Neon Ozymandias | Vegas Seven Magazine | Nov. 3-9, 2016

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n eon ozyma n d i as HOWA R D H UG H E S A N D L A S V E G A S, I N T H R E E AC T S

02.08.17 – 02.25.17 05.03.17 – 05.20.17 ticketmaster.com

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NEW YEAR’S EVE

SATURDAY • DECEMBER 31

cheap trick UPCOMING SHOWS SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 5

alejandra guzman

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 12

MS. LAURYN HILL SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 19

LUKAS GRAHAM

METHOD MAN & REDMAN WITH SLICK RICK

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 2

SATURDAY • DECEMBER 3

FRANKIE BALLARD

JENNIFER NETTLES

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 18

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.

HOWARD HUGHES, 50 YEARS IN LAS VEGAS Artist ADRIA MERCURI

SEVEN NIGHTS: JESSIE VARGAS Photography ANTHONY MAIR TOPMAN suit Topman in Fashion Show, Topman.com; TheFashionShow.com.

Valentino T-shirt Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show, NeimanMarcus.com; TheFashionShow.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 3-9, 2016 TO DO

15 24/7

What to do around the clock in Las Vegas.

Do Good Communities in Schools in Nevada’s fundraiser.

BY ROB KACHELRIESS

41 Politics as Usual?

BY SHANNON MILLER AND BOB WHITBY

You can’t make this stuff up.

18 What Anthony Hamilton

PLUS: The

The singer on his viral videos, social justice and keeping it real.

CONVERSATIONS

BY MICHAEL GREEN

Look.

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BY ZONEIL MAHARAJ

42 Change Is All Around

20 Twisted Branches of a

-F 5IBJ PXOFST SFnFDU PO mWF years Downtown.

When the Rain Stops Falling untangles a bloodline’s history.

BY AL MANCINI

Family Tree

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

Gordon Ramsay brings a British classic to the Linq.

44 Ask a Native

Another pro team in town?

BY JAMES P. REZA

FEATURE

22 Neon Ozymandias

Howard Hughes and Las Vegas, in three acts.

46 Lucky No. 7

8IP T ZPVS GBWPSJUF 7FHBT mHVSF past or present?

OUR SITES TO SEE

BY SEVEN STAFF

BY DAVID G. SCHWARTZ

ON THE FLIP SIDE TASTE Seven Nights

31 One Bite: Xiao Long Bao

What to do after dark.

BY MARISA FINETTI

The Hero Las Vegas Deserves

Niu-Gu’s Shanghai dumplings.

32 Go Fish

Gordon Ramsay brings a British classic to the Linq.

BY IAN CARAMANZANA

+FTTJF 7BSHBT mHIUT GPS IJT hometown.

BY MIKE GRIMALA

BY AL MANCINI

The Imaginary Boy

34 Dish & Tell

5SVGnFT TIFSSZ BOE 4QBOJTI WJOP

BY MARISA FINETTI

36 They Do Know Jack

The Cure’s Lol Tolhurst talks his new memoir, DJ gigs and giving back.

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

Meet: David Dyer

Two Vegas bartenders get booked.

Tao Group’s most social executive.

BY XANIA WOODMAN

BY KAT BOEHRER

VegasSeven.com Question 2 From the laws and regulations to the industry players, everything you need to know about marijuana legalization in Nevada. VegasSeven. com/Question2.

DTLV.com The Beat Goes On Now that The Beat Coffeehouse and Records closed, the owners are working on opening a coZRUNLQJ VSDFH DQG D QHZ EDU 6HH ZKDW WKH\·UH up to on DTLV.com.

RunRebs.com Season Tips Off With two exhibition games on the schedule this week, RunRebs.com is the place for recaps, insights and analysis.

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

SpyOnVegas.com

40 The Most Fabulous Thing

The Hookup Find upcoming events, see highlights from the hottest parties, meet the DJs and more.

The Walking Dead’s newest bad boy.

BY CHARLIE STARLING

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

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COVER ARTIST

Adria Mercuri

Adria Mercuri is a traditional illustrator living in Brooklyn, New York. Her work has been featured in New York magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Cincinnati Magazine, Negative Pleasure Publications and East Coast Ink. In the variety of portraits and potpourri subject matter found on her website, coarse but delicate pencil lines breach the distance between the observed and the observer. From celebrity QSPmMFT UP GSBNFT PG DPPLJOH IFS XPSL NPWFT UIF WJFXFS UP TFOUJNFOU FNPUJPO and intimacy. AdriaMercuri.com.

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger

Bill Engvall November 4

9PM TREASURE ISL AND THEATRE TICKETS 702 . 894 .7722

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

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

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.

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 ASSISTANT

Shannon Miller EDITORIAL INTERNS

Sam Mendoza, Ashley Miles, 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 O’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

John Tobin

TO DO

THURSDAY 3

FRIDAY 4

Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Las Vegas’ only PGA tour event,

Unless you’re in the automotive aftermarket industry, you weren’t invited to the SEMA Show, the world’s largest assemblage of cool car stuff. But anyone can go to SEMA Ignited, the after-show party no car geek should skip. Check out the custom builds and outrageous accessories at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 3-10 p.m. $20, SEMAIgnited.com

tees off at 6 a.m. at one of America’s most beautiful golf courses, TPC Summerlin. Watch the athletes and enjoy offerings from food and drink vendors, all while supporting a great cause throughout the weekend. $35-$999, ShrinersHospitalsOpen.com Around 10,000 years ago, mammoths roamed Southern Nevada. As you’ll note, they’re gone. What happened? Steve Rowland, a UNLV geoscience professor, has been studying that question and will talk about his findings at McMullan’s Irish Pub, 4650 W. Tropicana Ave., at 7 p.m. Free entry, UNLV.edu Saint Paddy’s Day has long passed, but it doesn’t have to be March 17 to enjoy traditional Irish music. Dublin transplants The Black Donnellys perform at Rí Rá Irish Pub throughout November, and tonight’s show starts at 8:45 p.m. One of the duo, Dave Browne, is a Guinness World Record holder for marathon guitar playing. Free entry, RiRaPub.com/Las-Vegas

Springs Preserve’s ninth-annual Día de Muertos starts its weekend-long celebration today. View ofrendas, decorate skulls, listen to poetry and music, and watch traditional dance at this commemoration of the deceased from 4-9 p.m. through Sunday. $5-$10, SpringsPreserve.org Hang out at Delano’s rooftop Skyfall Lounge for Rosé Friday, where you can sip on rosé Champagne and Absolut Elyx cocktails while taking in stellar 180-degree views of the Strip. The weekly fete, which begins at 8 p.m., also features small bites and live entertainment. Free entry, DelanoLasVegas.com

A trio that masterfully moves from rock to funk to jazz, Tim Reynolds & TR3 perform at Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at 8 p.m. $22-$45, HardRockHotel.com The Las Vegas Philharmonic kicks off its American German Cultural Exchange Fellowship, with Brandenburg State Theater Orchestra musician Tobias Feldmann performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major alongside the local symphony. The program, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at Reynolds Hall, also features selections by Mozart and Haydn. $30-$109, TheSmithCenter.com SATURDAY 5

The Craft Festival at Cashman Center runs today through Sunday (doors open at 10 a.m.), and will feature 150 booths representing 200 independent artisans. Bonus: No mass production. $2-$8, StevePowers.com The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art hosts its annual Museum Day, which offers complimentary admission for all guests from

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

By Shannon Miller and Bob Whitby

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

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TO DO

Part-time travel scribe Astronautalis puts the pen down Saturday night to bring hip-hop to Bunkhouse.

10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. The current exhibition, Town and Country: From Degas to Picasso, focuses on European and American experiences of the Industrial Revolution, and includes the works of Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and many more.

Free entry, Bellagio.com Pucker up for Atomic Liquors’ Sour Saturday, where beer enthusiasts score pretzel necklaces and access to almost 50 sour beers from 1-5 p.m.

You might be able to sneak a peek of the new Atomic Kitchen, too. $50, SourSaturdayLV.com How does a five-course prix-fixe meal with Firestone Walker beer pairings sound? That’s what you’ll get at Libertine Social’s Fireside Chef Chat.

There’s limited space for the 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. seatings, so call ASAP to make your reservation. $75, MandalayBay.com Nomadic wordsmith and part-time travel writer Astronautalis brings his unique brand of hip-hop to Bunkhouse Saloon, with Oxymorrons and Hassan Hamilton opening at 9 p.m. $10-$15, BunkhouseDowntown.com SUNDAY 6

For all you vampire fans, From Dusk Till Dawn screens at select theaters across America to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary. Written by Quentin Tarantino, the bloodsucker thriller features performances by George Clooney and Juliette Lewis. Ticket prices vary, FathomEvents.com MONDAY 7

Return to the days of speakeasies and flappers at The Mob Museum’s new Ready to Roar exhibit, which focuses on 1920s-era fashion and its social implications. Included in museum general admission ($10-$24), TheMobMuseum.org Bookworms, unite! Join avid philanthropist and bibliophile Beverly Rogers at The Writer’s Block for John Steinbeck on Writing: Show and Tell, a discussion on how the appear-

ance of the celebrated author’s books influenced readers and his publishing process. The event begins at 7 p.m., and will feature a number of titles from Rogers’ personal collection of early and first editions.

