2021-09-30- Las Vegas Weekly

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER KATIE DIXON katie.dixon@gmgvegas.com EDITOR SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Deputy Editor EVELYN MATEOS (evelyn.mateos@gmgvegas.com) Managing Editor/News DAVE MONDT (dave.mondt@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writers HILLARY DAVIS, JUSTIN EMERSON, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, BRYAN HORWATH, C. MOON REED, ARLEIGH RODGERS, AMBER SAMPSON, RICARDO TORRES-CORTEZ Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JOHN FRITZ, CASE KEEFER, WADE MCAFERTY, KEN MILLER, JOHN TAYLOR Office Coordinator NADINE GUY

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MGM RESORTS TO TAKE OVER OPERATIONS OF THE COSMOPOLITAN MGM Resorts International is expanding its footprint on the Strip, announcing September 27 that it has agreed to purchase operations of the Cosmopolitan for $1.6 billion.

The deal calls for MGM to enter into a 30-year lease agreement, with three 10year renewal options, according to a news release.

MGM will partner with Stonepeak Partners, Cherng Family Trust and Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust Inc., which will acquire the Cosmopolitan’s real estate assets for $5.65 billion, officials said.

MGM will pay an initial annual rent of $200 million, escalating annually at 2% for the first 15 years and the greater of 2% or the increase of the consumer price index—capped at 3%—thereafter.

MGM’s other Strip resorts include Bellagio, Aria, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Mirage, New York-New York and Park MGM. The Cosmopolitan, which opened in 2010, features 3,032 rooms and suites that were renovated in December 2018. It has an 110,000-squarefoot casino; the Chelsea, a 3,200-seat theater; Marquee nightclub and dayclub; 243,000 square feet of meeting space; 21,000 square feet of leased retail space; and a 40,000-squarefoot spa and fitness facility.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. –Staff

SHAQ TO BRING STARS OUT FOR FUNDRAISER UNION MARCHES FOR JOBS TO RETURN ON THE STRIP

NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin leads a restart following a caution at a NASCAR Cup Series race September 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hamlin won three weeks ago at Darlington to open the playoffs and won again in Las Vegas in the second-round opener, becoming the first driver to win the first race in each of the first two rounds since NASCAR introduced this playoff format in 2014. (Steve Marcus/Staff).

CHANCELLOR PROUD OF STUDENTS’ ADHERENCE TO MASK MANDATE While COVID-19 continues to sicken staff and students, Melody Rose, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, sees gains, thanks to mitigation measures including vaccine availability, the vaccinate-or-test rule for employees, and a mask mandate.

“There was a brief uptick across the system around the beginning of the semester and move-in day for our dormitory students, and those have leveled off. If you were to compare those over a year [ago] you’d say it looks like we’re back where we were, but what you have to remember is that a year ago, there was almost no one on campus,” Rose said. “To have roughly the same number of infected individuals within our community but our campuses are [now] teeming with folks, to me, is a huge sign of success.”

She credits that success largely to students. “What I see on our campuses is far better compliance than I see in other places,” Rose said. “I have been just so proud of our students who really, I think, love their faculty, love their in-person experience and know that if we can’t get this thing under control, we won’t be able to maintain high-quality in-person learning. They are excited to be back on their campuses, and I think that’s all the motivation they need.” –Hillary Davis

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Chanting “full-service cleaning” and “full-service restaurants,” hundreds of Culinary Workers Union Local 226 members on Las Vegas Boulevard traversed traffic lanes blocked off by police on September 24.

It was the “first major march” for the union since the onset of the pandemic.

Despite the reopening of casinos and hotels, Culinary Union officials said about a third of its members—or about 21,000 workers—remain out of work some 19 months after the COVID-19 pandemic hit Nevada.

Many idled employees have exhausted public unemployment benefits, they said.

Casinos statewide have ridden a tourism surge to set monthly winnings records, and tourism officials reported that the number of visitors in July approached the millions tallied in pre-pandemic July 2019. –Ricardo Torres-Cortez

1 THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK

A new, one-nightonly event is bringing in a roster of musical superstars to raise money for Boys & Girls Clubs and Communities in Schools programs. Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons, Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg and others will star in the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation’s inaugural fundraising gala “The Event” on October 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The basketball legend who has maintained a presence in Las Vegas for years— he has a DJ residency at Wynn Nightlife venues, and his Big Chicken restaurant opened one of its first locations here— created his foundation two years ago in partnership with the two youth-oriented organizations.

Information and tickets are available at shaqfoundation. org. Guests must be fully vaccinated to attend.

“With Shaquille’s stature and friends, he was able to get some pretty amazing performers for the first year and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Kari Uyehara, the foundation’s executive director. –Brock Radke

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GAMING CHAIR RESIGNS

SCHOOL VANDALISM

John Moran Jr., chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, announced his resignation September 23 after serving more than 13 years. He was first appointed by former Gov. Kenny Guinn and served continuously since 2009 and as chairman since April 2020.

Local schools have not been immune from the so-called “devious licks challenge,” which started on TikTok this year and involves vandalizing or stealing school property. In a recent letter to parents, CCSD noted “an increase in vandalism to our campuses” but did not elaborate.

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IN THIS ISSUE

08 16 24 30 38 42 44

Weekly Q&A: Checking in with Ellis Island’s Christina Ellis Cover story: The Valley’s Spanish food scene’s on the rise Neighborhoods: Five tips for a great time on Water Street Noise: Japanese Breakfast plays Brooklyn Bowl Food & Drink: Deli sandwiches and fish and chips

WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD News you should know about

Sports: Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder, Take 3 Fans cheer during the Raiders’ September 26 game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders won, 3128, in overtime (see Page 43). (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

Vegas Inc: The importance of youth bank accounts

STAYING CLOSE If UNLV continues to play like it did September 24, it should win a football game this season. That’s probably the biggest takeaway from the scarlet and gray’s 38-30 loss at No. 22 Fresno State. Yes, the team is now 0-4, and yes, it coughed up a 21-9 lead in the process. But there was good stuff along the way. –Mike Grimala

3 SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WINS IN SWITZERLAND A measure to allow same-sex marriages passed with 64.1% of the vote in Switzerland, final results of a nationwide referendum showed September 26. More than half of all voters approved in each of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, or states.

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CCSD MASK LAWSUIT

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TOURS

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, more than a dozen plaintiffs claim the school board and CCSD Superintendent Jesus Jara “blatantly and maliciously” violated the Constitution with a pandemic mask mandate requirement. The suit asks for $200 million in damages.

Beginning October 1, the Neon Museum will offer guided tours in Spanish. “With Hispanic Heritage Month upon us, we believe this is the perfect time to debut [them],” Executive Director Aaron Berger said. Tours will be available Thursday through Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

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9.30.21

THE WEEKLY Q&A

BY C. MOON REED

L

as Vegas native Christina Ellis always knew that she was going to join the family business. As her last name implies, she plays a key role, now general manager, in the family-owned empire that includes Ellis Island Casino.

The beloved off-Strip institution was created by her late grandfather in 1968.

What started as a humble shopping center bar has grown to include a hotel and casino, plus restaurants, multiple Village Pubs, breweries and a winery/distillery in Saint George, Utah. The family also owns the storied Mount Charleston Lodge, which was recently destroyed by an early morning fire.

(Thankfully, no lives were lost and the fire was contained to the structure.)

Ellis is working hard to continue developing the business while preserving the brand’s friendly, approachable qualities. In this interview, Ellis tells the Weekly about her experiences growing up in a restaurant family, the backstory behind that famous eggnog and her hopes for the future.

When did you join the family business? I started working here over the summer when I was growing up. My first job was hostessing when I was 12. Then every summer, I would work in a different department: human resources, accounting. I was a fine art student [at] USC, for painting and graphic design.

Instead of doing an internship, I was doing the cage audit.

How did you find your niche in the hospitality industry when you were fresh out of college with an art degree? It was kind of a difficult period of transition. …

After working here for a year or so, I took over the marketing, and that was where I really felt like I was able to make a difference for the company. … It was truly like a light just switched one day, and it became so much fun, because I was able to get really creative with the way that the brand was talking about the things that we offered people visiting Vegas.

ISLAND LIFE Ellis Island General Manager Christina Ellis on the challenges and joys of growing up in a restaurant family

(All photos courtesy Ellis Island)

Do you ever sing karaoke at Ellis Island?

And if so, what’s your song? I have a horrible singing voice, [but] I have sung karaoke at Ellis Island a couple of times. Both of my sisters had their 21st birthdays inside of the karaoke lounge at Ellis Island. My karaoke song is “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus.

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Christina’s grandparents, Frank and Mary Jo Ellis, around the opening of Village Pub in 1968

Do you ever have time to make art?

I always have a canvas in my kitchen. I probably do one painting a year. I switched to oil paints, because they don’t dry as fast.

I will still jump in every now and again and work on a design project for Ellis Island. I also have had a lot of fun finding artists to do art for Ellis Island. We got some artwork put into the casino recently and are looking to expand that. Then working with different artists, designing growlers and things like that.

Most of your family works with you at Ellis Island: sisters overseeing player development and human resources; cousins doing guest experience and bartending; and your dad is owner/operator. What’s that like? It’s fun. I see my family all day, every day throughout the week.

And we still get together every Sunday and have family dinner.

The majority of Las Vegas casinos are owned by giant corporations. Could you speak to being a David among Goliaths?

That’s really a part of the appeal of our small property. We’ve created this place where, when you come to town, you’re going to nightclubs [and] name-brand celebrity chef dinners, then we’re here to take care of you with a $6.99 steak after you’re tired and you just want a good meal and a low-maintenance place to hang out.

