Cruisin' | Vegas Seven Magazine | Oct. 6-12, 2016

FREE October 6-12, 2016 « RISE FESTIVAL LIGHTS UP THE SKY ⁄ HEED THE CHUBBY CATTLE CALL »

Cruisin’ Vegas’ AUTO CULTURE goes into overdrive

THIS WEEKEND

SATURDAY • OCTOBER 8

jessie james decker WITH SPECIAL GUEST

the sisterhood UPCOMING SHOWS SATURDAY • OCTOBER 15

FRIDAY • OCTOBER 21

alessia cara

bad religion

SATURDAY • OCTOBER 22

the fray WITH SPECIAL GUEST

AMERICAN AUTHORS

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 5

alejandra guzman

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 12

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 18

ms. lauryn hill

lukas graham

925 Auto Show Drive | www.mbofhenderson.com

2016

WORKER Cargo Van * starting at $32,495 Terrific Lease and Finance Options *Excludes all options, taxes, title registration, $995.00 transportation charge, and dealer preparation fees.

Visit Mercedes-Benz of Henderson for full details.

ON THE COVER

Read Vegas Seven right-side up and UIFO nJQ JU PWFS BOE TUBSU BHBJO XJUI (7) SEVEN NIGHTS, featuring after-dark FOUFSUBJONFOU BOE UIF XFFL T OJHIUMJGF happenings.

AUTOMOTIVE ISSUE Photography ANTHONY MAIR The Range Rover Evoque convertible SUV meets the Blue Angel.

SEVEN NIGHTS: TRITONAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OCTOBER 6-12, 2016 15

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Tour the city’s coolest vantage points in the hottest cars on the road.

42

Plant-Based Eats

Vegan options in Henderson and Downtown.

BY DIANA EDELMAN

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

45

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@johnnylace on Instagram.

Car Culture

With a deep passion for rubber, steel and oil, hobby becomes a way of life for auto and bike club members.

BY KRISTEN PETERSON

27

24/7 Events around the clock in Las Vegas.

BY SHANNON MILLER AND BOB WHITBY

28

Lighting Up the Night Sky

What to bring to RiSE Lantern Festival.

BY ALLY TATOSIAN

30

Funny and Family-Friendly

Rita Rudner on her brand of comedy and why she won’t tell you a joke about Snapchat.

BY GENEVIE DURANO

32

A Spoonful of Sugar Absinthe’s Melody Sweets brings saccharine striptease to The Smith Center.

BY CHARLIE STARLING

37

One Bite: Pasta in a Jar

Veranda’s La Pasta Cotta nel Vaso delights.

BY MARISA FINETTI

38

One Sip: Downtown Brew Festival

PHOTO BY ANDREW SEA JAMES

The Amigos Lowrider car club

It’s a craft-beer paradise, with more than 200 brews on tap.

BY XANIA WOODMAN

40

Scene and Herd

Navigating Chinatown’s Chubby Cattle.

BY AL MANCINI

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46

Street Style Motopeds may be the best new mode of transportation. %< -(66,( 2·%5,(1

PLUS: Badass biker babes of cinema.

48

Green Felt Journal

The casino industry makes a bid for millennial attention.

BY DAVID G. SCHWARTZ

One Drop raises global water awareness.

PLUS:

51

Comedic Crusader

Margaret Cho stops by The Chelsea.

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

52

6PRNH ·(P 8S Black Tiger barbecue collective is on the cusp of turning pro.

BY AL MANCINI

54

A Fresh Start Ira Green creates an all-natural deodorant line.

BY JESSI C. ACUÑA

56

Ask a Native How much to tip on a comp.

OUR SITES TO SEE

VegasSeven.com Bad Boy for Life Puff Daddy reunited the Bad Boy Entertainment family at MGM Grand Garden Arena, taking fans on a journey of the seminal hip-hop/R&B record label’s past, present and future. Read our take and see photos at VegasSeven.com/BadBoyReunion.

DTLV.com Ride on!

The RTC Bike Share program has arrived! We gave the white cruisers a test run—we bombed alleyways, jumped curbs and did a couple of sweet skids. Learn some useful tips about Downtown’s new transportation option on DTLV.com/BikeShare.

RunRebs.com 7DONLQ· 3UDFWLFH 8IBU EJE XF MFBSO GSPN 6/-7 T mSTU CBTLFUCBMM QSBDUJDF 8F SVO UISPVHI mWF TUPSZMJOFT UP XBUDI BU RunRebs.com/Practice2016.

SpyOnVegas.com

BY JAMES P. REZA

Party All the Time

ON THE FLIP SIDE

4FF IJHIMJHIUT GSPN UIF IPUUFTU QBSUJFT JO UIF DJUZ mOE upcoming events, meet the DJs and more.

It Takes Two DJ duo Tritonal unveil a new album and Vegas dates.

BY MELINDA SHECKELLS PLUS: Seven Nights, Disaronno Riserva, Kushiyaki Inyo, Very Berry Café and Thrice.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK …

Send me a Blue Angel

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger President Michael Skenandore &KLHI )LQDQFLDO 2IÀFHU Sim Salzman Vice President, Marketing and Events Keith White Creative Director Sherwin Yumul Graphic Designer Javon Issac Technical Director Herbert Akinyele Controller Jane Weigel

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP Vegas Seven 701 Bridger Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-798-7000 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada. © 2016 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR

Letters and Story Ideas Comments@VegasSeven.com Advertising Sales@VegasSeven.com Distribution Distribution@VegasSeven.com

Publisher

Michael Skenandore Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Melinda Sheckells MANAGING EDITOR

Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITOR, DINING, BEVERAGE & NIGHTLIFE

Xania Woodman ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Mark Adams SENIOR WRITER

Lissa Townsend Rodgers EDITORIAL INTERNS

Sam Mendoza, Ashley Miles, Shannon Miller, Zauni Price, Ally Tatosian Contributing Editors Michael Green (Politics), Al Mancini (Dining), David G. Schwartz (Gaming/Hospitality) Art CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Benjamin Ward SENIOR DESIGNER

Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Krystal Ramirez PHOTO INTERNS

;BDI .D,FF 8FT .PSFmFME VegasSeven.com DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT

Zoneil Maharaj SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM

Mike Grimala EDITOR, DTLV.COM

Jessie Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien DIGITAL PRODUCER & WRITER

Amber Sampson Production/Distribution DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION

Marc Barrington ADVERTISING MANAGER

Jimmy Bearse Sales BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Christy Corda DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES

Nicole Scherer ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brittany Quintana ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Robyn Weiss DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION

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She rises above the mini-marts and vacant lots like a movie star, perched on her pedestal, whirling slowly in the wind. The Blue Angel may have Marlene Dietrich’s name and Marilyn Monroe’s sweet smile and voluptuous curves, but the woman she’s closest to is her designer, Betty Willis, who also created the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign.

The Blue Angel Motel may have met the wrecking ball, but our Fremont Street and Charleston Boulevard goddess still rises above it all like, well, a guardian angel.

Most SUVs can feel a bit tanklike and are far more fun on back roads than city streets. The Range Rover Evoque breaks that mold, with a smaller, two-door body and a convertible top that makes the sun and sky part of the driving experience. Unlike most convertibles, you sit slightly above traffic, making it perfectly suited to rolling down the Strip looking at the lights or riding out to Red Rock, gazing up at the stars—or even an up-close blessing by our Downtown deity, the Blue Angel. Around $55,000; Jaguar Land Rover Las Vegas, 702-579-0400; JLRLV.com.

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VIEW THE BEAUTY OF THE BLUE ANGEL FROM A RANGE ROVER EVOQUE CONVERTIBLE SUV

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By Lissa Townsend Rodgers Photography Anthony Mair

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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TAKE IN A FLICK AT THE WEST WIND 6 DRIVE-IN FROM THE FRONT SEAT OF A LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN

Multimedia entertainment, old-school style. The West Wind Drive-In offers double features on six screens, a snack bar, video games and plenty of space to roam. It’s been showing films since the ’60s, going from Adam West as Batman to Ben Affleck as Batman, with several generations tuning their radios to the soundtrack and pointing their windshields toward the screen.

