Thousands of people crowd the Strip as well as downtown to count down the last few hours of the year. The clock strikes midnight: fireworks explode, lighting up the dark desert sky with sparkling bursts of color.

Seeing live firework shows are like being at a rock concert, everyone is partying, and the best part of all is being right under them. Feeling every pop and crackle is by far the best. The grand finale is so invigorating. Pop! Glittering white diamonds fall from the sky. Pop! Glimmering violet gems fall from the sky. Pop! Blues, reds, and greens glitter, then fade into the night. Pop! Pop! Pop! All at once, what feels like an endless, dazzling, fabulous rainbow fills the sky with clusters of color. There are so many going off at once; it’s an incredible adrenaline rush. There are cheers and kisses to your loved ones, as well as a sneak hug and smooch with strangers if you are downtown all celebrating together. It’s fun to see all walks of life come together to celebrate this momentous occasion.

The next day I wake up in the morning, January 1, and somehow it feels exactly the same as the day before, except I’m a little sleepy from being up so late. The weather is still chilly, and I have to go back to work. Like many, I set new goals and most of the time make it to the gym at least the first few weeks into the new year, but like many, I usually fall back into my old bad habits.

Spring is a whole different time for me. I absolutely love spring. The clock has changed, and it gets darker later in the evening. Nature starts giving us warm, sunny 70-80 degree days. The sun shines right inside of my bathroom window feeding me vitamin D; my body feels the change.

I get a different kind of energy that I don’t get any other time of year, and I wonder to myself why wouldn’t this be the “New Year”?

Many of the trees that are both indigenous and nonindigenous to Las Vegas, including the Joshua trees in and around Red Rock Canyon as well as the more common trees seen in neighborhoods like swan hill olives and wilson olive trees, start growing their once fallen green leaves. Then the marvelous plants and shrubs begin 31

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to flower, including lovely foxglove: dramatic tubular, cylinder-like, upside-down tulips that range in a variety of color, of which the violet and deep purple are my favorite. The once barren desert comes alive again with the bright orange, red and yellow Mexican bird of paradise.

Whimsical wisteria and fuchsia bougainvillea bloom, as well as morning glory, beautiful blue salvia, Asian lilies, tulips, snapdragons and many others covering the ground almost like the fireworks light up the sky at New Year’s, yet they are breathtaking because it takes nature to create these wonderful, astonishing colors that change the city’s landscape.

Like the scenery around me, I feel this natural force inside motivating me to change, as if I’m going through a spring cleaning mentally and physically. Ever since I started my business downtown I have noticed an enormous shift, downtown’s spring, if you will, even though this transformation was well underway before I ever even dreamt I would have a shop located on the boulevard.

This giant little end of town is exploding with innovation. It feels like there is so much diversity in the infrastructure; an effervescence that has made downtown Las Vegas a city of it’s own. It is like spring and New Year’s every day because new small shops pop up around every corner. Unlike the newer mega-casinos located on the south end of the Strip, you feel like there is actually a community that is running the downtown district instead of a huge corporation. It’s comprised of endless small businesses that thrive on being different as well as eccentric.

Where to start? The Arts District. You may find that odd mentioning art before antiques since I own an antique shop, but the reason I started coming downtown for events was because of First Friday. It’s absolutely amazing to have this community of artists open their doors to participate in a festival of arts. Each month it is a season of spring and renewal. There are new artists who share their work. It is constantly changing. First Friday is a “must see” when chatting with visitors who come into our shop! I tell them, “If you want to see real culture you must attend;” the reaction I get after an explanation is usually excitement. dtZEN.com

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“Spring” the Real New Year

By Shawn Zahnow

Visitors love to know what the locals are up to, and because we have so many visitors from all around the world, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event to participate in.

OK on to the most important, (Remember I own an antique shop, so I might be a little biased.) the antique shops. I have to say Swag Antiques (my shop, not your “grandtiques”) is my favorite! Otherwise I wouldn’t open the doors each day. Main Street, otherwise know as “Antique Alley,” has loads of great shops also, all of which are unique, having a distinct representation of each owner’s personality!

The shops have vintage, retro and antique pieces, as well as odd and funky pieces sure to make your coin burn a hole in your pocket! What’s also fabulous is that the great guys at Retro Vegas put together a flyer/map of “Antique Alley,” which can be picked up at any of the retailers in that area.

It has the exact location, store hours and phone numbers for all the antique dealers. It’s a one-stop shop for anyone looking for one-of-a-kind pieces. Don’t forget the saying, “If you like it, buy it now. Chances are it won’t be there when you come back.” I’ve learned that hard lesson a few times! (Still kicking myself.)

Great news, there has been a rise in the vintage clothing shops in the downtown area as well. Anything from Victorian, vintage, and retro to rockabilly, you’re sure to find some great pieces that are one-of-a-kind. I know there are at least three new shops, one of them being The Attic, which has reopened but has been around since I was a little girl. Congrats, and welcome back. I know a lot of people missed you! To the newbies: the more the merrier!

I can’t wait to check them all out!

Another one of my favorites is Glam Factory. Stephanie, the owner, works closely with her mom, bringing in hundreds of new vintage apparel and accessories each month. I have to warn you: she has amazing lighting pieces too, which she does not sell, but if she did, hands off!!! I get first dibs. ;) I don’t think Stephanie forgets a face; anytime I walk in she knows my style and can pick out pieces that almost always fit. Now, where can you get that kind of customer service? I hate using those words because it’s more like ISSUE 27

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a relationship she builds with each client. She knows the way to this girl’s heart, and the guys’ too! Most of the shops owners give that exact attention. They listen, they aren’t there just to sell you a piece, and they know that what they sell has to be a reflection of their clients’ personalities. It’s awesome; we are getting back to the time when people care about the client.