Is there a story behind Ellis Island’s famous seasonal eggnog? When [my grandfather] passed away, my dad always remembered him making this eggnog concoction for the family at Christmastime. So my dad found the recipe and he started making it. I remember being 5 or 6 years old and watching my dad making this eggnog. He would serve it in Rubbermaid containers to his friends, because he was just mixing it in our kitchen.

People became obsessed. When we opened the brewery, he could make it at scale. Now we make batches of 500-plus bottles every year for the holidays.

Any other childhood memories from growing up in a restaurant family? There was a time when, for six weeks, we were eating fried chicken all the time, because [Dad] was trying to perfect a fried chicken recipe.

That seemed normal to us when we were growing up. Looking back on it, it’s like, oh, we were a little test kitchen.

Las Vegas was heartbroken by the Mount Charleston Lodge fire. How did you learn about it? I woke up early Friday morning to missed calls from our manager from the Lodge, and a text message from my mom sent to my sisters and me explaining what had happened.

What was your response when you found out? I was in complete shock. I immediately started calling my family; we were all consoling each other. It was very surreal.

What are your plans for the future of the Lodge? While we will never be able to completely replace the Lodge and what it means to our community, we are dedicated to rebuilding and recreating the atmosphere and charm that so many were able to enjoy throughout the years.

You recently earned a dual MBA and hospitality master’s from UNLV. Why go back to school when you have a lifetime of work experience? Having a fine arts degree is very wonderful, but I felt like I should have some formal business training.

I learned quite a bit. Working in a casino my whole life, I had no idea how to deal craps.

In my casino management class, we went through all the rules of how to play craps and deal craps or play blackjack and deal blackjack and go through all of those things that you really only learn if you are going to dealer school.

What do you still hope to achieve? I’m excited to just continue to grow within the company. Moving into this new role has definitely opened my eyes to [its full scope].

Longer term, I’d love to open up other styles of restaurants.

Ellis Island’s Front Yard

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NEWS

GET IN THE GAME The Southern Nevada Officials Association needs help with high school events—regardless of experience

BY RAY BREWER

V

ince Kristosik got his start in refereeing with the Southern Nevada Officials Association as a freshman at UNLV. He signed up for a one-credit officials class, with many of the top high school referees in Las Vegas serving as guest instructors.

A former athlete, Kristosik was hooked on joining the association’s ranks partially so he could stay in the game. Kristosik got started by working local freshmen football games. About five years later, he earned his stripes and received the promotion to the varsity level. He recalls the excitement of finally being under the Friday night lights.

“Most officials aren’t going to get rich off officiating. We have to love what we do,” says Kristosik, now the association’s president. “I love being on the field, still love being on the field.”

The officials who join Kristosik on Friday nights—and during the week calling volleyball and soccer matches—are now taking a much different, and quicker, path. One person reached out on a Monday night seeking to get started with the association and was working as a varsity football line judge a few days later.

That’s because, the association says, the

pandemic has gutted its roster of officials and such game-day staff as clock operators and the chain crew, shrinking from a rotation of 292 in 2019—the last football season before COVID-19— to 180 working September 24. The group needs about 300 to be fully staffed on Friday nights, when games are called at various levels throughout the region.

Reasons officials don’t return vary, Kristosik says.

Some are retirees, unwilling to risk exposure to the coronavirus for a few extra dollars. Others have taken new jobs and can’t break away by game time. And some embraced other forms of recreation during the 18-month sports shutdown.

The shortage has gotten so bad that the association has been using parents and student volunteers to run chain crews, and has had to place folks with little experience onto the big, Friday-night stage.

For football, games require five officials on the field, three on the chain crew and two on the clock. In soccer, which usually has a three-referee crew, some lower -level games are being staffed by one official.

The association’s staff juggling act of all games has become so dire that Kristosik sends out this message to local residents: “We need officials to make sure games are played.”

The good news? Becoming a referee is a relatively

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Referees discuss a play with multiple penalties during the Henderson Bowl between Green Valley and Basic at Green Valley High School on September 24. Officials are (from left) Al Eisman, Joe Molinaro, Darwin Murphy and Thomas Donoff. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

no training.”

Thomas Donoff, who started working with the association last month, previously served as a college football official in California. But he had been out of the industry for nearly a decade, only returning to the field to help the association with its staffing issues.

“That first game, I had butterflies just like a rookie,” Donoff says. “But after the first quarter, and after I got my first foul in, it all came back.”

The association usually meets on Sundays for field training at Durango High School, but those sessions have moved to video conference because of the pandemic. Attendees review video of calls from the previous week’s games, discussing everything from where to stand during a play to the specifics of a holding penalty.

Those get-togethers also represent a chance to socialize with fellow officials. After all, most aren’t calling games for the modest fee—$71.50 as the lead official for varsity football, as little as $27 to work the clock.

Rather, it’s all about the love of the game, Kristosik stresses. “It’s not a bad way to spend a Friday night,” he says.

Want to referee?

Start by filling out an interest form at snoaofficials.com.

easy process.

First, one needs to register as an official with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, the governing body of prep sports here. There’s a $42.50 fee to register, payable by debit or credit card. A Clark County criminal background check must be passed. And then it’s time to purchase a uniform and whistle, grab a rule book and begin becoming intimate with the regulations. Referees serve as independent contractors.

“Once that background check clears, we’ll start assigning them games,” Kristosik says. “We are so short, they are on the field right now with little or

Green Valley students Alijah Vitale, left, and Richard Aiono work as the chain crew during the Henderson Bowl.

(Steve Marcus/Staff)

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9.30.21

Las Vegas suddenly has a splashy Spanish food scene

TAPAS & BEYOND EDO (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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TAPAS & BEYOND

BY BROCK RADKE Coming out of the pandemic, Las Vegas diners are eager to return to their favorite restaurants and dining experiences, and meeting with friends and loved ones to share a meal, socialize and just spend big chunks of time together again is proving to be as important as which restaurant we’re choosing.

When many local spots were struggling to get open and stay open last year, the simple concept of sharing food was also mired in uncertainty. Large groups weren’t allowed, and it was assumed diners weren’t excited about ordering different dishes and passing them around the table. But it turned out the opposite was true; we wanted to share food more than ever.

“Especially the first few months after everything started coming back, everybody was going crazy,” says John Simmons, founder of the city’s pioneering Spanish restaurant, Firefly. “You could do curbside pickup and DoorDash, but that’s not really what it’s about, especially with tapas. It loses that magic of an immersive experience, and it’s been great to get people back in.”

Firefly helped introduce Las Vegas to Spanish cuisine through the tapas experience, the tradition of ordering several different appetizer-sized dishes designed to complement drinks and round out a relaxing afternoon of socializing. Similar concepts followed, some local and others from the outside, like Chicago hospitality giant Lettuce Entertain You’s Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba at Fashion Show mall.

Tapas famously developed into a full-blown

dining trend across the country, but that boom didn’t translate into a slew of Spanish restaurants in Las Vegas. On the Strip, Ba-BaReeba closed in 2010 to make way for more familiar Mexican food, while internationally recognized chefs Julian Serrano and José Andrés opened popular Spanish eateries at Aria and Cosmopolitan, respectively.

“Spanish food can be a little esoteric,” says Jeffrey Weiss, chef and partner at the recently reopened Valencian Gold. “There are some flavors and ingredients Americans don’t typically see. Americans don’t really get doing eggs for dinner, but for Spaniards, the tortilla espanola, an omelet dish, is everywhere.”

Valencian Gold is one of a handful of new Spanish restaurants in Las Vegas that’s amping up interest in the cuisine and generating buzz in local foodie circles with its innovative approach. Paella is the focus for Weiss and his crew, but they’re also modifying traditional dishes like that omelet to bridge the gap in a fun way.

“I know if I put bacon and American cheese on what is essentially a Spanish-style frittata, people will eat it any time of day,” he says. “So it’s sort of a tribute to a typical New York bodega sandwich. And it sells well, because people understand a bacon, egg and cheese.”

Right now, Spanish cuisine in Las Vegas is at peak excitement. We still don’t have as many places to eat this food as we do many other types, but all the restaurants we have are solid to spectacular. And every spot is doing it differently, on or off the Strip, brand-new or established, casual or elevated.

EDO TAPAS & WINE “I think about how many Italian restaurants we have in Las Vegas, and I think there’s space for everybody,” Oscar Amador says of the Spanish scene. “Everything we [have now], they are very different from each other.”

His restaurant opened three years ago in the former Chada Thai space just off the main Chinatown drag and quickly established itself as more than just a different take on Spanish cuisine. Foodies and industry folks generally consider EDO one of the best overall restaurants in the Valley—and a place that hasn’t received due attention.

Amador, who cooked at Le Cirque at Bellagio, partnered with friends who had done time at Andrés’ Bazaar Meat at Sahara to create a modern, Barcelona-inspired restaurant using global techniques and free-wheeling creativity.

The full menu runs the gamut, charcuterie to oysters—suckling pig to dry-aged striploin carpaccio—but regulars love to put themselves in the chefs’ capable hands for a customized tasting menu with various price points.

“I’m from Barcelona, and the culture of our food is a little different from the rest of Spain,” Amador says. “I love classic Spanish cuisine, but our concept is in another line, more modern and always with some surprises. We are always changing dishes and we run out of specials every day. It’s a restaurant with a lot of life.”

Constantly introducing new dishes means anything can be an EDO staple, but beloved dishes include the bikini ($8.50), a tiny pressed sandwich of sobrassada and mahon cheese, and the vegetarian green tartare ($14) with zucchini, avocado and pistachio vinaigrette. Flavors and textures exhilarate across the board at EDO. 3400 S. Jones Blvd. #11A, 702-641-1345.

