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Features 46 Art, architecture and fashion intersect in Te Shops at Crystals.
52 Collages aren’t just for kids. Artist Erin Case captures the beauty of the Southwest by marrying hair silhouettes on landscape photographs.
58 The Springs Preserve, homes by Blue Heron and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health are a few of the inspirational and impressive architectural spaces in the city. Go on a photographic journey with these man-made treasures.
66 Grafti artist Stephen Powers, a.k.a. ESPO, adorns the walls of Te Cosmopolitan’s Marquee nightclub and Boulevard Pool stairwell—our backdrop for a menswear feature with street cred (pictured).
PAUL SMITH shirt, blazer and trousers Paul Smith in The Shops at Crystals. WILL belt Stitched in The Cosmopolitan.
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Departments 18 9 things we love about Las Vegas right now.
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meital bronstein delivers a new wardrobe at your convenience; Patrick duffy shares art and makes life more beautiful.
36 internet gaming takes a giant leap forward thanks to andrew Pascal and myVegas.
38 get the dish on hakkasan’s fine-dining experience and sophisticated space .
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The Guide 78
break out your sunday best for honey salt brunch; a new taco obsession; foodie events to mark on your calendar.
82 keep skin moisturized this winter with the city’s best facials; the rio’s salon gets a makeover.
84 concerts, art galleries and other notable cultural outings.
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89 get to know ... Lauren renee Jarreau, a model-server at Xs nightclub, originally from Louisiana, was once married by an elvis impersonator.
the best night of your life is happening seven days a week— plus highlights from Vegas’ wildest parties.
96 the huntridge theater guns for a comeback with the support of the community. On the cover: Francis + Francis captures the full spectrum: the art of James turrell, the design of daniel Libeskind and the fashion of Lanvin in the shops at crystals. See Page 46
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Lauren renee Jarreau : Zack w; ringo starr: rob shanahan; Justin timberLake: tom munro, rca records; honey saLt: anthony mair
ringo starr shares his Vegas memories and his new projects.
editor’s letter It was the rIght place at the rIght tIme... i was fresh out of college in the summer of 2001 and on a massive job hunt, living in Southern california. i answered an ad for an editorial assistant position at a publishing house in newport Beach. it was a trade magazine for homebuilders, architects and interior designers—not a feld i had any particular expertise in, but it did in this issue:
meet retail maven meital Bronstein and art collector/philanthropist Patrick dufy—two tastemakers who are infuencing Las vegas right now.
intrigue me. i worked there for seven years and ascended the ranks from assistant to associate to senior to chief. and somehow over the course of that time, i became a residential design expert. i met the top people in the feld; i spoke at national conferences and produced hundreds of publications for the design trade. architecture and interior design became my passion. My relocation to las Vegas was a time to transition to a consumer shelter magazine, Las Vegas Home + Design—coincidentally, the creative visionary
DON’T MISS Te Bellagio Gallery of Fine art’s Warhol Out West. closing in January, it is a must-see for any pop-art afcionado. 702.693.7871; bellagio.com
WHERE I’VE BEEN
behind that publication was S.a. lien, who now helms the visual direction of Rated. From the time of my arrival in 2007 till now, the city has found its match in terms of building design: Gehry, libeskind, Pelli and even Foster. My own expertise also expanded
Te Life Is Beautiful Festival was one of those events that made me happy to call this city home. almost as good as the performances, food and art were the parties—I frolicked between the Zappos recharge retreat, the Brooklyn Bowl pop-up and the dolce vita/J.d. Fisk House Party at Stitch Factory. See Page 86 for the recap.
into the realms of luxury travel, hospitality, food and entertainment.
WHAT’S ON MY MIND
you to discover two installations you might not have known about:
Te return of Beacher’s Madhouse. Tis time the vaudevillian spectacle will call the mGm Grand home, and with it comes 8,500 square feet of bizarre attractions. Previews begin New Year’s eve weekend. beachersmadhouse.com
the recent addition of a stairwell mural by Stephen Powers to The
With all these factors at play, it was only a matter of time before Rated tackled its frst art and design issue. Within these pages, we present 10 visual masterpieces not to miss if you aren’t familiar with the architectural landscape of las Vegas. additionally, we invite
cosmopolitan’s WallWorks and the two James Turrell light works in The Shops at crystals. The theme even carries over to our dining department, as we give readers an all-access look at hakkasan las Vegas and its many levels of culinary delights. i hope you enjoy our take on all that makes this city so aesthetically pleasing.
