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ADVERTISING DEADLINE EVERY THURSDAY AT 5 P.M.
From summer movies to sporty fun, our picks for the best activities to beat the stifling heat.
Logan Reed demonstrates the zipline at Spy Ninjas HQ, one of many fun venues in our summer indoor-tainment guide. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
08 Three Square’s Restaurant Week offers a delicious way to help out, Fallout Fringe Festival takes over Downtown and more this week.
14 HOME LIFE
Records demand attention, respect and even love. Follow these tips for properly storing and cleaning vinyl.
26 NEWS
How one local nonprofit is doing its part to address Nevada’s mental health crisis.
30 SPORTS Why the Golden Knights should re-sign Original Misfit Reilly Smith.
34 COMEDY Jim Gaffigan commits to his craft at Wynn.
40 FOOD & DRINK
The makers of Chinglish bring fun pan-Asian concept Hot Noods Downtown.
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY MAY 29
FRIDAY MAY 30
HAMILTON
7:30 p.m.
(& thru 6/1, times & dates vary), Reynolds Hall, thesmith center.com.
With Twin Seas, Los Emptys, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, tickettailor.com.
LAS VEGAS ACES VS. LOS ANGELES SPARKS
7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com
BOXING: BEK VS. FULGHUM
3:15 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com
KENNY CHESNEY
8 p.m., & 5/31, 6/4, Sphere, ticketmaster. com
BRUNO MARS
9 p.m., & 5/31, 6/2, Dolby Live, ticketmaster. com
JANET JACKSON
8:30 p.m., & 5/31, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com
JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING
With Jager Henry, 8 p.m., Green Valley Ranch Backyard Amphitheater, ticketmaster. com
LILY GRACE
10 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, tixr.com
HUMAN NATURE
Thru 6/1, 7:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster. com
HONEY REVENGE With Daisy Grenade, Vana, Nightlife, 7 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com
DUTCH INTERIOR
With Poor Image, Clovers Daughter, 8 p.m., the Griffin, dice.fm
THE DANGEROUS LIAISONS
7 p.m., & 5/31, Charleston Heights Arts Center, vegas cityopera.org
FINESSE MITCHELL & TISHA CAMPBELL
8 & 10 p.m., & 5/31, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com
PATRICK WARBURTON
7:30 p.m., & 5/31, Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguy scomedy.com
SATIN JACKETS
From Daft Punk to Deadmau5, we love our mystery producers, and Satin Jackets is no exception. The polished project of German hitmaker Tim Bernhardt reinforces what many of us dance-floor fiends already knew: We desperately miss disco. Through his masked alter-ego, Bernhardt restores the sleek sophistication of disco through an Ibiza, sun-kissed lens. Cuts like “Northern Lights” and “String It Again” beam with a brilliant finish. They’re summer-y and sexy, light and full of atmosphere. This U.S. and Canadian tour marks Satin Jackets’ largest yet, in anticipation of his fifth studio album, Cruise Control. Fingers crossed, we’ll get a sneak peek. 10 p.m., $18, House of Blues, concerts.livenation.com. –Amber Sampson
G-EAZY 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial. com.
HOWARD HEWETT & KLYMAXX
7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticket master.com
DOM DOLLA 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com
AC SLATER 10 p.m., Substance, seetickets.us
GEORGE SMEDDLES With CHKLTE, Faceto & Cheez, 11 p.m., La Mona Rosa, posh.vip
BLACKBEARD 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, taogroup.com
KIDS DAY: VEGAS KNIGHT HAWKS VS. ARIZONA RATTLERS Indoor pro football is back in Henderson as the Knight Hawks have opened their fourth season in IFL play. The fastpaced action on the field is always worth the ticket price, but the community-centered promotions at each home game at The Stronghold are packed with fun as well. Saturday’s game against Arizona is also Kids Day, when the first 1,500 fans ages 14 and under will receive an exclusive VKH youth jersey—a pretty cool offering considering the team’s logo and colors make for some of our favorite local sports merch. Doors open at 5 p.m. 6 p.m., $18$142, Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com. –Brock Radke
(Matt York/AP Photo)
SUPERGUIDE
SUNDAY JUN 1
DURAND BERNARR With Gene Noble, 8 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15.com
DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT With -(16)-, Glassing, Plague Doctor, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, dice.fm
TRUST THE SUN With Dead Money, AYCE Orchestra, 7 p.m., Composers Room, thecompo sersroom.com
GOSPEL BRUNCH 10 a.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com
STEVE AOKI 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com
CHRIS LAKE 11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com
OCTOBER LONDON & TAMAR BRAXTON With Ro James, 7 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com
MONDAY JUN 2
OMNOM 11 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com
RL GRIME 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
EXHIBIT: THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL Thru 7/7, Thu.-Mon. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Nevada State Museum, lasvegasnv museum.org
EXHIBIT: FINDING BEAUTY WHERE WE ARE Thru 7/29, times vary, Centennial Hills Library, the librarydistrict. org
EXHIBIT: RAINFOREST ADVENTURE Thru 8/10, daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Las Vegas Natural History Museum, lvnhm.org
JKRAZY 10 p.m., On the Record, ontherecordlv. com
JOE MAZ 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup.com
LAS VEGAS RESTAURANT WEEK
As reported last week in the Las Vegas Sun, food insecurity is on the rise in Southern Nevada, with economic instability and federal cuts to foundational programs like SNAP and Medicaid sending more of our neighbors to food pantries for help—and those organizations are struggling to keep up. It’s a good time to help out, if you can, and this month it’s as easy as going out to lunch or dinner. Three Square’s annual Restaurant Week is back, meaning you can choose from dozens of delicious local restaurants across the Valley, enjoy a special meal at a discounted price, and automatically send the proceeds to help feed Las Vegans who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Thru 6/13, restaurantweeklv.org. –Brock Radke
(Courtesy)
SUPERGUIDE
TUESDAY JUN 3
FALLOUT FRINGE FESTIVAL
If you’ve been searching for a way to support the Vegas theater scene, here’s a suggestion: attend the Fallout Fringe Festival. This monthlong arts event is nothing short of a love letter to local and touring productions that stretch the boundaries of stagecraft, whether that be through parody, dramatic performance or thought-provoking scripts. Various Downtown venues—Vegas Theatre Company, Majestic Repertory Theatre, Cheapshot, Cornish Pasty and Notoriety— will host more than 100 performances, including TSTMRKT and Indecline’s cheeky production of Take Your Shot: Luigi Mangione, and the comedy Knives, Knives, Knives, in which spoken dialogue is cribbed from President Trump’s public speeches and delivered by characters in a completely different context. Acting workshops will also be available so you can pursue your own stage dreams. Thru 6/25, times & locations vary, $12-$182, falloutfringe.org.