Another area of great interest is food! There are so many new restaurants, coffee shops, donut shops (Welcome, O Face Doughnuts.), and they’re all very unique. What a refreshing change! I love to try new places, and so do our visitors to Las Vegas. As a picker, I travel all over the U.S.; one of the best and most entertaining things I like to do is read the reviews for all the different restaurants. Travel tip: most small hole-in-the-wall places are the tastiest! Not to fret. New places downtown, although on the smaller side, have exceptional food and service. I will say that the little family owned and operated places usually turn out to be “the best.” So be sure to ask the locals what their favorites are, even if you are a local, because so much has changed downtown.

I finally got a chance to check out the Downtown Container Park, and I have to say, it was pretty diverse; it has a little bit of everything for everyone. Again, that small community feel, real people who own these little shops, is fantastic.

Wow, with more of these small businesses starting up, I wonder if the U.S. could become the major manufacturing and industrial area as it once was … one can dream, right? We as consumers have to stand our ground and only buy American, as well as support these small community businesses that are sprouting up everywhere.

Change and growth in our community is such a special treat. People are free to express themselves and try new things. So whether your new year is January 1 or any other day of the year, if you feel energized and motivated for change, run with it! Cheers! Happy New Year! Downtown Las Vegas has surly made each day it’s own “New Year.”

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Living Zen

By Consy Malasoma

For those of you who would like to follow my column I will bring you tips on Feng Shui, Space Clearing, Home Staging, and well-being. I am a firm believer that if we pay attention to our environment, especially where we live and work, we will improve our focus, stick to our goals and live more stress-free lives. These articles do not minimize the state of the economy and the impact it has had on jobs, but they may provide ideas to mitigate the feelings of defeat and utter fear of what is happening around you. If you take some of this information and apply it on a regular basis, it will amaze you how much life will become simpler and easier to handle.

This month I am taking the seven principles for living in balance from the book “Living in Balance” written by Joel and Michelle Levey (2001). This couple provides retreats in the San Juan Islands up in the Northwest and has a following of like-minded people who want to “trim away the fat” in their lives and reduce stress.

I hope some of these principles will help you to improve your own life and to not only remove frustrations but help you to succeed where you may be feeling failure. These seven elements each speak to living with both a high quality of awareness and a deeper sense of compassion and caring. Under stress we tend to get tense in mind and body. Our awareness narrows and constricts. We can meditate, relax, and actually expand our thinking and awareness to encompass and see clearly the reality of the whole situation that we are in the midst of.

Seven Principles for Living in Balance: Attitude: If your glass is always half empty and you feel you are a victim of whatever is happening in your external world, then the universe will bring in more challenges. In the Law of Attraction, we basically attract what we put our thoughts into. So surround yourself with happy, upbeat people and try not to always complain about what is going

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wrong in your life. Live in gratitude and reflect on all the good things that are happening in your life.

Accountability: People who live generally in balance focus on what they can do and don’t spend their energy spinning their wheels or getting tied up in knots over what is outside their control. They take responsibility for their problems and work to find a solution or to look for positive change. A wiser, more balanced approach is to focus attention on those aspects of our life, work, environment, and relationships that we can better learn from, influence, or even control. This allows ourselves to better understand and appreciate the large mysterious forces that are too complex to feel much control over.

Commitment: Balanced people live and work with a strong sense of purpose. They view themselves as having a meaningful role to fulfill and hold a strong inner belief in its importance. Commitment brings balance by giving more focus and clarity of purpose to your life. When you know what you are committed to, you’ll be better able to set and stick to priorities, to recognize and honor limits, and to live with integrity. Practice forming and writing affirmations of ways to improve your life.

Supportive Relationships: We are all social beings who thrive on meaningful, caring, and affirming contact with others. One striking example of the importance of supportive relationships in our lives is the fact that health risk factors for a person who is lonely are far greater than for a person who smokes, drinks, eats a poor diet, and doesn’t get exercise! People who have supportive networks of close relatives and friends do much better in handling life’s stresses.

Personal Mastery: People who understand the importance of personal development and who have cultivated a high degree of self-mastery are the ones most able to

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sail through challenging times with confident balance.

They’ve learned to deeply listen and respond skillfully to the subtle whispers that warn them when they are drifting out of balance. By recognizing and reducing the harmful accumulations of stress, they are able to live in a more balanced and more disease-resistant way. They are better equipped to maintain optimal energy levels throughout the day. This will bring a higher degree of self-confidence, self-control, self-acceptance, and self-respect.

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

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

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

Faith: A spiritual outlook toward life is common among people who live in balance. People with a deep spiritual perspective often say that it is their faith that helps them to see their lives within a larger perspective and gives them a sense of belonging to a greater whole. Faith allows us to reach out and take refuge in our connectedness to a larger, deeper reality and Source than our tiny personal selves.

Service: We all know how good we feel when we do something to help others. Each time we do, we tap the energy of love and compassion that is fundamental to life.

Many people have discovered that making time in their lives to be of service to others provides a quality of joy and satisfaction that is deeply renewing. We continue to learn more and more about balance by realizing that in serving the needs of others from a selfless place of caring and connectedness, many of our deepest needs can also be fulfilled.

There are so many projects going on around the downtown area and fabulous guest speakers and events at the Learning Village. There are also Catalyst and Creativ weeks happening every month. Whatever your personal interest, there is an event to match downtown … so find what makes you feel better and get involved. I hope this column will expand your thoughts, and help to change your lives for the better. Keep cool this month!!!

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Why eating right can not only improve your health, but also save your junk!

H&W

• Testosterone levels typically decline with aging in men. This is often normal, but in

• Schedule routine check-ups for your frank and beans. While testicular cancer is relatively rare, it is most common among men ages 15 to 35. Good news: it is also one of the most curable cancers, so getting checked out regularly and knowing what to look for is important in early detection.