Melinda SheckellS Editor-in-Chief Follow us on Twitter @vegasrated 10
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CrystalsAtCityCenter.com • Located next to ARIA Resort & Casino • Clothing and Accessories provided by Donna Karan • Jewelry provided by Bulgari
contributors
NICOLE CHANDLER Stylist
ZACK W Photographer Zack W’s love of photography stems from black-and-white prints. While he still greatly enjoys the process of developing flm, he has a newfound love for digital, especially when it comes to capturing the perfect color treatment. “In this issue I had the opportunity to take portraits of a few awesome people, but I particularly enjoyed photographing Meital Bronstein from The Bungalow (“Queen of Convenience,” Page 33). The shoot was not only enjoyable but a breeze because of her laid-back personality.” Check out Zack W’s work at rebelliousfreedom.com.
Lover of all things opulent and avant-garde, Chandler has been in the fashion industry for more than seven years. Her portfolio ranges from fashion editorials to commercials, props, music videos and celebrity styling. She’s worked with In Magazine, Renault, LeBron James, Clinton Sparks and Macklemore. “The idea of the traveling man made me want to capture a spectrum of menswear, showing how one can look cool no matter what they’re doing. The motion of the men really made the clothes and the story come to life (“Writing on the Wall,” Page 66).”
T.R. WITCHER Writer Witcher has written about architecture and urbanism for a variety of publications, including Time, Civil Engineering and Vegas Seven. This month he explores 10 must-see examples of great design in Las Vegas and fnds a city creating a new identity (“Sites to Behold,” Page 58). “Las Vegas is carving out an architectural and design pedigree that mixes the serious and the sinful, the ecologically high-minded and the unapologetically gaudy, the modest and the larger than life.”
CAMILLE CANNON Writer
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Schwartz followed up a brief career working in the casino industry with a longer one chronicling it, both as the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research and as the gaming and hospitality editor for Vegas Seven. “In my books, including Grandissimo (a biography of Las Vegas pioneer Jay Sarno), which came out last month, I’ve told the story of gambling’s past. I think that what Andrew Pascal is doing with MyVegas is the future (“Virtual Reality,” Page 36), and it’s exciting to write about that.” Follow Schwartz on Twitter @unlvgaming.
david schwartz: scott roeben
As a curly haired girl, Cannon wholly comprehends the woes brought about by frizzy locks. Flyways often foat in her face when she sits down to write, as they did when she mused about artist Erin Case and her Haircut collage series (“Dam Sexy,” Page 52). “I was in awe of Case’s instincts to see separate subjects and know almost immediately that she could make something special by their juxtaposition. Now if only I could get my own hair to look that good in the desert.” Follow Cannon on Twitter @CamilleCannon.
DAVID G. SCHWARTZ Writer
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DINE
the Way to Get your Fix Fix at Bellagio may serve the pre-game stomping grounds for nightlife revelers—it’s right next door to the Bank—but the vegas staple dishes out some buzzworthy plates to complement their infamous cocktails. Last month, chef Brian massie (one of only two executive chefs for the company’s lifestyle restaurants and bars) debuted five new seasonal dishes that—considering their winning impact on veteran foodies—could likely be permanent fixtures on the menu. and we’re not surprised. “Serious food, serious ingredients were my inspiration,” massie says. “We have been going back and forth with what vegas is missing, and it’s real gastro-style food in a great setting. everyone has a tuna tartare and carpaccio and caesar. … We wanted Fix to create dishes outside the box and appeal to a larger audience.” even if the existing menu didn’t need an overhaul, massie still amped it up with unique, savory plates (all perfect for sharing) that truly elevate the average dining experience. most dishes can’t be found elsewhere on the Strip, such as the salt-cured yogurt with blackberry jam and toasted pistachios. the chorizo-stuffed dates with spec and piquillo pepper puree is packed with intense flavor, bringing to mind palatable small bites somewhere far in the mediterranean. those who want a more substantial fix can order the pork neck with gravy and housewhipped ricotta, served with grilled country bread. It’s already garnered the attention of both local and visiting epicureans alike, and is destined to be a permanent crowd pleaser. the grilled flatbreads, however, may be the winning dish for the season. they’re non-fussy and wildly inventive, such as the lamb sausage flatbread with lamb shoulder, dates and pesto. Fix is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year with a notable prix-fixe menu. Bon appétit! 702.693.8400; fixlasvegas.com –JImmy Im