TheWritersBlock.org

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November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

Lend your palate to talented sommeliers at the Cromwell during the Giada Wine Series Dinner, 6-9 p.m. This month’s installment features selections from Cheval des Andes to go with a menu of the celebrity chef’s favorite dishes. Lemon ricotta cookies, anyone? $200, Caesars.com/ Cromwell/Giada Downtown Grand’s newest restaurant and music venue, Freedom Beat, combines good ol’ American food and live music at its Gibson Showcase Jam, Mondays at 9 p.m. Jam out on the provided Gibson guitars and get your grub on. Free entry, DowntownGrand.com *UHHQ 'D\·V American Idiot puts a story of young Americans finding meaning in a post-9/11 world to the score of hits from the beloved rock band. The Broadway smash hits the Hard Rock Hotel’s Vinyl music venue at 6 and 9 p.m. $15-$20, HardRockHotel.com

TUESDAY 8

Nothing much going on today—just you helping to decide the fate of the free world. If you didn’t vote early, Election Day voting booths in Clark County are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your polling place, registration status and sample ballot, then head out to do your civic duty. ClarkCountyNV.gov/Election It’s Tuesday, which means you should be eating $3.50 tacos and drinking $7 Casa Noble margaritas at El Dorado Cantina’s Tacos & Tequila Tuesday.

Did we mention the $10 Modelo and tequila shot special? Get on it!

ElDoradoVegas.com Sip on $5 beer, wine and shot selections from California Pizza Kitchen, Beerhaus and Sake Rok every Tuesday during Party at The Park. Ping-pong and cornhole complete the Park’s weekly

event, which runs from 5-9 p.m.

TheParkVegas.com Win beer, gift cards and bragging rights at the Geeks Who Drink trivia contest at Pizza Rock’s two locations (Downtown Grand and Green Valley Ranch), 7-9 p.m. Don’t have a team?

The advantage of playing with geeks is they’re probably looking for friends, too. Zing! PizzaRockLasVegas.com WEDNESDAY 9

You’re either celebrating the election results or you’re really depressed.

Either way, the UNLV Jazz Concert Series is a good way to blow off steam.

The university’s Latin Jazz Ensemble will be swinging at the Clark County Library’s Main Theater, starting at 7 p.m. LVCCLD.org 7 Looking for more stuff to do in Vegas? Visit VegasSeven.com

TO DO

WHAT ANTHONY HAMILTON IS FEELIN’ The soulful singer on his viral videos, social justice and keeping it raw By =RQHLO 0DKDUDM

SINCE BREAKING OUT IN THE EARLY 2000s WITH “Comin’ From Where I’m From,� R&B singer Anthony Hamilton has continued to give listeners an unflinching look into his world. His latest album, What I’m Feelin’—the seventh in his 20-year career—stays true to the down-home, Southern soul he’s known for with songs about faith, love and his recent divorce. But as serious as his records may be, the Grammy-winning artist has cut loose on social media, posting impromptu covers of rap songs and turning memes into gospel tracks with his backup singers, the HamilTones.

The North Carolina crooner returns to Las Vegas November 4 for the Soul Train Music Fest at Mandalay Bay Events Center, where he promises to “rock it ’til the wheels fall off.�

Hamilton took a break from his tour to talk turning a Donald Trump line into a soulful warning, utilizing his platform as a megaphone and more.

You and the HamilTones recently transformed Donald 7UXPS¡V VFDQGDORXV ´*UDE KHU E\ WKH SXVV\¾ UHPDUN into a soulful a capella piece that warned people not to YRWH IRU WKH 5HSXEOLFDQ SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWH :KDW prompted you to do that? People need to know this is what

this guy thinksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is how he is, this is who he is. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not looking at the news or youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not abreast of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on, you may not make the right decision [on Election Day]. We tried to take the sting out of it a little bit, but still let people know that this guy is really crazy. <RX DOVR WXUQHG UDSSHU %LUGPDQ¡V ´3XW VRPH UHVSHFW RQ P\ QDPHÂľ FRPPHQW ZKLFK KH VDLG GXULQJ DQ LQWHUYLHZ ZLWK WKH %UHDNIDVW &OXE RI 1HZ <RUN &LW\¡V 3RZHU LQWR D WUDFN :KDW PDGH \RX WDNH WKH YLUDO VRFLDO PHGLD approach? [Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s] a way into peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives and [to] get the

exposure we feel we deserve. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the way of getting things done. And those are hot topics that people are attracted to. If we can take those and turn it into something special, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do it. +RZ GR \RX GHFLGH ZKDW¡V FRYHU ZRUWK\" Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gotta be something that the people are really engaged in. Something we can take and make a difference [with]. It [has] to be a great song that people really enjoy. Some people [might not] listen to a hip-hop record, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take a chance on listening to us singing it in a quartet, [in a] churchy kind of way that brings new life to the song.

0DLQVWUHDP 5 % KDV EHFRPH VR VH[XDOL]HG \HW \RX¡YH VWXFN WR \RXU VSLULWXDO URRWV +RZ GR \RX WRH WKH OLQH EHWZHHQ ZKDW¡V WUHQGLQJ DQG NHHSLQJ \RXU LQWHJULW\" Man,

I got kids. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be looked at as the guy who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

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give a damn and sold his soul for some fame. I stay close to what I was taught from my mother and grandparents, who instilled in me some morals.

7KRXJK \RX¡UH VWLOO D JR WR KRRN PDQ IRU SRSXODU UDSSHUV Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m raw and honest in my music, what I say and

what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve become. â&#x20AC;Ś And the voice commands attention.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blessing.

6SHDNLQJ RI WKDW UDZQHVV \RX ZHQW WKURXJK D GLYRUFH ODVW \HDU +RZ GLG WKDW DIIHFW \RXU PXVLF" At first, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel

like writing about it. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through a divorce or have seen [one happen], thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing impressive about it. â&#x20AC;Ś I just happened to hear the music one day and it spoke to me, and [â&#x20AC;&#x153;Walk in My Shoesâ&#x20AC;?] is the song that came out. The label wanted me to have a whole album full of it. I told them, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, thank you. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not interested.â&#x20AC;? But I did [record] one or two songs that were created from that unfortunate [event]. <RX¡YH DOVR EHHQ RXWVSRNHQ DERXW VRFLDO MXVWLFH HVSHFLDOO\ DIWHU WKH NLOOLQJ RI .HLWK /DPRQW 6FRWW LQ &KDUORWWH 1RUWK &DUROLQD :K\ LV LW LPSRUWDQW WR WRXFK RQ those topics? Being an artist, you have a bigger audience. I

have a [platform], so I want to enforce my opinion because it matters to me how weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re treated [and] how our kids are going to be treated when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gone. So I got to fight for my sons. I got six boys, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be damned if my boys are gonna be in any chains or be slaves. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that. 7

Soul Train Music )HVW IHDWXULQJ $QWKRQ\ +DPLOWRQ -LOO 6FRWW 7\UHVH and Tish Hyman Mandalay Bay Events Center, Nov. 4, 8 p.m., $49.50-$125, MandalayBay.com

TO DO

$ 3XEOLF )LW·V When the Rain Stops Falling The Usual Place, 100 S. Maryland Pkwy., through Nov. 13, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m.

Sat.-Sun., APublicFit.org

Twisted Branches of a Family Tree When the Rain Stops Falling untangles a bloodline’s secret history By /LVVD 7RZQVHQG 5RGJHUV DURING ITS RELATIVELY BRIEF HISTORY, A PUBLIC

Fit Theatre Company has focused on new works, frequently of an unconventional nature: When the Rain Stops Falling is no exception. The drama by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell follows four generations of two families, the tragedies that tie them together and the secrets that separate them.

It’s not a light evening at the theater, but it is a play that will linger in your mind after you leave.

The play moves quickly back and forth between time and space—a family tree in the program and screened titles indicating year and place help keep the audience from losing the nuances as they situate the story. Often characters from two different eras will share the stage, or two actors playing the same character at two different points in their life. The story unwinds from Henry and Elizabeth Law, a pair of London intellectual types whose marriage gradually unravels under the force of her misgivings about motherhood and his increasingly odd behavior.

But we also move back and forth to their son Gabriel, as he meets the woman who will be the mother of his child, Gabrielle. They’re a pair of awkward young people that turn their individ-

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November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

ual pain into a shared bond. And then the play features Gabrielle herself, remarried years later and, eventually, her son and grandson.