–Amber
Sampson
GOOSE
6 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster. com
FRANKIE MORENO
7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmith center.com
KELLY VOHNN 2 p.m., Composers Room, thecompos ersroom. com
JEFF RETRO 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup. com
WEDNESDAY JUN 4
BIG NIGHT OUT With Estevan Velasco, 8 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com.
HEART OF CINEMA SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
7 p.m., Composers Room, the composersroom. com
DJ KITTIE 11 a.m., Liquid Pool Lounge, taogroup.com
ODD MOB 10:30 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com
DEAN EDWARDS With Jason Cheny, Kathleen Dunbar, Chris Storin, thru 6/8, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com
SPENCER JAMES With Ronn Josol, thru 6/8, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy. com
DENNIS JONES BAND 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com
HOT FIX SIDE SHOW 10 p.m., Notoriety, notorietylive.com
DO IT ALL
(Courtesy)
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
act of authenticity and devotion. Vinyl LPs are temperamental, heavy, expensive and maddeningly analog—yet we love them. It’s not just nostalgia, or our affinity for
analog nature provides listeners with warm, organic tones that just can’t be replicated. Records demand attention, respect and
imate children—if your kids were prone
SHOWING OFF THE GOODS CLEANING THE WAX
Let’s start with the fun part, showing off your sonic trophies. Use wall-mounted record shelves to show off what you’re currently playing, or frame a few favorite album covers like art. Just make sure your display doesn’t expose records to direct sunlight, which can cause irreversible damage to the vinyl’s overall sound and visual quality. Organization is a key. Alphabetize by artist, group by genre, or even arrange by spine color for a visually cohesive look. However you do it, make sure it’s easy to find what you’re looking for and fun to browse.
SAFEGUARDING THE ARCHIVE
Even brand-new records can have dust or factory residue. Before each play, use a carbon fiber brush to remove surface dust. Gently hold it over the spinning record for a few rotations and let the bristles do the work.
For deeper cleans, you can use a record cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth. Apply the liquid sparingly and wipe in a circular motion along the grooves. For serious collectors, vacuum-style or ultrasonic record cleaners offer a more professional clean.
Also, don’t forget your turntable needle—keep it clean with a stylus brush or cleaner to avoid transferring dust and dirt back onto your records.
The most important rule of record storage is simple: always store them vertically, like books. Laying them flat can lead to pressure damage and warping. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
Inner sleeves matter. Ditch those crinkly paper ones full of dust and static and upgrade to anti-static polyethylene sleeves. For outer protection, go with thick plastic outer sleeves if you want to keep the cover art from getting scuffed.
When evaluating your record collection’s home base, remember that humidity and temperature matter. Avoid stashing them in places like garages or attics. Stable environments make happy records.
THE
BEST TURNTABLE FOR EVERY BUDGET
AUDIO-TECHNICA AT-LP60X
For the uninitiated, the AT-LP60X is a no-frills entry into the world of vinyl. Fully automatic, it offers a straightforward experience without the need for manual adjustments. While it may not satisfy the audiophile’s ear, it’s a solid
MID-RANGE: U-TURN ORBIT BASIC ($250) OR FLUANCE RT82 ($300)
The U-Turn Orbit Basic offers a minimalist design with a focus on quality. Its manual operation and customizable options make it a favorite among enthusiasts seeking to personalize their set up. On the other hand, the Fluance RT82 gives a more polished listening experience with its high-quality cartridge and sturdy wooden base that helps reduce vibrations and play records with clear, balanced sound.
SPENDY: PRO-JECT DEBUT CARBON EVO ($600)
If you’re ready to drop half a grand on a turntable (or a little more), you deserve gear that doesn’t just spin wax, it makes your records sound alive. The ProJect Debut Carbon Evo is sleek, serious, and fitted with a carbon fiber tonearm that tracks grooves like a bloodhound. It’s built to make your collection sing like it’s the first time, every time.
MOVIE NIGHTS REIMAGINED
EVERY MONDAY AT BOULEVARD POOL
Boulevard Pool transforms into a rooftop cinema above The Strip — make a splash, lounge poolside and enjoy fan-favorite films, handcrafted cocktails and elevated concessions under the stars.
VIEW THE LINE UP
As daily temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley climb into the triple digits and, you know, stay there, it’s tempting to beat a retreat—to stick to your home and to the pool. But you don’t have to abandon fun until October. There are all kinds of fun things to do around the city, from ice skating, to gallery shows, to escape rooms, to a classic night at the movies. In that spirit, the Weekly has drawn up an itinerary for you. Think of us as your people on the inside.
Fun at
We could also go to one of those theaters to screen some this summer’s surprisingly robust crop of auteur-driven original lms for adults, including Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme (May 30), Mike Flanagan’s new Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck (June 6), the newest from Past Lives director Celine Song, Materialists (June 13), Ari Aster’s Eddington (July 18), Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest (August 22), Ethan Coen’s Honey Don’t! (August 22), Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing (August 29), and Sundance Festival breakouts Sorry, Baby (June 27), Oh, Hi (July 25) and Lurker (August 22).
This summer’s maximalist action blockbusters—The
We used to just go to the movies. Didn’t even care much where we went, long as the multiplex was close to home and the screening began at a favorable time. Now, with movies on streaming and demand and with TVs in our homes the size of Volkswagens, we’re pickier about what we see and where we see it. If we’re going to see a movie just for the popcorn—like, say, the franchise crossover Karate Kid: Legends (May 30), the John Wick o shoot Ballerina (June 6), the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon (June 13), Disney/Pixar’s original Elio (June 20), the return of Bob Odenkirk’s unlikely action hero in Nobody 2 (August 15), or one of this summer’s three wholly unexpected comedy franchise reboots, Happy Gilmore 2 (July 25), The Naked Gun (August 1) and Freakier Friday (August 8)—we’ll probably go to one of Galaxy Theatres’ several Valley locations (Green Valley, North Las Vegas or the Boulevard Mall) or to Maya Cinemas in North Las Vegas, taking advantage of luxe reclining seats, impressive picture and sound and kitchen serving up hot snacks.
Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25), F1 (June 27), Jurassic World Rebirth (July 2) and Superman (July 11)—will probably demand screens the size of a Volkswagen dealership, and we’ve got a solid choice of IMAX auditoriums in AMC Town Square, Brenden at the Palms, Regal Aliante and Regal Red Rock Conversely, this summer’s big horror movies and bloodied, claustrophobic thrillers—Bring Her Back (May 30), 28 Years Later (June 20), I Know What You Did Last Summer (July 18), M3GAN 2.0 (June 27), Together (July 30) and Weapons (August 8)— demand nothing less than the West Wind Drive-In and all the parked-car shenanigans that entails.
Downtown’s state-of-the-art independent, international and revival movie house, the Beverly Theater, will likely feature some of the Sundance lms named above, along with the return of several themed lm series that clicked with audiences last summer, namely its midnight screenings, Monster Mondays and retro summer blockbusters. (It’ll be amazing to see Who Framed Roger Rabbit on the big screen again, June 6, 7 and 11). Bobcat Goldthwait will do a Q&A following a screening of his 2009 Robin Williams comedy World’s Greatest Dad (June 2). And the theater will o er a limited number of free “emergency tickets” all summer long, but you must show up in person to claim them.
Finally, the Sphere is presenting 1939’s The Wizard of Oz on its enormous screen in a mind-bending presentation enhanced by AI, beginning August 28. The pirated TikTok footage we saw from this presentation popped our ruby slippers right o . If you haven’t been to the venue yet, the wizardry is waiting. –Geo Carter
INDOOR SUMMER FUN TAKE IT INSIDE
It can be hard to move your body around in the summer because we’re cooped up inside avoiding the hundred-teen-degree heat. Thankfully, there are plenty of indoor options that get your blood pumping, not boiling.
For the adrenaline junkies, try the longest indoor zipline in Las Vegas, which happens to be at Spy Ninjas HQ on West Sahara, along with lots of family-friendly entertainment, obstacle courses and activities. (Who’s down for smashing some fruit in the rage room?) Want to go fast? Reach up to 45 miles per hour at K1 Speed’s indoor go karting track. Laser tag at Battle Blast on West Sahara is another good option for those seeking high-energy activity.
Ice skating is great for more consistent cardio, and there are several rinks in town to choose from. Our favorites would be America First Center in Henderson and Las Vegas Ice Center on West Flamingo. Or if you prefer wheels to blades, try roller
skating at Crystal Palace on North Rancho or Skate Rock City o Boulder Highway.
Swimming is another great way to stay in shape, and kids and adults are invited to learn to swim like a mermaid at the Silverton’s 117,000-gallon aquarium, mermaid tail included. Or jump around at an indoor trampoline park. Flip N Out Extreme claims to be Vegas’ largest, and there’s also Sky Zone. Both have multiple locations.
You’ve probably already heard, but pickleball is the cool thing to do now, and you can stay cool while doing it at Vegas Indoor Pickleball on West Sunset Road or Henderson’s Chicken N Pickle. Up for a little more competition? Swingers indoor mini golf at Mandalay Bay or bowling at Red Rock Casino, South Point or Sunset Station can let your competitive spirit shine. And don’t forget billiards halls like Gri ’s on South Decatur or Good Timez on West Charleston—perfect places to unwind, shoot some stick and soak up the AC. –Shannon Miller
Spy Ninjas HQ
Swingers
Crystal Palace
America First Center
(Photo Illustration)
(Steve Marcus/Sta )
(Steve Marcus/Sta )
(Christopher DeVargas/Sta )
(Wade Vandervort/Sta )
When sunbeams turn hostile, look beyond your screens and retreat to where the lights are low, the air is cold and the art hits both your eyes and ears. Stop into Left of Center Gallery, where Harold Bradford’s show A Purpose runs through July 26. After a life-threatening health crisis left his hands numb, he painted anyway. The work is raw, honest, de ant—proof that resilience and recovery lies in art. At the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, American Duet: Jazz & Abstract Art legends like Miles Davis and John Coltrane play in the background while modernist brushwork swirls around you. Scan the QR code for the gallery’s compilation of songs and the canvas will ri back as you soak in the conversation between 34 contemporary artists and legendary jazz.
Need a reset? Arte Museum delivers full-body immersion through projection, scent and sound. One room smells like ocean spray, another like springtime in bloom. It’s grand, lush, overwhelming— and that’s the point.
Even if you don’t want to admit it, there’s nothing quite as grabbing as pop culture, and at Atomic Pop Culture at the National Atomic Testing Museum you can dive into the weird and wonderful social fallout during the mid 20th century. Take in historic artifacts that show that era’s fascination with atomic energy. At Windmill Library, Flatlays from the O ce of Collecting & Design by Jessica Oreck (through July 27) is an
Atomic Testing Museum
objects, precisely arranged, each
ode to collection obsession—small objects, precisely arranged, each a world unto itself. It’s a celebration of the things we save and the stories they tell.
The Las Vegas Clark County
Library District’s permanent art collection began in 1974 and has since ballooned to include over 400 works.
Pieces: From the LVCCLD Permanent Art Collection (through , Walt Sturrock’s The Old
CLD Permanent Art Collection at July 15) showcases 30 rarely seen works from that pool. This is a unique glimpse into Southern Nevada’s artistic history. Over at Summerlin Library
School Art of Traditional Illustration (through September 16) features handdrawn art over digital. Look closely and admire each thoughtful brushstroke in these traditionally approached pieces.
drawn art over digital. Look closely and
If you like your art with noise and . history
edge, head to the Punk Rock Museum Guided tours are part history lesson, part shout-along. End the day in a big way with one of the city’s newest immersive show about rock ‘n’ roll history
history Rolling Stone Presents: AmArea15’s Illuminarium. The
pli ed at Area15’s Illuminarium. The 360-degree setting will have you feeling like part of the band. Or just get face-to- n with apex predators at Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. –Gabriela Rodriguez
INDOOR SUMMER FUN TAKE IT INSIDE
Punk Rock Museum
Untitled IV by Bernice Breedlove at Whitney Library
RedYellowBlue by Jessica Oreck at Windmill Library
Neon Museum Lost Vegas by Walt Sturrock at Summerlin Library
(Above photographs courtesy)
PLAY Playground at Luxor
Pinball Hall of Fame
Sandbox VR at Venetian
Ashton Bray from Fantasy at Play Playground at Luxor. (Christopher DeVargas/LVM)
(Wade Vandervort/Sta )
(Christopher DeVargas/Sta )
Las Vegas has long been the proverbial playground of America. People save up all year round to play in our little sandbox, and we locals have the luxury of it being in our backyards—so why not take a recess?