PHotoGraPH By antHony maIr
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IMBIBE
tHe classic cocktail
Herbs & rye owner Nectaly mendoza is known for his uncompromising dedication to classic cocktails made the classic way. Uncompromising till now. the ramos Gin Fizz can be the undoing of a place: a celebrated Golden age cocktail that tradition dictates should be shaken a full 12 minutes to emulsify gin, egg whites, cream, simple syrup and lemon juice into an impossibly light, delightful fizzy froth kissed with orange flower water. as there were no magic Bullets in the 1880s, bartenders took turns in a sort of relay that you can still see today at vesper in the cosmopolitan if you order yours “around the horn.” the trick is to get the foam firm enough to rise out of the glass like a soufflé. But, mendoza contends, the traditional method is flawed, and likely always has been. Up until two months ago, he’s turned down orders for that drink, saying he was out of orange flower water. Why subject a beautiful cocktail to 12 minutes of unabated dilution? He broke it down and started over. today, the mendoza edition gets a quick iced shake, is strained, gets a quick dry shake and is then dumped hard over 1½ ounces of soda water. after settling, it is topped with another 1½ ounces of soda, and—boom!—a ramos Gin Fizz soufflé popping two inches out of the glass! No doubt, when partiers of eight are ordering rounds at a time, mendoza and his staff are both as proud to be able to offer the drink as they are relieved to use the mendoza method, which above all, he says, simply yields a finer cocktail. 3713 W. Sahara Ave., 702.982.8036; herbsandrye.com –XaNia WoodmaN
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GAME ON
Virtual Reality The hottest action in gaming is happening online
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hen they write the history of how gambling went from cards and dice to bits and bytes, Andrew Pascal is going to have a chapter to himself. Pascal’s career to date links the past of gambling (casinos) with its future (online and mobile), as he has gone from learning the industry from the ground up in Downtown’s Golden Nugget to helming a company that promises to give everyone a little piece of Las Vegas to carry with them, no matter where they are. And his arc tells us that no matter where the evolution of gambling takes us, Las Vegas is going to be an integral part of the product. Not so long ago, those who grew up in the industry, as Pascal did, viewed Internet gaming as the enemy; many were afraid that Las Vegas casinos might be put out of business by online play. After all, if gamblers could play at home, they wouldn’t need to go to Las Vegas to gamble. But a funny thing happened. As Internet poker took off in the 2000s (despite being unregulated in the United States), play in Las Vegas casino poker rooms soared. As it became clear that gambling was coming to the Internet one way or another, Las Vegasbased companies dropped their opposition to it and began looking at how to get into the market, both because that’s where the money will be in the future and also to drive visitors to their Las Vegas resorts. It’s not surprising then that Tom Breitling, former co-owner of the Golden Nugget, is at the helm of Ultimate Poker, which in April became the frst company to legally accept an online poker bet in the United States. Previously, Americans could only gamble on sites that were based overseas and operating without the approval of U.S. or state authorities. Pascal has had a similar journey. He was, in a sense, born into the business—his aunt and uncle are Elaine and Steve Wynn, who have been pushing the envelope of casino design and operation since the 1970s. He went to work for the family company, at frst during his summer breaks from college. “I frst worked as a casino marketing coordinator,” he says, “then rotated through a bunch of departments from the front desk to concierge to room reservations to special events. I wasn’t 21 yet, so I was working on the resort side, not the casino side.” When Pascal graduated from the University of Colorado in 1987, he returned to the Nugget, taking “a deeper dive” into casino marketing. After a few months working there, he was transferred to slots— a move that, ironically, he originally resisted.