Regardless of time or place, it’s always raining, and bowls of fish soup and bits of dialogue about people drowning in Bangladesh recur.

When we see the older Elizabeth, she is a bitter alcoholic who is often harsh and secretive with her son but, as we move back in time, her story becomes comprehensible and, ultimately, sympathetic. Tina Rice conveys the young Elizabeth’s decline from witty sophisticate to anxious housewife, while Valerie Carpenter Bernstein as older Elizabeth is alternately impe-

rious and pathetic, as we realize her brittleness arises from being so broken. Jane C. Walsh and Timothy Cummings have a touching chemistry as the older Gabrielle and her husband Joe, while Mike Rasmussen as Gabriel brings an occasional goofy twist that lightens the play’s overall somber mood. The constant shuffling of the jigsaw pieces and repeating of the same lines can sometimes become distancing—you get the feeling Bovell is getting a bit too self-consciously clever—but the strength of the acting maintains the play’s emotional pull. When the Rain Stops Falling takes a little time to weave its narrative threads, but it’s a compelling tale. 7

NEON OZYMANDIAS Howard Hughes and Las Vegas, in Three Acts

By David G. Schwartz

I met a traveller from an antique land W h o s a i d : “ Tw o v a s t a n d t r u n k l e s s l e g s o f s t o n e S t a n d i n t h e d e s e r t . . . Ne a r t h e m , o n t h e s a n d , Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Te l l t h a t i t s s c u l p t o r w e l l t h o s e p a s s i o n s r e a d W h i c h y e t s u r v i v e , s t a m p e d o n t h e s e l i fe l e s s t h i n g s , T h e h a n d t h a t m o c k e d t h e m , a n d t h e h e a r t t h a t fe d : And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: L o o k o n m y w o r k s , y e M i g h t y, a n d d e s p a i r ! ’ No t h i n g b e s i d e r e m a i n s . R o u n d t h e d e c a y Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare T h e l o n e a n d l e v e l s a n d s s t r e t c h fa r a w a y.”

Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1818

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PHOTO L AS VEGAS NEWS BUREAU, L AS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY

i

I. THE WELCOMING

t was November 1966, and Howard Hughes wanted to get away from it all.

A bathing beauty, 1969 at the Desert Inn.

Earlier that year, he had fled the Beverly Hills Hotel (his bungalow home since 1957) for Boston’s Ritz-Carlton. But Beantown, filled with nosy reporters and germy humidity, wasn’t congenial to America’s richest man. So, another move, this time to Las Vegas. A room at the Desert Inn on the Las Vegas Strip, he was sure, would give him the privacy he needed.

Hughes didn’t pick the Desert Inn out of the Boston Globe’s travel pages. He had stayed at the Flamingo extensively in the early 1950s and even produced the 1952 RKO flop The Las Vegas Story starring bombshell Jane Russell.

There was more than personal nostalgia drawing him back. Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun convinced Hughes to give Las Vegas another try. After all, he already owned 22,000 acres on the city’s western edge. Known as Husite, the parcel had been the subject of speculation for more than a decade. More land was available for cheap, and property taxes were low. There were no personal or corporate income taxes, either. And, in Las Vegas—a company town if ever there was one—everyone, from porters to politicians, and especially the local news media, would respect the privacy of a man like Hughes.

So Greenspun worked the phones in Las Vegas, negotiating unsuccessfully with the Dunes before persuading Moe Dalitz to rent the top floor of the Desert Inn to Hughes.

That was how Hughes found himself in a sealed sleeper car, steaming past the cities and through the prairies of America. The man who once set air-speed records now watched the landscape slowly peel away.

At the time, Howard Hughes may have been more powerful than the president. Having inherited a fortune as a teenager, Hughes had become a record-breaking aviation and aerospace pioneer, Hollywood mogul, airline entrepreneur and political force, with massive real estate holdings, numerous business investments and lucrative defense contracts. Forced by court order to sell his interest in Trans World Airlines that year, he was flush with more than a half billion dollars in cash.

And he was coming to Las Vegas.

Before dawn on November 27, a small fleet of automobiles, including a Ford station wagon, converged on the Union Pacific rail crossing at Carey Avenue. They were soon met by Hughes’ private train.

In a flutter of movement, file boxes, suitcases and unidentifiable equipment were moved from train to truck. Finally, two men carried a stretcher from the train bearing a lanky figure, his face shrouded. Up he went into the back of the station wagon.

The armada sped toward the Desert Inn. Once there, the truck and a few cars peeled off to the side of the building, while the station wagon and another car pulled into the porte cochère. Two members of the entourage jumped out and held an elevator, while two others lifted the stretcher from the rear, carried it through the sleepy casino and into the elevator, which sped upward. The party entered a suite on the top floor. Hughes made himself comfortable in a bedroom. He was home.

Hughes would remain in that penthouse for the next four years, waited on by five male nurse-secretaries who delivered his memos, prepared his food and attended to his increasingly bizarre requests.

To run his Nevada interests, Hughes relied on Robert Maheu, a former FBI agent who replaced Noah Dietrich as Hughes’ right hand in 1957. His energetic work among Nevada’s political and business leaders did much to quiet the storms Hughes provoked.

In Las Vegas, any wiseguy with a bankroll could set himself up as a boss, provided he kept out of the affairs of others. Hughes’ curve-breaking wealth made him a god-king. So the staff of the Desert Inn—and Dalitz— learned to live with their new guest.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas Review-Journal associate editor Colin McKinlay had ferreted out Hughes’ arrival. He reported that Hughes, in ill health, had arrived at the Desert Inn under mysterious circumstances. Greenspun, who had held his tongue, responded with a front-page editorial in the following day’s Sun. “Welcome to Nevada, Howard Hughes,” Greenspun began, before asserting that Hughes’ whereabouts and health were “none of their business.” This was a modern Prometheus. “The lunar probes,” Greenspun declared, “are products of his genius.”

Having been hounded out of Boston, Hughes could bring inconceivable prosperity to Nevada. He had already “conquered outer space,” and was now ready to make some money for Nevadans. All he asked in return was a little “private space.”

“We hope,” Greenspun concluded, “he finds it.”

It may be incredible that a newspaper publisher would celebrate reporters not pursuing a major story, but this was Howard Hughes. The reporters stayed away.

Still, even a god-king had to obey the one unbreakable

Even a god-king had to obey the one unbreakable law of Las Vegas: Thou shalt not keep gamblers away from the tables. law of Las Vegas: Thou shalt not keep gamblers away from the tables. As the December lull bled into the preparations for New Year’s Eve, Dalitz and his managers grew antsy. He wanted to toss the billionaire—he might be the richest man in America, but he wasn’t playing. A phone call from a friend, Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa, convinced Dalitz otherwise. This being Las Vegas, a deal could be made.

Hughes and Dalitz were the principals, but it was Maheu and Dalitz’s confidante, Allard Roen, who negotiated the deal. As can be expected, there was a fair amount of back and forth in the talks, but in the end it came down to Maheu and Roen, who reportedly finalized the sale in an elevator ride. On March 22, 1967, Maheu announced that Hughes had bought the Desert Inn, including its casino, hotel and golf course.

Howard was staying.

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II. THE BUYING

Right: Las Vegas hotel marquees.

Opposite page: Sands and the New Frontier.

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With banker E. Parry Thomas’ help, he bought, in addition to the Desert Inn, the Sands, the Castaways, the Frontier and the Silver Slipper. His purchases weren’t restricted to casinos. By September 1967, he had already acquired or optioned 21.6 acres of land south of the Frontier, the Pyramids Hotel and surrounding land near the Sands, the Hank Greenspun-founded KLAS, then (and now) the city’s CBS affiliate, Alamo Airways, the 518-acre Krupp Ranch, Spring Mountain Ranch, Warm Springs Ranch and the North Las Vegas Air Terminal (and 1,200 adjacent acres).

All of that, in addition to the Husite land and his assorted other 1950s purchases, meant that just a few months after returning to town, Hughes had an empire.

This spree only whetted Hughes’ desires; he reportedly was interested in buying the Las Vegas Review-Journal, an advertising agency, a second local television station and McCarran Airport. In late 1967, it seemed that Hughes was bent on buying the entire state of Nevada. His acquisitions made him, almost overnight, the state’s largest employer, and gave him a political blank check.

It is impossible to overstate just how big Howard Hughes was to Nevada in the late 1960s. Las Vegas was barely removed from the Kefauver-Kennedy open hostility toward legal gambling (see “The Book That Tried to End Las Vegas,” Vegas Seven September 4, 2013), and the threat of federal action against alleged organized crime redoubts in the city’s casinos was still serious.

For Gov. Paul Laxalt, Hughes’ purchases were a dream come true. His predecessor, Grant Sawyer, had barely headed off a federal mob-hunting raid on the Strip. No one, however, could impugn the integrity of a Howard Hughesowned casino.