• According to some studies, genetics and obesity may contribute to nearly 30 percent of the cancers affecting the sex organs (breast, prostate, ovarian). Fortunately for men, they only possess one of the three.

• Smoking can shorten your penis by as much as a centimeter! Erections are dependent on good blood flow, and smoking damages blood vessels, limiting the ability to “get it up.” Want “natural male enhancement”? Toss the cigs!

• 30 minutes a day/4 times a week of vigorous exercise can help decrease the likelihood of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Apart from not smoking, exercise is one of the best things men can do to live happier and longer.

• Plastics (especially those that contain BPA) can contain compounds that mimic estrogen, a hormone that can cause a wide range of problems in men and boys. Try to avoid them where possible.

• Evidence suggests that eating real, whole foods as well as increasing Vitamin D intake, which is the No. 1 deficiency in adults, can eliminate the need to take most nutritional supplements.

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D

id you know over 12 percent of men 18 years and older are considered to be in poor or fair health?

Did you know over 30 percent of men 20 years and older are considered obese, and a whopping 32 percent have hypertension? With the leading health concerns for men being cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even erectile dysfunction, these numbers are quite alarming.

So what can we do to keep things moving smoothly and get our fathers, husbands and sons in better health?

Well, in honor of Men’s Health Week (June 9-15), I sat down with downtown’s Turntable Health Founder Dr. Zubin Damania, where he shed some light on simple ways men can improve their overall health — from head and shoulders to penis, knees and toes.

By Temple Brathwaite w/ Zubin Damania

National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333

Reference Zubin Damania, MD Founder, Turntable Health 701 Bridger Ave., Suite 150, Las Vegas, NV 89101

• Don’t forget the weight training! Aerobic exercise is great and all, but increasing evidence shows the importance of strength training to overall fitness in men. More muscle also means more calories burned at rest, so get ripped, bro!

• We live in a sunny desert, so don’t forget the skin cancer (the most common type of cancer there is.)

Hats, long sleeves and sunscreen can not only prevent most skin cancers, but can help slow the development of wrinkles and skin aging.

• Prostate cancer (apart from skin cancer) is the most common cancer in American men. There are screening tests available, but these come at a risk: they are often too sensitive, detecting cancers that normally wouldn’t have grown very fast or caused much trouble. They can also be falsely positive, trigger a big (and sometimes painful) medical workup. Best bet: talk to your doc if you’re over 40 about the best way to manage prostate cancer risk.

some cases can be problematic and warrant supplementation. Caution, though: the latest data suggests an increased risk of heart problems in older men taking testosterone supplements.

By Brain Paco Alvarez

ARTrageous Vegas Returns to Downtown It was nine years ago that I received a call from local artist Denise Duarte asking me if I would be interested in curating the LGBTQ Center’s second annual art show. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity because it would open up a door for me to help the community that I was part of by assisting with something that I was passionate about: art! “The Colors of Pride” art show, as it was called at the time, would be a showcase of Las Vegas’ talented LGBTQ and straight alliance creative endeavors.

The art show initially started in 2004 as a part of the annual Las Vegas Pride festivities that used to take place in May. Though Pride would later move to the end of September, the annual art show would continue as a late spring event. Over time, the show would garner more and more attention from the community as it grew in notoriety from a simple collection of arts and crafts to a more sophisticated level of fine art.

Notable local artists such as KD Matheson, Todd Vonbaastians, Anne Mulford, 3 Baaad Sheep, Matthew Couper, Justin Favela and many more would eventually grace the show with their presence.

Although the event remained a modest affair since it was located at The Center’s previous address at the Commercial Center on east Sahara Avenue, eventually it was decided that if the show were going to grow it would have to move to a new home.

After much debate, in 2010 the art show relocated to the Aruba Hotel’s showroom

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ARTrageous Vegas’ move to the Strip would mark a turning point not just in the history of the event itself, but to the overarching mission of the LGBTQ Center. The LGBTQ community would be poised to become a force as it flexed its artistic sophistication and positioned itself as one of the cornerstones of Las Vegas’ ever expanding cultural scene. Though the event would continue into 2012, it would go into hiatus the following year — and for good reason. 2013 would mark The Center’s most dramatic move as it built its brand new home in downtown Las Vegas. in downtown Las Vegas and was rebranded as ARTrageous Vegas. Desiree Duncan, one of the LGBTQ community’s most respected members, would assemble an amazing team that would spearhead the transformation of the annual event. Aside from just featuring art, the show would be expanded to include performance art, dance, live body painting, fashion, the culinary arts and other creative endeavors.

Though the newly rebranded ARTrageous Vegas would only last in downtown one year, its transformation into a prodigious art experience would be complete. By 2011, the event would take on a new dimension, as it would relocate to the Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino. In addition, higher levels of art jurying would take place as Dr. Kirsten Swenson from the UNLV Department of Art and Kenton Ammerson from Cirque Du Soleil were chosen to select the best-in-show art collections.

The move into the newly rehabilitated Robert L. Forbuss building on Maryland Parkway and Charleston Boulevard would be become a highpoint of The Center’s evolution. While The Center would be located in one of the more challenging neighborhoods in downtown, there is little doubt that it has become a positive nexus for an area that will become Las Vegas’ Gayborhood, or as I like to call it “Q-Town.”

With 2013 being a major milestone in the evolution of The Center, 2014 now marks another great a milestone for ARTrageous Vegas, for it celebrates the 10th anniversary of the arts show. And after several years being elsewhere, The Center is excited to bring back ARTrageous Vegas to downtown within its original home. The evening is being dubbed “Artists in Wonderland” and is expected to be one of the great social events of the year.