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By David G. Schwartz Photograph by Anthony Mair
“I felt it wasn’t the right place for me,” Pascal says. “All the games looked the same. They didn’t appeal to me, I couldn’t relate to the consumer, and I didn’t feel I had much to contribute. But Marc [Schorr] and Steve [Wynn] let me have several weeks to understand the player, to learn the products, to speak to manufacturers. I started to understand the subtle differences between games. After a few weeks I was captivated. There was so much nuance there.” Pascal took charge, both reconfguring the Nugget’s slot foor and, with manufacturers, developing games that no other casino had. He rose to the position of director of slot, marketing, merchandising and operations at The Mirage. But that wasn’t enough. “In the course of working with the manufacturers,” Pascal explains, “I recognized an opportunity for something new, so I got together a collection of guys out of San Francisco. They were all about innovation, starting exciting new companies. I partnered with a few, including the cofounder of Atari, Al Alcorn, and Dave Morse, and decided to focus on reinventing the slot machine.” His company, Silicon Gaming, developed the Odyssey slot machine, which was credited in the late 1990s with introducing an intuitive interface, transforming slot machines from traditional, onearmed bandits to interactive entertainment devices, before its sale to slot manufacturer International Game Technology. But Pascal didn’t stop there. From 1999 until its sale to IGT in 2005, he was chairman and CEO of WagerWorks, a San Francisco-based company that
he describes as a “utility role,” helping to merchandise the under-construction Wynn Las Vegas and to pursue European business development opportunities. After the opening, he teamed with property president Schorr as an omnibus troubleshooter, then stepped into the role of chief operating offcer. When Schorr moved to focus on Wynn’s burgeoning Asian developments, Steve Wynn tapped Pascal as the property’s president. After proving himself there (“We had an unbelievable team that I was glad to learn a ton from,” Pascal says), it was back to the online world. This time, in conjunction with former partners from Silicon Gaming and Wagerworks, including Paul Matthews and his principal “creative collaborator” Nicholas Koenig, Pascal in 2011 founded PlayStudios, a company dedicated to “virtualizing Vegas.” PlayStudios is the company behind MyVegas, a Facebook app (and a standalone mobile app that launched this month) that lets users play free slots and blackjack, amassing points that can be used to buy real-life rewards—everything from free buffets to vacation packages. Partnering with MGM Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Cirque du Soleil and other companies, PlayStudios has delivered a genuine blockbuster of a game: With millions of users, MyVegas is redefning how visitors interface with Las Vegas. And that’s what keeps Andrew Pascal going. “MyVegas has been a great exercise in how to use these new channels to speak to people who have said they have an affnity for Las Vegas and like to play games,” he says. “The other thing I really love is
“I felt it wasn’t the right place for me,” Pascal says. “All the games looked the same. They didn’t appeal to me, I couldn’t relate to the consumer, and I didn’t feel I had much to contribute.” provided software to licensed online gaming and media sites, primarily in the United Kingdom. “Our work helped to bring about a whole wave of innovation and capital fows in the online space,” Pascal says. “That’s why, today, the European market is the most competitive and advanced in the online world.” Pascal had proven himself an online innovator, but he found the lure of the Strip too irresistible to ignore. He joined Wynn Resorts in 2003 in what
that every morning I wake up and there’s an entirely new set of challenges, new data that we can learn from, adjust and refne our approach. I’m loving what I do now.” Steve Wynn has gone down in the history books as a visionary for how he redefned the Las Vegas casino-resort. As we write the history of Las Vegas’ transition to an online world, Pascal will likely have a place beside his uncle as one of the farseeing innovators who brought Las Vegas into the future.
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Te private dining room.
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oes hearing “Hakkasan” make you think world-renowned club or Michelin-caliber food? We’re not making you choose, but Hakkasan’s distinctive mod-Cantonese dining and craft cocktailing are served in some surprising atmospheres amid fve foors of labyrinthine, Asian splendor. Since the space behind those mammoth DJ-faced signs on Las Vegas Boulevard can intimidate the uninitiated, here’s where to eat, sip and sit at Las Vegas’ latest, most all-inclusive dining and nightlife experience.
For a dinner date or girls night out The frst-foor dining room is sectioned off by foor-to-ceiling latticed woodwork that makes you feel like you’re eating in an elegant chinoiserie birdcage. It’s really just one big space, but each table feels a lot more secluded thanks to this intricate web of woodwork. For a hip sip The bar on the frst level (behind the dining room) is long and narrow, and reminiscent of a secret back room at a swank hotel. Great for an after-work or a pre- or post-dinner drink with pals, but be the master of your own destiny and don’t wait to be invited out. For the expense account, rehearsal dinner or big birthday bash The second-level private dining room mimics Hakkasan’s frst-foor decor with its “Hakkasan blue” walls and latticework leading to the entrance. The dim space seats up to 20 at a long, well-dressed table while a posh couch and a few comfy chairs round out the all-in-one lounge-and-dine experience. For drinking and clubbing minus the craze, the Ling Ling Club and Ling Ling Lounge on Level 3 are all about drink and vibe. The 10,000-square-foot club has rich turquoise bottle-serving booths, a main dance foor, two fy dancers and a bar at each end. For something a little sexier, the crimson-hued Lounge holds 120, has its own DJ booth and offers tasty mixology similar to the dining room bar and restaurant.