“Mr. Hughes’ involvement here has absolutely done us wonders,” Laxalt told Esquire magazine in 1969. “I just returned from a trip to the East … and their questions are no longer concerned with the Mafia, the skimming, the underworld. … Now they are interested in Mr. Hughes and other corporate types here and how they are getting along. I can see the change in the national press.”

Laxalt, as Greenspun had predicted, respected Hughes’ privacy, hand-waving away the requirement that all casino owners appear in person before the Gaming Commission—a mere phone conversation would suffice.

And Hughes promised not just to buy, but to build anew as only an emperor can. In early 1968 he announced plans for a 4,000-room, $150 million addition to the Sands Hotel that would catapult Las Vegas into the next era. With a 24-hour shopping center, ice skating rink and rooms for games from chess to skeeball, the New Sands would let him put the Hughes stamp on the city while denying capital to rival Kirk Kerkorian, who was attempting to finance his International Hotel. His vast westside real estate would host a supersonic terminal, making Las Vegas an international transportation hub. Finally, he would underwrite a medical school.

One man owning this much of Nevada made a few people nervous, but with locals such as Greenspun and Thomas guiding him, most figured it was for the best. For his part, Maheu proved an astute vizier, knowing which hands to shake and which clubs to join.

While Hughes provided the cash, his empire owed much to Maheu. Together, it seemed that they would remake all of Nevada.

But it was another purchase that revealed Hughes had his limits. In March 1968, he declared his intentions to buy the Stardust, a profitable but notoriously mobbed-up casino. This, the Anti-Trust Division of the U.S. Justice Department ruled, was too much.

Although the state Gaming Commission, in a split vote, permitted Hughes the Stardust, the feds felt otherwise.

Denied the Stardust, Hughes felt the table starting to tilt against him. Yes, he bid for the unfinished Landmark and opened it shortly after Kerkorian’s International, but he could feel the walls closing in. He couldn’t stop atomic testing, and he’d been unable to establish complete control over Nevada. Though he was ruler of all he could see (if he ever looked out of his blacked-out windows), Hughes, when he did sleep, never awoke a happy man.

This was no life for an emperor.

PHOTOS L AS VEGAS NEWS BUREAU, L AS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY, EMAIL: NEWS@LVCVA.COM

hen Hughes moved, he moved quickly.

&

Boundless Bare

THE HUGHES CASINO EMPIRE DESERT INN

Paid: $13.2 million Highlight: Hughes lived in a St. Andrews Tower penthouse for four years, with the windows blacked out. Sold: To Kirk Kerkorian in 1987 for $167 million (along with the Sands). Demolished: In 2001, to make way for Wynn Las Vegas.

SANDS

Paid: $14.6 million Highlight: Frank Sinatra’s umbrage at Hughes’ management led to his one-sided fight with Carl Cohen (Sinatra ended up on the floor with two chipped teeth) and Sinatra’s move to Caesars Palace. Sold: To the Pratt Corporation in 1983; reacquired and sold to Kirk Kerkorian in 1987 for $167 million (along with Desert Inn). Demolished: In 1996, to make way for the Venetian.

CASTAWAYS

Paid: $3 million Highlight: The Castaways’ most famous attraction was a teakwood replica of a Jain temple originally brought to the United States for the 1904-05 St. Louis World’s Fair. Sold: To Steve Wynn in 1987. Demolished: In 1987, to make way for The Mirage.

NEW FRONTIER

Paid: $23 million Highlight: Ended Steve Wynn’s first presence on the Strip as a Frontier shareholder/ slot manager. He would return. Sold: To the Elardi family in 1988 for $70 million (with the Silver Slipper). Demolished: In 2007, to make way for the never-constructed Las Vegas Plaza hotel.

SILVER SLIPPER

Paid: $5.3 million Highlight: Contrary to rumor, Hughes did not buy the Silver Slipper because its giant rotating shoe interfered with his sleep. Hughes’ room was on the east side of the St. Andrews tower and, in any event, all of its windows were blacked out. Sold: To the Elardi family in 1988 for $70 million (with the New Frontier). Demolished: In 1988, for a Frontier expansion that never happened.

L ANDMARK

Paid: $17 million Highlight: Hughes bought the Landmark against the advice of Robert Maheu and Moe Dalitz, who insisted it would lose money. It lost money. Sold: To Ed and Zula Wolfram in 1978 for $14.3 million. In 1983, Ed Wolfram was convicted of violating federal securities laws after confessing to having misappropriated $47 million in assets from his stock brokerage. Demolished: In 1995; watch it again in Mars Attacks!

27

III. THE VANISHING

he aviator was flying again.

At 9:30 p.m. on November 25, 1970, the lights of Las Vegas were fast receding as Hughes’ Lockheed JetStar headed southeast high above. Most of the city was anticipating the following day’s Thanksgiving holiday. In the Crystal Room at the Desert Inn, nine stories below Hughes’ still-warm bed, Edie Adams and Bob Newhart had just finished their show.

Hughes, along with assorted bric-a-brac (including an oversize pair of stereo speakers), was hustled down the fire stairs and into a waiting blue van. After a brief delay (Hughes had sent an aide back up the stairs for some papers he’d missed), the van left for Nellis Air Force Base, five decoy limousines having already sped south toward McCarran. As he had been threatening for months, the billionaire was leaving Las Vegas.

After so many years of staring at the same four walls, Howard Hughes was once more above the clouds. The billionaire was almost giddy, walking around the cabin, joking and not once nodding off.

Yet Hughes could not remain in transit forever. After refueling in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the JetStar— which Lockheed kept on standby at Hughes’ request for more than a year—headed for the Bahamas. Hughes and his entourage quickly passed through customs before being whisked to the Britannia Beach Hotel, where Hughes was, once again, installed in a ninth-floor penthouse.

The following day, another JetStar, this one crammed with files and equipment from the ninth-floor suite, departed McCarran. This was not a midnight joyride; Hughes was gone for good.

Why did he leave? For Maheu, it was, plain and simple, a palace coup; Hughes’ attendants, led by prominent Hughes Tool executives, removed the billionaire from out of Maheu’s Nevada Operations control in order to seize his empire. Hughes himself acquiesced to the move, possibly swayed by whispered tales of Maheu’s faithlessness, possibly still freaked out by atomic testing and a host of other bugbears that plagued him in his Desert Inn bedroom. Or, it may simply have been a case of the grass being greener somewhere and not soaked with Lake Mead’s water, which Hughes had always felt was filthy.

The Las Vegas public didn’t learn about Hughes’ departure until December 3, when the Sun announced, in a screaming above-the-fold headline, “HOWARD HUGHES VANISHES.” It was all a mystery; not even Maheu knew where Hughes had been taken—in fact, he was informed that Hughes had fired him.

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When, 10 days later, sheriff’s deputies raided Hughes’ former suite, they could only confirm that the billionaire was no longer there. A personal phone call from Hughes to Governor Laxalt finally settled the question of whether Hughes had been kidnapped or was even still alive. With Maheu out, business continued as usual for the Hughes Nevada properties.

Hughes would spend the next six years in several hotels: the InterContinental in Managua, Nicaragua; the Inn on the Park in London; the Xanadu Princess in Freeport, Bahamas; and the Acapulco Princess in Mexico.

He died en route from Acapulco to Houston on April 5, 1976, leaving behind years of court battles over his estate.

Hughes’ legacy in Las Vegas is still a matter of debate.

Like many other things that seem too good to be true, Hughes’ time in Las Vegas ended in tears and lawsuits. Both Bob Maheu and Hank Greenspun became embroiled in litigation with Hughes; in Greenspun’s case, the action stretched on long after Hughes’ death. All promise of mutually assured prosperity vanished, just like the man himself had taken flight.

And the Hughes empire, so huge, so dominant in the Age of Aquarius, was destined to vanish. Summa Corporation, which was spun off from Hughes Tool in 2007, had sold off all of his casinos by 1987, and did not much improve them in the intervening years. Not one of his Las Vegas casinos remains in business. The last—the New Frontier—closed in 2007, four decades after he bought it.

For all of Hughes’ power, as far as the hospitality industry is concerned, he (and his heirs) kept his casinos in a holding pattern while they were eclipsed by bolder operators. Hughes may have brought respectability to Nevada gaming, but it was Kirk Kerkorian and Jay Sarno who set it on its modern path, and Steve Wynn, William Bennett and Sheldon Adelson (among many others) who really saw its future.

His most lasting impact was far from the Strip. In 1988, Summa (renamed the Howard Hughes Corporation in 1994) began developing the sprawling Summerlin master-planned community on the Husite land. Outside of Summerlin, the Hughes Center, Hughes Airport Center and Hughes Cheyenne Center still bear the reclusive billionaire’s name and, though few tourists ever visit them, they provide office, warehouse and industrial space.