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FIREFLY When Simmons opened the OG Firefly on Paradise Road in 2003, he had his work cut out.

Las Vegas didn’t know much about Spanish food, but locals—and especially industry workers—knew they needed a fun, close, casual spot for post-shift drinks and food.

“We’ve never been totally traditional, but it was really rough, because we were getting hit by both sides,” he says. “Spanish people would come in and say, ‘This is not tapas.’ And other people didn’t know what tapas were. There was definitely a period where we had to educate people, but now it is ubiquitous.”

Simmons, who left his chef gig at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas to open his own restaurant, was famously getting ready to throw in the towel when his vision took hold, folks of all Vegas industries discovered the joys of sangria, bacon-wrapped dates and crispy chicken croquetas and Firefly turned the corner.

“It was dealers, strippers and performers, a lot of Cirque people, that was the crowd,” he says. “We wanted to make Firefly more feminine, because there were a thousand sports bars in Las Vegas but no boutique places where women wanted to go. They didn’t want a rack of ribs; they wanted little things to nibble and socialize and interesting flavors that create conversation.”

It has launched various locations around the Valley through the years and moved its original restaurant north on Paradise to a bigger location— and Simmons has expanded with Tacos & Beer and the upcoming vegan project Graze Kitchen—but Firefly will forever be the restaurant that started the conversation. 3824 Paradise Road, 702-3693971; 7355 S. Buffalo Drive #7, 702-202-1339.

Firefly (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

VALENCIAN GOLD Weiss debuted Valencian Gold in 2019 as a fast-casual paella concept, but early fans wanted more—paella in a traditional pan, sangria with their meal. The original version of the restaurant had too many limitations.

His team began planning for a significant renovation and menu expansion pre-COVID, then kept busy during the downtime by making New Yorkstyle bagels for pickup orders (many hundreds of which the restaurant donated to first responders and healthcare workers) and by partnering with the Delivering With Dignity program to produce meals for homebound, high-risk families in various local neighborhoods.

“We were doing a lot of recipe testing during that time, too,” Weiss says. “We used the pandemic not only to find ways to help service the community but to get our restaurant to the right place to reopen and make it a really awesome, sit-down concept that spoke to my experience cooking and living in Spain.”

Valencian Gold (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Valencian Gold was the toast of Vegas foodie social media when it came back to life last month, complete with a gold flamethrower that lights the paella grill, a refreshing cocktail selection and a long list of tapas that includes addictive fried cheese puffs with truffle honey ($6), shrimp with XO sauce ($11) and classic croquetas ($6).

“We’re trying to be storytellers. Everything has a specific purpose,” Weiss says. “The bullfighter steak is based on this tradition in Pamplona going back to the 13th century, when there was no refrigeration, so the meat was stored under olive oil.

We’re using vaca vieja, older dairy cows, just like the tradition, and that olive oil with herbs and garlic really tenderizes the meat. It’s like beef on 11.”

All restaurants tell stories through food, but this effort is helping to increase education on and interest in Spanish traditions. Plus, it’s a lot of fun, as you’ll see when that torch lights up your paella Valenciana ($18-$28). 7960 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702776-7707.

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TAPAS & BEYOND

JAMÓN JAMÓN TAPAS

Jamón Jamón (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

If EDO is the city’s new, modern take on the cuisine, Rafael Salines Catalá’s Jamón Jamón Tapas is the classic Spanish stronghold making a big splash in the Vegas dining scene. It moved to its current location on Sahara in January after operating as a delivery-focused ghost kitchen last year, and Catalá, who came to the city 12 years ago to work at Jaleo before spending time at Julian Serrano, is winning over new fans every week.

“Many of the customers from those [Strip] restaurants came looking and found us,” he says. “And we’ve also found [that] the local community of Filipinos and Cubans really love Spanish food. They are looking for more authentic, pure flavors, and we are doing very traditional food.”

Even under pandemic conditions, Jamón Jamón continues to import ingredients from Spain and all over the world to craft its dishes, Galician-style octopus ($29) and Manila clams in tomato sauce ($23) and Bellota ham and chorizo are also sold deli-style. “The majority of my customers have been to Spain at least one time, and I think they miss what they tried over there,” Catalá says.

Those who discovered Jamón Jamón in its early days are shifting to the dinein experience now, and the chef does not disappoint.

A 10-pound Segovia-style roasted suckling pig (which must be ordered in advance) is becoming one of the most popular dishes, proving that uncompromising dedication has its rewards. 6135 W. Sahara Ave. #2&3, 702-762-2844.

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Tres Cazuelas (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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TAPAS & BEYOND

More!

Tres Cazuelas Latin Cuisine (3355 Spring Mountain Road #35, 702-370-0751) is an ideal stop along your Chinatown district crawl, since it combines live entertainment and boutique beer and wine lists with tapas and traditional Spanish bites, plus other Latin dishes like empanadas, habanero-spiked guacamole, Basque-style pinxtos (snacks) and Argentinean churrasco steak.

Multiple Spanish restaurants can be found along West Sahara Avenue. Pamplona Cocktails & Tapas (5781 W. Sahara Ave. #100, 702-659-5781) serves rare cheeses, prized Iberico ham, classic tapas and multiple paella options, along with steak and seafood. Over at the Artisan, Barcelona Tapas (1501 W. Sahara Ave., 702-834-3990) hits all the right notes with hot

and cold dishes, several specialty seafood tapas dishes like steamed mussels and shrimp ceviche and some familiar entrees (tacos!) for good measure.

Of course, you can’t do Spanish food in Las Vegas without hitting the Strip for two standard-setting experiences. Jaleo (Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7950) is as colorful and energetic as casino restaurants come, powered by an open kitchen and its big-time paellas and special-cut Presa Iberico bellota, a pork dish to remember.

Next door, Julian Serrano Tapas (Aria, 877-230-2742) was a recent Strip restaurant reopening, and it’s about time. We couldn’t go on much longer without its shrimp gazpacho, huevos estrellados, mushroom risotto and perfect pan con tomate.

(Anthony Mair/Courtesy)

NON-SPANISH TAPAS SPOTS FORTE TAPAS

LAGO

There are a lot of great things about Forte, one of Las Vegas’ most prominent Eastern European eateries, and one of them is a tapas menu that incorporates Spanish favorites like bacon-wrapped, almond-stuffed dates and peppery shrimp dish gambas al ajillo ($10) into the mix. But you have to sample the chebureki ($10), Georgian-style fried beef dumplings sprinkled with dill, and house originals like Stroganoff fries ($10) and the cheese-breadegg masterpiece khachapurri ($13). 4180 S. Rainbow Blvd. #806, 702-220-3876.

When Julian Serrano, one of the city’s all-time great Spanish chefs, decided he wanted to do Italian tapas, the folks at Bellagio were all for it. You will be too after snacking on mini pizzas, smoked salmon crostini ($26), tomato-braised meatballs ($20) and octopus with squid ink couscous ($29).

Bellagio, 702-693-8865.

DOUBLE HELIX This casual wine and whiskey bar offers plenty of shareable bites, from personal pizzas and bacon sliders to its new ranch fries ($13) topped with fried chicken and gravy, and the “three amigos” dip selection of salsa, guac and chorizo beans ($13). Town Square, 702-473-5415.

LA CAVE

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Las Vegas needs more great neighborhood wine bars, but until that happens, this Strip hideaway is the perfect place for sips and snacks. The beef filet flatbread with caramelized onions and blue cheese ($21) is an absolute flavorbomb, a perfect surf-and-turf combo with jumbo lump crab lettuce cups ($19). Wynn, 702-770-7375.

SUGARCANE Global cuisine has been a focus at Venetian and Palazzo in recent years, and this versatile eatery— focusing on grilled items, raw bar and daily brunch—is a great example. Bounce around the menu with goat cheese croquettes ($14), rock shrimp tempura ($17) or beef empanadas with cilantro aioli ($15). Venetian, 702-414-2263.

NITTAYA’S SECRET KITCHEN This neighborhood Thai favorite recently relocated nearby to a much larger space with a much larger kitchen, allowing chef Nittaya Parawong to offer some delicious new small plates. Our advice: Eat them all, but especially don’t miss the basil chicken potstickers ($9), perfect crispy pork belly ($11), lemon grass rubbed chicken wings ($11) and chililime squid ($13). 8427 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-360-8885.

09.25.21 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS

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9.30.21

HENDO’S HAPPENIN’ Five fun things to do on Water Street

T

BY C. MOON REED

hings are happening in Downtown Henderson. The historic Water Street District has been working hard to become a major destination, now home to an array of food and drink options along with other fun activities.

In addition to the permanent attractions, look to Water Street Plaza for festivals and special events, such as Golden Knights viewing parties and the recent Pacific Islander Festival & Ho’olaule’a. Here are a few more of our Water Street faves.

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EAT: Biscuits and Bourbon With so many delicious restaurants now calling Water Street home, it’s difficult to pick a favorite. (Shouts out to Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina and Chef Flemming’s BakeShop!) At Biscuits and Bourbon, the revitalization of Water Street is baked right into the mission. Plus, the elevated Southern menu is flat-out delicious. Try the biscuit bennies on the brunch menu, with either fried chicken, tri-tip or pork belly. Pork rinds, country poutine, Nashville hot watermelon and a wide selection of smoked meats highlight the dinner menu. 109 S. Water St., 702-986-0307, bandbonwater.com.

DRINK: Lovelady Brewing Company Nobody goes thirsty on Water Street. With Hardway 8, Public Works Coffee Bar, Sticks Tavern, multiple casinos and more lining the thoroughfare, there’s something in a glass or cup for everybody. For many, that place is the Lovelady’s welcoming tap room.