Let your inner child (or real child) run free at Luxor’s Play Playground, which has more than 20 interactive games and puzzles. You can catapult o a trampoline onto a life-size bullseye, enter the ER with a game of Doctor! Doctor! or relive your childhood in an adults-only bounce house. While your adrenaline’s still pumping, pop over to Sandbox VR at Venetian for a virtual reality experience that will immerse you in the worlds of Net ix’s Squid Game, Rebel Moon and other pinch-worthy scenarios like zombie apocalypses and alien invasions.
If you choose to panic over any of this, do it at PanIQ Escape Room at Venetian, where brain-stimulating enigmas await. Families will get a kick out of nding the treasure of Atlantis, while friends should expect a spooky good time exploring the secrets of the Haunted Manor and more. Paradox Museum also o ers its share of mind-bending fun on Las Vegas Boulevard. The 11,000-squarefoot attraction winds and loops like a labyrinth, testing the human mind with more than 80 optical illusions and exhibits. It’s fascinating to feel your perspective shift to match the reality of the museum. Abandon all logic, ye who enter here.
Idle hands are the devil’s workshop, so keep those hands busy! Start with a pottery class at one of the Valley’s many ceramics studios. Downtown, Clay Arts Vegas o ers classes in 8-week packages including wheel throwing and hand building. In North Las Vegas, Animal House Pottery has four-week wheel throwing and hand building classes as well as private lessons. Closer to the center of town, Oasis Pottery holds intro classes multiple times a week, and o ers day passes and a variety of class packages. At Town Square, pottery wheel classes are available at the The Pottery Shop, but pottery painting is really what they do best. And in Henderson, Common Ground Pottery o ers hand building and a variety of throwing classes. Check the studios’ websites for guest artist workshops. And if you want to make it a thing and keep coming back, ask about memberships.
Idle minds aren’t good, either, so keep your critical thinking owing with book clubs at The Writer’s Block. The Downtown bookshop will host Michael Chin on June 12 to discuss his new collection of stories This Year’s Ghost. Also at the Writer’s Block, UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute will hold a discussion about John Gallaher’s latest book of poems over pie on June 25. Bird enthusiasts can enjoy a discussion of Helen MacDonald’s H is for Hawk—part of the store’s birding book club—on June 30. There’s also the store’s Double Negative Book Club, exploring books and their on-screen adaptations. On July 2, they’ll be discussing Austrian Nobel laureate winner Elfriede Jelinek’s The Piano Teacher. Southern Noir master S.A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears will be the topic of the LGBTQ-focused July 7 gathering. Part of the Writer’s Block’s Bourbon Book Club, readers can enjoy some whisky while discussing Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose on July 24. –SM
After all that, it’s normal to need some fresh air. Luckily, Flyover can transport you into the great outdoors without setting foot outside. The attraction’s 65-foot spherical screen and ight-motion seats evoke a sensation of soaring across the world’s most majestic landscapes, the wind and mist enhancing your journey over the Canadian Rockies or Iceland’s glaciers. Families itching for more adventure should visit the Discovery Children’s Museum where a new Water World exhibit gives a crash course in sustainability and water conservation, allowing kids to explore interactive river channels, learn how dams are built and more.
Keep that hands-on experience going at the Pinball Hall of Fame, a 25,000-square-foot nonpro t museum dedicated to pinball and nothing but. Roaming through these neon aisles, hearing the addictive thunk and crack of ippers never gets old. And neither do we.
Game Nest arcade also keeps us young. This Chinatown gem o ers more than 100 arcade games, from Japanese rarities like the racing series Wangan Midnight to rhythm games like Guitar Hero. If you want to feel like the star of your own game, visit the John Wick Experience at Area15. Through interactive missions and encounters at the Continental Hotel, you’ll immerse yourself in the Wick-verse of assassins. Enjoy your stay. –Amber Sampson
Discovery Children’s Museum
The Writer’s Block
(Steve Marcus/Sta )
(Steve Marcus/Sta )
IN THE NEWS
LEGISLATURE
Film industry bill moves forward in Nevada Legislature
The Summerlin Production Studios Project, known in the Nevada Legislature as Assembly Bill 238, advanced through the Assembly Ways and Means Committee with some new amendments on May 24, paving the way for the state to make $95 million in annual transferable lm tax credits available to qualifying productions for 15 years starting in 2028 if legislators pass it before the session ends on June 2.
Sponsored by Assemblymembers Sandra Jauregui and Daniele Monroe-Moreno and crafted in partnership with Howard Hughes Holdings, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery, the bills would
PHILANTHROPY
facilitate the construction of a 31-acre production facility and 100-acre mixed-use development in Summerlin and establish an industry-speci c workforce development program.
Facing added scrutiny after the state Economic Forum predicted on May 2 that the state would draw $191 million less than initially projected in tax revenue over the next two years, Jauregui and her team o ered some amendments to make the plan more scally palatable.
One would add benchmarks to ensure studio partners will “meet the obligations” of spending $1.4 billion on the development by 2032 and $4.5 billion
on productions over the program’s lifespan, Jauregui told the committee.
“This increased reporting and transparency is one of the critical additions for the state to hold the project and its production companies accountable in return for the state’s investment,” she said.
The other amendment would create a special entertainment tax district from which tax revenue would fund Clark County School District pre-K for the next 17 years.
Nine of 13 committee members voted to advance the bill, while three Democrats and two Republicans opposed it. –Tyler Schneider
Sands donates to Nevada AAPI nonpro t
Las Vegas Sands has contributed $250,000 to the statewide nonprofit Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) for its Healthy Asian Pacific Islanders Medical Center, translation services and programs for high school and college students.
“We increased our funding in 2025 because ACDC’s desire to create vocational pathways for young people completely aligns with our focus on workforce development and providing resources to fit all types of skills, jobs and careers,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate a airs for Sands.