But on the Strip, it’s as if Hughes was never there. Not a single hotel room owes itself to him, not a single girder was planned by him. Once all-conquering, the Great Recluse Emperor of Las Vegas might as well never have ruled. He did not even leave behind a statue to be immolated by the years. He has truly vanished.

And so, a half century after Hughes’ arrival, the poet’s words ring true: Nothing beside remains.

Like many other things that seem too good to be true, Hughes’ time in Las Vegas ended in tears and lawsuits.

For more on Howard Hughes’ cultural impact including his films, casinos and real estate legacy, visit VegasSeven.com/ HowardHughes50.

T H E ATO M I C H O R R O R

Lots of things freaked Howard Hughes out.

Sometimes, it was downright silly: “the peanuts, popcorn, and kids,” side of Circus Circus, which he once raged against in a memo to Bob Maheu, “and also the Carnival Freaks and Animal side of it.” Other times, it was the kind of thing Joe Sixpack would also shake his tiny fist at: television commercials being so much louder than the programs. Often, it started in a well-placed concern but morphed into a crippling phobia: his well-publicized fear of germs.

Case in point: his relentless opposition to nuclear detonations at the Nevada Test Site. The very thought of invisible rays against which no defense was possible seeping through his walls and causing sickness—this was disturbing for a well-adjusted person, but for Hughes, it was sheer horror.

When Hughes moved to Las Vegas, explosions had been rattling the town for 15 years. Although above-ground blasts had ceased with 1963’s Limited Test Ban Treaty, underground tests continued. Hughes didn’t notice two small detonations in early December, but the December 20, 1966, Greeley blast got his attention: At 780 kilotons, it was large enough to shake his Desert Inn penthouse. Hughes already contended with a variety of daily frustrations, from contaminating germs to an antitrust division that had the gall to block his acquisition of the Stardust. Now, his own government, run by people he’d been giving money to for years, was out to kill him.

The prospect of being shaken and irradiated was particularly galling because Hughes had moved to Las Vegas to escape cataclysm, rejecting the Bahamas as too hurricane-prone. “Well I promise you,” he wrote in a memo to Maheu, “that I did not come here to avoid hurricanes only to be molested by some stupid assholes making like earthquakes.”

The Boxcar test, scheduled for April 26, 1968, roused Hughes to action. At 1.3 megatons, it would be the biggest explosion yet felt in the United States. “I

want you to call Gov. at once and the Senators and Congressman,” he ordered Maheu. “If they do not cancel this one I am going direct to the President in a personal appeal and demand that the entire test program be moved.”

Hughes was so appalled at the giant test that he allied with the antinuclear activist Barry Commoner and recruited a slate of scientists, including Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, to oppose the test. While attempting to steer public opinion against the bomb, he also worked the corridors of power, enlisting everyone from Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt to newly appointed Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford (whom Hughes kept on retainer in his previous career as an attorney). Hughes offered to pay, out of his own pocket, the costs of relocating all explosive tests to Alaska, and produced Alaska senator Mike Gravel to endorse the idea.

Hughes begged for, at the very least, a 90-day delay to consider alternatives, and enlisted everyone from the United Auto Workers to the Federation of American Scientists in his effort to stop the blast. Taking on the Department of Defense and Atomic Energy Commission pushed the country’s wealthiest man to his limits. He demanded Maheu offer President Lyndon B. Johnson $1 million in cash, if only he would stop the test. Maheu received an immediate audience with Johnson on the strength of being “Howard Hughes’ man,” but declined to deliver the bribe. Hughes went without sleep for three days, trying angle after angle to prevent atoms from being split so close to his haven.

All for naught. The test went off as planned on April 26, although it was delayed for an hour because of fears that high winds might carry vented radiation. The blast, which registered at 6.5 on the Richter scale, was felt, albeit faintly, as far away as Los Angeles.

In Las Vegas, the ground rolled for 90 seconds, with hotel towers shaking.

In his suite, Hughes watched as the chandelier swayed for more than four minutes. The worst had come to pass. Physically and emotionally spent, Hughes knew when he was beaten.

“I would not,” he wrote to Maheu, “repeat last week for all the money in the world.”

For its part, the Atomic Energy Commission never detonated anything of Boxcar’s size again, and, while at the time it insisted that all tests were of no danger whatsoever to the public, the very real concerns posed by nuclear testing have since come to light. –David G. Schwartz

TASTE Niu-Gu 3400 S. Jones Blvd., Suite 16 NiuGuRestaurant.com Instagram: @NiuGuLasVegas

ONE BITE

Xiao Long Bao When eating foods outside of the country from where they originate, the question of authenticity is always a vexing one.

Take xiao long bao, for example. The soup-filled dumplings hailing from Shanghai have become an obsession throughout the world, and are among the most magical culinary creations one can experience. Chef Jimmy Li at Chinatown’s Niu-Gu recently unveiled his xiao long bao, and they’re as authentic as they come, from the perfect thickness of the wrapper—which has precisely 18 crown folds—to the size of the hearty meat filling. Choose from two varieties: center-cut pork loin or blue claw crab. Eating these the proper way is part of the overall experience; you don’t want the tender wrapper to spring a leak or burn your mouth with the hot broth. Place the dumpling on the porcelain soup spoon. Take a small bite off the top to open the pouch, then slurp the broth. Next, using chopsticks, dip the dumpling into vinegar, which is prepared with fresh ginger root, and enjoy. You should know that Chef Li only makes 40 portions total to serve on Saturdays and Sundays from 5:308:30 p.m. Once they’re, they’re gone, so call ahead to reserve your order! –Marisa Finetti

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31

TASTE

*2 ),6+ I

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been nearly four years since the first reports of a Gordon Ramsay fish-and-chips outlet began to circulate. But the delays ended last month when the spot finally opened at The Linq.

Hail, Britannia Chef Gordon Ramsay personally showed up on October 7 to cut a Union Jack ribbon and officially open the British phone booth-style doors to Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips. And a sizable crowd of his fans was there to greet him. One woman who reported skipping her convention that morning so she and her husband could secure a good spot several hours in advance was rewarded for her devotion with a free meal.

The restaurant is actually quite small, especially compared to the celebrity chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three existing Las Vegas restaurants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gordon Ramsay Steak, Gordon Ramsay BurGR and Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a grab-and-go concept where the meals already come in takeaway boxes, with limited seating both inside and out. The red and blue interior walls are adorned with neon signs, a chalkboard menu and TVs. Seating on the narrow patioâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which is decorated with a fire hydrant and a giant suspended fish, each emblazoned with the British flagâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is confined to a small counter on the rail. %DèHU XS Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to skimp at a chippy. But Ramsay has clearly put considerable thought into how to distinguish his offerings from the generic fried seafood and other fare that are so widely available. His sustainable Alaskan true cod is seasoned in curry batter. Fried shrimp are flavored with basil and a surprisingly delicate hint of lavender. And his take on the very non-British corn dog is made with New York sausage and Fontina cheese enrobed in batter. Even the hand-cut fries (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;chipsâ&#x20AC;?) show

*RUGRQ 5DPVD\ EULQJV D FKLSS\ WR 7KH /LQT By Al Mancini Photography Krystal Ramirez and Ryan Forbes/AVABLU

far more attention to detail than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get at any American fast-food joint. You can get them plain with sea salt or in one of three â&#x20AC;&#x153;dirtyâ&#x20AC;? styles: with truffle, Parmesan and chives; chipotle, jalapeĂąo and crisp chorizo; or cacciatore spices and fresh basil. For condiments, the celebrity chef offers not only traditional tartar sauce and Sarsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand malt vinegar, but also a wide variety of more creative dipping sauces such as sriracha aioli and an amazing sweet-hot mango curry.

The rest of the limited menu is equally enticing. Ramsay typically interprets his beloved sticky toffee pudding into distinct desserts for each of his restaurants. Here, it comes in the form of a shake. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not for you, try a Biscoff cookie shake, one of the assorted lemonade flavors or something from the beer and wine selection. And if you save room for dessert, check out the toffees and brittles.

Ramsay and his staff have already demonstrated their ability to provide amazing food in this town.

The dishes he served during his Las Vegas visit showed both effort and commitment. The battersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; which the chef attributes to his motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; are simultaneously light as a feather and crispy enough to snap as you bite into them. .H\V WR 6XFFHVV Of course, when Ramsay is in the house, you know everyone brings their A game. The trick will be keeping it up now that the star has left the building, which can be tough in a high-volume casual

restaurant. And given Ramsayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost unprecedented fame, the new spot will likely draw huge crowds. Assuming the wait isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t untenably long, this restaurant deserves a visit the next time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the Strip. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your first time, try the chicken, fish and shrimp sampler platter, which Ramsay christened â&#x20AC;&#x153;the G-Spotâ&#x20AC;? during his visit, despite the fact that Caesars brass reportedly hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t signed off on the risquĂŠ title. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nice introduction to what might soon rival the High Roller as The Linqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest attraction. 7

GORDON RAMSAY FISH & CHIPS The Linq Promenade, GordonRamsayRestaurants.com.