Get lost in the lattice in the main dining room.
For the Vip treatMent The club’s most exclusive real estate, Level 5 has four skyboxes overlooking the dance platform and its massive LED screens. Here, guests get bottle service, a model cocktail servicer, TVs and private bathroom access (worth its weight in gold). Reserve these as you would a VIP table for the ultimate in private luxury. 702.891.3838; hakkasanlv.com –JEN CHASE
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Ling Ling Lounge.
THE INTERVIEW
Ringo Starr Gets by With a Little Help From His Friends ««««««
An exclusive interview with the legendary drummer about music, old and new By Danny Axelrod Photography by Rob Shanahan
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as the voice, so it’s turned out to be one of the best experiences ever of an All-Starr Band with this [group]. In terms of band politics, does an All-Starr Band function more as a dictatorship or a democracy? They’re the best, but I’m the greatest [chuckles]. Of course, it never looks good in black and white when you write something down like that. It’s called Ringo’s All-Starr Band, and that’s how it is. They get to do their hits, and they have to do their hits. I’ve had some former members who wanted to do obscure stuff, and I was like, “That’s not what this is about. Go do your obscure stuff somewhere else.” We’re there to have a great night and give the audience a great night, where everyone knows at least one song.
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hroughout his more than 50 years in show business, Ringo Starr has seen success in music, flm, art and philanthropy. He was frst, of course, a member of The Beatles, where he became a rock ’n’ roll icon, and this year he released an ebook, Photograph (available at iBookstore), showcasing personal photos taken from his early days touring with the Fab Four. A signed, limited-edition hard-bound book is planned for December. Select images from the book are on display in Ringo: Peace and Love at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles; the exhibition is the frst of its kind to celebrate a rock drummer. Starr is also in the middle of a world tour with his All-Starr Band (stopping in Las Vegas for two nights in November), a changing lineup of notable musicians that includes Todd Rundgren and Toto founder Steve “Luke” Lukather on guitar, Mr. Mister founder Richard Page on bass and vocals, Gregg Rolie on keyboards and Gregg Bissonette on drums. Las Vegas is where you and Harry Nilsson shared the stage for his last live performance almost 23
years ago. You two were legendary friends. Does this visit make you think about him? You know, Harry was my best friend, and I think of him all the time. It was beautiful that he got up with me that night and played with the All-Starrs. His big thing was that he never played live. He’d say to me, “You go on the road, and it’s the best, but not for me.” And I was like, “We’re coming to Vegas; you’ve got to get up,” and he did! That was a beautiful moment to me. A former tour manager once quoted you as saying that it wasn’t about picking the best musicians for the All-Starr Band but picking the best people, since you had to spend all that time together on the road … Well, they have to learn the songs, and they have to be good musicians. That’s how it works. Over the years, that hasn’t changed at all, and with this band, I was blessed, from Gregg to Luke and Todd. Todd has been a part of the AllStarr Band a few times, because he’s just a great one to work with onstage. I mean, he’s just lost it, like we have. And then there’s Richard Page
What do you hope fans will experience when they look at Photograph? They’ll learn about me because it is, in its way, a photographic autobiography, although there is writing and me telling stories about what I remember. They’ll see The Beatles in a much more relaxed atmosphere because it was Ringo taking the pictures. And if you look at some of the photos, there’s John and Paul and George with cameras taking pictures, too. We weren’t doing it thinking we needed to document things. We were just taking pictures. I think people will see that for the frst two years of us visiting the United States, all the photos were from inside a car. We didn’t have much space, we weren’t allowed “out” much, as it were. We slept together, we were always in the same car, and we were shooting out of the same car. It shows a bit of the claustrophobic aspect that was always there. It seems that appreciation for you as a drummer has only grown stronger over time. With the new Grammy Museum exhibit featuring your drumming, do you agree that the perception of your contribution has improved? Everything you said is absolutely right, and I am being recognized for my part more and more as time goes on. I also think this is coming about because the remastering of the tracks is bringing the drums up. When we started, if anything was going to be lost, it was the drums. [Now] you can clearly hear what [the drums] were adding to the track. That’s what started me on this roll, but it never really worried me because I knew a lot of great drummers, and they were always telling me, “Whenever we go into a session, we get told to play like you.” That’s how it is; the cream is coming to the top. Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band perform at The Pearl in Palms Casino Resort Nov. 22-23. Tickets start at $70; palms.com
