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YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2017 • LIFEISBEAUTIFUL.COM
ON THE COVER
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6:30PM ALL AGES
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Read Vegas Seven right side up and then flip it over and start again with Seven Nights, featuring after-dark entertainment and the week’s nightlife happenings.
NO REGRETS BRUNCH
FT PAUL CHARLES BAND A-Y-C-D MIMOSAS & BLOODY MARYS
SURVIVING THE DRAINS
SWINGIN’ JITTERBUG SATURDAY
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10PM - 1AM NO COVER
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10PM-1AM ALL AGES NO COVER
WITH CHUCK E. BUMPS
ROCKSTAR KARAOKE
ROCK OUT WITH YOUR OWN LIVE BAND
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KONFLIKT
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UFC 210 FIGHT
SEVEN NIGHTS
VIEWING PARTY
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HOUSEOFBLUES.COM/LASVEGAS @HOBLASVEGAS
Photography NINO MUÑOS Pictured RICKY MARTIN
DEE JAY SILVER
702.632.7600
Correction to the March 30, 2017, issue, page 14: Tropicana Las Vegas is 60 (not 50) years old.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
APRIL 6–12, 2017 TO DO
32 Are You Ready
for Some Problems?
11 24/7
What to do around the clock in Las Vegas. BY SHANNON MILLER
12 The Deal
Show bargains. BY ANTHONY CURTIS
Getting the Raiders is only the beginning. BY MICHAEL GREEN
SPACES & PLACES
35 Smoke and Mirrors
Three Las Vegas dispensaries combine service with style.
FEATURE
BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS
14 Two Cops and a Cricket One man’s story of living in the city’s storm drains. BY MATTHEW O’BRIEN
CONVERSATIONS
40 The Road to Sparrow + Wolf
17 Specialty Courts
Chef Brian Howard readies his new Chinatown restaurant.
BY JESSIE O’BRIEN
BY MELINDA SHECKELLS
Alternatives to incarceration.
18 A Hard Look
The state of homelessness in Southern Nevada. BY MERIDETH SPRIGGS
42 Double the Fun
DSquared2’s new location in The Shops at Crystals. BY JUDY STONE
Ask a Native
TASTE
Brunch, Native style. BY JAMES P. REZA
21 The Sweet
Taste of Spring Ethel M Chocolates’ recently sprung seasonal treats. BY GENEVIE DURANO
44 Lucky No. 7
Recently announced concerts we are highly anticipating. BY WENDOH STAFF
22 Let the Good Times Roll
FLIP SIDE
Nearly 21 with a new look, The Orleans is all grown up.
Seven Nights
BY LARRY BRAVERMAN
What to do after dark.
24 Dish & Tell
Beauty & Essex, Carson Kitchen and warm-weather cocktails. BY MARISA FINETTI
BY LARRY BRAVERMAN
Bites
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
29 Creating for the Community
Eric Vozzola lends his brush to a local school. BY DIANA EDELMAN
30 Pinstriped Pilgrimage
A Las Vegan honors her stepfather at Yankee Stadium. BY ROB MIECH
PHOTO BY KIN LUI
31 The Trade Game
OUR SITES TO SEE
VegasSeven.com Light Up, But Where? As Nevada heads toward legal adult recreational marijuana, much fuss has been made over where it will be grown and how it will be purchased. More importantly: Where will people use it? Lissa Townsend Rodgers talks public consumption laws at vegasseven.com.
House Rules DJ Chuckie delivers dirty house at Wynn Las Vegas. BY DAPHNE-JAYNE CORRALES
PLUS: Small
Carson Kitchen’s Hobo Stew
The Universal Language Ricky Martin brings people together at Park Theater. BY MARK ADAMS
Magic Mic Meet the emcee that women everywhere want to be. BY CAMILLE CANNON
Hakkasan Turns 4 Favorite moments from more than 1,400 nights out. BY DAPHNE-JAYNE CORRALES
DTLV.com The Pros and Cons of First Friday One might assume the onslaught of people brought by First Friday would bode well for Downtown entrepreneurs, but some establishments struggle to capitalize on the event. Find out how several Arts District business owners size up the night on DTLV.com.
RunRebs.com Moving On Three Rebels are leaving UNLV early, as the school announced last week that Jalen Poyser, Troy Baxter and Zion Morgan will transfer.
Why the Nationals should ship Bryce Harper to the Bronx.
SpyOnVegas.com
BY ROB MIECH
The Hookup Find upcoming events, see highlights from the hottest parties, meet the DJs and more.
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Photography LAUREN UNGERER, KEY LIME PHOTOGRAPHY Eric Vozzola’s palette for Helen Hurr Elementary School
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
Letters and Story Ideas Comments@VegasSeven.com Advertising Sales@VegasSeven.com Distribution Distribution@VegasSeven.com
VEGAS SEVEN 701 Bridger Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-798-7000 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada. © 2017 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, DINING
Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITOR, LIFESTYLE
Jessi C. Acuña ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Mark Adams EDITOR AT LARGE
Lissa Townsend Rodgers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Shannon Miller EDITORIAL INTERNS
Daphne-Jayne Corrales, Heather Peterson Senior Contributing Editor Xania Woodman (Beverage) 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 Niazmand ACCOUNT MANAGER
Brittany Quintana ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Robyn Weiss, Matt Iles DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION
John Tobin
TO DO
What to do around the clock in Las Vegas
THURSDAY 6
By Shannon Miller
PHOTO COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Smurfs: The Lost Village
Learn how to make pasta Frank’s way at the first installment of the latest Wynn Master Class Series with chef Theo Schoenegger of Encore’s Sinatra restaurant and Frank Sinatra’s granddaughter, AJ Lambert. Bonus: Enjoy a three-course lunch and take home a recipe card and keepsake gift. 11:30 a.m., $125, inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, wynnlasvegas.com “Slay All Day Then Rosé” at Crave
American Kitchen & Sushi Bar’s ladies’ night with $5 glasses of rosé, $7 glasses of frosé, rosé pong on the patio and prizes. You work hard; treat yourself with a little debauchery! Thursdays, 3–7 p.m., 10970 Rosemary Park Dr., craveamerica.com/locations/las-vegas
Global roots reggae outfit Katchafire performs at Brooklyn Bowl. 8 p.m., $25–$27, at The Linq Promenade, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas After a tragedy on a cross-country bike trip, 21-year-old Leo seeks comfort from his grandmother. See 4,000 Miles by Amy Herzog at Las Vegas Little Theatre. 8 p.m., $10–$15, 3920 Schiff Dr., lvlt.org
Hash House A Go Go donates $1 to Grant a Gift Autism Foundation for every delicious blueberry pancake sold. Guess you have another reason to stuff yourself with the restaurant’s breakfast treats. Through April 8, hours vary, five Las Vegas locations, hashhouseagogo.com
Las Vegas West Fest brings some of the best rap and hip-hop acts in the country to The Orleans Arena. Catch performances by Ice Cube, E-40, Too $hort and more. 6:30 p.m., $72–$233, at The Orleans Hotel & Casino, orleanscasino.com SATURDAY 8
FRIDAY 7
88 Ways presents #PopUpLive, featuring local grungy, bluesy-rock trio the American Weather with support from Kid You’re No Fighter and Lady Reiko & The Sin City Prophets. 8 p.m., $10–$12, Vinyl inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas Smurfs have been entertaining children (and kids at heart) on-screen since the ’80s. Today, the little blue guys (and Smurfette) invade the big screen in Smurfs: The Lost Village. Showtimes, theaters and prices vary, fandango.com Pinot’s Palette opens its third Las Vegas location at Town Square and “paints” it forward, with 100 percent of proceeds from today’s and tomorrow’s classes going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 7 p.m., $39, pinotspalette.com/townsquare
What’s the recipe for authentic self-realization? An evening of poetry and art at The Writer’s Block’s Existentialist Cookbook event can get you a little closer to the answer. 5:30 p.m., 1020 Fremont St., thewritersblock.org Today is Slow Art Day, dedicated to going to galleries and slowly looking at art. The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art offers 5–10-minute guided meditations on the works of Kim Rugg, Julie Oppermann and Heidi Schwegler. 1–3 p.m., $2–$5 suggested contribution, at UNLV, unlv.edu The Swingin’ Pedestrians’ repertoire spans from ’50s pop to ’70s and ’80s alternative, bringing elements of swing and a driving saxophone to each track they try on. Catch their performance at Bruce Trent Park, and get some food-truck grub while you’re there. 2 p.m., 8851 Vegas Dr., 702-229-3514
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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24/7
TO DO
THE DEAL BY ANTHONY CURTIS
Show Bargains Lurk Among the Brits and the Cirques
The Head and the Heart
Lend a hand in cleaning up Sunrise Trailhead in Clark County Wetlands Park. Come prepared to get dirty. RSVP at wetlands@clarkcountynv.com. 9–11 a.m., 7050 E. Wetlands Park Lane, clarkcountynv.gov Performers from Strip production shows offer a new take on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1971 musical Jesus Christ Superstar to benefit Golden Rainbow, a nonprofit organization providing housing, education and other resources to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada. 2 p.m.,$25–$100, Tropicana Theatre at Tropicana Las Vegas, goldenrainbow.org SUNDAY 9