There are cars you drive and cars you dream of: The Lamborghini Huracán is the latter. A car suited to an international spy or internet billionaire, its sleek, low chassis is all about speed and power—610 horsepower, to be exact. The design continues to the interior, where a hexagonal motif seen in side mirrors and grilles is continued on everything from the air vents to the door handles. The need for speed carries over to an ignition switch and instrument displays that feel like the cockpit of a fighter jet. I bet even the lucky soul who drives it still dreams of it at night. $260,000; Chicago Motor Cars Las Vegas, 3055 Palms Center Dr., 725-777-9000; ChicagoMotorCarsLV.com

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October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

CRUISE THE CITY’S MOST UNDER-THE-RADAR NEIGHBORHOOD IN AN AUDI S8 PLUS

Las Vegas’ most fashionable addresses tend to be McMansions in gated communities—but not the Scotch 80s, a collection of unique mid-century homes adjacent to Downtown. The neighborhood’s founder was also our city’s first mayor, Peter Buol.

Oscar and Carolyn Goodman live there today, and the homes that once belonged to casino bosses and big-room headliners are now the groovy residences of the likes of Double Down/Frankie’s Tiki Room mogul P. Moss and Downtown Cocktail Room’s Michael Cornthwaite.

Audi is known for combining comfort and performance, and the Audi S8 Plus is no exception. It has a 4-liter, twin-turbo V8, 605-horsepower engine and quattro sport all-wheel drive. Inside, there’s a Bang & Olufsen sound system, seats that heat and cool, and an overall meticulous attention to detail. The leather and suede doors are as carefully tailored as a Savile Row suit, and each piece of wood inlay is cut from the same tree for perfect grain matching. $146,975; Audi Henderson, 7740 Eastgate Rd., Henderson, 702-982-4600; AudiHenderson.com.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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ROLL UP TO “BIG EDGE” AT VDARA HOTEL & SPA’S PORTE COCHÈRE IN A MERCEDES-BENZ E 300W SPORT

Bellagio hides its fine art in a gallery, but Vdara puts it out for all to see. One of the standout pieces is Nancy Rubins’ “Big Edge”, the centerpiece at the entrance of the hotel. A construction of more than 200 brightly colored canoes, rowboats and other small water vessels, it’s part flower, part explosion and, while it’s unlike anything else on the Strip, it fits right in amid the wild visual excess.

Sometimes a car is a cocoon, a sleek pod that transports you along highways and down city streets. The Mercedes-Benz E300W moves you along in luxury, with an interior that’s as comfortable as a deluxe home or swank lounge—swipe-and-scroll controls, massaging seats and glowing lights edging the interior that can be set to your favorite color (or just one that matches your outfit). But performance doesn’t take a backseat. The engine is a 2.0-liter inline-4 turbo with 241 horsepower and five Dynamic Agility Controls that modify steering and shift patterns. $52,150; Mercedes Benz of Henderson, 925 Auto Show Dr., Henderson, 702-485-3000; MBofHenderson.com.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

A driver-friendly auto town with wide roads and sunshine, Las Vegas has its share of car and motorcycle clubs.

Whether meeting in allegiance to brand, era or culture, these enthusiasts are in for the long haul, camaraderie and love of engines.

AMIGOS CAR CLUB LAS VEGAS CHAPTER

D

anny Estrada is parked in an alley behind an east side strip mall on a Friday night, talking on the phone in his 1976 Caprice Classic. A nearby DJ spins old school hip-hop, and hydraulic systems are lifting stylized lowriders with grace and ease.

When Estrada steps out, he circles the switched-up ride (painted root beer brown with copper pinstripes) then pops the trunk, revealing a giant stereo speaker inside.

“This is probably my 20th car,” he says, as we examine the photograph on the dash showing the car before he bought it and put $15,000 into it. “I’ve been lowriding since I was 15 years old. My first car was a 1978 Grand Prix.

This car was sitting in a backyard for 10 years before I got it.”

On either side of him, other members of the Las Vegas chapter of the Amigos Car Club are doing the same, displaying chrome, hydraulics, customized details and discussing the car’s provenance.

“It’s a lot of money. A lot of passion,” says Juan Vasquez, sitting behind the wheel of his ’92 Chevy Caprice. “You never stop. I put $30,000 into this car. I still got a long ways to go.”

This is more than aesthetics here.

It’s a lifestyle steeped in MexicanAmerican culture. Sometime around the ’70s, the Amigos Car Club formed in L.A. Estrada joined its sister chapter in San Diego in ’95, and formed a Las Vegas chapter in 2001.

Camaraderie is what the 14 members praise. They do car shows, events, picnics and meetings. Tonight they’re here for a block party hosted

by Shears and Beards barbershop, a family-friendly event featuring vendors, food and a display of lowrider bikes by the Artistic Cruisers Las Vegas Bike Club.

“We want to involve the whole family,” says Danny’s brother, Eddie Estrada. “If your significant other doesn’t want you doing it, it’s too hard, too time-consuming. You have to put your all into it, or you’re just

driving a car.”

As for the club members, he says, “We’re friends for life.”

Some owners rebuild the American classics from the frame out or make massive alterations to the originals. His 1970 El Camino, painted navigator gold with copper pinstripes, has been in the family since 1979. It first belonged to his uncle, who ran a gardening company and used it for work. When he retired he sold it to Estrada’s father, who used it for work before handing it to his son, who stripped it down, rebuilt the engine, frame and suspension, doing all the fabricating himself. Its intricate paint job and tiny wheels add a sense of refinement and fragility, an object to be admired rather than driven every day of the week.

“It’s a passion,” Eddie Estrada says.

“An art.”

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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I

t’s not illegal to carry a big machete on your moped,” Wes David says, standing in his garage and recalling the phrase he’d once spoken to a police officer.

Whether the machete attached to his American Army-themed Italian Garelli was legal, carrying it probably did nothing to quell suspicion.

It was a big blade. But the bigger issue is often speed. As in, how does someone get a moped, a pedal bike with a tiny engine, to go more than 50 mph? They’re designed to go 30 mph or less and can’t even be licensed through the DMV. “We surprise a lot of people,” David says. “I’ve been stopped by cops and by others who ask, ‘What is this?’”

These are questions that can be answered in an evening with the Bob Rossians at David’s house, where he keeps eight mopeds in his garage, along with dirt bikes and his Harley.

There are more mopeds and bicycles out back. At one point he strips down to nearly nothing to sport a bath towel embroidered with the words “Moped King.”

His jean jacket is adorned on the back with the club’s image, Bob Ross— the late painter famous for his instructional TV show—and sports buttons of other moped groups. Club member Gabe Garrison wears his on his leather coat and a black Ross T-shirt.) It’s called the Bob Ross Moped Club because mopeds were big in late-1970s America and Ross, even though his show was on in the ’80s, was so ’70s. They chose it because it’s non-threatening— some clubs have hostile names, but they are more chill.

“People ask, ‘Where do you get these [mopeds]?’ and I say, ‘You don’t. I get them,’” he says.”It’s a club rule. If you see someone on a moped, you chase them down, get their phone number. If they’re not going to join the club, then you try to buy the bike from them.”

This is how David built his six-member ensemble of moped enthusiasts, beginning with Holger Broedel, who races them and spent his youth riding them in his hometown in Germany. The bikes, more common in Europe and other countries, became an American fad during the ’70s because of the poor economy and oil crisis (less than a gallon of gas gives riders up to 80 miles). But they

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October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

BOB ROSS

MOPED CLUB

break down so much that if a potential buyer inquires, David grills them on their knowledge of tools and mechanics before selling. “They need maintenance. The cables break. The carbs get gummed up. The spark plugs fail.”

David owns around 30 mopeds. Garrison owns three and Broedel owns five. Members meet at least once a week, and the club solidarity activities include trips to official moped races where they “camp out, drink whiskey, smoke cigars [and] ride around the track naked.” As a club, they take Strip runs and get ice cream. They’ve ridden to Lake Mead, raced Lamborghinis and blasted past traditional scooters on the road.

Also, David says, “If you’re a moped club guy, it’s pretty much expected that if it breaks down, one of us will come with a truck and pick them up.”

That would even include his porn bike, an Austrian Puch decoupaged with magazine photos and sex phrases, sex-toy handle grips, a pink vagina seat and a nude Tom of Finland doll. Pure sex. Pure comedy. “It’s actually pretty famous, but it’s kind of a white rhino,” David says, straightening the handlebar streamers. “You can’t take it a lot of places.”