“It’s called Ringo’s All-Starr Band, and that’s how it is. They get to do their hits, and they have to do their hits.” 44
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A ch ance enco l i g the d ht of unter b Ja e e and sign of mes Tu tween t D rr he fall’s mos aniel Li ell, b t ele gant eskind look s
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VALENTINO dress Valentino in The Shops at Crystals vRATed.cOm
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LANVIN dress and clutch Lanvin in The Shops at Crystals
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Acclaimed artist James Turrell’s work, which often shapes light into nearly tangible forms, has graced the world’s fnest museums and galleries. Responding to the unique Daniel Libeskind design of The Shops at Crystals, Turrell has illuminated the tram station so that it is flled with colors that change in synchronization with the arrival of each train. As you move down the adjacent escalator, you’ll face one of Turrell’s signatures: a pulsing, glowing “Wide Glass” work; while above, one of his “Shallow Space Constructions” illuminates the ceiling. Turrell also modifed four existing apertures in Crystals that serve a dual purpose: From the main retail areas, the open spaces appear as solid shapes of changing color, but from the second-foor elevator and escalator lobbies, visitors can experience the effect of being bathed in the colored light from the inside of those spaces. It’s a novel way to experience light in a city that has no shortage of it. –PJ Perez WHERE TO BUY: LANVIN Te Shops at Crystals, 702.982.0245; lanvin.com TOM FORD The Shops at Crystals, 702.740.2940; tomford.com VALENTINO The Shops at Crystals, 702.737.7603; valentino.com
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Photography FRANCIS + FRANCIS francisandfrancis.com Hair STACI LINKLATER globesalon.com Hair Assistant KIMBERLY LAYMAN Makeup NATASHA CHAMBERLIN natashachamberlin.com Model DANIELA No Ties Management
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TOM FORD jacket, skirt and boots Tom Ford in The Shops at Crystals
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Dam Sexy Erin Case reimagines the Southwestern landscape
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n the summer of 2012, Erin Case was perusing the Internet, contemplating fresh looks for her coif when, suddenly, inspiration struck. Open in several tabs were her potential new do’s, in another was the Instagram profle of her friend Andrew Tamlyn, full of photos snapped during his vacation in lands the likes of Death Valley, Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Strip. Looking at the glossy tendrils and golden, dusty landscapes onscreen simultaneously, her artistic reaction was “instantaneous.” In mere minutes, she snipped and patched the pieces together in Photoshop. Those composites became the stunning Haircut Series. Distracted as she was by that burst of ingenuity, Case didn’t end up getting her haircut. Instead, she and Tamlyn submitted the series for consideration in numerous online art publications—to an overwhelming positive reception. Further exposure followed, and soon Haircut was featured in 42 malls in Canada where it was curated as part of the country’s Art in Transit initiative, on display to a projected audience of 22 million people. Such success has been astounding to the Michigan native, who once saw no prospect in the medium. “I’ve been making collages since I was a teenager,” Case says. “But it never even occurred to me that I was making art. I just viewed it as me being crafty.” That is, until college. When Case enrolled at Saginaw Valley State University, close to her home in Midland, Michigan,
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she had her heart set on a career in fashion design. The school didn’t offer such a program, however, so she began to pursue a degree in art. Along the way, she found herself in a pop painting class where she received high praise for her collage assignments. For her 2011 piece titled “Rub It In,” Case received the frst of many future accolades— Best Black and White Artwork—awarded to her by the university. “That was one of the frst things that made me think that maybe I could actually be taken seriously as an artist,” she says. As for what sparks her creative fre, Case says it’s a cathartic process. “I see making art as a sort of therapy. All the good and bad things that happen to me, that I see going on in the world ... I feel like I have to say something.” So she responds with images, sourced mainly from magazines (National Geographic is a favorite), most often hand-cutting and pasting the materials to achieve her desired pastiche. Regardless of her own aesthetic, Case isn’t trying to push a particular agenda. “I’d like people to take away from it whatever they do, naturally,” she says. “That’s how I feel about art generally. If it evokes anything, it’s successful.” And so she hopes the scope of her artwork will continue to swell. “I feel like I’m just beginning,” she says, but one day, “I want to walk into a stranger’s house and see my art on their walls.” For information on how to make that happen, visit erincase.weebly.com. –CAMILLE CAnnOn
“Haircut 7,” Hoover dam
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“Haircut 8,” Grand canyon
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“Haircut 10,” Hoover dam
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“Haircut 3,” Sutro Baths, San Francisco, calif.