Indie rock musician David Bazan plays an eclectic set to soothe any weekend woes you may have. 9 p.m., $10–$12, 124 S. 11th St., The Bunkhouse Saloon, bunkhousedowntown.com In Topgolf’s Spring Leagues, two-person teams compete every Sunday for the chance to win up to a $2,000 cash prize. Get your game face on. 10 a.m., $195, 4627 Koval Lane, topgolf.com American roots-rock band Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters bring popular covers and original songs to Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center. 7 p.m., $39–$75, thesmithcenter.com
Sandra Scheller discusses her book Try to Remember—Never Forget, about her mother’s experience as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, at The Corner Gallery. Meet the author and check out the related exhibit The Unknown Artist: History Erased, which explores and analyzes the artwork of Adolf Hitler. 2:30—4:30 p.m., inside The Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd. #220, lasvegascornergallery.com MONDAY 10
What role does visual art play in our communities? Hear from artists Andreana Donahue, Justin Favela, Clarity Haynes, Wendy Kveck and author Sharon Louden on artists’ influence on culture at a panel discussion titled The Artist as Culture Producer. 7 p.m., Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, settlersandnomads.com
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Costa del Sur celebrates the sweetness of the season
with sugar-infused spa treatment specials throughout April. Try pairing your spring cleaning with a Sweet Sugar Manicure and Pedicure or a 50-minute massage. Specials valid Mon.–Fri., 6 a.m.–8 p.m., prices vary, spacostadelsur.com
TUESDAY 11
Be proud to be a hipster at the Head and the Heart’s concert at Brooklyn Bowl. 7:30 p.m., $31–$46, at The Linq Promenade, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas What does an American do when immersed in the magic and romance of the City of Lights? Find out while watching the Tony–winning musical An American in Paris, which begins its run tonight at Reynolds Hall. 7:30 p.m., $29–$127, The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com Read An American Sickness: How Healthcare
Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal, on shelves today, and
thank God Trump Care hasn’t passed. Penguin Press, $28, penguinrandomhouse.com WEDNESDAY 12
Delta Bombers rockabillies you silly at the Bunk-
house Saloon tonight. 8 p.m , $12, 124 S. 11th St., bunkhousedowntown.com
Umami Burger, Beer Garden & Sports Book has introduced Cindy’s Casa Burger, featuring jalapeño-studded beef patties with crushed avocado, oven-roasted tomato, miso mustard and caramelized onions, inspired by Cindy Crawford. Daily 11 a.m.–10 p.m., $14, inside SLS Las Vegas, slsvegas.com/umamiburger 7 Looking for more stuff to do? Go to vegasseven. com/calendar.
Las Vegas Advisor, we calculate the current average cost of a ticket for a Las Vegas production show. No one else in Vegas, or anywhere else on the planet, for that matter, does this tabulation, because it’s one big pain in the ass to compile. But we keep at it, because it’s good to be the only one doing something. This year, 94 shows were considered. As is almost always the case, the average cost went up, which means we’re paying more for entertainment this year than we did last. Shocker! The average came in at $92.30 per ticket, a slight $2.12 increase from the previous year. The most expensive single seat in the survey was $858 for the top (VIP) ticket to Britney: Piece of Me. That’s kind of crazy. Or maybe it’s not, considering that more than half the shows in town (55) have at least one ticket option above $100. Not a pretty picture. But who buys retail? Except for the Brits, the Eltons and the Cirques, almost every show is priced to discount, so look around before you buy—you can get ahead of the curve by moving in the direction of the bargains. My favorite part of this survey is discovering which shows really are values. Keep in mind that the following prices are retail and can usually be chopped down even further. The lowest-priced ticket in the tally was $20 for a pair of productions at Royal Resort—Rainbow Cabaret Reunites Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli and Majestik Burlesque as well as a $10 locals price for Master Mystifier Dixie Dooley ($21 for non-locals). Don’t scoff: These shows are produced by Vegas showroom veteran Dooley, who knows how to squeeze a whole lot of oomph out of a tight budget. Next in line is Mike Hammer Comedy Magic with a $27.80 ticket, followed by Spirit of the King ($29.98), both at Four Queens; Puppetry of the Penis at the Erotic Heritage Museum ($32.50); Laughternoon at The D ($36.15); Frankie Moreno at Golden Nugget ($35.70); Hypnosis Unleashed at Binion’s ($36.50) and L.A. Comedy Club at the Stratosphere ($36.65). The following shows all have at least one ticket priced under $50: Frank Marino’s Divas (The Linq), Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club (MGM Grand), Comedy & Dolls (Planet Hollywood), Fantasy (Luxor), Ralphie May (Harrah’s), Popovich Comedy Pet Theater (V Theater), Stripper 101 (V Theater), Rich Little Live and the Laugh Factory (both at the Tropicana). What’s the best deal? I’ll go with two. The first is Frankie Moreno, but specifically the current bundled promotion that includes a dinner buffet for $46.46. And in 2017, once again the best show deal in town is the $14.98 ticket to Mac King’s Comedy Magic. Pick up the special ticket at Harrah’s the day of the show (try the players club booth). This one can’t be beat. 7 Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and lasvegasadvisor.com.
PHOTO BY JAMES MINCHIN
EVERY YEAR IN THE APRIL ISSUE OF THE
AMPLIFY
YOUR SUMMER!
200 S. 3rd Street Las Vegas, NV 89101 800.745.3000 Get your tickets now at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center Box Office or ticketmaster.com.
TWO COPS AND A CRICKET ONE MAN’S SURVIVAL STORY FROM THE INFAMOUS STORM DRAINS OF LAS VEGAS By Matthew O’Brien Photography Krystal Ramirez
IN JUNE 2007, MATTHEW O’BRIEN PUBLISHED HIS BOOK BENEATH THE NEON: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas, which documents his adventures in the underground flood channels of the city and the conversations he had with the people down there. Recently, he has been interviewing people who used to live in the drains, many of whom find their way to these clandestine communities as a way to exist on the fringes of society. He asks them about their childhood, what it’s like living there, how they got out and what they are doing now, among other questions. He hopes eventually to present fragments of the interviews in a book—an oral account of surviving the Vegas storm drains. O’Brien felt Beneath the Neon was somewhat dark and depressing, and he wants the follow-up to be educational and inspirational. So far he’s interviewed around 20 people. Their roller-coaster rides are all riveting, yet one story stands out: Paul’s. Younger than most of O’Brien’s interviewees, Paul fell really far down—both literally and figuratively. Now he has risen to dizzying—and ironic—heights. This is an edited version of O’Brien’s interview, presented as a monologue in Paul’s voice.
NAME: PAUL STREET NAME: SHAGGY AGE: 29 YEARS IN THE DRAINS: 2011-2014 DRUG OF CHOICE: HEROIN EARLIEST MEMORIES Waking up in the middle of the night in Arizona. I think it was Phoenix. I was in kindergarten or first grade. My mom told me to grab what I could, that we were leaving. That was a constant for me and my mom. She was a crack addict and we moved from place to place. I also remember living with different families. In fifth grade, I lived with one of the better families I had. They’re the closest thing I ever had to real foster parents. They’re just a couple that took me in for a year, and I have nothing but good memories from that time. A lot of the principles and morals I have I got from them.
HIGH SCHOOL I got into the performing arts school, the Las Vegas Academy, as a theater major. They took me in and protected me. School was always an escape for me. I never dreaded it. I looked forward to it, because I always got to get away from where I was or who I was with. It was the only constant in my life. At the Academy, you would do theater every day for an hour and a half, and I threw myself into it and succeeded. I actually wrote and produced my own show and, when all was said and done, they let me perform it. Now they have a student-performed and -directed show every year. I was the first student to do it.
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My favorite show was The Laramie Project. I played Russell Henderson, one of the guys who murdered Matthew Shepard. That was the role I dove into the most as far as character development and research. I really locked into it. It was originally scheduled to run for like six nights and we did it for 15, and in front of an audience that came down from Laramie. That was an honor. I had a 2.73 GPA and I wasn’t even trying in most classes. I graduated in 2005.
POST GRADUATION I was in a downward spiral. I had already burned most of the bridges with my family because I was so upset with them and the way things had gone. It got to the point where they didn’t want to tell me what was going on with my mother because it was all bad. I was living in a place we dubbed the Clown House. We called it that because I juggled for a short period of time. Seven or eight of us lived there together from the age of 17 to 20. It started with a core group from the Academy and spread from there. It was very communal—and complete and utter chaos. I started doing heroin there. A girl I knew introduced me to it. At first it didn’t take. In fact, I withdrew from it twice without even knowing it. But eventually it got hold of me.