Open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. daily.

Dinner for two, $30-$50.

NOT TO BE MISSED â&#x20AC;&#x153;G-Spotâ&#x20AC;? Sampler, $15 Sticky Toffee Pudding Shake, $9 Curry & Mango Sauce (included with meal)

A SIP TO GO WITH Orange & Vanilla Lemonade, $4

Pictured 2SSRVLWH SDJH Ă&#x20AC;VK DQG FKLSV 7KLV SDJH H[WHULRU LQWHULRU DQG VLJQDJH

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

33

DISH & TELL

TASTE

The Gifts of Fall:

7UXĂŁOHV 6KHUU\ and 6SDQLVK 9LQR

By Marisa Finetti

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SAFE TO SAY THAT WE DESERT DWELLERS LOVE

when it rains. But nothing excites us more than when marbled shavings of white truffles shower our plates. The distinctly alluring perfume and delicate taste are as rare as it gets. To celebrate the fantastical fungi, chef Emeril Lagasseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delmonico Steakhouse (in the Venetian, EmerilsRestaurants. com/Delmonico-Steakhouse) presents 7UXIĂ H :HHN, featuring a special truffle-forward menu from November 7-13. Chef de cuisine Ronnie Rainwater created eight dishes complementing the decadent delicacy with wine pairings by sommelier Dylan Amos for the ultimate truffle experience. Highlights include escargot over wild mushroom with puff pastry, garlic parsley oil and fresh black truffles, paired with 2012 Antica Terra RosĂŠ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Angelicallâ&#x20AC;? from the Willamette Valley; poached Nigerian prawn with hearts of palm, mache, fresh citrus and fresh white truffles paired with 2010 Jermann Chardonnay Venezia Giulia; braised veal cheeks with mascarpone polenta, roasted vegetables, fresh black truffles and hazelnut gremolata paired with a 2012 Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco; and lobster risotto with white Italian truffles and fresh herbs paired with 2013 Domaine Parent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Caroline Vieilles Vignesâ&#x20AC;? from Puligny-Montrachet. Even dessert gets in on the actionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;choose from white truffle ice cream or goat cheese crepe with blood orange caramel and fresh black truffles. The Truffle Week menu is available during regular dinner hours.

November 7-13 is also ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6KHUU\ :HHN. To celebrate and enlighten guests about sherry, Jaleo by JosĂŠ AndrĂŠs (in the Cosmopolitan, Jaleo.com/Las-Vegas) will feature original sherry cocktails. At 7 p.m. on November 10, Jaleo will host a Sherry vs. Wine dinner showcasing sherries from GonzĂĄlez Byass, one of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most well-known bodegas. The five-course, $100 menu pairs dishes such as Jaleoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illustrious Paella Valenciana with both a sherry and a wine for guests to

experience and rate their preferred sip. This is a great format to learn and appreciate the nuances of both wine products.

(Reserve your seat by emailing Natalic@jaleo.com.)

The Spanish takeover continues at yet another dinner on November 10 when The Palm Restaurant (in the Forum Shops at Caesars, ThePalm.com/Tapas) will host a five-course tapas dinner paired with wine from Bodegas Torres. Like The Palm, Torres is a family-run business known for its quality, distinct flavors and commitment to sustainability. Founded in 1870, Torres is home to an abundance of vineyards, wineries and estates in some of the top wine-growing regions in the world including Catalonia, PenedĂŠs and Priorat in Spain, and has evolved to include spirits distilled from the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best white wines. Some highlights of the dinner include chorizo and crab-stuffed Blue Point oysters served with 2013 Verdeo Verdejo; Alaskan king crab salad with lime-marinated avocado, apple-radish slaw and whole-grain mustard vinaigrette accompanied by 2012 Pazo das Bruxas AlbariĂąo; and amaretto crème brĂťlĂŠe with a cinnamon-sugar crust and cinnamonalmond biscotti paired with a 20-year-old brandy. Salud! 7 Marisa Finetti savors with all five senses. Read more at VegasSeven.com/ DishAndTell or visit her blog, LoveAndRelish.com.

34

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

A whole truffle at Delmonico Steakhouse (above); and a sherry flight at Jaleo (left).

TASTE

Clockwise from top: Westergom and Hobbie; Jackie Baby; DQG 2II WR $XQWLH·V House We Go

They Do Know Jack

Two Las Vegas bartenders get booked for slaying the competition

By Xania Woodman

E

Photography Krystal Ramirez

ncouraged to go big, two Las Vegas bartenders recently went way beyond a workaday Jack ’n’ Coke to show Jack Daniel’s brand ambassador Eric “ET” Tecosky just how creative they could be. For their efforts, the Sand Dollar Lounge’s lead bartender Jessica Westergom and former Giada’s barman Eric Hobbie will be included in Volume 2 of Jack’s Black Book, a petite cocktail tome featuring high-profile bartenders from around the country along with their original Jack Daniel’s cocktails. The book will be gifted to some 75,000 people, including Tasting Panel Magazine subscribers, next summer. In Volume 1, Las Vegas’ own Tony Abou-Ganim of Libertine Social and Andrew Pollard of Breakthru Beverage graced the pages, setting the bar high. But rather than hand-select their successors, as Tecosky did for the remainder of the 30 or so slots, he embraced Las Vegas’ winnertake-all ethos and decided to let it ride on a pair of competitions, one in the Arcade Bar at Libertine Social in Mandalay Bay, and the other a ladies-only contest at Intrigue Nightclub in Wynn. Westergom and Hobbie were on point when they presented the judges (including Tecosky, Abou-Ganim, Pollard and myself) with their thoughtful entries. As his Tennessee whiskey empire turns 150 years old this year, Jasper “Jack” Daniel would—we think—be delighted by Westergom’s “orchard to glass” caramel-apple creation, Off to Auntie’s House We Go ($16 at the Sand Dollar, 3355 Spring Mountain Rd., TheSandDollarLV.com), and Hobbie’s sweet, spiked ice cream float, Jackie Baby, inspired by the life and times of his late grandfather. Find both recipes at VegasSeven.com/JackDanielsBlackBook. 7

36

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Photography .U\VWDO 5DPLUH] Makeup Artist, age 31 IG: @monikan_mua When you go shopping, ZKDW LV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW WKLQJ \RX ORRN IRU" I never look for a specific item. Typically, whatever first catches my eye are the best pieces to consider, then in my head I quickly run through all my clothes and shoes to possibly match the item.

And I always consider if the piece is something that I will be wearing more than once.

Monika 1LFROOL

:KR LV \RXU ELJJHVW VW\OH LQĂ XHQFH" Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not influenced by one specific designer or a person.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m inspired by fashion trends, old and new. I typically gather different fashion styles to create my own. ,Q WHUPV RI EHDXW\ ZKDW LV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SURGXFW \RX JR IRU HYHQ LI \RX KDYH QR WLPH" Concealer.

A little bit goes a long way. +RZ GRHV LW IHHO WR EH WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SHUVRQ HYHU IHDWXUHG LQ 7KH /RRN WZLFH" (Nicolli was in the June 16, 2011 issue, alongside her husband Ronn) It feels great! The first time I was featured in The Look, I was kind of lost. It was shortly after my husband and I had our first daughter, so I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really sure what my style was at the time. But now, I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got this, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m confident I have found a style that I am pretty happy and comfortable with.

THE LOOK

+RZ GLG EHFRPLQJ D PRP FKDQJH \RXU VW\OH" I had no idea what my style was. I felt conservative and wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure what I should be wearing as a mom.

Nowadays, I know exactly what I like and what I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like. Most importantly, I feel great in my own skin, which helps me determine what looks good on me, as well as certain pieces I shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be wearing, regardless of the trend. :KDW LV \RXU IDYRULWH YLEH IRU ZLQWHU" Oversize leather jacket, over-the-knee Stuart Weitzman boots and Yeezy sneakers.

Nicolli is wearing Missguided maxi duster coat by Carli Bybel, Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots, OneTeaspoon shorts and Free People T-shirt bodysuit.

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

39

THE MOST FABULOUS THING

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

By Charlie Starling

Photography Gene Page/AMC

NEEDING NEGAN

Why are the bad boys so damn attractive?

AFTER A SUMMER OF SICKNESS

and injury described in a recent column of mine, I am relieved that I’m fighting fit again because—seriously, you guys—autumn is jam-packed and freaking awesome this year. I find myself scraping to find hours here and there to fit everything in, sweating under the regime of my new personal trainer and sticking Swarovskis on every costume piece I can get my hands on. And then there’s the fall TV and movie releases ... Shit! Damn!