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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G

ood luck!” they say. “We’ll never see you again.”

With a wave, we’re off, long gone.

The guy everyone calls the Judge and I are flying through the parking lot, cradled in the low-slung naugahyde bucket seats of his 1963 Austin-Healey convertible. A sharp left, another sharp left and we’re moving uphill so fast it’s shocking. He’d said he would try to exercise self-control when we were approaching his Healey and now I get it.

“I can’t believe the pickup on this,” I say.

“Yeah, look at how fast I got a cute girl in my car,” he replied.

While zipping up and down suburban roads, his one-liners, zingers and elbow jabs are on par with other members of the British Auto Club of Las Vegas. They’re the jovial and highly social group having coffee and doughnuts at a Henderson park on a Saturday morning. Their vintage Austin Healeys, MGs and Triumphs, a Bentley and a 1962 Jaguar named Maria scream of an era dedicated to the spectacularly curvilinear forms of futuristic design and high-end craftsmanship. The cars have been lifted, it seems, directly from the movies—the European race scenes on seaside acreage. These are serious collectibles.

“Anyone can go out and buy a new car,” says Bruce Carpenter, while standing near his 1962 black low-slung Jag. “Or you can have something like this. I took my wife out on our first date in this car. I’ve maintained it for 40 years. It’s never been repainted.

There aren’t too many places where you can get these cars repaired.”

Fortunately, there’s a club for that with a Las Vegas chapter now in its 26th year. Monthly meetings, rallies, shows, competitions and charity events are always accompanied by expertise and shared knowledge. “We have to learn,” says James Oswald, owner of a 1963 duck-egg blue Triumph that he bid for online at $22,000 and an engine that he cleans with a toothbrush. “We want to know how to take care of it.”

BRITISH AUTO CLUB OF LAS VEGAS

Greg Wood Jr.’s 1933 Rolls convertible sedan is an elegant giant—maroon with black cherry fenders and mahogany running boards—that belonged to his dad. The former college professor bought it in 1958, sight unseen, and hired a student to drive it cross-country. “As a kid we rode in it to car shows,” says Wood Jr., who’s responsible for, and devoted to, its upkeep.

Jim Shope is the group’s Austin-Healey savior. The retired aviator has been fixing tractors since he was 8, and began buying old British cars, fixing them up and selling them to students while teaching pilot school in Selma, Alabama. His 1966 Healey is on its third engine and has 400,000 miles on it. He says he knows Austin-Healeys inside and out. “If anything happens to him, there will be eight cars on the market immediately,” says the Judge, whose real name is Mort Zwick.

All of them are at the mercy of their knowledge. If a car breaks down at an event and the owner can’t fix it in 10 minutes, he or she gets “the paddle,” a rotated trophy of misfortune to keep in the car, says David Ogle.

Kunal Mishra is a rare member who doesn’t work on his own Bentley, a right-hand drive 1991 built in England and purchased when he was living in Japan. “For me it’s about the drive and the camaraderie of others.” 7

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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PHOTO BY JAVON ISA AC

TO DO

Thursday 6

Find street eats and more at the Great American Foodie Fest.

Loosen your belt for the Great American Foodie Fest, which features a beer garden and carnival rides in addition to the main-event slate of food trucks and booths. Chow down and enjoy cooking demonstrations, eating competitions and live music in the Sunset Station parking lot today through Sunday starting at 5 p.m. GreatAmericanFoodieFest.com Real interviews were used to produce Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, a documentary theater piece that illustrates the racial, economic and class tensions surrounding the 1992 L.A. riots that followed the Rodney King verdict. Nevada

Conservatory Theatre puts the play on today through Saturday at UNLV, 7:30 p.m. UNLV.edu Haunted casinos and sightings of Elvis’ ghost. … This is the stuff shivers are made of, and it’s the topic of Paul Papa’s talk, “Haunted Las Vegas.” Hear the author speak at 7 p.m. at the Clark County Library’s Jewel Box Theater. LVCCLD.org How about a free drink or two? Hakkasan opens early for Cocktail City, where clubgoers can enjoy complimentary libations from 10-11:30 p.m. and loosen up to sounds by DJ Tigerlily. Don’t forget to RSVP! CocktailCityVegas.com

24/7 What to do around the clock in Las Vegas

By Shannon Miller and Bob Whitby

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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TO DO

Light Up the Night Sky What to bring to RiSE Lantern Festival

By Ally Tatosian

Saturday 8

This weekend, Sunset Park transforms into a medieval village filled with jousting, troubadours, wenches and meaty turkey legs. The Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival, which opens at 10 a.m. today through Sunday, is the perfect way to travel back in time, all while skipping the Black Death and pre-anesthesia dentistry. Win-win. LVRenFair.com

The seventh annual Aki Matsuri Japanese Festival, held from noon-8 p.m. today at the Henderson Events Plaza on Water Street, features Japanese food, drinks, music and entertainment. AkiMatsuriNV.com

Eco-conscious jewelry brand Alex and Ani sets up shop at Velveteen Rabbit this First Friday for Bangles & Beer. Shopping, drinking and dancing start at 5 p.m. VelveteenRabbitLV.com The anticipated The Birth of a Nation hits theaters this week. Sharing its title with the historical (and decidedly racist, by today’s standards) 1915 film, Nate Parker’s flick guarantees a shift from traditional portrayals of slavery and the Civil War.

Hear ye, hear ye! The Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival cometh.

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October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

Summerlin Festival of Arts brings 100 fine artists, live entertainment, activities and delicious Downtown Summerlin eats together for a weekend of shopping and family fun. Enjoy music and browse the art for sale Saturday and Sunday at this kidfriendly outdoor party. Summerlin.com/FestivalOfArts The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada hosts its annual Honorarium at the Cosmopolitan. Enjoy cocktails, a silent auction and delicious bites beginning at 5 p.m. TheCenterLV.org Before he was Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, Tim Allen was an accomplished stand-up comedian. The star of ABC’s long-running Home Improvement and current Last Man Standing sitcoms performs at The Mirage at 10 p.m. Mirage.com The Las Vegas Philharmonic’s Symphonic Spectacular promises classical blockbusters used in American film, television and radio, such as Bizet’s Suite No. 1 from Carmen and Rossini’s Overture to William Tell. Catch the electrifying program tonight at 7:30 p.m., or during a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

TheSmithCenter.com

RiSE Lantern Festival, Oct. 7-8, gates open 3 p.m. (lantern launch 8 p.m.), $59-$129, Moapa River Reservation, RiseFestival.com

AGE OF CHIVALRY BY TOBY ACUNA; RISE FESTIVAL PHOTO COURTESY

Friday 7

A moving experience that happens once a year in the Mojave Desert, RiSE Lantern Festival is all about letting one’s inner self be free.

Around 20,000 people will gather at the Moapa River Reservation October 7-8 to illuminate the night sky with personally decorated paper lanterns, an act that reflects one’s good and bad days over the past months and years.

“When you see your lantern take off, the energy is really special,” says RiSE director of marketing Shandi Kano, speaking of the simultaneous release of the floating lights.

She filled in Vegas Seven on what to bring to “prepare yourself for the experience you want” at the annual event: • Hats, sunscreen and plenty of water.

Before dusk that desert sun is hot!

• Decorations for your lantern! Markers, glitter—you name it. Just remember to clean up your area afterward to keep the Mojave beautiful.

• Comfortable shoes for the mile-long walk from the parking area to the festival gates.

• Blankets, chairs or yoga mats for complete relaxation.

• Money (either cash or card) for the 20plus food trucks that will be on site with nosh and drink options for all ages.

• Friends, family or loved ones to laugh and shed tears of joy with. The memories you make will last a lifetime.

• Good intentions! The organizers of the festival want you and your RiSE group to have the most fulfilling experience possible.

TO DO

Check out some sweet rides at the Lowrider Las Vegas Super Show.

Sunday 9

Monday 10

Get creative with a state park officer during Paint With a Ranger at 10 a.m. at Spring Mountain Ranch. This no-pressure introduction to outdoor painting will provide art supplies and a park rangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tips to make your own masterpiece.

Parks.NV.Gov/Calendar

If you like tennis, make plans to be at Caesars Palace at 6:30 p.m. for the World TeamTennis Smash Hits charity event.