The company’s previous contributions helped the ACDC launch the medical center and translation services in 11 languages. The 2025 funding will underwrite the nonprofit’s hiring of new language specialists.
The donation made through the company’s Sands Cares community outreach arm comes months after a $300,000 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services grant was e ectively canceled by the Department of Homeland Security. The ACDC had planned to provide citizenship education classes and services to more than 200 individuals during the 24-month grant period, and laid o sta after the grant cancellation in March. –Shannon Miller
ENTERTAINMENT JENNIFER LOPEZ RETURNS WITH COLOSSEUM RESIDENCY
Latin superstar Jennifer Lopez has announced a new residency with Up All Night Live in Las Vegas, launching at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on December 30-31, with 10 more performances scheduled for January and March 2026.
All I Have, Lopez’s first Strip residency at Planet Hollywood in 2016, amassed over $100 million, with the singer and actor performing more than 120 shows in three years. She’ll up the ante with Up All Night, blending smash hits like “Let’s Get Loud” and “On the Floor” with rare cuts. Tickets go on sale to the general public June 6 at ticketmaster.com.
–Amber Sampson
HOT SHOT
Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) celebrates with teammate Chelsea Gray (12) after scoring the game-winning basket against the Washington Mystics at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay on May 23. The Aces defeated the Mystics 7572. (Steve Marcus/ Sta )
Summer Challenge
EVENTS FOR KIDS:
Circus of Bubbles with Kirk Marsh
The art of bubble-making combined with lights and music
Ages 3 – 12
May 30 & 31, June 1-5
Mutiple times and locations
Adam London
Comedian & Magician
Ages 3 – 17
June – July
Mutiple times and locations
Science Heroes Live Science Experiments
Ages 6 – 11
June 9 – 14
Mutiple times and locations
Fyütch
Children’s Hip Hop Artists
Wednesday, July 30
Concert for ages 5 – 17
10:30 a.m. at Windmill Library
Teen Workshop for grades 6 – 12 4 p.m. at Whitney Library
Thursday, July 31
Concert for ages 5 – 17
10:30 a.m. - at Whitney Library
Scan here for event details
Clay Creations - UNR Extension - 4H Teens learn to work with clay
Ages 12 – 17
Clark County Library
Tuesday, June 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 1 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Paint Pouring With Vibes DIY Studio Teens learn to work with clay
Ages 12 – 17
Monday, June 9 at 1 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Monday, June 16 at 1 p.m.
Enterprise Library
Monday, June 23 at 1 p.m.
Sunrise Library
Monday, July 7 at 1 p.m.
Clark County Library
Monday, July 28 at 12 p.m.
Windmill Library
Professional Poetry 101
A workshop with Clark County Poet Laureate
Ashley Vargas Ages 18+
Thursday, May 29
11 a.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Saturday, May 31 11 a.m.
Mesquite Library
Writing Workshop: Past Travels with Joylynn Ross Storytelling Workshop Ages 18+
June & July
Mutiple times and locations
Jay Cameron – African Diaspora Travels
World traveler, speaker, author & radio personality Ages 18+
Friday, June 13
2 p.m.
West Las Vegas Library
Sarah Penner
Meet the author of “The Lost Apothecary”
Thursday, June 26
6 p.m.
Sahara West Library
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
Bridge Counseling Associates, formed in 1971, is the oldest nonprofit providing individual and family counseling in Southern Nevada. But when David Robeck took over as its president in 2014, the organization’s future was in jeopardy.
“It was about to fail; it had just terminated the entire leadership and no other agency wanted to merge with us because we were in such bad shape,” Robeck says. “It was important for me to go out there and make sure that we had a better reputation.”
America’s 2024 report, Nevada ranks last among all states on a composite score that factors in a variety of metrics like the prevalence of substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, insurance coverage gaps and the state of its mental health workforce.
How one Las Vegas behavioral health facility is doing its part to address Nevada’s mental health care crisis
Robeck proceeded to bring Bridge Counseling back from the brink by moving into a 46,000-square-foot facility on McLeod Drive in 2019 while nearly doubling its total staff to about 80. Between that building and a smaller outpatient center on Alta Drive, it has served more than 20,000 clients since he took the reins. Robeck plans to continue building its infrastructure and staff until the organization reaches capacity.
His efforts are one of many adjacent pieces of Nevada’s push to expand its underwhelming mental health care landscape. According to Mental Health
There’s been strong bipartisan recognition of the need to fortify the state’s mental health resources, with the most prominent recent example being Gov. Joe Lombardo’s May 15 introduction of Senate Bill 495, or the Nevada Health Care Access Act, in the Nevada Legislature. The lengthy proposal calls for a $25 million annual fund to combat workforce shortages, with an emphasis on bolstering its graduate residency programs. It would also create a new Office of Mental Health under the Nevada Health Authority, which would be tasked with streamlining access to health care offerings like Medicaid.
The provider gap is a longstanding concern. According to the latest data from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute program that tracks health trends across the United States, Nevada had one mental health care provider for every 376 residents in 2024, while Clark County’s
Bridge Counseling Associates’ McLeod Drive facility added 25 new 24-hour residential treatment facility beds in December 2024. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
rate was 391-to-1.
Nevada lawmakers are looking to address this shortage through Assembly Bill 163, which would enter Nevada into an agreement with 37 other states that allows licensed professional counselors in any of those states to practice in other member states. The bill drew support from more than 100 mental health providers in Nevada in early hearings.
“It’s hard to keep clinicians. This is difficult work that we do. These are people who are facing life-changing problems that we’re able to help them with,” Robeck says. “For us, it helps that we pay salaries weekly, give wonderful benefits and that nobody here is a contractor. And if a client doesn’t show up, you’re going to get paid regardless.”
All employees are certified in skills like CPR and crisis prevention protocol, and have an opportunity to offset up to $75,000 in student loans through a Health Resources Services Administration program. These considerations help Robeck retain the skilled workers he already has, but he’s also made a point to designate specialized rooms where practicum students from UNLV and other universities can learn alongside a licensed counselor.
As it stands, Bridge Counseling’s McLeod facility offers a strong mix of ancillary services, and Robeck—a former banker—left no stone unturned as he transformed it from its former use as a Silver State Schools Credit Union branch. Every space has a purpose, from the Child and Youth Community Treatment Center opened in 2021 to a revamped kitchen space that’s expected to soon serve as a culinary workforce training site.