But y’all should know me by now, and if I have the chance to talk about my TV addiction, I will. With everything that’s going on, it’s been hard to keep up with all my shows. I mean, I’m not even up-to-date with The Great British Baking Show, for cake’s sake ... but I’m trying.

The brilliant new seasons of Drunk History, Atlanta, New Girl, South Park (of course) and a stonker of a Hamilton documentary on PBS aside, you’d have to be completely disconnected to miss that The Walking Dead came slugging back October 23 in a blaze of brains, heartbreak and gore. And this, friends, is why I’m here today: not to talk about TWD per se (and don’t worry—no spoilers here), but mainly actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan ... and his uncanny ability to make me angry at my own vagina.

For those who don’t watch TWD, Morgan has brought the comic book-based series’ big, bad Negan to life in a devastatingly sexy way. The character is a baseball bat-wielding, bad joke-making, spirit-crushing, skull-bashing nightmare ... and I want him. Bad. And in the same way as when he played Watchmen’s The

Comedian, an indiscriminate killer and rapist who revels in anarchy and laughs at your pain. All I wanted to do was grab him and bite his face off. In a sexy way, obviously ...

I know I’m not alone in this, and it has been the same for many for years: We lust hungrily after the baddest of boys and are left wondering why. If we encountered these horrors in real life, surely we wouldn’t be so entranced, right? I definitely blame Hollywood and its casting of these characters. It was hard to be mad at David Tennant’s Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones when— again—an abusive, mind-controlling villain is so damn sexy on screen. I

suppose it is always the charming ones who manage to lure you in some way into a horrible situation.

I end up getting really angry, not only at my own urges, but at the entertainment industry for catering to those urges. Though I have to remind myself—and I think we all have to remind ourselves—that what’s happening on our small screens isn’t real. Television is escapism, a place to revel in your darkest fantasies, the things you wouldn’t go for in real life.

Sometimes, at least, this thought manages to assuage the guilt for my sexual attraction to characters like Negan.

I certainly think it’s a discussion

DO GOOD DONE GOOD

LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME. Communities in

40

When the Adults Come Out to Play Fundraiser helps young students in Nevada

By Rob Kachelriess

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

Schools of Nevada is trying something new for its biggest fundraiser of the year. The Today for Tomorrow gala hits the Cosmopolitan on November 5, taking over the Belmont Ballroom from 6 to 10 p.m. for a 1920s speakeasy-style party. The goal is to help students, but the bash is strictly for adults.

“It’s a different kind of gala, because it’s not a formal sit-down dinner,” says Board Chair Susie Lee. “It’s definitely a fun time, and we’ll try to raise as much money as we can to support the work we do.”

The new approach includes plenty of drinks and casino games like blackjack. The idea is to generate additional revenue sources, and if all goes according to plan, more than $300,000 will be raised in one night. The party will skip large dinner tables and white tablecloths in favor of a

to be had, especially with so much conversation surrounding violence, especially sexual violence, on small and large screens.

Besides—and here’s where we can tell how far removed my television brain is from my real-life brain—I was madder at Jeffrey Dean Morgan for dying as Denny in Grey’s Anatomy than I was for his brutal murder of ... NOT TELLING ... last Sunday night. Winky face! 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: @charliestarling

lively lounge setup with food and drink stations from the Cosmopolitan’s lineup of restaurants, including STK, Jaleo and Scarpetta. There will also be entertainment from roving magicians, acrobats and other performers.

It’s all to benefit CIS of Nevada a nonprofit organization that currently serves 58,000 students, grades K–12, in 59 schools around the state, especially in Clark County, the nation’s fifth largest school district, where resources are stretched thin.

Each school has an office or “resource room” that is monitored by onsite coordinators, often recent graduates who were helped by CIS of Nevada themselves and are returning the favor. The rooms come stocked with food, clothes, school supplies and anything else a young student might need.

“Kids will come into our resource centers looking for a pen,” Lee says. “One thing leads

By Michael Green

Politics as Usual … or Is It?

32/,7,&6

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

EVEN IN A VOLATILE ELECTION CYCLE, YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP

E

lections, like politicians, have the habit of being both similar and unique. Granting the Orange One’s presence, this election fits both descriptions.

Or maybe you haven’t looked up Ross Perot online.

Do so, and you’ll see some parallels. But in Nevada, as usual, there’s the usual and the unusual.

Usual: for a politician to try to have it both ways.

8QXVXDO IRU D SDUW\·V 8 6 6HQDWH FDQGLGDWH WR VD\ KH LVQ·W YRWLQJ IRU KLV SDUW\·V SUHVLGHQWLDO nominee.

After supporting Donald Trump as he insulted Mexicans, Muslims, women, Jews and POWs, Congressman Joe Heck said the presidential nominee’s comments about sexual assault were too much. Then he said at a fundraiser, “I want to support him, I really do,” and told the Reno Gazette-Journal he wouldn’t say how he’ll vote.

He shouldn’t want to vote for Trump, period. Not because their policy views may not be the same as yours or mine, but because Heck even said in his debate with Catherine Cortez Masto that his wife had once been in an abusive relationship. To sincerely use a word that Trump uses insincerely, that’s sad. That Heck still could say he wants to be able to support Trump after making that statement is sad in a different way. But he also has said he won’t say who he’ll vote for. Obviously, he’s a candidate for a revised version of Profiles in Courage.

8VXDO IRU SDUWLHV DQG FDQGLGDWHV WR FDWHU WR VHQLRU YRWHUV 8QXVXDO IRU WKH 1HYDGD 5HSXEOLFDQ &HQWUDO &RPPLWWHH WR HQJDJH LQ HOGHU DEXVH Sara Denton is 91 and so loyal a Democrat that she could make Harry Reid look iffy, and yet she showed up in a mailer for Republican Danny Tarkanian attacking Jacky Rosen, his opponent in House District 3. Denton never attacked Rosen. She never held the dishonest anti-Rosen sign she’s shown holding in the mailer. And she was devastated when it happened, since it went against everything she has stood for all her life.

The Nevada GOP paid for it, not Tarkanian, but his wife

to another and they then have an advocate and someone on the school site who is helping them with daily challenges. That makes a difference.”

There’s no limit to what might be needed. Over the course of a school year, CIS of Nevada provides anything from baby supplies, dental care, winter clothes and even prom dresses to those looking for help.

Volunteers also assist at-risk kids stay on track to graduate.

Lee, who was a founding director for After-School All Stars, has been working with CIS of Nevada for more than six years. She’s familiar with the struggles that students face.

“I grew up in a big family. We didn’t

tweeted the photo as part of how he’ll “protect seniors.”

For Republicans not to have found out first who Denton is and about her background suggests a level of incompetence and stupidity that boggles even the liveliest imagination. And if this election has taught us anything, it’s that people have to own their candidate, and they have to own their candidate’s behavior.

8VXDO IRU 0RUPRQV WR VXSSRUW 5HSXEOLFDQV 8QXVXDO ZKLFK 0RUPRQV VXSSRUW ZKLFK 5Hpublicans.

Cresent Hardy tossed Trump over the side—as with Heck, only after Trump’s seventy-gazillionth act of hate. Hardy belongs to the Mormon Church, which long ago deemed Trump unacceptable. But then who did the Trump campaign unveil as a new endorsement from Nevada? Bruce Woodbury, a member of a longtime Mormon family who many observers have been ready to nominate for sainthood for his tenure on the Clark County Commission.

8VXDO IRU ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW WR GLIIHU DPRQJ WKHPVHOYHV RQ WKH YDOXH RI VRPH IRUP RI JXQ FRQWURO 8QXVXDO IRU 1HYDGDQV WR VKRZ VLJQV RI VXSSRUWLQJ WKH FRUUHFW VLGH Question 1 would prohibit “selling or transferring a firearm to another person unless a federally licensed dealer first conducts a federal background check” on both parties. Polling leans toward approval. So, if a law enforcement official

actually believes it’s OK for me to hand someone a firearm, whether or not that person should own one, because they trust my judgment, why is it that I am to keep my hands in view when I am pulled over for breaking traffic laws,?

8VXDO IRU XQLRQV WR SOD\ D ELJ UROH LQ HOHFWLRQV 8QXVXDO IRU XQLRQV WR VZDS KRUVHV PLGVWUHDP The laborers endorsed Democrat Ozzie Fumo in Assembly District 21. Then he came out strongly against the stadium deal. So, Jon Ralston reported, the Laborers Union stopped working on his behalf to help Republican incumbent Derek Armstrong, who supports the project. If Armstrong wins reelection, and it’s close enough for this to turn the tide, will he vote as that union wants, or as his party wants? If the former, will the Laborers Union become a bigger political force? If the latter, will it occur to the Laborers Union that it shot itself and every other union in the foot?