I got into the performing arts school, the Las Vegas Academy, as a theater major. They took me in and protected me. School was always an escape for me. … It was the only constant in my life.
DISCOVERING THE DRAINS Around 2010 and 2011, I was going back and forth by bus between Summerlin and Henderson. It’d take about three hours. I’d panhandle and make about 100 bucks a day, and I kept my backpack and sleeping bag on me and I’d crash wherever I landed. Eventually a few guys from the tunnels saw me panhandling near Eastern and the 215. They actually challenged me. They tried to get me to move from my spot. They said my time was up, but I didn’t leave. Later that day they sought me out and said, “Hey, man. You got heart. You should come down with us, where you’re safe and out of the way.” Part of me didn’t want to go, because I had this image of it in my mind. I was debating whether I should live behind a dumpster or underground. I eventually went down there and checked it out, and there were couches and battery-powered lights and fire pits and food. The way it was designed was appealing. Everybody was welcoming and they set up a nice little spot for me. I had a mat, so I wasn’t on the concrete. They all had mattresses and coffee tables and stuff like that, and I remember thinking that I was going to build up my camp. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was away from the world and these guys were cool and they explained the rules to me and who was welcome and who was not. They made me feel at home. One rule is you don’t touch anyone else’s camp. You get caught in someone’s spot and it’s all bad. There was also a call to come in. Ours was the old punk-rock word “Oi.” If you didn’t say it and get the call back, you were entering unprotected.
LIFE IN THE DRAINS There were 15 to 20 of us down there at any given time. There was a 16-year-old female runaway, all the way up to “Baldy,” one of the guys who invited me down there, who was 47. “Jabber Jaw” had been there 15 years. He’s a good guy, but he’s everything about the tunnels incarnate. Friendly but unforgiving. Nice but ruthless. My hustle, at first, was panhandling, and I did quite well. I started out making $100 a day, but there were days I made $400 or $500. I think it was because of the improvisation I had learned in high school.
WHAT ARE SPECIALTY COURTS? >>> ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION <<<
If
By Jessie O’Brien someone is incarcerated for a drug-related offense, there is up to an 80 percent chance they will eventually repeat it, according to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. As a way to reduce this type of recidivism, specialty court programs target
the root causes of crimes such as addiction and mental illness. In Nevada, there are 42 specialty courts, including one of the nation’s first drug courts, which opened in 1992. Other specialty courts include DUI, veterans’ and juvenile drug courts. Among other criteria, to enter a specialty court, the participant must have a mental illness or an addiction, as well as no history of violent offenses or drug trafficking. In order to keep participants out of the criminal justice system, specialty courts use counseling, drug and alcohol testing, probation supervision, case management and regular court status checks over a minimum 12-month period. On average, the program takes 12 to 18 months, and continuous monitoring is crucial for success. But the heavy involvement doesn’t mean it’s more expensive. The cost-efficiency comes from keeping participants out of the courtroom in the future. In fact, the NADCP reports that every dollar of funding for specialty courts saves $3.36 in future
THE HEAVY INVOLVEMENT DOESN’T MEAN THAT SPECIALTY COURTS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE. THEY END UP BEING MORE COST-EFFECTIVE BY KEEPING PARTICIPANTS OUT OF THE COURTROOM IN THE FUTURE.
taxpayer money by avoiding potential courtroom costs. This success continues to be recognized. The Eighth Judicial District Specialty Courts in Clark County recently received a grant of over $1.4 million from the Substance Abuse Prevention Treatment Agency. The grant provides sober living and treatment facilities for drug court candidates who are stuck in jail because of lack of space in rehabilitation centers. The NADCP estimates an annual fiscal savings of $2.9 to $4.2 million in averted incarceration costs. 7
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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FAMILIES WITHOUT HOMES A HARD LOOK AT THE STATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA
night in January, required by the U.S. Department of
By Merideth Spriggs
2016, the local count found 118 families with children
Housing and Urban Development to receive funding. In Southern Nevada, homeless agencies and community volunteers complete the task.) In January without a roof over their heads.
Formerly homeless, Merideth Spriggs is the found-
That same year, the Southern Nevada Homeless
er and chief kindness officer of Caridad Charity, a
Census found that 60 percent of homeless people
homeless services provider based in Downtown Las
were unsheltered, meaning they were living on the
Vegas. She recently helped the Nevada Homeless
streets, in encampments, cars or other places not
Alliance complete its annual one-page fact sheet on
meant for human habitation. Exactly 55.4 percent of
various homeless subpopulations. Here, she refer-
those surveyed were experiencing homelessness
ences these findings and shines a light on the harsh
for the first time with job loss cited as the prima-
realities of this way of life.
ry cause. And more than 800 victims of domestic
“We don’t want to be separated. I don’t know what else to do. We have twins and have been trying to
violence are among those suffering on any night. Thanks to Sought Church, which stepped up to
make sure they get to school each day.” The woman
help after seeing a call-to-action social media post,
sobbed over the phone.
the family and their twins were able to get an emer-
A young couple with twin school-aged boys had
gency hotel room. They’re currently staying at the
become homeless. They qualified for emergency
Las Vegas Rescue Mission, a privately funded non-
rental assistance through Clark County Social Ser-
profit that also offers job training, counseling, food
vice, but because of previous evictions they were
and outreach, among other services. Family Prom-
unable to find anyone willing to rent to them. Family
ise of Las Vegas is serving as their case manager.
shelters were full, and having nowhere else to go,
The group works to help homeless families achieve
the family had resorted to living out of their car.
housing stability by providing short-term shelter and
On any given night, more than 30,000 Southern Nevada residents, including families with children, couples and individuals of all ages, will experience
meals by partnering with local congregations and the community. Beyond the devastation of homelessness for
homelessness, according to the 2016 Southern
families and individuals, it significantly impacts tax-
Nevada Homeless Census and Survey. Families
payers, as local government budgets pay for medical
made up 36 percent of all destitute people counted
care, police and social services. There is still much
nationally during the 2015 Homeless Point-in-Time
work to be done. 7
Census. (Point-in-Time determines the total number
To get involved in helping end homelessness in South-
of sheltered and unsheltered persons on a single
ern Nevada, head to helphopehome.com.
ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, MORE THAN 30,000 SOUTHERN NEVADA RESIDENTS, INCLUDING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, COUPLES AND INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES, WILL EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.
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April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
Depending on who I was talking to, I would have different stories as to why I was there. It also had to do with longevity. I was known in the area. Eventually I sold drugs out of the tunnels. There are little drainage ditches and metal grates in the parking lots. I would ride the tunnels on a bike with a light and an Obama phone, and I would sell drugs through the grates above me. I would tell the buyer to act like they were tying their shoe while they pass the money and take the product. I never made money doing it, but I got my drugs for free. Living down there was fun. In retrospect, it was one of the best times of my life. We used to get pallets and build these big bonfires and, depending on which way the wind was blowing, the smoke would just leave. There was enough ventilation and a lot of camaraderie.
ROCK-BOTTOM I had resolved that this was it. I was going to die in the tunnels with a needle in my arm. I was accepting of that. I didn’t care. Around that same time, my girlfriend pulled a knife on me because I was dope sick and didn’t want to get any more drugs. I was fed up with what we were doing. She had only been down there six or seven months. I was coming up on three years. I told her I was done with the tunnels. She said, “OK. We’ll figure it out in the morning.” I always say that two cops and a cricket saved my life. I was sitting on my bed, wearing a headlamp, and had my stuff spread out on my lap and I was preparing to shoot up, and this big black cricket bounced into my line of sight. I looked at the cricket and said, “Don’t do it!” Sure enough, it flies up at me and I drop everything I had on my lap. I tried to catch that cricket for two hours until I found myself lit up by a bright flashlight. It was two cops. I told them my name and Social Security number and, because I had a warrant, they asked how long it would take for me to get my stuff together. I said, “Two minutes.” They said, “All right. Meet us outside the tunnel.” I woke up my girlfriend and grabbed my stuff, and we ran out the other end of the tunnel. All I needed was a cigarette and soda. I got them, then waited for the cops in the parking lot.