He credits this sustained surge in resources largely to his nonprofit’s 2017 federal status as a
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, which he says “gave us a brand new license with Medicaid so that we could do all the mental health and substance abuse treatments in the same location.”
“We see all the time people who are treated only for substance abuse, but those who actually work to identify their underlying mental health issue—what caused them to become an addict—can be sober and clean for the rest of their life because they’ve fixed both issues, not just the symptoms,” Robeck says.
Most of their clients come via referrals from courts or the Department of Family Services, with a large portion of those cases stemming from substance use disorders. Bridge Counseling’s growing residential treatment component, which launched about three years ago and welcomed the addition of 25 short-term psychiatric beds last December, emphasizes a mix of individualized counseling and group therapy sessions.
“These are people who may be homeless and need a place to stay and be stabilized. They’re usually here anywhere from nine days to a full month, and the next step would be going to another agency where they can get more permanent housing,” Robeck says. “Beyond that, if a client is not prepared to go yet—perhaps we’ve dealt with their drug issue and we haven’t finished their mental health issue—they will stay here as long as they need to.”
During their treatment period, patients typically have a one-on-one therapy session and two group meetings per week. They work closely with a targeted case manager who checks in on them regularly and can help them craft résumés and apply for jobs. Because most clients rely on Medicaid, Robeck
says Bridge also offers an in-house professional who can facilitate their coverage.
As an adoptive single father of four sons with “special needs,” Robeck is also concerned over an even larger shortage of youth mental health care in the state. On May 9, Nevada’s U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen and 19 of their peers penned a letter to U.S. Department of Education secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers after the department reportedly cut more than $1 billion in Bipartisan Safer Communities Act federal mental health grants to help schools hire mental health staff.
Those cuts would further hinder an already shorthanded youth mental health care system in Nevada. To do his part to crack down on the issue, Robeck has been preparing to turn a garage in the McLeod facility’s parking lot into a 5,200-squarefoot pediatric ward with 16 inpatient psychiatric beds, recreation rooms and an exterior courtyard.
An adjacent plan would add another 28,000-square-foot, two-story multi-family transitional housing building with 52 units and 100 beds. Both proposals recently earned Clark County land use approval, but Robeck’s team is still trying to shore up the $8 million required to make it happen.
While he’d like to see increased funding opportunities for projects like these in the future, Robeck adds that he has noticed Nevada representatives place a “larger focus on mental health” since he began his nonprofit career.
“This is how we get rid of stigma, by recognizing it,” he says. “This is not One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; this is about helping people rebuild their lives.”
David Robeck, president and CEO of Bridge Counseling, gives a tour of the facility on May 12. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
VEGAS INC’s 2025 Women Inspiring Nevada awards aim to identify and highlight women in the community who exemplify determination, leadership and ambition. If you know an extraordinary woman who should be recognized, nominate them today!
LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM/WOMENINSPIRINGNEVADA
PROLONG THE REUNION
BY CASE KEEFER
The most memorable goal of the Golden Knights’ season turned out to be their last goal of the season.
Forward Reilly Smith pulled one of the most dramatic game-winners ever with .4 seconds left on the clock in Game 3 of Vegas’ second-round playoff series against Edmonton. The Golden Knights went on to get shut out in back-to-back games to be eliminated by the Oilers, but Smith’s miracle shot that bounced in off Leon Draisaitl’s stick won’t soon be forgotten.
“I haven’t had too much time to sit back and think about that,” Smith said a few days later after cleaning out his locker for the offseason at the team’s Summerlin headquarters. “I know my oldest brother texted me and said, ‘You better get that puck,’ so I’ll try to do that.”
That shouldn’t be the last game puck the 34-year-old, 14-season NHL veteran collects as a member of the Golden Knights.
As his career winds down, Smith belongs in Vegas, where he returned at this year’s trade deadline.
He’s one of the Golden Knights’ five upcoming unrestricted free agents set to hit the open market on July 1, along with Victor Olofsson, Brandon Saad, Tanner Pearson and Ilya Samsonov.
“I think there’s a really good case to be made for a lot of those players,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “I think they played well for us.”
Smith is the one who should be prioritized. Few players in franchise history are as meaningful.
He became a fan-favorite staple over the organization’s first six seasons as an “Original Misfit,” alongside close friend and frequent linemate William Karlsson. That peaked in 2023 when Smith, an alternate captain, was the second Golden Knight to hoist the Stanley Cup following a handoff from captain Mark Stone.
Smith wound up the lone salary-cap casualty to the core of the championship team when the Golden Knights shipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins that offseason for a third-round draft pick.
It looked like a shrewd move in hindsight, as Smith precipitously declined between more than a season and a half spent with the Penguins and New York Rangers, the latter of which shipped him back to Vegas in March.
“I don’t think the last two years have been the trajectory I wanted my game to go,” Smith said. “But coming back here, I feel I was able to get my footing pretty quickly and feel good about my game again.”
Smith played much better back with the Golden Knights, even before the fateful Oilers’ goal that might wind up the most remembered play of his career.
McCrimmon and president of hockey operations George McPhee have never put emotion into their business decisions. Rather, they’ve become known around the league for ruthless
Golden Knights should re-sign Original Misfit Reilly Smith
decision-making and a willingness to move on from any player if the price isn’t right.
But the approach they famously took in 2021 with the original face of the franchise, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault last year don’t apply here. Both those pillars wanted premium, long-term contracts.
Smith is asking for nothing of the sort, and implied multiple times that he’d accept a lesser contract to remain in Vegas where he’s planted roots with his wife and two daughters.
“I think I play a better brand of hockey playing in this system and this culture here,” Smith said. “There are so many different reasons (I want to stay). Walking down the street and hearing people say, ‘Welcome home, Reilly,’ that goes a long way.”
The Golden Knights’ financial books will be tight with several players locked up to long-term contracts, and the specter of a record-breaking extension for superstar forward Jack Eichel looming.
McCrimmon and McPhee must find value depth options, something Smith can provide.
The team could in turn provide Smith the ideal place to reach his personal goal of playing 1,000 career regular-season games. That could technically happen as soon as next season’s 82-game slate, with Smith having logged 919 appearances so far.
“To be able to do it with this jersey on would mean a lot,” Smith said.