It features greats such as John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova, is hosted by none other than Billie Jean King herself, and proceeds benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. WTT.com

Hundreds of custom cars, motorcycles and bicycles will be gathered for your perusal at the Lowrider Las Vegas Super Show, held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Cashman Center. Also find music and vendors.

LowRider.com

Funny and Family-Friendly

Rita Rudner on her brand of comedy and why she wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you a joke about Snapchat By *HQHYLH 'XUDQR

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Never. I was never interested in it. I never had a clue. I just noticed that there werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too many female comedians, and there were lots and lots of dancers. I just logically figured to try to do something that was in a field that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as crowded. After I started doing it, I realized that [it] is really fun.

I love doing it. I started a whole new life when I was 27. People say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When did you start being funny?â&#x20AC;? I say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was 27.â&#x20AC;? <RX¡YH KDG D YHU\ ORQJ DQG VXFFHVVIXO FDUHHU VR WKDW ZDV D JUHDW FKRLFH

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been good. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to [do] things sometimes that scare you because you develop. I couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a dancer but then I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;After 30 you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become a better dancer. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to go downhill.â&#x20AC;? I was a singer, too. I would listen to people sing on Broadway, and they were fantastic [but] couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get work. I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;These people are so talented.

Why would I ever want to be a singer when people who are miles better than me are unemployed?â&#x20AC;? I looked at actresses and I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take my clothes off and cry in public. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ridiculous.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to do that. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that.â&#x20AC;? I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only thing thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left for me is comedy.â&#x20AC;?

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The women have become much more aggressive in their comedy. I really admire Amy Schumer because she is who she is. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an honest representation of her life and what sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going through. &RPHGLDQV DUH WKH JUHDW WUXWK WHOOHUV RI RXU FXOWXUH IRU VXUH

I appeal to the demographic I appeal to because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a different style person. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a mother and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in a marriage. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I have to talk about. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not a comedian for people under 30 unless theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a committed relationship. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get anything about Tinder or whatever the dating apps are. There are things I really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been married for 28 years. I have to do comedy from being a parent and being part of a partnership in a marriage. â&#x20AC;Ś Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I concentrate on. Luckily that can appeal to most people.

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As long as I stick with things I know about and [have] experienced, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m good. If I start talking about dating and what else is going on out there with social media and Snapchat, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to be authentic because I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it. 7

Rita Rudner 5HG 5RFN 5HVRUW¡V Rocks Lounge, Oct. 14-15, 8 p.m., $45, 702-797-7130, StationCasinosEvents.com

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A

t this point in her career, Rita Rudner owns this town as far as stand-up comedy goes. With more than 2,000 performances under her belt, the comedian, who first hit Las Vegas stages 12 years ago, has made millions laugh with her self-deprecating humor that touches on topics such as marriage, motherhood and the benefits of getting older. She recently spoke with Vegas Seven about creating authentic comedy in the age of social media.

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TO DO

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Tuesday 11 Do you enjoy wholesome, healthy food?

Meet like-minded people at 11:30 a.m. during Real Meal Meetup at Violetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vegan Organic Eatery and Juice Bar. Introduce yourself, network and hear short keynote speeches over a delicious meal.

ViolettesVegan.com

Toho, the Japanese film company that created one of the most iconic monsters of all time, presents a limited screening of Godzilla Resurgence (Shin Gojira) at 7 p.m. at Regal Colonnade. With overall good reviews (88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), this modern interpretation shows promise for even the pickiest of monster-movie fans.

Wednesday 12 Returning to his House of Blues residency, Billy Idol will revisit old hits and shred recent material at 7 p.m. Rock out to your favorites, even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just â&#x20AC;Ś dancing with yourself. HouseOfBlues.com/LasVegas 7

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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By Charlie Starling

Photography Robert John Kley

FROM PREVIOUS COLUMNS, you all might have guessed that I have a sweet tooth. With that in mind, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m here to share my excitement for October 11, when Absintheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Melody Sweets will temporarily shed her Green Fairy wings to take over Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center with her new production, The Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spot.

Melody, doubtless one of the hardest-working women on the Strip, is bringing the sugary cabaret flavor of her previous show, The Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shop, which she produced and headlined at Duane Park, named New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Classiest Burlesque Jointâ&#x20AC;? by Time Out in 2012. Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shop was wildly successful before Melody left the Big Apple to join Absinthe in Las Vegas.

Those who have seen Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s late-night, one-off shows in the Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace likely would expect to see the best and wildest in showbiz, as she flies in cabaret royalty from all over the world for these productions. But with The Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spot, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branching away from the Caesars show to bring old-school New York supper-club class to Sin City with burlesque, variety and vaudevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and this time the show will exclusively feature Vegas-based performers.

Expect to see local burlesque queens Ms. Redd, Kalani Kokonuts, Buttercup, and my Showgirl Shackmate and Sista-From-Anotha-Mista Kitschy Koo as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glamour Kitten.â&#x20AC;? The show will also feature comedy magician Mac Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but please note that while there almost certainly will be plaid involved, no goldfish will be eaten during this performance.

This show is especially exciting for Melody and her musical director, Emmy-nominated Lon Bronson, as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be debuting a smattering of tracks from Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming album, which is currently in production

at Downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11th Street Records. The record, which is expected to be released in spring, is a big-band celebration of Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite things: sex, drugs, rock â&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll and â&#x20AC;Ś CANDY. Expect big horn sections playing fun-as-hell covers of rock anthems, as well as some original songs (which Melody hopes folks will love to strip to).

Personally, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anything to worry about on that count! Songs from Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut album, Burlesque in the Black, are already staples among the burlesque and drag communities (check out a performance

by RuPaulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drag Race star Violet Chachki on YouTube). Also, in my kitchen around Christmas last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;just after the release of Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa, Maybeâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;my cat, dog and neighbors got quite a show one day ...

The first single slated to be released from Melodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new album, a cover of Alice Cooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is It My Body,â&#x20AC;? will debut at The Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spot, as well as a song called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sugar Daddy,â&#x20AC;? which, according to Melody, was written by Charlie Midnight, who wrote the second track featured in the movie Burlesque starring Cher and Christina Aguilera. Very exciting stuff!

So from a newly healthy me, I hope you all have a great week, and from Melody Sweets: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see you at The Sweetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spot!â&#x20AC;?

Tickets to the show are now available (but going fast) at TheSmithCenter.com.

And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to follow Melody on Instagram @melodysweetsofficial for updates on what will hopefully become a regular event at The Smith Center (plus boobs, shoes and sparkle). 7

See Charlie Starling in Absinthe, twice nightly in the Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wed-Sun. Visit AbsintheVegas.com for tickets. Follow her on Twitter: @charlistarling

THE MOST FABULOUS THING

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A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR

BILLY IDOL BY FILIPE B. VAREL A

Think UNLV students are apolitical?

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be wrong. As proof, we offer Please Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Like to Grow: 60 Years of Student Activism, an exhibit at Lied Library on display through December 31. Rebel Yell articles, posters, T-shirts, signs and other artifacts from student-led activism for racial, social and political issues speaks to a passionate student body. UNLV.edu

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It’s a

Dubrow’s World Do you and Terry watch yourselves on television? Terry will watch himself on a loop [laughs]. I don’t love watching myself, but for RHOC, you have to, because you have to write a blog and see what everyone’s saying.

‘Podcast host’ is just one of this Real Housewives of Orange County star’s fabulous hats

What’s that like? You know, sometimes it’s hard. Someone told me once you’ll like 80 percent and hate 20 percent. I think that’s pretty accurate.

By Camille Cannon

What do you still want to accomplish?

D

on’t judge Heather Dubrow by the “Press for Champagne” button she had built into her closet—she’s earned it. The actress and Real Housewives of Orange County cast member has been juggling reality television, her podcast Heather Dubrow’s World, hosting the Post-Op after-show for E!’s phenom Botched, penning a new antiaging book co-written with her husband Dr. Terry Dubrow and managing the couple’s Consult Beaute skin-care line—all while raising four children. Dubrow recently called us from inside that cushy closet to fill us in on all of the above, in advance of her live podcast taping at House of Blues on October 13.

Why did you decide to start a podcast? I realized that being on RHOC [Real

Housewives of Orange County] is great, but the algorithm is that for every 30 hours you film, only 20 minutes make it [to the screen]. You can imagine how much of our lives, or how much of me, you’re not really seeing. My podcast became a way for me to talk to the audience in a more unfiltered, raw, real way. That is just so exciting to me. And then we decided to do a live show!

