Go Team!

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GO TEAM! Claire sinclair gets cheeky for the big game + parties, puppies and sportsbook shenanigans

T H E B I G G E S T T A I L G AT E PART Y IN LAS VEGAS IS F REE!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 2–8, 2017 TO DO

11 24/7

What to do around the clock in Las Vegas.

27 More Human Than Human

The future of tech and artificial intelligence in Las Vegas.

BY DAVID G. SCHWARTZ

BY SHANNON MILLER

SPACES & PLACES FEATURE

14 Super Bowl Celebrations Worth getting off the couch for.

BY MARK ADAMS

15 Overheard at the Sportsbook

Strangers’ two cents at Red Rock Race & Sports Book.

29 The Beauty of the Book

It used to be all about the game at Stardust Race & Sports Book.

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

30 Sleep in Claire’s Bed

Pin Up’s Claire Sinclair decks out her new bed-and-breakfast.

BY JESSIE O’BRIEN

BY JASON R. LATHAM

16 The Deal

Betting the big game.

BY ANTHONY CURTIS

Holding Out for RaiderDome Hopefuls anticipate Las Vegas’ favorite NFL team moving to our backyard.

BY ROB MIECH

18 Puppy Bowl XIII

Team Ruff and Team Fluff face off for a chance to find forever homes.

BY GENEVIE DURANO

CONVERSATIONS

33 Finding the Funny Bone

Ali Wong on breaking down barriers in comedy.

BY GENEVIE DURANO

34 Ask a Native

Aloha in Vegas?

35 Hérculez Gómez Still Scoring

Las Vegas’ pro soccer player talks past and present.

BY ROB MIECH

TASTE

36 Lucky No. 7

21 One Bite: Winter Warmer Squid Ink Spaghetti at Carson Kitchen.

BY SEVEN STAFF

BY GENEVIE DURANO

ON THE FLIP SIDE

22 Aureole Reimagined

How and where will you party for the Super Bowl this year?

Design for a new era of diners.

Seven Nights

BY MARISA FINETTI

What to do after dark.

BY MARK ADAMS

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

25 The Rogers

Foundation’s Welcome Wall

A new mural speaks to the nonprofit’s mission.

BY KRISTEN PETERSON

26 They Still Got Game

The Harlem Globetrotters continue to amaze after 91 years.

BY JARRET KEENE

OUR SITES TO SEE

BY JAMES P. REZA

VegasSeven.com New Stories from Old Lissa Townsend Rodgers dives into Neil Gaiman’s latest book, Norse Mythology, a retelling of ancient legends, at vegasseven.com/ norsemythology.

DTLV.com

Downtown’s Lobster Truck Breaks the Rules Cousins Maine Lobster takes the no-cheesewith-seafood myth and douses its lobster with melted pepper jack and cheddar on buttery Texas toast for grilled cheese. We take a bite of the rich, melty sandwich at DTLV.com.

The Good Life Travis Scott launches a new party series at Jewel Nightclub.

BY ZAUNI TANIL

Putting the “Intrigue” in the Nightclub Design at Wynn

Forté Specialty Contractors combines construction with attention to detail.

BY ROBERT SPUHLER

RunRebs.com

Weekly Recap Why is UNLV losing so many games? Tyler Bischoff analyzes the Rebels’ missed opportunities at the basket at runrubs.com.

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

Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Photography KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger President Michael Skenandore Chief Financial Officer Sim Salzman Vice President, Marketing and Events Keith White Creative Director Sherwin Yumul Graphic Designer Javon Isaac Technical Director Herbert Akinyele Controller Jane Weigel

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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 EDITOR AT LARGE

Lissa Townsend Rodgers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Shannon Miller EDITORIAL INTERNS

Daphne-Jayne Corrales, Heather Peterson Contributing Editors Michael Green (Politics), David G. Schwartz (Gaming/Hospitality) Art CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Benjamin Ward SENIOR DESIGNER

Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Krystal Ramirez VegasSeven.com DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT

Zoneil Maharaj EDITOR, DTLV.COM

Jessie O’Brien WEB EDITOR

Amber Sampson CONTRIBUTING WRITER, RUNREBS.COM

Tyler Bischoff 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, Matt Iles DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION

John Tobin

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MAY 3 – 20

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TO DO

What to do around the clock in Las Vegas

By Shannon Miller

Cher

THURSDAY 2

The final installment of the Giada Wine Series dinners features Tour of Amarone with winemaker Luciano Castiello of Banfi Estates.

Ruminate and sip on some of the highest quality food and wine Las Vegas has to offer. 6–9 p.m., $200, in The Cromwell, caesars.com/cromwell You may not recognize Ace Frehley without the KISS makeup, or maybe you do. He started his solo career in the late ’70s, and has since released chart-climbing albums such as Anomaly (2009) and Space Invader (2014). Catch the rock icon with Lita Ford and Enuff Z’Nuff tonight. 7 p.m., $35–$60, Brooklyn Bowl, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas Local documentary filmmaker Stan Armstrong’s Invisible Las Vegas looks at West Las Vegas, from Armstrong’s childhood to today.

Catch the entire doc and learn about the little known history of the city during the Civil Rights Era. 7–9 p.m., Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., lvccld.org Come to Atomic Liquors dressed as your favorite Bill Murray character. Watch Groundhog Day as you sip on some rare releases from Modern Times Beer. The best Bill costume wins a 1.5-liter bottle of the Southern California company’s suds! 6 p.m., facebook.com/atomiclasvegas

Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

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24/7

TO DO

FRIDAY 3

Did you know yoga has African origins? Yoga master Yirser Ra Hotep teaches Alchemy of Kemetic Yoga for those interested in learning these practices.

6:30–9 p.m., West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., artslasvegas.org Are you a book buff? Enter the ring at BOOKKO for a trivia game testing your literary knowledge for a chance to win a Writer’s Block gift card. 7–8:30 p.m., 1020 Fremont St., thewritersblock.org Cali-based women’s athletic apparel company Graced by Grit offers 30 percent off on the purchase of any two tops and one bottom from their Valentine’s Day collection. Use the code “XOXO30” for a discount on cute and quality athletic apparel you’re sure to love. All orders include free shipping and delivery before Valentine’s Day. gracedbygrit.com Netflix releases Imperial Dreams, a Sundance Film Festival award-winning drama about a reformed gangster struggling to raise his son in the Imperial Courts projects in Los Angeles. netflix.com SATURDAY 4

Performers from Paraguay, China and Mexico unite, showing music has no boundaries in Streams Converge. Enjoy various string, percussion and wind instruments played by talented musicians. 2 p.m., $10–$12, Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Dr., clarkcountynv.gov

Chinese New Year celebrations conclude on February 11, so it’s not too late to bring yourself good luck and, most importantly, good food!

Fat Choy Restaurant has you covered with an eight-course Year of the Rooster dinner, including festive salads, potstickers, spring rolls, “Longevity” noodles, meat and fish dishes, sweet sesame rice balls and a specialty cocktail. 6 p.m., RSVP required, $59 per person, fatchoylv.com TUESDAY 7

Attend the reception for artist Frank McBride Sr.’s Black Kings & Queens exhibition at West Las Vegas Arts Center. Exhibition through March 25, reception 2–5 p.m., 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., artslasvegas.org

Not only can Absinthe’s Green Fairy Melody Sweets perform impressive dance and acrobatics, but she also sings with a golden era voice.