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sites to behold Check out these 10 architecturally signifcant spaces by t.R. Witcher
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The common misconception about Las Vegas design is that it’s equal helpings of glitz and cheese, a tasty delight that fails to really nourish the senses. But look closer and you’ll discover a restless city that is searching for its own identity. Las Vegas is carving out an architectural and design pedigree that mixes the serious and the sinful, the ecologically high-minded and the unapologetically gaudy, the modest and the larger than life. Here are 10 places to sample the variety of styles that reveal a bit of the city’s multifaceted soul.
Photography by Francis+Francis
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SPRINGS PRESERVE A cultural complex dedicated to sustainable desert living, the underappreciated Springs Preserve is the best escape from town in the middle of town. Featuring a mix of museums, gardens, trails and galleries, centered on a beautiful ecological center fashioned with rammed earth, the Preserve is what grown-up architecture designed for the harsh Mojave Desert looks like. 333 S. Valley View Blvd., 702.822.7700; springspreserve.org vRATed.cOm
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BLUE HERON HOMES Las Vegas has fne mid-century modern homes, and local architects are turning out sophisticated compounds in gated communities. But if you want to appreciate contemporary residential architecture you can actually visit (models!), don’t miss Blue Heron’s slick neo-modern residences on the Valley’s southeast side. Energy effcient and spatially dynamic, the design-savvy structures are a refreshing change from the city’s glut of faux Tuscan homes. Residences are currently available at Marquis Seven Hills and soon at Sky Terrace. 702.531.3000; blueheronliving.com
HOOVER DAM If we judge architecture by how well it performs its function, by how well it stands the test of time or by how well it inspires awe, then the mighty Hoover Dam, completed in 1936, has few peers anywhere in America, and none in Las Vegas. The monumental structure, which stands 726 feet tall and weighs 6.6 million tons, created the American Southwest, yet its art deco skin is as quietly dapper as a Gary Cooper suit. 702.494.2517; usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam
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LAS VEGAS CITY HALL It’s a government building only possible in Las Vegas—a pair of glass boxes scored by angled lines and ftted with thin LED-equipped fns that cascade colorful lights down the side of the building. The plaza out front is set off by a collection of solar trees, and the interior features a dramatic lobby and staircase. 495 S. Main St.
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cItY HaLL, FIFtH Street ScHooL: JeSSe J SUtHerLaNd
FIFTH STREET SCHOOL The Historic Las Vegas Grammar School, a former Spanish Mission-style schoolhouse built in 1936, was lovingly restored in 2008 and serves as a cultural and arts center. Featuring exposed wood beams, red tile roofs and peaceful courtyards, it’s a beguiling vision of an alternate Las Vegas that never came to be. The school hosts the most provocative conversation about architecture in the city, the UNLV Klai Juba Lecture Series, which features yearly a distinguished roster of planners, architects and designers. 401 S. Fourth St.
On the Make
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Left: GIMO jacket, ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED pants and COMUNE T-shirt Stitched in The Cosmopolitan. ORIGINAL PENGUIN shoes Original Penguin in Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. KING BABY bracelet Monogram in The Cosmopolitan. Right: VELVET T-shirt and HUDSON jeans Stitched. ORIGINAL PENGUIN jacket Original Penguin. URBANEARS headphones and KING BABY necklace Monogram. ETTIKA bracelets Club Tattoo in Miracle Mile Shops. PAUL SMITH sneakers Paul Smith in The Shops at Crystals.
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As part of the WallWorks permanent exhibition, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ parking garage was transformed into a canvas for high-profle graffti artists such as Shepard Fairey and Curtis Kulig. Now, the installation migrates inside the hotel with a new piece by Stephen Powers, who goes by the name ESPO. He creates a truly Vegas storyline (“I like our odds”) throughout the stairwell that leads to the Boulevard Pool and serves as the exit for Marquee Nightclub. If the street-art affrmations of Powers seem alien to you, that’s because you didn’t grow up in the 1940s and 1950s. “That was the last era when every sign you saw was handmade,” Powers said in a 2011 interview with MSN.com. “I didn’t mean to be cool and pick the coolest period of American visual noise. I was just picking up where we left off.” So if you’re not sure how his pieces at The Cosmopolitan resonate with you, let us clarify: It’s a little bit of sentimentality, and a great deal of joy. –GEOFF CARTER
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Man on the Run KITON shirt, pants, jacket and tie Kiton in The Shops at Crystals. PAUL SMITH shoes Paul Smith. KONSTANTINO bracelet Club Tattoo. WILL belt and HOOK + ALberT lapel pin Stitched.