When we record the podcast, it’s not live, so it’s hard to take calls. I love interacting with the audience at the live shows. [In Las Vegas], my lovely assistant, Natalie [Puche], will be there. And the fabulous Terry Dubrow is gonna be there.

I always thought that I knew what I wanted to do. It all changed when I had my kids and started reality television. It’s been weirdly enjoyable to loosen my control-freak nature and just go with it. I never thought I’d do a podcast, I never thought I’d be doing a live tour. I’m kind of interested to see what happens next. I say yes to a lot of different things because they’re new and they’re interesting and that’s what life’s about—just trying new things. I have no idea where I’m going, but I’m enjoying going there. 7

How do you and Terry manage it all? I tend to [work] while my kids are at

school. I still have to travel sometimes. It’s not easy. As parents, we just feel guilty. Even when I’m around 100 percent of the time, I still feel like I’m not serving someone appropriately. But after a few years, I have found a good balance—[it’s] not always perfect, of course—but [it’s] a good balance, because taking care of my family is my No. 1 priority. And working and doing things that [are] creative is important to make me feel like a whole person. I want the kids to see that that’s important, too. When Terry took on Botched by Nature, he had to start traveling and working on the weekends. It was a really difficult time because we want to support him and he was so happy with what he was doing, but then [he realized] he was missing his kids. He’s still working on it, but doing so much better.

What did you learn in the research process of your book, Dr. and Mrs. Guinea Pig Present: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need to the Best Anti-Aging Treatments? There [are] a lot of lotions and potions and treatments that prom-

PREVIEW

+HDWKHU 'XEURZ·V :RUOG Live Podcast Recording House of Blues, Oct. 13, 7 p.m., $36, 702-6327600, HouseOfBlues.com/ LasVegas

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PHOTO BY JOE SCARNIC/BRAVO

ise so much—[they] overpromise and underdeliver. But there’s also a lot of really great stuff out there. One of the fails that you saw on RHOC was the leech therapy. We bled out for days and had bite marks for like six months afterward. And just to get a facial? I didn’t think it was worth it. But I loved Sculptra [Aesthetic].

It’s something you inject, but it’s not a filler. It was created for AIDS patients who lose a lot of fat. You inject it, and it regrows your own collagen.

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TASTE

ONE SIP

Downtown Brew Festival Nothing signals the arrival of fall in the Valley quite like beer fest season!

On October 22, join the Motley Brews crew for the fifth annual Downtown Brew Festival (5-9 p.m., Clark County Amphitheater, DowntownBrewFestival.com). This tasting in the round winds its way through 200 craft brews from more than 60 local, regional, national and international breweries, including newcomers from Las Vegas (Lovelady Brewing Co. and Able Baker Brewing Co.) and Reno (Record Street Brewing Co.).

All guests will enjoy live entertainment and food-truck fare while VIP ticket holders can tuck into catered cuisine and specialty pours. A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit Goodie Two Shoes Foundation and Nevada Craft Brewers Association. General admission $40; 4 p.m. early entry $50; early entry VIP $75; prices increase at the door.

Find more beer-centric events here: VegasSeven.com/FallBeerGuide

By Xania Woodman Photography Fred Morledge

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TASTE

ONE BITE

Pasta in a Jar

Chef Antonio Minichiello at Veranda (in Four Seasons, 702-632-5121, FourSeasons.com/LasVegas) describes his food as modern Italian, but one of his house-made favorites was inspired by his early days in Naples.

La Pasta Cotta nel Vaso—meaning “pasta cooked in a jar”—arrives at the table in a jar containing artichoke noodles, scallops, calamari, shrimp, tomatoes, cacciucco sauce (fish stew) and sweet basil. This dish is a tribute to the Minichiello family’s tradition of making pasta sauce from scratch and storing it for future use. Young Antonio’s job was to carefully place the fresh basil on top of the sauce, just before sealing the jar.

–Marisa Finetti

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SECTION

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September 29 - October 5 , 2016 vegasseven.com

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T

By Al Mancini

Photography Krystal Ramirez

here’s no shame in admitting it: Exploring a new ethnic cuisine can be daunting, no matter how open-minded you are. This can be true whether you’re negotiating food stalls on the busy streets of a foreign country or just checking out a local strip mall spot where you’re clearly out of your element. Learning to negotiate unwieldy menus, unfamiliar ingredients and unusual cooking styles is, at the very least, time-consuming and, for some timid diners, downright frightening. But the rewards for being adventurous can be delicious.

Not So New Chinatown newcomer Chubby Cattle faces this challenge, despite having a beautiful dining room, cool concept and delicious Chinese hot-pot cuisine. It would be optimistic to promise your first visit won’t be at least a little confusing. But those who embrace the education may soon add a new restaurant to their list of favorites. If you’ve ever eaten fondue or shabu shabu, you’re already familiar with the concept behind hot-pot dining. A cauldron of broth is kept at a high temperature by a heating element built into your table, and it is into this that you will drop various raw proteins, vegetables and other ingredients. The cooking and eating parts are simple. Deciding what to order, or even where to sit, is a bit more complicated.

First Things First Your first decision at Chubby Cattle will be whether to sit at a table and have everything delivered by a waiter or sit in front of the conveyor belt, which snakes its way through the main dining room. If you’re a newbie, go with the table.

While reaching out and grabbing ingredients from the belt is cool, it requires you to recognize items that sometimes look suspiciously alike during the few seconds they pass in front of you within a sometimes-foggy refrigerated plastic tunnel.

And even here, certain items still need to be ordered from the waitstaff. Eating at a table, where you can consult your server for every decision, removes some of the pressure and sometimes provides for more options.

Once seated, you have to choose a broth. Everything you order will be cooked in this and absorb its flavor, so take your time with the decision. Do you want it wickedly spicy, based on a seafood stock or bubbling with mushrooms? At the conveyor, you can order one or sometimes two different broths, while the larger heaters at the tables accommodate up to three per party. Be sure to get a variety.

The next task is picking a dipping sauce. At the conveyor, there are limited choices, and you pay for each. Sit at the tables, however, and you can create your own from a station stocked with chopped garlic, peanut powder, oyster sauce and other liquids, powders and spices in various forms—all free of charge. Or you can just ask your server to put together a couple for your party based on what you’re eating.

Into the Pot The biggest decisions involve what goes into the broth. There are 10 different cuts and combinations of beef, lamb, chicken and pork on the menu, including tongue, tripe and tendon. You’ll find an even greater selection and even more exotic options among the seafood, which ranges from fish filets and crab sticks to geoduck and miniature cuttlefish. Things get even more confusing as you make your way through an assortment of meatballs, both familiar and unusual vegetables, 10 styles of noodles, eight presentations of tofu and five varieties of mushrooms. On top of all of this, you can supplement your meal with a nice selection of grilled skewers, lamb chops and other side dishes.

The only problem with this embarrassment of a la carte riches is that it’s almost impossible to judge how much to order or whether your selections are missing anything that might be deemed fundamental to a hot-pot meal. Chubby Cattle would be well served in offering assorted combination plates to eliminate some of the guesswork for beginners. Until they do, your best bet is to work closely with your server, proceed slowly and do not be afraid to ask questions.

After a few visits you’ll likely get the hang of ordering, and be able to put together exactly the meal you like.

Once you do that, it might be time to start sitting at the conveyor belt—if for no other reason than just to keep things interesting. 7

Scene & Herd

How to Navigate Chinatown’s Chubby Cattle

CHUBBY CATTLE 3400 South Jones Blvd., 702-868-8808, ChubbyCattle.com. Open nightly for dinner 5 p.m.-midnight. Dinner for two, $40-$125.

Not To Be Missed Assorted mushroom pot ($4), beef and lamb combo ($17) and grilled shrimp skewers ($3).

A Sip To Go With Fresh watermelon juice ($5).