To learn more about the event and to purchase tickets, please visitwww.artrageousvegas.org.

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Flip-Flops Are Optional

Arts&Ents R E V I E W

By Erik Amblad

From where I live in the Arts District, I have to drive at least five miles to get to a movie theater. In spite of the distance, going to the movies just isn’t a big ordeal for most of us. On the other hand, I know a lot of people who very nearly choke with anxiety when I suggest going to see a play. It’s not the distance — at less than four miles away from any part of downtown, every live theater we cover in these pages is closer than any movie theater.

For some, they aren’t ready to make the night “special.” Their suit’s at the cleaners, or they need a new dress, or by God they will not give up on their flip-flops in the dead of summer. Granted, if you’re going to the Smith Center, our performing arts cathedral, you should probably ditch the shorts and comb your hair. But day-to-day, the real fashion mistake would be to let what you wear prevent you from seeing a play.

Other friends voice a valid concern: movies cost less. Generally that’s true (although you do spend as much for IMAX 3D as you would for most plays). Based solely on price, you should always go for the film. But here’s the thing … movies and plays are nothing alike. One of the most unique experiences you could ever have happens in the audience for a play. You have to be there if a play is going to happen. Movies? Godzilla is Godzilla, whether it’s at a matinee or at home on Blu-Ray. In theater, every single performance is different, being made as you watch. Anything at anytime can go wrong. There is a palpable, tantalizing danger in the air, and the people on stage are just inches away from you — even IMAX 3D can’t do that. In these theaters, friendships are forged out of the common experience of being in an audience with each other.

Plays spark meaningful conversations.

I love movies. I am not saying that going to see a play is somehow better, and I look forward to the day we get our own Cineplex. In the meantime, we are very lucky to have an ever growing number of playhouses right here in our downtown neighborhoods. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor. Go check them out.

Erik Amblad is the new theater columnist for the Downtown ZEN. Born and raised in Las Vegas, he is an award-winning actor, director, and producer, whose work has been seen from Boston and New York City to Seattle. For the last 10 years, Erik has worked with nearly every theater company in Las Vegas, and most recently, Erik was the Artistic Director of Cockroach Theatre in Las Vegas.

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Off Strip Productions brings five classics to the Onyx this summer By Erik Amblad

The Hot Season: 41

Summer is finally here, and with it comes the end of the Las Vegas Theatre Community’s 2013-2014 Season of Plays. In years past, this time would usually be marked by a distinct silence from companies around the valley, as talent and audiences alike would run for the hills to escape the heat. This year, however, there are plenty of options for us city dwellers, especially if we dwell downtown.

In particular, Off Strip Productions is presenting a full-blown summer season of plays over at the Onyx Theatre.

All five shows of this season will be very familiar to audiences, but Artistic Director Brandon Burk expects that audiences coming to the Onyx will find something new with each production.

“These titles are classics for a reason,” said Burk, who will also be directing two of the shows this summer.

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring our own unique touch to each of them.”

Three of these plays may be better known to audiences as classic films. While Burk claims that picking movies was not an intentional choice, these shows in particular do have a reputation for actually being better onstage than they were as movies.

The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde

Friday, May 23-Sunday, June 8 Artistic Director Brandon Burk directs what Wilde dubbed his “Trivial comedy for serious people.” Burk returns to the director’s chair after a 16-month hiatus. Audiences may best know Brandon’s work from his 2012 production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” which was received with both critical and popular acclaim.

The Graduate

Friday, June 13-Saturday, Jun 21 Cue the Simon and Garfunkle. In 1967, Mike Nichol’s “The Graduate” shot Dustin Hoffman to stardom. Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate and prodigal son, returns home and promptly becomes embroiled in a torrid affair with the wife of his father’s business partner, one Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft did the seducing in the movie). Soon, Ben finds himself falling in love with her daughter, Elaine. Not that we needed a reminder, but Off Strip warns audiences that “The Graduate” in fact showcases “adult themes.”

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Cabaret

Friday, July 18-Sunday, August 3 Welcome to the infamous Kit Kat Klub, where the Emcee, Sally Bowles and a raucous ensemble take the stage nightly to tantalize the crowd — and to leave their troubles outside. But as life in pre-WWII Germany grows more and more uncertain, will the decadent allure of Berlin nightlife be enough to get them through their dangerous times? For a while, it seemed like no one could match Joel Grey, Liza Minnelli or Bob Fosse for what they brought to screen in 1972. Then Sam Mendes’s 1998 Tony Award-winning revival was so popular it’s been brought back this year to Broadway for an encore. Brandon Burk directs, promising a fresh, “intimate” take on the production in Off Strip’s continuing “Affordable Broadway Series.”

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee

Friday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 23 Off Strip Productions teams up with the critically acclaimed Poor Richard’s Players and Executive Director Ben Loewy to bring this Edward Albee classic to the Onyx. In the play, George and Martha (theater’s most dysfunctional couple) invite young Nick and Honey over for a nightcap. The evening devolves into a war of wits and words in which the past is fair game. Elizabeth Taylor won her second Oscar for playing Martha, and while the film itself is an undeniable classic, the play itself is considered by many to be far superior to the movie.

Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along

Friday, Sept. 12-Saturday, Sept. 27 Set over three decades in the entertainment business, Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” charts the relationship between three friends: Franklin, Mary and Charley. The story is all the more compelling as it is told traveling backwards through time.

For tickets or for more information about Off Strip Productions’ Summer Season, go to www.onyxtheatre.com.