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Keep an Eye Out
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JOHN VARVATOS shirt, vest and trousers John Varvatos in The Forum Shops at Caesars. CANALI jacket Canali in Grand Canal Shoppes. GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI loafers Giuseppe Zanotti in The Forum Shops at Caesars. WILL briefcase Stitched. BLAVIN belt Monogram. DIOR watch Dior in The Shops at Crystals.
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Got to Go
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JOHN VARVATOS cargo pants, jacket and henley John Varvatos. SANDRO boots Sandro in The Forum Shops at Caesars. ALFRED DUNHILL briefcase Alfred Dunhill. ROYAL bracelets Club Tattoo.
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WHere TO Buy: ALFRED DUNHILL Te Forum Shops at Caesars, 702.979.3936; dunhill.com CANALI Grand Canal Shoppes, 702.862.4447; canali.it/en CLUB TATTOO Miracle Mile Shops, 702.363.2582; clubtattoo.com CHRISTAIN DIOR Te Shops at Crystals, 702.597.0941; dior.com DNA 2050 Te Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702.698.7610; emporiumdna.com ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Te Shops at Crystals, 702.560.5837; zegna.com GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI Te Forum Shops at Caesars, 702.866.0055; giuseppezanottidesign.com JOHN VARVATOS Te Forum Shops at Caesars, 702.939.0922; johnvarvatos.com KITON Te Shops at Crystals, 702.891.0134; kiton.it MONOGRAM Te Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702.698.7635 ORIGINAL PENGUIN Miracle Mile Shops, 702.734.0089; originalpenguin.com PAUL SMITH Te Shops at Crystals, 702.796.2640; paulsmith.co.uk
SNAPSHOT
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SANDRO Te Forum Shops at Caesars, 702.464.5170; us.sandro-paris.com STITCHED Te Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702.698.7630; stitchedlifestyle.com
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Photography ANTHONY MAIR amairphoto.com Photographer’s Assistants JOHN ESTRADA, JESSE SUTHERLAND Stylist NICOLE CHANDLER styledbynicole.com Stylist’s Assistant DEVIN HOWELL Makeup NATASHA CHAMBERLIN natashachamberlin.com Hair BREEANA DIULLO Assistant SUSANNA KELLY Models CLARK MALLON, MARK WYSTRACH lamodels.com
RETROSPECS & CO. Te Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702.698.7620; retrospecs.com
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Leap of Faith ALFRED DUNHILL chinos and windbreaker Alfred Dunhill. ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA turtleneck and shoes Ermenegildo Zegna in The Shops at Crystals. vRATed.cOm
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Hot Stuff Get to know Lauren
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One year ago, Lauren Renee Jarreau walked down the aisle of the Little White Wedding Chapel in a small ceremony complete with an Elvis impersonator. “Unfortunately the relationship didn’t work out,” she says. But in the fve years since she moved here from Louisiana, Jarreau’s love for Las Vegas has never waned. She has worked as a modelserver at XS since it opened on New Year’s Eve 2008, and she’s as sharp as the Champagne is bubbly. Prior to relocating, Jarreau earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Louisiana State University. She also intends to pursue a master’s in the subject so she can one day practice marriage and family therapy. In her spare time, Jarreau enjoys visiting her own family back in the Pelican State, but she always comes back to Las Vegas, the city that holds her heart. Encore Las Vegas, 702.770.0097; xslasvegas.com –CamILLE CaNNON
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IN THE MOMENT Up all night in Sin City
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Photography by Amit Dadlaney, Danny Mahoney, Powers Imagery, Toby Acuna and Tony Tran
1 By The Numbers 1. Ashanti celebrates her birthday at Lavo 2. Steve Aoki goes futuristic at Hakkasan 3. Glee’s Jacob Artist turns 21 at Tao Nightclub 4. DJ Vice spins at Lavo for the GlowRun after-party
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