The family-owned business has become known for its beer, from the 9th Island Pineapple Sour to the HopAtomic double IPA and best-selling Love Juice hazy IPA. The 1,400 square-foot tap room features 16 handles, bar games and a dog friendly patio. 20 S. Water St., 702-564-3030, loveladybrewing.com.

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NEIGHBORHOODS

PLAY: Lifeguard Arena Southern Nevada’s new AHL team might be waiting for its Henderson arena to open next spring, but this official practice facility for the Henderson Silver Knights is open and ready for skaters. With two sheets of ice, the venue offers open skate, skate rentals and beginner lessons, along with hockey and figure skating programs.

Event planners can even host parties there. And be sure to pop into the Livery to stock up on Silver Knights gear. 222 S. Water St., 725-201-3032, lifeguardarena.com.

Silver Knights goalie Logan Thompson skates with a boy from Henderson’s Battle Born Kids program at Lifeguard Arena. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

(Courtesy Lovelady)

SEE: City Lights Art Gallery Dedicated to promoting local art and art education, this Water Street District gallery provides an enriching counterpoint to Downtown Henderson’s more indulgent attractions. The art on display is rotated quarterly, so there’s always something new to see by the stable of local member artists.

Additionally, City Lights hosts bi-annual juried shows, monthly artist spotlights, classes and workshops, open studio time, volunteer artists on duty, offers college scholarships for artistic local high school students and even has a gift shop. 3 East Army St., 702260-0300, citylightsartgallery.com.

ADORN: Downtown Vintage Barbershop & Shave Parlor A good barbershop isn’t just a place to get a haircut; it’s an old-school gathering place, bordering on community center.

Native Las Vegan Jorge Reyes is this shop’s owner and operator. In 2012, at the tender age of 18, he used the proceeds from his hairstyling to take over one of the oldest barber shops in Southern Nevada, which dates back to 1956. Partake in a timeless local tradition on Water Street and leave looking better than when you arrived. 37 S. Water St., 702-564-2343, facebook.com/ downtownvintagehenderson.

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BIG THIS WEEK

CONTROLLING BRITNEY SPEARS The New York Times’ deep-dive documentary series first looked at the pop star’s conservatorship in February. Now that it’s dissolving, it focuses on the effort to control Spears’ life.

FX on Hulu.

EXHIBIT

FEST

FRUITS OF OUR LABOR AT HISTORIC FIFTH STREET SCHOOL

PURE ALOHA FESTIVAL AT CRAIG RANCH REGIONAL PARK

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by viewing work by acclaimed Las Vegas artist Justin Favela. His signature piñata sculptures have won him awards and international attention. In Fruits of Our Labor, Favela takes inspiration from Mexican still life fruit, “Sesame Street Fruit’’ and Sandra Cisneros’ classic book The House on Mango Street. Through November 4; Tuesday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.; free. Mayor’s Gallery, 401 S. Fourth St. –C. Moon Reed

Pure Aloha makes its comeback just in time for its 15th anniversary in Las Vegas, celebrating island culture, music, food and art at the expansive North Las Vegas destination over four days of fun. Kapena, Spawn Breezie, Ekolu, Pat T. and Bonafide will be among the Hawaiian and reggae acts taking the stage, and the all-ages event will feature a large carnival and games section open all weekend long. September 30-October 3, times vary, $10 per day, vizzun.com. –Brock Radke

PARTY

BLOND:ISH AT ZOUK NIGHTCLUB The opening round of parties at Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World continues with one of the new venue’s more experimental residents, Montreal-born Vivie-Ann Bakos, who has continued under the Blond:ish moniker for the past two years after more than a decade DJing as a duo with Anstascia D’Elene Corniere. Bakos keeps the house rhythms coming in the club and focuses on environmental activism elsewhere. September 30, 10:30 p.m., $30+, zoukgrouplv.com.

–Brock Radke

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YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA The “Mistress of the Dark” has had a pretty wild career, and like most things we love, Vegas played a big role in it. The must-hear audiobook of Cassandra Peterson’s memoir, read by the author, is available through Audible, iTunes and Google Play.

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The tide is rolling in to Fremont East. On October 1, Backstage Bar & Billiards welcomes two surf-inspired indies, Long Beach’s Tijuana Panthers and San Diego’s Wavves, for a night of fuzzed-out mayhem. Expect a head-nodding—and, in some of the inevitable louder moments, head-banging—good time of the variety we used to enjoy Downtown all the time before the pandemic nearly destroyed our capacity to enjoy live, garage-y rock in clubs on a nearly weekly basis. October 1, 9 p.m., $20, bit.ly/2WdsFZG. –Geoff Carter

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FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

TIJUANA PANTHERS & WAVVES AT BACKSTAGE BAR & BILLIARDS

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TRIBUTE

PUNKS IN VEGAS SHOW AT AMERICAN LEGION POST 8 The local music institution celebrates its 10th anniversary the way founder Emily Matview—who died in June, and in whose honor this show will be held—would surely have wanted: by bringing some of the Valley’s most adored punk names to the stage for an all-ages blowout. Jesse Pino and Brock Frabbiele will perform acoustic sets, and Rayner, Mercy Music and a reunited-for-thenight Holding Onto Sound (with Micah Malcolm sitting in on drums) will blast off electrically. All profits benefit Gender Justice Nevada. October 1, 6 p.m., $10 donation, 733 N. Veterans Memorial Drive. –Spencer Patterson

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CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

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JUMPING FOR

JUBILEE

(Courtesy Tonje Thilesen)

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NOISE

Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner talks sonic joy and turning fussy songs into favorites

BY AMBER SAMPSON

M

ichelle Zauner’s having a great year.

The frontwoman of indie rock outfit Japanese Breakfast released her third studio album (Jubilee), published her first book (Crying in H Mart: A Memoir) and composed an original soundtrack for the video game Sable— all within a few months’ time.

Now she’s steering Japanese Breakfast’s first tour since the pandemic.

We caught up with the singer in advance of the October 5 show at Brooklyn Bowl.

So many of your projects have landed during the past five months. Have you had a chance to soak it all in yet? I’m in this space right now where I feel like an empty nester. It’s an exciting feeling to let go of your little babies— you know that they’re doing the work out in the world that you’ve raised them to do. There’s also some loneliness and fear of, like, what do I do with my life now? What’s next for me? But there’s also the excitement of a new chapter, just being a blank slate to figure out what’s next.

I gotta discover a new hobby or go on vacation.

You could always play Sable. How did you end up composing a soundtrack for a video game? I was actually approached in 2017 by Daniel Feinberg, one of the developers. At the time, they just had a couple of gifs out there, and the art was so striking. They were in search of a composer who was outside of the game world and could bring a different sound. But they also wanted someone who enjoyed gaming and had a passion for it and respect for it, I think.

It’s a really good fit, and I’ve been really lucky that I’ve had the chance to be involved from a really early stage. I’ve spent the last four years adding more and more music as the world came together.

I read that you used to play Final Fantasy as a kid. Yes, I was a big Final Fantasy nerd.

JAPANESE BREAKFAST October 5, 7:30 p.m. $20-30.

Brooklyn Bowl, 702-862-2695, brooklynbowl.com.

That game’s known for having beautiful soundtracks as well. Could this be your new calling—soundtrack composer? I would love to do it again. I had so much fun doing it, and I think I had a very charmed first experience.

I don’t know if it’s always this way, but I really hope that I get to do it again if the right project comes along. Let’s put that out into the world.

You’ve stated that one of your goals with June album Jubilee was to explore more joy.

On this record, there’s horns, brass, strings …

Did you go into it consciously looking for musical ways to convey that emotion? Absolutely.

For the sophomore record, there was so much pressure to avoid the sophomore slump. It was a very insular project of trying to keep in step with the same sort of thing. I felt like a third album should be really bombastic and full of confidence.

I learned so much from my co-producer, Craig Hendrix, who’s also our live drummer. … He has a real skill for arrangements. I think he gave me the courage and confidence to bring on these new instruments that we had sort of dipped the toe in the water of using before. I knew I wanted to have that all over the record, that the sky was the limit and that we had the capability of adding those things.

A jubilee is a trumpet blast of victory. I wanted that to be a major element of this record.

Which was your favorite song to write, and which do you enjoy playing live most? It’s funny, because my least-favorite song to write is “Slide Tackle.” It was such a little bitch of a song. Usually my favorite songs happen really quickly. They just know exactly what they want to be, and things fall into place. “Slide Tackle” was this really fussy baby, where there were many times I wanted to abandon it. I thought it was too simple. So I would add and add and add and add, and nothing ever felt like enough. And eventually I just gave up on it, and it was what it was. But it’s my favorite song to play live. It became such a special live number that I really love that song now. It’s one of my favorite songs on the record.

In terms of writing, I think “Kokomo, IN” has a really special place in my heart because that was a really easy song. I was writing it as we were recording in the studio, and it came together really quickly. It’s a very sweet song, a very new direction for me.

Read more of this interview at lasvegasweekly.com

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NIGHTS

A rendering of a Drai’s XSET cabana (Courtesy XSET)

AHEAD OF THE GAME Drai’s partners with video game lifestyle brand XSET

BY AMBER SAMPSON

R

ick Ross. Big Sean. French Montana. When it comes to star-studded hip-hop lineups, Drai’s is the king of the Strip.

Here’s a new name for you: XSET, the first esports lifestyle brand to lock in a “video game residency” with the storied Las Vegas nightlife brand.

“Gaming is finally becoming mainstream. It’s pop culture,” says Greg Selkoe, chief executive officer of XSET. “But one of the things we founded XSET on, besides that pop culture component, was diversity and inclusion. We wanted to create an organization for women, men, LGBTQ, all different races, backgrounds, styles and interests, and I think that comes together in nightclubs, as well.