REDEMPTION I got a public defender I’d had before. I had asked him to help me get jail time on the weekends, which you can do in certain situations, and he did, but I blew it off. The first thing he said to me this time around was, “You couldn’t make the weekends, huh?” Then he said, “How about trying the drug-court program?” For a long time, my mom, who also spent time on the streets and in the tunnels, was an example of why recovery doesn’t work. But when I got into drug court, she’d been sober for two and a half years. She became an example that it could work. I ended up doing really well in the program. I got MVP and a job at the car wash right next to the tunnel entrance. I worked there from four months of sobriety to 22 months. I saw the people I’d lived with, and did what I could to help them with kind words and a few dollars here or there. I ended up being a supervisor at the car wash, and they all watched me grow out of that stage of my life. After I graduated from the drugcourt program, Freedom House opened a new inpatient treatment center and I got in at the right time. I ended up being the lead case manager there. We work with clients who come straight out of jail with prison sentences hanging over their heads; this is their last chance to get on their feet. We help them get IDs, birth certificates and Social Security cards. We get them enrolled in school if they need a GED as part of their parole conditions. We get them food stamps. We help them transition back into the real world.
REFLECTIONS I’ve gone back to the tunnels twice. Once because it was raining and I helped them save some stuff. The second time, about two years ago, was because we have what we called “graveyards”—old campsites, because the rule is you’re not supposed to touch them. I wanted to see if my camp was still there, and it was: the bed, magazine pictures of Eminem and Metallica, remnants of things I had. I stood there for 10 or 15 minutes and it was all positive. It was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. I met my wife in a 12-step program, and we dated for quite some time and ended up getting married and having a son. We’ve had a house
I was living in a place we dubbed the Clown House. We called it that because I juggled for a short period of time. … It was very communal— and complete and utter chaos. I started doing heroin there. A girl I knew introduced me to it. At first it didn’t take. In fact, I withdrew from it twice without even knowing it. for two months. I have a fire pit out back and I go out there and start bonfires. That’s as close as I get to the tunnels nowadays. Almost every night I’m back there burning wood and just standing there watching it. 7
Matthew O’Brien hopes his prospective book, tentatively titled Out of the Dark: Survival Stories From the Las Vegas Storm Drains, will raise money for his community project Shine a Light, which strives to help those still stuck in the drains. For more on the work combating homelessness, check out vegasseven.com/ homelessyouth to learn about the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth’s center.
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The Sweet Taste of
ONE BITE
TASTE
Spring
Sunny, 70-degree days mean that spring is here and the Easter Bunny is getting ready to fill those baskets with treats. Ethel M Chocolates, our well-loved gourmet chocolatier, has something in store for your sweet tooth: Two new Easter flavors—milk chocolate strawberry crème and dark chocolate raspberry crème—join its basket of milk and dark chocolate peanut butter eggs. But no need to limit yourself to oval confections—there are also springtime blossom tin boxes filled with brittles, satin crèmes and the classic collection, available prepackaged or custom-filled. For an extra-special treat, visit the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Garden year-round and watch how the chocolates are made in small batches using all-natural ingredients. You don’t need to wait for the Easter Bunny after all, so hop to it! 2 Cactus Garden Dr., Henderson, ethelm.com
By Genevie Durano Photography Krystal Ramirez April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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TASTE
“The goal is to attract people that normally wouldn’t consider coming to [The Orleans].”
By Larry Braverman
Let the Good Times
Roll
Nearly 21 with a new look, The Orleans is all grown up 22
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TASTE
“Traditionally, the restaurants were kind of ancillary to the game. They’re there merely as a convenience. Now you’re seeing a new wave of customers coming in … they’re looking for more than just a casino.”
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rapping your resort in a theme—be it medieval times or pirates of the Caribbean—can come with a price. As much as visitors might enjoy the atmosphere on the first 10 or 12 visits, the novelty eventually wears off. This is Las Vegas, after all, where resorts show their age faster than a 40-year-old flashing ID at the entrance to Rehab Beach Club. In this city, turning 21 is a rite of celebration for clubgoers, not casinos. So how has The Orleans, the “Born on the Bayou” property that’s continually straddled the line between locals resort and off-Strip tourist attraction, managed to beat Father Time? The answer involves some lengthy introspection, looking within to see what’s working and what’s not, and saying goodbye to old favorites in the interest of progress. “We don’t necessarily go for a look that is super-fashion-forward, because that’s what [appears] dated first,” says Sean Tanner, Boyd Gaming’s director of design, as he leads a tour of The Orleans’ newly refreshed food and beverage offerings. Tanner is basking in the glow of an award-winning redesign at the nearly 21-year-old property (The Orleans opened in December 1996), one that saw many of its older restaurants replaced with new dining concepts and a remodel of its hotel suites. Gone is Canal Street—in its place is Alder & Birch Cocktails & Dining. With a contemporary design akin to the Strip’s most modern steak and cocktail joints, Tanner says the restaurant creates the “social space” that Canal Street was lacking. The new concept netted Boyd and Las Vegas–based DEZMOTIF Studios a “Best Singular Hospitality Space” win at the 2016 ANDYZ Awards for interior-design projects. Within a few weeks of debuting Alder & Birch, the resort opened Ondori Asian Kitchen. Koji sushi bar closed shortly before Ondori
“We wanted it to feel bright and inviting.” –Sean Tanner, Boyd Gaming’s director of design on the new Alder & Birch Cocktails & Dining
opened, and its space was combined with Brendan’s Pub, another Orleans staple, to make way for casual dining spot Bailiwick. Even the coffee shop has been rebranded as Copper Whisk Café. “It hits a lot of the greatest hits for what you would expect out of a coffee shop, but it’s definitely an elevated experience over what was there before,” Tanner says. “And it fits in.” Next up will be The Orleans buffet. Such change is necessary for survival in this city, and Tanner is not afraid to say that Boyd Gaming’s goal is to attract a new generation of visitors. “That the restaurant becomes the destination,” he says. “[Customers] want to come and enjoy a nice dinner. So it’s a broader experience— more than just gaming. If we want to connect with that customer base, [we] have to elevate the product. Turn [the] restaurants of The Orleans, or Gold Coast, or Sam’s Town into something that [people will] specifically come for.” 7
From Tanner’s Notebook:
What’s hot
and what’s not For colors, gray is in; brown and beige are out. Social areas and communal tables with USB ports and electrical plugs remain all the rage. In the buffet, themed cooking stations are out and a large residential-feeling kitchen design is in, and individual portions are in order. Next on the agenda is to completely redo the East Tower room at Downtown’s California Hotel & Casino and Ping Pang Pong at Gold Coast, which will move to the larger, former showroom space.
OPPOSITE PAGE: The debut of Ondori Asian Kitchen followed the closure of Koji sushi bar. Its interior showcases panda and rooster art: This is the Year of the Rooster, after all. THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Bailiwick, a casual dining spot boasting back-to-back billiard tables and big-screen televisions, opened in 2016, in a space previously occupied by Brendan’s Pub. The enclosed bar makes the booze the center of attention, as it should be. The Alder & Birch design, a collaboration between Boyd Gaming and DEZMOTIF Studios, took home the “Best Singular Design Hospitality Space” award at the 2016 ANDYZ Awards.
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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TASTE
DISH & TELL
By Marisa Finetti
Photography Kin Lui
Clockwise from top: Carson Kitchen’s Hobo stew, honey cheesecake and the BLTA
It’s a wonderful, whimsical world at Beauty & Essex (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, beautyandessex.com). This is a place a girl like me can really sink her teeth into—the temptation of baubles and jewels in the pawnshop-inspired entrance leads to creations by chef Chris Santos and his team. The release of his first book, Share, is perfectly timed, as he also launched new shareable plates in his jewelry box–themed dining room. Among the culinary gems are the tuna Tataki with fresh and crunchy daikon slaw, ponzu vinaigrette and micro wasabi; steak toast seasoned with Malaysian spices, garlic, pickled radish and serrano pepper; a classic wedge salad topped with Point Reyes blue cheese, tomato and crispy pancetta; and the roasted lobster tail with Spanish chorizo, arancini and saffron. The late chef Kerry Simon envisioned a gourmet oasis when he planned Carson Kitchen (124 S. Sixth St., carsonkitchen.com). The restaurant is also filled with his personal touches, including the “swear jar.” It’s easy to understand how quickly cash can accumulate when someone exclaims, “That tastes f#¢%ing awesome!” It’s exciting how Carson Kitchen has evolved, and now with the launch of new menu items, there are many reasons to go back. The BLTA, inspired by the way culinary director and executive chef John Courtney likes his sandwich—with avocado—is a refreshing salad of romaine hearts dressed with tomato vinaigrette. The Hobo Stew comes in a mason jar filled with a variety of ingredients, including shrimp, Andouille sausage and pickled okra. The Icelandic cod is soft and velvety in texture, with sweet citrus flavors and heat, garnished with fennel petals. For dessert, the honey cheesecake is a standout: It sits on a lavender leaf–infused shortbread crust drizzled with strawberry liqueur coulis. Devour this decadence alongside a bright and cleansing Pink Smoking Jacket cocktail, with a touch of mezcal, fresh lime, strawberry purée, orgeat and a splash of ginger beer. So, are we ready for warm-weather cocktails? Boasting some of the city’s (and the nation’s) most talented bartenders and mixologists, The Palazzo and The Venetian recently showcased seasonal specialty libations. After tasting them, it’s safe to say they are as ready as we are for the temperature to go up. Delmonico Steakhouse features a whiskey sour called Country “Thyme” Lemonade, made with Belle Meade classic bourbon, ginger liqueur (which is delicious all by itself), citrus and thyme mix, lemon juice and egg whites. Buddy V’s Ristorante’s Melon Blossom, which, by the way, smells just like my favorite Japanese melon candy, is a summertime refresher made with melon vodka, elderflower cordial, orangecello, mint and cucumber. Yardbird’s Watermelon Sling features white whiskey, Aperol and fresh watermelon juice. Rock-star mixologist Juyoung Kang of The Dorsey showcases Leaving Tijuana—with tequila, lime, honey and smoked salt—which will have you coming back for a return visit real soon. The soon-to-open Chica’s summer cocktail of choice is F.W. Margarita (FresnoWatermelon). Shaken up with blanco tequila, orange bitters, fresh lime juice, Fresno chili syrup and just-pressed watermelon juice, it’s as fresh as a summer’s bumper crop. Cheers! 7 Marisa savors with all five senses. Read more at VegasSeven. com/DishAndTell or visit her blog LoveAndRelish.com.