Pictured (opposite page) Assorted mushrooms; watermelon juice; wagyu beef; trio of house special, spicy and mushroom broths; beef and lamb combo; and grilled shrimp skewers. (This page) oysters; conveyor belt of options; and a chef preparing freshly sliced meats.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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VIVA LAS VEGANS

TASTE

By Diana Edelman

Photography Cierra Pedro

Where to Find the Freshest

PLANT-BASED EATS in Henderson and Downtown

HENDERSONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEWEST BURGER SPOT, Burger Joint (10890 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 108, 702-818-5996, BurgerJointLV.com), was established by â&#x20AC;&#x153;two dudes who wanted a place where the burger was king and the beer was cold.â&#x20AC;? This also marks the union of longtime Strip executive chef Jose Navarro and Damian Altamirano, who has spent more than 14 years under the guidance of Jean-Marie Josselin of 808 fame. The burger and craft beerâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;focused menu offers a selection of vegan bar eats, including cauliflower â&#x20AC;&#x153;wingsâ&#x20AC;? that are flash-fried and tossed in Buffalo sauce, fried pickles served with bean hummus, handcut fries and truffle fries topped with freshly grated truffles and served with black truffle ketchup, as well as sweet potato tots. Of course, Burger Joint also offers a vegan burgerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a roasted portobello topped with slow-roasted tomatoes, caramelized onion, avocado and a fennel escabeche tucked between a black-sesame seed bun.

Downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vegan hub VegeNation (616 Carson Ave., Suite 120, 702-366-8515, VegeNationLV.com) has added even more meatfree eats to its menu. Chef Donald Lemperle recently updated the offerings to include Buffalo cauliflower â&#x20AC;&#x153;wingsâ&#x20AC;? (clearly a trend), eggplant stacks with layers of house-made â&#x20AC;&#x153;cheese,â&#x20AC;? massaman curry and two new desserts: a massive bread pudding topped with organic seasonal fruit and a house-made tiramisu. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all. VegeNation also updated its cocktail menu with a Moscow Mule made with Las Vegas Distillery Vodka and a Moonshine Mojito with Las Vegas Distillery Moonshine and organic mint.

Finally, get ready to celebrate Halloween â&#x20AC;Ś vegan style.

There are two major Halloween events taking place, both of which give back to the animals we all love. First, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Halloveegan Party from 5-9 p.m. on October 22. The bonfire event features fire-roasted vegan hot dogs and sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;mores, desserts from Bronze Cafe and Heather Foods, plus cuddles with rescued farm animals. Tickets benefit ONE Family Animal Sanctuary and must be purchased in advance. ($26.62 adults, $16.37 kids under 8, OneFamilyLV.org).

On October 24, head over to the Tommy Wind Theater (3765 S. Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-895-9787, CWInt.org/Tricks-Treats-Vegan-Eats) for Tricks, Treats & Vegan Eats from 6-10:30 p.m. The event includes magic from Tommy Wind, the Amazing Steve and SnakeBabe Maria and Murray SawChuck, as well as a set from DJ Morpheus Blak.

Tickets start at $42 and benefit Compassion Works International and Vegas VegFest, and include a meal from either GFY (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good For Youâ&#x20AC;?)

Burgers & Fries or Garden Grill. 7

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SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Insta-Gratification Follow this account right now

@johnnylace With striking images of the infamous skyline and beautiful desert sunsets, local photographer Johnny Lace effortlessly captures the unadulterated beauty of Las Vegas. His exceptional vision has made him one of Time magazine’s “Instagram Photographers to Follow in All 50 States.” “I love turning my emotion and imagination (in)to a photo,” Lace writes on his Facebook page.

To fall in love with the beauty of the city all over again, follow him at @johnnylace. 16.8K followers.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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SOCIAL INFLUENCE

STREET STYLE MOTOPEDS MAY BE THE BEST NEW FORM OF TRANSPORTATION

By -HVVLH 2·%ULHQ Photography .U\VWDO 5DPLUH]

MAIN STREET MOTO is teeming with

speed from hundreds of sport and vintage bikes to shiny, high-end exclusive motorcycles such as the 2016 retro-style ZERO Engineering Type 5. Front and center in the shop are three skinny and stylish Motoped mopeds. “It’s about the same horsepower as my legs, I think,” says a customer and friend looking at the mopeds. “Yeah, but you’re a pro [motocross] race guy,” says shop co-owner Tara Pierce. “If you are expecting it to operate like a motorcycle, you’ve got the wrong idea,” she says. “If you think of it like a bicycle on steroids, then all of a sudden, it becomes a lot more fun.”

The Motopeds come in three distinct designs: the traditional dirt bike-style Pro, the beautiful vintage-style Curzer with a brush-metal tank and wood features, and the all-black Mad Max utilitarian Survival. The 130-pound, electric-start, automatic “hybrid machines” get 100 miles to the gallon and go about the same speed as scooters (around 24 to 30 miles per hour). Pierce says they’re for anyone, from those with zero riding experience to the Harley guys.

The mopeds have advantages dirt bikes and regular bicycles do not. Because of the smaller engine (49ccs), they don’t require a motorcycle license, but they are still street-legal. And due to the light weight, extra power and similarities to an extreme downhill mountain bike, they can go places where pedaling alone won’t cut it. If more power is a must, Main Street Moto can customize the bikes, like the 125cc Pro the owner will use to climb Northern Nevada trails. Prices start at $2,999.

831 S. Main St., LasVegasDyno.com

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SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Badass Biker Babes FOR DECADES, FILMMAKERS (AND AUDIENCES) HAVE BEEN INTRIGUED BY WILD WOMEN ON WHEELS

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

A

guy on a motorcycle may be tough, but a woman on a bike is purely badass. It may not be the most prevalent image of a rider, but it’s one that’s appealed to filmmakers—and audiences—for decades.

The ’60s were the golden age of biker movies, which saw the release of instant classic Easy Rider. Women played a role, but it was usually as pickups or mamas.

But not always: Bury Me an Angel (1972) was the tale of one woman and her chopper standing up against the Hells Angels who murdered her brother—or, as the poster tagline so eloquently put it, “humping a hot steel hog on a roaring rampage of revenge.” Half a world away (literally) from Bury’s tough-as-nails bouffanted California girl is Marianne Faithfull in The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968).

The British actress plays a bored French housewife who zips on a fur-lined leather catsuit and mounts her Triumph, all in search of continental thrills. She gets Alain Delon murmuring nonsense like, “Your body is like a beautiful violin in a velvet case.” Cheesy as hell, but it’s beautiful people in a beautiful setting—and you can’t beat that sweet ride.

Recently deceased schlockmaster Herschell Gordon Lewis may be best known for girls getting creatively knocked off in bargain-basement horror flicks, but his She-Devils on Wheels (1968) puts the ladies on top as Florida’s fiercest biker gang, the Maneaters. It opens with the women racing each other for the right of first pick from the “stud line,” and only gets wilder and white-trashier from there, as the ladies tangle with their rival gang. It’s girls against boys and rebels against society. Guess who wins?

Darktown Strutters (1975) takes the female biker gang and drops it into a milieu best described as blaxploitation surrealism. Trina Parks—unforgettable as “Thumper” in Diamonds Are Forever—leads her crew through Watts in search of her missing mother. The ladies dress in outrageous P-Funk/Labelle pre-disco psychedelia and ride customized choppers, while the villains are a wannabe Colonel Sanders and his cronies in pig costumes and pink KKK sheets. It’s a film of odd jokes and flashy visuals, grounded by Parks’ glamorous unflappability.

From gritty B-movies like Angels’ Wild Women to big-budget camp like Barb Wire, the biker girl never goes out of style. 7

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By David G. Schwartz

Game On CASINO INDUSTRY MAKES A BID FOR MILLENNIAL ATTENTION he Global Gaming Expo, which was held last week at the Sands Expo Center, is always a chance to peer into the soul of the casino gaming industry. The hopes and anxieties of casino operators and those who supply them are seen on the exhibition floor, reflected in the new products on display.

Some subtext of the 2016 show (if you haven’t been keeping up on recent gaming developments) is that the streak of expansion that drove the industry from the late 1980s is largely over; there are few jurisdictions without gambling that look to adopt it anytime soon.

While there is some growth in national gaming win, many states have seen flat or even declining results.

The once-future of casinos, Asia, has proven to be not such a sure thing, with the Chinese antigraft crackdown throttling back once-soaring baccarat play in Macau and even Las Vegas. Since the recession, gaming win in Las Vegas (and elsewhere) has not bounced back, and there are pervasive fears that millennials will cut slot machines just as they’ve dropped live television.

