The Great Indoors | Vegas Seven Magazine | October 2-8, 2014 by Vegas Seven

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14 | THE LATEST

“Welcome to the New Downtown,” by Lissa Townsend Rodgers. Downtown Summerlin is finally ready to open its doors, and you’ll never guess the development’s target audience: You! Plus, the rebirth of Vantage Lofts, the return of Wednesdays Downtown, bitcoin’s steady ascent, Ask a Native, The Deal and Tweets of the Week.

16 | DTLV

“Taking Stock of The Market,” by Geoff Carter. At long last, Downtown gets its grocery store—and all signs point to it being a good one.

18 | Politics

“Can the South Rise Again?” by Michael Green. Southern Nevada lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have a chance to send the governor a message—if they can stop playing partisan politics.

24 | THE GREAT INDOORS

“Home, Again,” by Melinda Sheckells. The subjects of our first-ever interior design story welcome us into their new home … and their old neighborhood. Plus, Chris O’Rourke fashions metal into art, a peek into Strip penthouses and a Q&A with Alison Victoria of Kitchen Crashers.

33 | NIGHTLIFE

“Stage-Life Is Beautiful,” by David Morris. XS’ Ronn Nicoli lays out the very important people’s party imperative. Plus, Seven Nights and a Q&A with Pete Tong.

65 | DINING

“Holy Barbecue,” by Al Mancini. The JCC’s annual grill event keeps the ’cue kosher. Plus, Dishing With Grace, Al Mancini on Caspian Persian Cuisine & Bakery, what to expect at Life Is Beautiful and Cocktail Culture.

71 | A&E

“Young’s Town,” by Steve Bornfeld. After an ironman run in Vegas! the Show, Eric Jordan Young is finally stepping into the headliner spotlight. Plus, the Wine Amplified Music Festival expands, The Hit List, Tour Buzz and a review of Die Antwoord in concert.

78 | Movies

Tracks and our weekly movie capsules.

88 | Going for Broke

A future Hall of Fame QB has fallen from his perch; time for you to cash in.

94 | Seven Questions

Comedian Aziz Ansari on conducting sociological research, getting upstaged by Beyoncé and Tom Haverford’s future.

| Dialogue | Seven Days | Gossip | Showstopper

Sparks fly in the shop of metalworker and sculptor Chris O’Rourke.

ON THE COVER Photo by Anthony Mair

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA

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GOLDEN NUGGET’S 5TH ANNUAL

DIALOGUE

THIS WEEK @ VEGASSEVEN.COM

IN A HAZE Were you planning on spending your New Year’s Eve at Haze? Time to dial it back a few months: The Aria nightclub has announced that Halloween weekend will see the end of the run for the 4-year-old nightspot as it closes for a remodel and rebranding in 2015. Get the details at DailyFiasco.com.

LAS VEGAS

HAZE BY AMIT DADL ANEY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TH AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH BITCOIN AMERICA

ONLINE HEALING

Because Nevada has historically favored less government intervention, many think the Silver State—and Las Vegas in particular—is the perfect place to become a springboard for the digital currency industry. Check out our story on this topic on Page 22, then see how Nevada’s bitcoin climate compares with other states at VegasSeven.com/ BitcoinAmerica.

Have you or someone you know ever been diagnosed with a serious illness and wanted to reach out to others to compare symptoms? One of the new startups out of a Downtown incubator is connecting patients with its website Blog.HealClick.com. Learn more about the startup, and read additional tidbits from the local tech scene, at VegasSeven.com/Bytes.

REBELS LAND A LOCAL

GET YOUR POPCORN

After just missing out on several elite recruits, UNLV finally landed a commitment from one of the most versatile players in the Class of 2016. Mike Grimala profiles Justin Jackson, a swingman from Findlay Prep in Henderson, at RunRebs.com/ Recruiting.

Our Wednesday night showings of classic Las Vegas-centric movies have been a big hit at Inspire Theater. What’s on tap for the October 8 screening, and which local expert will be featured during the pre-flick Q&A session? Find all the details at VegasSeven. com/7Essential.

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Grapes and Hops Festival [SpringsPreserve.org]. • Oct. 13-19 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open [ShrinersHospitalsOpen.com].

PHOTOS BY TEDDY FUJIMOTO AND JEFF RAGAZZO

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

Injured Vegas Seven food critic Max Jacobson received a hero’s welcome at Kerry Simon’s Carson Kitchen during the Chefs to the Max event September 28, just three days after he returned to Las Vegas. More than $22,000 was raised for Jacobson, who had been undergoing rehab in Denver and Omaha, Nebraska, as he continues to recover from severe brain injuries suffered when struck by a car December 23. Guests enjoyed cocktails from Commonwealth, desserts from O Face Doughnuts and specialty dishes from such offStrip chefs as Luciano Pellegrini of Marche Bacchus and Chris Palmeri of Naked City Pizza. Among the attendees were Jacobson’s longtime friends Simon, Robin Leach and George Maloof. Simon’s arrival led Jacobson to jump to his feet to say hello to his wheelchair-bound pal (above), who is battling the lifethreatening illness multiple systems atrophy.

“Your long wait to get a Big Papi Burger is nearly over. We hear it tastes like beard trimmings and carefully covered-up PEDs.”

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News, politics, deals and why the bitcoin industry has a thing for the Silver State

Welcome to the New Downtown Downtown Summerlin is fnally ready to open its doors, and you’ll never guess the development’s target audience: You!

DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN: Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Downtown means tall offce buildings, boutiques, trendy dining and people on sidewalks. Summerlin has single-story houses, big-box retail stores, chain restaurants and cars on four-lane roads. Then again, maybe Downtown Summerlin isn’t trying to be two opposite things so much as it’s attempting to be … everything. After all, when the much-anticipated development debuts October 9, it will be as a hub of retail and restaurants. But the endgame will be more than 300 acres of shopping, dining, offces and residences—hence the name change a few months ago from Shops at Summerlin to Downtown Summerlin. “People will be able to live right there, work right there,” says Tom Warden, senior vice president of community and government relations for the Howard Hughes Corp., which develops Summerlin. “This is the real deal at a critical mass. … It truly is building a downtown from scratch.” Indeed, Downtown Summerlin is rising from the dust, with no current residents, historical buildings or obscure zoning to be accommodated. But it’s not a completely blank slate. “This was always designated as the commercial core of Summerlin,” Warden says. “In the earliest master plan, it shows intense commercialuse high density right here.” So what makes Downtown Summerlin different from downtown Syracuse and downtown Scranton— or Boca Park and Tivoli Village, for that matter? For one, the setting is designed to be a destination in itself: A series of plazas and walkways invite lingering and lounging rather than the usual errands-and-out. A two-level row of shops is topped by a sail-like “roof” for daytime shade and nighttime lighting effects, while

a number of restaurants face the “dining arroyo,” a landscaped patio with water/fre features. While the tenant list is dominated by such familiar brands as Victoria’s Secret and Red Robin, there are several less-expected businesses as well. “The big demand has always been, ‘We want our national brands here, but don’t you dare leave out those local entrepreneurs who have done great things,’” says Andrew Ciarrocchi, senior general manager of Downtown Summerlin. “It’s our job to bring in [local restaurateur] Elizabeth Blau and her Andiron Steak and Sea, or MTO Café—which will do their second restaurant here—but at the same time [also] bring in Macy’s and Dillard’s and Nordstrom Rack.” There’s even a global component to Downtown Summerlin: It’ll be home to the frst stateside outposts for Scandinavian clothing chains Lindbergh and b.young, as well as Australian restaurant franchises

Gelato Messina and Ribs and Burgers. “That we could get their frst U.S. stores in Downtown Summerlin speaks worlds of their confdence in this project and what they think of what we can do,” Ciarrocchi says. It’s all intended for a larger audience than just the nearby residents. Downtown Summerlin is working with CAT to create a regional transit hub, and the shops and restaurants are designed to fow into the property of the adjacent Red Rock Resort. “[Red Rock guests] will be coming over here, and they’ll take advantage of our people going over there,” Warden says. “It will be very symbiotic relationship.” Of course, the fnal goal of Downtown Summerlin is for the people to already be there. “The rest of Downtown Summerlin directly adjacent is [more than] 200 acres, and what you’ll see in there is high-rise and mid-rise residential towers, offce towers, mixed-use, street-side retail,” Warden says. The frst residential

development—Warden insists there “won’t be one single-family detached home”—will be a gated community of 124 luxury units (think on-call masseuse), slated to open in the spring. So, yes, Downtown Summerlin does indeed want to be all things to all people. A place where a family staying at Red Rock Resort can take the kids to Build-A-Bear and Pieology Pizzeria. Where a couple from central Vegas might come to check out the new Terry Gilliam flm at the Regal Cinemas and afterward enjoy a glass of wine at Grape Street Café & Wine Bar. Where an offce worker can pick up groceries at Trader Joe’s on the way home and then walk her schnauzer over to the Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar. “This is, in fact, what has always been planned as the crown jewel of Summerlin,” Warden says. “It’s a project that speaks to the evolution of the entire Southern Nevada community. The Vegas Valley is growing up.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

[ REAL ESTATE ]

TROUBLED LUXURY PROPERTY FINALLY SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE They started as expensive condos; now they’re expensive apartments. But more importantly, people are actually living in them now! When the concept for Vantage Lofts—at 201 S. Gibson Road in Henderson, just south of Interstate 215—fizzled in a 2008 bankruptcy, the luxury modern condo project became the Valley’s greatest recessionary eyesore this side of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. But that was then, and now things are looking a lot brighter. Last year, Vantage was purchased and co-developed by Seattle-based Goodman Real Estate and Tilton Development Company of Scottsdale. Construction was completed in April, and today 70 percent of Vantage’s 110 units are leased, says Cassie Bostic, leasing office manager. Monthly rents at Vantage range from $1,500 to $4,500,

By Bob Whitby THURSDAY, OCT. 2: Time once again to

with 26 different floor plans. Among the perks are a gated community, pool, fitness center, Wi-Fi café, indoor and outdoor spas, a 24-7 concierge and a theater. And, true to its name, Vantage offers striking panoramic views for those with west-facing units. “We definitely push the [pricing] envelope out here,” Bostic says. “We took Vantage at a slower pace, because we knew our market was much higher [priced]. But there are few concessions, and we’re getting true market rents.” Certainly, Vantage appears to be the exception to a rule,

seeing that Southern Nevada’s apartment market continues to be slow to recover—average rents are still more than 12 percent below their 2008 highs, according to local economic research firm Applied Analysis. For now, Bostic says empty nesters, entrepreneurs and single professionals are among those looking to call Vantage home, with Miami and Los Angeles serving as the primary feeder markets. Bostic predicts Vantage will be fully occupied by the end of the year—quite a turnaround for a property that six years ago seemed left for dead. – Brian Sodoma

don your chaps, fire up the hog and get down to Cashman Center for Las Vegas Bikefest, the biggest event of the year for the two-wheeled set. In addition to thousands of like-minded folks, you’ll find some classic rock by Kansas, a custom bike show, a bikini bike wash and enough food and drink to satisfy any hardcore road warrior. Through Sunday; tickets: $5-$70; LasVegasBikeFest.com.

FRIDAY, OCT. 3: How many times have you seen Ghostbusters?

Can you quote lines from memory? If not, polish up your skills at 7 p.m. at Town Square’s Retro Movie Night. It’s free, and it’s a good movie. Makes a nice cheap date.

SATURDAY, OCT. 4: Henderson is already noted for its many and varied recreational opportunities, but it’s always good when the city gains more parks. So help celebrate the opening of Henderson’s newest green spaces—Capriola and Potenza parks—at 9 a.m. at the Inspirada master-planned community, just south of the Henderson Executive Airport. You’ll find soccer and skating demonstrations, along with refreshments, stuff for the kids and a pet adoption center. Inspirada.com. SUNDAY, OCT. 5: What are we doing today? Oh, nothing really. Just a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Las Vegas, followed by a 56-mile bike ride through Lake Mead National Recreation area and then a 13.1mile run through Henderson. Just another Sunday, but it happens to coincide with the 2014 Ironman 70.3 Silverman triathlon. The race ends at the Henderson Pavilion, so stop by and cheer the athletes on. HendersonLive.com. MONDAY, OCT. 6: We’ve got some exceptional artists in this state,

and they have some incredible material to work with. For proof, look no further than Panorama: Selections From the Nevada Arts Council’s Artist Fellowship Program. The exhibit, which runs through Nov. 26 at UNLV’s Barrick Museum, features 12 Nevada artists chosen for their mastery of various media, from photography to textiles to sculpture. NAC.NevadaCulture.org.

[ DTLV ]

WEDNESDAYS DOWNTOWN BY TOBY ACUNA

THE CURE FOR YOUR HUMP-DAY BLUES

Full disclosure: The idea for Wednesdays Downtown, the weekly Fremont East block party that returns at 6 p.m. October 8, originated here. That is, it was cooked up by the same folks who bring you this publication, and it’s even cosponsored by our sister website, DTLV.com. But all the things that make this block party happen in such a big way are provided not by us, but by our friends. It’s the bars of Fremont Street—everyone from Las Vegas Boulevard to Sixth Street, including Triple B, Downtown Cocktail Room, El Cortez and Scullery—that are offering the drink specials that make Wednesdays Downtown “the world’s greatest happy hour.” (Coors is helping out there, too.) It’s local events company Relish that’s coordinating the food truck village that will rival the late Vegas StrEATs in size. It’s Fremont East’s venues that are providing everything from live music to DJ beats to movie screenings. It’s Las Vegas’ bartenders who make the Downtown Dirty Bar Fight so compelling. And it’s you who powers up all the street-side activities: the Painters Lounge, the silent disco, the selfie wall and more. Really, Wednesdays Downtown, which is scheduled through October, is something you’ve got to experience to understand. It truly is Downtown Las Vegas at its most fun, and we’re happy to have a hand in it. So we’ll see you at the silent disco, but we won’t bother you while you’re workin’ it. After all, we’re depending on you to make this a real party. For more information, visit Wednesdays.DTLV.com. –Geoff Carter

TUESDAY, OCT. 7: Why not spend an evening enjoying some local musical talent? The College of Southern Nevada’s Department of Fine Arts’ Chorale and Instrumental programs are providing the chops at the Music Scholarship Concert, 7:30 p.m. at the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre. Money raised helps provide scholarships, so it’s also a good cause. Tickets: $5-$8; CSN.edu. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8: Back by popular demand, and just in time for Halloween, is the Broadway musical smash Wicked. Part prequel to The Wizard of Oz, part sassy musical, all spectacular production, the show opens a one-month run at The Smith Center at 7:30. Tickets: $45-$161; TheSmithCenter.com.

THE LATEST

DTLV

J A M E S P. R E Z A

WHEN DOES FALL ACTUALLY ARRIVE IN LAS VEGAS?

Are folks really that unfamiliar with Google? I get this question every year, yet nobody seems to listen. Then, at the slightest hint of morning chill, people bust out with wool. Why, just last weekend, a couple strolled by as I relaxed on the patio of my favorite coffeehouse, him in a beanie, jeans and long-sleeve flannel, her sporting what I’m sure is a top look in locales with weather: a drapey knit sweater and thick wool knee-highs. Meanwhile, I—baking in the desert sun on a 77-degree windless morning—felt a bit underdressed in shorts and a T-shirt. As to your question, the answer has always been the same: Halloween. If you want seasons, move!