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800.274.5825 | thed.com | 301 Fremont Street | Las Vegas, NV 89101
TASTE
SMALL BITES
Oysters Rockefeller and Mermaid Harpists
Today, Las Vegas is a world capital
of fine dining. Decadent ingredients, extravagant presentations, obsequious service, luxurious atmosphere—all can be found in dozens of establishments on the Strip. The Dome of the Sea was one restaurant that helped take it to the next level. Built in 1964, the restaurant looked like a flying saucer temporarily perched alongside the Dunes’ ultra-mod new tower. The room itself was round and deep blue, with iridescent walls that shaded from indigo to cerulean to azure and a faux stained glass ceiling. The centerpiece of the Dome of the Sea’s decor was the “mermaid harpist.” A bit of an exaggeration: She wasn’t actually a mythical creature with a fish’s tail, but a blonde playing a golden harp while floating on a small figure-eight-shaped pond in the middle of the restaurant. The menu urged guests to “sample the boundless delicacies that man has wrested from the great seas since time began,” such as Lemon Sole Filet Parisienne Princess and Curry of the South Sea Lobster Indoustan. Green-jacketed waiters ferried gilt-edged plates embossed with the restaurant’s mermaid logo, bearing Crepes Madras or Grand Peach Melba to diners in sport coats and cocktail dresses. The Dome of the Sea was a swank enough spot for James Bond to take Plenty O’Toole to dinner in Diamonds Are Forever. And many a visitor to vintage Vegas still has fond memories of their time spent at the bottom of the ocean … in the middle of the desert. —Lissa Townsend Rodgers
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Binge-worthy Eats If distance has been keeping you from Health Binge (6040 W. Badura Ave., tryhealthbinge.com) and its prepared-meal goodness, former NFL-er and Harvard grad Gerome Sapp’s Valley venture has expanded. Now you can pick up fresh and healthy gourmet meals that are packed with greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds (lovingly referred to as G-BOMBS), prepared by chef Jackie McMahan at EOS Fitness locations around the city. Stay tuned for more from Health Binge as it increases its offerings, including upping vegan and vegetarian options. —Diana Edelman
BETTER THAN A BUCKET Daily Kitchen (3645 S. Town Center Dr., 10075 S. Eastern Ave.; dkeatery.com) believes that you and your family deserve to eat fresh, wholesome, good-for-you food on the daily. That’s nice, but what’s even better is that my family of four thinks Daily Kitchen is delicious. Because isn’t that what really matters? We recommend the whole rotisserie chicken family meal ($36), which can be taken to go, but we enjoy eating it there. Daily
Kitchen’s well-seasoned, organic Mary’s Free Range Chickens (yes, the same as the ones at Whole Foods) comes with a choice of house or Caesar salad. Choose two sides from a wide selection, including roasted crispy Brussels sprouts, garlic mashed potatoes, truffled Israeli couscous, field greens salad, roasted sweet corn, and black Tuscan kale with sweet onions. If you and yours prefer red meat, consider the Angus tri-tip steak family meal ($38) Pssst … these meals are $25 on Sundays and Tuesdays in the Summerlin location. —Marisa Finetti
HEALTH BINGE BY CIERRA PEDRO; DAILY KITCHEN BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ; DOME OF THE SEA COURTESY UNLV LIBRARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The Dome of the Sea took Vegas fine dining to new heights. And depths.
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SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Creating for the Community ARTIST ERIC VOZZOLA LENDS HIS BRUSH TO A LOCAL SCHOOL By Diana Edelman
PHOTO BY KEY LIME PHOTOGRAPHY/L AUREN UNGERER
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he latest mural by artist Eric Vozzola can’t be seen in the typical public places where his previous large-scale works can be found. In fact, most people will never set eyes on his creation, a magnificent spectrum of rich gem hues that cast the Las Vegas sunset (and Sunrise Mountain) in a myriad of geometric shapes. Why? Because it’s housed in the main hallway of Helen Herr Elementary. The last weekend in March, the school received a refresh courtesy of Sands Cares, the global corporate citizen program for Las Vegas Sands Corporation. The renovation included the designer’s mural, as well as a fresh coat of paint around campus and new bulletin boards. Vozzola’s work, spanning a block of wall measuring 20 feet by 9 feet, took him and a team of three volunteers only 10 hours to complete. It was a record time for the artist, who doubles as a senior graphic designer in The Venetian and Palazzo marketing department. The new piece is intended to evoke school spirit and to inspire all those who walk through Herr Elementary’s doors. “I want kids to see that they can express themselves in as bold of a manner as they want to, and don’t have to limit or suppress their creativity,” he says. For more than three years, Vozzola has been lending his talent to the streets of Las Vegas. He has created a building-size mural with the Cultural Corridor Coalition and City of Las Vegas, another piece for the Art Motel at Life Is Beautiful Festival in 2015 and works for Clark County’s utility box beautification project, Zap. “I felt like my art could serve well in a public setting,” he explains. “I’m so used to seeing the drab palettes of commercial centers and the suburban sprawl that I felt the vibrancy of color and graphic nature of my work would pop and be really eye-catching. I wanted to give people in these communities something different to look at, and hopefully bring an appreciation for that type of art.” Up next, Vozzola returns to lend his talents to Zap, this time creating works on utility boxes in the Northwest. 7 For more photos of Vozzola’s mural at Helen Herr Elementary, go to vegasseven.com/mural.
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SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Pinstriped Pilgrimage A longtime Las Vegan honors her stepfather at Yankee Stadium By Rob Miech
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April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
he sweltering clime and her covert mission compelled Michelle to take some anxious steps from the subway platform at 161st Street. September 4, 2011, was a sticky Sunday in the Bronx. For reassurance, she tapped the bulge in her small backpack—a Ziploc sandwich bag filled with the ashes of her stepfather, Ira, a former New York City Police Department detective. Less than a year earlier on his deathbed in New Mexico, Ira had asked Michelle to disperse his cremated remains at Yankee Stadium. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease—had ravaged his body. Born and raised in the Bronx, Ira had often held his father’s hand en route to the original House that Ruth Built. As an adult, he volunteered to protect the home team at the stadium. At 61, he took his final breath. Being afflicted with the mysterious malady that had felled Gehrig, the Yankees legend known as the Iron Horse, had flummoxed Ira. His family, too. How, Michelle asked, does that happen? “But it was apropos,” she said. Once, at a barbecue at Michelle’s Las Vegas abode in Spanish Oaks, Ira became inflamed at a benign inquiry about Frank Serpico, the NYPD officer whose fingering of dirty brethren was made into a 1973 movie starring Al Pacino. Ira detested Serpico, who had violated a sacred trust of brotherhood that Ira would neither forgive nor forget. He did not suffer snitches. Near his frail end, when he struggled with the joystick of his battery-powered wheelchair, Ira summoned Michelle’s male friends to Piero’s Italian Cuisine. A Las Vegas dining mainstay with a retro vibe, he relished the aged leather and half-light of another era there. Crooner Steve Lawrence said hello. It was difficult to understand Ira, but the glint in his eyes was undeniable. This was his last night out with the boys. A diminutive strawberry blonde with Bette Davis eyes, Michelle’s playful laugh, self-deprecating ease and ardor for baseball had cemented a bond with Ira. He’d never visited the team’s sparkling new palace, which opened in 2009. She vowed to change that. Michelle and her longtime beau Shayne disembarked at Liberty Island. She scattered ashes around the base of the Statue of Liberty. At Yankee Stadium, no spot spoke to her. They fetched a couple of beers and sat 10 rows behind the third-base line. She surveyed every cranny, gauging possibilities. Derek Jeter hit a three-run homer. Alex Rodriguez popped a solo shot. CC Sabathia confounded the Blue Jays.