“Drai’s [brings in a really] interesting mix of different people. Everyone loves hip-hop. It’s a global force ... and gaming is also becoming a global force.

So why not bring the two things together?”

This intersection has been explored in Las Vegas before, from former Fremont East bar Insert Coin(s) to newer spots like Emporium Arcade Bar at Area15.

But XSET’s partnership with Drai’s seems intent on

taking the trend to another level. Late this fall, Drai’s will debut themed XSET cabanas featuring custom video game consoles and large LED screens for optimal game time.

Inside the nightclub, VIP guests will game inside their exclusive sections as they listen to the hottest stars in residence, and Drai’s x XSET merch will be sold on site. Plans for contests and gaming tournaments often hosted by XSET talent and Drai’s artists are also in the works.

XSET has several esports teams under its belt in various games, from Call of Duty to Rocket League.

Selkoe says an XSET “content house,” where Drai’s resident artists can host listening parties, film content and XSET team players can stream games, is coming in 2022.

As former president of the wildly successful gaming collective FaZe Clan, Selkoe brings years of institutional knowledge of the gaming industry to the table. But recognizes the business model is changing.

“I think Vegas has an opportunity to really lead what gaming’s becoming, which is gaming lifestyle,” Selkoe says. “Esports is just one part of it.”

XSET’s ties to the music industry ran deep even before it partnered with Drai’s. Clinton Sparks, the organization’s chief business development officer, is a Grammy-nominated DJ who has worked with everyone from Lady Gaga to Diddy. And XSET’s chief merchandising and licensing officer Wil Eddins, whom Selkoe credits with starting the initial conversations with Drai’s, is a Las Vegas native with connections to entertainers around the city.

The organization has also picked up several high-profile investors and influencers along the way, including hip-hop artist Swae Lee from Rae Sremmurd, Latin superstar Ozuna, the New England Patriots’ Kyle Van Noy and the Denver Broncos’ Justin Simmons.

“We’re reaching into music, into technology, into nightlife in a way that I don’t think any of the gaming orgs, even ones I’ve been at before, are going to have the ability to, because we started from day one focusing on it,” Selkoe says. “We want to be awesome at esports, but [we’re also focused on] lifestyle. … We want everyone who loves gaming to feel like this is for them.”

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HIGHER ART

Save Art Space and Meow Wolf take local work to a billboard scale

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BY AMBER SAMPSON

he next time you drive in to work, head to the store or walk to the bus stop, look up. What you see might surprise you.

Billboards around the Las Vegas Valley have been transformed with the work of 10 local artists, thanks to a partnership between Save Art Space and Meow Wolf. Titled Portals & Pathways, the public art exhibition seeks to replace ads with the greatest promotion of all: the people of our community.

Nonprofit Save Art Space began this mission back in 2015 in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, where co-founder Travis Rix watched alcohol and clothing advertisements erase murals overnight. “That’s not why people are living here, and that’s not what artists want. … So we were like, we should do something about it.”

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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ART

(Courtesy Meow Wolf)

WHERE TO VIEW

Sameer Asnani: 3641 W. Sahara Ave. Ruby Barrientos: 3890 W. Tropicana Ave. Changoart: 3305 S. Decatur Blvd.

Nancy Good: 3355 Spring Mountain Road Brian Henry: 2784 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Q’Shaundra James: 3152 S. Highland Drive Gem Jaxx: 6593 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Joshua S. Levin: 1920 E. Sahara Ave. Cristina Natsuko Paulos: 260 S. Decatur Blvd.

Joseph Watson: 4360 S. Decatur Blvd.

Save Art Space began raising money to fund public art installations around New York City. Soon, the projects expanded to more than 35 U.S. cities, with the work of more than 300 artists 250 submissions his team received, displayed on more than 600 ad spaces. finding diverse talent mattered most.

Installations touch on important topics It searched for emerging artists, of the time. Some series have focused on established artists, artists from every ending police brutality and Asian hate; age group and from every cultural others have declared trans people are background—as many perspectives as sacred. possible, to bring the theme to life. To Sometimes, Rix says, the artwork Rix, Portals & Pathways is still one big even includes members of the comad. “But this ad isn’t trying to sell you munity, from autistic middle school anything,” he says. “It’s just trying to children to senior citizens in open your mind.”

PORTALS & their 90s. “It’s supposed to be Olsen says the exhibition PATHWAYS meaningful, what you want to loosely calls back to Omega Through see on your billboards,” he says.

Mart’s narrative of “portals October 10, Spencer Olsen, art director to other worlds opening.” But various locations, of Meow Wolf Las Vegas, and he also wanted to leave room saveartspace. four other Meow Wolf curators for artists to develop their org/meowwolf helped curate the selection of own meanings. The goal of the artists for Portals & Pathways. billboards, he says, is to shake And sure, they could have up your routine. plucked talent from any corner of the “Maybe it makes someone’s day, just world, but highlighting locals “was seeing something beautiful,” Olsen says. a really important criteria,” he says.

“There’s this thing we always fall back “There’s a lot of amazing talent in Vegas. to as a foundation. Subverting expecta… It’s a bit of an underserved communitions by presenting something familiar, ty, and we’re trying as much as we can but it’s new. It’s different. It’s intriguing. to undo that, or at least create a more It makes you feel curious. If you’re used healthy ecosystem for artists to be able to seeing injury lawyer billboards … and to cycle projects and do cool stuff.” instead you see this amazing painting or Olsen says that among roughly graphic art, it should give you pause.”

(Courtesy Meow Wolf)

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STAGE

‘ACCESSIBLE’ OPERA Opera Las Vegas hosts the West Coast premiere of ‘The Ghosts of Gatsby’

(Left to right) Rob McGinness as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kayla Wilkens as Zelda 1924 and Athena Mertes as Zelda 1918 in The Ghosts of Gatsby (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

BY C. MOON REED

H

ow does an opera company stand out when it lacks the budget to produce grand extravaganzas? By looking to the future.

Opera Las Vegas is forging its artistic identity on the cutting edge of creation. In a genre often stereotyped as antiquarian, OLV is producing new work.

It has launched a Living Composers and Librettists Initiative, and has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

For the first production of its 2021-2021 season, OLV presents the West Coast premiere of The Ghosts of Gatsby—which won a prize in 2019 from the National Opera Association—at the Space. The plot tells of Jazz Age author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s effort to write his masterpiece novel, The Great Gatsby, amid a cloud of jealousy, alcoholism and obsession.

Holed up on the French Riviera, Scott is distracted by his wife Zelda’s alleged infidelities. In an boozy fever dream, he sees three versions of his wife, each at a different age. Sopranos Kayla Wilkens, Athena Mertes and Kimberly Gratland James play the Zeldas.

Arizona Opera’s artist-in-residence Rob McGinness plays Fitzgerald.

The tight, 60-minute show begins with an enterdifferent emotions through song at the same time. taining 15-minute vaudevillian prologue, in which the “That can’t happen in any other art form,” Sohre says. performers sing jazzy tunes of love won and lost. “You “But these are sustained and deeply felt emotions think it’s generalized, but it’s actually very specific, that layer over each other. … We have chords and because they use the words that F. Scott Fitzgerald and harmonies [that] are very beautiful and dramatic Zelda actually spoke or wrote,” explains James and interesting to hear. You not only have Sohre, general director for Opera Las Vegas. the solo moments that are in the piece, but THE GHOSTS The show features a buffet of Nevada talent, also these great dialogues.”

OF GATSBY October 1-3 including contributions from the Las Vegas The opera is sung in English, but to Friday-Saturday Philharmonic, UNLV’s opera department and promote full understanding, there are also 7:30 p.m.; Opera on Tap. Daz Weller, executive artistic English subtitles. Opera Las Vegas wants Sunday, 3 p.m.; director of Vegas Theatre Company, directs. $25-$45. its audiences to feel welcomed.

The Space, “We’re trying to make it a real community co“There’s nothing [viewers] have to bring, 702-263-6604. alition, saying, ‘Hey, the arts are back onstage except their curiosity,” Sohre says. “We’ve in Las Vegas.’” Sohre says. always surprised people that it can be As for music lovers who might be intimisomething really relevant and really easy dated by the word “opera,” Sohre wants all to know that to understand. “this is very accessible music.” Unlike the “discordant” The Ghosts of Gatsby is just the start for a season of tones of some contemporary classical music, Sohre says music au courant. Future shows include The House Gatsby offers “tunes that could be in a musical review of Without a Christmas Tree (November 19-21), Apthe ’20s. And the opera itself is very tuneful.” proaching Ali (January 21-23), Strawberry Fields/ One of the best and most unique aspects of opera, Trouble in Tahiti (April 22-24) and Tosca (June 10-12).

Sohre says, is that several characters can express Visit operalasvegas.com for show details.

38

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

9.30.21

DELI DEVELOPMENT Siegel’s Bagelmania goes big with its new Strip-adjacent location

BY C. MOON REED

S

tephen Siegel always loved eating tioneers. A giant bagel sculpture greets at Bagelmania, a beloved hole-inhungry diners in the parking lot, and the the-wall Jewish delicatessen that building’s exterior lists the menu in fun has been delighting locals since sans-serif signage: smoked fish, kosher 1989. But the property developer best dogs, corned beef, cocktails, black & known for Siegel Suites had no desire to white cookies, matzo ball soup and, of buy the restaurant. course, bagels and schmears.