Taking Stock of The Market At long last, Downtown gets its grocery store— and all signs point to it being a good one

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By Geoff Carter

“I LOVE THIS PLACE,” says Sonia El-Nawal, examining a glass countertop. “It reminds me of Dean & DeLuca.” El-Nawal is speaking of The Market, a Downtown Projectowned urban grocery store opening next week at 611 Fremont Street. Today, I’m touring the unfnished space with general manager Ellyn Chantos and El-Nawal, who is creating many of the recipes that will be served at kitchen manager Dillon Wheeler’s made-to-order counter. On the day of the tour, the place is still under heavy construction … but even without one stick of butter or jar of pickles in the place, the three of us agree on one thing: The Market, with its glass counters, reclaimed wood walls and exposed barrel ceiling, is gonna be fat-out gorgeous. El-Nawal may be reminded of Dean & DeLuca—an upscale grocery founded in New York’s SoHo district in 1977—on a cosmetic level, but the similarities will probably end there. Fremont East isn’t SoHo, and The Market isn’t intended solely for gourmands or the well-to-do. This is a straight-up neighborhood grocery for a neighborhood that’s been in dire need of one

for several years. And El-Nawal and Chantos are ready to meet its special challenges. Chantos says that they’ve had so much time to fgure out the product mix that they’re confdent customers will like what they see on shelves. And what they’ll see will be locally sourced produce and healthy foods acquired through Nature’s Best … but also rib-sticking junk foods, as well as microbrews by the growler. And if the store doesn’t have what the neighborhood wants, “we’ll change,” Chantos adds. In a way, The Market is already integrated with the neighborhood: One nearby Department of Education Blue Ribbonwinning magnet school is contributing fresh goods to the store’s produce section. Students from Walter Bracken Science STEAM Academy (it stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) are growing fresh herbs for The Market in a USDA-sanctioned green patch, and Chantos insists that it’s not all classwork for the kids: “Students will make money,” she says. Meanwhile, El-Nawal says the prepared food will have “an international fair.” The Market’s live kitchen is planning to wow

customers with everything from healthy grab-and-go sandwiches such as a vegetarian eggplant caponata with roasted peppers, pesto tomato and mozzarella, to what El-Nawal somewhat cryptically dubs “great drunk food.” (While I’m wondering what that means, El-Nawal muses aloud about “a french-fry sandwich”—a drunk food conceit so perfect that I can’t believe Jack in the Box isn’t offering them at three for a dollar.) The kitchen will also prepare specialty dishes for holidays: “I want to make pan de muerto for the Day of the Dead,” El-Nawal says. As with all projects of this kind, the offerings could change considerably. But there’s one thing that is set in stone: A neighborhood that badly needs a goodsize grocery store is getting one. “We’re so happy that you’re excited about this,” Chantos says to me as we walk out the back. “I hope everyone else in the neighborhood will feel the same way.” That seems entirely likely, given how long Downtown residents have wanted something like a Dean & DeLuca, with its fancy cheeses and fresh herbs and fresh-ground coffee. Now they’re getting all that—plus a french-fry sandwich.

WITH SLS NOW OPEN, CAN THE NORTH STRIP RECOVER FROM BLIGHT?

I’m not sure if it’s an East Coast thing, or maybe just a coastal thing, but those unfamiliar with vacant lots tend to view them as an indicator of “blight.” I suppose anyone who arrived to the desert in the depths of the Great Recession looked at the corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard and fretted. Here’s some perspective: The lot on that intersection’s southwest corner was once considered the most expensive piece of undeveloped real estate in the nation, but it has sat vacant since the El Rancho burned down in 1960. But given our city’s leapfrog style of development, Las Vegans tend to see shuttered buildings and empty lots as opportunity, not blight. Good for SLS, as well as the developers of the drugstore on the northeast corner and the producers of the upcoming Rock in Rio festival for seeing that opportunity and running with it. Watch for more to develop nearby as these risk-takers reap their rewards.

FANCY FRESH AND FOOTBALL FREE!

I’m still fishing for suggestions of local bars and/or restaurants that shun TV screens showing endless football games to focus on atmosphere (see Sept. 25 “Ask a Native”). Both locations of Paymon’s Mediterranean Cafe & Hookah Lounge qualify, as do most of the spots in and near the Fremont East Entertainment District, with notable exceptions: Le Thai and Insert Coin(s) have TVs, and both Atomic Liquors and Commonwealth fire them up for occasional events. Someone did mentioned Starbucks, which, considering that even Einstein Bros. Bagels has TVs, is a legit suggestion. But it doesn’t qualify as “local.” Nor is it a bar. In fact, it’s barely a restaurant. Anyway, know of a place? Send it along! Questions? AskaNative@VegasSeven.com.

PHOTO BY EMILY WILSON/DOWNTOWN PROJECT

A peek inside The Market before the delivery trucks arrive.

Southern Nevada lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have a chance to send the governor a clear message—if they can stop playing partisan politics RECENTLY, REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR

Michael Roberson was addressing his party’s right-wing base—the Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board—and took some calculated risks. The senate minority leader touted a variety of educational reforms, including reduced class sizes and more professional development for teachers—the kinds of things Republicans often poohpooh. He also backed Question 2, which if passed would be a major step toward ending the mining industry’s 150-year-old tax dodge. He even said he’s been talking with Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, lauding the Democrat for her ideas and leadership. But since such audiences tend to like their red meat, Roberson also offered this: “The Senate Democratic caucus and its leadership are incompetent, and they’re failing the people of Nevada.” Naturally, his counterpart, Majority Leader Mo Denis, took exception, claiming Roberson was the failure. (I’ll play judge and jury: They’re both right.) More from Roberson’s chat with the R-J: “You’d be much better off with a Republican majority. The governor needs at least one house with his party to push forward his agenda.” Democrats might disagree. But that isn’t the issue. The issue, which Kirkpatrick and Roberson have identifed—and Roberson has done it better than some of the state Senate Democrats—is the need to work together on behalf of Southern Nevada. The problem is, Roberson seems to have let partisanship get in the way. For instance, suppose that, during the next legislative session, Governor Brian Sandoval’s agenda doesn’t include enough money for something Southern Nevadans want. Republicans out “to push forward his agenda” will go along with the governor, and Democrats will fght him—as partisanship requires. Except that it isn’t required. Instead, let’s consider the Legislature’s composition. Of the 42 seats in the Assembly, 31 are from Clark County. Of the 21 state senators, 15 are from Clark County. The next key number to know is a fraction: two-thirds, or 67 percent— the portion of the Legislature required to approve a tax hike. It’s also the percentage needed to override a governor’s veto.

TWOFER BUFFETS, A PRIME PRIME AND POTATO PIEROGI

The solution is simple: Southern legislators need to fre a shot across the governor’s bow by passing a law that turns the tables of history on the north. Something like, say, a land-grant university tax. Never heard of it? That’s because I just made it up. Under this law, anyone residing within 400 miles of the UNR campus would have to pay a 50 percent sales tax, with the revenues going to fund the school. Anyone living more than 400 miles from the UNR campus would receive a tax rebate of $10,000. Ridiculous? No, it’s compensation. You probably don’t recall, but in 1955, when each county had one state senator and northerners predominated, the Legislature made Las Vegans raise part of the money for what would become UNLV’s campus. That’s right: A supposedly state-funded institution of higher learning wasn’t funded by the entire state. Into the 1980s, the funding system was such that far more money went from Clark County to Carson City than was returned, and the numbers remained

fuzzy long after that. To this day, UNR gets more cash per student than UNLV, and the College of Southern Nevada continues to receive less per student than its community-college counterparts to the north. Do the math: Clark County comprises 71.4 percent of the state Senate and 73.8 percent of the Assembly. If lawmakers vote by the county they are elected to represent, a law passes. As the governor of all Nevadans, Sandoval would veto it as bad for the state. Ah, but the same numbers apply. If lawmakers vote by the county they supposedly represent, they override said veto. Under the circumstances, Sandoval might want to negotiate and push forward an agenda that better serves the more than 2 million Southern Nevadans. Then, Roberson and his fellow Southern Nevada colleagues wouldn’t be failing the people they directly represent.

A couple of months ago I suggested that locals sign up for The Code players card at SLS Las Vegas. That recommendation was given on spec, but it turned out to be good advice. SLS is marketing aggressively, and locals with a players card now get $5 drinks property-wide from 5-8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and two-for-one buffets anytime. That buffet deal is a good one, worth a $20$40 savings, depending on which meal you eat. While we’re on the topic of two-for-one buffets: You can also get them at Silverton on Thursdays in October; just show your card. By the way, after opening with some fairly good video poker, SLS has made moves to make it even better. When I last looked, there were nine different schedules at the 25-cent level returning above 99 percent. That’s impressive for a Strip casino. ➜ On the subject of good VP in unlikely places, Crowbar on West Flamingo Road has 7/5 Bonus Poker with 4-of-a-kinds in 5s through Kings spinning the bonus wheel. That combo generates about a 99.5 percent return. ➜ PT’s doesn’t make this column very often. As the dominant bar group in Vegas, they simply don’t have to go out of their way to pull in business. But here’s a deal I’ve been overlooking: The PT’s bars serve breakfast for half price from 6-10 a.m. every day. After the discount, it’s $3.50 for pancakes, $4.50 for omelets and breakfast burritos, and $6.50 for steak & eggs. All are big plates made with three eggs, potatoes and toast. Winner! ➜ The latest deal from the Downtown Grand is a $9.99 prime rib. There are a lot of discount primes in casinos, but none currently as good as this one. Served from 5-10 p.m. daily in S+O, there are no decisions to make. It comes with a vegetable, mashed potatoes and au jus (no salad and no rolls). What makes it so good is that it comes right out of the roaster, so it’s not dried by a microwave. ➜ Want some pierogi? Get ’em ThursdaySaturday nights at Atomic Liquors. They’re prepared at a cooking stand outside (officially called King’s Sausage) and come five for $7. The choices are potato, sauerkraut and mushroom, or meat. The brats and kielbasa might be even better for the same price, but how ’ya gonna pass on pierogi? ➜ I don’t mean to rag on the new guy, but it’s not easy finding a deal at the recently opened Delano Las Vegas. It doesn’t have gambling, so that puts a crimp in the promo department. They do have complimentary cucumber-lemongrass-mint or strawberry-lavender-ginger drinks in the check-in area, but other than that, I’ll keep looking.

Michael Green is an associate professor of history at UNLV.

Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and LasVegasAdvisor.com.

ILLUSTRATION BY CIERRA PEDRO

THE LATEST VegasSeven.com

| October 2–8, 2014

Can the South Rise Again?

THE LATEST

@DougStanhope Turns out I am drinking directly across the street from my last telemarketing job. Vegas, look at me now still daydrunk!

@BoobsRadley Big congrats to “dating in 2014” on finally out-weirding arranged marriage.

@EricStangel Can’t wait to tell my grandkids I was at Derek Jeter’s last game at Yankee Stadium. I’m not there, but that’s what I’m gonna tell them.

Derek Jeter and Katy Perry ofer lessons in graceful transitions. Paris Hilton … eh, not so much.

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

YOU DON’T ALWAYS SEE THEM

when they’re there, but every so often, life presents you with opportunities to pivot, to transition gracefully from one moment to the next. Derek Jeter, for example, pivoted perfectly last week from “baseball player” to “object of wistful melancholy for a time when the Yankees weren’t dangerously close to being worse than the Blue Jays,” while Keith Olbermann, when presented the same opportunity afforded by Jeter’s impending retirement, chose to stick right with “grandstanding, petulant asshole.” Sometimes you make a move; sometimes you dance with who brung ya. Katy Perry is nimble with this sort of thing: It was her transition from fresh-faced gospel singer to faux-lesbian sex rocket that put her on the map in the frst place. It’s not like she doesn’t have miles of practice moving enthusiastically in and out of new relationships, but she defnitely got to trot out those old skills September 26 after she wrapped her show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Perry ended up at Surrender, where all-but-publicly-confrmed boyfriend Diplo was spinning. She also got comfortable with her other new love: pizza. Perry has

been fogging her love of pie on social media for months, but she went full-on hipster affectation with it when she had a couple of pizzas from Napoli Pizzeria delivered to the club. When Diplo fnished his set, Perry bounced out. He followed shortly after at about 3:15 a.m. God, what Harvey Levin wouldn’t give to get the goods on a high-ticket, private celebrity pizza party like that. Wahlburgers, the burger joint owned by the two Wahlberg brothers you’ve heard of and the one who actually does the heavy lifting at the joint, is transitioning from regional curiosity/reality show fodder into a full-blown national phenomenon. Because when Mark Wahlberg sort of invests in his brother’s fast-food chain, he only does it one way: big. (And when Donnie Wahlberg sort of invests in his brother’s fast-food chain, it’s because his younger, more famous brother told him

to.) Wahlburgers promises three Vegas locations, starting with a 4,400-square-foot shop opening at an undisclosed location early in 2015. Your long wait to get a Big Papi Burger is nearly over. We hear it tastes like beard trimmings and carefully covered-up PEDs. As Paris Hilton makes the move to a post-River Viiperi life, settling into the single scene one more time should be a familiar enough feeling. But she’s going at it hard this time around: First she spent $13,000 on a borderlineTribble Pomeranian named “Mr. Amazing.” (Stop screaming with incoherent rage, you’ll wake the neighbors.) Then she spent $230,000 on one night at the New York outpost of Marquee. (OK, your screams are completely justifed this time.) Hilton ran through nearly a dozen bottles each of Patrón, Grey Goose and Cristal, plus a $100,000 bottle of Ace of Spades. She’s the Marie Antoinette of our time. Hopefully. Finally, Syfy has picked up Wizard Wars—the Penn & Tellerstarring magic competition show—for another six-episode run. And it didn’t even need to feature gratuitous shark attacks to get there. Truly, we’re all learning and growing.

Nice try, Clooney “wedding.” I know a casino heist when I see one.

@KenTremendous Goodbye, Derek Jeter. I assume I will continue to see you triumphantly pump your fist in coldsweat nightmares for the rest of my life.

@ireland I wonder: Was Bono actually invited to George Clooney’s wedding or is his name just automatically downloaded onto people’s guest lists now?!

@AndyRichter Every time a Ryder Cup golfer over-celebrates I feel like someone’s gonna get shoved into a locker.

@TVsAndyDaly There’s a guy outside my office right now whose ringtone is the intro to “Bad to the Bone.” Everyone, please stop calling him.

@Ristolable I have to admit, even as a Mets fan, I was amazed when Jeter slaughtered that sacrificial goat and ascended to Mount Olympus on its corpse.

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Pivot Points

@badbanana

As the virtual currency continues to gain steam, many local enthusiasts are hopeful that Nevada will become the center of bitcoin’s universe. It just might make perfect sense.