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“I was not going to leave the stadium till I got this done. I was never so scared,” Michelle says. “I was only thinking about those ashes.” The Bombers beat Toronto, 9-3. People filed up the aisles while the Vegas couple sat still. Eureka! “Follow me,” Michelle said. She sat on the outfield wall, left of the Canon signage and foul pole. Shayne aimed his smartphone while she posed. She had poked a hole in a corner of the baggy and held it below the other side of the wall. Ashes peppered the warning track. A security official approached lazily. So happy to be here, Michelle beamed. She asked for a couple more minutes, ostensibly to take more pictures for family and friends. The yellow coat nodded politely and turned. “As I drizzled the ashes, the wind started blowing. It was pretty surreal. Just, whoooosh ... the wind took him away, out onto the field. I kept just a tiny bit to sprinkle in the aisle as we walked up the stairs.” Later on, in a chance meeting at Piero’s, Michelle relayed her derring-do to former Yankees manager Joe Torre. Her pulse again soared when he said she had committed a crime, that she could’ve been arrested. “I had no idea,” she said recently. “No clue.” Torre offered her a sly grin and told her she was one of the lucky ones. Technically, Torre wasn’t wrong. A Yankee Stadium rule does prohibit the spreading of human remains within its confines, but no city ordinance bars the act; a fine or penalty could be levied relative to trespassing, say, or some other infraction. Michelle blushed at her naïveté. She requested that her and Ira’s surnames not be used in this article because she can still envisage officers storming her front gate to get to the bottom of her business in the Bronx that day in 2011. All of which, she is certain, would amuse the irascible ex-undercover detective. She spent the winter counting the days until pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, circling potential dates on which she and Shayne will make their annual pilgrimage to Yankee Stadium. To visit Ira. 7
By Rob Miech Photography Anthony Mair
Bryce Harper
The Trade Game Why the Nationals should ship Bryce Harper to the Bronx
and the Washington Nationals narrowly avoided airing each other’s dirty laundry in mid-January. Mike Rizzo, the team’s general manager, and Harper’s agent Scott Boras compromised on a 2017 salary of $13.6 million for the 24-year-old lefty slugger. Rizzo wasn’t forced to underscore Harper’s .243 batting average last season—the lowest of the Las Vegas native’s five-year career—or his .211 batting average in three playoff series. Boras didn’t have to convince three arbiters that his client’s 2015 National League MVP season wasn’t an anomaly. Next winter, Harper will be a restricted free agent, tied to his Nats contract, for the final time. That means the Nats must hope he stays healthy and smashes baseballs this April and May to trigger their own power play: trading Harper to his beloved New York Yankees before the July 31 trading deadline. The worst-case Nats scenario would be inking Harper to another single-season pact next January and watching him shuffle off to the Bronx— and getting nothing in return—after the 2018 season, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, a player without contractual ties to any team. And nothing (i.e., zero championships) is precisely what the Nats have reaped with Harper in postseason series against St. Louis, San Francisco and Los Angeles. “Don’t sell me short” is how Harper infamously responded when asked about maybe becoming the game’s first $400 million player, on a Washington, D.C., sports radio show in February 2016. When does avarice wear out his welcome in the swamp? Has it already? Other go-to lines must be ringing stale, too, with the D.C. audience. He cheers for the Redskins as long as they aren’t playing his Dallas Cowboys. He will back the Capitals as long as the Vegas Golden Knights aren’t the foes this fall. And, oh, the vanity. He peddles Gatorade and Geico, and Jaguar is his latest suitor. Will he risk Peyton Manning-like overexposure? The Nats will be prudent to tap the pinstriped club, the game’s top training team, for a wealth of its talent before the trading deadline. The indelicacy of arbitration would be dodged. Most critical, they’d be spared the indignity of watching Harper walk out that door and nothing else walk in. 7 Rob Miech wrote The Last Natural, the inside story of the 2010 College of Southern Nevada season that launched Bryce Harper to fame and fortune.
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SOCIAL INFLUENCE
POLITICS
By Michael Green
Are You Ready for Some Problems? GETTING THE TEAM IS ONLY THE BEGINNING…
T
hose who love the idea of the Las Vegas Raiders are acting like a history professor getting locked overnight in a library: What could go wrong? Those who hate it are certain this project will be as successful as the Edsel, New Coke and the first two months of the Trump presidency. Granted, the Oakland Raiders aren’t supposed to arrive until 2020, when 20/20 hindsight will tell us more about what was positive and negative about the Raiders’ desire to move, Las Vegas and Nevada leaders’ desire for the move, and the NFL’s decision to let them move. But we would be better off with 20/20 foresight—and it’s lacking. The potential benefits of the Raiders’ move are considerable. Their presence could attract new and/or more visitors. Their stadium could bring other events and conventions to Southern Nevada. The money and jobs associated with additional tourism certainly wouldn’t hurt, right? And in an area that has struggled with creating a community, a major league sports franchise could unite Las Vegans in new and exciting ways. The unhappiness of Oakland residents with their team’s impending departure suggests what the Raiders mean to them—and could mean to us. The problem is that it brings to mind the Holy Roller play. In 1978, the Raiders defeated the San Diego (soon to be, again, Los Angeles) Chargers when quarterback Ken Stabler, about to be sacked, intentionally fumbled, and other Raiders pushed the ball toward the end zone for a touchdown and victory. Bill King, the Raiders’ wonderful announcer (his Oakland A’s colleague, the former Rebels and Stars—now the ‘51s—broadcaster Ken Korach, published a terrific book about him, Holy Toledo), said, ”Nobody believes it! I don’t know if the Raiders believe it. It’s not real.” Las Vegas is trying for a Holy Roller. Some of it may be real, but it strains credulity. Putting a stadium just west of Interstate 15 and Mandalay Bay makes sense from the standpoint of people flocking to the Strip, much as Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s desire for a Downtown stadium would serve a similar purpose in her jurisdiction. But how will the streets and freeway handle those additional cars? Most of the eight regular-season home games will end somewhere around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, when I-15 is already a virtual parking lot.
Granted, local officials could go to my beloved Dodger Stadium to see how it’s handled there, do the opposite and be assured that it was the right thing. But that seems unlikely, meaning Las Vegas will continue to imitate Los Angeles and clog its traffic arteries—except that you can also get to Dodger Stadium by train and bus. Ah, but officials already plan a $150 million reworking of the interchange at Tropicana and the I-15, as well as new car pool lanes and exit ramps. Some Regional Transportation Commission board members suggest the Raiders should kick in. State officials say county fuel revenue indexing and state highway funds “might be paired.” Or they might not be. Nor is there a reference to increasing bus service or our desperate need for light-rail, and who might pay for those. Who might? If you were the Raiders, would you volunteer? Or even if you weren’t, what are the chances of Las Vegans supporting tax increases to pay for these projects? The room tax is already going up, and there’s only so much elastic in that rubber band. Las Vegans have already howled at the prospect of paying to park at Strip hotels, so they might not be expected to welcome the chance to pay more to help get in and out of the stadium. UNLV’s football team is to move into the stadium, and head football coach Tony Sanchez is properly excited about the possibilities for recruiting and 65,000 screaming fans—unless the agreement UNLV has to reach with the Raiders makes those fans scream for a different reason. Critics raise another point that might be expressed like this: If, say, Columbia University offered to open a branch campus at UNLV and send half of its Nobel and Pulitzer winners to teach here for the same price as the stadium, would the state raise taxes with private enterprise getting involved? The Raiders’ move reflects long-standing state and local priorities, and the real question is why ours haven’t improved more than they have. The impending arrival of the Raiders—and the National Hockey League’s Golden Knights—suggest that Southern Nevada has grown enough to support major league sports teams. What remains to be seen is whether, in dealing with the issues that accompany them, we have grown up enough. 7 Michael Green is an associate professor of history at UNLV.
The Raiders’ move reflects long-standing state and local priorities, and the real question is why ours haven’t improved more. 32
April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SPACES & PLACES
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and Cierra
Pe dro
ozens of medical marijuana dispensaries have sprung up around the Valley over the last 18 months. While there is plenty of variety when it comes to product, the dispensaries themselves tend to look alike, favoring the utilitarian design of a doctor’s office or Apple store. However, some take a more individualistic tack and augment selection and service with unique style. “The way to set yourself apart is outstanding customer service in an environment anyone can enjoy,” says Eli Scislowicz of NuLeaf. The aesthetic at NuLeaf is a sort of streamlined steampunk—the sales room walls are subway tile and product is stashed in wood-and-glass cabinets as well as lime-green retro refrigerators. Scattered throughout the building are vintage gadgets and machines, such as old-school rotary payphones, aspirin dispensers and magnifying glasses. As customers leave, they can push a button on an authentic art deco candy machine and out tumbles a prize such as a sticker, rolling papers or stash bag. “A lot of it, the smaller touches, were from Etsy and Amazon,” Scislowicz says. “Larger stuff we found on eBay and contacted people who refurbish those machines, like the candy machine.” He says that employees hear all the time from customers who “love the layout and love the feel.”