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restaurant R E V I E W

Grotto is Golden

By Mandy Crispin

Grotto, inside the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino, proves itself to be an oasis on a busy day. Its quiet and elegant atmosphere paired with classy, quality food show it to be the perfect place to make a relaxing ritual out of lunch. If you’re like me, and you eat at your desk or while on the run most times, a trip over to Grotto will be a palatepleasing and most welcome reminder of what lunch can be, when you do it right.

Grotto is located on the first floor of the casino adjacent to the luxurious pool scene. There are two seating areas. One area displays a brick oven for pizzas, full-service bar, a pretty stainless steel rotisserie, wall-sized wine racks in a rich dark wood, a repeating arch ceiling design with exposed brick and beams, and ambient light glowing through red glass-art chandeliers.

At other establishments, dubbed “chef tables” or “kitchen tables,” those who clamor for a kitchen view are usually limited to one or a couple of spots to choose from at most. At Grotto, there is an entire wall dedicated to a glass-enclosed kitchen view, which has become a popular feature among diners, says the National Restaurant Association, adding the energy of the food preparation process but not all the noise. Instead, what you can expect to hear are classic tunes by none other than one of Las Vegas’ most beloved, Frank Sinatra.

The opposite seating area offers a view of the pool area where the Golden Nugget-featured aquarium “The Tank” resides. From this angle, you can expect to observe cabanas seeming to laze in the wafting breeze and welcome you like quiet sirens’ songs. Pool patrons sunbathe, swim and splash silently behind floor-to-ceiling windows where natural light comes streaming in.

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Grotto The Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino 129 E. Fremont St. Las Vegas, NV 89101 702.386.8186 Sunday-Thursday 6 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

(Pizza oven and bar open until midnight) Friday-Saturday 6 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

(Pizza oven and bar open until 1 a.m.)

The lasagna al forno ($16) I had was delicious.

It comes on a hot plate (hence al forno — it’s double baked right in the dish), fully covered in melted cheese, with a ring around of layered alfredo-based cream sauce, melted mozzarella, and tomato sauce for extra dipping. What really impressed me was that not only is this dish perfectly yummy and well portioned, it was perfectly proportioned. It was as if someone actually sat down and tried eating it to see what amounts of each, the lasagna and the dipping sauces, would pair well so not to run out of either prematurely. In other words, the dish wasn’t made this way just for aesthetics; it actually was made to taste great all the way through. Imagine!

Feeling nourished but not gluttonous, I also tried the tiramisu. And let me tell you: I am still thinking about it a week later. First, the presentation was borderline unbelievable, so I couldn’t resist when my dining mate put me in this position to be admiring it enviously from across the table. The only other time I’ve had tiramisu, it was so fully soaked in rum I swore I’d never waste money on it again. This delicious cake, though, again, like the lasagna, was perfection, and what I suppose everyone else has been going on about.

Note: The full lunch menu is not on the website, but some of the pasta options are prepared as paninos served with fries and soup (not available on the dinner menu) for $13 to $14.

Reservations can be made online at www. goldennugget.com/dining/grotto.asp. Happy hour is Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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bar

R E V I E W

DT’s Libation Station

By Rockne Henriques

Working downtown gives me the luxury of bountiful options for happy hour. So when a Tuesday night craving randomly arose, I decided to choose a place close to my job that offered a little bit of happy hour libations and good grub. Since they’ve opened, I’ve visited Nacho Daddy a few times. For someone who hasn’t really put Mexican cuisine at the top of their list, they must be doing something right for me to continue coming back!

Here’s what I got: Blackberry acai margarita: Acai liqueur, muddle blackberries, agave nectar and homemade sweet and sour. You can definitely taste the sweet and sour flavor with a hint of the agave, but the stars of the show were the blackberry and acai. Chunks of blackberry offered a nice textured pulp and the sweetness of the acai balanced some of the tart flavor.

As successful as the Anthem location was, Nacho Daddy decided to open up shop last year in downtown Las Vegas. This unpretentious gem of a cantina is located on Fourth Street, between Stewart Avenue and the Fremont Street Experience. If you get lost, just look for the bright red and yellow neon sign accompanied by a nacho chip man dressed in a sombrero.

White peach margarita: White peach liqueur and puree, fresh lime juice and sweet and sour. What I loved about this one was that it was a lot sweeter. Sometimes sweet and sour can get a little to tart but this drink was subtle and full of flavor. Like sitting on the banks of Georgia!

When you enter the restaurant, you’ll notice a few focal points. The first thing I picked out was the partition separating the restaurant from the bar. Covered with pictures of various tequila brands, the partition really holds true to the type of restaurant this is. There were also two garage-style rolling doors offering a lot of fresh air ventilation, which I appreciated on this warm evening.

Guava margarita: Orchid guava liqueur, guava puree, fresh lime juice and sweet and sour. This margarita was set up exactly like the white peach. Full bodied from the puree, the guava nectar really shined through. I felt like I was on the beach in Waikiki!

Entering the full service bar, I immediately took note of the square bar top that took up almost the entire space. Big screen TVs and projectors allowed me to watch multiple games and networks.

Mango Thai basil margarita: Thai basil, agave nectar, mango schnapps, mango puree, fresh lime juice and sweet and sour. I was pleasantly surprised about this one. On one hand you have the fragrant taste of a mango. On the other, you’re hit with a hint of the basil herb, breaking up the sweetness in an awesome kind of way.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND this eclectic drink!

On my visit, Tyrone and Rick were the bartenders helping me out.

Both were super personable and made me feel welcomed. Tyrone was the one who actually took my order and stood out to me the most. He was not only easy to talk to, but super attentive and really took the time to show me I was a valued customer. Now that’s customer service!

After trying all of these amazing libations, I needed something to balance it out. Remember folks, Nacho Daddy serves food! Tyrone was nice enough to suggest the Taco Tuesday deal: three mix and match tacos for $3.33. I was at the point of no return. I had to take advantage of that, and I’m sure glad I did. Like the margaritas, the tacos are well prepared, well seasoned and ultimately well received.