8VXDO IRU YRWHUV WR VD\ WKH\ GRQ·W NQRZ HQRXJK DERXW EDOORW TXHVWLRQV DQG OHVV SURPLQHQW FDQGLGDWHV 1RWKLQJ WR DGG WKDW·V XQXVXDO Just look for information. People died for your right to vote. The least you can do is make sure they did not die in vain. 7 Michael Green is an associate professor of history at UNLV.

If this election has taught us anything, it’s that people have to own their candidate.

have a lot and people helped me out along the way,” she says. “We’re all going up and down the ladder of opportunity in life. Sometimes you’re in a position to give a helping hand and other times you’re putting your hand out to get help.”

That’s why fundraisers like Today for Tomorrow are so vital.

“It’s a casual, upscale experience where people can mingle, gamble and more importantly, raise resources that we need to operate our program and expand it into more schools,” Lee says. 7 Ticket prices range from $350–$5,000.

Log on to CISNevada.org/events/ today-for-tomorrow/ for information.

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

41

CONVERSATIONS

Change ,V $é Around

CONVERSATIONS

Le Thai owners reflect on five years as a Fremont Street staple

By Al Mancini

Photography Krystal Ramirez

n October 30, Le Thai celebrated its fifth anniversary with a casual backyard barbecue for friends, longtime customers and locals. Owner Dan Coughlin encouraged them to bring their own cuts of meat to throw on the grill if they liked, although he certainly had some of his own, as well as plenty of celebratory beverages.

But, he warned revelers seeking the restaurant’s signature dishes, “I don’t want to cook; I just want to grill.”

While a major accomplishment, five years almost seems too short a time for the Downtown revolution that’s transpired during Le Thai’s tenure. Today, the neighborhood’s go-to Thai restaurant is just one of many excellent dining choices. But in 2011, the East Fremont area was little more than a developing cocktail corridor with very little in the way of decent eats available outside of the nearby casinos.

Over a recent meal in the restaurant, Coughlin and his business partner and fiancée, Shauna Dong, recalled their thoughts when, after he catered a dinner party for Downtown entrepreneurs Michael and Jennifer Cornthwaite, Michael mentioned a piece of vacant real estate that would be perfect for a restaurant.

“Shauna and I had been hanging out Downtown a lot at Beauty Bar, Downtown Cocktail Room and the Griffin,” says Coughlin, who was running Mix Zone Café at the time. “And right away I was like, ‘This whole area has so many bars right now. But we need some food.’”

Securing the space was easy. “When I negotiated this lease, we negotiated against nobody,” he recalls, “because nobody wanted to put a restaurant down here.”

According to Shauna, who was DJing at Beauty Bar at the time, their expectations weren’t high. “We were thinking no more than 100 people a day,” she says. “[Dan] specifically told me, ‘I just want lawyers and hipsters.’” They assumed they’d serve the former at lunch and the latter during late-night hours, all but writing off the dinner period.

The couple cite Zappos’ official announcement of relocating Downtown as the restaurant’s turning point. It brought new attention and new customers to the neighborhood. But it also meant new competitors.

“I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous,” Coughlin says. “I thought, ‘Man, the party’s over,’” but he soon realized that a rising tide really does lift all boats, explaining, “Right now, I believe we’re just part of a restaurant group over here. I don’t think there is a ‘competitor.’ When Shauna and I aren’t at work, we eat out Downtown a lot. We love Carson Kitchen, La Comida, Pizza Rock—all these spots. I want it to be a food [destination].”

In keeping with that, the couple invested in two other Downtown restaurants: Bocho and Le Pho. But neither has been their personal vision, despite the way Bocho was originally marketed.

“Downtown Project wanted me to put my name on it and my face on it, and I was fine with that,” Coughlin says.

The pair will be very involved, however, with a new coffee roastery called Vesta on Casino Center Boulevard that will double as a retail coffee shop. It was inspired by their friend Jerad Howard, who’d briefly moved to L.A. and, upon his return, told them, “I like the coffee houses in Vegas, but I’m shocked there’s not more coffee-roasting places.” With Howard as a partner, they’re hoping to roast proprietary beans for local coffee shops, and serve their own product to the public with light food and free Wi-Fi. The pair are also hoping to open another Thai restaurant sometime soon, but say it’s too early to discuss details. But don’t expect it to be too far from Downtown. Of the neighborhood they helped launch, Coughlin confirms, “We’re in it for the long haul.” 7

O

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

43

CONVERSATIONS

By James P. Reza

What do you think of MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren’s announcement that he will bring DQ 1%$ WHDP WR /DV 9HJDV ZLWKLQ ıYH \HDUV"

Throwback Thursday REMEMBER THAT ONE TIME WHEN YOUR

Native predicted the resurgence of the north Strip? (“Can the W Hotel Revitalize the North End of the Strip?” Nov. 10, 2015.) With the anticipated openings of the W Hotel (Dec. 1) and the Lucky Dragon (Dec. 3), Forbes magazine recently took notice with an October 19 article by Larry Olmsted. By paying attention to the “suddenly hot” area rather than focusing on gloom and doom, we can forgive Olmsted for referring to the north Strip as “new” while not once mentioning the Sahara.

Keeping on theme, in that same “Native” of last November, I suggested that fans of Bonanza Gift Shop make a visit soon, as owners were positioning themselves to take advantage of the increasing fortunes of that auspicious Strip corner. Fast-forward to the recent sale of the property for $50 million, and one can see the writing on the wall.

44

November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

Have a question about Las Vegas, past, present or future? Send it to AskANative@VegasSeven.com.

ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTO BY CIERRA PEDRO

ASK A NATIVE

A

nyone who reads this column or follows my Twitter (@authenticvegas) knows these things: I love tiki drinks and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, but I’m no fan of publicly funded stadium projects, especially football. In fact, my old-school mindset believes Las Vegas should avoid the potential conflicts of hosting professional sports altogether, while bolstering our position as a legal sports betting capital.

Further, I dispute the claims of political and financial power players who assert that Las Vegas cannot be a “world-class city” without a pro sports team. But I understand that the city has evolved, while at the same time, the beloved UNLV franchise that has served as “our team” for so long has struggled. So while Marvin Menzies works his magic rebuilding at the Thomas & Mack, perhaps Las Vegas needs some other source of civic glue. I get it.

Setting aside the issue of public funding, I’ve always maintained that soccer and the NBA (in that order) would enjoy quick and long-term support in Las Vegas. Soccer has the most youth participation in the Valley, which suggests a ready fan base. But looking toward more mainstream American tastes, the NBA seems an obvious first choice. Not only does Las Vegas already host multiple NCAA tournaments, NBA games and the NBA Summer League, but we have a long and deep basketball tradition that began with Jerry Tarkanian’s UNLV teams, and is evident in high school play as well as the presence of Findlay Prep. An NBA team would complete the circle for many local players as well as fans, and the fact that the arena is already built (with private money!) and ready to go makes me wonder: Why wait five years? Forget the NFL. Bring on the Las Vegas Rebels!

CONVERSATIONS

)UDQN 6LQDWUD I am ever inspired by the eternal Las Vegas presence of Frank Sinatra, but especially in the few remaining places where he actually spent time such as the Golden Steer, Caesars Palace and the Golden Nugget. –Xania Woodman, senior editor, dining, beverage and nightlife

Lucky No.

Who is your favorite Vegas figure, either fictional or real?

2Pac Although 2Pac isn’t from here, he met his tragic end just off the Strip. His death is still a thing of lore in the hip-hop world, and a reminder that these streets aren’t loyal to anyone. –Zoneil Maharaj, director of digital content

Jerry Tarkanian

Elvis Presley I had a random obsession with Elvis when I was in kindergarten. I owned an Elvis Barbie, a pillow with his face on it, a gospel record I couldn’t listen to, even a framed Elvis stamp. I think as a 5-year-old, I was fascinated by his certain je ne sais quoi, even though I couldn’t conceptualize that idea then. He remains one of my favorite Vegas figures today.

–Jessie O’Brien, editor, DTLV.com

Charo She invented twerking. She entered the Vegas scene in the ’70s and came back at jabs to her broken English with comedy.

She was grand marshal for a Pride Parade in 2008. She exudes overall energy, positivity and sexiness decades later!

–Shannon Miller, editorial assistant

As a UNLV student, I have to pay my respects to the legendary Jerry Tarkanian. He was an amazing, influential figure for the city and helped the university reach a higher status. R.I.P Tark the Shark.

–Ashley Miles, editorial intern

:D\QH 1HZWRQ No one comes to mind more when talking about Las Vegas than Mr. Las Vegas himself! –Ally Tatosian, editorial intern

Mr. House from )DéRXW 1HZ 9HJDV Robert House is the self-proclaimed proprietor of the New Vegas Strip in this video game and bears an uncanny resemblance to the Las Vegas legend he’s based on: Howard Hughes. From the hair part to the mustache, House is all Hughes. Pee jars not included. –Amber Sampson, digital producer and writer

Photography Everett Collection

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November 3 - 9, 2016 vegasseven.com

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