April April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
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SPACES & PLACES
T
The Apothecary Shoppe (top) and Medizin (bottom)
he Apothecary Shoppe lives up to its name with an elegant, oldschool vibe. Enormous armchairs and crystal sconces in the waiting room lead up to a sales area completely outfitted in custom cabinetry—display cases with stained glass detail, tiny card catalog– style drawers, the store logo in frosted glass. “We always get that wow factor from people,” says The Apothecary Shoppe manager Jen McClaning. “You’ll be at the front desk when they check in, and when they walk through the door, you hear, ‘Oh, my God, this is great!’” The budtenders wear ties and sometimes even suits, while the soundtrack tends toward R&B slow jams—The Apothecary Shoppe’s atmosphere is about as far from the Deadhead tie-dye stoner stereotype as one can get, but still feels relaxed and welcoming. McClaning says that “the Nevada medical program is still very new, so you are getting people who have never really experienced cannabis before, and they don’t know what to expect. But being able to come into this kind of atmosphere, it helps with that. It’s a different setting.”
A
t Medizin, the design concept is slick and modern. In the waiting room, 3-D wall art based on the THC molecule and a chandelier made of seemingly hundreds of light bulbs give customers something to contemplate, while the sales area is dominated by enormous, colorized photo murals of Las Vegas legends from Frank Sinatra to Ann-Margret to Muhammad Ali. “We decided early on we wanted to do something really clean and modern, but also pay homage to Las Vegas. It’s such a great city,” says Robert Groesbeck, president of Medizin. “It was a labor of love.” The store soundtrack tends toward A Tribe Called Quest and the Beastie Boys; the logos for the house-brand strains like Banana O.G. and Stardawg have witty graphics. “We wanted to set ourselves apart from the rest. We wanted something very unique,” Groesbeck says. “A lot of our patients come in from other states and they’ve never seen anything like this. But that’s part of Vegas: You’ve always got to be bigger and better.” 7
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April 6 –1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
TOP-OF-MIND
CONVERSATIONS
Southern Nevada is not a wasteland, and I will continue to fight to protect it from becoming a dangerous dumping ground. —Rep. Dina Titus (D–Nev.), on Secretary of Energ y Rick Perry’s March 27 visit to Yucca Mountain, a proposed repository for radioactive waste 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Part of the national political dialogue for 30 years, the controversial project was halted in 2010. Perry’s unannounced visit comes after the Trump administration set aside budget funds to potentially revive development at the site.
April 6 -1 2, 2017 vegasseven.com
39
LEADER OF THE PACK
CHEF BRIAN HOWARD READIES SPARROW + WOLF
B
rian Howard is standing in the massive, empty kitchen of Sparrow + Wolf, his soon-toopen restaurant on the corner of Spring Mountain Road and Arville Street. Today there are no tickets waiting to be filled, no cooks working the line and no customers clamoring for tables. But on this day in mid-March, approximately one month from the restaurant’s intended opening, the place is still jam-packed, every inch of space occupied by dreams, hopes, desires and passions—all soon to be realized. This is the real story of how a guy from Detroit came to open his own restaurant by his own rules, in a city where that isn’t always possible.
Chef Brian Howard’s journey to Sparrow + Wolf is two years in the making. For an exclusive guided tour of Sparrow + Wolf, visit vegasseven .com/sparrow
This whole process [of opening Sparrow + Wolf] has been a come-to-life moment for me—who I am, what my voice is, what I want to talk about. We talk about food, we talk about this hot new restaurant, the chefs, but there are so many other elements we miss, like what it took to get there. We live in this city full of lights and $10 million restaurants. But you don’t see the darkness behind the lights, right? Why am I doing this? That’s the big question I’ve been trying to answer. My grandmother invested in me. She was my biggest food influence growing up. She was an entertainer. She threw parties. She always had the record player going. She’d select the music and the decor, and she just went all out. That’s what I like doing. Before coming to Las Vegas in 1999 or 2000, I had worked in a couple restaurants in Detroit, peeling potatoes. Other than that, it was fast food. I don’t even want to admit [my first job in Vegas was] Buffalo Wild Wings, for like a week. I’d moved here with a girlfriend at the time, and it was the first thing I could get. I knew I wanted to cook. Somebody told me to go down to the Culinary Union. I went down there and they said, “You got to wait in line and we’ll call you back if you get this spot.” I’m not waiting for nobody. I want to work. I had the biggest chip on my shoulder. I was rough around the edges, and I think I came to my first interview with my Detroit jersey on and my hat tipped, and the guy said, “Why don’t you get dressed and come back?” Howard soon found himself at Nick’s on the
As Told to Melinda Sheckells Photography Sabin Orr Editor’s note: Howard’s responses have been edited for narrative flow and clarity.
Strip (currently the Hawaiian marketplace), followed by a stint at Club Seven, where he learned to make stock in their nouvelle French restaurant–sushi bar. From there, it was off to Tsunami in The Venetian, where he met his wife, Wendy. I became a sous chef by the time I was 21. The chef at the time was very intense. He said, “You don’t belong here …” I would come into work four hours earlier than everybody else just to set up for service because I couldn’t keep up with these guys. Then I saw Thomas Keller was opening Bouchon. I had read The French Laundry Cookbook and was super-interested. I said I would do whatever it took to get a job there—even clean ashtrays. They hired me and that changed my life. I remember we would blindfold each other in the kitchen and burn toast in the salamander or drop water in oil, just to know what was going on around you without having to look. You knew who was walking into the room before they even walked in. [Bouchon’s] Mark Hopper has probably had the biggest impact on my career. He took me down and said, “You can either be a joker for the rest of your life, or you can make a decision right now.” From there on, I said, “This is what I want to do and I’m going to be good at it. I’m going to be better than the guy next to me.” After Bouchon, I moved back home. My grandmother died and I was offered an executive chef job at a country club. I was 23, and I thought I was hot shit. I had just left a Thomas Keller restaurant. I fired the whole staff the first night. I changed the menu immediately. I pissed off all the members. I failed miserably. I cooked good food, and some people liked me. But the cooks I hired after I had let everyone go … they wanted to work for me. From these experiences, I learned I could teach people things. Growing teams is what I was good at, giving an opportu-
nity to kids who never had it, finding kids from broken homes who had never cooked in their life and saying, “I’m not only going to teach you in the kitchen, but I’m going to teach you how to structure your life outside of here,” because I needed that. That’s why I do this. It’s really about the team and the guest experience. Knowing I can make people happy on a day-to-day basis, or really piss them off. This brought me where I am today. I want to bring something to town that we don’t have yet. I don’t want to be hand-
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I’M A SLAVE TO MY TRADE. I JUST HAPPEN TO LOVE WHAT I DO. cuffed anymore to these big-budget numbers. Where I’m at today is about being a cook and not over-glorifying what I do. We’ve come to this age where chefs are gods. It’s such bullshit. We’re cooks. At the end of the day, I’m a slave to my trade. I just happen to love what I do. After returning to Las Vegas from Detroit, Howard had a decadelong streak of working in kitchens such as Alize in Palms, Kerry Simon’s CatHouse at Luxor, Nu Sanctuary in Town Square and Comme Ça in The Cosmopolitan. He left all that behind two years ago to embark on opening his own restaurant Downtown. After raising sufficient capital, he was faced with a litany of issues, which led to him passing over not one but two locations—and modifying the concept and partner structure—before deciding to seek out a place in Chinatown.