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By Nicole Ely

ONE OF LAS VEGAS’ frst bitcoin enthusiasts was only 9 years old when she obtained her frst unit of the cyber currency. In 2010, the daughter of Julian Tosh, a self-proclaimed computer and cybersecurity nerd, began “mining,” the process for discovering new bitcoins. At the time the new currency was worth less than a dollar. Over the years, father and daughter’s fascination with bitcoin grew. The former began reaching out to local merchants, urging them to adopt it. He organized weekly lunch mobs, introducing newbies to its benefts. He started a consulting agency, offering free advice to business owners wanting to unlock its rewards. Meanwhile, Tosh’s daughter continued to share her dad’s passion for bitcoin, not to mention cybersecurity: These days, she prefers to be called by her hacker name, Kryptina. She blogged about her mining experience and even

uploaded a YouTube video in 2012 of her singing Selena Gomez’s “I Love You Like a Love Song.” Instead of the original lyrics, she substituted ones about bitcoin. People gave her tips in the currency, which at the time hovered around $13. Today, Kryptina is almost 13, one bitcoin is worth approximately $440 and there are more than two dozen local businesses that accept the virtual money. “I just kept having these epiphanies,” Tosh says. “You have to take the time to experiment with it.” In circulation since 2009, bitcoins have been growing in popularity and use while simultaneously raising regulatory eyebrows. The digital currency eliminates banks as the middlemen for money transactions, so there are no credit-card fees. Also, international payments are cheaper, and purchases can remain anonymous. Because of concerns about money laundering and security, many states

are attempting to regulate bitcoin without hindering the potential for growth. Given Nevada’s budding tech scene and favorable tax structure for new businesses, many of the currency’s early adopters are hoping that Las Vegas becomes a national springboard for bitcoin businesses. “You have state [after] state wanting to add layer after layer of regulation,” says Michael Terpin, head of the Las Vegas-based investor group BitAngels. “Nevada as a state and Las Vegas as a city have not been ones historically to shy away from doing things their own way.” It makes sense why international destination Las Vegas and bitcoin would be a good ft. Travelers wouldn’t lose nearly as much of their money to transaction fees and could have faster and easier access to their accounts. In theory, that means more money for tourists to spend. Terpin is one of those committed to

ILLUSTRATION BY JON ESTRADA

THE LATEST

Bitcoin Capital of the World?

increasing bitcoin’s presence in Las Vegas. In 2013, he and a partner started BitAngels, which only invests in cryptocurrency companies like the bitcoin payment platform GoCoin. BitAngels’ network of investors has grown to 500 people in 30 cities, and Terpin says more than 300 companies have approached BitAngels with proposals. So far, they’ve funded 15. In an editorial for CNN Money earlier this year, Terpin wrote about the idea of Las Vegas serving as a special economic zone for bitcoin, where businesses could get started without fear of overregulation. Then Terpin set about organizing the frst bitcoin investors conference, called CoinAgenda, scheduled for Oct. 7-9 at the Palms. “This year, we counted 800 bitcoin companies in existence in the U.S.,” he says. “Last year there were only 100.” Bitcoin proponents compare the fedgling industry to that of the Internet when it started becoming more accessible to the public in the 1990s. Most didn’t understand or trust the Internet. Once awareness spread, though, new companies were there to help build out the infrastructure and make it easier for the non-tech savvy to use. People needed to fnd Web pages, so they built search engines. People wanted to share photos of themselves or their activities, so they built social networks. “Just like the Internet in 1991 is nothing like the Internet you see today when you turn on your iPhone, the bitcoin infrastructure of 2034 is going to be nothing like the bitcoin you see today,” Terpin says. Las Vegas is already home to several new bitcoin businesses, one of the frst being Robocoin, the bitcoin ATM company founded by Jordan Kelley. The ATMs dispense cash and allow people to buy, sell and send the digital currency in minutes. There are now 35 Robocoin machines up and running worldwide, two of them in Las Vegas. Kelley hopes to have more than 100 machines in operation by next year. Not only are startups like Robocoin popping up everywhere, but investors are also looking to get a piece of the pie. In July, bitcoin news website CoinDesk reported that $150 million was already invested in bitcoin businesses and estimated that by the end of the year, funding for cryptocurrency startups will surpass 1995 investments in Internet companies. Even with all the hype, the public remains skeptical. Controversy over bitcoin’s association with the online black market Silk Road—as well as the shutting down of Mt. Gox, the largest bitcoin exchange—did not calm any concerns. But Julian Tosh is among those who hope the general public will catch on as the currency becomes more available. “I usually have to sit down with someone and show them how to buy bitcoin for them to really understand the benefts,” Tosh says. “Las Vegas could be great for bitcoin because it’s a global destination. And bitcoin is a global currency.”

The GREAT INDOORS

Home, Again The subjects of our frst-ever interior design story welcome us into their new home … and their old neighborhood

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By M E L I N D A S H E C K E L L S Photographs by A N T H O N Y M A I R

➜ It’s been said that, no matter where you go, you’re never far from home. This is especially true for the lucky few Las Vegans who’ve had the pleasure of maintaining a residence in the exclusive Scotch 80s neighborhood. Bordered by Shadow Lane and South Rancho Drive just off West Charleston Boulevard, the community is home to some of the city’s best examples of mid-mod architecture— and many longtime residents. In fact, this area is so coveted that when its dwellers do decide to relocate, it’s often only a block or two away. Matt Howard and Aaron Hinterleitner know this all too well. Back in 2003, the couple purchased a four-bedroom ranch-style abode in the Scotch 80s, committing to the residence after only peering in the windows. Howard (the director of catering for Wynn and Encore) and Hinterleitner (a Cirque du Soleil account sales manager) welcomed Vegas Seven into their space, which we revealed to readers in our second issue back on February 11, 2010 (VegasSeven.com/RetroFit). Now—more than four years and 230 issues of this magazine later—we reconnect with Howard and Hinterleitner as the paint dries on their new residence, located just minutes from their old one. Once again, their remodeling journey was one to behold, as they took a sprawling 4,000-squarefoot one-story from drab to fab. “If I had to use one word to describe the home when we bought it? Dated. Completely habitable, but very dated—circa 1974,” Howard says. “But we looked in [vintage Vegas neighborhoods] Rancho Nevada Estates, Rancho Circle, Rancho Bel Air and Pinto/Palomino. And there wasn’t anything listed with the potential that compared to this home. Being in the Scotch 80s for over 10 years, we knew we would be happy here.” Adds Hinterleitner, “If you’re not Downtown-adjacent, why live in Las Vegas?”

The guys sold all their belongings with their old house except for artwork and mattresses. This neon sign was a focal point and lives on at the new address. So, who’s Max? “Max’s Bar came to us from Texas,” says Howard (above right). “A neon repairman was in need of some money for medical expenses. We browsed through a catalog of old signs and Max’s Bar stood out as unique, and Max is my father’s name so it seemed to be destiny. It worked perfectly in our dining room at our last home, and it was even a more perfect fit for the new house behind the bar. The back of the bar was covered in mirror, and when it was removed we had the electrical added. So now we have red neon at the flip of a switch.”

| October 2–8, 2014

“Our dear friend and collaborator, Tom Meyer, was instrumental on space design and sourcing,” Hinterleitner says. “He found great pieces like the dining table and chairs. The table legs have the same lines as the lights, and the chairs were from the same material, so it all worked together wonderfully.” “We needed something that was tight to the ceiling and significant enough to make an impact,” Howard adds. “The lights are made from pressed plywood and reminded us of the Eames-era look from the 1960s.”

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Hinterleitner says he accidently purchased the living-room chairs, matching a wood side table the couple already had, on eBay. “We found a pair of Danish chairs inspired by Peter Hvidt’s design on eBay. I’ve bid on items before but have never used the ‘buy now’ option. Who knew that when you hit the icon you couldn’t go back? But they are perfect for the space.” Meanwhile, the white vinyl sectional was bought on Craigslist and was originally made for a casino executive’s lounge. The men had to scrub it for days to unearth its natural beauty. The living room has a large observation window with curious veining that almost looks as if it could be a map.

Check out the “before” shots of Matt and Aaron’s new home at VegasSeven.com/ Scotch80sHome

Neighborhood Watch Five new addresses to consider calling home

➜ Now that you’ve got all sorts of fantastic interior design ideas, there’s just one last thing you need: an actual home. As the Southern Nevada rental and real estate markets continue to rebound, several developments—some in the planning stages for years; some resurrected after lying dormant during the Great Recession—are sprouting up across the Valley. Here’s a quick tour of four such communities—plus a luxury high-rise for sale that just might be beyond your means: “We knew right off the bat that we had to work around the industrial appliances in the kitchen,” Howard says. “They were definitely a feature that attracted us to the house [as well as the butcher-block island], and we knew they were keepers.” Says Hinterleitner:“The house was built in 1966, and the kitchen was renovated in 1974 by then-owners Dr. Anthony and Mary Marlon, founders of Sierra Health Services. We were told by our neighbors that the Marlons did a fair amount of entertaining and frequently [hired] chefs. The Wolf appliances work like a dream!”

“We closed escrow on the house and obtained keys on Jan. 30,” Hinterleitner says. “The demo crew came in the following week and proceeded to ‘deconstruct’ for nearly a month. We immediately removed 2,500 square feet of tile and hundreds of yards of carpet. All four bathrooms were taken down to the studs.” Adds Howard: “The bathroom windows were etched with a floral print and clear glass panels when we purchased the place, and under them was a circular built-in indoor Jacuzzi. We ended up flipping locations of the shower and Jacuzzi, which just made sense to us. I mean, does anyone ever complain about a shower being too big?”

ASCAYA

Ascaya was under way from 2005 to 2008 before it took an unplanned hiatus because of the housing crash. Nine miles south of the Strip in Henderson, Ascaya’s 313 luxury estate home sites offer unobstructed views of the Valley. The development is an enclave fortified by 31 miles of rock walls, with a lot of land set aside as open space to maintain the natural desert mountain landscape, which borders the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The peak of Ascaya overlooks a 48,000-acre stretch that is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and more than 300 ancient rock petroglyphs. The Ascaya Clubhouse, set to break ground in 2016, will offer wellness and rejuvenation services, as well as a place for residents to unwind and socialize. Home sites ranging from one-half acre to more than six acres start at $800,000. Ascaya began accepting reservations in August and purchasing agreements in September.

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

HORIZONS EDGE SOUTH

“There really wasn’t another significant item in the house that stayed other than the chocolatebrown seashell and fossil marble bar counter—it is definitely unique and was something we knew we had to work around,” Howard says. “The bar top was actually the inspiration for the two colors of floor tile. The wood on the ceiling came with the property and continued down the corridor and into the laundry room. Once the new tile and clean walls were finished, it worked. It was something that we had never seen.”

Just east of Gibson Road on Horizon Ridge Parkway, this Henderson community by DR Horton showcases 89 urban contemporary courtyard homes styled in three floor plans, which range from 2,820 to 3,220 square feet and offer three to four bedrooms. Breaking the cookie-cutter feel of the typical tract development, Horizon’s Edge South, which abuts Black Mountain, employs a cubist design. Options include a third level that has an open deck, a covered deck with fireplace, or an observatory-style design. Other amenities include a wine room, atrium or courtyard, and 8-foot opaque glass-panel garage doors. Sales opened in February starting at $473,900. THE LENNOX

WGH Partners will complete the 100 multifamily units, formerly known as City Club, at the

corner of Cactus Avenue and Bermuda Road in November. The rental property offers one to three bedrooms, ranging from 930 to 1,900 square feet. Many of the two-bedroom residences have dual master suites. The building surrounds a courtyard with a pool, spa and cabanas—a design not often found in Las Vegas. There will also be a lounge, coffee bar and fitness center, as well as Wi-Fi throughout and on-site storage units. The Lennox will cater to young (21-45 years old) and affluent professionals. Rents are expected to be $1,300 to $3,000 per month. SUMMERLIN

The Howard Hughes Corp. and Discovery Land Co. will develop 555 acres of estate homes on large parcels of land adjacent to Downtown Summerlin. The yetto-be-named enclave will sport a Tom Fazio-designed, 18-hole golf course and other amenities befitting a resort community. Set to rival the Ridges (its neighbor to the north), sales will begin in late 2015. THE CROWN PENTHOUSE

Completed in 2006, One Queensridge Place—the dual towers on Rampart Boulevard and Alta Drive—were imbued with new life in 2013, garnering more than $101 million in sales thanks to an upswing in the luxury housing market. Residences range from 2,100 to 15,670 square feet, and the building comes with every amenity imaginable, including a full spa that rivals anything in a Strip resort. One of the most prestigious pieces of real estate within the building—the Crown Penthouse, with 24,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor living space—is now for sale. If you need seven terraces and have $12.9 million to spend, this is definitely where you want to live. –Melinda Sheckells

The GREAT INDOORS

The format will always be the same, but the opportunity to do more outdoor kitchens is there. And I will defnitely be bringing in some Vegas glam. What’s the one thing DIYers who aren’t lucky enough to run into you at Lowe’s can do to make a big impact in their kitchen?

The Grand Dame of Demolition After a brief hiatus in the Midwest, television personality, interior designer and UNLV alum Alison Victoria returns to the desert with a new season of Kitchen Crashers and a do-it-yourself-friendly design service By J A Y M I N A C I R I

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR

➜ Alison Victoria is a busy lady, even by Las Vegas standards. She’s also a spunky lady, which

undoubtedly helps to manage the busy. (It doesn’t hurt when she’s swinging a sledgehammer, either—especially against a pesky wall in the kitchen or a crusty old backsplash.) ¶ The Chicago native and Vegas transplant is bringing Kitchen Crashers, the hit HGTV show she has hosted for the past seven seasons, back to Las Vegas for its eighth go-round. That means she’ll be accosting unsuspecting homeowners in the paint aisle of local home-improvement stores, asking if she can destroy and rebuild their ugly kitchens over the span of three days while capturing the action on camera. We recently caught up with Victoria to talk about her new Alison Victoria LookBook, a few of her favorite local hangouts and what we can expect to see during the upcoming season of Kitchen Crashers (we really, really hope there’s gold plating involved).

Lighting is everything. Adding under-cabinet lighting to highlight your backsplash is a quick and inexpensive way to give your kitchen a face-lift, and anyone can do it! Halogen strip lighting on an adhesive back makes it easier than ever for frsttime DIYers, and you don’t even have to hardwire it. Just stick it underneath your cabinets, drill a hole to run it up inside one of the cabinets and control it with a battery pack and dimmer inside. Explain the concept behind Alison Victoria LookBook.

My intention is a true DIY approach to design and to make myself accessible to everyone. It’s a more casual service than [my design frm] Alison Victoria Interiors that allows clients all over the country to create amazing spaces with a custom feel and without a traditional relationship with a designer. The LookBook is a less expensive and less interactive relationship, because clients order items on their own, fnd their own contractors and execute the entire project. All communication is done over email. The

I’ve never been a huge fan of trends in the kitchen. After all, a kitchen is a kitchen is a kitchen. You always need cabinets, countertops and appliances, and following the trends on these can cost you a pretty penny when that trend is no longer hot! Pay attention to the timeless “trends.” Subway tile and white cabinetry will never go out of style. I love the new microwave drawers. It’s a great way to save space and free up your countertops. What are your favorite things about living and working in Vegas?

I love the ease of living and the quality of life here. I love how quiet it is compared to living in a big city, and I love that my yiayia (Greek for grandmother) lives right down the street from me. Living somewhere where I can show my toes and that will never, ever have a polar-vortex situation is perfect for me. On the show we work outside for the most part, so weather is a huge factor when you’re trying to get a kitchen done in three days. Life in Las Vegas feels right, and it’s my happy place for so many different reasons. It’s such a breath of fresh air to be back and “crashing” my West Coast ’hood. Do you have some favorite Vegas spots you missed while you were in Chicago?