The partitions made me realize that margaritas were definitely in order! Call me a lush, but since this was also an important review, I thought it was only fair to try an array of flavors! So here’s the deal: their margaritas run anywhere from $8 to $11 depending on the flavor. All margaritas are served in a cool mason jar and garnished with a lime wedge and salted rims. I wanted to stick to one brand of tequila, so I chose the Sauza Hornitos Plata for its spicy taste and agave origins.

When it’s all said and done, I will rave about this place for a long time to come. Along with their night vibe, I’ve heard rumors that they also serve breakfast. That will be reason enough to return! I’m a huge fan of local businesses opening downtown. This place has truly brought their success in Anthem to the heart of Las Vegas. Whether you’re in the mood for a happy hour drink, late night libation or even a brunch brewski, make your way to the home of nacho nation, my pick for this month’s Downtown Libation Station, Nacho Daddy!

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113 N. Fourth St. Las Vegas, NV 89101 702.778.7800 www.nachodaddy.com

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Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Saturday - Sunday 8 a.m. - 2 a.m.

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Music

S C E N E / H E A R D

Scene / Heard

By Richard Grewar

©Anthony Mair

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The “Under The Lights” concert series debuts on June 20 at the Downtown Container Park. Check out www.underthelightslv.com for all the nitty gritty and ticketing information.

Downtown ZEN dtZEN.com JUNE 2014 ISSUE 27

We should strive not to become an “ Austin, or Lower East Side Manhattan, but something that defines us as a city so others will travel to experience our culture. ”

UNDER THE LIGHTS —

With a fresh buzz around the Downtown Container Park and it’s blossoming ability to accommodate the usually Strip-centric high level artists (as a first effort for the park in April, the Sheryl Crow concert sold out in less than two weeks), it wasn’t going to be long before new blood began showing its hand in an attempt to answer the “what’s next” question.

Container park has all those elements. OFF SIXTH is creating the experience within the experience.

Enter Jerry Lemon, his newly established and downtown-based marketing/lifestyle/events collaborative OFF SIXTH and their “Under The Lights” concert series.

What keeps you here?

Scene / Heard sat down with the OFF SIXTH founder to find out what he has in store for downtown.

How are you involving the local downtown talent? Asides from local bands opening the shows, are there any other talented folks that are lending their skills?

What is "OFF SIXTH"? Why does it exist?

At OFF SIXTH our mission is to create meaningful platforms that impact cultures on a global scale. We take the ideologies of grassroots marketing and bring them into the digital age. OFF SIXTH exists because there is a need for creative thinking. We believe that in order to change you must first grow. Let our ideas not become the way but a possibility of something else.

Who makes up the OFF SIXTH team?

Christy Corda, Herbert Akinyele and myself.

How do you see OFF SIXTH complementing the musical landscape downtown?

OFF SIXTH isn’t re-inventing the wheel here. Music concerts and small city activations like these take place all throughout the country. “Under The Lights” has hints of these elements, but it’s the not the whole soul of the idea.

With that ideal in mind, what is "Under The Lights"?

“Under The Lights” is a three-month concert series, taking place in DTLV at the newly built container park. We will combine live music, DJs, local artists and creative on-site activations to turn the venue into a “big kids playground.”

I was looking to try something different and Vegas approached itself into my life, and I took the dive.

I’m not really sure, but this is where the idea formed, and until that changes this is the place we, and I, call home.

We are working with some extremely creative people, and they’re all local. We have Chris Jones, former creative director of SEVEN magazine handling all design, local sculptor Jesse Smigel will be creating some art installations for the concerts.

We also have local garden stylist Flora Pop (aka Victoria Hogan) displaying her vintage tear drop mobile flower shop, along with a ton of other unique activations.

What does the music community (musicians and music consumers alike) downtown need, in your opinion?

Take risks and create something genuine. The live music landscape is wide open in Vegas, especially in DTLV. It’s a new thing. There have always been acts or shows on the Strip, but downtown is creating something new. We should strive not to become an Austin, or Lower East Side Manhattan, but something that defines us as a city so others will travel to experience our culture.

What do events like "Under The Lights" mean for the music community, and community at large, as downtown grows?

It’s a platform for others to jump off of to create their expression of music

Who are the bands and artists that will be taking part? Why did you gravitate toward these acts?

You’re no doubt a music lover, but what moves you musically? What artist(s) do you listen to when you need a burst of energy?

Why Downtown Container Park?

In two words sum up what music means to you.

Live bands will be the Cults, Sky Ferriera and Grimes. DJs will be Overjoy, Doorly and Bixel Boys.

We picked these groups of artists because we wanted Las Vegas to experience a sound that was different from the mainstream concerts and DJs that frequent the city. DTLV needed its McCarren Park in NYC.

ISSUE 27

Personally, what brought you to downtown Las Vegas?

I love all kinds of music at the right times. It’s all about how you are feeling and what connects you to the moment. If I’m looking for high raw energy its totally Ted Nugent, but if I want to relax and marry my couch I’m feeling Portishead, just vibes.

Container park is the perfect partner for this because Self Expression we wanted to create a concert series that had live JUNE dtZEN.com Downtown ZEN acts,2014 DJs and art all within a sustainable footprint.