In conference panels and keynote sessions, openness to change dominated, with the American Gaming Association’s current drive to broaden legal sports wagering prominently featured. On the floor, however, the focus was on hardware: thousands of new slot machines, table games and the systems that run them available for the perusal of those who buy them.

In general, “traditional” video reel slots got bigger, flashier, louder and more immersive, continuing the trend of greater stimulation. But that’s not the most significant change.

Walking the exhibition floor, one striking fact is that slot machines are getting taller, with more immersive interfaces. This is part of a half-century of game evolution. Players leaned into and looked down at old-style (pre-1970s) mechanical Mills and Jennings one-armed bandits. Slot stools brought the player down to eye level with most machines before bonus screens started pushing the height up. The latest games tower as high as 11 feet, physically dominating the player.

That’s a subtle but telling evolution. We are used to looking down at our phones and tablets and looking level at our PC monitors. We look up to movie and TV screens, but at a distance. While the feeling of being dominated by a machine may appeal to some, others may find it vaguely off-putting, and drift back to a

T

friendly, unthreatening bar-top video poker game.

Skill-based games were well in evidence, as they have been for three years, but with rollout to casino floors imminent (most think it will happen by early next year at the latest in Nevada) and the continuing angst over millennial nongaming, they were much more the center of attention. There was a palpable sense that this year, these games will finally make a difference.

In essence, where traditional slots are evolving to envelope players more fully in the gambling experience, skill games are taking nongambling entertainment and adding gambling to it. Both large suppliers such as IGT, Scientific Games and Konami, and skill-centric upstarts such as Gamblit Gaming and GameCo Inc. showed off their latest skill-based offerings, ranging from gambling-enhanced adaptations of video and social games to full-on virtual reality entertainment.

Gamblit’s adaptation of Phosphor Games’ virtual reality first-person shooter The Brookhaven Experiment best shows the promise of VR. The player enters a large glass cube, is outfitted with goggles, headphones and hand controllers, and then blasts away at an array of zombies. It is completely immersive; you only see the game. It’s rendered in frighteningly realistic 3-D, and zombies come at you from all angles.

Betting on your performance in a virtual reality simulation of a zombie attack is as far from video poker as video poker is from shooting dice in an alley. It’s one solution to the alleged diminished appeal of gambling to millennials, but, as with any innovation, it is a leap into the unknown. Will those under 30 start flocking to play games in a casino that they are now playing (mostly for free) just because they have the chance to win or lose money on them? If you conclusively knew the answer to that, you could make—or save—a lot of money for someone.

So there were two, not necessarily exclusive, answers to the anxieties afflicting casino operators on display at G2E. One or both of them may turn the key to millennial gambling; this should be the year (at last) that we start to learn the answer.

And, hey, if neither avenue leads millennials to casino gambling en masse, well, there’s always next year. 7 David G. Schwartz is the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.

Skill-based games were well in evidence [at the Global Gaming Expo]. … There was a palpable sense that this year, these games will finally make a difference.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

By Soni Brown Lacking continuous and sufficient access to water is detrimental to women and children around the world, who sometimes walk three miles a day to collect this most basic need. Carrying heavy buckets on their heads leaves them with spine and neck injuries. It is a system that leaves many communities stuck in poverty and suffering from illness.

One Drop, a charity created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, invites the community to participate in its fifth annual Walk for Water event on Saturday, October 15, at 9 a.m. Participants are encouraged to carry weighted buckets during the walk in order to experience what amounts to a life-sustaining, daily chore for women and children worldwide.

“For communities to pull themselves out of poverty, they have to have water,” says Pien Koopman, communications manager for One Drop.

“Instead of collecting water, women can become much more productive.

They can start a business

or grow a garden.”

The walk starts at Symphony Park at The Smith Center and ends at Springs Preserve.

Participants will enjoy complimentary food and refreshments, live entertainment and raffle prizes. Individuals and teams who carry the most weight win raffle prizes at the end of the day.

To add to the fun, One Drop has enlisted Las Vegas’ Jay R Beatbox. The beatboxer and community activist, who took part in the Ideas series at Life Is Beautiful on September 24, will serve as the emcee. Local acts such as Prodigy Dance Crew and Bishop Gorman Percussion Program will also perform.

“I hope others will join us as we host this amazing event,” Beatbox says.

One Drop aims to raise $50,000 to help with developing sustainable water access programs and promote the Springs Preserve education and conservation programs. 7 Interested walkers and teams can register online at OneDrop.org.

DO GOOD

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CONVERSATIONS

Comedic Crusader Margaret Cho drops in to play the Chelsea and gets an LGBT advocacy award

“I’M NOT SURE WHAT AN HONORARIUM IS, but I’m excited to get one,” laughs Margaret Cho. The comedian is being honored by The Center as its Qmmunity Advocate of the Year at the LGBT organization’s annual gala—and following it up immediately with a comedy set at the Chelsea. That sort of multitasking isn’t new to Cho, who started performing stand-up more than two decades ago. Since then she also has worked as an actress, author, singer, fashion designer, dancer—and yes, she even turned up on Dancing with the Stars.

Cho has also been an advocate for LGBT and women’s rights, using the no-bullshit brashness that characterizes her comedy to speak out for others. She’s encouraged by recent progress, but with reservations. “There’s still far to go, but it’s going in the right direction. I’m really proud of the Supreme Court decision about marriage equality, and going forward from there,” she says. “But then you go backward with the bathroom laws for trans people in North Carolina. So it’s about combatting inequality constantly.”

“I’d love to be doing stand-up comedy for my entire life. I started young because I wanted to be in it. It was a profession that I had admired from afar when I was a kid.”

As she’s gone from working at coffeehouses to casino showrooms, comedy has changed, especially with the explosion of the internet. “There [are] so many ways to connect with people, whether it’s Twitter or videos or some kind of blogging or whatever,” she says. “There [are] all these different kinds of media for comics to reach a person online.”

Her next project will take her back to the sitcom: “I’m developing a show called Highland, which is a comedy about Korean-Americans in the medical marijuana industry. They’re making a lot of money really quickly—it’s like a big gold rush. … It’s the natural progression of Koreans owning liquor stores—of course after that, they would go into the pot business,” she explains. Coincidentally or not, Cho is also one of an increasing number of celebrities who have been honored with a namesake marijuana strain: Margaret Cho-G. “It was a surprise,” she says, noting that she wasn’t involved in the development of the hybrid strain, but will have a hand in future horticulture. “I have a couple strains that are in development, being worked on in Colorado. I don’t exactly know what the properties are or what they would be. I don’t really smoke pot—it’s a really cool industry, though.”

Like most comics, Cho has performed many times in Vegas over the years, but it’s more than the work that keeps her coming back. “I love it for the history,” she says.

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Photography Dusti Cunningham

“When people would perform at the Sands. The casinos and the glamour, it’s a very 1950s, 1960s thing. People would do the big variety shows.” She wouldn’t mind doing a similar style of show herself—she probably came closest cohosting the Miss Exotic World burlesque competition here in Vegas with El Vez in 2006. “I’d love to have dancers.

I’d love a big production with movable sets.” Given the many intriguing turns that Margaret Cho’s career has taken, from stand-up to sitcom star to advocate for social change, it seems totally reasonable. 7

Margaret Cho The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan, Oct. 8, 9 p.m., $35-$75, 702-698-7000, CosmopolitanLasVegas.com

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

51

CONVERSATIONS

By Al Mancini Photography Andrew Sea James

Smoke ’Em Up Black Tiger co-founders Gene Samuel and Samuel Harris

C

Las Vegas’ Black Tiger barbecue collective is on the cusp of turning pro

an a bunch of local amateurs barbecue like the pros? Las Vegas barbecue and soul food cooking collective Black Tiger think they can do it even better.

And that’s what the group of friends set out to prove on a recent Saturday afternoon in North Las Vegas’ Craig Ranch Regional Park.

Black Tiger was among more than 31 teams competing at the annual Pigs for the Kids barbecue competition, which in addition to serving as a proving ground for pit masters, had the added attraction of raising money for three childhood cancer charities.

Black Tiger consists of Gene Samuel, Samuel Harris, John Markley, Michael Carpenter and Mathew Bessette, with day jobs as a bartender, an educator for people with autism, a retired military aircraft mechanic, a human resources professional and another bartender, respectively. In their spare time, they get together to prepare barbecue and other Southern cuisine.