Catch her Vaudeville-style variety act and music tonight at The Sweets’ Spot. 10 p.m., $25–$40, Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com

The Utah Shakespeare Festival troupe performs A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Charleston Heights Arts Center. Revel in the poetry, song and fairy tale of this 16th-century comedy. 2 p.m., $10–$15, 800 S. Brush St., 702-229-6383

It’s Tuesday afternoon at the Bijou, which means a high-style ’60s horror movie! Catch the screening of The Brides of Dracula, a tale of an unsuspecting schoolteacher who unleashes the undead. 1–2:30 p.m., Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd., lvccld.org

Big Sean celebrates his big “Bounce Back,” as the hip-hop artist un-

Check out the new “Trick Eye Experience” 3-D artwork, created

by L.A.-based street art company We Talk Chalk, at Monte Carlo. Artworks can be found at BLVD Plaza and the west casino entrance. Stand inside the art for some of the most unique photo ops on the Strip! wetalkchalk.com

leashes his latest release, I Decided, February 3. Rage with the rapper during a live performance at his official album release party at Drai’s Nightclub inside The Cromwell. 10:30 p.m., $30–$50, draisnightlife.com

SUNDAY 5

Post up for the big game at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar and enjoy unlimited small bites such as wings, cheddar waffles, spiced watermelon and smoked brisket biscuits. Did we mention the buckets of Budweiser and Bud Light for $20? 3:30 p.m., $100 for bar area, $150 for hightop seating, $800 for five-seat couch, in The Venetian, venetian.com (Find more Super Bowl parties on page 14) Broadway in the Hood presents Ain’t Misbehavin’, a musical journey through the Harlem Renaissance featuring the music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. 3 p.m., $34, Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com It’s one of the tastiest days of the year—World Nutella Day! Celebrate at Tuscany Gardens, which features a Nutella cheesecake with biscotti crumble, hazelnut and espresso crema. open daily, 5–9:30 p.m., $10.95, tuscanylv.com

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of Allen Imbach. 7 p.m., $20-$35, Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com

American writer and critic Joyce Carol Oates’ newest novel, A Book of American Martyrs, hits the shelves. $29.99, harpercollins.com WEDNESDAY 8

Metro Pizza offers heart-shaped pizza in celebration of the Day of Love—great for sharing or eating by yourself in front of the TV with a pint of ice cream. Through February, $19.95 dine-in or take-out, $29.95 for dessert and bottle of sparkling wine combo, metropizza.com Do you believe in life after love? Cher does, and she’s opening her limited engagement run at the swanky new Park Theater tonight.

8 p.m., $55–$205, montecarlo.com

MONDAY 6

The Dam Short Film Festival kicks off in nearby Boulder City. Take in four days of award-winning short films while enjoying the town’s quaint streets, antique stores and restaurants. $9 per screening, one-day pass $35, four-day pass $100, The Boulder Theatre, damshortfilm.org

The Bruce Harper Big Band and Elisa Fiorillo perform in Let the Good Times Roll!, a lineup of jazz classics and compositions

Looking for more stuff to do in Las Vegas? Check out vegasseven.com/calendar.

Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

The Brides of Dracula

SUPER BOWL 2017

SUPER BOWL CELEBRATIONS YOUR LIVING ROOM IS GREAT, BUT THESE BIG-GAME PARTIES ARE WORTH GETTING OFF THE COUCH FOR Looking for an elevated epicurean experience while watching the Super Bowl? Or does your big-game tradition mean dollar hot dogs and cheap beer? From Strip-side celebrations to suburban parties and DTLV revelry, there’s a place for everyone to watch the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons go head-to-head. Here are our picks.

By Mark Adams

THE STRIP

THE BURBS

DTLV

Hard Rock Cafe Watch the big game surrounded by sweeping views of the Las Vegas Strip, all while noshing on Hard Rock’s Game Day menu buffet and getting your drink on during its fivehour premium open bar. And with that in mind, you might want to have Uber or Lyft at the ready. 2:30–7:30 p.m., $200 entry includes food and beverage, hardrock.com/cafes/las-vegas

Pancho’s If you’re hoping to stay close to your Summerlin abode for the big game, consider spicing up your Super Bowl Sunday at Downtown Summerlin’s casual Mexican eatery. Pancho’s is offering half-price select appetizers (including Pancho’s Nachos for $7 and the Botanas Especiales combo platter with quesadillas, crispy chicken drumsticks, beef taquitos and chicken flautas for $8.50) and assortment of drink specials (such as $1.25 off draft beer, $2.25 off house and flavored margaritas and $3 off well cocktails). To cap it all off, the restaurant is debuting its Baja Wings (a plate of nine wings for $15.95) for the occasion. 10 a.m., panchosrestaurant.com

Atomic Liquors The veteran Downtown watering hole is tapping a number of limited-release Firestone Walker brews for the big game, while offering pizza and wings throughout and giveaways after every quarter. Pizza, beer and free shit?

Life’s good at Atomic this Sunday.

Noon–9 p.m., reservations required at info@atomic.vegas, atomic.vegas

Lavo The Palazzo clubstaurant puts on its annual Lavo Bowl, offering fans a viewing op complete with access to a delicious spread of its Italian-inspired fare and an open bar running from 1 to 4 p.m. Why not splurge for both, though?

You know the spicy scarpariello chicken wings, smoked tomato barbecue pork ribs and kobe meatballs in grandma’s gravy will go down a whole lot better with a cold brew in hand. Did we mention the pizza station? 1 p.m., $95 open bar or buffet, $180 for both, lavolv.com STK How about a top-notch chef–curated menu and premium beverage package to complete a big-game bash? That’s exactly what The Cosmopolitan steakhouse is offering, as bottomless select liquors, beers and wine will be served alongside Stephen Hopcraft’s Game Day menu. The grub includes appetizers such as truffle fries, assorted sliders, potato skins and pigs Wellington, and the spread wouldn’t be complete without the restaurant’s Bloody Mary bar. 2 p.m., $195, togrp.com/ venue/stk-las-vegas

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South Point The suburban locals casino is putting on its big-ass big-game bash again, filling its showroom, exhibit hall and grand ballroom with onsite wagering stations, food vendors and a whole lot of screens to take the action in.

The doors open early, so why not make it a daylong affair? Lunch it up with food specials (including $1 hot dogs, $3 pizzas and $4 pulled-pork nachos) and catch a buzz before kickoff with $25 six-beer buckets of Bud, Bud Lite, Corona and Michelob Ultra. 10:30 a.m., southpoint.com Distill/Elixir/Remedy’s If you live in the suburbs, there’s a Distill, Elixir or Remedy’s near you. Appetizer specials start at $5 in all locations, with Miller beer specials ranging from $10 five-bottle buckets to $12 100-ounce Miller Lite towers and $2 16-ounce Miller Lite drafts. Plus, you get to enjoy the game in a comfy barstool, ordering from a bartender who probably already knows your name. It’s like your living room—but better. All day, distillbar. com, elixirlounge.net, remedystavern.com

Banger Brewing There’s no doubt a number of Las Vegans will be drinking local during the game, but how about doing it in the brewery itself? Entry to Banger’s big-game party gets you all-you-can-drink access to its brews all day, and guests can add a $20 bottomless food package from LV Food Junky. Bacon popcorn, loaded mini baked potatoes or chili Frito pie, anyone? We’re thinking Banger’s El Heffe jalapeño hefeweizen will pair perfectly with that last item.