There were many days, after the second restaurant that I didn’t open, that I wanted to quit. I [said], “I’m not doing this.” I told my wife, “I can’t do it anymore.” But I don’t know anything else. I am a cook. Now the pressure is creating a good menu that people will like and a space that we can create for people off the Strip where they want to be a couple of times a week. Las Vegas is home. I want to give something to the neighborhoods. We’re a young city. We’re on a come-up. I can cook the way I want to cook here. The good thing about Chinatown is that you can have ramen here, you can have one of the best sushi meals in America over there, go get drinks right there. These little pockets of greatness, right? Now I’m going to be the white guy cooking American food in Chinatown. I think this is the only time in my career where I actually feel the pressure. Now I’m vulnerable with the food I’m picking because it’s a new style of me. It’s much more restrained. I’m learning to cook honest. The team is great. I couldn’t be more thrilled. Justin Hall—he’s been along for the whole ride. Justin came to this city and he worked at Comme Ça for his first job. John Anthony—we worked at CatHouse, Nu Sanctuary and Comme Ça. He gets my style and also, there’s nobody who works a room better than John—charisma and attitude. Martha Araiza, who’s currently at Bardot, is going to be our baker. Along with serving shared dishes and large-format plates, we will have a small retail aspect. We’re applying for our package beer and wine license so we can put together a little picnic basket—charcuterie, bread, wine, beer—that you can take with you. For our cocktail program, we are getting away from the 20-minute cocktail, and away from the word “mixologist,” and getting back to the bartender. We’ll use fresh ingredients that start in the kitchen. I’m on the culinary advisory board for [local urban farming project] Urban Seed Inc. The food has to travel less than three miles. Everything that we are doing is sustainable. We can grow more food than most because we are growing vertically and we have patented technology. We’ll have food [from Urban Seed] by June. We’re cutting produce daily. You’re getting the freshest product in Las Vegas. We live in the desert, and you’re following different seasons. The menu will change consistently. It’s really about my team and how well they can utilize what’s available at the farm at the time. Knowing how good our team is, we want to make sure everybody is learning and mastering what they have on their plate. We’re not going to create this 30-item menu that’s unachievable. I want 15-, 18-item menus. Those 15 menu items are going to be great. I haven’t been in my element—the kitchen—in two years, and the biggest challenge will be having the restraint to know when enough is enough. There are no egos with this project. It’s not about me; it’s about the guys surrounding me. It’s about our legacy and where we move forward to, how we can make an impact on this town. 7
ASK A NATIVE
Double The Fun DSquared2 lands a flagship store in The Shops at Crystals and its designers costume Ricky Martin’s new show By Judy Stone
T
his won’t be Dan Caten’s first visit to Las Vegas, but it will certainly be his busiest. Caten and his brother Dean are the minds behind the edgy fashion brand DSquared2, which opened in The Shops at Crystals in February. This week, they celebrate an invite-only opening soirée with friend and singer Ricky Martin, whose new show will feature the designs of the Canadian duo. Dan spoke exclusively to Vegas Seven about their store, Ricky and the overall state of retail.
Why did you choose Las Vegas for a flagship boutique, and what was the overall approach to the design? Over
the last three years, we’ve been trying to make the push into America, and it was another important city to conquer. We also happen to be doing a collaboration in Vegas with Ricky Martin. Tell me about the costumes for Ricky Martin’s show at Park Theater. It’s
the first time we’ve done an entire show. Normally when we’ve done concerts and tours, we’ve done the opening scene or [one] scene. It’s been a lot of work. There are three major parts, and there are about four changes per part. There are eight male dancers, eight female dancers and Ricky. It’s very sparkly, lamé, gold and black. Very Vegas and cute—slash Elvis-y, slash Ricky-ish, slash showy. Ricky is always glamorous and a gentleman.
Is it fun to do costumes versus creating a collection? It’s a different job. It gets you
out of your daily routine. We’ve done it before, so we know how dancers are and how they need to move. When we did the first fitting, the dancers [said] “this is so great, we can move in them and dance in them.” It’s fun doing those things, and Ricky is a
great guy and we have had a relationship with him for a long time. We happen to be opening our doors when the [show’s] opening, so it’s weird how things fall into place. There is a lot of concern about the state of retail stores versus online shopping. Many stores are closing to focus more on their online sales. What is the key to sustaining success with a store? Stores are your window to the
world. It’s definitely important, especially for us in trying to break into the U.S. market. It’s a window, a business card for someone who, maybe doesn’t know you and also for someone who thinks your brand is one thing and doesn’t really know your product. [They] come into the store and for the first time and say, “Oh, you do suits and tuxedos?” Some people think we just do jeans and T-shirts.
The business of fashion and the demand for so many variations on collections has led to designer burnout and certainly instability. What keeps you and your brother motivated, and how do you handle the demands of the industry? I think we take steady, firm
steps. Our brand is more than 20 years old. A lot of people don’t know that. We never [had] this huge peak, and I think that’s good. We’ve been a steady, strong growing brand. We just get better as designers and the products gets better. When we were strong enough and confident enough, that’s when we started opening stores. You can’t open a store and not run it well. So we build our foundation, build our structure, and have a solid business and make solid steps. We are still at a growth, where a lot of people aren’t. 7 Follow the brothers on Instagram: @dsquared2.
By James P. Reza
Eggs Benedict With an Old-School Flavor What’s the Native’s favorite Sunday brunch? Originating in the 1940s at the original El Rancho Vegas with a simple, Western-themed Buckaroo Buffet (late night only, just $1!), by the 1970s the all-youcan-binge buffet was as much a Las Vegas icon as slot machines and showgirls. Before the dedicated buffet restaurant became a thing, daily buffets were such a no-frills scene that they were often set up in unused banquet rooms. But brunch was different. Billed as “Sunday Champagne Brunch” to distinguish them from the lesser buffets, brunch was a lavish affair, especially for Vegas kids lucky enough to be spitshined and invited along. Brunches were often staged in the glorious showrooms of hopping spots such as the Riviera and the Tropicana, where deep, enveloping booths whispered stories about the night before, and the rooms were replete with ice sculptures and cascading fountains of champagne and fruit juice. Where else could one enjoy freshly roasted turkey other than grandma’s house on Thanksgiving? Where else was mouthwatering prime rib sliced to order by a knife-wielding chef in a tall white hat? Where else did a kid have access to an endless supply of desserts—slices of freshly baked whole pies, tiered trays of French pastries— without hearing “That’s enough!” After all, when mom is indulging at the champagne fountain, who is she to say no? Nostalgia only goes so far. The lavish showrooms are gone, and hotel dining has surged so upscale as to make temporary setups seem cheesy. And brunching itself has changed, going mainstream and suburban, with nearly every independent restaurant bragging about its version. Sticking with on-Strip, weekends-only, all-you-can-eat places, the most classic Vegas experience is the Sterling Brunch at Bally’s (pictured). Dating back to the 1980s, it features Alaskan king crab, lobster and, yes, prime rib and champagne. Similarly, the throwback vibe found at the Jazz Brunch on Sundays at the Country Club at the Wynn is exceptional. With indoor-outdoor seating, live jazz and a buffet, plus a menu of special items brought to your table, it’s a modern take on old Vegas style. The country club vibe continues at the Four Seasons’ wonderful Veranda and their weekend brunch buffet, but this non-gaming hotel feels more like California than Nevada. I’ve also heard that Border Grill (inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and at Mandalay Bay) does an excellent brunch as well, but you’ll have to try it and let me know! Have a question or comment about Las Vegas past, present or future? Send them to askanative@ vegasseven.com.
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Februa r y 23 -Ma rch 1, 2017 vegasseven.com
STERLING BRUNCH COURTESY OF CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
CONVERSATIONS
CONVERSATIONS
LUCKY NO. 7
We asked the WENDOH Media staff:
Legends Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins have reunited as POPTONE and will be performing the music of Bauhaus (pictured), Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets. The teenage Batcaver inside of me is dying (ha!) at the thought of this! May 12, Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq Promenade —Ben Ward, creative director
JOHN MAYER; whether people like him or not, he is one of, if not the best guitar player of my generation! He puts on one of the most eclectic, exciting shows I’ve ever seen. April 22, T-Mobile Arena; May 27, MGM Grand Garden Arena —Adam Christopher Smith, Life Is Beautiful production coordinator PHOENIX hasn’t toured since 2013, when they jet set around the globe to promote Bankrupt! Last month, the French indie-pop quartet revealed show dates and hinted at new tunes, which is why I can’t wait! June 14, Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq Promenade —Mark Adams, arts & entertainment editor J. COLE at MGM Grand is going to be amazing. I’m still buzzing from his set at Life Is Beautiful, and the new album is [fire emoji]. July 8, MGM Grand Garden Arena —Justin Weniger, the ‘Wen’ in Wendoh Media
RICKY FREAKIN’ MARTIN! My mom and grandma took me to see him for my very first concert. Almost 16 years later, I’m the one to take my mom, grandma and great-grandma to see him again. Let’s just say it’s four generations of shakin’ our bon-bons and livin’ la vida loca. Bonus: He has only gotten hotter with age. Through September, Park Theater at Monte Carlo —Jordan Bruy, executive assistant/special projects coordinator
BON IVER! Five years ago I witnessed the magic of Justin Vernon at this same venue and can’t wait to see what he has in store for 22, A Million. Fingers crossed for an acoustic “Skinny Love” encore. April 13, The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino —Lauren DelFrago, Life Is Beautiful festival manager
My die-hard friend Vicki Lau and I are so excited to see U2’s The Joshua Tree tour in Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville and New Jersey! “Oh, the sweetest thing” … The Edge is awaiting my arrival. May 20–21, Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles — Kara Nichols, payroll/human resources manager
BAUHAUS PROMOTIONAL PHOTO OF UK GROUP ABOUT 1978 PICTORIAL PRESS LTD / AL AMY
What recently-announced concert are you most excited for in the warmer months?
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