Vegas Golden Knights right winger Reilly Smith (19) skates against Pittsburgh at T-Mobile Arena in March.
(Steve Marcus/Staff)
Super Summer Theatre celebrates 50 years of outdoor, family-friendly Broadway shows
BY GEOFF CARTER
Families spread out on the expanse of green grass, putting down blankets, low profile chairs and coolers. They take in the evening air, cooler here in Spring Mountain Ranch State Park than it is in the city, some 10 miles to the east. They admire the craggy sandstone features of Red Rock Canyon in the near distance. They look, expectantly, to the stage. And what bursts forth from it, what you probably wouldn’t expect to find out here in the desert, is rousing, joyful musical theater.
Super Summer Theatre, a nonprofit that’s dedicated itself to staging family-friendly outdoor productions since its founding, enters its 50th year this week with a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, playing
Wednesday to Saturday through June 14. It’s followed by The SpongeBob Musical in July, Legally Blonde: The Musical in August and Singin’ in the Rain in September, and as ever, they’ve kept tickets affordable: only $28 per person, $10 per parked vehicle.
Those four shows—plus a fall gala featuring performances from past productions, a new front-row VIP Under the Stars ticket option, and a few other modest happenings to be announced throughout the season—are how SST is celebrating a half-century of bringing 200-plus affordable Broadway shows to more than 1.3 million patrons, says Lisa Davis, who sits on the nonprofit organization’s publicity committee. A 2025 SST show night isn’t all that dissimilar from those of years past, save for some technical upgrades
to improve the experience and to allow for cashless transactions with concessionaires.
There are no grandiose expansion plans forthcoming for year 50; there’s no big, self-congratulatory proclamation in the offing. This year, as always, SST is all about working hard for the next show, for the next season and for the next 50 years.
“It’s nice that we’ve sustained 50 years, because it is an all-volunteer organization,” Davis says. (She’s been volunteering for SST for 20 years now.) “It’s a group of people that has a lot of passion to provide great theater. And not only our volunteer board, but also the directors, producers and actors of all the shows. It’s quite a jaunt from Vegas, to go out [to Spring Mountain State Park] every night. I think, on average, it’s about 12 nights per show, not including rehearsal. Having to drive from Vegas and back to perform, that’s a labor of love.”
three shows are already set; they need to be listed in this year’s program, which Davis lays out. It’s one of several tasks she takes on for Super Summer Theatre, which include show-night duties that, happily, allow her to meet its most passionate fans firsthand.
“We all have different roles to volunteer for: concession, meadow, parking,” she says.
“When I was volunteering for parking, I was asking people, ‘Have you been out here before?’ And a lady said, ‘Oh yeah, I used to come out here with my parents, and now I’m bringing my kids.’ I got a lot of that feedback, [of] impacting generations. That’s what really warms my heart, making a difference in our community like that.”
That labor generally begins a year out, Davis adds. Next year’s
SUPER SUMMER THEATRE: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT Thru 6/14 (Wed.-Sat.), 8 p.m., $28. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, supersummertheatre.org.
Cast members including Max Baker (Joseph), center, perform during a rehearsal of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
Jim Gaffigan relishes the chance to entertain at Wynn
TRUST THE PROCESS
BY BROCK RADKE
Jim Gaffigan remains one of the biggest comedy tickets in Las Vegas, continuing a years-long series of performances at Wynn while releasing riotous specials—The Skinny is the latest, streaming on Hulu—and touring the country’s top stages, winning Emmys and receiving Grammy nominations along the way. He also pops up in movies and TV shows, including a recurring role in Saturday Night Live’s election-year sketches as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
It seems like Gaffigan has accomplished everything in the comedy world, but he has a different perspective. “There’s stuff I want to do, but I guess I learned a long time ago that it’s the creative fulfillment I should focus on,” he tells the Weekly “It sounds corny, but there’s nothing better than coming up with a new joke.
is everything is so self-contained. As amazing as Vegas is as a city, I really don’t have to leave for the weekend. And that room is small and intimate so I think people get a pretty special show. Wynn is one of the smaller rooms I do on my tour. And I love the fact people can come from all around the country, but the Vegas community is great, too. There’s a savviness there to entertainment, where they can appreciate it but they’re not as jaded as, say, an LA audience, if that makes sense.
Your family has grown up and your kids are basically the whole spectrum of teenager. Have you brought the whole family along for tour dates?
JIM GAFFIGAN Thru 5/31, 8 p.m., $107-$206.
Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com
“I realized this when I finally appeared on Letterman, which was such a huge goal of mine, and after that I was kind of confused. Well, what do I do now that I achieved this goal? It made me evaluate what I really love about it.”
Gaffigan loves the process. That’s not to say he doesn’t enjoy performing at Wynn’s luxurious Encore Theater. “That’s important to me. I don’t want that to go away. But the creative fulfillment of coming up with a new joke or special or getting a cool acting role is probably more important than whether that movie role is seen by a lot of people.”
Here’s more of our recent conversation with Gaffigan to enjoy before you catch him at a weekend show on the Strip.
Plenty of comedians have told us they love to play Vegas because the audience isn’t just people that live here. Are your Vegas shows special for that reason, or for other reasons?
I feel like what it’s like at Wynn is pretty dramatically different. The Wynn is such an elevated kind of experience, but all of Vegas is amazing. What I love about Wynn
We haven’t done that in a while. My kids went to Vegas [when] I was doing the Mirage … but it’s all such a blur now. They are [ages] 12 to 21 so when we are all together it’s usually around the holidays. They consistently have no interest in attending my shows, but when they were little, we threw them on the bus for a month. They’ve explored the world a little bit.
What was it like to be doing SNL during the election cycle? Were you heavily involved in that manic process of planning the show or was it less collaborative?
It was as bizarre as what you would think, but also, I was usually done after the cold open, so it was gearing up for two minutes of work. As somebody who does stand-up for like an hour, I kind of missed some of that longer process. But it was an opportunity I could never imagine, just so amazing, and doing the 50th season was so incredible.
If anything, it really surprised me because that was the first time I’ve done something where I feel like most people saw it. Maybe they didn’t see the show but they saw a clip of it, so that was the first time I was involved in something like that. There are very few people who are like, what is SNL?