3:30–8 p.m., $35, bangerbrewing.com

Top: DLVEC; Bottom: The Naughty Maggie Margarita at Pancho’s

DLVEC Looking for a more authentic viewing experience? Maybe one with a gridiron? The Downtown Las Vegas Events Center transforms its 85,000 square feet into a sports arena, complete with a replica football field and stadium seats. American Coney Island, Cousins Maine Lobster and more will be on site to supply the grub. Noon, DLVEC.com

SUPER BOWL 2017 “I’m really glad the Falcons got in there because I like Ryan.

Nobody wants the Patriots to win, including the NFL.”

Overheard at the Sportsbook

—An elderly bettor standing in line

By Jason R. Latham Photography Ryan Forbes

“If they do the national anthem, I’ll take the under because it’s Luke Bryan, and he won’t go 90 seconds.”

OF ALL THE TINFOIL-HAT THEORIES you’ll hear surrounding Super Bowl LI, the strangest one is that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell secretly wants the Atlanta Falcons to win the coin toss.

Why, exactly? Follow this logic: The New England

—A man skimming the list of prop bets

Patriots always defer the opening kickoff to the other team, and then come out strong to start the second half.

Goodell, no fan of New England, wants Atlanta to win the coin toss, defer to the Patriots and force them to receive

“I bet props yesterday. I got ‘safety.’

I got ‘Will there be a safety?’ ‘Will there be overtime?’ ‘Will there be three unanswered scores?’ I might do ‘coin toss’ just for shits and giggles. I figure the Falcons are gonna win.”

“What could possibly be the logic behind the Falcons winning the coin toss?”

“The Patriots always defer. Goodell hates the Patriots. I’m gonna put 10 bucks on it, I’m not putting the house payment.” —A bartender

the ball at the start of the game, thus spoiling coach Bill Belichick’s second-half game plan.

Whether or not you believe the coin toss can be influenced by the commissioner’s disdain for Tom Brady and the Patriots might affect the way you bet on the game. Spend an afternoon with bettors and bartenders at the Red Rock Race & Sports Book, and you’ll believe anything’s possible.

chatting with a local television personality

The Las Vegas Valley has no shortage of swanky sportsbooks to make your bets and watch the big game—and Caesars Palace’s book, which underwent a light face-lift in 2016, is no exception.

At the center of the Caesars book renovation is its 143-foot LED video wall, which the resort is touting as the largest on the Strip. Other recent upgrades include personalized listen technology, which allows patrons to stream sound for anything being screened through their smartphone.

“Would you ever bet the coin flip?”

“No.” “You’re sick, but you’re not that sick?”

“That’s just a blind-ass bet, but if you know something about football, you’ve got a fighting chance.” —Two

men reading through the list of prop bets

“I guess the moneyline is worth it. I’m dropping 100 on the Falcons.”

—A young man to his friend at the bar

“I don’t really like the game, but I’m gonna bet it ’cause I have to. I have a sickness.”

—A gambler drinking vodka on the rocks at the bar

SUPER BOWL 2017

THE DEAL

Betting the Big Game Suggestions for Super Bowl sportsbook decisions shows are jammed with sports experts and gambling guys telling you who’s gonna win. Some of them know what they’re talking about, and more than some don’t, but they all sound like they do. If only it were that easy.

When the editors at Vegas Seven asked me to make some picks for publication, I had to come clean and tell them I didn’t have any. That’s not to say that I won’t have several bets in play come game time, but simply looking at the line weeks before kickoff doesn’t provide enough information for me to offer specific recommendations. What I can do, though, is provide some solid concepts on betting the big game that should put you a notch ahead of the crowds.

Understand up front that the underlying theme behind everything that follows is “shopping,” which means not settling for the first number you see. Check several books from different operators, either by walking from place to place or signing up for mobile apps, the latter enabling lines comparison and betting without having to go to the casino (plus the apps allow you to avoid the monster lines at the betting windows).

Basic strategy in sports betting is to bet “under” and “no.”

That’s probably the exact opposite of how you like to bet, and that’s why it’s good. Remember that sports lines are determined by market pressure, and when the oddsmakers know there will be demand on certain sides, they raise the price to bet them. Hence, the prices for the public’s beloved “over” and “yes” propositions tend to be inflated.

We’re seeing this on full display with the total for this year’s game. Not only does the public love to bet “over,” but the “overs” have won at a 70 percent clip during this year’s NFL playoffs, creating a bandwagon effect that’s led to the highest total ever for a Super Bowl, already hitting 59.5 percent at some shops. If there’s one bet I’ll make on this game, it will be under the highest total I can find, which I expect to be at least 60.

The same strategy goes for the propositions, which are a blast to bet and track throughout the game, but have a bigger built-in edge for the bookies. Here, too, leaning “under” on props such as quarterback passing yards, and “no” on bets like “will there be a defensive touchdown,” is typically the way to go. The classic winner here is “no overtime,” which has won 50 years in a row, but the 10-to-1 or so you’ll have to lay on that prop makes it a tough one to pull the trigger on.

Mirroring the props are the special parlay cards. These can yield good opportunities for experts, but they take a big bite out of the average bettor. Limit your play on them to small amounts for entertainment value and stay away from “ties lose” cards, which are particularly deadly.

Of course, you’ll probably want something on a team to win (the “side”). The number is Pats -3 everywhere as I write this and it hasn’t moved, which means it’s fairly safe that 3s will be available up till game time, whichever way you want to bet.

So, hold tight looking for a -2.5 to pop up if you want a position

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on the Pats or +3.5 if you like the Falcons. If the line never hits those points, then shop for a 3 with “reduced juice,” i.e., laying -105 or getting even money, because the other side is “plus juice” at -115 or -120 (one place to find -105 pricing right now is at CasaBlanca or Virgin River in Mesquite).

Consider also that betting the money line (no points involved) on the favorite has historically been a bargain in big games, as the public likes to take a shot at plus money on the underdog. The effect is more pronounced at bigger favorites, but finding something like -140 on the Patriots with a spread of 3 is achievable and constitutes a better-than-average wager.

Finally, look for add-ons. For example, some books will give you a logo hat or T-shirt for making a bet. That’s pure value added. Jerry’s Nugget and Arizona Charlie’s have been sure things for such incentives in recent years. The same concept applies if you buy into a squares pool. First make sure that 100 percent of what’s collected is being given back in prizes, then look for more. For the second year in a row, Dealer’s Choice Lounge on Spring Mountain is selling $50 squares with all the money returned, and the buy-in comes with a better-than-munchies buffet. You’re not losing on a deal like that, even if your number doesn’t come in. 7 Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and LasVegasAdvisor.com.

Basic strategy in sports betting is to bet “under” and “no.” That’s probably the exact opposite of how you like to bet, and that’s why it’s good.

PHOTO BY TONY GONZALES/OAKL AND RAIDERS

Every year at Super Bowl time, magazines and talk

By Anthony Curtis

Let Freedom Beat take you on a culinary road trip.

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SUPERBOWL 2017

The Ruff Life

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Need to get fired up for the big game?

Animal Planet will be broadcasting the very popular Puppy Bowl, now in its 13th year, right before the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots take the field. Modeled after the Super Bowl, puppies ages 12–21 weeks are divided into two teams—Team Ruff and Team Fluff—and play in a model stadium as cameras follow their every move. The puppies are given toys and frolic with each other while a human “referee” watches the action from the field. At the end of the show, an MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) award is given to the pooch deemed to be the standout performer at the event. The puppies come from shelters and are available for adoption.