46 48

events calendar JUNE 1 SUNDAY Sunday Reset Project Dedicated to creating a healthier community in Las Vegas by resetting the mind, body and spirit. Join our signature event the Sunday Reset Project. location: Amanda Harris Gallery time: 8 a.m. more info: TheResetProjectLV.com

JUNE 3 TUESDAY

Downtown Project Lowdown Want the inside scoop on all of the good things happening with Downtown Project? Then you won’t want to miss the Downtown Lowdown, a monthly event that brings the community together with updates relating to DTLV. location: The Learning Village time: 5 p.m.-6 p.m. more info: DowntownProject.com Education Jelly Join the Education Jelly to discuss all of the great things that are happening within education as well as brainstorm ways we as a community can make a difference in the lives of our teachers and students. location: Scullery more info: DowntownAchieves.org

JUNE 4 WEDNESDAY

Creativ Week Creativ Week is produced and curated by CatalystCreativ, a small business funded by the Downtown Project the first week of every month. Creativ Week is a monthly celebration in downtown Vegas that showcases the most exciting arts, culture and entertainment in downtown. more info: CatalystCreativ.com

JUNE 5 THURSDAY Creativ Week

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

JUNE 6 FRIDAY Creativ Week

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm First Friday First Friday is celebrated in the Arts District of downtown Las Vegas and celebrates young and established local artists. location: The Art’s District time: 6 p.m.-11 p.m. more info: FirstFridayLasVegas.com

49

JUNE 7 SATURDAY

JUNE 18 WEDNESDAY

Creativ Week

Sprinkler Sprint The Sprinkler Sprint is a Wild Water Party 5k where participants run/walk through multiple water zones throughout the entire 3.1 mile course location: Downtown Las Vegas time: 9 a.m. more info: DowntownRun.com

Stitch Factory Speaker Series Stitch Factory, in partnership with Downtown Project, presents Behind the Seams, a monthly speaker series designed to bring together passionate individuals to share ideas, network, and inspire. location: The Learning Village time: 5:30 p.m. more info: StitchFactory.com

JUNE 10 TUESDAY

JUNE 19 THURSDAY

Trivia at the Beat Come with a team or find one at The Beat. Every second Tuesday you can test your knowledge and flex your brain in a cerebral competition. There will be prizes and beer specials, and most likely a little more beer than brains. location: The Beat Coffeehouse time: 7 p.m.

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

JUNE 12 THURSDAY Rachel’s Kitchen Jam | 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

JUNE 13 FRIDAY Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam | 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Stitch Factory Speaker Series | 5:30pm

JUNE 20 FRIDAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm Under The Lights Cults, Overjoy, American Cream & Technicolor location: Downtown Container Park

JUNE 21 SATURDAY Summer Solstice

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

JUNE 25 WEDNESDAY Creativ Week

JUNE 14 SATURDAY Flag Day

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

JUNE 26 THURSDAY Creativ Week

Rachel’s Kitchen Jam | 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

JUNE 27 FRIDAY Creativ Week

JUNE 15 SUNDAY FATHER's DAY

Downtown3rd Farmers Market | 9am-2pm

JUNE 17 TUESDAY

JUNE 28 SATURDAY

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

Downtown ZEN

dtZEN.com

Ramadan (start) Creativ Week

JUNE 2014

ISSUE 27

JUNE

June 20th 2014

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Under The Lights is a modern day urban woodland activated by influential indie-house DJs, live music, sustainable art installations and cult-favored foods. The lush greenerythemed concert series is a secret oasis nestled in the bourgeoning cultural hub of Downtown Las Vegas. Join 2,000 forward-thinking urbanites to celebrate the spirit of life on the grass beneath the trees, immersed in the groove-heavy vibes of the newly founded Container Park in DTLV.â&#x20AC;?

Line up: CULTS, OverJoy, American Cream & Technicolor Ticket Price: $26 with a one-dollar donation to the First Friday Foundation Website & Ticketing Link: www.underthelightslv.com Social Media Links: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/underthelightslv Twitter - UNDRthelightslv Instagram - Underthelightslv

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

103 Tacos El Gordo J8 1724 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.251.8226

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

702.382.5637 www.chicagojoesrestaurant.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

128 Radio City Pizza G5 508 Fremont St.

702.982.5055 www.radiocitypizza.com

129 Park on Fremont G5 506 Fremont St.

702.798.7000 www.parkonfremont.com

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

206 The Griffin G5 511 Fremont St.

409 Creative Space C10 1421 S. Commerce St.

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

410 Electric Lemonade D8 220 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.382.0577

702.676.1457 www.hogsandheifers.com

208 Insert Coin(s) G5 512 Fremont St.

702.447.2525 www.insertcoinslv.com

209 Vanguard Lounge G5 516 Fremont St.

702.868.7800 www.vanguardlv.com

210 Commonwealth G5 525 Fremont St.

702.798.7000 www.commonwealthlv.com

702.896.0353

131 La Comida G5 100 Sixth St.

702.463.9900 www.facebook.com/LaComidaLV

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

702.382.6538

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

211 Backstage Bar & Billiards G5 601 Fremont St.

702.382.2223 www.backstagebarandbilliards.com

212 Bunkhouse H6 124 S. 11th St.

702.384.4536 www.bunkhouselv.com

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

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

136 Nacho Daddy C10 113 N. 4th St.

216 Gold Spike G5 217 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

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

702.366.0130

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

702.837.3428

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

702.384.6452

116 Lola’s: B8 A Louisiana Kitchen

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

G5 707 Carson Ave. 702.534.1515 www.eatdowntownlv.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

702.527.7717 www.eatdrinkwild.com

702.778.7800 www.nachodaddy.com

137 Pura Vida H7 1236 Western Ave.

702.722.0108 www.puravidavegas.com

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

702.444.4459 www.tiffanyscafelv.com

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

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

140 MTO Café D5 500 S. Main St.

702.384.8444 www.goldspike.com

217 Aruba Lounge D9 1215 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.3987

218 Scullery F4 150 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

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

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

702.685.7741 www.facebook.com Search “Coterie Downtown”