Hands down, I Love Sushi in Henderson! I can seriously eat there fve nights a week and never get sick of it. Downtown Las Vegas has transformed so much in the last few years, and [all the restaurants and bars] give me the feeling of being back in Chicago, without the traffc and the bad weather.

VegasSeven.com

Can we expect anything different this season?

Any big kitchen design trends we should know about for the coming year?

The biggest difference has to be the energy of Las Vegas. The way of life is so different, and the people are so laid back and easygoing. Crashing in Chicago always [brings] an element of surprise, because the homes are 50- to 100-yearold places. Las Vegas homes are so young and innocent, and I love the newness of everything. But don’t get me wrong: New doesn’t [always] mean nice, which leaves me with a lot of options for crashing!

LookBook includes one foor plan, one color rendering, samples, pictures and a full shopping list of all the items we recommend for the space, along with a workbook. It usually arrives six weeks after we receive the questionnaire, homework and payment.

October 2–8, 2014

Kitchen Crashers was based in Chicago last year. What’s the biggest difference about working in Las Vegas?

Precious Metals Beauty and functionality intersect in the workshop of artist/metal craftsman Chris O’Rourke

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By L I S S A T O W N S E N D R O D G E R S

➜ “My favorite piece is always the one I just fnished,” Chris O’Rourke says. From the looks of his cavernous workshop, the sculptor and metalworker is about to have a few more favorites: A collection of steel spheres is being confgured into a “molecular” piece of art. A set of metal door frames is getting a customized fnish. A number of other projects await their turn at the torch and grinder. O’Rourke has built everything from motorcycles to furniture to 20-foothigh stainless-steel sculptures. “If you’re going to be an artist,” he says,

“you have to be a master of your craft.” The graceful shapes, invisible welds and mirror-like fnishes of his work back up his statement. “My job as an artist is to do the execution as fawlessly as possible,” he says. “The human hand cannot create perfection, so my job is to remove the human fngerprint.” A native of Dana Point, California, O’Rourke began his career building motorcycles under the tutelage of legendary chopper creator Pat Kennedy. But when he moved to Las Vegas in 2000 he found another format for his talents. “I was kind of working side by side with a granite company. They were doing granite tabletops and said, ‘Hey, can you make us some table bases,’” he recalls. “We took them to a home show, and the bases were getting more attention than the tops. It kind of ticked them off a little, but it made me think, ‘Maybe there’s something to this.’” His frst two projects were a popart heart sculpture and modernist wall sconce created from leftover pieces from his motorcycle. From there, a new career in architectural metal took shape, with his works putting a fantastical twist on everyday items—the front door of a home is turned into the portal to a bank vault complete with a spinning lock,

and a bed becomes a foating metal island. Other residential design pieces include copper latticework ceilings and an enormous metal chain that works as both sculpture and water feature; his recent public works include handrails at the SLS. O’Rourke calls architectural work his “bread and butter,” but creating sculpture remains his passion. It also allows him to reach an audience that his motorcycles didn’t. “I understand art is a narrow market, too, but the potential for a broader fan base exists in art than in motorcycles,” he says. “[With] art, car guys and motorcyclists can appreciate what you do, but so can presidents of companies.” His large-format public sculptures have been on display at Las Vegas City Hall, and he’s had commissions by LA Fitness in Arizona, while his smaller pieces have shown everywhere from Downtown’s First Friday to the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art. He has also participated in the Boulder City Arts Festival (where he won a frst-place prize in metal sculpture), as well as Michigan’s ArtPrize competition, where his piece entitled “Family”—a mirror-fnished grouping of four fgures—became the medium for countless selfes refected in its shiny surface. Because O’Rourke’s art is abstract,

it’s often diffcult for observers to interpret it. That indefnable quality is something he enjoys, believing the ambiguity of subject and meaning adds to the art’s impact. “People ask, ‘What is it?’ I feel that this is the universe expressing itself through my hands,” he says. “Only about 15-20 percent of people really appreciate abstract sculpture. Most want to see the same thing as the guy next to them. “If we’re standing there looking at a piece, I might say ‘I see a D for Detroit Tigers.’ You might say ‘I see a Chinese character.’ But the important part is that we engaged, we started a conversation. Everything divides us— who we vote for, where we live. Art is a better opportunity to engage than arguing over Dodge or Chevy.” An artist’s path is never smooth, and Chris O’Rourke has had his share of challenges over the years, from addiction and recovery to economic downturns to the always-changing Vegas art scene. But he remains focused on creating art, and bringing the shapes and concepts he imagines into physical reality. “It’s my heart’s choice to do this,” he says. “If I can implement 10 percent of the ideas in my head, I’ll be in really good shape.” Interested in checking out more of O’Rourke’s work? Visit ChrisOCreations.com.

PHOTOS BY JON ESTRADA

Clockwise from left: O’Rourke at work in his shop, and his finished pieces Vault Door, Family and Link.

The GREAT INDOORS

Turnkey at the Top

Interior designer Bruce Anderson works his magic on three new penthouses located at the most prestigious address on the Strip

“Gray is the new black,” Anderson says of the color inspiration for one of the three penthouses he designed. What else is hot? “People are moving away from stainless-steel appliances and doing more panel-ready things to make it look more like cabinetry.” And, when money’s no object? Opt for a VibrAcoustic Kohler bath (pictured middle) that brings music vibrations to you through sound waves, or get exotic gray wood flooring custom made in Indonesia from Arimar Flooring.

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$7,000 Numi. (Yes, it has a name.) If getting unprecedented access to choose from the best of the best wasn’t enough, artists Peter Lik and Dale Chihuly and local photographer Stillman provided Anderson with works to use in the penthouses. (For the uninitiated: Lik is responsible for those intensely vivid landscape portraits found in his galleries around town such as at the Forum Shops at Caesars; Chihuly created the masterpiece glass sculpture “Fiori di Como” that hangs above Bellagio’s lobby.) “I’m a very monochromatic designer,” he says. “I love grays and very simple, simple backgrounds. Then again, with the artwork and accessories, that’s where the place gets its punch.” Looking at the stunning spaces Anderson has fashioned, it’s diffcult to picture anyone actually living in them. Indeed, though, these are more than just showpieces: The 2,750-squarefoot unit sold for $2.8 million, while one of the bigger units is being leased with the intent to purchase for $4.5 million. The fnal unit is on the market for the same price. AedLV.com

➜ Bruce Anderson’s designs are like something out of a modernist’s dreamscape: clean and simple to the extreme. For 20 years, Anderson, an interiors and renovation consultant, has been bringing his minimalistic approach to some of the city’s most luxurious spaces, including designing and installing all of the interior gardens at Encore when he served as the horticulture design director for Wynn Design & Development. It’s his latest project, though, that accentuates what Anderson is all about. Last year, an investor looking to upstage an already impressive building commissioned Anderson to design three penthouses in the Residences at Mandarin Oriental. His company, Anderson Environmental Design, answered the call by creating a living work of art. This includes a pair of 4,000-square-foot units, each with three bedrooms and 3½ baths, as well as one 2,750-square-foot penthouse that has two bedrooms, 2½ baths and a den. All three were nothing but shells before Anderson was hired. The project, which began in June 2013 and was presented earlier this year during the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, was a dream come true for Anderson. “The owner basically let me do the unit the way I would do it if it were my place,” he says. Anderson was afforded even greater freedom when brands such as Roche Bobois, Sub-Zero and Wolf, and Kohler donated or signifcantly discounted all the furnishings and fxtures, including the granddaddy of all toilets: a remote-operated

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTOS BY DENNIS OWEN

By J E S S I C A C . A C U Ñ A

NIGHTLIFE Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and Life welcomes Pete Tong

Ronn Nicoli of XS lays out the very important people’s party imperative By David Morris

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Stage-Life Is Beautiful

AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NIGHTLIFE MARKETING AT XS,

Ronn Nicoli works hand in hand with managing partner Jesse Waits to curate all of the club’s promotional activations year-round. Nicoli’s also gearing up for a massive nightlife pop-up at Life Is Beautiful with his Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub compatriots. As the duo prepares to bring their concept of “stage-life” (you know, like nightlife, but onstage) to the festival’s VIP deck, we caught up with Nicoli to see what VIPs can expect for their considerable investment.

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTO BY AMIT DADL ANEY

Wynn NIghtlife’s VIP deck for Life Is Beautiful is second only to being onstage.

NIGHTLIFE October 2–8, 2014

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Why did XS get involved with Life Is Beautiful? Over the last two years, we’ve been approached by almost every major festival about cultivating and curating their VIP experience. We had a heavy out-of-market initiative in 2013, but this year we focused on initiatives in Las Vegas. It just made sense. Life Is Beautiful is a very eclectic, cultured event, very different from other music festivals. The collaboration of music, food and art, with heavy elements of VIP nightlife, was intriguing to everyone involved.

How does XS beneft in the long term from participation? We’re looking at every angle. Guests will be at Life Is Beautiful throughout the day, till midnight when it closes, and their after-party destination is going to be Wynn. It’s the instant gratifcation as well, because it’s not like some festivals that we’ve done out of market, where your hosts cultivate a relationship and then your hope is that that customer is going to come [to Las Vegas] a few times during the year, based on

that introduction that was made out of market.

lucky enough to be invited by one of those people to be in the area.

What goes into curating a Wynn-quality pop-up nightclub Downtown? It’s hard to replicate the Wynn’s aesthetics and attention to detail. We could never do that in a pop-up. But re-creating the XS guest experience— the customer service, the energy and overall atmosphere—are the things that we try to emulate. We want you to feel like you are at XS in our stage area behind the DJ. We bring in promotional products, confetti and production elements to create energy, because these are things that will help connect that experience that’s going on onstage.

Do you expect your regulars to be among those? We’re going to have a few of our VIP guests. I don’t want to call them the usual suspects, but you’re going to see the tastemakers, that eclectic group of people who always seem to be at XS.

All right—I’m in. Now, how do I get onto the VIP deck? There are a few ways. A VIP ticket gets you into the immediate area. Now, to get to the actual VIP table area you’re going to need to be one of the ... I don’t want to say “lucky,” but it’s a limited inventory. So you need to be the one purchasing a table, or be

In addition to tables, you’re offering cabanas and bungalows— what’s the difference? The cabanas are designed for a larger group experience, a corporate group experience. It’s a little bit higher of a price point. So if you’re a company, you have the opportunity customize the decor. You have a place and an allotment of tickets for three days. We’ve also had a couple of regular customers who like what they’ve seen in that area and purchase those for the weekend.

So, similar to what we’ve done at past festivals, we try to make the VIP area dynamic. We don’t want the customer to feel that they’re “groundhogging,” that is, re-living the day before. So we’re trying to change a little bit of the décor each day. Obviously, with the selection of artists each day, it’s already going to have a different feel from Kanye West on Friday to Outcast on Saturday. But with the changing style of music and with the modifications we’ll do each day to heighten that experience, the VIP deck is going to be something you could visit Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and have an amazing experience, but a different experience each day.

What’s so special about that area? We have a lot of repeat customers from Friday to Saturday to Sunday.

Inspired to join the bacchanal? Email VIPExperience@lifeisbeautiful.com or call 702-770-0097 for VIP deck reservations.

PHOTOS BY DANNY MAHONEY

Ronn Nicoli (inset), and the view from behind the DJ booth at XS in Encore.

NIGHTLIFE

Camille Cannon

players to the future of Parisian dance music” on his BBC Radio 1Xtra show. Those are heavy words coming from one of the world’s most prolifc DJs. Check out Mercer’s chops when he headlines Life. (In SLS, 10:30 p.m., SLSLasVegas.com.)

Kygo.

SUN 05 Ever feel that clothes are overrated? You’ll meet singles who feel the same way at the Stoplight A.B.C. (Anything But Clothes) Mixer at Foundation Room. And isn’t that what really matters in life? We bet eHarmony.com never even asks about this sort of thing in their compatibility tests. Come dressed in caution tape, newspaper or … anything but clothes. (In Mandalay Bay, 8 p.m., HouseOfBlues. com/LasVegas.) Then put on a party hat as Sirius/XM Radio personality DJ Whoo Kid celebrates his 42nd birthday at The Bank. The man is known for conducting candid interviews and having famous friends, so you never know what might happen when he’s at the helm. (In Bellagio, 10:30 p.m., BellagioLasVegas.com.)

MON 06

October 2–8, 2014

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Markus Schulz.

THU 02

FRI 03

Synth master Com Truise headlines Beauty Bar. And yes, you read that correctly. The stage alias of East Coast native Seth Haley is a play on actor Tom Cruise’s name. Truise has remixed for artists including Foster the People, DJ Khaled and Charli XCX, and his original beats have been featured in the Adult Swim Singles Program. (517 Fremont St., 9 p.m. TheBeautyBar.com.) If you wanna get rowdy, swing by Double Barrel Roadhouse for Thirsty Thursday, where music ranges from Top 40 to rock to hip-hop. And if you don’t feel like dancing, sign up to play beer pong, fip cup, air hockey or pool. It’s just like college, minus the studying and exams. (In Monte Carlo, 9 p.m., SBE.com/ DoubleBarrel.)

Get captivated by Kygo at Brooklyn Bowl. The rising 22-year-old Norwegian producer has churned out chill remixes of Marvin Gaye, Passenger and Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire,” which has been streamed more than 14 million times on SoundCloud. He also flled ailing Avicii’s headlining slot at TomorrowWorld in September. This is Kygo’s frst headlining gig in Las Vegas, but if we’re lucky, it won’t be his last. (At the Linq, 8 p.m., Vegas. BrooklynBowl.com.) Trance champion Markus Schulz returns to Marquee for the frst time since receiving the title of America’s Best DJ 2014 from Pioneer and DJ Times. Schulz, who also won in 2012, reclaimed the throne from last year’s winner, Kaskade. Guess it’s time for both of them to redo their business cards.

(In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.) Put your hands up in the air for Fedde Le Grand and Morgan Page at XS. The respective Dutch and American DJs tag team for the evening, turning the club into a mini music festival. (In Encore, 10:30 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

SAT 04 Following a successful debut last month, D.O.P.E. Promotion will once again execute an EDM takeover at Blue Martini. Expect go-go dancers, live art and an open domestic beer and well liquor bar from 10 p.m.-midnight. There will also be vendors selling sweet rave gear, so you can refresh your wardrobe. (In Town Square, 10 p.m., Facebook.com/DOPEPromotion.) In August, Diplo introduced Mercer as one of the “key

Come thirsty to Bare Pool Lounge for the Drink Bare Dry closing party. Locals receive complimentary admission and open bar until it all runs out. It’s parties like this one—happening weeks after the offcial start of fall— that make the summer heat worthwhile. DJs Flow, Que, Ikon and Karma provide the

Mercer.

tunes. (At The Mirage, 11 a.m., BarePoolLV.com.)

TUE 07 Wanna win a free tattoo? Head to Silverton’s Shady Grove Lounge for the weekly Ink Master viewing party. Las Vegas’ own Cleen Rock One, a contestant in Spike TV’s reality competition, will be on hand to watch tonight’s episode and give away prizes from his Chrome Gypsy Tattoo shop. (5 p.m., SilvertonCasino.com.)