We “talked” to one of this year’s players, Li’l Tarzan, from Las Vegas and playing for Team Ruff, about bowl preparations, favorite game-day snacks and more.

Caption goes here

By Genevie Durano

What kind of conditioning did you have to do to prepare for the big day? It’s all about stamina at the Puppy Bowl. I go on two walks a day, and I spend my indoor time chasing imaginary conspiracy theories perpetuated by the alt-right.

Really? No, not really. I try to not get too caught up on all the online craziness.

Too many trolls. And have you seen the dogs of Instagram? Narcissists, all. I blame social media for everything bad that happened in 2016, including the death of countless celebrities and the sharp decline of democracy.

How do you feel about the New England Patriots going to the Super Bowl for the seventh time in 15 years? Their reputation as a sports dynasty is highly inflated, in my opinion. I like to root for the underdog.

Go, Falcons!

What do you hope will happen at Puppy Bowl? I hope to spread the message of love and inclusion, especially to the sad sacks on Team Fluff, who will suffer inevitable defeat in the paws of Team Ruff.

Just kidding! The bowl is in good fun. I’m a whole lot of talk. Inside I’m a big lovable pup looking for my forever home. I have a lot of unconditional love to give, and I promise I won’t soil your carpet. So call me! 7 Puppy Bowl XIII, Feb. 5, 3 p.m. ET/noon PT, Animal Planet

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PHOTO BY KEITH BARRACLOUGH CREDIT GOES HERE

What are your favorite game-day snacks? I love me some snacks every day of the year, but my favorite treats on the big day are nachos, boneless Buffalo wings and Alka-Seltzer. If the humans drop those treats, of course.

And a minty Greenie for the breath.

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ONE BITE

Carson Kitchen 124 E Carson Ave. carsonkitchen.com Instagram: @carsonkitchen

TASTE

Winter Warmer SQUID INK SPAGHETTI AT CARSON KITCHEN

By Genevie Durano

It’s about that time of the year when the winter doldrums set in. (Yes, even here, with our 50-degrees-and-sunny days.) When your palate needs a pick-me-up, head to Carson Kitchen for the squid ink spaghetti entrée. The black-hued dish is a lovely helping of house-made spaghetti, Calabrian chili butter, Castelvetrano olives, capers, red and green bell peppers, lemon juice and microgreens, and topped with tender rings of calamari.

Photography Chris Wessling

The hearty pasta offers a nice contrast to the crisp brininess of the olives and capers and the bite of the Calabrian chili butter, and evokes the taste of the Southern Italian coast, where the chilies originate. “I really like the spice of it for winter. It warms your soul a little,” says Carson Kitchen culinary director John Courtney.

The squid ink spaghetti is part of the restaurant’s seasonal menu, so catch it while you can. $14, available till mid-March.

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21

A Towering

Delight From top to bottom, Aureole is reimagined for a new era of dining

By Marisa Finetti Photography Krystal Ramirez

D

This page, clockwise from top: Raclette fondue, Aureole’s famous wine tower and chefs Johnny Church and Charlie Palmer. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Aureole’s dining room and lionfish ceviche with tempura shiso leaves.

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PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE

ressed in an untucked pinstripe Ralph Lauren shirt, chef Charlie Palmer comfortably strolls around the newly designed Aureole in Mandalay Bay as though it were his living room.

“Look up there,” he says, pointing to the dramatic and artistic addition to the oncebare walls. “Aren’t they beautiful?” The space, which is already famous for its magnificent and highly photographed four-story wine tower, is now surrounded by massive polished silver branches and leaves that heighten the room dramatically, creating a feeling of grand, modern sophistication. Yet, the “reimagined” Aureole that softopened in December is a decidedly more casual place than its more traditional predecessor, which opened in 1999. The menu, still ahead of its time, remains rooted in the American cuisine that Palmer had always wanted diners to experience. But to stay in the forefront of the ever-changing dining world, Palmer believes success is a combination of allowing room for creativity and passion and instilling a culture that gets his staff excited, thereby evoking delight in their guests.

TASTE

A Top T eAm

The James Beard award winner first caught the attention of the dining public when he opened Aureole in New York City at age 28. Palmer then parlayed his success into an empire of taste and presentation that stretches from Manhattan to Las Vegas.

“You want people to look at the menu and have difficulty making a decision because everything looks good,” Palmer says. At the same time, “The new menu takes a ‘lessis-more’ approach, in which quality ingredients are used in exciting preparation methods that don’t overcomplicate the dish’s presentation or flavor profile.” He attributes his success to the philosophy of always wanting to improve: “We’re not following any trends; we are only progressing.” Helming the kitchen at Aureole Las Vegas is executive chef Johnny Church, a lifelong culinarian and veteran chef for more than 15 years who has cooked alongside such master chefs as Gordon Ramsay and Bradley Ogden. Church returns to Palmer’s Las Vegas institution, where he spent 10 years of his early career as a sous chef.

A N ew S pAce

Designed to reflect a fusion of classic and modern sophistication, there are hardwoods and metals throughout the 9,000-square-foot space, with colors that are reminiscent of the fall season. The lounge along the bar is designed to afford quiet social centers with cozy wall treatments, and the addition of wooden beams creates a more intimate setting beneath the ceiling, which hovers four stories above. Warm tones of aubergine, toffee, cinnamon and honey surround the original “live” olive tree that is a focal point among the dining room’s rosewood tables. The fountain terrace, where natural light filters through the floor-to-ceiling doors to the outside, is a contrast to the dark coffee-tone hardwood floors. Aureole’s more upscale dining room offers a subtle color palette punctuated by a gold-leaf ceiling and tables dressed in formal white tablecloths.

A F resh m enu

Beyond mere physical updates, Palmer also renews his commitment to preparing quality local ingredients in a bold American style. Displayed on a single-page menu mounted on a polished wooden slab are all new selections divided into three major areas, namely “Root,” “Ranch” and “Surf.”

Furthermore, dishes are listed in groupings of small to large plates, from top to bottom. Menu offerings include raw, seasonal vegetables topped with warm Raclette fondue; petite turkey, ham and Swiss meatballs covered with creamy peppercorn sauce and sliced jamón Ibérico; a refreshing beef and octopus carpaccio served with zesty gremolata and brioche; and California crab roll sprinkled with puffed rice for a bit of crunch. Palmer also recommends the Veta La Palma sea bass. Large enough to share, the grilled, deboned, two-and-a-half-pound Veta La Palma sea bass arrives head-on with chimichurri sauce made with fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, piquillo peppers and California extra virgin olive oil. From the dessert menu, the creamy cold-pressed coffee panna cotta is served with huckleberries, brown butter and lavender ice cream.

A n e NduriNg F eATure

Working with wine director Harley Carbery, Palmer has always driven Aureole’s wine program forward, earning Aureole the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award every year since 2000. The greatest changes affecting wine service at the new Aureole revolve around the expansive by-the-glass program.