702.380.8229 www.mtocafe.com

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

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

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

702.522.9953 www.rocknoodles.com

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

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

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

702.598.1965 www.thebeautybar.com/las_vegas

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

702.382.3894

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

702.468.3232

412 Gaia Flowers C8 6 E. Charleston Blvd.

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

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

702.815.1277 www.facebook.com/SweetSpotCandyShop

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

407 Cowtown Guitars D7 C8 1009 S. Main St.

702.866.2600 www.cowtownguitars.com

E

F

G

H

1

I

702.516.3432

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

415 Inside Style C8 1119 S. Main St.

1

1502

702.521.0725

417 Photo Bang Bang C10 224 E. Imperial Ave.

702.384.1384

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

421 Let Me Nail You F7 514 Bonneville Ave. 702.998.9490

422 Rogue Toys E7 616 Las Vegas Blvd S.

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

E7 624 Las Vegas Blvd S. 702.526.3922

424 Downtown Tattoo E7 1106 Fremont St.

702.541.8282 www.Downtowntattoolasvegas.com

FITNESS

1503 1504

2

1505

2

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

701 24hr Fitness E3

100 City Pkwy., Suite #160 702.824.9614

702 FreeStyle CrossFit D6

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

HOTEL & CASINOS 800 El Cortez G5

600 Fremont St. 800.634.6703

3

113

301 Fremont St. 702.388.2400 www.thed.com

803 Golden Nugget F4

129 Fremont St. 702.385.7111 www.goldennugget.com

3

701 1301 1501

804

4 106

130

900

301

122

129

400

209 206

203

4

208 101

100 213

210 131 211

5 214

118

108 132

6

423

134 1100

420

702

1 S. Main St. 800.634.6575 www.plazahotelcasino.com

805 Downtown Grand Las Vegas F4

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

702.754.6300 www.juhlst.com

702.387.0093

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

800.585.3737

702.724.1436 www.9thbridgeschool.com

100 /usr/lib (Tech Library) G5

518

405

121

7

G5

104 407

8

413

500 1212 1216

000

901

103

132

600

700 117

501 418

502

135

9

1300

503

504 505

512

1001

511

507

1202

515

1O

1402

403 411

514 417

9

401 201

516

520

409

601

217

509 510

506

519

1206

136

139

1O

110 204

603

8

419

1209

508 402

221 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.463.9029 www.fremonteaststudios.com

G4

300 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

Suite 120 702.476.5552 www.stitchfactory.com

ART STUDIOS

112

142

412 133 404

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

104 Stitch Factory

114

410

415 1208

408

7

201

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

513

G4

1600

1001

1003

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

103 Fremont East Studios

1207

137

416

116

517

421

520 Fremont St. 702.385.2328

102 SYN SHOP

422 1002

115

100 Emergency Arts

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

702.383.3133 G5

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

702.269.6036 Amanda.nelle@gmail.com

1203 Art Square C7 1025 S. First St.

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

702.870.9946 www.goldwellmuseum.org

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

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11 A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

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

702.382.3886

1211 Downtown Contemporary Gallery C8 at artSquare

1025 First St., Suite #145 702.358.7022

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

702.302.7878

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

702.592.2164

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

321.258.9032

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

702.608.2461

1216 Trifecta C8 135 E. Charleston Blvd.

702.366.7001

RECURRING EVENTS 1300 First Friday Main Hub C9 Casino Center Boulevard

Between Colorado Street & California Street

1301 Downtown3rd Farmers Market 300 Block of North Main Street F4

Directly Next To The Mob Museum

COMMUNITY SPACES

G6

212

101

702.383.0979

1002 Juhl Lofts E7 353 E. Bonneville Ave.

101 Work In Progress -

602

1701

1001 Soho Lofts E7 900 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

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

804 Plaza Hotel & Casino E4

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

1003 Newport Lofts D7 200 Hoover Ave.

500

107 120

6

128 424

104 104 138

302 103 220 216 102 126 803 205 205 127 802 119 1000 111 218 303 304 127 141 800 200 109 124

1400

5

123

139 207 102 805

125

140

802 The D Las Vegas F4

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

702.624.5792 www.vvlv.org

702.685.0300

700 Real Results Gym C9

HUMAN SERVICES 900 Las Vegas City Hall D5

702.399.1100

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

LAS VEGAS, NV

J

702.997.0222

408 Better Than New 1216 S. Main St. 702.471.6236

D

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

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

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

411 Freddie Ramon C10 1411 S. Main St.

214 Atomic Liquors H5 917 Fremont St.

702.207.0788

C

702.776.7766

213 Don’t Tell Mama G5 517 Fremont St.

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

702.439.3923

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

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

B

A

702.782.0319 www.blackbirdstudioslv.com

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

702.433.4433

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

702.409.7549

ENTERTAINMENT 1400 The Smith Center 361 Symphony Park Ave. C5

702.749.2000

1401 Art Square Theater 1025 S. First St. C8

702.308.8087 info@artsquarelv.com

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

702.568.9663 Inspire News Cafe 501 Fremont St. 702.910.2388

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

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

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

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

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

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

702.380.2800 www.cpklaw.com

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

702.229.2732

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

702.486.3511

1503 Lied Discovery Children’s B7 Museum

833 N. Las Vegas Blvd.

702.382.3445

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

702.384.3466

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

702.387.6366 www.neonmuseum.org

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

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

702.759.0005

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

702.479.1515 www.turntablehealth.com

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

300 S. Fourth St. #7 702.759.3426

220 Inspire News Cafe F4

501 Fremont St. 702.910.2388

GROCERY 600 Albertsons Grocery

1760 E. Charleston Blvd.

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

702.982.2999 602 Cake World Bakery 220 N. Maryland Pkwy.

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

(702) 382.3382 J8