Then one Sunday, he went to pay for The interior is a vision of mid-mod his meal and the owners begged him to stylings and old Vegas nostalgia. Diners take over so they could retire. He initially can choose between the 200-seat dining declined, but the idea stuck with him. “I room or the deli counter, which also remember being in the shower that night, includes offerings from Pinkbox Doughlike, ‘It’s such great bagels, maynuts, another local brand owned be I can do something with this,’” by the Siegel Group.

SIEGEL’S Siegel says. “I like to fix things Siegel and senior vice presBAGELMANIA and grow things and build things. 252 Convention ident Michael Crandall gave Center Drive, So, here we go again.” the menu an extensive revamp 702-369-3322.

He purchased Bagelmania in but left the boiled bagel recipe Daily, 6 a.m.2018 and began reinventing the unchanged. “I think we have the 3:30 p.m. brand, eventually ditching the best bagel on the West Coast,” Sieeastside location near Twain and gel says. In July, Weekly readers Swenson for a bigger building voted Bagelmania Best Breakfast between the Strip and the Las Vegas Spot in its annual Best of Vegas issue.

Convention Center. (A satellite spot also Following in the tradition of the best opened at McCarran Airport’s A gates.) delicatessens, Bagelmania has a purNow known as Siegel’s Bagelmania, posefully expansive menu requiring the main 10,000-square-foot eatery in multiple visits to sample even a portion the former Somerset Shopping Center of the options. The rye bread, cookies, is drawing tourists, locals and convenpastries and salads are all made in-house.

First-timers might consider starting simply, with one of the indulgent bagelwiches ($10-$16). The Hebrew School ($16) includes Nova smoked salmon, fried eggs and a hash brown cake. Or they could opt for a classic hot pastrami, egg salad, or whitefish salad sandwich ($12-$16).

Burgers, hot dogs, soups, salads, shakes and more round out the menu.

In addition to a full bar, Bagelmania just opened up gaming. There are plans to slowly increase the hours to include dinner and possibly late night. And busy as Siegel might be taking Pinkbox national, he says he hopes to open a couple more Bagelmania locations next year.

9.30.21

The Hebrew School sandwich and (inset) a black and white cookie stack at Siegel’s Bagelmania (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

39I

FOOD & DRINK

THE CODFATHER 2895 N. Green Valley Parkway, 702-462-2280.

Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Cod and chips with a side of mushy peas (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

A PROPER CHIPPY

The Codfather brings brilliant fish and chips to Henderson Bright green mushy peas. Creamy, slightly briny tartar sauce. And curry, not just ketchup, for dipping those perfect potatoes. These are the things that can turn a basket of fish and chips into a religious experience.

Of course, the fish better be flaky and fried to a shattering crunch, and the chips need to be hot and crisp with fluffy interior. If you’ve been to the Codfather—opened in Henderson last summer by Sheffield, England, transplant Glynn Bramhall—you know what perfect fish and chips tastes and feels like.

The other restaurants in this tiny strip mall have changed since the Codfather arrived unassumingly with its door made to look like a red English telephone booth. This place has soldiered on because the food is so good, exactly what you want when you’re craving the iconic dish. Most pubs that serve it openly claim to do it best, right on the menu. The Codfather has no need for boasts; it simply delivers.

The cod and chips with a can of soda will run you $13.50. Adding the sides of mushy peas and curry was the best three bucks I ever spent. The small menu also includes chicken fingers ($8.50) for the kiddos, clam chowder with bacon ($4.50-$6.50) and fried sausages ($6.50) or Spam fritters ($5).

Those all sound tasty, but I can’t imagine a time I’ll step foot in the Codfather and order anything other than its signature dish, reveling in the steamy wisps that emerge when the plastic knife punches satisfyingly through the crunchy coating and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of this fish, stopping only when I fork-plunge a couple fries into that brilliant curry. I don’t really even like tartar sauce, you guys. That’s how good the Codfather is. Take me back now. –Brock Radke

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42

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

9.30.21

SPORTS

Deontay Wilder craved a third chance against Tyson Fury. What will he do with it?

BY CASE KEEFER

D

eontay Wilder took a seat in front of the media, placed headphones over his ears and zoned out. At the lone pre-fight-week news conference to announce his upcoming WBC heavyweight championship trilogy bout against Tyson Fury on October 9 at T-Mobile Arena, Wilder had no interest in promoting the rivalry. After a brief address when he came out onstage, he ignored all questions, allowing his trainer, Malik Scott, to speak for him.

“He’s very stubborn, even though he’s rededicated his life and everything to the craft,” Scott said of Wilder. “Like most legends or gifted people, he has his things with him. … As long as he gives me what I want in the gym, I don’t care about the stubbornness.”

Perhaps silence is the right choice for Wilder, given that he has talked exhaustively about Fury for the past year and a half, and for the most part, that has created nothing but trouble. After Fury won the second matchup between the two fighters via seventh-round TKO in February 2020 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Wilder started offering a string of increasingly bizarre excuses for his subpar performance.

First, he blamed the blowout loss on a 40-pound suit he wore for his walkout to the ring, explaining that it tired out his legs. Wilder eventually veered into even more outlandish conspiracy theories, including that his own then-trainer Mark Breland had spiked his water bottle and that Fury had tampered with his gloves.

A great deal of mockery and ridicule followed the comments, including from Fury, who posted on his Instagram account a list of 26 excuses Wilder has used. Only about half of them—“Fury did voodoo magic,” for example—were embellished.

The way the 35-year-old former champion from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, responded to the first loss of his career has done considerable damage to his rep-

LEGACY ON

utation. The fallout has added extra significance to the upcoming rematch with Fury: Wilder’s career might be winding down, and the way he performs could ultimately dictate how he’s remembered.

“Look, enough said, time to cut off his head,” Wilder said in his only public comments. “There will be bloodshed.”

Fury, the 33-year old “Gypsy King” originally from Manchester, England, laughed at Wilder’s antisocial routine and offered to role-play his opponent in interviews.

“He said all this last time—decapitation, bloodshed and all that,” Fury joked. “And we all saw what happened there.”

Wilder was hailed as the knockout artist worthy of bringing heavyweight boxing back to mainstream prominence in America when he won his first major title in 2015. He mostly succeeded in that—but largely because

he found a more than capable rival in Fury.

Wilder came in as a minus-200 favorite—risking $2 to win $1—when he first met Fury in December 2018 at LA’s Staples Center. Fury surprised many by outboxing and outlanding his opponent but had to settle for a split draw when Wilder scored a pair of knockdowns late in the fight.

“I gave my game plan away the first time, because he wasn’t good enough to do anything about it, and I’ll do the same thing this time, because he’s not good enough to do anything about it. Deontay Wilder is a one-trick pony. He’s got knockout power. We all know that, great,” Fury said. “But what I’m going to do to Deontay Wilder is, I’m going to run him over as if I’m an 18-wheeler and he’s a human being. And I guarantee you he doesn’t go past where he did before.”

Wilder was completely outclassed in last year’s

9.30.21

TYSON “THE GYPSY KING” FURY (30-0-1, 20 KOs)

VS.

rematch—which was priced as a pick’em in sports books—to the extent that most boxing fans hoped Fury would move on to a different opponent. After initially saying he would grant Wilder another shot, Fury recanted and all but announced a title unification bout against WBA/IBF/WBO champion Anthony Joshua.

But Wilder sued over a rematch clause in the second fight’s contract, which Fury claimed had expired, and an arbitration judge sided with the former.

“It was a crazy roller coaster of what was going to happen and not going to happen, but I’ve always said you’re never fighting someone until you’re in the ring opposite them,” Fury said. “So it wasn’t really hard for me. I wasn’t in training camp when all these negotiations were going on.”

Betting odds tab Fury as more than a minus-300

43I

DEONTAY “THE BRONZE BOMBER” WILDER (42-1-1, 41 KOs)

When: October 9, preliminary bouts 2:15 p.m., main card 6 p.m., headlining fight 8:30 p.m.

Where: T-Mobile Arena Tickets: $324-$10,000+ at axs.com or 888-929-7849 PPV: $80 on Fox via television providers or ESPN+

THE LINE

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

Las Vegas’ Daniel Carlson kicks the winning field goal in the Raiders’ 31-28 overtime win against Miami on September 26.

(AP/Photo Illustration)

n Last Week: Raiders 31, Dolphins 28 It took every second of regulation and overtime, but the Raiders eventually got past the Dolphins on Daniel Carlson’s game-winning 22-yard field goal.

The franchise now sits at 3-0 for the first time since 2002, also the last year it won a postseason game.

Las Vegas outplayed Miami far more than the score indicated, racking up a 497-330 yardage advantage, but repeatedly made careless mistakes to keep the game close. The Raiders rallied in overtime partly behind unsung running back Peyton Barber, a recent pickup off the Washington Football Team’s practice squad who set up the game-winner after tallying a career-high 111 rushing yards.

RAIDERS

Report

Tyson Fury (left) and Deontay Wilder (AP/ Photo Illustration)

favorite for the trilogy match, and his father recently told BT Sport that his son’s goal is to beat Wilder into retirement. It wouldn’t be a shock if Wilder steps away from boxing win or lose, since he has recently used his success in the ring to explore other opportunities such as acting.

There’s no question he’s a star; Wilder vs. Fury II reportedly sold 1.2 million pay-per-views, with both fighters making $30 million base pay in addition to undisclosed sales bonuses. Wilder has lived up to his promise in generating long-dormant national interest in heavyweight boxing, but he might now need a victory against his biggest adversary to secure his place among the all-time greats.

“I hope he brings something different than he did last time,” Fury said. “He needs to, let’s face it. Let’s hope he can give me a challenge.”

n This Week: Raiders (3-0) at Chargers (2-1) When: Monday, October 4, 5:15 p.m.