Guests can choose from a selection of 48 wines by the glass, the bottles of which are beautifully displayed on the wine table at the entrance to the dining room. The wine team pours and tags each glass, denoting the producer, variety and vintage as they are presented tableside. The wine list, which had been on a digital tablet, is now offered in a handsome binder that showcases the 3,500-plus offerings from throughout the world. Pairing wine with food has been made simpler now that two wine suggestions are clearly marked alongside each menu item. The infamous wine tower—which soars four stories above the dining room—has received modest modifications including enhanced lighting, and the Wine Angels now don a striking silver one-piece suit for their vertical glides up and down the tower to retrieve bottles for guests’ viewing as well as their sipping pleasure.

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Core Academy students with Beverly Rogers (second in from left) and artist Michael Dodson (second in from right).

A new mural at The Rogers Foundation speaks to the nonprofit’s mission to serve immigrant youth in Las Vegas

A Welcome Wall Covering the entire west side of The Rogers Foundation building

at the corner of 9th Street and Garces Avenue is a new mural painted by local artist Michael Dodson. The work pops out amid the tree-lined streets and Spanish colonial revival architecture.

Featuring large American traditional tattoo-style roses, vibrant against a deep purple background, and anchored by a combined brain and heart, it’s designed to encourage understanding and acceptance at a time of uncertainty for immigrant children and families in Southern Nevada.

With half the country upset over Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks about Mexicans, angry crowds chanting “Build a wall!” and the Obama administration’s DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) policy facing an uncertain future, The Rogers Foundation decided to step in and create a wall of its own, something that would represent a more compassionate message and speak to its mission.

The mural, representing logic and reason, came directly out of concerns expressed by students at Core Academy, powered by The Rogers Foundation, that their parents might be deported and the future of their families in limbo, says chair Beverly Rogers.

“We’re here for those undocumented students,” she adds. “This is something that speaks loud and bold about who we are. It’s sort of a symbol of our voices.”

The Rogers Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Beverly and her late husband, Jim Rogers, is an education-based organization serving Nevada students through Educate Nevada Now, which advocates equality in education. Core Academy, just one aspect of the organization, is a program that assists students in a one-on-one partnership from sixth grade through graduation. The program provides mentoring, basic needs (food, clothing, school items), academic enrichment, community service, cultural immersion and character education.

Late last year, Rogers sent a letter to Clark County School District, UNLV, the College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College urging them to act as sanctuaries for undocumented students and staff and their families, and to not give information on immigration status to immigration officials. Nearly half of the students (45.7 percent) in Clark County School District are Latino or Hispanic, including those who are undocumented. Trump has vowed to repeal DACA. In response to Rogers’ letter, Clark County School District trustee Carolyn Edwards has

By Kristen Peterson

Photography Cierra Pedro

asked the board to consider declaring CCSD an immigration sanctuary.

Lindsay Harper, chief inspiration officer of Core Academy, says that because of the inflammatory comments toward immigrants, counselors have been hired to help students concentrate and focus, adding, “It’s been really tense since the day after the election. We’ve been getting kids texting us, asking, ‘Is my family going to be deported?’”

In response, the organization came up with a list of things that could be done, including producing material about bullying and how to respond in a nonviolent way. It also had looked into creating a mural and was searching for a wall when its president and COO Rory Reid pointed out, “We have a wall. We have four walls.”

Dodson was commissioned to do the mural that was completed earlier this year, and describes the work as a visual representation of education, logic, reason, nurturing, compassion and growth, something positive and calming to “combat some of the negative and anxious feelings that I, along with the students, were experiencing.”

DACA was set in place by President Obama in 2012, allowing temporary protection from deportation. President Trump has vowed to end the program, which would affect students all over the United States, including those in Core Academy.

“These are contributing members of our society,” Harper says. “We’re helping them reach their full potential. The thing I see that breaks my heart is that they have so much potential. It’s the society and community that starts tearing them down the minute they enter school.”

For some families, she says, “Education isn’t their top priority. Putting food on the table is. We’re showing the kids how to advocate for themselves. One person can change someone’s life through a conversation.

With our kids, it’s one conversation over and over. The divide in this country is socioeconomic status. We’re just leveling the field.”

Rogers, a high-profile philanthropist whose main focus is education, has also served on the board of Black Mountain Institute and gave $10 million to BMI, which is officially titled the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute.

While sitting inside the offices at 9th Street and Garces Avenue, she says of the mural, titled “Conscious Gateway”: “It’s big and bold and beautiful and speaks to who we are as an education foundation. It’s a welcome wall, one that’s not a barrier. It speaks love.” 7

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SOCIAL INFLUENCE

By Jarret Keene

They

Got Game

After 91 years, the Harlem Globetrotters continue to entertain—and amaze

Remember them galavanting onto the court?

You’re a kid, a fifth-grader finding it hard to believe in Santa Claus. But here’s a team of in-theflesh superheroes displaying their powers. Backboard wizards, they’re proud, smiling, focused.

Their red, white and blue jerseys are bright, crisp and bring to mind Captain America. Their comedy isn’t far removed from the campy Adam West–starring Batman TV show. But the Harlem Globetrotters are funnier, cooler. Even the Washington Generals players brought in to intentionally lose to the Trotters seem like fans.

You want to be like the Trotters because of their arsenal of tricks. They bounce the ball off their heads, twirl it behind their backs, flick it between their legs and spin it on their index fingers like a top. They fake passes, looking one way and throwing it another, where a teammate is ready to stuff it with epic intensity. You want to be like them because they make your parents gasp one moment, then laugh the next. And after they dazzle and delight, you want to join them in their tour van—the one from the Super Globetrotters Saturday-morning cartoon. You want to fight crime.

Sure, the memory (OK, my memory) is distant, before identity politics and a loss of innocence complicated the role of black entertainers in the U.S. Using physical comedy today, even if it’s a facet of the performance, is deemed suspect by negative nellies (academics, snobby sportswriters). But the Globetrotters, who turn 91 this year, endure because they have a history and tradition of ignoring critics, of proving that basketball and entertainment can coexist marvelously. And they always innovate. This year they introduced the first-ever four-point shot, moving the field-goal arc farther from the basket—and they’re nailing it.

funeral parlor and five of the best black basketball players he could find, Saperstein barnstormed the Midwest, playing local all-white bush-league teams for meager gate earnings. He booked games via telegram. The Trotters earned newspaper raves for their style—fast, nimble, showy.

Ten years later, Saperstein’s superstars were successful, spawning copycat teams. But as the Trotters added comedy to their games, sportswriters grew critical, labeling them entertainers first, ballers second. Words like “clowns” and, even more negatively, “minstrel,” appeared. That changed in 1940, when the Trotters won the World Professional Basketball Tournament. They were legitimate champions.

Soon World War II erupted, and players were lost to the war effort. The Trotters persevered by touring military bases. They penetrated the South, playing segregated audiences. After V-J Day, the team was sitting pretty, drawing huge crowds.

It was time to dominate.

Scrappy Origins The Trotters have always been a struggle rather than a slam-dunk. Jewish sports promoter Abe Saperstein launched the “New York Harlem Globetrotters” in Chicago in 1928, two years after the team was initially established in the same city. With an unheated Model T Ford bought off a

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Conquering Heroes The organization’s postwar years were spotty.

Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens racing horses during an outdoor exhibition was a low point. But for every cringeworthy footnote there was a feat, like playing pre-Castro Cuba and defeating the (allwhite) Minneapolis Lakers in ’48. When the NBA broke the color line in ’50, the Trotters soldiered on. Hollywood came courting, producing two box office-smashing Trotters flicks.