WED 08 Back from summer hiatus, the Wednesdays Downtown street fair returns to the Fremont East Entertainment District. This means you get to enjoy food trucks, drink specials, a cocktail competition (9:30 p.m.), a silent disco (10:30 p.m.) and an allaround Friday night party vibe every Wednesday through Oct. 29. (On Fremont Street, between Las Vegas Blvd. and Seventh St., 6 p.m., DTLV.com.)

NIGHTLIFE

Pete Tong Can Do No Wrong The turntable legend brings Europe’s heavy-hitters to Life at SLS By Kat Boehrer

INTERNATIONAL TASTEMAKER PETE TONG has residencies across the country, radio shows in both Europe and the U.S., and recently helmed his own dedicated festival stage at the TomorrowWorld festival in Atlanta. Despite that fame and infuence, Tong’s down-to-earth demeanor is disarming, charming even. With a new monthly residency at Life Nightclub in SLS Las Vegas, Tong is being given the opportunity to lend his musical expertise to the Las Vegas nightclub circuit. The All Gone Pete Tong series begins October 5 with special guest Cirez D (a.k.a. Eric Prydz), and continues October 26 with Seth Troxler and November 23 with Sasha. What will your Life residency bring to the scene? It’s kind of an evolution of what’s been going on in Vegas and the way Vegas has really gotten behind electronic music over the last four or fve years. The amount of money that is rolling around—in terms of the success and the appeal of all of the DJs who have taken residencies—has just been unbelievable. It’s almost single-handedly changed the way DJ culture has been viewed in America, apart from big festivals such as EDC and Ultra. The story of the success of the DJ has really come through what’s gone on in Vegas.

October 2–8, 2014

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Why launch your residency now, and why Life? [That success] has made the [music] offering very narrow. It’s the most commercial end of what DJs offer that’s been successful. The musical environment should be a little bit more varied. We’ve waited for the right environment for that to happen; it feels like the right time. It would be hard to go into established venues and change the atmosphere in those rooms because people are so used to going into—you know the clubs I’m talking about—where people expect the explosions, the confetti, the Champagne corks. To go into those clubs, as good as they are, and do a night where the music would be different would be quite a challenge. It’s an opportunity to bring other music to Vegas.

Would you call it mainstream? Underground? I’m careful about the use of the word “underground.” There’s a lot of music that’s also very popular and very successful in other parts of the world, but it’s not necessarily “EDM.” I’m talking about everything from Disclosure and Duke Dumont to Route 94 and Klangkarussel. The artists who have had huge hits in Europe, for instance, haven’t necessarily found a home in Vegas. I want to bring [in] some of the most special DJs in the world who are considered underground: Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones. It’s about creating an environment where everything other than EDM can fourish. That’s not knocking what’s going on in EDM; it’s just making a clear defnition. That’s what we’re hoping to achieve with the night, and the theme of the night. Who is this night really for? It’s really welcoming for a younger crowd. I don’t want a club full of tourists. I want half weekenders and half locals. Vegas is big enough, now; that generation of people must exist out there. If you’re making electronic music, if you want to be in the game, this is the place to come and hang out. I want that industry kind of vibe. If you’re making music, if you’re

“THE STORY OF THE SUCCESS OF THE DJ HAS REALLY COME THROUGH WHAT’S GONE ON IN VEGAS.” fans of any of the guests and want to get to them, this is the way to do it. Bring [your music] on a USB stick or whatever. I encourage that kind of creativity. You’re asking aspiring DJs to just walk up, say hi and give you their music?

I want to make that happen. And I’m sure the DJs who come play for me will agree. I want to fnd the amazing producers and DJs who come from Las Vegas. Let’s bring them on. Let’s have them supporting me in the club in a year’s time, in six months’ time.

SAT

10.4

SUN

10.5

SAT & SUN

10 - 11&12

DRINK ME DRY

WEEKEND REHAB@HRHVEGAS.COM | RESERVATIONS 702.693.5555 BUY TICKETS AT REHABLV.COM /REHABLV #REHABLV

THU

FRI

10.2

10.3

WITH DJ CASANOVA SAT

WITH DJ CASANOVA SUN SUN

10.4

10.5 9.28

S U N D A Y S CURE 4 THE KIDS FOUNDATION AFTER PARTY

WITH DJ HOPE

DJ KOKO

BODYENGLISH.COM | RESERVATIONS 702.693.5555 | HARDROCKHOTEL.COM /BODYENGLISHLV

@BODYENGLISHLV

@BODYENGLISHVEGAS

#BODYENGLISHLV

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

VEGAS SEVEN’S THIRD ANNUAL DESERT HOPS INTERNATIONAL BEER FESTIVAL

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONVegas.com

Meet 50 Bleu (50Bleu.com), a new four-times-distilled vodka launched in Las Vegas, New York, Miami, L.A. and San Diego over Labor Day weekend. Brand mixologists Michael Monrreal and Justin D’Angelo named the spirit after the water used to make it, which comes from a Polish artesian well that remains 50 degrees at all times. Las Vegas nightlife-industry veterans Jason Craig [a.k.a. JROC] and Ryan Labbe signed on to bring the brand to life on the West Coast. Craig and Labbe were initially unsure about delving into the liquor business because, while they enjoy drinking, they knew very little about it at the time. “We get a lot of ideas and concepts thrown our way, and this one seemed a bit out of our reach,” Labbe says. But the idea of getting in on the ground level appealed to the entrepreneurs. “It is especially exciting to be involved with marketing, distribution and everything in between,” Craig says. The duo isn’t particularly concerned that the new vodka won’t be able to compete with other brands. “Based on several taste tests we’ve done, we are already noticing that a very high percentage of people prefer it to our competitors,” Craig says. Currently Craig and Labbe operate a nightlife marketing company. Their most recent project, Studio B at Light Nightclub, is a monthly house-party concept featuring trap and hip-hop music, integrating DJs with live performances. With Baauer as the headlining talent, Craig and Labbe have created a buzz. And the 50 Bleu flows freely. Being avid vodka drinkers themselves, Craig and Labbe stand behind the new product. “We always go with vodka and soda with two limes—mostly because of health reasons and also because it’s gentle on the palate,” Craig says. Labbe agrees wholeheartedly: “We’ve done a lot of drinking to arrive at that conclusion—I mean, a lot—but it was well worth it.” - Jessie O’Brien

DESERT HOPS PHOTOS BY JOE FURY; 50 BLEU BY AL POWERS/POWERSIMAGERY.COM

50 SHADES OF BLEU

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

DRAI’S BEACH CLUB The Cromwell [ UPCOMING ]

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONVegas.com

PHOTOS BY JOE FURY

October 2–8, 2014

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Oct. 3 DJ Irie spins Oct. 4 New World Sound spin Oct. 5 Warren Peace spins

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

FOXTAIL SLS

[ UPCOMING ]

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONVegas.com

PHOTOS BY JOE FURY AND JOSH METZ

October 2–8, 2014

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Oct. 6 DJ Skratchy spins Oct. 13 DJ Scooter spins Oct. 20 DJ Konflikt spins

DINING

“Despite the fact that only two other people ventured into the restaurant during our visit, we were all but ignored by our waiter.” {PAGE 68}

Restaurant reviews, news and the city’s latest barbecue food truck is smokin’

The JCC’s annual grill event keeps the ’cue kosher By Al Mancini

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standard barbecue festivals strictly offlimits for the observant. So on October 19, the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada will come to their rescue with a barbecue cook-off that’s 100 percent kosher, in the parking lot of Temple Beth Sholom. Having been raised Catholic, I had no idea about the number of rules involved in kashrut, the body of Jewish dietary laws. In addition to the basics, such as avoiding pork and shellfsh, and not mixing meat and dairy products, keeping kosher begins with the way an animal is slaughtered,

Holy Barbecue

AS SOMEONE WHO EATS just about everything, I’ve always felt bad for people with dietary restrictions, whether rooted in health concerns, morals or religious beliefs. Until recently, however, it had never occurred to me that my Jewish neighbors who keep kosher rarely get to enjoy quality barbecue. Most accomplished barbecue chefs have a love affair with pork: pulled pork, pork ribs or the whole hog. And none of that, of course, is kosher. But even if you take pork out of the picture, the various other rabbinical laws that govern dietary concerns make most

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTO COURTESY OF JCC BBQ FESTIVAL

Rabbi Dovid Kitainik of the Kollel lighting the grill.

JCC BARBECUE COOK-OFF FESTIVAL

From left: Adam Chuckrow, Peter Dubowsky and Rabbi Yitz Wyne of Young Israel Aish Las Vegas’ Team Bris-Kids, second place winners in the event’s 2013 ribs competition.

and then includes the inspection of its body and organs to make sure it wasn’t injured or diseased. Only certain parts of the animal are allowed to be eaten, and the utensils used to prepare them must be properly cleaned. Even vegetables must be washed under certain rules. And every ingredient

used must be declared kosher by a rabbi. Moreover, once a kitchen (or a food truck) is certifed kosher, no non-kosher items can be prepared there, unless you want to start the entire process over again. Most, if not all, of the teams competing in the beans, brisket and rib categories at this cook-off

are not kosher cooks. So to help them navigate myriad regulations, organizers reached out to 12 kosher barbecue restaurants around the country to help create a rulebook, “a whole barbecue manual,” the event’s co-founder Cheryn Serenco says. Competitors will be judged by an all-star panel of local celebrity chefs. But attendees will also be able to purchase samples of the kosher creations. And when you’re not eating, you’ll be able to enjoy a zipline, bungee jump and mechanical bull, among other amusements. Despite the kosher rules, Serenco insists the event isn’t religious in nature, but intended to bring all Valley residents together. “The only reason we make it kosher is because that makes everyone in the entire city feel comfortable attending the event,” she says. Along those lines, a representative of the Islamic Society of America says that Muslims who keep hallal should feel comfortable eating anything kosher. So no matter who you are, or what you eat, the festival should have something for you. Just don’t ask for a pulled-pork sandwich.

[ A SMALL BITE ]

NEW CAPTAIN COOK’S FOOD TRUCK OFFERS PEDIGREED ’CUE Bryan Holmes and Steven Wichmann were

destined to barbecue. Friends since first grade, the duo grew up in the barbecue mecca of Kansas City, living on the same block across from Oklahoma Joe’s, a world-renowned BBQ joint. Holmes actually shared a backyard fence

October 2–8, 2014

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with the city’s barbecue baron, Paul Kirk. Wichmann says when he and Holmes were kids, they would fetch baseballs

they hit into Kirk’s yard. “There would be grills and smokers everywhere.” ¶ Kirk is probably unaware of how much he influenced the two young boys who in July opened their own BBQ food truck, Captain Cook’s Kansas City BBQ. Holmes’ baked beans, which are available on the truck, placed in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue in 2007. His specialty is long smokes—up to 16 hours—with hickory wood. Everything on the menu, including chicken, pulled pork, sausage and ribs, costs from $8 to $10, and comes with two sides. Find Captain Cook’s at First Fridays, or follow them on Twitter at @CaptainCooksBBQ for locations. – Jessie O’Brien

Get the latest on local restaurant openings and closings, interviews with top chefs, cocktail recipes, menu previews and more in our weekly “Sips and Bites” newsletter. Subscribe at VegasSeven.com/SipsAndBites.

LHUILLIER LANDS, AROUND THE CLOCK DINING AND RED ROCK’S PINK PASTRIES It is decided: Chef Eric Lhuillier will apply his French touch to the dishes at the Barrymore in the Royal Resort. When the underrated Pinot Brasserie quietly closed a few months ago in the Venetian, everyone wondered where the talented chef would land. In his new digs off-Strip, Lhuillier will work alongside Block 16 corporate chef Anthony Meidenbauer as chef de cuisine, where he’ll be responsible for menu development and overseeing the restaurant’s culinary program. “I’m thrilled both on a personal and professional level to be joining the team at the Barrymore, and I look forward to lending my experience in French cuisine to shape menu development at the restaurant,” Lhuillier says. “I couldn’t be happier to work alongside such a talented culinary team, and I hope to add my own unique signature to the menu.” Meanwhile, on the Strip, dining options at The Mirage just went around the clock, thanks to the opening of the Pantry, the hotel’s 24/7 breakfast, lunch and dinner spot. Unlike most around-the-clock restaurants, this is less a coffee shop and more like your mom’s house— if your mom lived in the French countryside. The Munge Leung décor may be quaint and cozy, but the food is far from it, with dishes such as the Seuss-ical Green Eggs and Ham, made with prosciutto, pesto and arugula on an English muffin, or pancakes made with rich Valrhona chocolate. And that’s just breakfast. Lunch gets you stuffed with A Brit’s Fish & Chips—made properly with beer-batter cod and served with malted vinegar pickles—or the Texas Pete fried chicken, served with potato-carrot mash, country gravy and a cheddar chive biscuit. And since no restaurant can open these days without offering something in a mason jar, the Pantry uses them as vehicles for a trio of desserts. If you only know Tahiti Village as “that time-share place,” it’s time to get to know it a little better. The property’s new 17° South Booze & Bites (702-440-6800) adds a bit of tropical flair to familiar dishes, such as chicken tenders with signature island and garlic chili sauce. It’s those bites—as well as half off domestic beers, well drinks and other specialty cocktails—that you’ll find most interesting during Open to Close happy hour for locals. Your Nevada ID is your ticket to ride. October usually means lot of orange and black, but recently, it’s become quite the pink month as well, thanks to breast-cancer awareness events. Station Casinos has been supporting this endeavor for the past five years with pink pastries from Red Rock’s executive pastry chef Jaret Blinn, who lost his mother to cancer. Now all Station and Fiesta casinos go pretty in pink with not just pastries, but also poker and blackjack tables, bingo packs and more, with proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

JCC PHOTOS COURTESY OF JCC BBQ FESTIVAL; CAPTAIN COOK’S TRUCK PHOTO COURTESY CAPTAIN COOK’S BBQ

DINING

Noon-4 p.m., October 19, in the parking lot at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane, 702-794-0090, JCCBBQ.com. $15 entry donation, $10 over 65 or under 18; $20 gets you 20 $1 food and drink credits.

DINING

A Swing and a Miss

The Valley’s promising new Persian spot disappoints By Al Mancini

Clockwise from top left: mast-o khiar (yogurt, cucumber and mint with raisins and walnuts), a complimentary side salad and ground chicken koobideh kabobs with rice.

of attention, I was kind of perplexed when he presented us with a device used to make kabobs as a parting gift. I doubt I’ll ever use it, but it’s always nice to get a present. I generally like to give a restaurant a second chance before giving it a bad review. But after our frst experience, my wife and I weren’t terribly eager to sit through another meal at Caspian. So we compromised and ordered takeout. This time around

we had a pair of decent beef dishes: ground beef kabobs and a tenderloin dish called barg. While neither was in any way exceptional, we enjoyed both of them. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the ground beef, green bean and rice dish loubia polo, which was incredibly bland. If Caspian were the only Persian restaurant in town, I’d still be hesitant to return. But given the better options, I don’t see a third visit in my future.

PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE MORE DIVERSE

ethnic restaurants opening in Las Vegas. So I was excited when I heard about Caspian Persian Cuisine & Bakery, a westside spot that opened a few months ago. I’ve only come across a handful of Persian restaurants in the Valley—particularly the excellent Zaytoon on Durango Drive—but I’ve enjoyed them all. Unfortunately, that winning streak ended with this new spot, because of sloppy service and food that was hit-and-miss at best. Caspian is a large dining room that appears to seat about 100 or so, with a small stage in one corner. With its understated décor, it feels more like a banquet hall than a restaurant. When my wife and I walked through the door on a recent weeknight, we were the only customers, which probably should have served as a warning. Nonetheless, we ordered a few familiar dishes and experimented with some that we’d never tried before. Our frst appetizer, a yogurt dip with cucumber, mint, raisins and walnuts, was actually quite tasty, as was the freshly baked sangak bread that accompanied it. But a shirazi salad of diced tomato, onions, cucumber and mint was pretty boring. The real disaster, however, was my entrée. Tahdig is a rice CASPIAN PERSIAN dish that’s crispy from cookCUISINE & BAKERY ing on the bottom of the pot. 6370 W. Flamingo Rd., At Caspian, it’s offered with 702-227-7426. Open for your choice of four different lunch and dinner daily. stewed dishes. I’ve had it at 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Dinner other restaurants and loved it. for two, $25-$50. Unfortunately, what I got here was basically inedible. The rice was not only as hard as a rock, but was inconsistently cooked. Parts were completely white, while ignored by our waiter. That was made other sections were black as ash—which more annoying because he and the is also what it tasted like. And the ghorchef were sitting at a table across the meh sabzi, listed as a stew of herbs, beef, room from us chatting through kidney beans and limes, that accompamost of our meal, and he basically nied it was almost completely devoid refused to even glance in our direcof meat, and pretty lacking in favor. tion to see if we needed anything. Fortunately, a ground chicken kabob When he fnally brought the check, I was mildly seasoned, and proved to be had to point out that he’d forgotten the high point of the meal. to charge us for our ciders. (Yeah, I’m Despite the fact that only two other honest that way, even in the face of people ventured into the restaurant lousy service.) Given the overall lack during our visit, we were all but

DRINKING [ SCENE STIRS ]

with a cantaloupe and Tajín-spiced refresher. Ultimately, the new victors would be selected for their prowess in an Iron Chef-style throwdown. But what got bartenders Edward Gunn of Taco y Taco and Trey Picou of BLVD Cocktail Company to the fnalists’ stage was their Miss Blyden’s Margarita, starring El Jimador reposado, cactus-pear juice and a roasted tomatillo and cilantro gastrique, the fnest and fnal sip of this summer. Find all three fnalists’ recipes at VegasSeven.com/CocktailCulture.

For his next trick, Las Vegas tequila expert Kevin Vanegas will become the National Ambassador for Casa Herradura tequila. But not before throwing the largest Original Margarita Festival this city has seen. In its sixth year, a record 50 competitors necessitated the formation of two judging panels September 15 at the Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool. The original, genre-bending entries ranged from sweet to salty, modern to classic. Last year’s winners, Velveteen Rabbit, returned

how brands learn and grow.” Cocktail-wise, Wirtz is putting its best brands forward, with mixologists Willy Shine and Leo DeGroff joining Levinson and Wirtz cocktail developer Andrew Pollard in a central batching kitchen that will pump out fresh, consistent cocktails for three days. There will be 55 recipes, including the Dutch Mule, a Ketel One Citroen Moscow Mule that is also the official cocktail of Life Is Beautiful. Levinson estimates the team will batch 1,300 to 1,400 gallons of specialty cocktails during the festival. If wine is more your speed, you’ll find about 30 high-end wines from Michael David, Bonterra, Rombauer, the Prisoner Wine Co. and more. Partiers in the Wynn Nightlife VIP areas will have access to large-format Champagne from Taittinger. And the premium concession stands will offer labels from the portfolios of Diageo, BV and the Great American Wine Co. Beer lovers will find their brews in the Ambassador Stage’s Culinary Village, which will have an additional 12 stations featuring 24 craft beers, plus six food trucks. Last year’s uber-geeky beverage tent within the single Alchemy Garden has been scaled back. Instead, brand ambassadors will be embedded within each Culinary Village at the booth they represent, making each sale a potential educational experience. Want to know more about Fords gin? Ask Simon Ford; he’ll be there. Keep your eyes out for unannounced brand activations. A proposed social club, for instance, would serve Ketel One Bloody Marys in the morning and Taittinger and Heineken in the afternoon. All this is in addition to the premium concessioners that will dot the festival footprint, where top-shelf brands and marquee sponsors such as Ketel One, Heineken, Dos Equis, Bacardi, Jack Daniel’s and Hendrick’s are the standard. Gotta have something to tide you over on the walk from stage to stage. – X.W.

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR

The Margarita Big Time

According to the festival’s founder, Rehan Choudhry, there are four pillars central to the Life Is Beautiful mission: music, food, art and learning. There will be significant changes this year to the food and beverage pillar. In 2013, attendees were asked to purchase food in the Culinary Village and beverages in the Alchemy Garden. This year, food and beverage will unite in the Culinary Villages—plural. The two areas have been combined and then divided to conquer hunger and thirst with one mini Culinary Village installed at each of the festival’s four main stages. “The idea [is] that food and beverage will live together this year,” says Drew Levinson, director of strategic activation for the event’s beverage partner, Wirtz Beverage Nevada. Pairing will be a cinch as top-level chefs from all over the Strip take over culinary booths that will be near the craft beers, high-end wines and cocktails that will most enhance the cuisine served. For example, the Culinary Village at the Downtown stage, the largest of the four, will offer attendees 10 food experiences in 10-by-10-foot booths (Honey Salt, RM Seafood and Due Forni among them); a 30-by-30-foot booth by Nobu Caesars Palace; a massive Ketel One vodka station; a Stellina de Notte sparkling wine station; an Infinium Spirits station (Templeton rye, Teeling Irish Whiskey, Zaya rum and Fernet Branca); an 86 Co. station (Fords gin and Caña Brava tequila); J. Lohr wines; a Bacardi station; a Tanteo Jalapeño tequila station (paired with Nacho Daddy); and a Bols station (Galliano and Bols genever; paired with Nobu). Now multiply that by four. “The level of execution we’re putting out there is so much higher than you find in other festivals where there is no thought put into the food and beverage component,” Levinson says. “By elevating that here, and by giving the guests an experience that they can connect more with, long term, it’s of greater value to the brand and the customer. That’s

VegasSeven.com

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL REVAMPS ITS CULINARY PROGRAM

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“Who else could understand a city where a silver-painted ‘statue’ and a balloon-making clown can come to blows in the middle of Fremont Street?” STAGE {PAGE 75}

Movies, music, stage and a wondrous new Alice

Afer an ironman run in Vegas! the Show, Eric Jordan Young is fnally stepping into the headliner spotlight By Steve Bornfeld

VegasSeven.com

Young’s Town

PERHAPS THIS IS HEAVEN. Assuming heaven has green walls the shade of hospital Jell-O. Plus a wall of mirrors. See that spinning refection? That’s the guy for whom this spare, Sahara Avenue rehearsal room might be the pearly gates—where they apparently dig mambo, given the propulsive Latin beat leaping off the backing track as he performs “That Old Black Magic.” Yes, it has him in its spell. And, yes, judging by his wide grin—four-lane-highway wide—this is heaven. Anywhere Eric Jordan Young works a Sammy Davis Jr. number is, by defnition, heaven. Why Sammy? “Why not?” says the 42-year-old, whose qualities—passionate singer, energetic dancer, performer of timeless classics, and on his way to becoming a signature Vegas entertainer, not to mention being ebullient, compact (5 feet 7 inches tall) and black—has earned him more comments than he can count … You know who you remind me of? That was as true 30 years ago—as a black kid in a largely white Buffalo, New York, neighborhood—as it will be tomorrow. “After I’d did a performance at school, someone would give me a big hug and say that. I perceived that as, ‘They’re just saying that because I’m black,’ the burnt Rice Krispie in the box. I never felt my talent was special. It took me many years to realize that people did see something special in me and I just shared some characteristics with Sammy Davis Jr. Will I ever be him? No. But as an entertainer, there is no greater template to learn from.” As a student of the late legend and Las Vegas icon, Young is borrowing one Sammy-ism—“yes I can,” which doubled as the title of the autobiography of the frequently underestimated Davis—to crystallize his Time-to-Be-a-Star moment. Armed with credits bouncing from Broadway (Ragtime, Seussical) to national tours (Dreamgirls) to small TV roles (Ugly Betty)—and infectious enthusiasm radiating off him like a sunray—the ex-lead vocalist of Vegas! The Show turns headliner on October 4 when his creation, Shakin’: Classic Vegas Remixed with a Twist, opens at Planet Hollywood’s Sin City Theatre. On a modest stage, aided only by two dancers and four musicians, this shavenheaded tornado plans to deliver a contemporary take on a genre that once kept a nation vastly entertained—TV variety shows of yesteryear. Think: Donny & Marie. The Hollywood Palace. Sonny and Cher. The Captain and Tennille. Dean Martin.

October 2–8, 2014

PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA

“I have to be a star like another man has to breathe.” – SAMMY DAVIS JR.

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Even those vintage Bob Hope specials, with “Ol’ Ski Nose” lampooning it all with a smirk into the camera. Few people remember them as hip. Most remember them as fun. “None of those sketches were the height of comedy,” Young admits. “But they were goofy and made you smile. I do a bunch of zany characters, inspired by Redd Foxx and Flip Wilson’s Geraldine. And I’ve chosen people to work with who are my friends and aren’t afraid to look foolish. And I’ll move through different levels of entertainment, sometimes just singing a ballad or a cabaret type of thing.” Yet Young plans to straddle eras. Don’t be surprised to hear a Taylor Swift or Nicki Minaj tune sneak in. “What would Sammy Davis Jr. be doing today if he was here and 42? He’d probably be singing Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’ or ‘Stay With Me’ by Sam Smith or a Justin Timberlake song,” Young says. “I’m approaching this show as if Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars created a project for a modern-day Sammy Davis Jr.” No Vegas newbie, Young earned his top-billing shot, given that a sizable swath of his résumé—and his heart— belongs to this town. Gigs in musicals repeatedly brought him here, including Starlight Express at Las Vegas Hilton, Chicago at Mandalay Bay and Dreamgirls at the Aladdin, which eventually netted him a four-year stay—and by his count, more than 2,300 performances at a dozen shows a week—in Vegas! The Show. “There’s something about the energy here that fueled the entertainer

in me,” he says. “But it’s time to give the top, Daddy”—we’re on to the Petmyself permission to be brave enough ula Clark ’60s hit, “Downtown.” And to say I do have something to offer and for all of them, it might as well be the share. I hope there are people who ’70s, back in Buffalo. would love to share it with me.” “When we go to a show, and people First comes sharing with Mom and ask how he got started, I say, ‘He came Dad, who today infuse this sparse out dancing,’” Alice says. “But really, space with a wave of family warmth. he’s been singing and dancing since The bond is tight. The love is deep. And he was 3. He wrote his frst play when the help is production budget-friendly. he was 5 years old. He recorded it with “We’ve been here three months, and four or fve voices. He had the bunk he’s already got us working for him,” bed as a stage. We knew right then.” says a chuckling Alice Young, barely a Through it all, his parents have been Las Vegan after more more than the wind than 60 years in Bufbeneath his wings. falo, with a script in They’ve been the SHAKIN’: CLASSIC VEGAS hand, feeding lines to drivers on his audiREMIXED WITH A TWIST her boy in rehearsal. tions. “Right after 5:30 p.m. Sat-Wed beginning Nearby, dad Sam he graduated Ithica Oct. 4, Sin City Theatre at clicks on a laptop College, we drove Planet Hollywood, $49-$60. music fle, at his son’s him down to New 702-777-2782, cues. Which he does, York City to get him PlanetHollywoodResort.com, unleashing the footsettled,” Sam recalls. EricJordanYoung.com. tapping funk of Joe “I was leaving to Tex’s “I Gotcha.” go home and he was Limbs swirling in on an audition. He smooth turns and pivots as he danccame back and was all excited. He got es—as if he removed pesky bones and Dreamgirls, the national tour—after two joints so as not to impede his bodily and a half days in New York. Driving fow—Young launches into the rhythhome I don’t even think my wheels mic classic, counting off the beats: touched the road, I was so excited.” You promised me the day that you quit Later, after reaching New York’s Big your boyfriend/I’d be the next one to ease on Street in ensemble and standby roles, in/you promised me it would be just us two, Young stepped in when opportunity yeah/And I’d be the only one kissin’ on you. showed up. Understudying George “No, it’s ‘man—I’d be the only MAN Hamilton as slick lawyer Billy Flynn in kissin’ on you,’ not ‘ONE,’” Alice corrects. Chicago on Broadway, he was bumped “Man. Man. Man,” Young repeats. up to top dog when Hamilton hurt “That right. Only MAN kissin’ on you.” his knee, taking over for eight weeks. With lyric course correction made— One of those nights, Hamilton caught and his instruction to “take it from his substitute’s performance. “We

were walking in Shubert Alley and he grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me dead in the face,” Young says. “He said, ‘You remind me of someone’ and I said, ‘Please don’t say it. I’ve heard it all my life and I’m not sure I want to hear it from you.’ And he said, ‘Sammy was one of my best friends in the world, and you share something he had. Either it’s the twinkle in your eye or the energy you exude. This is the moment you need to embrace that and accept that greater things are possible.’ That’s when I thought, I’m going to step out of myself and see what happens.” One thing that happened—after wholeheartedly embracing the Spirit of Sammy—was a regional one-man musical titled Sammy & Me. Written by, and starring, Eric Jordan Young. “His goal was to entertain people and make them feel good, but he did so much more than that,” Young says. “He created social change. He changed the perception of people of color. He changed humanity. All I can do is honor what came before me and put it on a pedestal and preserve at least a sliver of that greatness. There is nothing greater than bringing history with you into the future.” Professionally, they share Las Vegas. Spiritually, they share something bigger. Consider the lyrics to the Sammy classic “Once in a Lifetime”— and hand them down to Eric Jordan Young, starting Oct. 4: Just once in a lifetime/a man knows a moment/one wonderful moment/ when fate takes his hand …

PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

Eric Jordan Young brings Old Vegas charisma to his New Vegas show.

CONCERTS

Parody or Performance Art? Whatever It Is, Die Antwoord Does It Right

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Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan, Sept. 29 Regardless of intention, controversial South African rap-rave trio Die Antwoord takes its act seriously. Or at the very least, these guys are

ALBUMS WE'RE BUYING 1 Aphex Twin, Syro

committed. Their live show had all the elements of a pop concert—with a dark, anti-pop twist. The stage featured freakish visuals and an

2 Alt-J, This Is All Yours

epileptic light show. Backup dancers twerked in various colors of ski masks. The performers went through multiple wardrobe changes, from bright pink jumpsuits and gold lamé getups to rapper/singer Yo-Landi Vi$$er bouncing around in booty shorts and rapper Ninja dick-slanging in his boxers. Absurdities aside, what truly defined the show was its energy. The pulsing electro-rap production had the frenzied audience jumping to favorites “I Fink U Freeky,” “Cookie Thumper”

3 Lindsey Stirling, Shatter Me

4 Young Jeezy, Seen It All

5 Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek

and “Fatty Boom Boom,” even if we don’t always understand their blend of English and Afrikaans. Possibly under the influence of drugs or, perhaps, themselves, Ninja and Yo-Landi didn’t

According to sales at Zia Record Exchange at 4503 W. Sahara Ave., September 8-14.

stop moving, either. ★★★★✩ – Zoneil Maharaj

Jhené Aiko Draws Fans Into Musical Meditation Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan, Sept. 25 Jhené Aiko’s Las Vegas headlining debut flowed like an intimate Storytellers-esque jam session. Backed by a four-piece band, the soulful 26-yearold singer presented her songs, or “stories,” as she referred to them, with ache in her voice. She covered Kendrick Lamar’s verse on their

Ian Somerhalder stars as dreamy vamp Damon.

collaboration “Stay Ready (What a Life),” spitting word. “Anybody got a lighter?” she asked before

At 8 p.m. Oct. 2, Season 6 of The Vampire Diaries premieres on the CW. Few are more excited than writer Becky Bosshart, who recently attended the show's official convention and experienced a teen melodramainspired epiphany. Read her account at VegasSeven.com/ VampireDiaries.