Where: SoFi Stadium TV: ESPN Radio: 920-AM, KOMP-92.3 Betting line: Chargers -3.5, over/under: 52.5 Matchup: AFC West play begins for the Raiders on their second and final Monday Night Football appearance of the year. Both games against the Chargers came down to the final play last year— Las Vegas won 31-26 on the road and lost 30-27 at home—and the teams appear evenly matched once again. Derek Carr leads the NFL in passing after completing 88 of 136 attempts for 1,203 yards through three weeks, but the Chargers’ second-year quarterback Justin Herbert has also been prolific, ranking fourth in the NFL with 956 yards on 88-for-126 passing. The Chargers are a last-second field goal against the Cowboys away from being undefeated.

Raider to Watch: Cornerback Casey Hayward Jr. Las Vegas will need its top coverage player to keep up his impressive start to the season against his former team. Hayward, who signed with the Raiders after five years with the Chargers, is the top-graded cornerback in the league by Pro Football Focus.

He hadn’t allowed a reception all year until the first quarter against Miami, when he then stuffed a screen to Jaylen Waddle for a safety on the same play.

44

VEGAS INC BUSINESS

9.30.21

Local banks have made it a priority to help teach financial literacy to children

W

BY BRYAN HORWATH

hen talking about financial literacy for children, Brian Formisano likes to mention his friend’s 5-year-old son, who is fascinated by anything money-related.

“When I told him what I did for a living, his eyes lit right up,” said Formisano, region president for Wells Fargo & Company in Las Vegas. “He loves piggy banks and coins. Even at that age, I think it’s good to introduce kids to money, though not every kid will be as interested at that age as he is.”

If parents, family members, teachers, financial industry professionals or others can interest young people in money—and the beginnings of understanding how to manage it—it tends to bode well for their future.

In fact, Jerrie Merritt, a community development manager for Bank of Nevada, said that many young people have already established lifelong financial habits once they make it to their high school years.

“It’s important that students start to learn financial literacy early,” Merritt said. “Budgeting is a skill.”

Initiatives are in place at most banks and financial institutions across Southern Nevada to help children and teens learn about responsible money management.

At Wells Fargo, “Clear Access Banking” is geared toward those aged 13 to 24. A $25 deposit is required to get started, but the accounts don’t have overdraft fees.

It offers young people access to offerings like mobile banking and ATMs. Those ages 13 to 16 need an adult “co-owner” to open an account.

“It really is a nice way to get young folks started,” Formisano said. “The product offers a full array of banking services at no cost. There’s actually a $5 monthly fee, but that’s waived for anyone in that age range. I’ve been in the banking business for over 20 years. What I’ve seen over the years is that people who get started young, they do tend to have an easier time.”

Merritt said Bank of Nevada likes to work with two

organizations to help spread financial literacy to the young people in the Las Vegas area—Everfi, a digital educational platform, and Green Our Planet, a nonprofit that offers gardening and hydroponics offerings to students.

With Green Our Planet, students can grow fruits and vegetables and later bring to market. The farm-totable model helps kids understand the value of money and the importance of commerce, Merritt said.

“We really like to work with those two organizations,” Merritt said. “We’re able to reach elementary students with Green Our Planet. Everfi is more for high school students.”

During the 2017-18 school year, Bank of Nevada began working with Everfi to provide financial liter-

acy lessons for students at some of the area’s Title 1 schools, those with a high proportion of kids from low-income families.

“Financial literacy, I think, is more important than ever before,” Merritt said. “And we need to reach those low-to-moderate-income students. We need to make sure we’re always thinking about that.”

Part of why financial literacy is so important now, Merritt said, is because the financial system seemingly moves closer to a cashless model each day. In the past, kids learned about money by handling bills and coins. If they had $10 and spent it all at a store, it was a tangible sign that their money had run out.

Today, with mobile payments systems, online banking and credit cards, money doesn’t manifest itself in a physical way nearly as often. For kids, that can make it appear that funds are infinite.

“Let’s say a young person wants to buy a video game today,” Merritt said. “They’ll often get it online, often through a parent. There’s an expectation that mom or dad will have a credit card ready—or an Amazon account—to make that purchase. That’s a different experience than handing somebody a $20 bill and receiving change back. That all affects how kids think about money.”

And at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important: getting a younger generation to start learning the merits of being responsible in creating and executing a budget.

“Every child is different, but I don’t think it’s too early for a first-grader to start to learn about money; not at all,” Formisano said. “The earlier a child can comprehend the fundamentals of money, the better.

We want to do everything we can to help people manage their money, and that should start early.”

(Shutterstock)

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46

VEGAS INC BUSINESS

9.30.21

Q+A: TODD MAYHEW

HR exec: Companies best suited to thrive will be ones that help employees grow with them

E

BY VEGAS INC STAFF very company in every industry is facing an acute labor shortage, says Todd Mayhew, senior vice president of human resources and internal communications at Credit One Bank.

Banking is no different.

“I read a recent study that over half of American workers will be looking for a new job over the next 12 months, and the numbers are even higher for Gen Zers and Millennials who comprise the biggest demographic of the workforce,” Mayhew said.

Mayhew said a bank or other company that offers a compelling employee value proposition will be positioned to win in the war for talent—offering rewarding work, competitive pay and benefits, and the ability to build their careers in a stable environment.

Having recently finished his first full year in Las Vegas, Mayhew discussed with us the evolution of HR, the benefit of developing emotional intelligence on the job, and his passion for the YMCA. How has the pandemic altered your day-to-day work life and your perspective on the future of banking?

Because we’re an essential service, providing the means for millions of Americans to make critical purchases during these trying times, our office has remained open. Of course, we have instituted several measures to keep our employees safe, which has altered the typical workplace dynamic. For instance, masking and social distancing are an everyday part of life. Nevertheless, our employees and our bank have prospered with the connectivity and collaboration that are the hallmark of an in-person workplace.

The pandemic has simply accelerated the trends

‘

that have been at play in banking over the past decade or so. Customers want a digital experience that allows them to interact with their financial institutions at their convenience and without having to set foot into a branch or office. Companies like ours have responded by making investments in technology.

dsdfgsdfg

Todd Mayhew

How has HR evolved in the time since you started your career until now?

The use of technology and analytics has exploded, which has helped the function to become more efficient and provide data-driven insights to organizations’ leadership on human capital matters. What has kept me in the function for all of these years is the diversity of hats you wear as an HR leader—on any given day, you’re part strategist, tactician, lawyer, counselor, analyst, etc. It’s truly a unique vantage point on the business that has kept me engaged over my career.

What is the best business advice you’ve received?

Early in my career, my boss pulled me aside after a team meeting during which I had expressed some concerns and hadn’t realized how my comments were being received. My boss helped me to see that even though I was junior, my words mattered—they had created a negative resonance across the team that could have impeded creativity and progress. Moreover, she helped me to realize that I was empowered and capable of changing the very things about which I had concerns.

That “fireside chat” set me down a path to learn about emotional intelligence and, with my boss’s

encouragement, I read all I could on the topic. I would say that early intervention became a career accelerant for me, as I learned how to be a better employee and leader through the awareness and management of my emotions and the emotions of those around me. Since the human brain is hardwired to be emotional first and rational second, I remain grateful for that early lesson; it has helped me immeasurably during the most challenging of situations I’ve faced in my career.

Tell us about your work with the YMCA. I have always admired what the YMCA does for the communities in which it operates. I have an early memory of a family friend who fell on hard times and received tremendous support from the Y to get back on his feet. I also have fond childhood memories of participating in Y activities and, not long after my son was born, we took him to the local Y for swim lessons.

Roll the tape forward to a year ago, when an opportunity came up for me to join the board of the YMCA of Southern Nevada, I jumped at the chance.

I continue to be impressed by what the Y does for families across the community. For example, when the pandemic hit and schools went remote, parents were challenged to balance between work and home-schooling. The Y leapt into action with the Y Cares program, offering safe, nurturing and cost-effective childcare that helped kids keep up with their virtual learning, and parents keep up with the demands of their jobs.

This example is just one of many that demonstrates the tremendous impact the Y has on families.

What are you reading right now? Or bingewatching?

I always have a lot going on, so I tend not to watch a lot of TV—I confess, I don’t even have Netflix. I recently finished the book Talent Wins by Ram Charan, Dominic Barton and Dennis Carey. I recommend this book highly for any CEO, finance leader or HR leader. It makes a very compelling case for transforming how companies acquire, manage and deploy talent given the realities of increasingly digital and complex organizations.

What do you do after work or on weekends?

Fitness has always been a big part of my life, so I make sure to get to the gym regularly. My son and I have been taking guitar lessons for years. It has been fascinating to see the musician he is becoming—while my skills remain at the novice level, and that’s being charitable.

The pandemic has simply accelerated the trends that have been at play in banking over the past decade or so. Customers want a digital experience that allows them to interact with their financial institutions at their convenience and without having to set foot into a branch or office.”

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VEGAS INC BUSINESS

9.30.21

VegasInc Notes Credit One Bank added new hires Puneet Rawal, chief information officer, Jason Mariasis, vice president of digital product management, Jessica Worthy, vice president Rawal of credit card product management, and Blake Gertz, vice president of risk management, to its expanding corporate leadership team.

Dr. John DeVries, an oncology orthopedic surgeon, to help meet the growing need for health services in the Las Vegas community. DeVries joins the medical practice at 750 W. Oakey Blvd.

Suite 2B . at 1736 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson.

Kohli specializes in adult medicine.

Amalgamated Life Insurance Company announced the appointment of Jeff Sammons as sales executive.

Sammons, who is based in Las Vegas, will be marketing Amalgamated Life’s full product line to businesses, unions, associations and other organizations across the Western Region.