Samuel and Harris first crossed paths at the Town Square barbecue restaurant Pot Liquor, where Samuel was a partner and Harris cooked. But they didn’t socialize at the time. Later, while Samuel was tending bar at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill and Harris was cooking at a different restaurant, they connected through their shared passion for MMA fighting and training, and bonded over their love of food. But Black Tiger was born when Samuel, who hails from Kansas City and says “barbecue is in my blood,” received a phone call asking him to participate in the 2015 Pigs for the Kids. He was reluctant at first, but when he found out Pot Liquor was in the mix, he decided to enter with one goal in mind: to outperform his former company. Harris was his first recruit.

“For me, that was a rivalry,” Samuel says. “But I didn’t even know how much of a rivalry it was for Sam. Our whole goal in entering the competition last year was to beat that team.”

To achieve that goal, Samuel assembled a crew that also included Carpenter and Harris’ father. The

four of them hit the park for an overnight cooking session armed with only their rivalry, their pigs, five smokers and a bucket of Moscow Mules.

They were a hit, finishing ninth overall and fifth in the pork shoulder category—and ahead of Pot Liquor, Samuel brags, in all of the categories.

Markley, who knew Samuel from his time hanging out at Gordon Ramsay Pub, officially joined the team in February for another cancer research fundraiser, the Beast Feast, on Super Bowl Sunday at the Sand Dollar Lounge. “At that point I was hooked,” Markley says. “The camaraderie among us, the product we put out, and the smiling faces we saw after they came back for seconds, thirds and fourths put a different feeling in my heart.”

Since then, the team has secured a professional smoker through a crowdfunding campaign aimed at the local service industry and a Labor Day pop-up at Herbs & Rye. And thanks to event promoter Jolene Mannina, Black Tiger will serve ribs and sliders at First Friday in November. They’re also expanding their soul food repertoire, most recently adding house-made sausages to the mix.

All of this is apparently helping them to hone their skills. Because at this year’s Pigs for the Kids, just one year after their debut appearance as a team, Black Tiger finished fourth in the ribs category and 10th overall. And the team soon hopes to make the jump from hobbyists to pros. They’re already looking into the logistics of a brick-andmortar restaurant.

Samuel says that in addition to creating great food, they have one other goal. “We want to give proceeds every month from what we make to local charities,” Samuel pledges. “Because ever since I’ve had kids—and [with my teammates] being a grandfather, working with autistic kids and being a veteran—I want to make sure that I can change the world.

And I know that I have to give back to my community because it starts here.” 7 Until Black Tiger finds itself a permanent dining room, ’cue lovers can keep up with the group at TigerSmoke.com.

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

53

CONVERSATIONS

The United States has banned or restricted only 11 chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation, reproductive harm or birth defects, while our neighbors in the European Union have outlawed 1,328 as of 2013.

A Fresh Start Ira Green goes from ÄUHUJPHS ÄYT V^ULY [V JYLH[PUN HU HSS UH[\YHS KLVKVYHU[ SPUL

By Jessi C. Acuña Photography Andrew Sea James

54

October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

Most entrepreneurial ventures are born of necessity. Sometimes they aim to fill a void in the market or they manifest out of inspiration, finding a better way than what’s been done before. For Ira Green, owner of Free Brands Inc. personal care company, it was a little bit of both.

Having three friends diagnosed with breast cancer within a year and a half of each other sounded the alarm. “What I realized was that you get to an age people are getting married, divorced,” she says. “People are having kids, but then they’re getting sick. I don’t remember my friends’ moms getting sick.”

Her friends’ ages ranged from 34 to 42 years old at the time of detection.

Being a parent of three daughters, Green did not like what she was seeing, and this became a catalyst in her work.

Despite pursuing different courses of treatment, these three women agreed on one change: a switch to natural bodycare products, specifically antiperspirants and deodorants.

While the science is still out regarding a direct link between chemicals in cosmetics and breast cancer, it’s no secret that America isn’t exactly making strides in its research. The United States has banned or restricted only 11 chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation, reproductive harm or birth defects, while our neighbors in the European Union have outlawed 1,328 as of 2013. Green was no longer willing to take the risk.

“What people don’t realize is that antiperspirant is actually considered a drug by the FDA, so we as women shave our armpits, make it nice and clean, open up those pores and put a drug right in there,” Green says. The rate of breast cancer is currently one in eight women—an increase since her mother’s time. Green acknowledges that it is probably linked to several factors, but she feels adamant that changing habits makes a difference.

This is why she went from owning her own financial planning firm to diving into the trenches of the beauty industry. After a “stinky year and a half” searching for a natural deodorant that actually worked and didn’t reek of patchouli, she came across a friend

who was making it herself at home.

This led Green to tinker with her own version, which she eventually shared with friends, who then passed it on to their friends. The positive response gave Green the encouragement to sell the product.

Freedom Stick deodorant officially launched in May and is available online at Amazon and in-house at Saj Natural Beauty in Downtown Summerlin, SkinBar in Henderson, Dr. Julio Garcia’s medical clinic and Four Seasons Las Vegas’ spa. Not only is Green passionate about her line of natural deodorant— she’s constantly testing out essential oils and other natural ingredients to perfect the product—she’s just as zealous educating people about the benefits of going toxin-free. “Women, the thing we don’t realize is our breasts are waste dumps for our whole body, so when we use antiperspirant and we clog everything up, it’s got to go somewhere,” she says.

Living a health-conscious life isn’t exactly new for Green. She grew up in the Ukraine before her family relocated—“I’m Jewish, and being Jewish in the Ukraine at the time was not the most popular thing to be”—to Italy and eventually settled in Seattle, all destinations that led to an organic way of living. “If I got sick, my mom made chicken soup.

Pink eye? It was hot tea bags. We didn’t eat anything out of boxes.”

This is the way of life she continues to champion. With all three friends now healthy and cancer-free, Green is more motivated than ever. She has plans to expand the line to other products, and dreams of eventually manufacturing locally. “I would love for us to have a little place Downtown so that we could say we made it here. Deodorants from the desert? If it works here, it works everywhere.” FreedomStickDeodorant.com 7

ASK A NATIVE

CONVERSATIONS

By James P. Reza

How much should I tip on a comp?

W

hat is this, 1979?

I half expect Dan Tanna to roar up to a daylit porte cochère in his Thunderbird.

It was once upon a time, a long Vega$ ago, that “comps”—the province of pit bosses and the gimmes of gamblers— were the underground currency of the casino. Handwritten on a small notepad emblazoned with the casino logo, comps were issued subjectively by human hands. They were used to ease the losing streak, to keep players on property and to encourage continued “action.” Small bettor? Here ya go, buddy—steaks and eggs on us! Bigger fish? How about prime rib and a show?

Whale? Enjoy a suite for a week!

Of course, this was when Vegas was smaller, and a larger percentage of locals were active gamblers. I’m not saying everyone was placing bets, but taking girlfriends on fancy dates thanks to comps was a rite of passage for many a Vegas kid. But while the subjective human-issued comp still exists, with the advent of computerized players club cards, most arrive in your inbox via number crunching. Sure, you get points for every dollar you drop (often including food), but that little

surveillance card just isn’t as sexy as giving the pit boss a fake name, is it?

There are other ways and places we get comps, deals and outright free stuff.

Maybe your fave bartender gives you a buyback. Or several. Or the restaurant you frequent takes care of dinner one night, just because. Maybe it’s happy hour and everything is half off. Whatever the situation, figuring out the tip on a deal is where “Vegas math” comes into play.

For me, it depends on what I expected to pay when I walked in the door.

If I arrive armed with a comp, I have already paid for the meal one way or another, so I tip “normally” (for me, 20 percent-plus) of the real total. If I am enjoying some ridiculous happy hour deal, I tip normally, based on the pre-discount total. At a bar where I have received a free drink, I toss in an extra buck or two. If several of us receive a gratis round of drinks, I estimate about 25 percent of the cost of the free drinks and add that to a “normal” tip on all drinks consumed.

Yes, it’s a little complicated. And, yeah, I sometimes scribble on a napkin to compute the right tip. But for this native, that’s better than getting home and realizing I stiffed someone. This is still Vegas, after all.

Taking girlfriends on fancy dates thanks to comps was a rite of passage for many a Vegas kid.

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October 6 -1 2, 2016 vegasseven.com

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