“Space Jam,” “We’re about to do this one real acoustic-like.” Her 6-year-old daughter, Namiko, stood at the side of the stage, smiling and recording the performance. Aiko clutched her midsection as if she was in true physical pain, lamenting love gone wrong on “Comfort Inn Ending (Freestyle).” She saved “The Worst” for last, drifting offstage to

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

share the mic with her fans and embrace them as

she passed. ★★★✩✩ – Camille Cannon

HAERTS FULL OF SOUL Haerts made a lot of fans with “Wings” and “All the Days” from last year’s Hemiplegia EP, and they’re generating a lot of excitement with “Giving Up,” the first single from their debut album, due Oct. 28. Haerts play the Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool on Oct. 2 ($15).

PLUCK OF THE IRISH Young Dubliners formed in Los Angeles, but you’d swear their Celtic rock came straight from the Emerald Isle. The band plays Vinyl on Oct. 3 ($25-$35) in support of their hearty and hellish self-funded album, 9. You’ll want to mosh one minute, weep the next.

ON SALE NOW Psychedelic rockers Tame Impala play Brooklyn Bowl on Nov. 13 ($33), which gives you plenty of time to acquaint yourselves with all the brilliant, lo-fi songs on Innerspeaker (2010) and Lonerism (2012), such as “Solitude Is Bliss” and “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.”

DIE ANTWOORD BY CHASE STEVENS; JHENÉ AIKO BY BRENTON HO

his lyrics with a cadence reminiscent of spoken

The

HIT LIST TARGETING THIS WEEK'S MOST-WANTED EVENTS

By Camille Cannon

FEST PERSPECTIVE What goes on at Burning Man? Will Roger Peterson knows. He’s a founding board member of the event and a photographer who’s been capturing life in Black Rock City for decades. A selection of his photos from la playa and beyond will be on display at Sin City Gallery through Oct. 24.

FREAKLING BROS. BY EDISON GRAFF

HERE’S TO A DOZEN MORE First Friday rings in its 12th anniversary with a blowout bash on Oct. 3. With the theme “Time, Mythology and 12,” this edition promises refreshed activity zones, art curated by Brian “Paco” Alvarez and the debut of a video installation by contest winner Brock Nordstrom at Artifice. Consider your attendance a birthday gift to the monthly community mainstay. FFLV.net.

WINE (NOW EVEN MORE LOUDLY) AMPLIFIED

On its ninth anniversary, the Wine

Amplified Music Festival is getting a little more amplification. In addition to more than 150 wines from 60 wineries, a craft beer garden, food trucks and a speakeasy, Rock ’n Roll Wine’s big event now lasts a full weekend (Oct. 10-11). No longer confined to Mandalay Bay Beach, it will spread out over the festival-sized MGM Resorts Village (across from Luxor). This made-for-Vegas union of wine and rock music offers a unique soundtrack: performances by Blink-182, Violent Femmes and Michael Franti & Spearhead. Local favorites Almost Normal, Jordan Mitchell, Pet Tigers and the Dirty Hooks will also perform. We can’t wait to check out the Sip & Sound Experience, an “interactive wine and music exhibit” that pairs wines with the sounds of festival musicians, finally answering Blink-182’s most famous question: What’s my vintage again? – Christian Wilhelm

ART FREE FOR ALL The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art celebrates Smithsonian’s annual Museum Day (Sept. 27) a little late, allowing you free admission on Oct. 4. This means you’ll pay nothing to see all 34 paintings in Painting Women: Works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Visit Bellagio.com/attractions to print an admission ticket good for two people per household.

VegasSeven.com

Blink-182.

IF YOU DARE It’s that time of year when it’s socially acceptable to pay someone to scare the pants off you. No one frightens like Freakling Bros. and the Trilogy of Terror haunts: Circus of Horrors, Castle Vampyre and Gates of Hell—the state’s only R-rated attraction. Cower over to 4245 S. Grand Canyon Dr. on select dates through Oct. 31. FreaklingBros.com.

MOST LAS VEGAS TELEVISION SHOWS perpetuate the unreal idea outsiders have of our city: Everyone lives in a casino, works in a pawnshop and either gets murdered in the frst three minutes of the episode or is the one who did it. But the new Web series The Gazillionaire has a better grasp on the weird, feral reality of Las Vegas than most. Sure, it’s a surreal comedy/parody starring the Gazillionaire and Penny from Absinthe, but who else could understand a city where a silver-painted “statue” and a balloon-making clown can come to blows in the middle of Fremont Street? The ostensible storyline—released in ADD-friendly fve-minute chunks—is about how the Gazillionaire became the host of Absinthe and how Penny … has

always been like that. But the plot is mostly an excuse for giggle-inducing outrages and demented vignettes. The scene where Penny’s showgirl grandma “performs” out David Lynch-es David Lynch, while the bit where the Gazillionaire deals bloody justice to an agent for even suggesting they hire Ryan Seacrest parodies countless Vegas mob movie moments. The Gazillionaire also features cameos from a variety of familiar faces—the Amazing Johnathan as an Elvisslapping thug with baby-size hands, Tony Hsieh as a loafer-sniffng shoeshine boy. It also has some of the best opening credits since Dan Tanna rolled down the Strip in Vega$: Gazillionaire, drink surgically attached to hand and wearing an epically contemptuous sneer, brushes off Hangover wannabes, evil-eyes costumed characters and knocks over shoeless bachelorettes. Kind of THE GAZILLIONAIRE like how real-life locals New episodes debut navigate the Strip, 7 p.m. Thursdays except that we aren’t on YouTube.com/ (usually) carrying SpiegelWorldTV. a Scotch. – Lissa Townsend Rodgers

October 2–8, 2014

HOW DID THIS GUY GET TO HOST A STRIP SHOW?

Alice Gets a Makeover

COSMIC METAL, COLOUR-FUL ROCK, VAMPIRE DIARY

Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater ofers a sophisticated take on a kids classic

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

ALICE IN WONDERLAND may have been written almost 150 years ago, but it still offers a fresh source of artistic inspiration. The timeless novel has been interpreted through movies, operas, sculptures and comic books. The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater will be offering their version of Alice’s fantastic story in Alice Down the Rabbit Hole. When company founder and artistic director Bernard Gaddis was creating his frst full-length piece, he found himself thinking back to his childhood. “I defnitely used to read this story as a kid,” he says. “I fell in love with the book.” Alice in Wonderland has been retold as both children’s light entertainment and a darker, psychological adult tale. The LVCDT rendition lies somewhere in between: Kids will enjoy it, but adults won’t be bored. “It’s a contemporary spin on Alice—it is defnitely for families but not so cutesy. She’s not a little girl of 7, she’s a 15-, 16-year-old girl,” Gaddis explains, “It’s not sweet in the sense of bouncy and bubbly.” He also notes that visuals and sound will add more sophistication than sugar and spice. “The costumes [will have] a sleek, abstract sort of look as opposed to fussy and comical and cartoonish.” Alice’s dress is a bit more ’50s prom than Victorian pinafore, while the Red Queen wears avantgarde high fashion. The ballet’s original score was composed by Martin StPierre of Cirque du Soleil. “To collaborate with Martin is truly amazing,” says Gaddis, who dances in Cirque’s Mystère show. He describes the score as “more in the line of classical, but it has a contemporary spin on it.” The LVCDT version of Alice has also put a few twists in the original plot that add complexity while making the characters more accessible. “It’s reality-based,” Gaddis says, explaining that the Wonderland fgures will be introduced in a prologue as people in Alice’s life whose characteristics will be exaggerated in her

The Red Queen (Marie-Joe Tabet) and Alice (Aida Francesca Garcia) as seen through a contemporary eye.

ALICE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at The Smith Center, $24-$79, LVContemporaryDanceTheater.org.

fantasy world. “There’s a direct link between the reality and the Wonderland part,” Gaddis continues. “The characters that are in the beginning are human—there’s a mother and a grandmother. The grandmother is stern, disciplining, scary, and in Wonderland she’s basically the Red Queen. The mother is more gentle and she is the White Queen. She has two brothers that are rambunctious, and they’re like Tweedledee and Tweedledum. The Mad Hatter takes on her father’s characteristics.” Gaddis has choreographed more than 30 dance pieces, but interpreting the many personalities in Alice Down the Rabbit Hole posed new challenges. “The hardest [one] was the Red Queen. She’s the villain, but I want people to like the villain,” he says, “I want them to one minute not like her and the next feel for her. I want them to have a range of emotions toward the Red Queen.” Beyond Alice Down the Rabbit Hole, the LVCDT has big plans. “We’re going to be doing a contemporary

collection for spring of 2015,” Gaddis says. “For fall of 2015 we’re actually going to be bringing in a ballet by Alvin Ailey, Night Creatures. The music is by Duke Ellington, so we’ll have a full jazz orchestra for the frst time.” The company also has plans to establish a permanent home. “We will be embarking on a conservatory come next year. It will house the company but we will have classes,” Gaddis says. “The goal is to bring the community together. We want to be able to offer something where people can go Downtown on date night … Dress up and have an amazing night out, see a beautiful performance and have a beautiful dinner.” It’s all part of the LVCDT’s efforts to continue bringing contemporary dance to a wider audience. Says Gaddis: “Some of our biggest supporters are men because the wives will drag them against their will and all of a sudden they’re like ‘It’s so cool, it’s not like ballet at all, the guys are athletic and so are the women, and there’s so much happening onstage.’”

I can think of at least a dozen incredible death-metal releases so far this year. But my absolute favorite has to be Labyrinth Constellation by New York’s Artificial Brain. It’s technically accomplished, deeply atmospheric and, yes, even lyrically impressive. (Which isn’t easy given that death metal mostly involves scream-gurgling.) Indeed, every song on Constellation conjures the epic, pitiless expanse of outer space. There’s the asteroid-chopping miasma of “Worm Harvester,” powered by black hole-warping drum patterns. And then there are the gravity-bending guitar riffs of “Moon Funeral,” unlike anything I’ve heard from death metal. Artificial Brain checkmates Cheyenne Saloon at 10 p.m. October 2. Also on the bill: Gigan, Pyrrhon and Opticleft. I missed their Life Is Beautiful appearance last year, so I’m going to make it up to Living Colour by checking out their Hard Rock Café on the Strip performance at 7 p.m. October 6. The rock band is touring now in celebration of its 30-year career and in preparation for the upcoming release of a sixth studio disc (the first in five years), Shade. (It’s being mixed by Ron Saint Germain, who helped produce their classic 1988 album Vivid.) Also on the bill: local neo-grunge act Paper Tigers. I spent my teens ghetto-blasting the music of L.A.-spawned alternative-rock band Concrete Blonde. From the bracing 1986 selftitled debut to the spooky vibe of vampire-themed Bloodletting (1990), singer-bassist-songwriter Johnette Napolitano never let me down. After 1993’s Mexican Moon, the band’s output has ebbed and flowed. However, Napolitano has steadily worked on film music and even written a book called Rough Mix, published for the Kindle in 2010. She’ll be performing an acoustic set and reading from this mixed-genre memoir (drawings, lyrics, philosophy) at 8 p.m. October 8 at Bunkhouse Saloon. I hope she’s willing to autograph my cracked and sun-faded cassette copy of Concrete Blonde’s Walking in London. Your band releasing new music? Email Jarret_Keene@Yahoo.com.

PHOTOS BY JASON JAMES SKINNER

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STAGE

Freelon and Holmes let the good times roll.

JUST AN OLD SWEET SONG Ray Charles tribute a simple, swingin’ afair

PHOTO COURTESY THE VENETIAN L AS VEGAS

DON’T HIT THE ROAD, JACK.

That’s my humble advice and hopeful wish for Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles, the limited-run (for now) newbie at the Venetian Theatre through October 29. Deeply imbedded in America’s musical fabric, genre-transcending Brother Ray—who hop-scotched from R&B/soul to pop to country to jazz to even show tunes—is an ideal celebratory subject. All of his range is traveled in this straight-ahead, marvelously old-school production. Left largely intact from the oneoff performance in February at The Smith Center, this is often exhilarating craft-work by seasoned pros: vocal masters Take 6 and Nnenna Freelon and saxophonist Kirk Whalum, plus the crisp swing of the Las Vegas All-Star Big Band (led by UNLV jazz department head David Loeb) and stellar backing by the Las Vegas Mass Choir. Oh, and an electrifed Clint Holmes as host/central performer in his Strip return, with enthusiasm exceeding even his own standard for passion. Holmes is happily on fre. Frills are few—zero fussy effects, and modest video touches that are mostly Ray photos and a montage of his album covers—and bombast is absent. On a fairly unadorned set, the show begins simply with 16 musicians fling onstage, laying down an intro for Holmes, who often sings solo and joins other artists on many of the other tunes. And what tunes they are. Opening with “Let the Good Times Roll,” fnger-poppin’ Holmes is on his own roll: trading spirited licks with Whalum (who’s frequently featured) on “I Got a Woman” and playing off Whalum’s warm, buttery chord runs on “Come Rain or Come Shine’; swap-

ping snappy vamps on “Hit the Road Jack” with choir members doubling as the Raelettes (the name of Charles’ backup singers); turning the theater into a revival tent with the choir and Take 6 on “What’d I Say” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You”; and playfully riffing with Freelon on “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and “Deed I Do.” When Holmes wades into the frst few rows to croon “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” it’s a maximum mellow-out. In the few Holmes-less moments, Take 6’s fawless harmonies do justice to “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” though they’re responsible for the only misstep: a weirdly upbeat, beatboxing interpretation of the normally sorrowful “Rainy Night in Georgia,” sacrifcing the tune’s power for a gimmick. And Freelon both purrs and soars on “How Long Has This Been Going On?” When everyone jams together, it’s a fat-out blowout, juggernauting like a runaway train from “Look What They’ve Done to My Song, Ma” to the “awww” moment of “Georgia on My Mind” (highlighted by Holmes’ gutbucket vocals) to the climactic “America the Beautiful,” saluting Brother Ray’s iconic version. Georgia on My Mind is an 80-minute reminder of showbiz purity: It’s what’s possible when the music itself—in the hands and pipes of expert interpreters—is more than enough. No artifcial ingredients—i.e., audio/ visual pyrotechnics and too-clever staging—necessary. Indifference to it doesn’t mean someone’s got the proverbial “hole in their soul.” … More like a crater. Got an entertainment tip? Email Steve.Bornfeld@VegasSeven.com.