(Courtesy/Mark Seliger)
OVERNIGHT CELEBRITY
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
WHO: Overnight Celebrity is an eclectic group drawing from a bevy of diverse musical experiences. The band formed in late 2023, gaining traction online with skillful, living room covers of Daft Punk’s “Something About Us” and The Internet’s “Hold On.”
BACKSTORY: Vocalist Tiana Thomas and her bandmates— Shane Bonds (saxophone), Paris Estrada (drums), Keyon Kelp (keyboard), Ruben Padilla (guitar) and Matthew Nishimura (bass)—had been friends through their shared involvement in the local music scene for “a hot minute” before they considered forming Overnight Celebrity, Padilla explains. Since then, they’ve played three shows and released the satiny, groove-laden single, “Got Me (Like That).”
SOUND: A swirling mix of projects and perspectives shape Overnight Celebrity’s sound. Padilla likes to sneak in doses of Latin music. Kelp and Nishimura also serve as beatmakers for The Rabbit Hole, a local hip-hop and electronic collective. Estrada has another jam-forward band called Jonetsu, while Bonds is a polished musician who bolsters their sound with a smooth finesse.
“To make it as generic as possible, [it’s] alternative R&B,” Kelp says.
“Or soul,” Thomas adds. “But there’s also some indie and jazz influence, too.”
“I feel like we just have our own vibe going on, and that’s because we’re all so different in our own individual music,” Thomas says, describing their style as “genre-less.”
NEXT UP: The band has plans to drop a second single, “Language,” early this summer—and there’s more to come. “I feel like now more than ever, we’re more focused and dedicated to making this happen than we were in the past,” Kelp says. “Dropping music is pretty much the mission right now.”
BEYOND DUMPLINGS
Vegetable eggrolls, soft shell crab, Poh Poh’s dumplings, shrimp tempura and fried green beans at Hot Noods inside El Cortez. (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)
The makers of Chinglish bring fun pan-Asian concept
Hot Noods Downtown
BY BROCK RADKE
The casino resorts along the Las Vegas Strip are constantly flipping venues, converting restaurants, bars and lounges into new concepts faster than most of us can track. The turnover is much less frequent at Downtown casinos, which have a different customer base.
That trend makes the recent $20 million renovation and expansion at the El Cortez on Fremont Street especially significant. The classic Downtown casino and hotel—established in 1941—transformed a keno lounge and restaurant and kitchen space into two flashy new bars, ShowBar and Roulette Bar, a new high limit gaming area, and an exciting new pan-Asian restaurant, Hot Noods, from the family that impressed Summerlin diners with the tasty Chinglish Chinese eatery before it closed last year.
“We certainly miss Chinglish, especially the guests who became close
friends to our family,” explains operating partner Kitty Heck. “But as soon as we arrived at the El Cortez, which is family-owned and operated, we knew we had found a new home. Besides, Kenny Epstein is our best customer.”
Epstein, El Cortez chairman and CEO, adored the cuisine at Chinglish and convinced the family to develop something different for Downtown.
“I thought it would be a great partnership and concept to bring to El Cortez,” he says.
Make no mistake, this is not the same unique blend of Cantonese classics and well-curated wines. Instead, think noodles and sake bombs—high energy and bold flavors.
“Hot Noods is pan-Asian comfort food. We are no longer limiting ourselves to Cantonese cuisine,” says Heck. “We are still a scratch kitchen, and Mom and Dad are still hand-folding dumplings and rolling the egg rolls, but we’ve added some Japanese and Thai dishes like ramen, pad Thai and rice bowls.”
Big dishes right out of the gate include the Tonkotsu ramen ($18), tender pork chashu and wavy noodles in pork bone broth simmered for nine hours with, egg, green onion, dried seaweed and bean sprouts, but you can keep it light with veggie ramen ($16) if you prefer. Pro tip from your fellow diners: “Some of our regulars have even been using our soft shell crab appetizer ($11) as a ramen topping,” Heck adds.
The beef rice bowl ($15) is another top seller, and equally familiar options like chicken chow mein ($18) and shrimp fried rice ($18) add balance to the menu. You could create a feast from appetizers alone, including Poh Poh’s Dumplings ($14) and Gung Gung’s salt-and-pepper chicken wings ($12) dusted in garlic—both beloved dishes from the family’s former restaurant.
“There are too many to choose from, everything’s good,” says Epstein. “I especially love the soups, chicken chow mein, egg rolls and fried green beans.”
NEW HEIGHTS
Upscale bars
Peacock Alley and Hard Shake debut at Waldorf Astoria
BY SHANNON MILLER
Next time you’re seeking a dose of sophistication on the Strip, you might want to look up. Waldorf Astoria’s newly renovated Peacock Alley and Hard Shake take it to the next level—the 23rd floor, that is.
The non-gaming, non-smoking Hilton property’s multimillion-dollar renovation kicked off in spring 2024, transforming what was formerly known as Waldorf’s tea lounge into a polished and luxurious cocktail bar and lounge. While it still offers afternoon tea service (sandwiches or scones, anyone?), Peacock Alley offers an expanded cocktail menu. Try teatails or cocktails inspired by the golden era of Hollywood glam, with signatures like the Olivier ($22) with Still gin, lemon, rosemary-infused dry vermouth and black olive oil, or the Audrey ($24) with Ketel One Oranje, Kahlua, espresso and dulce de leche.
Afternoon tea easily bleeds into an evening of cocktails given that just a set of double doors separate Peacock Alley from Hard Shake. The lounges share the same food menu featuring tuna “cigars” with sesame “ash” and citrus caviar ($26), succulent honey shrimp with candied walnuts ($38), osetra caviar atop flattened tater tots with chive and crème fraîche ($48), truffled pommes frites ($22) and more. However, where Peacock Alley is white marble, glass artwork and muted blues and greys, Hard Shake is distinct in all obsidian, gold and metal accents. And its drinks set it apart, too.
With a dual focus on tradition and innovation, Hard Shake’s cocktails are crafted meticulously. The Dragons Treasure for two ($50) is presented in a smoking treasure chest lit from within and satisfies with a spirit-forward mix of mezcal, Komos Rosa and ginger liqueur. The Golden Hour ($26) with Veuve Cliquot, almond and mandarin liqueur and lemon bitters is perfect for taking in the sunset over the Strip.
That’s what Peacock Alley and Hard Shake also have in common—floor to ceiling windows with some of the best views in the city.