He has over 19 years of experience Sammons selling insurance products and employee benefits.

Mariasis

Dickinson Wright announced that Jef- Worthy Gertz frey Silver, gaming and administrative law of counsel, will be inducted into the American Gaming Association’s Gaming Hall of Fame at the Global Gaming Expo on October 5. Silver is one of three inductees in the 2020 class. He is being recognized for his 50-year legal career that has reached every aspect of the gaming industry, from regulatory to casino operations to legal and liquor licensing.

Dr. Jasmin Kohli joined Southwest Medical, part of Optum Care, at its Horizon Ridge Healthcare Center

Exit Realty welcomed its newest agent, Monica Bejarano. Bejarano is a Realtor, property manager and notary who specializes in residential homes, including single-family, condos, townhomes and multifamily homes.

Newmark announced that Angela Bates was promoted to managing director. Bates specializes in the acquisition and disposition of income-producing multihousing properties. Bates has worked in the real estate industry for over 16 years.

In the last five years, Bates has executed 62 deals with a total considerBates ation in excess of $2.417 billion.

Optum Care Orthopaedics and Spine welcomed

Grand Canyon Development Partners hired Andrea Pineda as manager of project development.

Pineda brings more than 20 years of experience to her new position, with a diverse background spanning several industries. Pineda is responsible for establishing and developPineda ing relationships with customers, suppliers and other partners as well as coordinating project development activities for the company.

Project 150, a local nonprofit that provides homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students with basic necessities, appointed Chet Buchanan to its board of directors. Buchanan is the host and creator of 98.5 KLUC’s “Chet Buchanan Show.” Many Las Vegans know him Buchanan from his work as the game day host at UNLV basketball and football games, and as the “Voice of NASCAR” for Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Paragon Pools executives Joseph Michael Vassallo, president, and Joseph Anthony Vassallo, vice president, were named Masters of Design 2021 by Pool and Spa News for their custom spa project “Once in a Blue Moon.” The award-winning design features a 360-degree elevated, perimeter-overflow spa, enlarged wet deck, plunge pool and accent wall with fire and water features.

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“YOU’RE A BEAST!” BY FRANK LONGO

WEEK OF SEP 30 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “We need to become more unreasonable but in an intelligent way,” says politician Jerry Brown. That’s especially true for you right now. In addition, consider this from fashion designer Vivienne Westwood: “Intelligence is composed mostly of imagination, insight—things that have nothing to do with reason.” And historian Arnold J. Toynbee: “The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “I have become whole and complete, like a thundering cloudburst in summer,” wrote poet Miklós Radnóti. That metaphor for fullness is not an immaculate icon of shiny, sterile perfection, but rather a primal, vigorous force of nature in all of its rumbling glory. Use it to fuel your creative spirit in the coming weeks.

2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Pandiculation” refers to when you stretch and yawn at the same time. You will benefit from doing a lot of pandiculations in the coming days. Keep your shoes off as much as possible, get a massage or three, and let yourself sleep more than you customarily do. Dream up all the things you can do to relax and renew yourself. Indulge in generous acts of self-healing.

ACROSS 1 Quick heartbeat sound 8 Jordanian’s language 14 Do over again 20 Exercise caution 21 Baseballer Minnie 22 Come about over time 23 Oscar-nominated actress for Georgia 25 The X’s of XOXO 26 Even, in golf 27 Was in a pew 28 Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous host 30 “Morning Has Broken” singer 36 Eggy holiday drink 37 Building floor 38 Noted Dodge City sheriff 46 Watch via Hulu, e.g.

49 A Christmas Carol miser 50 Too trusting 51 “Got ya!”

52 Jesting sort 55 Opening in a schedule 56 Cove, e.g.

57 2013-14 co-host of The View 61 Foldable beds 62 100-eyed mythical giant 63 Boat’s load 64 NFL Hall of Famer Carter 66 Well-honed 67 The Situation Room host 70 Middle East’s — Strip 74 Diving venue 75 Made a typo, e.g.

76 Got along 77 GLOW star Brie 81 Longtime panelist on To Tell the Truth

84 Funny stuff 85 Hooplas 87 “Hey, I was thinking ...”

88 Crude liquid 89 Partner of alas 90 Nine-sided figure 93 Sharp pang 95 Defensive tackle whose #86 was retired by the Chiefs 97 Best athletes 99 Gray color 100 1958-82 Crimson Tide football coach 104 Champion of 15 golf majors 111 Corp. kahuna 112 Parseghian of Notre Dame 114 Like a day in June, in a Lowell poem 115 People ... or an alternate title for this puzzle 121 Flavorings for absinthes 122 Tell, as a tale 123 Outstanding 124 Liquefy anew 125 Old truisms 126 No-goodnik DOWN 1 Tire-filling tool 2 I, Robot writer Asimov 3 Cotta or firma preceder 4 Virtuoso 5 Fido’s foot 6 Newsman Melber 7 More jittery 8 Very slightly 9 — Tin Tin 10 Lust, Caution director Lee 11 Atom modeler Niels 12 Golfer Aoki 13 Barber’s tool

14 Tie again, as a necktie 15 Supersmart supervillain 16 Emulate a supermodel 17 Snow queen in Frozen 18 With, to Fifi 19 “Concetta” pianist John 24 SEAL’s group 29 Map of Hawaii, often 31 Lao- — 32 Actor Keach and singer Lattisaw 33 Greeting on a May greeting card 34 Chicago Med airer 35 Fraternal patriotic org.

39 Reggae singer Peter 40 “Holy —!”

41 In the past 42 Throw a fit 43 Fodder tower 44 Cooking appliance 45 Clears, as profit 46 Pat of Wheel of Fortune 47 At that place 48 Cooking appliance 49 Neck warmer 53 Singer Marilyn 54 Bluff-busting poker words 58 Prioress, e.g.

59 Abbr. for three primary colors 60 Words on a flat rental sign 61 Yule tree 64 Prague native 65 — a beet 67 Prevailed 68 NYC subway inits.

69 Test in a fitting room 70 Moo goo — pan 71 Fire felony

72 1983 Woody Allen movie 73 “Hello” singer 74 Political patronage, informally 76 Migrating birds’ regular route 77 Moby-Dick helmsman 78 Real doozie 79 Apple option since 1998 80 Ankle coverer 81 Coffee from Hawaii 82 “This — emergency!”

83 Star-giving critic, e.g.

85 — chili (pepper type) 86 Cry of Homer Simpson 91 Chin-wag 92 Nearly zero 94 “— Little Teapot” 96 A “Baby Bell” phone co.

97 Environs 98 Choice loin steaks 101 Tiptops 102 Dubbed 103 The “T” of LGBT, in brief 104 Old overlord 105 XOXO actress Skye 106 Ghastly 107 Loosen up 108 Other, in Oaxaca 109 Batted without playing the field, for short 110 CSI: NY actress Ward 113 Choral voice 116 Ugly witch 117 Pickup’s kin 118 “I love,” to Luisa 119 I Hate Valentine’s Day actress Vardalos 120 Quaint hotel

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The ancient Roman author Pliny’s 10-volume Natural History was a monumental encyclopedia of the natural world. However, it contained a great deal of erroneous information. So, be extra discerning in the coming weeks. Be especially skeptical of authorities, experts and other knowit-alls who are very confident despite being inaccurate or erroneous.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “There are those fortunate hours when the world consents to be made into a poem,” writes poet Mark Doty. That’s great for a poet. But what about for everyone else? There are fortunate hours when the world consents to be made into a holy revelation or a lyrical breakthrough or a marvelous feeling that changes our lives forever.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Between 37 and 41 BCE, Caligula served as third Emperor of Rome. To do so, he had to disprove the prophecy of a renowned astrologer, Thrasyllus of Mendes. Is there a curse you want to undo? A false prophecy you’d like to cancel? Someone’s low expectation you would love to debunk? The coming weeks will be a favorable time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): College student Amelia Hamrick transcribed the musical score that Hieronymus Bosch had written on a man’s naked hindquarters as part of his 15th-century painting The Garden of Earthly Delights.

Perform feats comparable to Hamrick: Explore the past for useful, overlooked clues; find or create redemptive transformations out of stressful situations; have fun telling stories about your past misadventures.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Diego is a giant tortoise who has lived for over 100 years. In 1977, he and another, E5, became part of a breeding program with 12 female tortoises. Together the two males saved their species—producing over 2,000 offspring. You could be as metaphorically fertile as Diego and E5 in the coming months.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “The meaning of my existence is that life has addressed a question to me,” wrote psychologist Carl Jung. “Or, conversely, I myself am a question that is addressed to the world, and I must communicate my answer, for otherwise, I am dependent upon the world’s answer.” These are superb meditations for you. Keep a journal where you write about them.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): North Korean officials claim that Kim Jong Un learned to drive at age 3 and was an accomplished sailor at 9. As an adult, he developed the power to control the weather, invented a drug to cure AIDs and discovered a lair where magical unicorns live. It’s time to identify tap into your unexpressed, real-life super powers.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Toni Morrison testified, “I think of beauty as an absolute necessity. I don’t think it’s a privilege or an indulgence. It’s almost like knowledge, which is to say, it’s what we were born for.” Adopt her perspective. A devoted quest for beauty will heal exactly what most needs to be healed in you. It will teach you everything you most need to know.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Poet and translator Anne Carson periodically joins with her husband, Robert Currie, to teach a workshop called “EgoCircus.”

It’s an ironic title, because the subject they teach is the art of collaboration. To develop skills as a collaborator, of course, people must lay aside at least some of their egos’ needs and demands. Stage your own version of EgoCircus in the coming weeks. The time is ripe for you to hone your creative togetherness and synergistic intimacy.

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