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MOVIES

TRACKS STAR Mia Wasikowska brings delicacy to a 1,700-mile hike through Australia By Michael Phillips Tribune Media Services

ALL FILMGOERS HAVE THEIR BLIND SPOTS. If Robyn Davidson’s 1980 travel memoir is foreign to you, and you know only that the flm’s about a free spirit who spent nearly a year crossing miles of Australian desert with four camels and a dog, you might think: No thanks, I’ll just dig up the May 1978 National Geographic magazine with Davidson on the cover. But you’d be wrong. More than a travelogue or a chronicle of self-willed solitude, director John Curran’s gorgeous flm version starring Mia Wasikowska betrays hardly a trace of Hollywood machinery in the storytelling. Wasikowska is wonderful here, unaffected and affecting, but then she has long conveyed a rich and shadowy interior life onscreen. She humanized Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, so clearly she can do nearly anything. A native Australian, Wasikowska is playing a fellow native Australian and, allowed her familiar homegrown cadence, her voice sounds different—sharper-edged, more natural. The script by Marion Nelson does everything right, sneaking in details of Davidson’s diffcult childhood at

unexpecctd junctures by way of fashback, so that there’s a bit of mystery regarding her reasons for embarking on the westward trek from desolate Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. Three times over the nine-month sojourn, Davidson met up with photographer Rick Smolan, on assignment for National Geographic. Effectively, and with less calculation in his hesitations and semi-improvisations than usual, he’s played by Adam Driver. Smolan is conceived here to be a bit of a pain, but charming, and by the end he becomes a talisman and friend for Davidson. The other key human supporting player, Rolley Minutma, plays Mr. Eddy, whose frst language is Pitjantjatjara and who guides Davidson and her camel charges for part of the way. Director Curran, whose work includes the fragrant period piece The Painted Veil and the more recent psychosexual character study Stone, allows each scene to breathe and the performers to act naturally. This sounds easy, but so many directors either don’t know how to encourage unselfconsciousness or don’t care about it. At his best—there’s a particularly striking shot, for example, of the camels’ endlessly long legs casting shadows on the sand at sunset—Curran, working with cinematographer Mandy Walker, recalls the work of documentarian-turnedfeature-flmmaker-turned-industrypariah Carroll Ballard (The Black Stallion, Never Cry Wolf) in his devotion to the natural elements. More importantly, he’s keen on unlocking the natural rhythm of a story, in this instance about a young woman testing herself against her memories, her loneliness, her ability to disappear for a while. Now and then

Which one of those camels has the sunscreen?

a bar or two of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” flls the soundtrack, just enough to evoke a world apart. Tracks is about what it means to be a societal outlier. The indigenous peoples encountered by Davidson; the free-foating sexism and misogyny she endures, often with an averted glance and a tense silence, from the skeptical or jeering men along the way; these aspects of Davidson’s travels are neither downplayed nor overplayed. Screenwriter Nelson

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

SHORT REVIEWS

The Boxtrolls (PG) ★★✩✩✩

Oregon-based Laika animation house’s latest feature is based on Alan Snow’s 2005 book Here Be Monsters! The Boxtrolls remains relentlessly busy up through its final credits, and it’s clever in a nattering way. But it’s virtually charmless. A human boy named Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead Wright) has been raised by the marginalized Boxtrolls, who live in an underground lair full of fantastical inventions. Eggs teams up with the mayor’s daughter, Winnie (Elle Fanning), to prove the Boxtrolls’ right to peaceable coexistence with the human element.

The Equalizer (R) ★★✩✩✩

Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a trained killer with a CIA-ish past who now exists undercover. Chloë Grace Moretz is the prostitute who frequents McCall’s favorite diner. A Russian sleazeball with underworld connections beats the Moretz character half to death, and McCall retaliates, five Russian thugs dead. The rest concerns the Russian sleazeball higher up the sleazeball ladder brought in to take care of McCall. At its best, Antoine Fuqua’s film shows interest in something more than the next neck-snapping flourish.

The Maze Runner (PG-13) ★★★✩✩

The Maze Runner—from the first in James Dashner’s trilogy—makes the “dyslit” clichés smell daisy-fresh. At the outset, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) is sent up an elevator, his memory wiped nearly clean. The heart of this film is the action, and director Wes Ball seamlessly blends computer-generated spiders with the actors. The script may be a tad too long, but it’s treated well, creating a plausible, textured atmosphere of dread. Are audiences weary of dyslit screen adaptations? The Maze Runner, already a success in overseas markets, suggests otherwise.

suggests some of the demons driving this woman (bankruptcy, the premature death of a parent) without being facile or reductive about why she does what she does. Watching Davidson inch closer to her goal, achieved at a moment when she is tellingly not alone, is at once gratifying and openended, because Wasikowska’s extraordinary rapport with the camera has revealed so much en route. Tracks (PG-13) ★★★★✩

By Tribune Media Services

The Guest (R) ★★★✩✩

A crafty genre pastiche until it stalls, director Adam Wingard’s The Guest introduces its title character after he knocks on the door of a New Mexico family that lost their older son in the Iraq War. The Guest plays an interesting guessing game with the audience. David (Stevens) is a steely dreamboat, and everyone in the grieving family uses him for different reasons. Wingard’s facility with violent action is uneven. But he certainly knows his recent film history, as proved by the film’s retro synth-y musical score by Stephen Moore.

Tusk (R) ★★✩✩✩

Civilians and critics loved Tusk in Toronto, where it played a sidebar of the international film festival. And it’s fun to have writerdirector Kevin Smith, of Clerks and Dogma, whose filmmaking star has fallen while his podcasting prowess has risen, once again at the center of a debate. Opposite Haley Joel Osment, Justin Long plays the co-host of a successful L.A. podcast who travels to Winnipeg to prank-interview an Internet star, only to arrive in time for his funeral. I didn’t draw much enjoyment from Tusk, though Johnny Depp’s turn has its charms.

This Is Where I Leave You (R) ★★★✩✩

Discovering his wife (Abigail Spencer) in bed with his radio shock-jock boss (Dax Shepard), Jason Bateman’s Judd goes into an tailspin, just in time for another crisis. Dad dies. Mom (Jane Fonda) has asked all the siblings to sit shiva for a week. Adam Driver plays the younger gadabout brother who brings his older, wiser girlfriend (Connie Britton) home with him. Nothing special in terms of material, but the actors sit back, relax and enjoy the interaction. The movie’s OK. But with this cast, OK is disappointing.

The Drop (R) ★★★✩✩

Dolphin Tale 2 (PG) ★★✩✩✩

The Last of Robin Hood (R) ★★✩✩✩

The Skeleton Twins (R) ★★★✩✩

Even a terrible actor could win friends and influence moviegoers in the role of Bob, a sweetie-pie Brooklyn bartender who saves a puppy from a garbage can in the opening of The Drop, expanded by screenwriter Dennis Lehane from his own short story. For the record, Tom Hardy is an excellent actor. In The Drop, Hardy, brandishing an outer-borough dialect and mumble, is surrounded by terrific support in Belgian director Michael R. Roskam’s uneven but pungent English-language debut. The clichés in The Drop have a fighting chance of holding your attention.

The Last of Robin Hood is the latest film starring the dashing Kevin Kline. In it, he plays the roguish Hollywood legend Errol Flynn, who had an affair during the final two years of his life (Flynn died in 1959 at age 50) with a would-be starlet, Beverly Aadland. Dakota Fanning handles Beverly uncertainly. The script by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, who codirected, never makes up its mind about tone, style and approach. It all feels a bit off and a little underpowered, in ways unrelated to its budget.

You might have thought Dolphin Tale was an uplifting story that didn’t need a second act. You were right. It was the fictionalized account of Winter, an injured dolphin who was rescued by a Florida aquarium, and how a prosthetic tail was fabricated for her, allowing her to survive and inspire humans. Dolphin Tale 2 feels like little more than Winter’s Greatest Hits. Still, seeing what Winter can mean to a disabled child, the educational side of the story and the adorable animals make this every bit as child-friendly as the original.

Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play Maggie and Milo, twins who haven’t seen each other in 10 years. In the opening shots, a phone call interrupts Maggie’s suicide attempt. It informs her that her twin, a struggling actor, has just survived his own suicide attempt. After this crisply diagrammatic beginning, the script brings Milo to recover and to reconnect with Maggie. It’s packed with incident, this movie. And it’s too bad The Skeleton Twins settles for tidy, slightly hollow narrative developments. The performers are ready to rip. For many, they’ll be enough.

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BETTING

HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN A certain Hall of Fame quarterback is in a downward spiral—as is his once-dominant team I COULD TAKE THIS OCCASION TO THUMP

MATT JACOB

LUCKY SEVEN

Bengals PK at Patriots Bears +2.5 at Panthers Jets +6.5 at Chargers Saints -10.5 vs. Buccaneers Tennessee -2.5 vs. Florida Utah +13 at UCLA Rutgers -3 vs. Michigan

Pats rank 29th); who rank sixth in scoring offense (the Pats rank 20th); and who rank frst in scoring defense (the Pats just allowed 41 points to Alex Smith and the Chiefs!). Shall we compare Brady to Dalton? Yes, we shall: Dalton is completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 240.7 yards per game, and he sports a 95.4 rating. To repeat, Brady is completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 197.8 yards per game, and he has a 79.1 rating. Given all these details, of course Cincinnati is a sizeable favorite in this matchup, right? Uh, nope. Depending on your sportsbook of choice, the line is pick-em or Bengals minus-1. This despite the fact that, the week prior to the Chiefs debacle, New England needed a late red-zone, tipped-ball interception to beat the Raiders … at home! By any and every measure, the Bengals are the superior team, which is why this point spread is more ludicrous than the notion that Tom Brady is still an elite quarterback. (Hey, look on the bright side, Tom: You’ve still got an elite wife!) Last Week: 6-1 (3-1 NFL; 3-0 college; 1-0 Best Bet). Season Record: 18-10 (9-6 NFL; 9-4 college; 2-2 Best Bets). Matt Jacob appears at 10 a.m. Fridays on Pregame.com’s First Preview on ESPN Radio 1100-AM and 98.9-FM.

PHOTO BY KEITH ALLISON

my chest after producing yet another winning week, this one a 6-1 effort. I could also choose to risk separating my shoulder by excessively patting myself on the back after ending September at 18-10 (that’s more than 64 percent winners, kids!). But you know me: I’ve never been the type to crow about my own successes—at least not when there are opportunities to revel in the failures of others. And, boy, has one such golden opportunity presented itself this week! So without further delay, let’s play the Mystery Quarterback game. Out of 34 qualifying passers, this future Hall of Famer ranks: � 33rd in yards per pass attempt at 5.77 (by comparison, the Bengals’ Andy Dalton is frst at 8.60); � 30th in passing yards per game at 197.8 (or nearly 33 yards per game fewer than the Jets’ Geno Smith); � 29th in QB rating (79.1), right behind two guys (the Bills’ EJ Manuel and the Jaguars’ Chad Henne) who just got benched, and one spot ahead of a rookie (the Raiders’ Derek Carr) whose coach just got axed; and � 27th in completion percentage at 59.1 (one of just eight QBs in this passer-friendly era not completing at least 60 percent of his throws—and none of the others are bound for Canton, Ohio). Ladies and gentlemen, I give you … Tom Brady! Why am I wasting time kicking Brady when he’s down? Two reasons: 1) Nobody else in the excuse-making media has the guts to speak the truth (and that truth is Brady has been downright dreadful); and 2) Brady’s rapid downfall mirrors that of his team … only the Vegas oddsmakers appear reluctant to accept it. Because of that, we’ve got ourselves a tremendous moneymaking opportunity this week. See, the Patriots—fresh off that 41-14 Monday night meltdown in Kansas City—host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night. These would be the 3-0 Cincinnati Bengals, who have outscored the opposition 80-33 (the biggest point differential in the NFL); who are coming off a bye (while the Patriots are playing on a short week); who rank seventh in total offense (the

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SEVEN QUESTIONS

cities, and we’d speak to them for an hour or so and then we started thinking, “Oh, it’d be great if we could get people from other parts of the country, because we can’t physically be everywhere.” With Reddit, you’re kind of everywhere. Everyone participates.

MODERN ROMANCE

Aziz Ansari performs at 9 p.m. Oct. 4 at Mandalay Bay Events Center, tickets start at $35, MandalayBay.com.

Since you’ve transitioned your stand-up from stories about celebrity run-ins to more universal topics such as dating and relationships, what’s been the response? People are laughing, but they’re also like “Wow, that really speaks to me,” or “That’s an experience I’ve had in my life, too, and that’s a thing that no one really talks about.” For the upcoming dates, I wrote a bunch of new stuff. The hour has really gotten stronger. Do people look to you for dating advice? Not really. I’m not interested in, “Oh, should you wait to text someone?” It’s more about, “Why does [the] waiting drive people crazy? What is it about that psychologically that is so powerful?” That’s more interesting than talking out of your ass and saying, “You gotta wait like 30 minutes!” No one really knows that. But, you can hear very intelligent people explain to you why, if someone waits to text you, [how] that can have an effect on you psychologically. You’ve said that you don’t think people respect stand-up as an art form as much as they should. Do you still feel that way? That quote may come off a little bit harsh. Whenever I’ve done shows internationally, in London, for example, the show gets reviewed in the theater section [of newspapers] with the plays and stuff. The review is thoughtful and interesting and talks about the themes discussed. [In the U.S.], you’ll just get some blurb where somebody will just repeat and angle your jokes—it’s not really viewed with the same lens. Audiences respect it, though. A lot of work goes into it.

Aziz Ansari

The comedian on conducting sociological research, getting upstaged by Beyoncé and Tom Haverford’s future

October 2–8, 2014

VegasSeven.com

By Camille Cannon

In addition to Modern Romance being the subject and title of your stand-up tour, you’re writing a book about it. What’s that process like? It’s ambitious. I’ve been doing [stand-up] about dating and stuff, and I started meeting with sociologists and academics and got into these interesting conversations about dating and technology and how relationships have changed over the last few generations. I’ve been working with sociologist [and Going Solo author] Eric Klinenberg for more than a year. We interviewed hundreds of people and a bunch of notable academics.

I don’t think there’s been anything similar to it from a comedian. It’s a really funny book, but it’s also really interesting, and I think people will dig it. You’re also crowdsourcing on Reddit, and you promote a link to that thread on Twitter. Does it ever feel super meta to conduct research on technology and relationships using social media? I never even thought about that until you said it, but that’s true. It’s weird. When we did these focus groups for the book, we’d have like 30 people in different

You followed Louis C.K.’s model of releasing stand-up specials straight to the Internet with 2012’s Dangerously Delicious. But you did it without any warning—kinda like Beyoncé did with her last album. How does it feel to know she stole your move? This is the frst time I’ve realized that Beyoncé totally stole my idea! [Laughs.] Surprise is one of the few things left in this media-saturated world. That’s why she did that, and people responded to it. Your Parks and Recreation character, Tom Haverford, was noticeably absent from the fash-forward scene of last season’s fnale. Where would you like to see him three years from now? I imagine he’ll probably still be doing his restaurant. Hopefully that’s going well, and he’s got other new ventures going. It’d be cool to see him fnally having some success as a businessman after all the failures, you know? I feel like he’s fnally earned some success. Which of his business ventures do you think is most viable? Maybe his idea for tuxedos for babies. There’s no infant formal wear out there. He’d have 100 percent market share. How’s Ansari planning to top his effort from last Halloween, Idris Elba as Thomas the Tank Engine? Read the full interview at VegasSeven.com/Ansari.

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