The team packed Madison Square Garden, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, traveled to Soviet Russia, and performed in a Spanish bullring. They conquered Mexico, South America, Asia. The U.S. State Department deemed them goodwill ambassadors. Wilt Chamberlain joined the Trotters for a season (’58) before bolting for the NBA’s then-Philadelphia Warriors.

TV elevated the Trotters’ visibility, making them pop-culture icons. From CBS Sports Spectacular to the animated series, the franchise flourished after Saperstein died in ’66. Camera-ready stars like Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal kept the Trot-

ters buoyant in the corporate ’70s and ’80s. Over the years, there were strikes, different owners, criticism from civil rights leaders (but only praise from Jesse Jackson) and changes (including the first female Trotter, Lynette Woodard, in ’85).

Decline and Rebirth By the early ’90s, the franchise was flagging. Attendance numbers dropped and tours collapsed.

Worse, an Ice Capades costumer redesigned their uniforms into jumpsuits.

Following former Trotter and corporate executive Mannie Jackson’s purchase of the team in ’93, things steadily turned around. In the last 25 years there’s been Guinness World Records (such as Most Slam Dunks in One Minute) and media appearances galore. Today, the team once again symbolizes credibility, comedy, camaraderie.

“I hadn’t heard of the Globetrotters until I saw Scooby-Doo,” admits current Trotter forward Zeus McClurkin. “I didn’t think they were real. And I didn’t see the Trotters until I played against them as a Washington General.”

Tired of watching McClurkin dunk on them, the Trotters signed him in 2011. Like the SpiderMan adage goes—“With great power comes great responsibility”—he embraces the entertainer tag as part of his larger duty to society.

“To be [a] Globetrotter, you have to be a basketball player, an entertainer and a kind person,” he says. “Whether we’re visiting children’s hospitals or teaching bullying prevention, we use our platform to do good.”

In other words, they remain superheroes.

Moreover, McClurkin embraces the nostalgia.

“Another great part of our job is [that] people [are] continuing the tradition of bringing their families to a Globetrotters game. When we step on the court in red, white and blue, we remind them of a happy time in their lives,” he says. “Even though they don’t know me, they know I’m a good guy, and they’re thrilled to see me and my teammates.” 7 The Harlem Globetrotters Feb. 9, 7 p.m., $26.50$133.50, T-Mobile Arena, t-mobilearena.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

Still

GREEN FELT JOURNAL

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

By David G. Schwartz

More Human Than Human WHAT THE FUTURE OF TECH AND AI LOOKS LIKE FOR LAS VEGAS

H

ospitality is labor-intensive. It takes many hands to create the Las Vegas experience, from housekeeping to meal service. But perhaps that human touch won’t be needed at all someday. Two recent developments in autonomous technology and artificial intelligence will have profound meaning for Las Vegas hospitality.

First, French company Navya debuted a driverless shuttle bus called the Arma that, for 10 days, carried passengers down Fremont Street, from Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth Street. The test run, by all accounts, was a success.

Traveling three blocks at an average speed of 12 miles per hour might not seem that impressive—a determined skateboarder can beat that—but the first demonstration of technology is rarely earth-shattering. Even more to the point, humans have been steering vehicles for more than a century, and there is no shortage of people who need a job. But the potential that this trial showed—autonomous vehicles delivering passengers safely and without sick days, union grievances or health benefits—should make us all think. The second that this becomes cost-effective, expect to see it everywhere.

Will the world be a better place when there are no bus drivers?

Probably not for the bus drivers, and maybe not for the rest of us.

Sure, you might get a surly driver one night, but you might also get a smile on a day when you need one. Or you might be the one giving that smile, making someone’s existence that much more bearable. No long hauling, but no humor or human kindness, either.

The second development, though, is the real potential downer. Research teams at two separate schools—Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Alberta, Edmonton—announced that they have developed software capable of beating human opponents at Texas Hold’Em. Science fact, it seems, has left science fiction in the dust. In one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lieutenant Commander Data, an android with a positronic brain, was shocked by Commander Will Riker’s bluffing in their poker game. That might be bad writing—after all, Data had supposedly read everything ever written about poker, and bluffing is central to even the most basic poker strategies, so it’s not really possible that he would have been so surprised. But the idea—that artificial intelligence couldn’t pos-

sibly master the subtleties of poker—rang true.

Now, it looks like computers have surpassed humans in playing poker. Our gut instincts, our ability to read other players, everything we think it means to be human—well, it turns out computers can do it better. If we can be replaced at the poker table, there are few places left to us.

Which leads to the question: Where do people belong in this brave new world of artificial intelligence and automation? Presumably we’re paying for it, and being processed through it. But if our jobs—from driving buses to playing poker—are already taken, what exactly are we doing with our time? Vacationing, perhaps?

Maybe not. With resort fees, parking costs and rising room rates, visitors might want to invest in some automation of their own. Instead of paying through the nose for the privilege of being greeted by a parking gate or check-in kiosk, they might rent, from the comfort of their home, an autonomous drone that can see all the sites, documenting all the fun they are having in Las Vegas.

Advances in virtual reality will make this experience the equal to anything our limited eyes can appreciate in person, with everything available for instant rewind and replay.

These visitors will, as far as anyone else knows, really be there; they can digitally insert themselves into selfies taken by their drones and post them on their social media feeds, flaunting just how great a time they are having in Las Vegas to an envious world. That might be the natural progression here. We don’t need the driver to get from point A to point B, since machines can do it more efficiently; why not just cut out another middleman and have another drone snap selfies for you? If a machine can have the Vegas experience for you more efficiently, more cheaply and with less inconvenience, isn’t it logical to leave the Boulevard to the drones? On the plus side, we won’t have to worry about paying for mass transit.

If that seems dystopian, well, it should. We have much to gain by embracing technology, but also much to lose. As a town that sells, essentially, experiences, Las Vegas may be a test case for just how far humans can—and should—be removed from the equation. 7 David G. Schwartz is the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.

Our gut instincts, our ability to read other players, everything we think it means to be human—well, it turns out computers can do it better.

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27

BYGONES

SPACES & PLACES

The Beauty of

the Book

It used to be all about the game at the Stardust Race & Sports Book

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers Photography courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau

T

he Stardust may be long gone, but the legend of its sportsbook lingers on. The notorious oddsmaker, mob frontman and Casino inspiration Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, opened the Stardust Race & Sports Book in 1976. Its 25-foot-tall computerized reader board, 48-square-foot TV screen and Western Union wire were considered state-of-the-art.

Over the years, the boards and screens got bigger, but the focus always remained on the games and the odds. For years, the Stardust set the opening Las Vegas line for the NFL. Hardcore gamblers would line up well before the 5:30 on Sunday release time to be first at the betting window (the limit on NFL bets was a then-unheard of $10,000) and lock in their odds before countless other bettors and books across the nation began dicking with the numbers. Further evidence that the Stardust was not exactly geared toward the casual fan: a closet dubbed the Sports Handicappers Library, which was papered with blindness-inducing printouts of every imaginable relevant statistic, from the Sacramento Kings’ 3-point percentage to three years’ worth of Cowboys/Steelers matchups.

Today, sportsbooks are barely about betting—they’re about plush seating, specialty cocktails, themed food menus, foosball tables and cocktail waitresses in hot pants. But take a moment to recall the Stardust Race & Sports Book, where it was always and only all about the game. 7

Top: The Stardust sportsbook, 1981. Right: The Stardust Line, 1983

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SPACES & PLACES

AWAY MESSAGE

Sleep in

Claire’s Bed 'Pin Up' star Claire Sinclair is renting meticulously decked-out themed rooms at her new bed-and-breakfast, Clairbnb

By Jessie O'Brien

Photography Krystal Ramirez

PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE

Caption goes here

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SPACES & PLACES

Makeup Etienne Lovelle for Agency: One Luv using Embryolisse LaitCrème Concentré.

Base: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector; Hairstylist Bo Brinkman

PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE

F

ormer Playboy model and Pin Up star Claire Sinclair had a capricious year, knowing an impending cancellation of her burlesque show at the Stratosphere (where she’s been living the past four years) could happen at any time. After months of uncertainty, Sinclair learned the show was ending on March 4.

But when one door closes, a fabulously ornate pink one with a crystal doorknob opens.

In April 2016, Sinclair bought a 5,400-square-foot building (on 427 S. 11th St) off Maryland Parkway and 11th Street, just north of The Center, to transform it into an Airbnb named Clairbnb, with seven themed rooms, each a meticulously designed art installation with a stocked fridge.

“I’m obsessed with themed motels. I love the Madonna Inn [in San Luis Obispo],” Sinclair says. She spent a week there to gain inspiration from the whimsical designs with wild carpet and wallpaper patterns. But the idea came after her boyfriend Jon Crowder, a former Artifice bartender, started renting out his decked-out ‘70s-style bachelor pad (located in the building before Sinclair bought it) on the room-sharing platform.

Once the idea was set in motion, Sinclair’s dad had a “Clairbnb” sign made as a gift and mounted it on the side of the building while she was out of town, bringing unwanted attention from code enforcement. She says the city was mainly concerned that it would turn into a party house. Sinclair and Crowder petitioned, handed out flyers and held a neighborhood meeting to get the community on board with their project. “It was a four-month process from hell,” she says. Her license was officially approved in August.

As of now there are four complete rooms, each a collaboration between Sinclair and Crowder, who Sinclair says is the craftsman and artist “bringing

the ideas to life.” One unit is inspired by a Jayne Mansfield’s ’50s mansion—pink with glitter walls, golden swan faucets, flowers and faux polar bear–skin rug (like Mansfield’s real one). There’s Crowder’s ’70s bachelor pad, and a fairy-tale inspired-room that is currently being refined. Another room is a throwback hunter’s lodge, while the Crystal Kingdom room is loosely inspired by a mashup between Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrors” room and “Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest” video and light installations. She is currently in talks to acquire licensing to do a Pee-wee’s Playhouse–themed unit.

Sinclair and Crowder are experimenting with how quirky they can get. She says Crowder’s dream unit is “grandma’s basement from the ‘80s.” The idea behind the room is guests visit Nana, there are vintage toys left over from when her kids were little, Nintendos and grandma’s personal items such as prescription pill bottles, padded-shoulder dresses in the closet and dentures on the night stand. “It’s a gamble.

For us, [a room like] that would be really cool, but we don’t know,” she says. “We’re barely scratching the surface with how deep we want to go with these themes.”

But she says she still has to talk her boyfriend down occasionally—for now. “I’m not Rockefeller who can fund all of the shit he wants to do,” she says, smiling. Her goal is to get all seven units up and running then continue to add details with time.

“I want it to be an attraction” she says. “I want it to be an experience in and of itself.”

Getting the units to that point is why Sinclair says Pin Up coming to an end is a bittersweet sensation. She will soon have time to focus her attention on her project, which needs swaddling. “It’s a baby. It’s the hugest infant baby in the world,” she says. But where the building and design need tender care, her employees need tough love. “They are dreading it,” she says of her working and living full time at Clairbnb. “All of my construction guys and my boyfriend, too.” 7

Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

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CONVERSATIONS

Ali Wong breaks down barriers with her comedy

R

aunchy Asian standup comedians are so rare that when Ali Wong’s Netflix special, Baby Cobra, premiered, people took notice. It was hard not to. Filmed when the comedian was 7 1/2 months pregnant, it touched on risqué topics including casual sex, Asian stereotypes and feminism. We caught up with the comedian and talked about her writing process, growing up in a liberal Asian-American family and diversity in Hollywood.

What can fans expect on your tour?

All the jokes people will see now are going to be completely different than the ones I did on Baby Cobra. When you do a special, it’s supposed to be a performance, but also a funeral for all of those jokes. I have a whole new hour of stand-up that I’ve been working on since I taped that special and I’m really excited about it. It’s like the sequel to Baby Cobra.

Your jokes draw a lot from your life. What was it like growing up?

I grew up in a very unconventional Asian family. My parents took me to see Pulp Fiction when I was in sixth grade. There was no censorship in my house. There was no lack of talk about sex and what it was. I think that’s what gave me a distinct advantage in a lot of ways. It allowed me to take things a step further, in terms of exploring an issue and getting deeper into its core versus doing the obvious joke.

So you wouldn’t say you grew up in a stereotypical Asian family?

I’d go to other places and people were like, “Oh, my God, you’re so loud for an Asian-American woman. You’re so opinionated.” And I was like, “Oh, well this is just how my family is.” There was so much talking, and it was so boisterous in my family. Everyone was so verbal and had so many opinions and were such critical thinkers, and such avid supporters of gay rights and everything. So I didn’t know any different.

It was more shocking to me when other people were shocked by me and how I behaved. But it never stopped me from being who I am.

Finding the Funny Bone

By Genevie Durano

You write for the sitcom Fresh Off the Boat, about an Asian-American family.

Talk to us about women and diversity in Hollywood.

The most innovative and interesting television right now just so happens to be created and run by females.

Transparent. Orange Is the New Black.

All of these shows are vehicles for diverse characters and stories that you’ve never seen on TV, and it all comes down to the showrunner.

And I think people don’t talk enough about the writing. Because writing is truly the lifeblood of the entertainment industry. You don’t have a script, you don’t have a TV show.

If you look at ABC Thursday night, there are two prime-time shows with black female leads. That’s because of Shonda Rhimes.

Stand-up comedy is a bastion of truth-telling. Is it challenging to be that honest with your audience?

I’m also an actress and a TV writer, but stand-up has always been my favorite, because you write all of your own material, you perform all of it, you’re your own boss. Nobody is giving you notes and telling you what to say and what not to say. It’s very simple. You have a mic and a stand and a stool, and I love that. More than truth, I would say it’s honesty, and being connected to people.

Have you had performances where you just didn’t connect with the audience?

I think people were very confused— people who know me—when they saw Baby Cobra, because they had not seen my process. No one follows me around to all the shitty little shows I do. They couldn’t see that I bomb a lot. You’re not able to build an act if you’re not constantly trying out new things. Yeah, I eat it all the time, and no, I don’t care. … A lot of people say they want to do stand-up comedy, but they can’t handle bombing. I don’t mind it at all. It motivates me to do better.

Ali Wong KÀ Theatre in MGM Grand, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m., $49-$87

33

ASK A NATIVE

Aloha in Vegas?

Recently, our sister site DTLV.com wondered why Downtown’s California Hotel has an island theme that reaches all the way to Aloha Specialties, its popular Hawaiian restaurant. A Las Vegas casino, opened by an Oklahoma gambler, sporting the name of California and the theme of Hawaii? Only in Vegas!

Built in 1975, the California was the first of many casinos that built Boyd Gaming’s success. But Sam Boyd’s $10 million investment—located off Fremont in an increasingly seedy Downtown—wasn’t an immediate hit. To survive, Boyd, who had learned gambling in Oahu before it was outlawed, ingeniously decided to cater to the relatively ignored niche of Hawaii-to-Vegas travel.

Boyd quickly downshifted and changed direction, introducing the relaxed aloha spirit to the California by way of restaurants slinging sticky rice and oxtail soup rather than prime rib, and dealers sporting Hawaiian-print shirts versus the upscale style of other gambling floors. He also created vacation packages for Hawaiians wanting to visit Las Vegas (and even a travel agency to book them), offering chartered flights for as low as $9.90, provided the traveler stayed at the California.

Forty years later, it’s said that around 80 percent of Hawaiian visitors stay at a Boyd property. Boyd is also credited with an influx of thousands of Hawaiian expats, making Las Vegas the so-called “ninth island.” For a detailed look at this fascinating history, see the book California Hotel and Casino: Hawaii’s Home Away From Home.

By James P. Reza

Let’s Get Nautical

STICKING WITH THE OCEANIC THEME, longtime Las Vegans will be interested to hear that the Starboard Tack is on its way back. The spot just off East Sahara Avenue (along with its shuttered sister spot, the Port Tack, on West Sahara Avenue) was among those iconic Vegas joints often honored in the same breath as Chateau Vegas, Alias Smith & Jones and the Alpine Village Inn. Owned by Bob Kostelecky, the Port and Starboard Tacks were quintessential Vegas: dark and stylish overnight taverns offering steak and seafood to an at once egalitarian and elite Vegas crowd.

The Kostelecky family still owns the building (which spent the last few years as Gilligan’s Hideaway), and two of Downtown’s most passionate bartenders, Lyle Cervenka and Bryant Jane, formerly of Retroscena, are behind the relaunch. The Facebook page calls it “Starboard Tack Rum & Provisions,” which indicates grub will chase the booze, as before.

Have questions about Vegas past, present or future? Send them to askanative@vegasseven.com

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Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

PHOTO BY ATOMAZUL/SHUTTERSTOCK

CONVERSATIONS

CONVERSATIONS

A Black and Silver Sin City?

Imagining the Las Vegas Raiders

By Rob Miech

T

PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE

he mere thought of his beloved Oakland Raiders relocating to Las Vegas, and the possibility of the talented young squad (12-4 this past season) soon participating in a Super Bowl right here, in RaiderDome—in his own backyard—flummoxes Steve Stallworth. That’s why the affable 52-year-old general manager of the South Point Arena and former UNLV quarterback has been so mum about all the chatter regarding the NFL franchise becoming the Las Vegas Raiders. “Haven’t wanted to jinx anything,” he conceded. “It’s crazy. I’m absolutely trying not to make it a big deal.”

Perhaps Stallworth should have remained mum. After months of green lights and good news, the potential $1.9 billion stadium deal smacked into a roadblock in the final days of January, when casino mogul Sheldon Adelson withdrew from the project. He cited discontent with Raiders owner Mark Davis. Financier Goldman Sachs pulled out, too. The 32 NFL owners have been slated to vote on the relocation of the team in March, when at least 24 ayes will be required for approval.

The pulse of a Las Vegas RaiderDome might seem faint, but Stallworth also knows about fourth-quarter comebacks. He first became enamored with the Raiders in the early 1970s, when an excursion from Yuma, Arizona, to the central valley of California resulted in a chance meeting with electric Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica, who regaled the young Stallworth with football tales. At UNLV, Stallworth was just as starstruck with David Humm, who spent most of his 10-year quarterback career with the Raiders and served as a radio analyst for Rebel games.

In his Rancho Bel Air home, Stallworth treasures a silver-and-black golf cart replete with the team’s pirate logos; he still hopes to bop around RaiderDome parking lots in the vehicle. He said of the previous months of negotiations that included state legislature approval of a $750 million hotel room tax to help build the stadium, “I’m just thrilled that city leaders recognized the opportunity and pursued it with a passion.”

Many share his passion. A 2004 Sports Illustrated poll pegged the Raiders as Nevada’s favorite NFL team—tied, at 12 percent, with the San Francisco 49ers. Humm, 64, just completed his 22nd season broadcasting a Raiders radio show out of his Las Vegas home and believed late maverick team owner Al Davis has been beaming down on Southern Nevada from the heavens.

Now, Stallworth, Humm and the Raiders loyalists in Las Vegas have to sit back and see—and hope that the wait is worth it. 7

Februa r y 2 - 8, 2017 vegasseven.com

35

CONVERSATIONS

LUCKY NO. 7

We asked the Vegas Seven staff:

… hard and in the lower half of a horse costume. –Ryan Doherty, chief experience officer

I’ll be watching at Marquee in The Cosmopolitan. They bring living room furniture into the main room, have the game on the massive screens behind the DJ booth, with full catering. It has the upscale feel of the nightclub, but doors open to the heated dome for the day club. It’s like no other experience in town and the best of all worlds in one. I spent last Super Bowl there and had the best time. –Nicole Scherer, digital sales director

I will be at my mom’s house, partying like the winning team, the Atlanta Falcons. She has the best food and the cheapest drinks in town. –James Bearse, advertising manager

Super Bowl means one thing for me: a quiet day away from it all. Since few people are traveling, I’ll likely take off and enjoy the sweet sounds of waves rolling in while the sun beats down. –James P. Reza, Ask a Native columnist

I will be where I always am during the Super Bowl: On my couch, pantsless, with nacho cheese staining my T-shirt, eating boneless chicken wings and drinking too much beer before 4 o’clock.

Go, Atlanta Patriots!

–Amber Sampson, web editor At my house, trying to re-create Buffalo wing–style cauliflower!

–Shannon Miller, editorial assistant

K ATIE PRICE AK A JORDAN MY LITTLE K ATIE L AUNCH, KP EQUESTRIAN RANGE CELEBRATES IT’S 5TH BIRTHDAY WITH A COLL ABORATION WITH POLY JUMPS LONDON. 26/03/2013 PICTURE BY: HENRY HARRIS

If I can get a seat, I will be at The Still in The Mirage. I don’t care much about the game and I don’t even know who’s playing, but I love their Korean-style chicken wings.

–Melinda Sheckells, editor-in-chief

How and where will you party for the Super Bowl this year?

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FEBRUARY 10-14, 2017

Part of our past, part of our future.

Please join us as we celebrate our 5th Anniversary NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT OPENS FRIDAY, FEB. 10 Original crime scene evidence from the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

PANEL DISCUSSION: HISTORY OF THE MOB MUSEUM BUILDING SUNDAY, FEB. 12 | 1 PM A panel discussion on how the former federal courthouse and post office became The Mob Museum.

TOMMY GUN PRESENTATIONS TUESDAY, FEB. 14 | 11 AM | 1 PM See the two Tommy guns linked to the Massacre. Nevada residents will receive free admission and Buy-One-Get-One admission for non-locals.

WITH HONNE

KEHLANI TESTAMENT WITH SEPULTURA

CENTER STRIP AT THE LINQ || BROOKLYNBOWL.COM || 702.862.BOWL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 ONLY | 9 AM - 9 PM FREE DAY FOR NEVADA RESIDENTS AND B1G1 FOR NON-LOCALS